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milkywaydrabbles · 1 year

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Meeting the Haitani brothers in their clubs

A/N: literally no one asked for this but I am a firm believer the Haitani brothers are raveheads. Rindou is for sure a wook, while Ran stays in his progressive house lane. I could literally talk about them and their music taste for hours, writing a dissertation as we speak.

Haitani Rindou Artists inspo: ATLiens, Svdden Death, Rezz

⁍When you first met Rindou you were at one of his smaller clubs. Definitely an edm club, one that he owned for fun and not to push drugs or be a cover for any other illegal activity. He knew it was a silly club but it's one he often visited for the fun of it if he wasn't doing business. That's when he was his most casual. ⁍He was by the bar area, leaning by the rails of the elevated section and looking out to the sea of ravers. That's when he saw you. Across the masses, you were on one of the pillars that has some footing (not its intended purpose but you know what it worked). It let you be above the crowd for some air, really taking in the lights and visuals of the artist performing. ⁍He’s seen it done before, not a new concept, so he let it be. Though his eyes lingered for a beat longer than normal of any other girls that frequented his club. For one, he hadn’t seen you before, a newcomer he assumed. But you were so comfortable in the scene it must have not been your first rave. Second, your attire might have matched his aesthetic in terms of rave gear than anyone else. All black, showing skin in a tasteful way, but paired with spikes and chains. Hot. ⁍He watched you every now and again throughout the night, but not acting on anything. And then he saw you next weekend. And the weekend after that. And each time, no matter the artist, your aesthetic regularly stayed the same save for a jersey or pashmina that matched the artist. Each time you were heavily involved. Either fanning the crowd to give some air, trading kandi, hell even turning up in the pit. ⁍The third time he saw you Rindou decided to say something. He got there early enough before the crowd started to form. You turned to him with a bright smile, and he thought just for a second you were too pure to be here. ⁍You got to talking before it got too loud, and he learned you were new to the city, and you just found this club. He asked you your opinion, almost anxious on what you thought of his club. When you gushed over how amazing it was, he almost preened. ⁍Rindou wasn’t much of a smooth talker, didn’t really continue much conversation from there but he lingered, dancing and headbanging with you to each of the performers. You gave him a piece of kandi for the great night and wished him a safe trip home. ⁍He spoke to you again the weekend after that, and ultimately decided to just man up and ask for your number. You gladly gave it to him. Your hangouts eventually made it out of the club, now turning into breakfast dates, lunch dates, park dates. ⁍Rindou over time confided in you, telling you that the club you frequented was his, and your eyes almost popped out of their sockets. He laughed in your face, immediately apologizing but it was too funny not to. ⁍The two of you continued to see each other in and out of the rave scene, promise of this new found relationship blooming into something more.

Haitani Ran Artist inspo: Slushii, Dabin, Elephante

⊛Like his brother, Ran owns an edm club too, though a much different vibe. You were a bottle service girl at his club, and a diligent one at that. You’ve jumped in to help on nights you weren’t supposed to work, and even took on cleaning shifts if the rest of the bar was understaffed. ⊛All the bottle girls knew Ran, he liked to hire them personally to make sure they all fit the bill he was looking over (aka running background checks on them and making sure they were clean.) ⊛Every night he’d show up you greeted him with a cheery ‘good evening, Mr. Haitani!’ to which he responded with ‘you can always call me Ran, pretty girl.’ It ended with a giggle and a roll of the eyes, before heading off to your duties. ⊛You weren’t any different than the rest of them, not really, but he did notice you tended to get more tips than the rest and he was interested to know what you did. Maybe it was heavy flirting? Or maybe you ended up taking shots with the poor bastards and you milked them dry of their money that way? ⊛When he started watching you more, he noticed he was completely wrong. While the other girls tried to dance sexy with their tables you actively ended up singing all the words to the songs the performers would play and headbanged with them. That’s what got you more tips, you genuinely enjoyed the music. Huh. ⊛At the end of the night while you cleaned up Ran came to find you and ask you about it. Oh boy, your face heated up so much you swore you could fry an egg on your forehead. You apologized for your behavior, stating that you ‘just really like the music, so working is really fun’. ⊛Ran threw his head back and laughed, and asked you out on the spot. You paused, confused at the random offer and started to decline. That was your boss and you were pretty sure it was definitely against policy. ⊛But Ran was so pleasant and asked so pretty it was hard to say no. ⊛So you went on a date with him, thinking it would be one and done, and that it’d be short. Turns out, you had the best night of your life with him. ⊛Every shift after that started the same, with your eager ‘good evening, Mr. Haitani’ his rebuttal ‘Call me Ran, pretty girl’, a giggle and smile. ⊛And ended the same, Ran driving you home with a kiss and finally getting to hear you say ‘good night, Ran’.

#haitani rindou #haitani ran #rindou haitani #ran haitani #haitani brothers #haitani ran x reader #haitani rindou x reader #haitani brothers x reader #tokyo revengers #tokyo revengers x reader #tokyorev #milk writes

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nijigasakilove · 1 month

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Well victim girl got her shine today that’s for sure. Doga Kobo’s commitment to visual excellence during this arc is incredible. Not only are the designs and backgrounds gorgeous, but the way they’re conveying Kana and Aqua’s feelings through their acting is incredible. The dichotomy of their approaches to achieving results was so well done.

Kana after years of suppressing her acting to get along with others finally goes back to her roots and what made her so famous back in the day. Seeing her gradually raise her acting over the course of the episode alongside the flashbacks to her mom living vicariously through her really hit. That’s a lot of pressure for anyone at such a young age. Aqua as usual saving the day with his ad-lib giving Kana the boost she needed.

Akane fangirling out over Kana acting like the child prodigy she idolised growing up was cute!

While Kana found her joy for acting again, Aqua did the opposite using his hatred and anger over losing Ai to fuel his performance leading to his black star eye activating. Amazing scene from Doga Kobo. Making acting painful and arduous is probably not sustainable long term but it does create some amazing performances like today.

Can’t get over how good DG are at leading into the Burning ED.. chills every time. Can’t wait for next episode

#animangahive #animanga #animanga hive #anime #summer anime 2024 #anime summer 2024 #oshi no ko spoilers #oshi no ko #oshi no ko season 2 #oshi no ko s2 #tokyo blade

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rebirthgarments · 6 months

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Hi friends! We have a couple of updates to share.

Firstly, Seraj needs more than $3,300 to pull off his final Ramadan project before Eid. He wants to distribute it on the last day of Ramadan, which is in 3 days, so we need to get to $20k ASAP!

contribute at bit.ly/serajfund

The financial situation in Rah Fah continues to decline, with intermediaries taking a 15-17% cut when people get cash out. He is so hopeful that this project will work out! Helping others and bringing smiles to faces–especially those of children–is clearly one of Seraj’s passions.

Here are the project details, all thought up by Seraj himself. He has amazing ideas! 125-130 cash envelopes containing either 50 or 100 shekels each. Seraj will distribute them based on how large each family is. Seraj will also make 40 envelopes for kids, each containing 20 shekels.

Currently, Seraj’s plan is to distribute his envelopes on the last day of Ramadan, before Eid al-Fitr. Last time he tried to print something, the printer had no electricity. He has a plan this time for checking in early to make sure he has a chance to print.

Working with Seraj on his mutual aid projects has been such a tangible reminder that we reject the notion of charity (which is very rooted in the white savior complex and pity of Black and Brown folx), and even allyship (not enough action) instead are partners and collaborators with Seraj self directing, leading us, and constantly motivating us to to get to the next goal so he can achieve his vision!

Because Seraj and his family have managed to survive, he’s been able to give back. No NGOs or governments, just a 21-year-old young man helping as many of his neighbors as he can. In his words, “This is my duty, sisters, as long as I can help! Why don't I do that!”

Seraj is genuinely a superstar to everyone on our team. His generosity is humbling to us. We have so much to learn from Pale-eh -steinians.

Secondly, we have a date for our upcoming virtual dance party! Mark your calendars for Monday, April 29th in the evening (Pacific time). Sky is hosting this event to hype up our virtual auction for Seraj. Follow Sky on Instagram for more details @rebirthgarments or @radicalvisibilitycollective

If you’d still like to contribute items to the auction, go to bit.ly/fundraiserforseraj ! Seraj’s Support Soirée would like to offer an item or service for every budget. And we encourage a wide variety of dough-nation types! While many of them will be creative objects, they do not have to be.

Some examples:

a book you love or wrote

a framed photograph

a massage (local area bidders only)

a meditation session

a piñata

a tarot reading

a t-shirt you love or designed

stickers

a virtual lesson on social media marketing

visual art

a virtual dance lesson

Your items will be listed this week on Give Butter! (stay tuned for details!)

Our support soiree dance party will hype up the auction featuring selections from the archives of Rebirth Garments fashion performances while you can dance with Sky!

Thank you so much for being here for Seraj. He and his family are so deeply grateful for all of the ways folks have supported them and partnered with them to help others. And our team is so thankful for how you all have stepped up. Please share and contribute!

-Written by my team member Bex with additions by me!

[image Description: a flyer featuring a photo by Seraj of a small little kid with a blue plastic bag full of fresh fruits and vegetables. The kiddo has a heart emoji over their face and is smiling really big. They are wearing a red shirt that says “sleep time” with a sleeping bear on it. They are standing on a sandy ground in front of a tent. Text to the right of the photo on a red background reads: Gaza Sky Seraj’s mutual aid project for Ramadan in Rah-fah For part 2 of Seraj’s Ramadan project, he gave out 32 food parcels for 32 families around him in the displacement camps. Send support to his family + others! bit.ly/serajfund “ Underneath is a QR code with the link. ]

#gaza strip #gaza genocide #gaza #free gaza #radicallyvisible #queerfashion #mutual aid #go fund me #fundraising #free palestine #gazaunderattack #palestine #stand with gaza #vetted #I personally vetted this fundraiser

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themosleyreview · 4 months

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The Mosley Review: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

What continues to be fascinating about this franchise is the amount of humanity that is found in the world of the apes. The amazing Caesar trilogy brought us a fresh take on the franchise that focused on the apes rising as we watched humanity fall and how much of our worldly views influenced how they would live among us. That made his trilogy special and set up a future that was ripe for exploring. This film carries that same torch and takes a very natural turn that is familiar and special in its execution. The idea of what Caesar fought for and believed in was on display of apes living together in peace, but the idea of one ape twisting his word to something more sinister was fun to watch and added that layer of drama that kept me invested. I honestly could've just watched the apes live in their village and be satisfied. The adventure doesn't take long to begin and where we are taken was essentially a rescue mission and along the way we learn what has happened many generations after Caesar. Where the film benefits is in the apes of course and when the humans are introduced it becomes a balancing act between the retrieving of the main characters' family and the humans slowly trying to reconnect with each other. It works for the most part, but there are moments where I wished it followed just the apes.

Owen Teague takes the lead as Noa in this new story and I loved his performance. He delivers so much warmth and innocence through his eyes and the compassion he has for his friends and family. I liked that he was constantly learning about the world beyond and above his village. As the film progress, he matures quickly from the young boy type to a man fighting for his clan. Its a classic coming of age story for a young warrior that works everytime. Lydia Peckham and Travis Jeffery were great as his friends Anaya and Soona. You feel the tender care and building of a relationship between Noa and Anaya that was sweet. The bond between Noa and Soona was fun and their banter in the beginning was great. I wouldn't mind another adventure with just the three of them together. Peter Macon was excellent as Raka and I loved his jovial nature. He was a wealth of knowledge that Noa needed to see and hear about and I loved the time we spent with him. He highlighted the real ideals of Caesar and he even felt like a preacher more than a historian. On the human side, Freya Allan joins the franchise as Mae and I thought she was great. The survivalist nature of humanity always bounces between the background and foreground in these films and she was no different. She didn’t take up space and I liked that for the majority of the film she was silent and showed off her physicality in conveying emotion and thought. William H. Macy was fun as a more dare I say, domesticated human to Proximus Caesar, Trevathan. He was so defeated, fearful and yet at ease with giving up the thought of the before apes ruled. He gave a different yet familiar view of stockholm syndrome. Speaking of Proximus Caesar, the very underrated and outstanding Kevin Durand delivers an incredible and dominating performance as the antagonistic king. He exudes power and ambition as the one thing he desires is yet a few feet from him. He had a vision even if it was a cruel and sometimes violent one. Through him and thanks to Trevathan's teachings, you see a complete mirror of how the Roman Empire created civilization, but in ape form.

Composer John Paesano brought to life this new look at the world in a very emotional and epic way. His score elevated the pain of loss during the bridge scene and highlighted the tension when Noah meets Proximus. Visually the film is as stunning and rich as the previous films and the CGI used to bring the motion capture performances to life is some of the best this franchise has ever seen. As I've always said since the beginning of the current wave of Apes films, I care more for the apes than the humans. If this film was solely following the journey of Noah and no humans were in it, I would be even more happy. This was still a great entry to the franchise and Director Wes Ball has done an incredible job bringing us back to the Planet of the Apes franchise. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in comments below. Thanks for reading!

#kingdom of the planet of the apes #owen teague #kevin durand #lydia peckham #travis jefferey #peter macon #freya allan #william h macy

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room-surprise · 5 months

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Dungeon Meshi Anime Review, Season 2, Episode 17 review

OH GOD OKAY here we go...

Once again, I am a broken record: good episode!

My two major complaints: The bit where Laios and Kabru stand around talking next to an off-screen, roaring, screaming monster seemed kind of silly in animation. In a comic it works, but they really should have animated them walking or stumbling away while delivering those lines, having them just stand there until the monster attacks them again is really goofy.

ALSO, something Trigger keeps doing that I am NOT a fan of, is throwing animated speed-line backgrounds behind characters when they're reacting to something. Sometimes these were in the original manga, other times they are NOT... and they break the immersion of the anime completely IMO.

The coloring in DM is so moody and wonderful, the aesthetic is generally grounded, so when suddenly the background is bright blue or lime green or pink and strobing, it's VERY jarring... and the joke DOES NOT NEED these effects in order to be funny! In fact I think it leeches some of the humor out of the jokes. Imagine if every time someone had a strong emotion in a classic Disney movie you'd get this:

This type of sudden background color change, strobing and speed lines are artifacts of older, cheaper anime, tricks that used to be done to hide the lack of budget, as a way to make a quick joke. It's now used as a shorthand to tell people a joke is happening.

But Trigger doesn't NEED to use these tricks, they're using them because "that's how you make sure the audience knows a joke is happening", but the jokes in Dungeon Meshi are so well written, you don't need to cue us with a visual laugh-track, Trigger!!!! ESPECIALLY when Kui didn't do it in the manga!!!

They've done it in other episodes, but I felt like they were particularly noticeable and bad in this one. Makes me sad because I feel it's dragging the anime down from the genuine peak of artistry that it's otherwise achieving.

As always, animation is fantastic. The stuff with chimera falin is obviously top notch, brutal and fast and amazing... But I also have to say that the Toshiro and Laios argument was animated INCREDIBLY well, with a lot of loving detail given to what is, ostensibly, just talking, something Trigger normally hates to animate.... But they put movie-quality work into that argument and it really paid off.

Honestly can't think of much to complain about. It's a solid adaptation of this part of the story, one of the biggest, coolest action sequences that we've all been waiting for.

Vocal performances were all great in both English and Japanese. Kabru's English voice actor did a great job, despite my misgivings about him in previous episodes. I hope he continues to improve.

A dub script change had Kabru think "He's excited" about Laios instead of "his pupils are dilated"... This isn't a terrible change, but a bit baffling. Saying his pupils are dilated tells viewers HOW Kabru knows Laios is excited, and indicates that he is using some kind of scientific criteria to measure it, it makes him sound smarter and more detached from what he's doing. Just saying "he's excited" doesn't tell us how Kabru knows... and it's a thought, not dialog, so it's weird for them to change it in the script, since there's no need to match mouth-flaps.

The sequence where Kabru strips off all his armor and does a surprise attack on Falin is still fantastic in this, though I am a little bit sad that they didn't find any ways to add any extra emphasis for it - in the manga it's drawn out a bit, to the point where you might miss what was happening on your first read... I think the amount of shots we got in the anime was the same as in the manga, but somehow it felt less impactful to me. Maybe pacing?

At any rate, it was an incredibly solid episode.

I already liked Toshiro, but seeing this part of the manga animated really made me like him more, I hadn't realized in the past just how damn romantic the twin bells thing was, but damn. Toshiro really has forgiven Laios by the time they part ways here, it's easy to forget that since Toshiro very much takes a back seat after this.

#dungeon meshi #delicious in dungeon #dunmeshi #spoilers #review #dungeon meshi spoilers #delicious in dungeon spoilers

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yuzurujenn · 4 months

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[2024.05.11] Quardruple Axel May Issue: MIKIKO - A Solitary Realm

-MIKIKO, your first collaboration with Hanyu was during his debut ice show “Prologue” after he turned professional. I understand that you were in charge of directing for the programs "Haru yo koi" and "Itsuka Owaru Yume".

MIKIKO: Yes, that’s right. I was mainly responsible for the ice projection, including the visual and performance effects.

-At that time, how did you draw inspiration from the programs for the projection effects?

MIKIKO: "Haru yo koi" was already a well-known program, so when creating it, I aimed to preserve its established impression while also hoping to generate a synergistic effect. As for "Itsuka Owaru Yume", since it was a new program being revealed for the first time at “Prologue,” I first asked him about the background of the piece he chose and his mindset while performing it. Hanyu sent me a long text and also shared videos of himself skating on the ice rink. I tried to break it down to understand it, and then thought about various things such as "What kind of image is suitable?" and "What kind of appearance is more appropriate?".

-What was the process of creating the visuals like?

MIKIKO: Usually in the live shows that I direct, images are often projected onto the background of the stage. It’s rare that I have the luxury to direct a performance where the entire venue could be used as a canvas such as in an ice show, so I was very happy about it. Being able to project images onto the huge, pure white ice surface was sure to guarantee a dynamic production, so I was very excited during the process.

-I had the pleasure to watch Perfume's "Perfume LIVE 2021 "polygon wave"" produced by MIKIKO-sensei before. The venue at that time happened to be PIA Arena MM, and just like this time, the venue was used extensively for projection.

MIKIKO: Yes. It was still during the COVID-19 pandemic, at a time when admission restrictions were finally relaxed, allowing live performances with up to 50% of the maximum capacity. We took advantage of this condition by not allowing the audience into the Arena (the inner part) and only setting up seating in the stands, which we thought would meet the 50% occupancy requirement. This allowed the entire inner venue to become the stage, and we set up LED Vision on the floor of the inner venue to create an effect similar to that on the ice surface.

I hadn’t imagined collaborating with Hanyu-kun at that point. I learned a lot from the Perfume performance, which eventually led to directing on an ice surface of the same shape. From a sequential task perspective, it was quite ideal for me.

-The skills developed in the live world have been effectively applied in directing ice shows.

MIKIKO: Yes, but ultimately, they are completely different genres. When producing “Prologue,” it was already decided that I would direct “GIFT,” which involved directing a performance at Tokyo Dome. When we first started communicating, we thought about trying to make two programs first, which was what happened during the session at "Prologue". So, if I have to say, "Prologue" was like a trial run.

Because ice show is an unknown world to me, we had to experiment a lot with "GIFT", but there is also strength that comes with being in uncharted territory. Perhaps from the perspective of figure skating, it may seem like something unconventional, but from our point of view, only figure skating can achieve dynamic movements at such a fast speed. In a normal live show, there would never be a situation where one person performs endlessly on such a vast stage. So, for me, this kind of cooperation brings a lot of new possibilities. Furthermore, thanks to the miracle of his technical prowess and expression filling up the entire space of the venue, we somehow managed to overcome various challenges. However, after watching the official performance of "GIFT", I once again realised how amazing Hanyu-kun is, and at the same time I also thought, "Ah, the direction could be better."

-MIKIKO, have you made any new discoveries or ideas through the official performance?

MIKIKO: Although I had experienced filling up the entire dome like this in the past, no one was sure what synergy would be produced in the official performance. But in the end, the actual outcome was even more amazing than imagined. I think part of it was due to the emotional investment of the ice fans, and another part was that Hanyu’s emotional and mental investment in the performance was richer than I had anticipated. So, I realized, “Since we could achieve this level, the directing could be even better,” which sparked ideas like “This can be done, and that can be done.” I think this is also connected to “RE_PRAY.”

-Specifically, what kind of ideas emerged?

MIKIKO: "GIFT" was a showcase of Hanyu’s figure skating career to date, presented in an anthology format, weaving stories in between intervals to demonstrate that "the same person has a variety of colours”.

As for "RE_PRAY", rather than that, I want everyone to have "the feeling of watching a movie or a stage play", so I incorporated game elements throughout the story and meticulously filmed the visuals performed by him. The story aspect of this can be seen as what I learned the most from “GIFT” and also where I made further refinements. -When the overview of “RE_PRAY” was announced, the use of game themes was quite surprising. It was hard to imagine what kind of ice performance it would be. I couldn’t help but wonder, “What kind of performance will it be?” MIKIKO, what were your thoughts when you first heard Hanyu’s concept for “RE_PRAY”?

MIKIKO: Through various exchanges, we had a rough understanding of each other’s preferences. So, from the conceptual stage of “RE_PRAY,” we continuously brainstormed and bounced ideas around, starting with “What should we do next?”

I am not familiar with games at all. For example, when he talked about "Itsuka Owaru Yume", he would explain it in terms of games, saying, "This is a Final Fantasy song, and it has this kind of ocean water feel, and it's like this…" In addition, as we talked about various things, he would always use game analogies or talk about game music at key points. Through this process, I felt that games had a huge influence on his way of thinking and his life. Gradually, I started to think, “Maybe a game-themed concept could be interesting.”

However, precisely because games are a very important presence in his life, it was more challenging to direct this concept. It seemed like a simple idea at first glance, but it required careful handling. Therefore, I thought that directing this theme would need to be approached with caution. It's catchy, so all the more to be careful. But then we decided, “Let's be brave and make a game out of it!” And that's how it all started.

-So, the concept was born from the discussions between the two of you. Regarding the actual “RE_PRAY” ice show, the overall structure of the first and second halves is not just a straightforward presentation of the programs; instead, it incorporates various contrasts and echoes, giving the impression of meticulous and detailed production. It’s something that can’t be fully grasped in just one viewing, much like watching a movie or reading a novel.

MIKIKO: Yes, exactly.

-The projections on the ice, the visuals on the screens, the monologues, the music selection, and the choreography all seem to carry profound meanings, but it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact answers. Or perhaps there are no right answers. How did you and Hanyu come together to create the overall concept?

MIKIKO: While you can restart a game as many times as you want, life only happens once and cannot be replayed. On the path of life, there are various crossroads. Choosing one path (to the right) leads to one world, while choosing the other path (to the left) leads to another world. Decisions are constantly being made, whether “yes” or “no.” The interesting aspect of games is that you can see both outcomes through resets, but in real life, even if you think “what if” or “maybe there could be such opportunities,” you cannot walk both paths simultaneously and must make a choice.

From my perspective, Hanyu-kun has been making ultimate choices throughout his 29 years of life. Each time he makes a choice, whether it was the right one is judged entirely by himself. He lives in such a world. Games can be reset and played again, providing opportunities for redemption, but one's life is a path that cannot be retraced. I think he might want to affirm such an existence. For the audience, he hopes that they can project themselves into the same situation, conveying the idea that “what everyone feels here today is also a YES.” Therefore, even if there are audience members who watch all the performances, the experience of the same program might vary depending on specific days, moments, physical states, or events that occurred before coming to the venue. I think this in itself is remarkable.

Hanyu, who exists in a world where “even performing the same program never feels the same,” probably wants to convey this affirmation to everyone.

-Hanyu himself said, "I hope it will give everyone an opportunity to think about something."

MIKIKO: So, even though both the first and second halves start with the same program, “Itsuka Owaru Yume,” different viewing angles reveal contrasts, such as appearing blue in the first half and pink in the second half. I wasn't sure if it would work, and I thought, "I think it's going to be difficult," but in the end, I think it worked very well.

Also, even though both halves use “play”, the first part is 'play' with an 'L' and the second part is 'pray' with an 'R' (note: there is no L sound in Japanese so both word sare written the same in Japanese "プレー"). Accordingly, the skating style of the first and second half has also been adjusted. The intent was to show that "even the same person's performance can be so different".

There is also an emotional aspect related to “not being able to save progress in the game and having to start from the beginning.” “Even if you start from the beginning, the scenery changes dramatically if you choose a different path” is the feeling we aimed to portray.

-The "L" and "R" of "プレー" you just mentioned. Who designed this way of wording?

MIKIKO: Although the name plays on “replay” with the added meaning of “pray” in “プレー (pray),” I think Hanyu-kun originally had the term “RE_PRAY” in mind. So, during brainstorming, the idea of “the concept for the first half using ‘L’ for ‘play’ also seems good” came up midway.

-That's really interesting. How was the overall structure decided?

MIKIKO: First, Hanyu-kun decided on the setlist (order of songs), and then he wrote down the corresponding storylines. After that, he wrote the actual monologue scripts to be used in “RE_PRAY,” and based on this, I created the production plan. Sometimes I would suggest, "I think it would be good if such a scene happened here," and he would agree, "That sounds good. Let's do it that way," and we had these conversations quite often. Then I came up with the idea of "Hanyu-kun holding the game controller on the right, with the game screen on the left," and Hanyu-kun continued to think about the narration that would correspond to that scene. Within the process, we also wrote ideas like "It would be interesting to swap ‘R’ and ‘L’."

-The “R” and “L” also have a contrasting meaning of right and left.

MIKIKO: Exactly. So, in the second half, Hanyu’s position was also reversed left and right. There are a lot of things like that. While this was just a small pleasure for the creators, such wordplay was added during the process, and we often discussed whether “it would be better to end in this way.” The entire production was completed through this back-and-forth process.

-I was surprised to see how well-detailed the visuals were, and the setting where Hanyu controls the game world himself—was this also your idea, MIKIKO?

MIKIKO: After I got the general concept from Hanyu-kun, I thought, "Let's start with this kind of image here”. For example, a scene like "Hanyu-kun enters an 8-bit game world and fights in costumes from his past performances”. After that, we talked to the producer in charge of the video, appointed a director, and decided on a creator. This is roughly how the process went.

-I also truly felt the power and excellence that comes from bringing together top professionals. This time, there was also a program choreographed by you, MIKIKO, for the first time. Is this your first time choreographing for a figure skating program?

MIKIKO: Yes, it is my first time choreographing an entire program. Previously, for Hanyu's performances of DA PUMP's "if…" and Mika Nakashima's "GLAMOROUS SKY" at "Fantasy on Ice," the choreography was done by him, and I just gave some suggestions for modifications. For example, I gave some advice from a dance perspective, "Here, it would be better if the hand direction is this way." In the process, I also took the opportunity to learn some figure skating techniques. This time, however, I choreographed an original piece using a song by Shiina Ringo.

-Did Hanyu ask you to help choreograph a program?

MIKIKO: Yes. We also decided on the song selection together. This was the second program in the first half. When everyone was discussing "Can we arrange any good music here that will make people immersed in it?", he proposed "I want to add some music that is different from what I usually listen to", so I sent him a collection of songs that I thought would be suitable. Among them, he chose Shiina Ringo's "Chicken, Snake and Pig".

-Choreographing for figure skating must be different from choreographing for dance on the floor, right?

MIKIKO: I definitely felt that it was very challenging. It’s similar to how some parts of "GIFT" were done based on a lack of knowledge about ice shows, and I approached it with a similar lack of understanding about figure skating choreography. I would think about the upper body movements as I would for regular dance. On the other hand, for the footwork, I could only suggest things like "I think you should move back and forth a few steps, then a few steps forward." I could only convey the image like this. So, it’s not so much me doing the choreography alone, but more of a collaboration. Even though it was difficult, it felt like "full of possibilities" because there are things that cannot be done in floor dance.

-What you can’t do on land but can do on ice is to move while skating, right?

MIKIKO: Yeah.

-Do characteristics of figure skating have a positive effect in showing dance?

MIKIKO: Ah, I think this is a very difficult thing. After all, the feet have to keep gliding on the ice. In particular, the dance movements I designed are movements where the feet are like buckles (fixed) while coordinating with the upper body. If the foot movements are not consistent, it will be very difficult to move the upper body. So, I think he really practiced a lot for this program.

-The transfer of the choreography on land to the ice must have been done by Hanyu himself, right?

MIKIKO: Yes. The footwork was entirely finalized on the ice. Initially, I choreographed the dance for the entire song, and after rehearsing with the mirrors, he memorised the movements and then tried them on the ice. Later, adjustments were made at the Sendai rink, such as "If we do this move here, it won't work," or "Let’s remove this part of the dance and focus on the footwork."

-This program seems to be based on the image of a straight line?

MIKIKO: Yes, before choreographing, we already had the image of "moving forward on a single path, against the wind." So, I thought of using lighting and lasers to create a path on the ice, designing movements that made it look like not wanting to leave this path. It was choreographed with many intentional constraints.

-In figure skating, where movements are typically curved, maintaining a straight path must indeed be very difficult?

MIKIKO: That's true. So, the fact that he manages to skate without being hit by the laser light is already quite impressive. Though, again, I’m not very knowledgeable about these details, so I’m just guessing (laughs).

-It seems that Hanyu’s technical skills were crucial in achieving such a performance.

MIKIKO: I really think so.

-As a choreographer for dancers and artists, how do you perceive Hanyu’s performance as a performer?

MIKIKO: His dedication to performance, daily lifestyle, and the preparation he undertakes to perform in front of an audience are things that I think everyone should learn from. If I were to evaluate, I would say, "I’m very grateful for him showing us that kind of attitude."

I have been working with BABYMETAL since they were in the fifth grade, and with Perfume for 25 years now. Although sometimes I feel sad that so much time has passed, but because they have always worked tirelessly, I genuinely hope they can create something that touches people’s hearts, which is why I haven’t given up over these 25 years.

And among this, someone like Hanyu, who has numerous fans and has won gold medals, still feels that he is "far from perfect" in the art of expression and continues to pursue it relentlessly. When I learned that he had put in such a huge effort, I really sighed, "It really is so." To me, achieving a performance that genuinely touches people’s hearts and standing in front of others can only be done through such a life-or-death effort.

-Hearing such sentiments from someone like you, MIKIKO, really makes me think how remarkable Hanyu is.

MIKIKO: I think he probably won't lose to anyone at this point. Although it may be a bit strange to say that he "won't lose to anyone", he really worked hard to the point where people would think that (not losing to anyone) is "natural".

-In the solo show, he performs more than 10 programs by himself. He hardly ever takes a break, even while the video is playing between performances.

MIKIKO: Yes, after all, he still has to change costumes.

-During the ice show, will you see Hanyu backstage?

MIKIKO: I was sitting on the audience side, observing the overall effect in the venue, so I didn’t see the backstage.

-How did you feel while watching the show?

MIKIKO: As I mentioned earlier, I only watched figure skating as an ordinary viewer, so I’m completely unfamiliar with the details of the competition. As for the performance, "Messenger of Ruin", it included many high-difficulty jumps and spins—so much so that it could even be directly entered into a competition, right? I watched that program every time and gradually began to understand the timing and difficulties of the jumps, so during the official performance, I felt like, "Ah, please!" If I were his mother, I would probably be too anxious to watch, thinking "I want to go outside…" I’d be scared to that extent. There’s this kind of drama in just two and a half minutes, and even if he made a mistake in a jump, he’d have to continue skating without losing heart. The more I know, the more afraid I become. But at the same time, I could see that the fans were moved by this, and I think I also understand what it means to fight alongside him.

-In the program "Messenger of Ruin", what he challenged himself was to skate an already difficult skating composition without making any mistakes. Even after becoming a professional, he must continuously evolve, which is probably also the driving force behind Hanyu's progress.

MIKIKO: He didn’t say he was retiring, but used the term “turning pro” I think he practices and embodies this in his daily life.

-Figure skating is a sport, but the artistic component is also significant. Has your view of the sport changed through your interactions with Hanyu?

MIKIKO: I sometimes thought that the dilemma he felt when he was a competitor was reflected here. The world of expression is influenced by individual preferences, and there is no so-called standard answer. Because of this, it is a world of both joy and pain. While scores can simplify things in competitions, they can also bring about significant pain. In the absence of a clear answer to the question "What is the standard?", it would be more fitting for him, who has been relentlessly pursuing his own expression, to go to a world where there is no answer.

Even though we live in a world without scores, technique is still essential before performance. In other words, it should be performed by people who already possess technical skills. So, what he does is not fundamentally different from what we do. First of all, having skill is a given; in my view, it is only those whose expressiveness is so strong that people forget to admire their "skill" who are truly remarkable.

In this sense, Hanyu jumps so easily and lightly, and expresses them so easily, that viewers don’t understand how difficult it is. So, we keep asking him for more and more (laughs). But I think this is a requirement for someone who reaches the "professional" world.

-What you said is very meaningful.

MIKIKO: You first need to have technique, and then think about how to express music and emotions. I think that’s the way it should be.

-I feel that his solo performances have really transcended the traditional boundaries of figure skating. What Hanyu aims to achieve can no longer be summarised with just "skate".

MIKIKO: I think that's indeed the case. What will he create next?

-I am looking forward to him surpassing everyone’s expectations once again. Changing the topic, the ice show "Yuzuru Hanyu Notte Stellata 2024" was held in Miyagi Prefecture a few days ago.

MIKIKO: I was also there to watch it.

-Hanyu skated the solo program "Danny Boy". This song was recommended to him when he appeared on Gen Hoshino's TV show. It turns out that Hanyu was also greatly influenced by Hoshino.

MIKIKO: That's right.

-He also performed "Koi Dance" at an exhibition, and I was reminded once again that there was a connection with MIKIKO there as well.

MIKIKO: At that time, Hanyu-kun was dancing "Koi Dance" with his friends in a sort of lounge area, and the video spread on Twitter. After I found out, I silently posted something like " Yuzuru-sama also did the Koi Dance…" (laughs). He told me, "I already knew this." and said, "I thought at that time: 'It's been conveyed!'" (laughs).

-Hearing these stories from then to now is truly moving. How did you feel after watching "Notte Stellata"?

MIKIKO: Both "Danny Boy" and "Carmina Burana", which he collaborated with Mao Daichi, were choreographed by figure skating choreographers. When I look at them objectively, I reaffirmed their excellence. Then, what surprised me was to see how much his body had changed after the Yokohama performance from the Saga performance of RE_PRAY.

-He himself said that the Saga performance was physically tough.

MIKIKO: During this period of more than a month, I think he himself had a strong desire for revenge. There was a feeling of "I will change!" Wasn’t he also working on choreography for “notte stellata” at the same time? And he had to further polish his new programs. Under these conditions, there were significant changes in his skating style and strength, making me feel "Wow, he’s still evolving", and in a sense, it was also "terrifying".

-Probably the tension of facing the ever-evolving Hanyu.

MIKIKO: After watching the actual performance, the video creator of the ice show had a sparkling look on his face. It was obvious that the staff working with him felt it was rewarding, and I think that's because Hanyu-kun gives so much back to us in the actual performance. This is truly a give-and-take relationship; motivating the staff and making them feel the value of their contributions is essential for the performer. Because of this, we feel that "we must create excellent works." Through his performance and attitude, he has built a very positive relationship.

-I often hear the same sentiments from the staff involved in the shows.

MIKIKO: That's true. Watching him practice, it instantly makes you want to get serious and not be half-hearted. It’s hard to express, but you definitely can’t slack off. If everyone doesn’t perform at a high standard, there will definitely be something that feels out of place.

-It’s precisely this attention to detail that makes the ice show so high-quality.

MIKIKO: I really think so.

-Thank you for sharing so many valuable insights. Lastly, do you have any expectations or hopes for Hanyu’s future achievements?

MIKIKO: As I have said in various interviews, as someone who has been in the entertainment industry, having seen and created many things, I want to believe that “there are things that Japan can be proud of”. When I saw the actual performance of "GIFT", I felt that this potential was further expanded. It felt like witnessing "the moment a new door open" to an unprecedented world of entertainment, where figure skating is combined with visuals, lighting, and music, creating a tremendous synergy.

So, I hope more people can appreciate his ice shows and that those who need to see it will have the chance to enjoy it. While making Hanyu’s fans happy is a primary goal, I also hope to move those who aren’t normally interested in such performances, so that people from other fields in the world can also be touched.

He is truly doing something very difficult. Both physically and mentally. In order not to crush his potential, we also want to work tirelessly. It would be great if we could try our best to do something to support him. Although it is a bit exaggerated to say this, I hope it will benefit Japan and the world.

Source: Quadruple Axel 2024 #羽生結弦 SPECIAL pg 76-81 Info: https://x.com/AxelQuadruple/status/1790024157121351998

#hanyu yuzuru #yuzuru hanyu #羽生結弦 #figure skater #magazine #interview #machine #translation

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joonggphilia · 11 months

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🩵🤍My Angel🤍🩵

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Pairing: Idol! Lee Know x Idol! Male Reader Genre: Fluff, fluff, and more fluff CW: mentions of unrequited love? A/n: I’m really excited about this ask. I adore descriptive writing so this was write up my ally. I think I should write a part 2 for this one <3 ———————————————————————

Music blasted, shoes squealed against the ground, mirrors fogged. Thunder was a new group in the industry and they were determined to rise to the top. Practices were intense, none stop, and one can be sure that the members were incredibly sore after. The music slowly faded making it so all that could be heard was the rigid breathing among the boys who were currently using the studio. “Get some water! That was the best run yet, I’m so proud of us. We deserve a win with this performance.” Said a (h/c) boy, as he sank to the floor. “M/n, are you sure.” Asked one of the members, taking a long sip from his water bottle. “I’m confident. You guys are amazing, and we worked for this.” M/n replied, a glowing smile painting his face. M/n was the proud leader of Thunder. He was well known in the industry for his unreal personality, and visuals. Sure there were people like Choi Yeonjun, the 4th gen it boy, or Wonyoung the it girl. M/n was the 4th gen angel. He was notorious for being pleasant and sweet to anyone who crossed his path. Another thing that was for sure was that he loved his members with all his heart. He was confident and commanded respect…..in a way they made your heart melt, of course.

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The day had finally come, Thunder had made their way up into the big leagues. They were just getting ready to head on stage for the showcase. The outfits for their concept were drop dead gorgeous. They wore white, lacy, formal wear with beautiful diamond jewelry. M/n makeup artist gave him a look that suited him extremely well. His face was glowing, almost as if he had cried. Around his pink dusted eyes was glitter and diamond gems. He looked so beautiful. M/n was popular with fans all around the world, but he was also popular with other idols. One person in particular, had fallen for his charm. That person was none other than Lee Know of Stray Kids. He got into the habit of frequently playing Thunder’s music in the background of his lives and bringing up how his bias was M/n. He couldn’t hide his smitten attitude anymore. “Minho, Thunder is about to perform. I’ll go watch with you if you’d like!” Recommended Bang Chan, leaving his corner of the dressing room to check in an all the members. “That’d be awesome. Let’s go.” Replied Lee Know, grabbing his hand and running backstage. The mad dash was worth it. Lee Know watched in awe as M/n glided across the stage. M/n was the main dancer in his group, but he was trained in ballet and contemporary. Thunder’s unique dance style got them a lot of attention. They had a more technical and contemporary feel to their choreography, unless the song called for something more high energy. “This is the best part!” Squealed Lee Know as he patted Bang Cahn’s shoulder. M/n walked to center stage and broke out into a set of fouettés. The crowd erupted into applause and cheers. Lee Know’s eyes never left his idol. He began to think to himself. Was M/n stay, a fan, did M/n know that he existed? His palms were sweaty, he really did like M/n a lot, but he had a feeling the feelings weren’t requited

——————————————————————— M/n was walking back to his dressing room when he suddenly felt a tap on the shoulder, causing him to turn around, only to make eye contact with the one and only Lee Minho! He froze up. “Uhm, hey. You looked really good out there, super impressive for a rookie group!” The brunette spoke, awkwardly fiddling with the hem of his shirt. M/n broke from his trance and began to bow, covering up his flustered face. “Thank you, it means a lot coming from a member of Stray kids!” M/n stated, bowing once more. Lee Know got butterflies hearing him say this. “Your a fan?” Lee Know asked, manifesting a yes. “Am I a fan? Of course I am! You guys are awesome, a huge inspiration of mine.” M/n chirped, a wide smile growing on his face. “Thanks, I’m glad we inspire you. You’re catching up to us pretty fast, I’m actually a big fan of Thunder.” Lee Know, stated, his chest puffy out with pride. This made M/n giggle “So it’s true! My fans always say you’re my biggest fan and that you guys are competing for that spot on my list.” This gave Lee Know a chance. “M/n, give me your number and that’ll prove I’m your biggest fan.” He bluntly asked. M/n didn’t say a word, just grabbed his phone and handed it to the grinning man before him, their finger tips brushing slightly. Lee Know set his contact on M/n’s phone as “Biggest Fan” to prove his point. “Can I see yours?” M/n asked holding his hand out for Lee Know’s phone. He took it and changed his contact, shutting it off and handing it back. “Let’s hang out sometime, Lee Minho.” M/n said, shaking the other male’s hand. “It’s a date, M/n L/n.” He sneered, causing both of them to blush and giggle.

———————————————————————

Once Lee Know got back to the dorms he checked his phone, only to drop it on his face when he read a small “hi” from a certain someone. The contact read -My Angel-

#stray kids #lee know x male reader #fluff

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flanaganfilm · 2 years

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Hey there!

I’m a new writer-director finishing up film school and I keep getting into little spats with some of my instructors over my characters talking too much/for too long.

My stock response at this point has basically become “Well, it works just fine when Mike Flanagan does it.”

I don’t know if it’s because I come from a theatre background or what, but I really don’t like the seemingly common wisdom that characters talking—actors orating—is boring for audiences. That you have to have Something Happening all the time, and that characters “just” conversing or telling a story doesn’t count, as though “to speak” isn’t a verb.

Since you tend to have characters speak at length and it turns out riveting—I’m thinking specifically of the confetti speech from Hill House and Hassan’s speech about being a Muslim cop in NYC from Midnight Mass—I was hoping you could share some of your thoughts on balancing action with conversation, giving actors room to “just” talk, and keeping lengthy oration engaging.

Thanks!

I also come from a theater background. I wouldn't be too hard on your instructors - in fact, they sound like they're pretty in sync with a lot of executives in the industry.

I received similar feedback when I was a film student. My first few student features were very talky. We were studying the breakthrough work of Kevin Smith, Spike Lee, and Jim Jarmusch. The indie movies that were selling at Sundance and hitting theaters were The Brothers McMullen and Chuck and Buck. Tarantino had hit the scene and his characters were dropping pages and pages and pages of thick, unhurried dialogue. Reservoir Dogs posters were hanging on every dorm room wall on campus, and that movie was essentially just a long conversation. We watched My Dinner With Andre in class. So yeah, most of our student films were emulating that.

I have always loved a monologue. Going back to Robert Shaw's hypnotic story in Jaws, to Harry Dean Stanton's jaw-dropping monologue in Paris, Texas. It's an art form. Giving actors room to speak, to find music in dialogue, to transport a viewer just with mere words... that's an incredible feat, I think. It's some of the oldest magic left.

That said, I've always tried to balance that out. It's a visual medium, after all, and whenever I've found myself leaning too hard on the words, I've tried to counterbalance that was a very ambitions visual sequence, a long unbroken camera maneuver, or something else that honors the difference between filmed entertainment and theatre.

One of the reasons I made Hush was to challenge myself to eliminate words from my arsenal and focus on visual storytelling.

I take a fair amount of flack for my monologues and dialogue, first from studio executives and then from a small percentage of viewers whose attention spans are being challenged. The most common note I get on any project is to take out talking. It can be disheartening, but I'm always trying to be fair about it, and to be sympathetic to the fact that a lot of movies and television have actively tried to shorten viewers' attention spans for decades now. Audiences are being trained for things to happen faster, louder, shorter. What good is your amazing 6-minute monologue if people changed the channel two episodes ago?

There are times when it is more important to me than others. I dug in hard on Midnight Mass, where the words and ideas in those soliloquies are a big part of the point of the show... but on The Midnight Club, I didn't push for it. I kept scenes relatively short, and there isn't a monologue to be found.

But my overarching feeling is that an artfully written and well performed monologue is a gift, and a dying art. It celebrates great acting, it requires great trust of the performer and of the viewer, and it has the power to transport us with one of the oldest magics human beings ever discovered - the spoken word.

Storytelling began that way: monologues around a campfire. Over the millennia, we've harnessed that campfire light, we've even learned to paint with it, to pull our dreams out of our minds and put them onto giant screens, so the whole world can dream together... but the real magic still starts with the words.

Which is my long-winded way of trying to encourage you to make your films the way you want to make them. Make the films you want to see. And if you love words... that's a great thing. Try to find a balance, never lose sight of the visual medium, and if you're going to drop a big chunk of words in there, try to earn it with something visually challenging as well.

Or, just tell your instructors you'll make it shorter, and then cut out ten frames of air. ;)

#monologue

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jokeroutsubs · 10 months

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Joker Out at Tvornica Kulture

Glazba and Muzika articles (11.11.2023)

Joker Out in Tvornica Kulture, Day One: “Scream as loud as you can”

Probably the most popular Slovenian band today, Joker Out, held one of the two sold out concerts in Tvornica Kulture last night. By the way, this was their first independent concert in Croatia. Based on how it started… there’s no doubt they’ll be recognised as a “generational” band, as someone who left a mark on the regional music scene.

Exactly at 21:00, Bojan Cvjetićanin and the boys jumped onto the stage with “Sunny Side of London” and a “Scream as loud as you can”, to the delight of the mostly younger audience. They continued playing for the next hour and a half without a break. With every song, the atmosphere got closer to the peak and overlapped with the already hoarse voices, until it was time for the Eurovision hit “Carpe Diem”.

The setlist of 23 songs ended the same way it started - with “Sunny Side of London”, which echoed on the street as well.

Original article and more photos (Muzika)

A year ago, the young Slovenian band had no idea they would fill concert venues across Europe.

They represented their country at Eurovision this year with the song “Carpe Diem”, after which they experienced “Måneskin syndrome” - a huge rise in popularity and overnight star status.

As a part of their Europe tour, they’re performing everywhere - from Skopje to London, and in Tvornica Kulture in Zagreb, they sold out two consecutive nights, 10th and 11th of November. The young Slovenians realised how much Zagreb adored them in May, when they were the opening group for Buč Kesidi at Šalata. The frontman Bojan Cvjetićanin pointed out that they scheduled the first concert in Tvornica Kulture a day after Šalata, which sold out in no time.

They entered the stage in Šubićeva street exactly according to the program, at 21:00. They sang “Sunny Side of London”, and screams echoed through the hall to the lyrics of “Scream as loud as you can”, as expected. Nearly two hours of dancing and overall enthusiasm followed.

Throughout the whole concert, stuffed animals, flags, and even bras flew towards the stage. The age profile of everyone in Tvornica was very diverse, but what caught everyone’s eye was a seven year old girl on her mother’s shoulders faithfully reciting all the lyrics. The band paid tribute by dedicating a song to her, and the audience greeted her with enthusiastic applause.

Bojan’s interactions with the audience deserve special praise. With amazing recognition of the right moment and skillful leading, he makes the audience sing even louder and dance even more tirelessly. A couple of times he even gave the microphone to the audience, which showed how well Zagreb knows the Slovenian lyrics.

The costumes of all the members looked well designed, contributing to the overall impression. Unbuttoned shirts, messy hair, and prominent tattoos are undoubtedly reminiscent of Harry Styles’ style. Visually, and with their energy too, our neighbours undoubtedly seem worthy of worldwide stages, a sentiment more and more fans recognise.

“Novi Val” was an especially emotional performance, before which the boys said it’s the perfect moment to hug the person next to you. The audience, of course, took the advice. At that moment, the drummer Jure Maček approached the audience from the background, so the lyrics “Generation of love and hope” echoed, accompanied only by guitars.

The biggest hits - “Umazane Misli” and “Carpe Diem” - Joker Out decided to leave for the end, so it’s not a surprise that after those songs, the audience called them back for an encore. Of course, they came back and ended the night the same way it started, with “Sunny Side of London”.

The neighbouring sensation has another sold out night in Zagreb ahead of them, and soon they’re coming to Rijeka as well. With filled venues they’re tirelessly proving Eurovision can be a turning point, even if you finish only in the middle of the leaderboard. In addition, they are proof that there is musical potential in the region, whose sound and charisma transcends borders - Joker Out is a band for big scenes.

Original article and more photos (Glazba)

Translation credit @moonlvster

#joker out #bojan cvjeticanin #jan peteh #kris gustin #nace jordan #bojan cvjetićanin #jure macek #kris guštin #jokeroutsubs #tvornica kulture #zagreb #source: glazba #source: muzika #og language: croatian #type: article #year: 2023

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eternalstronghold · 29 days

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Black Myth: Wukong Review

Black Myth: Wukong is a visually stunning game, with great bosses, and fantastic fighting elements. The rich Chinese culture it intertwines with only adds to its beauty. The game is sort of a follow up of the novel Journey to the West by Wu Cheng’en, and even has references to characters and events that take place in the book. It's a great game full of rich culture, but may lead some to confusion if they're not familiar with the novel. Some reviewers have even done some research to understand who Sun Wukong is and why certain events are as important as they are.

The opening scene is beautiful. Taking you directly in front of the Giant Spirit God, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the massive Heavenly Army. After a disagreement and fight between Sun Wukong and Erlang Shen, you are now a different monkey. The Destined One. Meaning you must find the six relics from Wukong and hopefully revive Sun Wukong. Though there isn't much of a play-by-play story, the animations that play within the six chapters are absolutely amazing and done in different styles of animation. They also do a great job of explaining the background of that chapter's villain.

Wukong isn't a soulslike game. It may seem like it at first, but the game plays more like traditional action games. The game is a lot more forgiving, but isn't too easy where its as if you can just button mash and win. The game lets you swap armor, weapons and even lets you have access to a handful of spells. The game can quickly become strategy based, as you also have a mana meter, focus meter, stamina bar, and obviously health. Attacks and moves take stamina, spells will take your mana, meaning you need to do combos in order to be the most effective during combat, especially during boss fights. There's also cooldowns for certain spells, so you also need to strategize on whether or not you absolutely need to use transformation, which allows you to become the powerful creatures you've defeated. There's plenty more mechanics that you must use for yourself to truly grasp how much you could possibly plan for a battle against a boss, including resource management.

The levels also have enemies within it, so you aren't just battling boss after boss. Though I wish invisible walls weren't the fix to a lot of exploration, it definitely still feels like a massive world. It has a very wide-linear design, one obvious path you must take to advance the story, however there is some exploration available, usually for extra loot or enemies that can give you a special Spirit Skill, Curio items, or chests to upgrade your health, stamina or mana.

Though there is plenty good, there are also plenty of odd, and bad things. Personally, I have not had any performance issues, however there have been reports of people falling through the ground, experiencing performance issues, and crashes. Even when they're running RTX 4090s, these things should not be issues, but alas they are reported in other reviews of the game, so we must dock some points.

The developer, Game Science has had some very questionable things come out of it. The first being a report from IGN, rightfully questioning the developer's history of sexism and other comments made by employees. The second being a very strange google document for content creators, highlighting the do's and don'ts. The list containing

"Do NOT include politics, violence, nudity, feminist propaganda, fetishization, and other content that instigates negative discourse.

Do NOT use trigger words such as 'quarantine' or 'isolation' or 'COVID-19'

Do NOT discuss content related to China's game industry policies, opinions, news, etc."

Personally, these issues also make it hard for me to be able to give this otherwise beautiful game an amazing score. Censoring topics deemed as "feminist propaganda" and a past of hurtful comments from employees that work at the company, I have to bring the score down.

Our final score for Black Myth: Wukong is a 6/10. An otherwise beautiful story, linked with Chinese culture, backed by a developer full of a rough history in just its decade of existence.

#gaming #black myth wukong #wukong #journey to the west #review #eternalstronghold #gaming review #gayming #popular #top #game #game science #video game #video game review

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panosatthemovies · 4 months

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Challengers is the freshest, hottest, most playful film released at cinemas in a quite a while. Luca Guadagnino amazingly manages to match himself, and come up with yet another movie that catches the zeitgeist, after the excellent Call Me By Your Name. TikTok is now full of memes of people pretending to be tennis players or giving looks with innuendo while doing chores in slow motion, all set to the techno music from the amazing soundtrack by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross. Guadagnino plays off the amazing screenplay by first-timer Justin Kuritzkes (husband of Celine Song who did the also amazing Past Lives) that has a great structure with flashbacks that build the heat throughout the film while we watch the central tennis match visualize the character confrontation. At the same time we get three amazing characters, talking in snappy dialogue, evident of Kuritzkes' playwriting background. But what viewers really get to enjoy, front and center, are the amazing performances by Zendaya, Josh O' Connor and the immensely talented Mike Faist, who after playing the bad guy in Spielberg's West Side Story, here he finally gets all the attention he deserves. The film has great energy, chemistry and rhythm. At the end, it has audiences jumping off the edge of their seats, and the match isn't finished yet. This is cinema as it should become again. A cultural moment you have to go and enjoy in a dark theatre and talk about for weeks to come. Challengers is already, the film of the year.

Trailer: https://youtu.be/MDnVk5jIJr0

#challengers #film review #movie review #review #movie #film #tennis #luca guadagnino #justin kuritzkes #zendaya #josh o'connor #mike faist #trent reznor #atticus ross

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a34trgv2 · 10 months

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Why It Worked: The Bad Guys

SPOILER WARNING: This post contains majors spoilers for The Bad Guys. If You haven't seen this film, you might want to before reading further. You've been warned.

Introduction: The Bad Guys is an animated action, comedy, heist film based on the children's book series by Adam Blabey. Directed by Pierre Perifel, the film stars Sam Rockwell, Marc Marron, Awkwafina, Anthony Ramos, Craig Robinson, Zazi Beets, Alex Borstein, Richard Ayode, and Lilly Singh as Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Ms. Tarantula, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Shark, Diane Foxington, Police Chief Misty Luggins, Prof. Marmalade, and Tiffany Fluffit. Produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures, the film was released on April 22, 2022. Critics were very receptive to it as 88% of 172 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes gave an average rating of 6.9/10. The film was also a massive success, even by pre-pandemic standards, as it made $250 million on a budget of $69-80 million. When I first saw the trailer, I thought it looked super dope and upon watching it on Blu-ray I was absolutely blown away. This film excelled at all the aspects of it's filmmaking and I'm more than happy to talk about it on Why It Worked.

The Plot: Set in a world where humans and anthropomorphic animals coexist, a group of convicted felons plot to pose as good samaritans to pull off the biggest heist of all time. Things start to go awry when Wolf, the leader of the group, starts to find that being good actually feels really good. This puts his friendship with the guys, particularly Snake, to the test and uncovers a conspiracy that puts all of LA in great danger. Right out of the gate, this film hooks you with an amazing opening chase sequence that brilliantly introduces the characters, the world they inhabit, and the main conflict at hand. In addition to witty dialogue and hilarious jokes, the opening showcases what the tone of the film is and why we sympathize with these characters. The best part? The film keeps the momentum of the first 7 minutes going for the rest of the picture! This film has exquisite pacing with each scene showcasing wonderful use of show, dont tell, clever jokes, and excellent camaraderie between the characters. The greatest highlight of the film's story is its happy marriage of 2D and 3D animation, clearly taking a page from Sony's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The film brings these characters to life with remarkable cel-shading, unique body types based on their personalities, and very expressive facial features. LA also looks gorgeous with vibrant warm colors in the daytime, contrasting with soothing cool colors at night. The city also feels lived in with an abundance of people populating the backgrounds and the city feeling like a huge playground for the Bad Guys. The biggest highlights of the animation are the action scenes, which best showcase the speed, veracity, and vibrant colors the film offers. This film's story was already funny and unique, but the filmmakers went above and beyond in making this a masterclass of visual storytelling.

Cast and Characters: This has got to be among DreamWorks' best casted films! Everybody brings their A game to their roles, and they all have such great chemistry with one another. Our leading pickpocket and chief, Wolf, is such a swave, charismatic and funny leader who at first enjoys the life of crime he's chosen, but grows so fond of doing good he starts to drift from his original beliefs and becomes a really complex character. Major props to Sam Rockwell for delivering such an authentic and funny performance. His best friend, Snake, is a crusty, deadpan python who relishes his crime life more than Wolf, and they become at odds as the film progresses, and Wolf gradually becomes a different person. Marc Marron gave a very nuanced performance, making him sound crusty but also funny and fleshed out. Shark is a big, lovable master of disguise who adds extra comedy to the film thanks in large part to Craig Robinson's performance. Tarantula is the sassy, tech-savvy arachnid that serves as the group's hacker and is played brilliantly by Awkwafina. Piranha is a psychotic fish that acts first and thinks never and has some really good singing chops thanks to Anthony Ramos. Governor Diane Foxington is a sly, sassy, and clever public official who makes for a great foil for Wolf and is played wonderfully by Zazie Beets. Family Guy alum, Alex Borstein, absolutely kills it as Police Chief Misty Luggins, making her sound boisterous and manic in her pursuit of the Bad Guys. Lilly Singh did a really good job as Tiffany Fluffit, making her sound like an eccentric and bubbly news reporter. Then there's the film's surprise villain, Professor Marmalade. I honestly never saw the twist coming because, at first, he seemed like a genuinely good person who believes the Bad Guys can change, and everyone deserves a second chance. Once his true colors are revealed, that's when it all clicked. All this time, Marmalade was using the Bad Guys as a ruse to keep everyone's eyes off him so he could take the meteorite and harness its power to pull the biggest heist the world has ever known: using mind controlled guinea pigs to steal $1 billion dollars that was going to charity! Wow, now THAT'S evil! Richard Ayode provided such a brilliant performance, perfectly playing the kind, optimistic, good-hearted Marmalade while also devouring the scenery when his true colors are revealed. This is such a wonderful cast of characters, and everyone deserves a round of applause for their voice work.

Where It Falters: 👏I👏want👏more! No seriously, this film is a 10/10 and the only gripe I have is I want more. The film is 100 minutes long and it very much feels like this is the beginning of DreamWorks' next big franchise. So I definitely expect a sequel to be made at some point. Yes, I know there's a holiday prequel on Netflix, but I saw the trailer for it and it looked like a very pale imitation of this film. Might as well just watch The Bad Guys again, which I did.

Conclusion: The Bad Guys is now among my all time favorite DreamWorks Animation movies, right next to Kung Fu Panda 2 and The Prince Of Egypt! With a fast paced and hilarious story, well developed characters, excellent vocal performances, amazing animation, and a killer sound track, this film didn't meet my expectations: it EXCEEDED them! I can't recommend this film enough, especially if you're a fan of heist movies. This film should also be studied for aspiring storytellers on how to brilliantly showcase visual storytelling and how to write clever and witty dialogue. Thank you all so much for reading and I'll see you soon 😉

#reblog #share #like #follow #animation #comedy #dreamworks animation #the bad guys #why it worked #twist villain #spoilers #mr. wolf #mr. snake #ms. tarantula #mr. shark #mr. piranha #diane foxington #universal

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