#visuals

[tvrningout-a]

IMAGES OF YUBARI

" of course i wanted to see the world, to experience its fullness. i wanted to be a real part of it, rather than the passing shadow i so often felt like. i wanted to devour the world. "

pg. 1/∞

[liquidlycan]

Gogo from Kill Bill stim board? <- ik it's a bit of a weird one haha

GOGO YUBARI - KILL BILL THEMED STIMBOARD

with themes of blades and chains!

cw blades

requested by anon

x | x | x x | x | x x | x | x

[singular-yike]

Any thoughts on melon-chama? (What the hell is that nickname my brain just vomited Tenkai's not even young)

Ahh, Tenkai, known by many titles: The "Melon of Terror", the "Terrifying Flying Death Melon", the "Flying Melon of Terror"... "Melon-chama", apparently (It's fine Tenkai can get a little baby talk, as a treat for babysitting Sukune and Sese)

I'll admit I tend to overlook Tenkai themself as a character, treating them more as a lore expositor, but that's absolutely not all they are. Let's dig into One of the Old Dictators—Tenkai Zuifeng

Behind the Melon

Tenkai (天堺 heaven border) is based on the 14th-century Japanese Buddhist monk "Tenkai" (天海 same pronunciation, different kanji).

Tenkai's (the monk) first Buddhist name was actually Zuifuu (随風), which is again similar in pronunciation to Tenkai's surname, Zuifeng (瑞風 lit. fresh, vibrant wind, taken to mean "auspicious wind"). Although Zuifeng takes a Chinese pronunciation of 風 rather than a Japanese one, a reference to the association between the concept of barriers (結界) and the Chinese philosophy of the Five Phases (五行 wǔxíng).

In addition to being a high-ranking Buddhist priest, Tenkai also served as the advisor to the shogun at the time, the great unifier of Japan, Tokugawa Ieyasu (on whom Tsurubami is themself based). This is the basis upon which Tsurubami's relationship with Tenkai comes from.

While the monk's later life is well documented, his early life actually remains an overall mystery. Perhaps similar to how Tenkai's own backstory is unclear, other than that they're related to a famous barrier builder and came from the outside world.

Tenkai's Designs

I'm not usually all that good at talking about the visual side of things, but Tenkai does have some unique points that I'd like to touch on

Tenkai's outfits are often compared to melons, specifically the Yubari King melon, which is hilariously enough Tenkai's favorite food. They are the only character so far to have actually received three distinct designs, aside from Sese Kitsugai:

There's their work outfit, which they wore in RMI and as a boss in BPoHC (the latter, funnily enough, has the words yuubari (夕張) on a sleeve)

Their casual outfit, which they wore as a playable in BPoHC

Their melon outfit, which they showed up in as Tenki [Melon] in BotC

In addition, Tenkai's headband is a part of a running gag from JynX, where they insist that they do not remember what they based it on. (Even though I myself confirmed with them what it was once lol)

Pixiv FANBOX 29 April 2022 — Donors-Only Article "By the way, I still haven't recalled what that stick on Tenkai's head was supposed to be. I'm sure it was based on something related to their character basis, but what was it...? Eh, let's just say that it's a melon's vines, alright?" — JynX

It is, in fact, based on nokimarugawara (軒丸瓦), a style of roof tiling in Japanese architecture. (As a bit of a side note, Len'en seems to view barrier building as they do any other type of normal building, making Tenkai somewhat of an architect themself)

Spell Cards

And we come to my absolute FAVOUITE part about analyzing Tenkai: their spell cards. There's honestly something to say about every single one of them, but here I'll focus on a particular set with a common theme: The Nikkō Tōshō-gū Shrine.

The shrine is a marvel of Japanese shrine and temple architecture, and is where Tokugawa Ieyasu was buried and enshrined, who, if you'd recall, is who Tsurubami themself is based on.

Here I'll go over a few notable locations and features of the Nikkō Tōshō-gū Shrine, and point out how they influenced Tenkai's spell cards:

The Shrine's Main Gate — Youmeimon Gate (陽明門)

It's directly named in the spell Youmei "Higurashi-no-mon", where Higurashi-no-mon (日暮ノ門 gate of the sunset) is another name for the gate, as it is so beautiful that one could spend the whole day staring at it.

The spells Inverted Pillar "Guri Carving" and "Reversed Second Pillar Among the Twelve" also reference the gate, "guri carving" refers to the swirling pattern on the white pillars that support the gate. (One may note that this pattern is also what Tenkai's shot options are like!)

While the "inverted/reversed pillar" refers to a particular pillar that's erected inversely to all the other ones, which can be distinguished by the very guri pattern on them. (Leftmost in the first image) This was done to counteract a superstition at the time that since completed buildings will one day break down, an imperfection should be left to leave it "incomplete".

The spell "Dragon Head Tiles" likely references the dragon head carvings on the gate as well.

The corridors on the two sides of the gate feature extensive and ornate carvings of birds and flowers, referenced in the spell Calm "Sparrow in the East-West Corridor".

Shrine Carvings — Nemuri-neko, Three Monkeys, and More

The card Closed Eyes "Nemuri-Neko" references the carving of the same name, which simply means "sleeping cat". Said to represent the peace that Tokugawa's reign brought to Japan.

Behind Nemuri-neko is a carving of several sparrows, to remind us that even in times of peace, we mustn't lose vigilance. This was referenced again in Calm "Sparrow in the East-West Corridor", the hard/unreal version of Closed Eyes "Nemuri-Neko".

Three Monkeys "The World is Impure; Shut Everything Out" references this carving of the three wise monkeys.

It always seemed, at least to me, that by basing so many spells on the shrine, that Tenkai is simultaneously paying homage to other architects of the past and thematically mourning the (seemingly permanent) departure of Tsurubami. A most beautiful collection of references.

And I think, that makes for a fairly nice stopping point this time, I know I haven't gone much into the in-universe side of Tenkai this time, but maybe that can be the topic of yet another deep dive :)

[dispone]

gogo yubari, kill bill vol. 1, 2003

[corisanna]

When you're designing and/or naming the witches the characters face (not the witches they themselves turn into, like Alexandria), what inspires you to make them what they are (a poisonous tree, a... pumpkin lady..., etc.), and do you try to do what the show did by tying those witches to what the characters fighting them are going through?

She short and unsatisfying answer would be “context, whim, and extensive word/concept association.”

Getting into the thick of it, it all starts with questions:

Which characters are going to be fighting it? What are those characters’ skillsets/strengths/weaknesses? Do I want them to have a hard or easy time of things? What would be hard/easy for them to handle? Is there some kind of shout-out I’m in the mood to make?

Cynthia, the Pumpkin Witch, was the first I made. In that case, I started backwards: I wanted to make a Witch labyrinth based on one of Hachi’s Vocaloid music videos because when I first saw InuCurry’s art in Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei I thought of Hachi’s vids. My favorite was “Mrs. Pumpkin’s Comical Dream,” which appears to be about a train crash with multiple fatalities. “Aha, that’s macabre enough for a labyrinth,” I said. The labyrinth I made was kind of a love letter to that song/video. Some of it overflowed into Beatrix and Isidora.

undefined

“official” lyrics [bolding the bits I used; also ref unofficial lyrics in the video]

The jacaranda's blooming, an impolite exchange of speeches Where shall we go? A merrily weeping song Jack laughed, "Leave your heretical feelings behind!" Give me chocolate, a beggar's weeping song A scarecrow suddenly shaking with sobs Prejudiced against pumpkin pie Oh la lu la lu la, will you dance with me? The moon's still sleeping ("You called? You called?" asks Turnip-Head) See? Now all the caskets are gone How boring I'm sensitive to fake magic and power lines Said the witch glaring beneath the overpass Jack got all huffy, "Keep your obscene emotions!" The datura bloomed as if to spite me The goats are up to something... Waiting for the train Let's hold hands, two may pass Wandering home through the [subway tunnels] (Superior, inferior, a pile of corpses?) See? In the swarm of ants at the swap meet The moon's still sleeping "Hey! Mrs. Pumpkin! I'm here to escort you home!" When did this night destroy my dream? I want to stay here and dance! Derangement like a dream (Inferior, inferior, a pile of fools) The joy I spit out lit up by the lanterns Oh la lu la lu la, will you dance with me? Not that I expected an answer ("Too bad! Too bad!" says Turnip-Head) See? Now all the caskets are gone How boring In the settled mud Waiting for morning in the thicket On the train

So I tossed bits from the words and the visuals together. I needed more material, so I played word/concept association.

Pumpkin, dancing, having to leave a dance led to Cinderella. That’s why the lanterns are glass slippers with embers (cinders) in them and where the clock/midnight/bell-tolling theme came from. I think I slapped fairy wings on the scarecrows as a reference to the Fairy Godmother.

From Cinderella, I Googled Cindy and Cynthia. I focused on Wikipedia’s disambiguation page for “Cynthia.” The two things that stuck out were the bizarre fame of a plaster mannequin named Cynthia in the 1930s (if I got drunk you could probably convince me to research and argue that she was an early example of both a meme and viral marketing) and the butterfly subgenus commonly called painted ladies. So there were the mannequin and butterfly wings. I thought that was batshit enough for one labyrinth. I named the turnip-head scarecrows Jakob because Jack(-o-lantern) is short form of it and jack-o-lanterns are/were turnips as well as pumpkins. I think I named the dancers Charles and Charlene for the Charleston dance but I’m not sure now.

I knew I wanted this Witch to be more tricky than powerful in a way that Karin and Yuzu would have extreme difficulty taking down without help or foreknowledge. I decided to have the actual weak spot be high and distant because the twins (at that point of the story) are weak at ranged attacks and Homura is basically the queen of ranged attacks. All the obstacles and enemy abilities were created by working backwards from the weak point by thinking of ways the girls could get to it and conjuring up ways to cut off that option or make it a trap.

So. There’s the Pumpkin Witch.

I have a post about Beatrix somewhere in my Infinity tag if you want to see the process for that. My starting point for it was the girls’ cover story that they met at the botanical gardens in Tokyo. So I knew I wanted a plant/garden theme. When I thought of “dangerous plant” I thought of “poisonous plants.” For me, that brings to mind the story “Rappaccini’s Daughter.” I went wild from there. The woman in that is Beatrice. That made me think Beatrix, which made me think of The Bride in Kill Bill. I researched minutiae about Kill Bill characters and found a scrapped concept for Gogo Yubari to have a twin named Yuki. There was my batshit homicidal magical girl.

It all depends on what hole I need to fill, really. Then it’s the equivalent of a wiki walk of word/concept association.

I hope this makes sense and isn’t too rambly.

[aberdeen-yubari]

Print Gifting Ceremony in Torry 　トリーでの版画作品贈呈式

What a happy day to bookend Aberdeen // Yubari! Thank you everyone who came along to the Old Torry Community Centre in the crazy wind today, and who have so generously supported the project, namely Manami Sato, Shimizusawa Project, Dr Leslie Mabon, Dr Nuno Sacramento, Peacock Visual Arts, British Council, Creative Scotland, David Fryer, Barney Crockett (Lord Provost of Aberdeen), Aberdeen City Council (Creative Funding), Old Torry Community Centre, Yubari Primary School, Yubari City, Go Green in Torry, Rachel Grant, many lovely community members both in Yubari and Torry..... Hopefully we will see the next chapter coming soon in the future... 本日、強風の中、アバディーンのトリー地区にある「オールド・トリー・コミュニティー・センター」にて完成した版画作品の贈呈式を行いました。デイヴィッド・フライヤー氏をはじめ、ピーコック・ビジュアル・アーツのディレクター、ヌノ・サクラメント氏、アバディーン市長のバーニー・クロケット氏、そして真夜中しかも−21℃の夕張から清水沢プロジェクトの代表理事、佐藤真奈美さんにもスカイプで参加いただき、和やかかつにぎやかな会になりました。夕張のこどもたちが撮った写真も展示し、最終的にオールド・トリー・コミュニティ・センターにプレゼントしました。「これからもこのつながりを大切にしていきたいね」と全員が口を揃えて買いは終了となりました。みなさまありがとうございました、今後ともよろしくお願いします！ Photos: Rachel Grant

[blackberryshawty]

Other costum concepts I’m considering:

O-Ren Ishii

Gogo Yubari

Omg like imagine like the visual gag of like my 6’ 210lb Black ass going as gogo yubari like what a concept

[epochxp]

Wake Island 1941 – “A Magnificent Fight” Part 2

elgrancapitan.org Forum 

The First Attempt

By the 10th of December, Wake had endured at least three air raids, and the feeling on the island was more were to come. What they didn’t and could not know was that the Japanese had something far larger than an air raid planned for the island. 

The opening phase began late on the evening of the 10th when Marine lookouts sighted what they thought was ship movements out to sea from the southeast. Considering no one on the island had gotten much sleep in the past few days, many of the lookouts were convinced that their eyes were playing tricks on them. Suffice to say, their eyes were fine, and what they spotted was a Japanese landing force. At 2:45 AM, Captain Wesley Platt, the commander on Wilkes Islet, definitively identified something was out there and reported it to Major Deveraux, who had been receiving similar reports and had a good idea something was up.

Meanwhile, two hours before, the American submarine Triton had a run-in with the Japanese invasion force and had encountered one of the escorts. Convinced they had been detected, Triton’s commander let loose a full spread of four torpedoes from her stern at the Japanese destroyer. It was the U.S. Silent Service’s first “war shot” and was fired off completely by sonar, as there was no visual to the target. One explosion was heard, and the crew of the Triton assumed they had hit the Japanese destroyer. Meanwhile, the rest of the Japanese force passed unmolested while Triton was unable to radio Wake and warn them for at least twelve hours. 

The Japanese force was led by Rear Admiral Sandamichi Kajoika, who flew his flag from the light cruiser, Yubari, and led a force of 14 other ships, including two more light cruisers - the Tatsuta and Tenryu - and six destroyers - the Mutsuki, Kisaragi, Yayoi, Mochizuki, Oite, and the Hayate - as well as two converted destroyers - Patrol Boat 32 and Patrol Boat 33 - and two armed merchantmen - the Kongo Maru and the Kinryu Maru. On paper, Kajoikja outgunned the defenses of Wake Island, Yubari alone had six 5.5” guns, and the other two cruisers had four 5.5” guns each. Wake had a total of six 5” guns, divided into three batteries of two guns  - one battery on each of the islets. The defenders of Wake were on the wrong end of a horrible mismatch, and, in theory, the Japanese could have stood off Wake and pounded it to dust. 

The Japanese weren’t coming in blind, or at least not completely, as Kajoika’s commanders had warned him to not sail directly for Wake to disguise the force’s target. They were told to expect heavy resistance (Japanese intelligence was reporting that there was 1,000 US Marines on Wake), but Guam had fallen earlier that day despite the larger American garrison (424 Marines and ~300 native levies). The Japanese had also sent a force of 4 heavy cruisers and 6,000 men. Kajoika had cause to hope that the intelligence was wrong. He was also worried about reports of American PT boats lurking in the area, a report that proved to be baseless, and bad weather did little to lift the landing force’s spirits, which was another problem. Kajoika’s commanders had only allotted him some 450 men with which to seize the island. If more troops were needed, Kajoika had a desperate, if innovative solution: He would run his destroyers aground and use their crews to reinforce the landing force.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the proverbial hill, Deveraux consulted with Cunningham over the island’s field phone system and laid out a simple plan. The island’s defenses would play dead and lure the Japanese into range of their shore batteries. As Deveraux put it:

“It seemed to me that our one slim chance was to draw the enemy close enough for our five-inch guns to hit him crippling blows at the start of the attack.” (Given Up for Dead, Bill Sloan, p.153)

Arrangements were also made to scramble the island’s tiny air force to see what could be done with them as well. But there was one worry - What if the Japanese had brought an aircraft carrier, or worse, two? 

So, the Marines and civilian volunteers manned their positions. (Only the Marines had any small arms, the civilian volunteers, as well as the army and navy personnel, had to make do with grenades or nothing at all.) They waited, and sweated over their guns, and waited some more as the Japanese force hove into view. 

Meanwhile, Kajoika began landing operations around 3:00 AM, and immediately, things went wrong, ith some landing craft capsizing as troops were being loaded into them, and Kajoika’s initial plan to land troops under cover of the cruisers and destroyers standing off to sea was thrown away. Instead, Kajoika decided he would move in closer to shore and land the troops from the calmer waters there. His commanders had assured him that the air raids had taken care of Wake’s shore batteries and its aircraft. This was exactly the opportunity Deveraux had sought. The Japanese closed with the island, everything was quiet, and Kajoika had begun to believe that perhaps he had caught the Americans napping. At 5:30 AM, Kajoika’s van was 6500 yards from the shore. Kajoika gave the order to begin preparations to land the landing force, and Yubari opened fire with all of her 5.5” guns. The Americans were still, frustratingly silent. 

Deveraux was waiting for the right opportunity and was happy to let the range drop. He kept a tight hold on all of his battery commanders and told them to wait for express orders to open fire. This had the Marines questioning Deveraux’s sanity and his parentage as the Japanese ships closed the range. Finally, at 6:10 AM, when Yubari was 4500 yards from Battery A’s position at Peacock Point on Wake itself, Hayate was just as close to Wilkes, and Battery L. Deveraux spoke two words to his battery commanders over his field phones. “Commence Firing.”

The effect was near immediate. Battery A’s shots on Yubari missed, impacting behind but close to the light cruiser, who heeled over and sped away from the beach, firing her main batteries as fast as she could manage. Yubari’s return fire landed around Battery A, doing little if any damage, but getting perilously close. Battery A’s second salvo also missed Yubari but managed to straddle her as she fled. But it was the third salvo that struck amidships, both rounds striking home, and the cruiser was clearly damaged, belching smoke and acquiring a bit of a list as she tried to get out of range. Another two shells from Battery A hit the cruiser again, and Yubari tried to flee into her own smoke, as well as smoke laid down by an escorting destroyer. More hits occurred, her forward turret was silenced, and she looked destined to sink - if the civilian shell handlers didn’t bring practice ammunition by mistake! Thus, Yubari limped away to fight another day. 

Meanwhile, Battery L was about to have its own impressive day. They had the Japanese destroyer Hayate, and while the first two salvos were not on, the third was, and a pair of 5” shells. Before long, Hayate exploded and sank within seconds. Battery L then switched their attention to Oite and scored a pair of hits on her, as well as hits on Kongo Maru, and one of the other light cruisers. Battery B on Peale then engaged the Japanese and got the worst of it, losing their rangefinder, and one of the guns was put out of action as the Japanese sailed away. 

But the Japanese ordeal wasn’t quite over yet, as Wake’s diminutive air force of four Wildcats joined the fray. Led by their squadron leader, Major Paul Putnam, he had three of his best pilots with him, Captains Henry Elrod, Herb Freuler, and Frank Tharin. The four aircraft had jury-rigged mounts for a pair of 500lb bombs, and the pilots were to a man, eager to get their own back from the Japanese. They quickly caught up with the withdrawing Japanese fleet and proceeded to bomb and strafe the Japanese every opportunity they got. They shot up the Tenryu, knocking out a deckside torpedo mount and her radio shack. Freuler put a bomb into the stern of the Kongo Maru and set her aflame. But the worst came for the Japanese destroyer Kirsaragi. Captain Hank Elrod, USMC, in an act that earned him the Medal of Honor, put a bomb into the destroyer that doomed her. The bomb hit amidships, penetrated several decks, and the ship was left damaged and crawling back to the Japanese anchorage at Truk, or so the American pilots thought. But the fire spread, and at 8:00 AM, Kirasagi blew up. 

However, the Americans didn’t have it completely their way, as two of the Wildcats were so badly shot up from their battle, that they crashed upon landing and were total losses.  The remaining two aircraft intercepted another Japanese air raid later in the day, this time, consisting of 18 bombers, of which the Wildcats got two more, and the island anti-aircraft guns polished off another one. All in all, it had been a good day for Wake Island. 

The news of Wake’s gallant resistance traveled fast and became something of a rallying cry for an American public who, up until that point, had heard nothing but news of disaster. This time, it was the Japanese getting a bloody nose. 

Psywarrior 

To add insult to injury for the Japanese, another Wildcat on patrol happened upon and sank the Japanese submarine RO-66. All in all, the loss of two destroyers, a submarine, and damage to at least five other ships was nothing short of a minor disaster for the Japanese. But, the defenders of Wake had only encouraged the Japanese to redouble their efforts. They would not underestimate the defenders of Wake again. 

The Relief Expedition Sets Out, and the Beginning of the End

The 12th of December dawned, and for the defenders of Wake, days blended, as it seemed no help was coming, with every day under Japanese attack seemed like the death of a thousand cuts. The Japanese had all the time in the world, and this time, they made good use of it. The Japanese tried a new technique, sending a pair of H6K4 “Mavis” Flying Boats to bomb Wake, but weather conspired to make the Japanese bombing accuracy and Wake’s anti-aircraft fire useless. 

Wikipedia

However, one of the Japanese flying boats ran afoul of Wake’s pair of Wildcats and was shot down into the ocean. This brought Wake’s total of Japanese aircraft to seven. On the evening of the 12th, Pearl Harbor cabled Cunningham with questions about the situation on Wake, especially with regards to ammunition and other consumables. Cunningham was left thinking, is help coming? 

Meanwhile, the Wildcats that remained were having all sorts of mechanical difficulties, and another crash-landed due to a mechanical fault, and another forced Major Putnam to make a dead-stick landing in the aircraft. Wake was fast nearing the end of her rope. She needed help, and soon.

Three more flying boats came on the night of the 13th, again the bombing accuracy was horrible, but it served to deny the Wake garrison any sleep. But at noon on the 14th, between 30-40 Japanese G3M “Nell” bombers hit Wake in one of the largest air raids of the battle. The airfield was again hammered, and a Wildcat that was being used for parts was blown to pieces. Three men died, and Deveraux had to move his command post to the old powder magazines, which were, in the views of some of Deveraux’s officers, a much better position.

Meanwhile, at Pearl Harbor, Admiral Kimmel ordered a relief expedition to land more Marines and fighters and take off wounded and civilians from Wake. The relief force was centered around the carrier Saratoga, while Lexington was to launch diversionary raids against Japanese bases in the Marshall Islands. The problem was, whatever was to happen, it had to happen fast before the Japanese could get their act together. Thus, on the evening of the 15th of December, Saratoga, along with the seaplane tender Tangier, the oiler Neches, and three destroyers, set out from Pearl Harbor. They soon met up with three heavy cruisers and nine additional destroyers and set out for Wake Island.

Meanwhile, the Japanese were ensuring that any second attempt to take Wake would be successful, Admiral Yamamoto ordered the detachment of the carriers Hiryu and Soryu, as well as heavy cruisers Tone and Chikuma, and two more destroyers to bolster a second landing attempt on Wake.  This time, the Japanese weren’t going to underestimate Wake. 

The Japanese continued to bomb the island for the next five days, and the days were just a waking nightmare for the defenders of Wake. On the 20th, the last outside physical contact with the United States arrived on Wake in the form of a PBY flying boat that had slipped past the Japanese and landed in the lagoon that afternoon. The PBY brought news that a relief force was on its way and to prepare to receive them.  The PBY left early the next morning with Major Walter Bayler, a radio expert whose orders had only supposed to have him present at Wake for a week or two. He was supposed to proceed on to Midway. With him aboard and some letters from loved ones, the PBY left early on the morning of the 21st for Pearl, and so with it, the last physical contact from any of the U.S. Military for the next four years.

The PBY had picked a good time to leave as the Japanese launched the first raid from Hiryu and Soryu. 49 carrier-based aircraft, with 18 of them being A6M2 Zero fighters. Against the sole remaining Wildcat, this was a horrible mismatch. The Japanese came in at less than 1,000 feet, rendering the 3” AA guns useless, and the machine guns could only do so much. The Japanese bombed and strafed the island at will, but the Japanese, surprisingly, only achieved some light damage. The only Wildcat available managed to get off the ground as the raiders departed but failed to catch the departing raid. Another bombing raid came at 12:30, this time, the more familiar G3M Nells. The Japanese, this time, plastered Battery D and it’s 3” gun battery on Peale islet. Worse, they took out most of the battery’s anti-aircraft gun director gear. The remaining gear was moved with one of the guns to Wake, the remainder emplaced in various positions to help bolster the beach defenses. Some good news came in that the Marines did manage to get another Wildcat up and running. 

daveswarbirds.com

The morning of the 22nd found the last two Marine fighters, upon a normal patrol, when they intercepted yet another carrier-based raid bound for Wake. This time it was 33 aircraft, with only six Zeros along as an escort. The Japanese were confident that “this time,” they had dealt with the American fighters for good. The two Wildcats made a pass on a formation of six B5N Kate torpedo bombers and downed one in the initial pass. The two fighters made an additional pass, shooting down another Kate before being embroiled with the fighter escorts and forced to split up. One Wildcat crash-landed, the other was never seen again and presumed lost. And with that, Wake no longer had an air force. 

The 22nd ended with the relief expedition 425 miles away and Deveraux doing all he could. The remains of VMF-211 had offered themselves as infantry, and with the loss of Battery D, Deveraux had no real anti-aircraft defenses. As the 22nd ended, the stage was set for the final fight. One that in the words of one Japanese officer “…would make the gods weep.” 

We’ll pick that up in the final article in the series, along with options to wargame the battle next week. See you then!

--

At Epoch Xperience, we specialize in creating compelling narratives and provide research to give your game the kind of details that engage your players and create a resonant world they want to spend time in. If you are interested in learning more about our gaming research services, you can browse Epoch Xperience’s service on our parent site, SJR Research.

--

(This article is credited to Jason Weiser. Jason is a long-time wargamer with published works in the Journal of the Society of Twentieth Century Wargamers; Miniature Wargames Magazine; and Wargames, Strategy, and Soldier.)

[tvrningout-a]

DASH GAMES | make your character into a bunny!

i decided to make kaiya and yubari into bunnies bc i associate them with similar colors, and i :' )) they look so cute and somehow kinda sad asdfg

tagged by: @terestris ( thank you vee <3 ) tagging: everyone who sees this bc bunnies are too cute uvu

[dea100]

Desafio dia 21:Lute como uma garota! #colecfunkopopbr Beatrix Kiddo e Gogo Yubari não dando só um tapa no visual 💕 #killbill #tarantino

[recentanimenews]

"Hirunehime" to be Screened as Opening Film at Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2017 for Free

In addition to the previously reported Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival 2017, internationally acclaimed director Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex)'s latest anime feature film Hirunehime -Shiranai Watashi no Monogatari- (English title: Ancien and the Magic Tablet) is also chosen as the opening film for the upcoming Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2017.

  The film will be screened at the Cine Libre Ikebukuro theater in Tokyo at 19:00 on March 10, eight days before the film's Japan premiere. The director Kamiyama himself is also scheduled to join for a talk show on the stage. The admission is free, but you need to register beforehand for the seat, registrations will be accepted on the festival's official website at 12:00 on February 1.

  The festival also plans to include a special screening program dedicated to Kamiyama's notable works during the period. Details will be announced later.

  オープニング作品として上映決定！#東京アニメアワードフェスティバル2017（@TAAF_official） にて、3月10日（金）19:00より #ひるね姫 の上映が決定！当日は #神山健治 監督のトークショーもhttps://t.co/ZOTG4YWsL6 http://pic.twitter.com/pINmlyfCdb

— 映画『ひるね姫』公式 (@hirune_hime) January 27, 2017

    Full trailer

      The story description:

  In the summer of 2020, 3 days before the start of the Tokyo Olympic games, Kokone Morikawa lives with

her father alone in Kurashiki, Okayama. She is an ordinary high school girl and the only thing she is good

at is “taking naps”. Recently, she has had a recurring dream many times. However due to the pressure of

the future, friends and family, she is finding less time to nap. With traveling between the dreams and reality,

the secret of her family starts to be revealed.

    Main staff:

   Director/Screenplay Writer: Kenji Kamiyama

 Original Character Designer: Satoko Morikawa (The Cat Returns)

 "Hearts" Designer: Shigeto Koyama (Big Hero 6)

 Animation Director: Atsuko Sasaki (Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet, Eden of The East)

 Anime Production: Signal-MD (Tantei Team KZ Jiken Note)

 Distributor: Warner Brothers Japan

    Flyer visuals

  Source: "Hirunehime -Shiranai Watashi no Monogatari-" official website

  ©2017 Hirunehime Production Committee

  By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[dispone]

kill bill vol. 1, 2003

[aberdeen-yubari]

Aberdeen // Yubari - Print Gifting Ceremony 　アバディーンでの完成作品贈呈式

©️ Naoki Kobayashi 夕張に続きアバディーンでもお披露目＆完成した版画作品の贈呈式を行います。2月9日（日）14時（日本時間23時）より、デイヴィッド・フライヤー氏が運営委員を務めるオールド・トリー・コミュニティー・センターにて。デイヴィッド・フライヤー氏、ピーコック・ヴィジュアル・アーツディレクターのヌノ・サクラメント氏、アバディーン市長バーニー・クロケット氏をはじめ、清水沢プロジェクトの佐藤真奈美氏もスカイプで参加の予定です。 Come along for the two-day public event to celebrate the bookend of the ‘Aberdeen // Yubari’, a printmaking project connecting community and context of two cities built around energy - Aberdeen, Scotland and Yubari, Japan.  At 2pm on Sunday 9th February, there will be a work gifting ceremony with David Fryer (Aberdeen participant, and Old Torry Community Centre); Barney Crockett (Lord Provost of Aberdeen); and Nuno Sacramento (Director, Peacock Visual Arts). Manami Sato (Director, Shimizusawa Project) will join from Yubari too (via Skype). One framed resulting print will be gifted to each representative as a symbol of gratitude and long-lasting partnership into the future. As well as the print, photographs of Yubari’s landscapes taken by 14 pupils of Yubari Primary School, and a presentation film will be displayed.  At 7.30pm on Friday 7th February, there is a chance to see and listen to an informal presentation and introduction of the project by the Curator.  Admission free, all welcome.  ■ EVENT DETAILS Venue: Old Torry Community Centre (2 Abbey Place, Aberdeen AB11 9QH) Dates / Schedule: Friday 7th February, 7.30pm 7.30-8.00pm: Informal presentation and introduction of the project from curator Naoko Mabon towards the end of Go Green event  Sunday 9th February, 2-4pm - Work Gifting Ceremony 2.00-2.15pm: Doors open, tea welcome 2.15-2.20pm: Curator Naoko Mabon opens the ceremony with introduction of the project 2.20-2.25pm: Comments from the Project Partner Manami Sato of Shimizusawa Project in Yubari (through Skype) 2.25-2.30pm: Gift work to David Fryer, comment from David 2.30-2.35pm: Gift work to Barney Crockett, comment from Barney 2.35-2.40pm: Gift work to Nuno Sacramento, comment from Nuno 2.40-2.45pm: Photo shooting Organised by: Naoko Mabon (freelance curator), Manami Sato (Director, Shimizusawa Project 清水沢プロジェクト) Funded by: Creative Funding of Aberdeen City Council Supported by: Peacock Visual Arts, Old Torry Community Centre, Yubari City, Yubari City Education Committee, Dr Leslie Mabon (Senior Lecturer, Scottish Association for Marine Science)

[aberdeen-yubari]

Print unveiled in Yubari　版画作品お披露目

Exhibition now open! The resulting work printed by Peacock Visual Arts has been finally unveiled, singed by Yubari participant - Wakana Tsuji - and framed. The work alongside all the pictures of Yubari landscape taken by 14 pupils of Yubari Primary School are now on display in the Shimizusawa Community Centre until 30th January. There was a talk by Dr Leslie Mabon on “Fossil Fuel and Local Identity” at Shimizusawa Community Gate thereafter. Thank you so much for all involved for your time and support! 版画作品がついにお披露目となりました！夕張側参加者の辻和奏さん（ゆうばり小学校3年生）によってサインされたのち、額装もしていただきました。完成した版画作品は、2019年夏にゆうばり小学校の生徒さんを対象に行った写真コンテストの応募作品全14作品とともに、清水沢プロジェクト主催で1月30日（木）まで清水沢地区公民館1階ロビーで展示中です。お披露目のあとは清水沢コミュニティゲートでスコットランドから研究のため来日中のレズリー・メイボン氏による「化石燃料とローカル・アイデンティティ」についてのトークがありました。関係者の皆さん、参加してくださった皆さん、夕張の皆さん、本当にありがとうございました！

[aberdeen-yubari]

Signing by David Fryer on the Finished Print

**The complete image of the resulting print work will be unveiled on 18th January on the occasion of the exhibition at Shimizusawa Community Centre in Yubari.** Today was the first chance for us to meet the finished print of ’Aberdeen // Yubari’. With the expertise and support from David McCracken, James Vass and Neil Corall at Peacock Visual Arts, the resulting print came out with a series of elegant harmonies of colour, composition and context. The halftone image of the Victoria Bridge connecting Aberdeen and Torry over the River Dee taken by David Fryer was printed over the purple colour chosen by David himself. On the other hand, the halftone image of Shuparo Lake and the old/new Shirogane Bridge taken by Wakana Tsuji was printed in pastel pink chosen by Wakana herself. Both halftones consist of a set of dots. This helped to represent the manual process involved in the printmaking, while successfully transforming two pieces of digital image to an abstract, tactile and visually outstanding art piece. David Fryer has signed all the editions. At the bottom right, a lovely peacock seal designed by Malcolm Appleby was stamped by James. So now the prints are travelling to Yubari to be signed by the other artist - Wakana - for the completion. Our project collaborator Dr Leslie Mabon, who is visiting Japan soon for his research, will be kindly delivering the prints to the Shimizusawa Project in Yubari next week. The prints will be gifted to Yubari Primary School, Yubari City, Shimizusawa Project, and the artist herself. The finished print, alongside the pictures of Yubari taken and submitted by 14 pupils of the Yubari Primary School, will be exhibited at Shimizusawa Community Centre in Yubari from 18th to 30th January. Also we are underway with planning to have a celebratory showcase and event in Aberdeen at Old Torry Community Centre on 7-8 February.   Thank you very much indeed for being patient and so generous to realise the print work, David (Fryer), Wakana, and all at Peacock Visual Arts especially David, James, and Neil.

[aberdeen-yubari]

The final image has been selected in each city!

In Yubari, there was a call for submission from the pupils of Yubari Primary School, and 14 children across all the grades submitted images based on ‘what they think of as the landscape of their city’. The Selection Committee met on 24th August, and selected 3 finalists/images - Hana Sakurai (6th grade), Yukiji Hokao (3rd grade), and Wakana Tsuji (3rd grade). In Aberdeen, David Fryer has taken three photographs as responses to the project theme. Three images from each city were exchanged via email at the beginning of September.  Here are the three images taken by David: 

Comments from David:  Three locations in Torry have linked themes of structures, space, vistas and relationship between land and water. The Torry Battery is built out of granite in the late 19th Centrury at the mouth of the River Dee as a fortress to defend a city against a naval attack. The circular arch structure within the gatehouse defines the entrance to that former fortress with vistas over the harbour and the city. The Victoria Bridge, built out of granite following a ferry disaster, has graceful arches that peacefully cross the River Dee and enables a new structure to bridge the river thereby creating a development corridor for peaceful expansion from Aberdeen to Torry. Lastly, like a bookend to the Torry Battery the Wellington Suspension Bridge, an open iron structure that gracefully spans the River Dee between its two granite towers that holds the lightweight steel structure together. Lights and shade helps defines the structures as well as their openings. Historically, they represent how connections were made as they define relationship, between build areas and between the land and the sea. And here are three images taken by three children in Yubari and comments: 

by Hana Sakurai 'My School Route' - I took my usual route to the school of which I always wanted to take picture. I like this path.

Yukiji Hokao 'Yubari, the Coal Mine City' - We have no coal mine now but since five years ago, coals from an old slag heap have been recycled. (taken 18/08/2019 in Takamatsu area)

Wakana Tsuji 'Mount Yubari, Shuparo Lake, and old/new Shirogane Bridge' (taken 04/08/2019)

[*Note from Naoko Mabon: Shuparo Lake is an artificial dam lake formed in 1962. This area's peak population was 25,000 but all the coal mines in this area closed by 1990. Due to the expansion of the dam in 2014, people were moved and most of the town in this area was sank to the bottom of the lake.] On 14th September, after a long and in-depth consideration, David has selected one image of Yubari. 

And today, on 27th September, all three selected finalists - Hana Sakurai, Yukiji Hokao, and Wakana Tsuji - met at Shimizusawa Community Gate. There, the final image selected by David was finally unveiled. They have also chosen the final picture of David collectively. 

And here are the two final images selected in the end: The final image chosen by David: 'Mount Yubari, Shuparo Lake, and old/new Shirogane Bridge' by Wakana Tsuji

And this is the final image of David chosen by the children:

These images will be printed to make a print work by a printmaker at Peacock Visual Arts in Aberdeen in late October.  To both sides, it wasn’t really easy task to choose one image amongst other lovely images... Our warm thanks go to all the people who participated in and gave up time on this project. And a big well done and congratulations to all the finalists!