#this scene however is a fantastic adaptation

[selkiewife]

“I wish...”

A Song of Ice and Fire: A Storm of Swords, Tyrion X by George R.R. Martin | Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister in GAME OF THRONES: “The Laws of Gods and Men,” Season 4, Episode 6 | Alice in “Vinegar Tom,” by Caryl Churchill.

[blluespirit]

Overall NATLA Thoughts

Okay, now that I've watched the series, I can give my thoughts.

Overall, I thought it was good!!! I had fun watching it! I'd rate it a solid 6.5/10. It's nowhere as good as the original, but it was definitely enjoyable and made some nice changes here and there that I liked. There were also some things I was also Not a fan of too.

I said in another post that it's best to treat this like an AU of the original. There will things that are great and things that are bad. That's the nature of adapting something.

Having said that, I need to get my initial thoughts off my chest... here we go.

Things I thought were good:

Sokka's characterisation - I really enjoyed him! I thought Ian did a good job! He played the funny moments well and retained the underlying seriousness/cautiousness. It wasn't perfect, but I enjoyed the changes a lot and think it was overall a solid performance.

Zuko's characterisation - Like Sokka, I do think I was most satisfied with their performances. A lot of Zuko's moments from the cartoon are sometimes... well, cartoonish and definitely wouldn't translate to live action, but I think Dallas did a nice job at balancing Zuko's desperate anger and that occasional sassiness well.

Zuko and Iroh moments were great. Had me on the floor crying. As it should have.

The bending looks a trillion times better than the movie - I understand it would not have been easy for the actors but, overall, I was very happy about it.

The scenery was stunning. It just looked so beautiful. I loved it so much.

Absolutely ADORE that they made Zuko a good calligrapher and artist. I read a fic about a million years ago where Zuko is a fantastic calligrapher and I thought it was perfect and made so much sense, and now I can say it's canon. This is perfect for me.

S U K I

The Freedom Fighters were ✨ perfect

They were so real for making Oma and Shu lesbians

Koh, Wan Shi Tong and Hei Bai looked fantastic, but I have more to say about all of them below, unfortunately.

I actually like the change they made that Katara is Aang's sole waterbending teacher.

Aang is not perfect, and needed more goofy scenes HOWEVER, I did like how they've had Aang's guilt more prominent in the story. The original didn't do a very good job with that, imo.

Zuko entering is breaking and entering era by breaking into an impenetrable Earth Kingdom prison is just perfect.

In Masks, I like how Aang and Zuko got a longer conversation - that was pretty cute.

I liked how they changed Yue a bit and got her out of the arranged marriage... how Yue saw Sokka in the Spirit World before meeting him in the real world.

Things I didn't like:

Far too much info-dumping/exposition. So much spelling things out. It was not as egregious as the movie, and I get there's a lot of information that needs to be conveyed well and quickly... but sometimes it really took me out of the show.

Why are Mai and Ty Lee here.... I was hoping the live action would give them a bit more depth (and they might as it goes forward!), but why put them in season 1 at all if they're just going to stand around???

Some odd changes - putting this as one point, but there are some bizarre changes that didn't make sense to me, as they did not benefit the story or deepen the characters. I have two main examples: a) making it so Aang didn't run away from home, and b) making it so Zuko actually fights Ozai in the Agni Kai.

Characterisation of Katara was Not Great. I don't think I got many hints of the reckless, compassionate, badass Katara until the end when she fights Pakku and rallies all the women together to fight (which happens off-screen). She was sweet and kind, but she just lacked the fire that OG Katara has.

Azula's characterisation - Azula is desperate to impress Ozai and so her character is just…. brewing with anger, frustration, desperation. I was SO excited to see the Azula we are introduced too… perpetually and irritatingly calm, calculating and ruthless. She's perfect, she's terrifying! She's literally the character of all time. But this Azula had more Zuko vibes? I don't think there's anything wrong with giving Azula more concrete motivation by wanting to impress Ozai and establishing that Ozai is abusive to both his kids, but I do think trying to do that right off the bat is a mistake.

WHY is Wan Shi Tong here. I love Wan Shi Tong, but like I said: Why Is He Here? Why could we not have his iconic, ominous as fuck introduction from The Library, and instead he's introduced in a random season 1 episode giving Aang Information(tm) about the Spirit World.

When Aang gave Koh the statue, and then he just takes it and immediately lets all the villages go, and neither of them even say anything, I actually laughed out loud. Like, I am so sorry, but what in the jesus fuck was that.

Speaking of Koh - I think Koh is better the less we know about him. Roku saying ~all Koh wants is a family like the rest of us~ just pissed me off?? I like my Koh the Face Stealer Terrifying and Unknowable, thank you.

NOTHING EVER REALLY HAPPENS WITH HEI BAI!!?? where's my precious spirit bear?? Like Aang never really does anything with him and the replacement Koh story is boring and it sucks.

Bumi.... sorry I just didn't vibe with him at all.

Things I can't decide on:

Fancy spirit knife to kill the moon spirit annoyed me a bit, but I guess they wanted to Kuruk something to work with and a little bit more interaction with Aang which I get but idk. I really flip/flop on this one.

I've been very on the fence about having Azula (and Ozai) being in the show in season 1 in general. I'm not sure if it benefited either of their characters.

Azula & Ozai's dynamic - Okay, so, I think they're trying to give Azula more depth, right? They're trying to establish what it was like for Azula to live with Ozai and that she's also (like Zuko) trying to desperately prove herself to him, but Ozai using Zuko's... achievements to do that just felt so weird. I get he's doing it to manipulate her, but that just felt so wrong when in canon it's very obvious that Ozai just didn't give a single fuck about Zuko. Ozai pits Azula against Zuko by saying he's a failure, he's a bad bender etc. Azula is born lucky, Zuko is lucky to be born - like, Ozai says that to Zuko's face. I don't know if I am communicating this point very well, but it just didn't seem right to me??

Zuko vs Zhao in the Siege of the North... I genuinely do not know how to feel about it! I didn't love it, I didn't hate it. I don't know how to feel about Zhao telling Zuko that his mission is a sham and that Azula is the prized one... It feels like it's saying the quiet part out loud? In the OG we all know that Ozai sending Zuko on that mission was an excuse to get rid of him, but we can work that out, no one actually says it. And then Iroh just fucking killing him/mortally wounding him instead of the Iconic scene where Zuko reaches out to save him despite everything Zhao has done to him, but Zhao's own pride gets in the way from letting him accept help from Zuko.

Zuko’s crew being the 41st is not necessarily a bad thing at all!!! But I do just want to say that in the original, the attack goes ahead, and presumably, those soldiers die. It’s horrible. Zuko’s sacrifice is in vain, and it was always going to be in vain because the Fire Nation as it stands would not allow Zuko's compassion to win. Ozai would not allow it. While not necessarily a bad choice (all the soldiers bowing to Zuko on the boat was so sweet I loved it!) but I think it does take away some of the horror of Zuko’s story (same as it does with making Zuko fight back in my opinion) because the whole point is that Zuko did the right thing - and he was punished for it, and those soldiers died anyway.

anyway...

Okay!! got that off my chest. I know I just had a big whine here, but I still had a lot of fun watching this show. I think some of the backlash is a bit over the top and unwarranted. It was never going to stand up to the original - and that's okay.

Enjoy it for what it is!

[nyerus]

Hello! I'm really sorry to bother you with some stupid questions but I'm a little bit confused. Can you tell me about the TGCF revised version and what to expect from it? I made my research a little bit but I'm not sure I get the full picture. I just finished reading all the novels in official EN translation and it bugs me a little that I just got everything settled in my brain and now...smth will be changed in the revised version? What does it mean for canon?

I'm sorry it I make no sense, just a little bit disoriented. Thank you for answering in advance!

Hello Anon!

I totally understand how confusing it could be! I'll try to help clear it up, so no worries!

There are two main versions of TGCF now:

Original/Serialized

Revised

The original webnovel was released in a serialized manner, and this is the one all existing printed translations are based on. Including the official EN translation! This is also what the manhua and donghua are adapting. It was never released as a printed version in mainland China.

The revised version was released in early 2023, in mainland China only (thus far). It has significant changes here and there such as: removal of some minor characters, revision of certain characters' backstories, fleshing out of some inter-character relationships, expansion of existing Hualian-centric scenes, several additional scenes (mainly Hualian-centric), modification of some arcs/plots (e.g. the Bloody Banquet is quite different -- all the way from the lead-up to the ending -- though the broad strokes of it remain similar to the original). Plus just a lot of general streamlining! However, the overall structure of the story and the main plot remains the same.

The printed revised version that was released in China is also a censored edition (for obvious reasons). There is no publicly available uncensored edition available for us to read. That being said... the audio drama is actually working on the uncensored revised version (which they got from MXTX directly, it seems)!

The AD is absolutely fantastic, and if you're interested in checking out the revised version, I HIGHLY recommend it. It's easily my favorite adaptation, by far. This is an old guide on how to purchase + listen, but it still mostly works (you can purchase the entire season with google pay now too). Follow this for enabling EN subs (MTL). There are folks doing fanTLs, but those are not yet complete and still in the very early episodes as of now.

Additionally, there is a fan translation for a few select chapters from the printed revised version, done by Clearnoodle256. Though while yes, it's censored, the plot stuff and extra scenes are absolutely amazing. There's a lot of extra insight into Hualian especially, but also other characters like Lang Qianqiu! Check it out here!

If you'd like more information, I also made a twitter thread about the different versions, but it's similar to what I have already outlined here!

MXTX has said that both versions are just as "canonical" as each other, and fans are welcome to pick-and-choose aspects of both. Personally, I adore what I have seen and heard of the revised version thus far (though there are a few parts where I prefer the original ver). It doesn't feel like a whole new story, but more like seeing the same story with fresh eyes and getting a lot more details! It's very exciting to be able to somehow experience TGCF all over again! 💖

[fancy11schmancy]

Finally, after all this time, 1920’s AU Link’s Main outfit concepts are all done!!! It’s been a challenge traveling for work and having time to work on art, but I am slowly getting better at it! (Sorry this took so long ;;)

AU Main Summary:

Since travel has been restored between the light realm and the twilight realm, a newfound unity flourished between the two societies. New friends, new towns/cities to explore, never-before-seen technologies and fashions at their disposal- all seemed well...until nefarious rumors of a returning great threat started to spread... Brief Lore of Link’s Role In The AU: With the new alluring land of Twilight open for entry and for any and all visitors, Link jumps at the chance to visit the amber-hued and shadow-filled world as Zelda’s accompanying guard for the latest council meeting. What and who lies in wait for Link to meet in this parallel reality? A world far more alien and advanced than his own? Rumors of an ethereal beauty shrouded in shadow? ___________________________________________________________ Link, a kindhearted, brave and daring country boy, is ready to make a name for himself as Hyrule’s greatest explorer! He’s known across the land as the “one-man army” for being extremely adaptable and prepared for any situation at any time with his wide arsenal of tools at his disposal. Some may also call him the “evergreen mountaineer” being as there is no mountain or peak he cannot scale- and by the fact he is always seen donning his famous dark green field coat, cap and his pickax of legend. He always greets friends and acquaintances alike with a warm smile and a firm handshake with a hearty hello (or ‘howdy’) with a slight southern draw. (A trademark from those who hail from “across the field," the Ordon Region.)

With his natural talent for exploring and his insatiable hunger for discovery and adventure, he’s charted vast ancient ruins, several dungeons of lore, and has uncovered a fantastic array of numerous treasures on both land and sea. Because of this, he’s occasionally seen as a young, irresponsible and reckless lad, especially due to the extreme nature of most of his exploration missions and his tendency to throw safety to the wind. He may seem like a “lone wolf” most of the time, but he always manages to bring along his dear friend Princess Zelda (and sometimes Midna) for any excursion he may be heading on…but in secret, of course. If the King of Hyrule were to ever find out about the “dangerous” adventures he’s been dragging Zelda onto, surely it would not go well…. Besides adventuring, Link spends his time helping his adoptive family back in Ordon with their expansive pumpkin farm and raising goats that are for producing the finest of goat cheese known region-wide. Any other spare time he has is at the right-hand side of Zelda, helping her with daily royal errands, solving mysteries, or just going out on the town to a local pub or to a delightful picnic in Hyrule Field. When he is at the pub, he can be seen boisterously playing an array of instruments, ranging from drums, stringed instruments, and most notably, his Ocarina (a very cherished gift from Zelda). While Link may be a bit of a country boy, he is no less capable of assisting Zelda in her pursuits of solving the various mysteries popping up around Castle Town, often providing a unique perspective from being the most skilled survivalist around. Once Midna arrives on the scene, she often enables Link’s craziest ideas- bringing out his secret (or not-so-secret) mischievous side. However, Link absolutely loathes Zant, Midna's towering Valet, due to his arrogant nature and his occasional mocking of Link’s short stature.

[yurimother]

Yuri Anime Review - Whisper Me a Love Song Series Premiere

A delightful school romance that captures unfettered joy and attraction

2023 was nothing short of an incredible year for Yuri anime, packed with an astonishing lineup of new offerings, including Yuri Is My Job!, Stardust Telepath, The Vexations of a Shut-In Vampire Princess, I’m in Love with a Villainess, my personal favorite, the runaway success that was The Magical Revolution Of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady and of course the continuation and conclusion of the surprise Yuri sci-fi Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury. Whisper Me a Love Song has the unenviable task of following up and providing a cap on this unprecedented boom of Yuri anime. The adaptation of Eku Takeshima’s high school romance manga was initially announced alongside many of the aforementioned works. However, it ended up being delayed from its initial January debut for various reasons, not the least of which was the switch in directors from Xin Ya Cai to Akira Mano.

Further compounding the pressure on this series is the comparisons it will draw to Bloom Into You, one of the most beloved and well-received Yuri series of all time. Now, these comparisons are mostly unfair, as Bloom Into You had the mighty weight of Kadokawa’s marketing behind it, although, to be fair, Whisper Me a Love Song’s campaign has been no slouch. Moreover, the two series are very different, save for their shared high school setting and Yuri romance. Bloom Into You was a slow-burn romance that leaned into shounen drama, while Whisper Me a Love Song takes a noticeably lighter tone and incorporates more slice of life elements. It does not help that the Whisper Me a Love Song manga debuts the same year that Bloom Into You concluded its serialized run and would go on to replace the latter as the top Yuri series in many audiences’ eyes, and for myself, would go onto fill the same niche of an extended high school romance. All this is to say that the expectations around Whisper Me a Love Song are unreasonably mammoth. However, the anime’s debut episode assured us that we are in for a warm and harmonious display of young love.

The Welcome Concert

The show begins as Himari Kino (Hana Shimano) wakes up for her first day of high school. At a welcome ceremony for new students, she witnesses the light music club band, SSGIRLS, perform their song "Humming Love,” and the temporary lead vocalist, Yori Asanagi (Asami Seto), instantly enchants her. This scene catalyzes the series’ ongoing story and helps highlight some of the most critical aspects and features of this adaptation: the music and the animation. 

Whisper Me a Love Song does not set the world on fire visually, boasting animation that, at its best moments, can be described as “pretty good.” Yet, it does more than a serviceable job, smartly utilizing its resources and clever framing that keeps the viewer’s attention and makes the story easy to follow while saving on animation. There are some flaws, such as stiffer animation during dialogue-heavy scenes and the noticeable use of 3D CGI elements for background characters and objects, like flower petals. However, these do not distract from the narrative nor detract from one’s enjoyment. However there are positives as well to point out here.

For one, the series does a fantastic job with its lighting, applying generous highlights to characters’ faces and hair, enhancing their features, and preventing them from coming across visually as flat or simplistic. The frequent use of a light, soft background that bathes the subjects in a warm glow matches this choice, and they work together in tandem to help convey the anime’s light and happy tone. The anime occasionally employs this lighting to accentuate story beats, such as when Yori peaks through the curtain at the crowd, casting most of her body in shadow as she worries about performing in front of such a large crowd.

This welcome ceremony has noticeably different animation than the rest of the episode. Here, the members of SSGIRLS are injected with an electric sense of movement, playing their instruments with enthusiasm and energy that honestly felt jarring when compared to the more limited shorts of Himari reacting to the performance. Given its importance in the story and the fact that the anime reuses this scene for the opening theme, it is clear why the animation was given more attention and resources. However, and I am likely in the minority here, I actually dislike it for this reason. The heavily referenced footage stands out a bit too much, especially given that it is intercut with more straightforward static shots of Himari, creating a jarring effect that pulls focus away from the characters and their feelings.

The Musical Advantage

Where the series did not disappoint me is musically. In recent years, Yuri works have drawn more and more from musical-themed settings, including Hello, Melancholic!, The Moon on a Rainy Night, and Amongst Us, not to mention the myriad of “Yuri-ish” musical series. However, the apparent disconnect is that manga and webtoons are visual mediums devoid of sound and score. While some titles, such as  After Hours and The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy at All, mitigate this flaw by releasing companion playlists or soundtracks, it is not the same as incorporating the music into the product itself.

Here, Whisper Me a Love Song’s jump to animation truly adds to the experience, elevating it above its source material. Himari’s instantaneous infatuation is so much more believable when we, the viewers, can experience the music alongside her; her “loving” obsession with Yori made that much more real because we also hear the upperclassman’s performance, provided by Kana Sasakura’s wonderful singing voice. Studios Cloud Hearts and Yokohama Animation Laboratory are, of course, aware of music’s central role in the story and have done it justice, giving the fictitious SSGirls multiple chances to shine, not just in the episode itself but also in performing the opening theme, “Follow Your Arrows.”

Returning to the episode, after the welcome ceremony, Himari runs into Yori and begins to fangirl over her, confessing that she “fell in love at first sight.” Yori is stunned by this sudden confession and taken with Himari’s cuteness and openness. After confiding in her bandmates, she realizes that she has fallen in love, much to the other’s delight.

Supporting Characters Steal the Show

These conversations are excellent, as they give us the chance to get to see more of the series’ other characters. Like the original manga, Whisper Me a Love Song has a terrific supporting cast that adds to the humor and drama. Each of the other characters has a striking, unique design and personality that helps them stand out, like the drummer Mari, who is slightly more stoic and comes from a wealthy family. She is contrasted well by the playing keyboardist, Kaori, who often flirts and teases Mari. Siblings Miki and Aki act as the best friends of the lead characters, usually providing them guidance and encouragement. Each girl excels on screen thanks to some stand-out writing and performance. While each is different from the others,, they all have one unifying characteristic: their encouragement and excitement for Yori and Himari, which is infection, making us want to root for them, too. The lone exception is Aki, who herself harbors feelings for Yori, which will come into play in future episodes.

I like these supporting characters even more than I did in the manga, thanks in no small part to Minami Yoshida's fantastic work adapting Eku Takeshima’s characters to the screen. They capture each character perfectly; Himari is cute, ditzy, and full of adoring exuberance. Yori’s appearance portrays her as cool and elegant, but her movements and posture help convey her more anxious and apprehensive nature. And, of course, each of their friends is striking and memorable, and their depiction matches their personality. For example, Mari is prim and proper, weaning her uniform and hair unadulterated from modification and maintaining a hardened, no-nonsense expression. However, Kaori has a more rounded, goofier face, complete with a dopey smile and a bright yellow hoodie, betraying her more playful personality.

Rooftop Romances

The episode's high points come in its second half, two scenes on the rooftop with Himari and Yori alone. The first begins with Yori singing as she thinks about Himari and her confusing feelings for her, while unbeknownst to Yori, Himari walks upstairs thinking about Yori’s singing. It is an excellent reflection of the central conflict these two will face in their upcoming “romance,” the fact that their feelings of love for each other are different, with Yori’s being a more mature romantic attraction and Himari’s a child-like obsession for the older girl’s singing.

Put plainly, it is beautiful, showcasing the best singing we hear from Yori, a light, melodic hum, and some of the best emotional work of the episode as she makes sense of her feelings. Unfortunately, this scene also showcases Whisper Me a Love Song’s weakest aspect, its pacing.

The rhythm of the manga was already a frustrating issue, as it both fussed about with little for extended stretches and introduced and resolved conflicts with little time for rumination or exploration. This issue is only exacerbated by the anime’s truncated story. The first episode alone covers two and a half chapters of the manga and sees Yori change her emotional state about a half dozen times, first being anxious about singing, then confused by her feelings for Himari, then realizing she might be in love, confessing that love, feeling the embarrassment of her misunderstanding, and at last confirming that she is in love with Himari and vowing to make the other girl recognize and reciprocate her feelings. It is less of an emotional rollercoaster and more of a rapid, rambling barrage of issues and feelings that have no time to breathe or create any real impact in the story. I wished they had spent a few episodes playing out this arc, letting Yori slowly come to terms with these new feelings of love for Himari and working to overcome her trepidation surrounding them.

After plotting with her friends how to make Himari fall for her, the episode ends as Yori walks up to the roof to find Himari already waiting for her, a nice flip on the previous rooftop scene. There, Himari requests Yori sing for her, which she does. It is an exceptional sequence. The characters' feelings and differing attractions for each other come across so clearly. Himari is so visibly excited to hear Yori sing, and the older girl has such a wonderful mix of cool and collected affection and awkwardness that you cannot help but smile while watching it. Both girls have such a warm, gentle, and loving disposition, perfectly matched by the soft orange sky and quiet, empty rooftop. As Yori sings, the perspective shifts and employs some scenic Yuri, focusing on the sky and indirect views of each character until finally settling back on Himari’s blushing, glowing face from Yori’s perspective, a perfect encapsulation of the adoring girl that she has fallen in love with.

Conclusion

I am so happy with Whisper Me a Love Song. The anime did everything it needed to, from maintaining the manga’s fun, light tone of young love to adding excellent music that helps you understand how these characters became drawn to one another. It has flaws, with middling animation quality and an unfortunate dedication to the poor pacing and speed of the manga. Nevertheless, these do not distract from an overall adorable and fun experience. Most importantly, the anime nails the excitement, affectionate, and intense joyfulness of its two characters and their love for each other. I cannot wait to enjoy every second of their relationship and confidently declare that this Yuri series is an easy recommendation, untainted by the usual list of qualifications or warnings I am usually required to make. Whisper Me a Love Song is just a sweet, simple, and delightful school romance that you should absolutely watch. 

Ratings: Story – 8 Characters – 10 Art – 6 LGBTQ – 9 Sexual Content – 0 Music – 7 Final – 8

You can stream Whisper Me a Love Song with English subtitles on HIDIVE.

This review is made possible by Avery Riehl and the rest of the YuriMother Patrons. Support the Patreon today for early access, exclusive content, and to help fund LGBTQ+ content.

[professorhayforbreath]

my blog probably gives the impression that i think the show is bad as a whole, but the reason this show frustrates me so much is because it's definitely NOT 100% bad

like... the movies are bad adaptations. everyone knows it. they have some great moments (an embarrassing amount of which are better than the show lol) but overall they are widely considered blatantly bad adaptations. it's easier to make peace with that

the show, however, is far less consistent and i find it much more difficult to wrap my head around. there are parts that are bad and i'm happy to say that with my chest, but underneath numerous questionable-at-best writing choices, there are glimpses of really, really good stuff. the first few episodes had so much promise—percy burning blue jellybeans and praying to sally, the consensus song. these are brand new additions but they're good, they capture the spirit of the story and characters successfully

and sprinkled throughout the rest of the show are other strong choices! for example in the last episode i really liked that they set the betrayal scene during the fireworks, it created a fantastic ambience. i liked that grover left camp at the same time as percy and annabeth so the three of them got to part ways as a trio on half-blood hill

there are good changes being made, but they're almost all small in the grand scheme of things. in my opinion, the bigger, more consequential things are where they missed the most marks, and that prevented me from fully enjoying the show as a long time book fan

when it comes to writing nothing frustrates me more than wasted potential. mediocre writing is one thing, but mediocre writing that could have clearly been so much better is INFURIATING. i don't dislike the show because i wanted it to be a 1:1 recreation of the book, i dislike it because it's just okay when it could have been great. it so EASILY could have been great and i don't get why it's not. a lot of the writing choices are just baffling in their mediocrity, and sometimes technical weakness, when compared to the well written and effective source material. i wish i could have been a fly on the wall in that writers room when they were making some of these decisions, seriously

the cast is phenomenal. their budget is more than sufficient. they marketed it as a "redemption from the movies", as the adaptation that would finally give fans book accuracy. and the show we got is... fine. it's all right. it's not all that book accurate even though it was advertised as such. there's plenty to like but it comes hand in hand with plenty to dislike. it's only natural for people to be disappointed

i know my critiques can come off as venomous but please never mistake my harshness as hating for the sake of it. i adore the original pjo books so i really wanted to adore the show as well, but unfortunately i can't get there yet. "yet" being the key word because there's still plenty of time for this show to pick up the slack, and for that reason i'm glad it got renewed. i don't have the most faith the writers will listen to the feedback but i'm rooting for them to prove me wrong

[karinta-agogobell-unified]

Five underappreciated anime that I would recommend!

1. Canaan (2009)

This is, from what I understand, an adaptation of a side-story chapter for the visual novel series 428: Shibuya Scramble, guest-written by Nasu Kinoko and guest-illustrated by Takeuchi Takashi. That is to say, the Type-Moon guys — the creators of Tsukihime, Kara no Kyoukai, and the now-legendary Fate/Stay Night. However, Canaan doesn’t take place in the Type-Moon shared universe(s), since it’s for another company’s property.

That being said, the anime adaptation is quite comprehensible on its own terms, likely due to the adaptation being written by the prolific and highly skilled screenwriter Okada Mari (Hanasaku Iroha, O Maidens In Your Savage Season, Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, Maquia). Her writing imbues the narrative with enough emotional intensity to make up for the occasionally-convoluted nature of the plot, and the backstories of the characters are hinted at just enough so that the viewer can understand their relevance, without taking up too much precious screen time. It can be a little hard to follow at points, but I ended up understanding it decently well anyway.

The production values are very high indeed, due to the anime being produced by P.A. Works, and directed by Andoh Masahiro (Sword of the Stranger, Hanasaku Iroha, O Maidens In Your Savage Season). The action animation is consistently stunning, the characters are beautifully expressive, and the overall look of the show is fantastic.

And the voice acting is an absolute treat, with the lead role of Canaan herself taken by Sawashiro Miyuki, the antagonist role of Alphard taken by Sakamoto Maaya, and Nanjou Yoshino in the role of Oosawa Maria, the POV character for a lot of the story. The supporting voice cast is packed with talent too — Hamada Kenji, Tanaka Rie, Nakata Jouji, Tomatsu Haruka, Hirata Hiroaki, Noto Mamiko, and even Ootsuka Akio in a minor role!

The premise is sort of a science fiction type of thing, but set in the (quasi-)contemporary location of 2000s China, where outside of the sci-fi conceit, the setting is largely realistic. The tone and mood is mostly that of an action thriller, with some nail-biting suspense here and there, but there are some beautifully soft and tender moments as well — often involving Canaan and Maria. Yes, folks, this has yuri in it, although it’s (strongly) subtextual.

Anyway, I would recommend this to people who love Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Kara no Kyoukai, Fate/Zero, and probably also Cowboy Bebop.

2. Tetsuwan Birdy OVAs (1996)

This is distinct from the later adaptation of the original Tetsuwan Birdy (Birdy the Mighty) manga, called Tetsuwan Birdy Decode, which came out in the late 2000s — this one came out in 1996 and was produced by Studio Madhouse in their prime.

The main characters are Senkawa Tsutomu (voiced by Iwanaga Tetsuya), a hapless teenager who gets accidentally killed(!) by an alien spaceship on his way to school one day, and Birdy Cephon Altirra (voiced by Mitsuishi Kotono), a human-looking alien and an intergalactic government agent who saves Tsutomu by merging her body with his. Effectively, they become two people in one body, which can shift between the forms of Birdy and Tsutomu…. except Birdy still needs to deal with all the rogue aliens who threaten the safety of the galaxy, while Tsutomu needs to study for his high school entrance exams. From what I’ve been told, the premise is fairly reminiscent of Ultraman and other classic tokusatsu series.

It’s four tight episodes of classic ‘90s OVA goodness, with a fun and slightly silly sci-fi concept that is nonetheless wrung for some surprisingly effective drama at times. The main thrust of it, though, is action comedy — and it definitely delivers on that front. The fight scenes are superbly animated, including some early-career work from now-legendary animator Suzuki Norimitsu, and the character designs by Takahashi Kumiko (Witch Hunter Robin, Snow White with the Red Hair, Cardcaptor Sakura) are amazingly expressive. Birdy’s striking asymmetrical design is a particular favourite of mine. The direction by Kawajiri Yoshiaki (Cyber City Oedo 808, Ninja Scroll, Vampire Hunter D) is solid, and the writing is quite serviceable despite the brevity and premise.

Overall, I wouldn’t say it’s much of an intellectual watch, but if you just want a fun action-comedy ride with an extremely charismatic female protagonist and stunning animation quality, Tetsuwan Birdy is likely to be your jam. I’d recommend it to people who enjoy classic tokusatsu series, the original ‘90s Sailor Moon anime, and the less-depressing parts of Neon Genesis Evangelion.

3. Noir (2001)

This anime series is perhaps not as underappreciated as the others on this list, but I do still feel that not enough people have seen it. It was made by the studio Bee Train, and it’s the first entry in their so-called “Girls with Guns” trilogy (which isn’t actually a coherent trilogy, since they’re three different stories). The series was made right at the end of the cel-anime era, before the transition to digital colouring and compositing, so the masters were shot on film, but it was also made at the beginning of the slow transition to widescreen TV broadcasts, so it’s one of the very rare cel anime that’s in 16:9. This allows for a beautifully detailed look that, IMO, serves to offset the occasionally-limited animation and the frequent re-use of footage.

The premise is basically “secret assassins in France are caught up in weird intrigue and conspiracies”; as such, there’s a lot of very fun gunplay and kickass fight scenes, but also a lot of suspense and mystery. The writing is a little bit slipshod at times, but it ends up holding together, and the characters and (especially) the fantastically moody vibe make the show worth watching.

The characters are imbued with a lot of life and colour, both by their extremely attractive designs and by their voice actors’ wonderful performances. Mireille Bouquet, a young Corsican assassin and one of the two protagonists, is voiced by Mitsuishi Kotono; Yuumura Kirika, the other main protagonist who is a Japanese schoolgirl who has seemingly lost all her memories (but not her exceptional assassin skills), is voiced by Kuwashima Houko; and the mysterious Chloe, who shows up partway through the show, is voiced by Hisakawa Aya. There are definite yuri vibes between Mireille and Kirika, but as with Canaan, it’s all subtextual.

The main draw of the show, though, is its phenomenal soundtrack, courtesy of Kajiura Yuki (.hack//Sign, Kara no Kyoukai, Fate/Zero, Sword Art Online, Demon Slayer) in her very first anime scoring gig. It’s at times propulsive, at times dark and moody, at times beautifully serene, at times melancholy and nostalgic — and it’s utterly memorable.

I would recommend Noir to anyone who likes Canaan, Witch Hunter Robin, Ghost in the Shell, or anyone who just wishes that James Bond were a woman.

4. Flip Flappers (2016)

This anime was produced at Studio 3Hz and directed by Oshiyama Kiyotaka, in a dazzling yet underappreciated directorial debut that was presaged by his impressive animation work on Dennou Coil, Space Dandy, A Letter to Momo, The Secret World of Arietty, and The Wind Rises. Owing to this extremely solid animation background, Oshiyama was able to recruit a lot of prime animation talent for Flip Flappers, and it definitely shows in the stunning sakuga of the wild action sequences that pepper the show’s narrative.

While the fantastic animation is a key draw of this show, the sheer creativity in the worldbuilding, conceptual, and visual design spheres also contribute to its inimitably psychedelic look and feel. The landscapes of the worlds contained in Pure Illusion — the dream-realm that the protagonists enter each episode at the behest of a mysterious scientific organisation — and of the “real” world are whimsical, storybook-like, and slightly “off” in a slightly unsettling but compelling way.

The dreamlike atmosphere pervades the narrative as well — very little about the mechanics of the world is specified out loud, relying heavily on symbolism and visual storytelling to do the heavy lifting for the audience’s understanding. This might be a turn-off for audiences who prefer to have things spelled out for them clearly, but the point of this story is not always to make perfect logical sense, but rather to work on an emotional and metaphorical level. And work, it certainly does.

The episodic structure involving the various worlds of Pure Illusion explores the concept of the Umwelt (the individual sensory “world” of a person or organism), as well as some Jungian concepts and archetypes, in order to express the strange and sometimes-scary developmental stage of adolescence. The characters of Cocona (voiced by Takahashi Minami) and Papika (voiced by Ichimichi Mao) undergo a metaphorical and literal puberty, a coming-of-age similar in some ways to that experienced by the protagonist of FLCL, but with significantly more yuri. In fact, this show has the most outright yuri of any of the anime on this list. But that isn’t very strange for what is essentially a psychedelic magical-girl show: lots of magical-girl anime seem to include homoerotic vibes in some form or another, from Sailor Moon to Nanoha to Madoka.

There are some minor flaws in the storytelling towards the end, IMO, but overall it’s a wonderfully impactful emotional journey to watch Flip Flappers. Plus, the OP and ED are both extraordinarily catchy tunes that I’ve found myself humming on many an occasion.

I’d recommend this anime to anyone who loves weird magical-girl stuff, weird yuri, and/or amazing action animation.

5. Claymore (2007)

An adaptation of the manga by Yagi Norihiro, this anime is considered by many to simply be “basic”, or at least simply “inferior to the manga”. Now. I haven’t read the original Claymore manga (yet! I plan to eventually), but I found this anime to be compelling nonetheless. And if it really is the case that the manga is better, then I definitely look forward to diving in.

Having been produced by Studio Madhouse in the mid-2000s, it’s unsurprising that the vast majority of this anime was outsourced to Korean animation studio DR Movie, a longtime powerhouse subcontractor for both Japanese and American animation alike. That said, the direction of Tanaka Hiroyuki (director of a portion of Hellsing Ultimate and frequent close collaborator of Attack on Titan director Araki Tetsurou) remains sharp, compensating for the sometimes-limited animation with good storyboarding and a strong sense of mood and atmosphere.

Another aspect of Claymore which helps make up for the occasional visual shortcomings is the soundtrack by Takumi Masanori. The compositions are a mix of harder rock and electronic elements with a strong orchestral backbone, as befits a dark-fantasy setting and mood — the faster pieces are edgy and propulsive, very appropriate for the bloody action scenes, and the calmer pieces have a melancholic beauty to them that sticks in one’s memory. I wish the soundtrack were on Spotify, but alas, it is not.

The other sonic element that helps this anime out immensely is its absolutely STACKED voice cast. The main character, Clare, is voiced by Kuwashima Houko, in a fantastic yet understated performance. The other main character, Raki, is voiced by the less-well-known Takagi Motoki, but nearly all the other roles — including many bit parts — are filled with industry legends. Teresa is voiced by Park Romi, Miria is voiced by Inoue Kikuko, Irene is voiced by Takayama Minami, Rubel is voiced by Hirata Hiroaki, Priscilla is voiced by Hisakawa Aya, Ophelia is voiced by Shinohara Emi, and Jean (whom I cannot help but ship with Clare: there’s so much homoerotic tension there!) is voiced by none other than Mitsuishi Kotono. Yes, they got three of the original Sailor Senshi VAs — and I don’t know why that’s funny to me, but it is. And all of the voice actors deliver killer performances.

The premise of the show, before I completely forget to explain it, is that of a dark fantasy world where demons called youma ravage human settlements, with only the titular Claymores to protect humanity. They are a guild of platinum-haired and silver-eyed warrior women who possess superhuman fighting abilities, due to the fact that they’ve been fused with youma essence, and wield the massive broadswords that give them their name. Basically, (s)he who fights monsters must become (partly) a monster to do so.

I’ve heard the vibe of Claymore compared to manga like Berserk, and I don’t know how true that is (not having read the latter for myself), but there’s certainly a lot of bleakness and monstrosity in this fantasy tale. However, the Claymore manga was published in none other than Weekly Shounen Jump, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that the story remains resolutely forward-looking, the protagonists’ arcs focussing on the power of grit, determination, true friendship and loyalty, and protection of the weak and downtrodden. It’s never cynical or sarcastic — always straightforward and sincere despite the frequent darkness of the story.

The writing is consistently solid, even through the controversial anime-original ending (the manga continues long past the point where the anime cut things off), so I’m not sure who to point to for that: Yagi Norihiro for writing the original material, or Kobayashi Yuuko (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Attack on Titan s1-3, Kakegurui, Casshern Sins) for adapting it cleanly for the screen? Either way, it made me want to read the manga to experience more of these compelling characters and their travails.

I would recommend this anime to those who enjoy Kill La Kill or RWBY, or just to those who enjoy powerful women hacking at monsters with massive weapons and making lots of blood spray out.

[mari-writes]

My thoughts on Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle

⚠️ Warning: Spoilers for the film (and portions of the manga) ahead!

Two days ago, I went to see Haikyuu: The Dumpster Battle. I've been a fan of this series since 2015, and I started the manga within a month of the anime. So going to this film was a huge deal for me. (The only other time I've experienced a HQ screening was at the 2018 Crunchyroll convention!) It was awesome being at the theater with fellow fans wearing jerseys of our favorite teams, all excited to see our boys on the big screen. 🥰❤️

I absolutely LOVED how the film began, showing us Kenma and Hinata's first meeting but in a different way than in season 1, with the cat and crow staring each other down, and Kuroo overhearing their conversation from nearby. It really set the mood, especially with the incredible score (honestly the soundtrack is one of my favorite aspects of the movie).

However, I was upset that they left out the backstory of Nekomata and Ukai Sr. These flashbacks are so important to give the rivalry context and depth. The fact that these two characters met in middle school, and then had this battle decades later as elders, was so impactful. Not showing the history of their relationship affected the film's emotional impact. In my opinion, THIS was the biggest flaw in the script.

While we're on the negatives: I do think the film relied a lot on prior knowledge of the story. Which is to be expected, it's basically the 5th season of a show, but I don't think even casual fans would be able to keep up with how many characters and plot points quickly came and went. I recall being perplexed at certain things they chose to keep in, some of which were fun, but not necessary and just muddled the viewing experience.

Also: the subtitles. I've always had a beef with how Crunchyroll does subs. Not the translators themselves (I LOVE YOU GUYS YOU'RE AMAZING) but how they place the text. It was hard to distinguish between the primary and secondary dialogue. They were often stacked onto each other, with the barest hint of italics to differentiate. Honestly, while some background dialogue was great, I would've rather gone without to avoid confusion.

There were some other weakness, like the pacing and important character moments they cut. Obviously, as a MASSIVE fan, I would want everything to be adapted fully and perfectly. But that was never going to happen with a 1.5 hour film. 🤷‍♀️ The screenwriters did a really impressive job considering what they were tasked with accomplishing. Major kudos to them!

Now, on to the things I loved about the movie:

The animation. Gods, the animation was fantastic, such a breath of fresh air after season 4. I could tell how much care the artists put into this project. Some scenes literally had me speechless, sitting there frozen with my mouth hanging open. The final rally was animated ENTIRELY in Kenma's POV. The music faded out; you could here his heavy breathing and the team calling to each other. It made you feel like you were on the court. I've never seen anything like it before.

I mentioned the score earlier, but special shout out to the musicians, composers, and everyone involved in the soundtrack. 👏 I literally had goosebumps multiple times. And having a track by SPYAIR playing during the end credits gave me so much fuzzy nostalgia!

The voice acting was amazing. Kenma's actor, Yuki Kaji, absolutely hit it out of the park. He's always been one of my faves from the cast, but he went above and beyond in this film. But everyone did, really. It was so important for me to see the Japanese version FIRST to hear this wonderful cast who I've been following for the past 9 years.

Kuroo Testsuro. Good lord, did I come out of the theater having fallen completely in love with Kuroo. 😍❤️ His character is just SO GOOD, full of passion and love for his friends and the sport itself. I think the movie really highlighted this. (And it made me so emotional, knowing where he ended up in the future!)

BOKUTO AND AKAASHI. Thank you, movie team for letting them have their cute little moments. Especially the one with Yachi. I love these two so much. I'm very scared that their biggest arc, aka the Mujinazaka match, won't be animated. But I'm so grateful we got them in this film.

The after credits scene. REMEMBER TO STAY AFTER THE FIRST CREDITS YOU GUYS! They included the hilarious exchange between Kuroo and Daishou after the match, which was a really fun way to end things. 😆 Mika's little "You ready?" to her silly snake boyfriend was perfect. It made me giggle.

Okay, those are my initial thoughts! If I see the film again I might update this. For now, let me just say I really enjoyed it overall and it was such a special experience seeing these beloved characters on the silver screen. I still mourn the loss of a 5th season, and I'm nervous about what will be cut from the final movie... but that's future Mari's problem... 😅

Thanks for reading! 💕

[burningvelvet]

Quickly and poorly reviewing and ranking adaptations of Jane Eyre (1996, 1997, 2006, 2011) by their pros and cons:

1996 pros:

Best fire scene, easily. It actually gave me that excited feeling that good cinema gives a person. Much of the cinematic art was enjoyable altogether, including the costumes.

This film probably has ond of the best Bertha's in my opinion. She's truly sympathetic, beautiful, and fierce. probably tied for my favorite Bertha actress with 2006. She and Poole are given little time in the story, however.

Most adaptations shit on St. John. Here, that isn't the case. What little time he has is spent in making him much more appealing than I've ever seen him, both physically and characteristically. I like this, because many forget that Jane did love him in her way, and he is supposed to be attractive and nice despite his zealotism.

1996 has the best Adèle, which is amazing for me as a big Adèle fan. There is more focus on her and her relationships with Jane/Rochester. I particularly love the scene where J draws R and Adèle tries to play cupid a little, and when Adèle is offended when the ladies insult Jane.

Best Lowood plot by far. This is the first time I've been able to stand the Young Jane scenes, and little time was devoted to her early life with the Reeds, just enough to let us know she was abused. I like this choice. The young actresses playing Jane and Helen were the best and most rebelious I've seen yet. Their hair cutting scene brought tears to my eyes, which rarely ever happens for me.

Good Blanche plotline. I absolutely love the cinematography/aesthetic & set design.

1996 cons:

the actors are individually endearing in some ways (the scene of Jane and the mirror is particularly touching, as is their reunion). However, The biggest downside to this adaptation is that the chemistry between Jane and Rochester was lacking in my opinion. this is particularly notable in their meeting scene and first proposal scene.

William Hurt is a fantastic actor, and he's likeable, but he's not my favorite Rochester ever. He's alright. On a rewatch I could see myself warming to him more.

I love Charlotte Gainsbourg more for her music than her acting. Granted, she was young here like Jane is supposed to be, so I do not blame her. Visually, aside from her height, I can absolutely see her as Jane. As the film went on I warmed to her acting style; Jane Eyre is a hard role to perform due to her inwardness. I don't think she was horrible, but Anna Paquin (of later True Blood fame) as Young Jane Eyre somewhat outshined Gainsbourg.

I was disappointed in Adèle being sent away to school before the disaster and her not coming back in the end (why couldn't they have had her running with Pilot in the landscape shot!!!).

1997 pros:

Maybe the most accurate Jane and Rochester. I wasn't expecting to like him at all but he blew me away. excellent chemistry between the actors. The dancing scene was very captivating, as was the scene with him jumping from the walkway, their outdoor talks, him chasing her down the stairs — really, I was impressed, because I thought I'd hate this film. Like in the novel and in 96, both actors are a bit conventionally unattractive (well, compared to 11 and to some extent 06) - and like them, the characters grow on you.

BEST ST. JOHN (although 2006 has the best Rivers sisters) - St. John is described as being nice though serious, and looking like a statue of a Greek God with all the coldness AND beauty - and this movie is the only one who relatively understood that assignment (96 came close emphasizing his niceness). Most adaptations adapt his coldness but not his conventional Eurocentric good looks, which not only symbolize his colonizer attribute but also his appeal to Jane and the others. It's also important to have a conventionally handsome actor play St. John just as it's important to have a conventionally less attractive Jane Eyre because one theme of the novel is the critique of Victorian physiognomy & beauty; Jane/Rochester being unconventionally attractive is a contrast to Bertha, St. John, Blanche, Georgiana being attractive, so I think this element is not inconsequential. The difficult part is that beauty is highly subjective, so relying on conventional standards is key, as is the reminder that Victorian standards were a bit different from our own.

good Lowood plotline, good Gateshead plotline, fantastic Adèle with lots of adorableness & miraculous though OOC bonding between her and Rochester, fantastic costuming (though I don't know about accuracy), good Blanche plotline overall. Probably my favorite Bertha plotline for being sufficiently creepy.

1997 cons:

this isn't really a con for me but many people may dislike 97 Rochester for being passionate to the point of coming off crazy, and physical domineering as when he grabs Jane when she tries to leave — however, this does kind of fit for canonical Rochester & I don't mind it since he's supposed to be that way, but this is still arguably a con nevertheless. he does come off as too forward but i get they were trying to capture the whole overpassionate thing. it does come off as a little more toxic than other depictions perhaps!

I have very few complaints overall. I don't think the chemistry is as appealing as 2006, but it is accurate. I wish there was more Adèle, but you can't have everything.

The posters are bad and make the actors look worse than they are which subsequently turns people away. I think 1996 was marketed a bit better but that 2006 also suffers from bad poster syndrome which had an effect on me also. Presentation is important; marketing and advertising are also important in cinema. The aesthetic isn't as good as 1996 although I don't think the visuals are bad overall.

Jane is a little dissociative seeming, which can be off-putting for myself and other viewers I assume, but to be fair she is described as being like a weird little elf creature in the book, and the actress plays this very well, actually looking quite ill when Rochester asks if she is.

2006 pros:

Best chemistry between Jane/Rochester by far and for this reason will always be my favorite because it actually made me fall in love with Rochester in the end though I didn't like his portrayal at all at first (that's power! — and my love for this Rochester should arguably be a con for the sake of my sanity and pride). best Rochester imo and a fantastic Jane. I love love love the way they did the Rochester storytime flashbacks and fleshed out his character as a result.

Best and most enjoyable Blanche Ingram plotline by far (although no one likes the lack of Rochester-in-drag, the party scenes & insertion of the twin flame theory was delightful).

some of the best dialogue, fantastic Adèle plotline, good Bertha plotline, best Pilot, best Rosamond, good costuming, good sets/locations (the fairytale ambience of Jane walking outside before meeting Rochester! Rochester's weird study!), I like the extra focus placed on themes such as nature/genetics/science, religion, travel, sexuality, etc.

2006 cons:

I dislike the way they did the Lowood and Gateshead plots, and although the Rivers sisters were good, I resent their St. John plotline for the most part. I disliked the lack of mystery surrounding Bertha; I think they made it way too obvious & not creepy enough, especially in showing her perspective from the window and giving her lines (one line, calling Jane a whore in Spanish) which no other adaptation does. I was sorely bored before and after Thornfield and only really revived when she got back to Ferndean (although Jane's flashbacks and some of the St. John plotline [the references to love, reminding us of her inner thoughts of Rochester] kept me alive). I suppose there were prices to pay for the excellence of the Jane and Rochester moments. - in comparison these seem like small prices, but still!

2011 pros:

deciding to go with a non-linear structure was a fantastic choice though I was skeptical of it at first, good St. John plotline for the most part & which they put emphasis on, really fantastic Jane with a lot of good fierce moments & lines, maybe the best Gateshead plotline including Mrs. Reed & the Red Room scene (although the lack of red was disappointing, and the lack of explanation for the chimney monster is conflicting – was it all in her head?), good young Jane, one of the best Richard Masons, star-studded cast, good dialogue, maybe the best costuming, Aesthetic™️

2011 cons:

least favorite adele (not insulting the child actress, this is the fault of the writers/directors)

— this is where i call security to protect me from an onslaught of jane eyre 2011 fans here on tumblr. alright, maybe i should watch it again — but i was expecting a lot more. particularly from michael fassbender as mr. rochester. probably my least favorite rochester by far & the least sympathetic. this rochester captures the dark and dangerous part of him but imo not so much the higher feelings that define him. the lack of humour & lack of unrepressed passion/drama/rage is noticeable - rochester isn't supposed to be quiet; as toby stephens (2006) said in an interview, rochester never shuts up in the book, he's really too eccentric to even be adapted accurately; he has to be toned down to be realistic, but here he's muted too far. - i felt like mia was carrying all of their scenes on her back & that the chemistry really rested on her primarily.

Cinematography-wise, there are some gems in the stills (famous hand holding gif), but I dislike the overall muted palette of the film; many will think this suits the tone and in some ways I agree, however, I will always prefer color and dislike the epidemic of desaturation we've seen so often in 21st century cinema. For this reason, 96, 97, 06 all triumph against 2011 aesthetically for me personally, although I still recognize some of the artistry of 2011, it is not my preference.

My overall ranking: 2006 (primarily for Jane/Rochester), 1997 (excellent overall), 1996 (good but flawed), 2011 (I tried but overall did not enjoy it).

[fandomfloater]

All the Heathers’ characters are so down graded in the musical in comparison to the movie.

McNamara:

In the musical McNamara is arguably the most flushed out of the Heathers, still her character is pretty much just “spineless follower with no individuality”. Her role in setting veronica up for date-rape is also very overlooked and downplayed.

In the movie however we get more of an in depth view of her identity and how she interacts with the other Heathers. We watch as she adds to Duke’s torment and get a closer look into her thoughts, especially at Chandler’s funeral.

I also wanted to add in how her wardrobe subtly hints to her depression via increasing amounts of black/grey.

Duke:

Musical Duke is the least developed of the Heathers especially in off-broadway. In the musical we obviously see the snide remarks from other characters we don’t see much of her own thoughts. In the west end version she at-lest gets “Never Shut Up Again” to build character, though it mainly acts as her celebrating Chandler’s death. However, both adaptations lack the full process of her transformation (especially the hesitation) from a follower to a leader in Chandler’s place. Same as McNamara though, her, albeit smaller, role in setting veronica up for date-rape is looked over.

Movie Duke on the other hand is fantastic and complex. There is a deeper (still not very deep) dive into her bulimia and the way Veronica, Chandler, and McNamara treat her is more apparent. It becomes clearer that she has insecurities about taking over Chandler’s position as HBIC. We also see how she changes her outfits between cliques as she gathers signatures which both shows how she manipulates her appearance depending on the situation, and how her identity is highly dependent on what’s needed. Unlike McNamara, however, Duke is tactical in her mimicking.

Chandler:

Musical Chandler has very little depth. She’s shallow, self-obsessed, and shows little of her own personal struggles. The closest we get to her is “The Me Inside Of Me” which is actually just Veronica. (Arguably Veronica knows Chandler better than anyone else so it is possible that some of what is referenced in the song is true, but still).

The movie has the Remington party scene with David which is extremely important to Chandler’s character. Her youth and powerlessness is highlighted and it really puts how young 16 is into perspective. While she seems unstoppable and much older while in Westerburg or at Kurt/Rams party, she flips with people she deems “higher” than her. Chandler fully believes life is based on a hierarchy of power or status and her actions at Remington add foundation to the “if you wanna fuck with the eagles, you have to learn to fly” speech. The missing party scene also makes Chandler’s anger at veronica’s less petty, less over puke and more over her frustration and embarrassment due to the SA.

Anyways maybe I just spewed bs or something but yk

[marvelmaniac715]

David Tennant has been involved in/can be linked to practically everything I study in English aside from the poetry and it is starting to scare me:

Okay, SO. For reference, I have studied the following in English Literature since the beginning of high school (I am now in college):

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Romeo and Juliet

Much Ado About Nothing

Of Mice and Men

Macbeth

Measure for Measure

Atonement

Hamlet

Here is how David Tennant connects to each one in a terrifying way:

A Midsummer Night's Dream - he once portrayed Puck (performed one monologue as the character) as part of a show about Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet - he played Romeo

Much Ado About Nothing - he played Benedick in a fantastic production that had Catherine Tate as Beatrice

Of Mice and Men - he was George in a BBC Radio 4 adaptation of the novel

Macbeth - he was the title role in a radio version of the play that was required listening for my class and he went on to play the role live on the West End just last year

Measure for Measure - I had to dig deep for this, but years ago he portrayed Angelo for just one scene as part of a six part documentary about the impact of Shakespeare that has now been lost to time, however I did find footage of his scene and pictures

Atonement - in the film adaptation of Atonement, Benedict Cumberbatch plays Paul Marshall, and he went on to cameo as Satan in Good Omens, which stars David Tennant as Crowley

Hamlet - he played Hamlet in both a filmed performance and live on stage, with the real skull of Tchaikovsky who donated it so he could be featured in Shakespearean productions after he died (just a fun piece of trivia), additionally, the skull was traditionally only used in rehearsals so as not to distract the audience with the presence of a real skull, but David Tennant insisted on using the skull in live performances

So there you have it - when I graduate college, I must personally track down David Tennant and shake his hand as thanks for his extensive involvement in my studies.

[carica-ficus]

Review: Harrow the Ninth

Author: Tamsyn Muir

Date: 24/02/2024

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

________________________________________________________

My February has been very hectic (to say the least), but at least I finally managed to get my hands on "Harrow the Ninth" thanks to my wonderful boyfriend who ordered it for me. <3 And just in time too because I was in a mood to get back to The Locked Tomb. This series completely won me over.

"Harrow the Ninth" picks up sometime after the ending of "Gideon the Ninth", and follows Harrow as she tries to adapt to her new life as a Lyctor. Her powers are immeasurably stronger, but in comparison to the older Lyctors she is seen as feeble and incompetent. Even worse, she is seen as a liability to the Emperor. She needs to learn to defend herself and prove to be a valuable soldier to her God, but this all seems a menial task in comparison to more dire matters - the indescribable grief and significant vulnerability which render her useless.

The first thing that stands out in this book is the switch in narration. "Harrow the Ninth" is mostly narrated through a 2nd person singular and is only switched to 3rd person singular when referring to the events which happen at the Canaan house. It's certainly an interesting writing choice which might prove to be slightly confusing at first, but Muir's beautiful style and fantastic storytelling quickly compel the reader to simply accept the fact that this is how "Harrow the Ninth" will be told. If something, Muir has proven numerous times that her writing decisions are always made with a specific intention, so it's best to just accept them and enjoy her work as it is presented.

Even though the story is a bit convoluted at first, things slowly start falling into place. New characters are introduced and old characters are given enough space to grow and expand. Muir incredibly utilizes her universe and the story in order to create a completely new experience of the series, but also provides many scenes where it pays homage to the first book and its events. "Harrow the Ninth" is truly an upgrade from "Gideon the Ninth" in tension, emotion, depth and story.

On the other hand, I'd argue that its pace is slower than that of "Gideon the Ninth". Harrow is actively preparing for the most difficult fight of her life, but the process of it is relatively passive. There's a lot of things happening at the same time, but it feels like the plot isn't moving forward at all. This book focuses more on other elements, than on its story, up until the very end where it builds up to a thrilling finale. Taking into consideration the aforementioned switch in narration and unresolved questions, it is easy to understand why some readers find it all difficult to grasp. However, "Harrow the Ninth" is absolutely worth the time.

There's a lot of things to adore about this sequel, but the portrayal of Harrow's grief, feeling of inadequacy, and utter helplessness take the crown. "Harrow the Ninth" is a story about loss and about love, it's about desperately clinging to that which doesn't exist anymore - a home she cannot go back to and which will never be the same, a person who gave their life for hers, and to a version of herself that she no longer is. It is about change and the inability to finally accept it.

"Harrow the Ninth" is a worthy sequel to a riveting book such as "Gideon the Ninth" and provides a compelling foundation for the rest of the series. Although the novel might seem a little slow and complicated, my honest advice is to just leave all your expectations behind, keep reading, and accept everything as it is written. The book is highly rewarding and offers something new and different. Reading through it has been a beautiful experience and I cannot wait to continue with the series and to, one day, reread it and appreciate it even more.

[speedofsoundsketches]

I noticed that you have made it clear that you are not one for the first Sonic the Hedgehog film. And I must make it clear that I respect your opinion on it; it is not for everyone, even all Sonic fans.

However, I get a feeling that you are antipathetic to the future installment(s)- you mentioned some time ago you have not seen the second film. But even if you were underwhelmed by the first film, do you believe that they cannot improve?

in the wake of the trailers of the Super Mario Bros movie, I have seen things like "I used to like the Sonic movies, but since the *trailers!* of the Mario movie came out, the Sonic movies suck now!". Do you believe that is really a "correct" way of thinking? Like, regardless of what one thinks of the movies, should people just dismiss all the hard work that people like Fowler and Tyson Hesse put into the films just because they aren't animated like the Mario movie? Or that they don't use much of the game music, like the Mario movie? is this truly shaping up to be a "1:1 or nothing" thing, leaving no room for deviation?

I ask this because I feel that rational StH fans are as rare as hens teeth, especially these days; consider yourself a hens tooth

The biggest issue I have with these movies is the foundation it laid for itself.

Cue TL;DR rant mode

Let's be absolutely frank and honest with ourselves. The first movie was only saved purely because the controversy of Sonic's design led to him being revamped entirely and Eggman's portrayal was solid. That's really it. I'm not against human characters showing up at all, on the contrary. But this set up is "Take the most superficially basic concept of Sonic then make a bunch of convoluted revisions to the lore of the original series to justify isekai-ing him into San Francisco so we can save money on animated scenes". Like, it's the same problem most children's media being adapted into "live action" suffers from. It's a cheap, lazy adaptation that broke absolutely zero ground and I've held this opinion of it literally since the day it was first revealed and announced with those leaked posters of Chris Pratt and Sonic's initial design.

And just because it didn't end up being as "bad" as it first looked and they brought on actual, talented fans of the series onto the creative team, doesn't suddenly detract from this most basic, fundamental problem. Sonic's movies suffer from what happens when you let Hollywood just go to town on your IP and barely give it proper boundaries to stay in.

Even if they manage to get SOME things right like, Knuckles actually being cool again and the Giant Robot fight at the end of the second film, the reality is they'll still be tied down by the flimsy foundation they started on, like dragging on a wedding scene or putting waaaay more focus and attention on the human characters than the.....main characters we came to watch???

Now compare that with the Mario movie. From the start, Nintendo I understand had a MUCH bigger involvement on the production. It's not like the lame adaptation I mentioned above. They went full on "Angry Birds" level of staying on brand. The entire world feels like the natural, fleshed out idea of "How do we make this feel as warm, inviting, and fantastical as the games but still make it work as a movie?" It's actually BRILLIANT just from first impressions.

I'm sure it's going to suffer from other typical kids movie problems like "Peach's a STRONG WOMAN NOW because she wears PANTS and DON'T NEED NO RESCUER", dumb movie writing or Mario, Luigi and Peach's flat voice acting. But you cannot look at that movie, how it just unabashedly looks, feels and is completely imprinted in Mario and say that Sonic had anywhere NEAR the same level of enthusiastic production on it. I mean, even the cute commercial of their plumbing business in New York is entirely animated and ALSO feels like it fits. They went to the absolute nines with making this feel like a WAY better adaptation in spirit, story and visuals.

Of course I appreciate the hard work the team put into saving the Sonic films from becoming absolute jokes but WHY did it even have to be so compromised in the first place when Mario shows up looking EXACTLY like how I've dreamed Sonic's movies would've been treated?

I'm not wooed over by the small glimpses of Sonic's world or the tiny references they managed to squeeze in there. I'd appreciate those way more if it were ACTUALLY set in it. And I cannot stand this prevailing narrative that "Sonic's world is separate from Earth" in most of these adaptations because it's not! It IS Earth! He's always lived in the same planet as humans, their animal kind is just reclusive and live on islands. That's the actual lore of the games!

This movie made the mistake of doing what Sonic X did. They think it'd be "too weird" for someone like Sonic to have been from Earth as if the intense popularity of it in the first place isn't enough to show how wrong that is? No kid questioned Sonic showing up in City Escape around humans any more than dinosaurs or other crazy entities existing in Dragonball's version of Earth. It's still Earth, just fantastical.

Mario works with that because him iseaki-ing into Mushroom Kingdom is that original lore of the games too I believe. But in Sonic's case it's not and it's so JARRING because they think Sonic himself can't carry a story as the main character. No, kids need a human or avatar to help them navigate the weird, unexplained parts of the series. I'd rather they'd just do that with Sonic himself without needing to be forcibly tied to a regular human. (I'm so annoyed that he couldn't have just run to San Francisco if he wanted because he "needed directions". What a pitiful excuse. And these movies are FULL of them like that.)

Hollywood is a joke and they cannot for the life of them, understand how to effectively adapt most Japanese properties by themselves. Especially anything even remotely inspired by anime like Sonic.

I know this might make me look like "the most offended Sonic fan in the world" right now but in all honesty, I don't really think about those movies much. They function as effective promotional materials for the games and kids like them so whatever. Like, it's just one big Shrug really.

*sigh*

[thebroccolination]

Behind the Scenes The Evolution of the Near-Punch in Between Us

Intro

One of my favorite things about any production is when I find out that there's been a collaborative effort in the storytelling and character-building. Between Us, directed by New Siwaj Sawatmaneekul, has a fantastic example of this: the evolution of the post-drowning scene in episode six.

So! Overall, there have been three iterations of the scene: the original in the novel, the pilot teaser released in February of 2022, and episode six of the main series.

Let's see how we got from A to Bee to Sea. (I'm not sorry.)

The Novel Scene

“Entering the pool without permission from an authorized person is breaking the rules. You can be kicked out of the club.” His fierce eyes were looking at the junior who was now very pale. “And if I had not noticed the light from the pool, which made me come to check, what would have happened?!” Win felt a chill in his heart. He had just walked past the club and had seen the lights. He thought he had forgotten to turn them off, so he came to check. But instead, he saw someone drowning in the middle of the pool. If he hadn’t come in time... “Answer me, Team! Why are you doing this?!” Win grabbed the boy's shoulder and forced him to make eye contact. “I wanted to practice.” “What?!” “I just wanted to practice so that I could get a good time tomorrow!!” “What fucking practice!!" Win shouted, his eyes redder than the person who almost drowned. "You almost drowned, you bastard!! you almost died in front of me, do you understand!” “I…” smack The senior punched him hard in the face with a force that caused him to sway. Team cried out and felt the taste of blood in his mouth. He wanted to make excuses, but when he saw the pain in the senior's eyes, he couldn't speak. “Hia, I...” “If I came one minute later. No, even if only thirty seconds later, you might have already drowned at the bottom of the pool, do you understand?” “I…” The boy hugged himself tightly. It was true. A few more moments and he would have... Team was shocked when his body was suddenly pulled and hugged, his face buried in Win’s chest. Win's whole body was trembling like a frightened animal. Team’s guilt was so overwhelming that he couldn't say anything, but he raised his hands and hugged him back. He gently stroked Win's wet back to comfort him. “Don't do this again...” “Mmm…” “My heart will break…” “Mmm…” Team hugged the senior more tightly as warm tears fell from his eyes. It was not only him who was hurt. Hia was, too. - Hemp Rope (Eng Translation)

To summarize, Team is nervous about the upcoming qualifying meet. He only got two hours of fitful, nightmare-ravaged sleep on his own the night before, so he decides swimming will help him sleep. He sneaks into the pool, doesn't stretch, and swims until his leg cramps up. He nearly drowns, Win saves him, berates him, punches him, hugs him, takes him home, etc.

In many ways, it's very similar to the scene we got in the main series. But it's different enough that I wanted to talk about it.

I've talked about my personal perspective on the novel scene before. Basically, I've drawn a line in my head between Novel WinTeam and Main Series WinTeam. Novel WinTeam are LazySheep's creation, so what they do and say and think and feel are primarily decided by LazySheep and her editor. Main Series WinTeam, however, were created through the close collaboration of Sheep acting as a scriptwriter adapting her work for the screen, New, and WinTeam's actors Boun and Prem. (And opinions and reactions from fans and professionals affiliated with the series have also likely shaped their development along the way.)

[Sheep drew and posted this adorable comic of WinTeam and BounPrem together the day Between Us was first announced on July 5th, 2020.]

Boun's Win has always had a casual, insouciant kind of charisma that feels inherently nonthreatening, whereas Novel Win sometimes feels more like a Dude. A Good Dude, but a Dude nonetheless. Then we have Prem's Team who is, simply put, sassy and adorable, whereas Novel Team is also, y'know, kind of a Dude.

Take the hookup scene as an example. In the novel, there's no conversation about consent, no careful check that Team's sober and aware of what's going on. It's just what you'd expect from two horny guys down to bone: some light banter and then Win gives Team a handjob while they're still outside. And that's fine! It's realistic! It's probably happening somewhere right now. <3

“What do you want me to help you with?” Win crossed his arms across his chest and looked at the junior who was clearly uncomfortable and looked like he was ready to slap his face. “If you leave it like this, it's torture, don’t you know? It'll be very uncomfortable. Just helping each other as friends, right?” He raised his eyebrows, challenging the junior. Team turned around and peered at the darkness around him. Only the sound of the waves from the beach hitting the shore and the laughing sounds of the other young men who were still at the barbecue could be heard. “What are you looking at?” Team gulped and asked tentatively. Win shrugged his shoulders, pulled the upper arm of the junior, and walked towards the dark corner of the bungalow and into the dense, quiet bushes. “Shit! Huh, really? Seriously?” Team, who had never let a friend help him jerk off, was feeling light-headed. The more he saw, the more he knew that hia was serious. Team was startled when he was suddenly turned to face the bungalow wall. “Shush, don’t make any noise. People in the next room will hear,” Win said while pushing his leg in between Team’s own legs to push them apart. Team squinted and stared at the senior with shock. So skillful! “Mmmm…” The boy could barely hold his breath when he felt the warmth on his back. His elastic pants were pulled down along with his underwear. He almost didn’t want to believe what he was doing right now. - Hemp Rope (Eng Translation)

This is just standard hookup culture. Team's hot, Win's DTF, Team makes the startling realization that he, too, is DTF, so they go off and F. After the handjob, Win goes to his room, then Team hesitates and follows him. No coercion, just like the series. We don't get the sex scene in detail, but we know from Team's narration that they did in fact have some good ole fashioned penetrative sex that night (with protection!). And then they don't have sex again. We're up to chapter seventeen of Hemp Rope, and so far, chapter one is the only time they've Done the Deed. [EDIT 12-16-2022: Chapter eighteen was released yesterday and -spoiler- there’s a note from the author saying WinTeam have sex there but she’s releasing the scene later on as bonus material.]

I bring this up to emphasize that these are different characters from the ones BounPrem are portraying. So when I read the chapter with the punch, I thought it fit. Because it's who they are in the novel. We don't really see Win's insecurities explored in Hemp Rope, so for me, punching Team came across as evidence of how frantic and primal his fear of losing Team was, and perhaps a bit of his role of club senior crossing wires in his brain with his role as Team's Surrogate Sentient Bolster Pillow.

It's also worth noting that Team sneaking into the club in the novel is framed as a bad thing that he knows he could get in trouble for.

He risked getting caught sneaking in. The tall, slim body of the intruder was standing on the edge of the pool, staring blankly at his reflection in the water. Initially, Team was determined to go back to his room, but after he thought it over, he was so nervous that he couldn't sleep. He decided to sneak into the club to practice for a couple of hours. It might help him feel more comfortable and sleep better. - Hemp Rope (Eng Translation)

He's sneaky about it. He doesn't casually tell Manaow or anyone that he's going. There's no plan to stay with Pharm, no DeanPharm date that stops him. He's just an ornery, sleep-deprived cat in a bad headspace, so he sneaks into the pool knowing it's going to get him in trouble if he's caught. In essence, he isn't framed as Team the Terribly Tragic: he's exhausted, sure, but he's also being irresponsible.

So to me, the punch in the novel felt like a, "You nearly died in front of me because you broke the rules to practice for a qualifying meet you wouldn't even have remembered in five years, you spectacular idiot." And because Win and Team being more Dudes' Dudes in the novel, that gave them an added feeling of Dudes Being Guys Who Punch. (See Also: PeteKao) It's not right or good of Win to do, but for me, the situation made sense for the characters as they are in the novel.

That brings us to:

The Pilot Teaser

The pilot teaser was our first visual of the scene, released in February of 2022.

According to behind-the-scenes footage and interviews, BounPrem practiced the punch with New on the set multiple times before they started rolling. So it was fully in the cards as something they were going to do.

But then, in the middle of the scene itself, Boun made a different choice.

Thing is, Win does hug Team in the novel. Boun just skipped the punch. When he was asked about it, Boun said he didn't feel like Win would ever hit Team.

And this is where I have a ton of respect for New and Sheep and their production: they listened to him. And then they actually incorporated his choice into the canon.

In the same pilot teaser where Boun literally pulled his punches, Prem cried after singing, even though the script didn't mention anything about Team crying. When Sheep asked him why, Prem said, "I just think Team would cry."

And again, they listened to him. They kept it.

Yesterday, Sheep did a Twitter Space talk with fans where she said Prem has been devotedly asking her if he's portraying Team correctly. She told him warmly that he knows how to play Team, and the version he portrays in the series is Team, but a Team who is fully his.

The thing with great adaptations is that they have to be allowed to become their own creation. Boun and Prem have lived with these characters in their hearts for so long that they have their own readings now of how they feel and breathe. Boun loves Win so much he said he felt empty when they unofficially wrapped up filming last month; Prem loves Team so much he's asked Sheep over and over to confirm and reconfirm that WinTeam get a happy ending (they do). They're not just doing this for a paycheck; this is a passion project. WinTeam gave them their spotlight, and they viscerally treasure these roles.

And to me, the fact that their feelings and thoughts were discussed and put into practice on the fly is really, immensely beautiful to me.

The Main Series

Now for the version we all saw yesterday.

I was so excited to see this scene. It's my second favorite in the novel (the first being the homophobia scene that we'll see next week in episode 7), and I was wildly curious about what else they'd added or adapted around Boun's punch-less choice.

First of all, the energy from both Boun and Prem is a lot higher than it was in the pilot teaser, and you can see the calm leave Win's eyes when Team gives his excuse.

The pilot teaser scene was great, and I think it fit the novel well, but the main series has been building up to Win's breakdown, so this scene really had to sell it. The script has been hinting at insecurities that are all yanked out for display in this scene.

I think Boun might have ad-libbed the "damn it" part, too, which made it my favorite line delivery of the scene. Win's voice not only breaks because he's so angry, it's also higher in tone than Win usually speaks, underscoring how out of his mind and beyond rationality he is.

Then we get to the raised fist.

And what I love about these three shots in succession is that we go from: fist, face, combination of both. The action, the emotion, the realization.

Then we see moment he realizes what he was about to do, and what he can't do.

And finally, what he chooses instead.

They took Boun's character choice and built on it beautifully. His raised fist in the pilot teaser is quick and angry and impulsive, but the main series shows him shaking and angry and terrified. He has the impulse, but he's a rational person at his core, and the sight of Team accepting whatever Win is going to do to him, because he believes he deserves it, is what snaps Win out of it.

Win's been portrayed by Boun in three different iterations now: 1) Until We Meet Again, in which he didn't have a lot of material to work with, so he let Win borrow some of his own personality traits. 2) The Between Us special episodes released in autumn of 2021. These aren't canon and were based on Sheep's social media skits that she just posted for fun. The episodes were produced as a symbol of gratitude to fans for waiting so long for the main series. As a result, the characterization in the special episodes is all over the place, and they were extremely aware of it. SWS staff and actors made a lot of jokes on social media about which scenes were BounPrem and which were WinTeam, so they're very much Grain of Salt content. 3) The main series currently airing.

Ever since Boun was cast as Win in spring of 2019, he's spent a little over three and a half years with this character, so it makes sense that the character's depth would become more and more multifaceted through his choices. Sheep started posting chapters of Hemp Rope back in or before 2017 even before the rights to The Red Thread had been sold to New and Wabi Sabi. There was no Boun, no Prem, no UWMA. Just a fun little hookup-to-lovers story with some trauma thrown in.

When Boun was cast, some fans of the novel complained that he was too thin and he looked nothing like the character. Putting aside my own very normal feral yet parasocial feelings of protectiveness for Boun and how much unnecessary pressure fans put on actors to look a certain way, there are indeed some superficial differences between the novel character and the actor. Physically, Win is drawn and described by Sheep as broad and muscular, even more so than Dean.

Team looked at him with a sharp expression. Then he moved his eyes to Win’s abs. Because he was a very attractive person, he did not like to wear shirts. He liked to show off his tattoos regardless of his roommate. Looking at those abdominal and chest muscles, Team grabbed his own muscles. Mm, pretty good. - Hemp Rope (Eng Translation)

Sheep was a little hesitant about Boun at first because of this, but New stuck by his casting choice. Once people saw Boun with his hair dyed, it's been said by older fans that the majority of the complaints ended. With this in mind, the Win we have now was always going to be a different version from his novel self purely because New and Sheep chose an actor by his skill and his chemistry with his screen partner rather than by a physical likeness to the character.

After Boun was cast as Win, and after Sheep got to know him and Prem, and after Between Us was green-lit, she continued writing new chapters of Hemp Rope with a slightly newer take on the characters. She's said on Twitter that she's struggled to separate BounPrem from the characters (mostly jokingly), and she was also adapting the script for the series at the same time, so a lot of character building was going on at this time.

In 2021, Sheep wrote a long, long thread on Twitter telling fans how anxious and afraid she was of getting Between Us wrong. Not for herself, but for BounPrem. For New. For the queer community. She's an author who truly understands, to a debilitating degree, the amount of influence her work has. She knew this is BounPrem's first major series as leading actors, and she clearly felt the stress of that responsibility as the scriptwriter.

This whole scene does so much to showcase their strengths and growth as actors. Just like the scene itself, they've evolved over the years and shaped the characters and their story.

Hemp Rope doesn't deeply explore Win's insecurities and flaws, but Between Us needed to because it shines a spotlight on both of them. To make this a full and complete series, they needed to add to the story LazySheep created, and I believe that Boun and Prem's contributions, delivered from a place of love for their characters, will be what elevates Between Us into a truly iconic series.

[poomphuripan]

if yyds did a special episode for ifylita, is it possible they’ll be doing one for my stand in?

hi nonnie, fantastic question ヾ(•ω•`)o

you know, i love gushing about ifylita and my stand in so let's discuss.

personally, i think it's a VERY HIGH possibility for my stand in to get a special episode. considering how aggressive iqiyi has been in supporting thai bl series on its platform with the special episode thing (see: wedding plan, city of stars, love in the air, don't say no, tharntype).

but at the same if you notice, most of the series that has special episodes are memindy productions (except for city of stars which is a star hunter bl). yyds has only had one other series being ifylita and pepzi has only directed one other work being kinnporsche so it's kinda hard to use these as precedents.

however, i do think a special episode for my stand-in is possible based solely on the novel which has quite a few extra chapters and i'd genuinely be content with them straight up adapting the extra chapters if they don't have any new ideas for mingjoe. i also think it'll greatly enhance the story for us to be able to see a bit of mingjoe after they get together because the novel really just ended with them getting together (man the wife chasing arc was LONG but i like it that way, ming needed all that groveling)

the only thing that i'm not 100% certain about is that for ifylita, it was pretty much announced even during the behind the scenes that ifylita would be 12 eps + 1 special ep whereas i don't think i've seen pepzi nor yuan hinting anywhere that we'll get a my stand in special episode yet so that knocked off 1% of the certainty for me (at this point in time, but hopefully they'll hint about a special ep later on).

please join me in manifesting a my stand-in special ep nonnie ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ I JUST NEED MORE HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL JOE!

[leer-reading-lire]

Last read:

Title: Dracula

Author: Bram Stoker

Illustrator: Edward Gorey

Number of Pages: 427

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First published: 1897

Read: 3 May – 27 November 2023

Thoughts: 

I finally got around to re-read this novel! And I couldn’t have done it without Dracula daily and everyone in Tumblr commenting the story and sharing their art. 

I loved the experience of reading along with so many people and their posts about it always gave me food for thought. It truly made my reflections about the book richer. 

The first time I read this epistolary novel I was fifteen years old and since then I had forgotten many important plot points, as well as some characters. However, I remembered that I had loved the story, and I was fascinated by Mina Murray and Jonathan Harker. Mina was my favorite character and, back then, my favorite suitor was John Seward, followed by Quincey Morris. 

I definitely appreciated reading the letters and diaries’ entries in chronological order. I think it may be the better option for a first-time reader.

This time around I felt Jonathan’s terror, hopelessness, and desperation. I was genuinely moved by his trials and tribulations when he was held prisoner at Dracula’s castle.

I loved the voyage of the Demeter because I could feel the anxiety and fear of the sailors. The whole journey was nerve-wrecking.

A character that took me by surprised and completely won me over was Lucy Westenra. I’m angry in her behalf for all the horrible adaptations that portray her under misogynistic lights. A particularly terrifying scene for me was Mrs. Westenra’s death. And when Lucy died was heartbreaking. 

The part with the Bloofer Lady was intriguing. Here I have to say that while I had overlooked Arthur Holmwood in my first reading years ago, this time I got to appreciate his character and I could clearly see why Lucy had chosen him. He was so kind and loved her very much. They were so in love and eager to start their live together, it was all so tragic. 

Likewise, I’m in awe for John Quincey, Arthur Holmwood and Quincey Morris’ friendship. The affection that the three friends had for each other is hard to miss. I was astonished by Stoker; all his depictions of masculinity are something else. Specially, in Jonathan’s case.

Abraham van Helsing annoyed me and frustrated me for most of the time that he was on the page. I think I only warmed up to him in the final part when he and Mina traveled to Dracula’s castle.

Mina was extraordinary! I loved that she liked to ask about ghost stories, and she was so smart, organized and kind. I’m particularly keen on her hyperfixation with train schedules. 

The whole scene when Dracula attacked Mina was appalling, truly nightmarish and gruesome. I can’t for the life of me figure out why there are so many adaptations and (fan)fiction where they’re presented as a romantic couple! In my opinion, romanticize abuse is nauseating.

In general, I think pop culture has failed both Lucy and Mina and they certainly deserve better. 

The last section where the whole gang finally comes together; they miraculously stop keeping information from Mina (as they obviously should have done from the beginning); and they work together to defeat Dracula is very exciting! 

The ending was gratifying in many ways, although of course it was ultimately bittersweet. 

This is a fantastic book, extraordinarily well written and full of adventure, fright, suspense, anticipation, mystery, and action. It’s without a doubt one of my favorite novels ever.