#when they're not even the director for that particular episode

[girl-bateman]

I guess that this is as good of a time as any to remind people that WRITERS MAKE THE STORY!!!! I cannot count how many times I see posts praising tv directors for things that are simply not their doing. That iconic line of dialogue? Yeah a screenwriter wrote that. The characters you love? Screenwriter. The places, the plot lines, the developments? Writers.

A show CANNOT happen without a script because a script is necessary for EVERYONE to do their job right. It dictates what set to look for/create, the filming schedule, the casting calls, the costumes and so on. It's not just words on a paper, its the backbone for all of production and it deserves to get recognised as the integral part of tv and film as it is.

[mirai-e-jump]

Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger Photo Book: ~King of Kings~ Main Cast Member Interviews Support Cast Special Comments (translations below, LONG POST)

(other pages)

Sakai Taisei (Gira Husty)

-The Director's valuable advice on how to play Gira in a natural way-

I think that we were able to complete filming without any issues due to the support of many people over the past year.

As an actor, I was inspired alot by the many career actors in the King-Ohger cast. In particular, Morioka Yutaka-san, who played Douga, and Masato Yano-san, who played Racules, both of whom I had many opportunities to work with, were very important. However, both of them didn't give me any specific advice on the set. They always had the attitude of, "You're free to do whatever you want to do," and I was grateful for that more than anything.

Filming was done in front of a green screen in the studio, which was a special environment, but since I personally didn't have much experience in filming dramas, I had no objections to it at all. Sometimes we filmed on location, so experiencing the "live scenery" and "atmosphere of the site" was nice, but in our situation, we felt uncomfortable unless we were in front of the green screen (laughs). It had become such a normal thing for us.

As for the performance, at first I couldn't understand the Director's intentions and was just figuring it out in my head, but then Director Kamihoriuchi Kazuya told me, "Feel it with your heart," and that's when it became easier to act. After that, I feel like I was able to take on the role of Gira more naturally throughout those days of filming.

Also, I think we showed "Gira two years later" in the new chapter partly through the visuals and direction, such as his costume and hairstyle, but I also wanted to play the role showing a more relaxed side in my own way.

-The wonderful thing about Gira is that he's always there for others-

What I was most mindful of throughout the year was definitely the relationship with Racules. I wasn't told of any future developments, so I was surprised when I read the scripts for episodes 41 and 42. Even though he's his older brother I played the role with a strong sense of, "Overthrow Racules!" I had heard during filming for episode 20 that he was going to reappear later, but I had no idea he was destined to carry such a cruel burden……That's why I was deeply moved by our joint fight scene in episode 42.

After that, in episode 43, I'll never forget the scene where we hold each other's hands. Compared to Yano-san, I think I'm still inexperienced in some aspects of acting, but I did my best in my own way, so I'd be happy if you could grasp the feelings the two of us have.

From episode 48 to the final episode, many of the cast members who've helped us in the past reappeared, and the motivation on set was even higher than usual. The main Director of the last three episodes was Kamihoriuchi-san, and the six of us who play the roles of the kings have absolute trust in the Director, but he's also someone who's uncompromising in his approach to the play, so I worked hard to "hang in there until the very end."

The final day of filming was the scene in the final episode where the six of us are untransformed. I personally didn't intend to be overly emotional just because it was the final take. However, when the Director said "OK!," the cast and crew involved in the production, including Yano-san, who wasn't supposed to be filming that day, gathered around. I thought, "So many people were watching over us" and became overwhelmed with emotion……I think I probably cried more than anyone else (laughs).

Looking back on all the episodes, I think that Gira was always portrayed as a character who stood by someone's side. He always tries to understand people's feelings, regardless of whether they're a king, retainer, or a citizen, and I thought it was wonderful to see that kind of attitude as I played Gira

As time goes on, please don't forget about Gira!

Watanabe Aoto (Yanma Gast)

-Yanma's coolness is the charm that Director Kamioriuchi possesses-

Currently, when I look back at Yanma from a year ago, I feel alittle embarrassed because he seems so childish (laughs). I've jokingly said to the staff on set things like, "I want to reshoot that scene," but on the other hand, I felt that it was a performance that only I, who had just encountered Yanma, could give. That's just how I feel right now.

As for my role, it was largely created together with Director Kamihoriuchi Kazuya. In the beginning, I read stories about real kings and books by various leaders, and I tried to express them through "moving performances." In response, the Director told me to, "Take a more confident stance," and from that point on, I had the image of, "Even if he doesn't say much, his coolness will be shown through his actions." To be more specific, Yanma has something in common with Director Kamihoriuchi himself. I think that the Director's charm as a person is reflected through Yanma.

What I remember well from early filming was the N'kosopa scene in episode 2. We spent the whole day filming in the cold during the middle of winter with the participation of members of the TTFC (Toei Tokusatsu Fan Club), and it truly felt like a king and his people overcoming their difficulties as one. Episode 2 in particular was the one where I read the script repeatedly after my audition, so I'll never forget the excitement I felt when I saw the finished footage.

Every episode is filled with memories, but the developments that take place two years later starting from episode 27 stirred me up. At first, I thought he was going to be alittle more mature and relaxed, but now that his hair was a blonde pompadour, I decided to play a more active role. In episode 35, when they all go to take back the invaded N'kosopa, I felt Yanma's growth compared to episode 2. The actual successful recapture took place in episode 39. During that time, for the main episodes of Hymeno, Kaguragi, and Rita, Yanma had many funny moments, and as I played him I thought that even though things were tough, he doesn't stay down, which is another cool thing about him.

-The fans are part of the production!-

When he was being manipulated by Hilbil in episode 44, the interaction with Gira had many homages to the past. Usually, there are many opportunities for Yanma to say something preachy, but in this episode it's the opposite, and Yanma catching Gira's fist is also a reverse pattern from episode 17.

Also, defeating Hilbil using the 10 combination King-Ohger for the first time in a long time was a hot development, and in the end, we both said the exact same lines as in episode 2, being, "Lowlifes like you…(-Gira), Should know your place…(-Yanma), On your knees! (-both)."

From episode 48 to the final episode, new assets have been created, and I think that the viewers will enjoy the spectacular visuals until the very end.

In the scene where the "King's Proof" is returned, only my mouth is shown, and the Director told me, "The love you've received is too great, so it's okay if you cry." I intended to act dignified, but those words were like magic, and I was immediately overcome with emotion.

Other hot developments include the reappearance of major characters, and the relationship between the kings and the people they're meant to protect is also noteworthy.

Even after all the battles were over, Yanma still had work to do, and I was able to play the role of Yanma, who's always looking forward until the end.

After working on it for a year, first of all, I'm relieved that filming was completed successfully, and I'd like to take this opportunity to express my feelings of "thank you" to the many people who supported us.

Personally, I believe that King-Ohger was created by everyone, and the fans are also a part of the production. I'd be happy if you could think of us six kings from time to time.

Murakami Erica (Hymeno Ran)

-The key to playing Hymeno is "how to deal with life"-

Hymeno has a selfish side, but if she shows it too forcefully, her position as a king will be in danger. Of course, it's not just being selfish, and the reason was depicted in episode 3, but reading the script and actually doing the performance gave off a different impression, so I explored this through the opinions of the people on set and through interactions with the cast. Also, after learning about the setting in which her parents were murdered in episode 7, I thought that Hymeno's key point was "how to deal with life."

I was acting without knowing what was going to happen next, but it was interesting to see things in a different point of view once all the facts were known, such as the foreshadowing of the anesthetic in episode 8 being revealed in episode 42. It was like reading a serialized manga, and there was a competition among the cast to see who would get the new script first (laughs), and the person who got it first would upload a photo of the script to our group chat.

Personally, my favorite episode was episode 28. I had alot of conversations with Kaku So-san about playing Kaguragi, and I was able to see a side of Kaguragi that I had never seen before, and I think we were able to deepen our understanding not only of our characters, but also of the cast. Other than that, I also enjoyed episode 36. The matchmaking competition was hard to endure because everyone was trying their best to make me laugh, like Yanma's weird face when he was being controlled by Jeramie (laughs). Also, Hymeno, who was being impersonated by Kamejim, casually crossed her legs even though she doesn't usually do that. The uglier the fake becomes, the brighter the real one shines, so I was conscious of the gap between the two while concealing her true identity.

When I got involved with Rita in episode 5, Director Kamihoriuchi Kazuya told me, "I want you to perform the role of Hymeno as if she's aware Rita will be hard to deal with." At first I thought, "Hymeno and Rita are incompatible, huh," but as they got closer and closer through Moffun and the "Wrath of God," I feel that they've become a very special person to Hymeno. That's why when Rita came to Ishabana in episode 30, Rita may have just been fulfilling their duties, but I thought it was cute that they misunderstood that Hymeno had gone out of her way to meet them. To be honest, I was pretty excited to film the tea scene (laughs).

-I was lifted up by Hymeno's inner strength-

The existence of Grodie, the enemy of her parents, was revealed in episode 30 and defeated in episode 47, but before that, I personally thought episode 46 was important. Jeramie decides to use his"King's Proof" to give life to the immortal Grodie, and Hymeno accepts his decision. There's a conversation between the two of them where they said, "It's okay to cry" and, "I'll ruin my makeup." The script was based on the answer I gave to screenwriter Takano Minato-san when he asked me, "What do you want to do?" I suggested that if a little girl was crying and Hymeno came to her, she might say something like, "What a waste of a pretty face" or "Your mascara will be ruined" to keep her positive. When I opened the script, I was surprised to find that she wouldn't be crying, but I was happy because I wanted to show Hymeno's strong will!

In the end, it was an "all star" effort, and I was thrilled that she was reunited with her parents in episode 49. Although the scene took place while both of them were concentrating on providing treatment, they were able to communicate without having to talk, and I felt a sense of closure within Hymeno. In the final episode, it was cool to see everyone stand up against Dagded, there were some unexpected surprises, and we were able to reach a truly wonderful ending.

All 50 episodes are filled with the passion of the cast and staff, and I think that no matter which episode you watch, you won't be disappointed. During all this, I myself was lifted up by Hymeno's inner strength, and I'm so glad that I was able to work with all the cast members until the end. I hope to see you again in the future, such as the FLT, so please continue to support us!

Hirakawa Yuzuki (Rita Kaniska)

-Playing the role of Rita by moving their "mind" with their whole body-

The role of Rita is an "immovable" character, so the performance doesn't focus on movement, and their face is visible only through their left eye and you can't see their facial expressions, so it was difficult in the early days of filming. The solo performances were particularly difficult. In episode 12, there's the trial scene where Jeramie is listening to them, but since only my eye was visible, I was concerned that my blinking or the direction of my gaze might convey nuance that I didn't intend. At that time, Director Kamihoriuchi Kazuya gave me advice of, "If you perform by moving your mind with your whole body, it becomes an expression, so you don't have to be caught up in performing with only your left eye." This gave me confidence and made me think, "Maybe there's more I can do."

When talking about Rita, their relationship with Hymeno is also important. In addition to being king, Rita has the role of Chief International Justice, so there was a part of them that drew a line between themself and others, but after the interaction with Hymeno was depicted towards the end of episode 16, Rita was able to separate their work and private life, and the areas where they could express themself gradually became clearer. I thought that when they had tea together in episode 30, it was another scene that brought them closer together.

Also, Karras and Shiron are like parents to Rita. In episode 16, we learned some of Rita's past, which I thought could be reflected in future performances. After that, everything came together in episode 30. When I read the script and learned of Shiron's death, I was personally shaken, and during filming, I was able to fully feel Rita's feelings while acting. Also, while they were determined to seal Grodie in this episode, Hymeno stopped them from doing so, and it reminded them once again of how valued they are. Episode 30 is an unforgettable episode, not only because of their relationship with Hymeno, but also in the sense that Rita became stronger after preparing to die.

-It was a year of pursuing the role of Rita that I envisioned-

I was very happy to receive lots of feedback on SNS for the Idol episode.

The stage scene was only about two lines long in the script, but the set they created was so beautiful, so I went into filming thinking, "I hope the viewers will enjoy it."

It was the most difficult time for me, learning dances and recording at the same time as filming, but I have the impression that I did my best as "Hirakawa Yuzuki" in this episode, even though I was playing Rita.

Towards the end of episode 45, it was very exciting to see Kaguragi and Rita, who had never had a chance to really interact before, working together. Since we often filmed separately, when we met, Kaku So-san and I would report to each other with, "How did that scene go?"

I was also impressed by the scene in episode 48 where they launch the evacuation plan "Zero." It was really hard even for me to admit that they couldn't defeat Dagded, but I think that's just how much I got into the role.

At the end of the story that spanned a year, six people with very strong personalities come together, and if just one of them were missing, the story could not be completed, so I think it concluded in a way that was truly typical of "Ohsama Sentai."

Looking back, I had wanted to play the role of Rita since the audition stage, and being able to pursue my own vision of Rita for a year was an invaluable and truly precious experience.

Now that filming's over, I feel sad, but I hope that people will look back on the show after it's finished airing, and I hope that it grows into a show that'll continue to be loved forever.

Kaku So (Kaguragi Dybowski)

-Until I did the difficult role of deceiving and tricking people-

In the beginning I was told that the role of Kaguragi was a character that deceives and tricks people, but at the same time, the Producer said, "Please don't make him someone that people dislike," and I thought, "No, that's going to be difficult" (laughs). In a way, Kaguragi has conflicting aspects, but in episode 4, the resolution within me improved, and I began to enjoy playing the role more.

Also, the "Hweh?" response when he's acting silly in episode 8 wasn't specifically written in the script, and when I first tried to just do the facial expression, Director Yamaguchi Kyohei said, "I want it to have alittle more impact," so I also added the voice. It's thanks to the Director that I was able to emphasize his personality.

Then there's the relationship with his younger sister Suzume. Kamura Mami-san, who plays Suzume, had such a convincing performance from the first day that it made me think, "That's Kaguragi's sister," and through her I was able to bring out the comedic side of my performance alot more.

All the episodes are memorable, but if I had to pick one main episode for Kaguragi, it would be episode 37. While I've always played the role that rides the line between good and evil, that episode gave more weight to the fact that he carries a tragic past, and I myself became more fond of Kaguragi. The honest and pure Kaguragi I played in the flashback scenes are literally just me (laughs), so it was easy to do. His voice is usually deep and threatening, but at that time I tried to show his "difference" by using a tone that was closer to my actual self.

It was also interesting to perform the scene where he and Racules, played by Masato Yano-chan, were trying to expose each other's secrets. However, I wasn't sure about their relationship, and one time when I asked Yano-chan, "Do you know when they'll become friends?," he left me hanging with, "No, I don't know" (laughs). I first found out about their backgrounds when I read the script for episode 42. In retrospect, he was mostly absent in episode 36, was he perhaps discussing things with Racules behind the scenes? The line at the end of episode 37, "Let's take the dirtiest road ahead from now on," was also foreshadowing.

As for Kaguragi, he probably believed in Suzume and followed Racules, and I believe that he carried out his own will even though he was prepared to be deceived.

-Even now, Kaguragi's in my heart!-

Towards the end of episode 45, it became a main episode between him and Rita, someone he had little chance to interact with up until then. It was a new experience for me to work with Yuzuyan, and we enjoyed each other's presence. The scenes where they both communicate their feelings were performed separately because I spoke to their partner Morphonia, but even though they weren't in the same space, it was really cool to depict that they shared the same mindset. Kaguragi may be deceiving on the surface, but deep down, he just wants to make people smile, and I was able to portray that side of him.

The final episode completes the story, but there's also some room that allows you to use your imagination, which is what I like about it. If it ended properly, that'd be sad, wouldn't it? During filming, I worked hard until the end, but I'm personally the type of person who likes to joke around and have fun while doing it. I'm glad that we were able to spend time in a cheerful atmosphere until the very final moment.

Even after all filming finishes, I still have many more opportunities to play Kaguragi, including performances at Theater G Rosso and the FLT, and I still feel as if Kaguragi is in my heart.

Having a stance like Kaguragi's may not be easily rewarded, but I think it's filled with what's important for people to live their lives.

Whenever you feel like giving up or are having a hard time, I'd be happy if you could remember Kaguragi and think, "Let's do our best!"

Ikeda Masashi (Jeramie Brasieri)

-Jeramie, who's been alive for 2,000 years, shows his "composure"-

In my situation as Jeramie, I started out as the narrator, so my job began with voice recording. The other five had already started filming, and looking back, it feels nostalgic, as when I first greeted them, I was overwhelmed by their flashy costumes and everyone's aura. I made my first appearance as Jeramie at the end of episode 11, where I was suddenly performing with a mask on.

My real appearance began in the next one, episode 12, and since his character is set to have lived for 2,000 years, I thought I should have a certain amount of freedom in my performance. At the time, I still wasn't used to being on set, but it's not good to get nervous, so I just gave it my best shot. I was really happy that everyone was willing to talk to me during this time. Thanks to them, I was able to open up right away.

In the beginning, I think Jeramie was a character who he himself was hard to read between the lines (laughs), but as the story progressed, his growth was also depicted, which I personally found very rewarding to perform. In particular, I think that episode 26 was a turning point for Jeramie. Just before Desnarak VIII dies, the scene where they exchange the lines, "You'll become king, and make them see, that the Bugnarak are here" and, "You'll be there too……" is one of my favorites in the entire show. Desnarak VIII is family, as they share the same name "Narak," and the, "You'll be there too" was an expression of his feelings that he didn't want him to die, as Desnarak VIII's existence was a major factor in Jeramie's resolution to become king.

-The final episode had a perfect conclusion and everyone was satisfied-

After entering the new chapter, in episode 29, there was a scene in which I play a major role as the mastermind behind everything. It was difficult to find the right balance, but I acted with so much enthusiasm that I was willing to yell at everyone. As Jeramie, I wish for peace more than anyone else, as I want to protect everyone at the expense of myself, so I faced the situation as best as I could, which was both noble and heartbreaking.

Then, in episode 31, everyone fought to clear my (Jeramie's) name. I feel that Jeramie, who has been lonely for such a long time, had finally made true and kind friends. Also, the line "I love you" that he says to his mother (Nephila) in this episode really moved me. In episode 12, for those words he said, "There's no phrase in this world that's more cliche," but I didn't realize he would capture that foreshadowing so effectively.

There's a scene where he fights together with his mother towards the end of episode 49, and I'd like the parents who watch the show to pay attention to the relationship between us as parent and child.

Also, in episode 47, it was really intense when Grodie was given the "King's Proof." For Jeramie, the "King's Proof" is "eternal life," so he'll no longer be immortal if he uses it……The determination to reach that point was no ordinary feat, and it must've been very worrying. That's why the scene where Jeramie talks with Hymeno in front of the setting sun after making up his mind left such an impression on me. Marie was able to convey her thoughts clearly, so I was able to naturally get into the role, and I think the two of us were able to create a performance that worked well together.

The final episode perfectly portrayed Jeramie's role as the storyteller, which had continued from the first episode, and the story comes to a perfect conclusion based on what had happened so far. I was talking to everyone on set, and deep down, we feel we were able to end the show properly.

More than anything, I'm really satisfied that I was able to spend a year with this group. Throughout the year, I'm sure each of us had our own hard and painful times, but seeing everyone's faces on set made me feel at ease. I'm very grateful to the five of you who played the roles of king.

Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger: The Kings Group Discussion Over the past year of filming, the bonds of the cast have gradually deepened. Looking back on filming, we asked them about their "true opinions" that they can only talk about now.

-Fun memories from the past year-

Kaku: The first topic is "fun memories." Does that mean the casual conversations we all had while filming? (laughs). We all talked in the moment and everyone would laugh and go "wahaha" alot.

Hirakawa: On the other hand, filming alone made me feel really lonely. It was natural for me to be with everyone else.

Murakami: It was part of our daily routine to go out and eat with everyone after we finished filming. It was fun~.

Watanabe: Also, the day before the broadcast was part of the fun!

Sakai: It's really exciting to see your own performance on screen. And then there were the reactions after the broadcast.

Hirakawa: We were popular every week on SNS.

Kaku: Each time, the character with the most active role would be trending.

Ikeda: For me, the recording sessions were also fun.

Murakami: I'd see footage for scenes I wasn't in for the first time during the recording, so that was alot of fun too.

-The many true selves that everyone's seen-

Murakami: After spending time with everyone, the first thing that surprised me was that Taisei actually likes to play pranks.

Sakai: Eh? I've never played one once.

Kaku: That's a lie!

Murakami: You did stuff like add wasabi to our kaisendon (laughs).

Hirakawa: It was really spicy! (laughs).

Murakami: Or before our cue, you'd shout, "Whaa!" from behind us.

Sakai: I never did that~

Ikeda: Yes you did~

Hirakawa: He did that to me too (laughs).

Murakami: It was also abit surprising that Aoto, who I thought was cool at first, would also mess around.

Watanabe: Eh? Really?

Hirakawa: It's also surprising that he pretends not to know. Actually, he's "in charge of being cute" (laughs).

Murakami: Yeah, "the person in charge of being cute."

Watanabe: When I first learned about the cast of the kings, I thought I was going to be the "cute one" (laughs).

Hirakawa: That's what we're saying!

Sakai: For Marie, even when we were filming late at night and everyone was tired, she had a fun aura surrounding her.

Kaku: Her jokes were amazing. We listened to these awkward jokes as we continued to perform at other sites.

Murakami: My nickname became "Mood Breaker."

Watanabe: Eh? This is my first time hearing that!

Murakami: Are you a liar?

Watanabe: That's a really straightforward insult! (laughs).

Murakami: Ahahahaha.

Sakai: The usual pattern is that Marie suddenly says something strange and everyone laughs.

Murakami: At first, I thought, "I have to do this properly," but halfway through I gave up (laughs).

Hirakawa: No, you gave up early on.

Murakami: Ehehe (laughs).

Kaku: For Masashi, he tried his best in the beginning to join in, but soon the two of us started speaking nonsense in our dressing room.

Ikeda: Conversations where you turn off your brain.

Kaku: That's it (laughs).

Watanabe: Definitely, when I passed by Masashi's dressing room, I often heard his voice from inside.

Ikeda: I have a loud voice!

Watanabe: Not a single sound came from the dressing room me and Taisei shared (laughs).

Sakai: You two seemed to be having fun.

Murakami: Yuzuyan is the youngest of the members, but she's like an "older sister" in some ways.

Ikeda: Yeah, she has the image of a caring person.

Kaku: Still, you're the youngest in your family, right?

Hirakawa: Yes!

Watanabe: It's fine now, but when we first met, she wouldn't even look me in the eyes (laughs).

Hirakawa: I'm a shy person, but I usually talk alot to hide my shyness. However, I was really nervous at the beginning of King-Oher (bitter smile).

Watanabe: And now, you're a lively person!

Sakai: I'm also from Kyushu, so I felt a sense of familiarity from the beginning. That's why I don't think you had any major changes from beginning to end, right?

Hirakawa: But, at some point, I started speaking with a dialect.

Sakai: Ah, that's right.

Murakami: Yuzuyan gave her all from the beginning.

Hirakawa: That's because Kaku-san, the oldest of our group, affectionately embraced all of us.

Kaku: Yeah! Say more of that!

Ikeda: Because of that, there was an atmosphere on the set where we could talk about anything.

Sakai: He really brought the five of us together.

Kaku: That makes me happy! Thank you (laughs).

Murakami: How cute~

Kaku: No, this is seriously embarrassing.

Hirakawa: (to Watanabe) Aren't you in charge of being cute?

Watanabe: (laughs).

Kaku: Conversely, I was saved by everyone's good character. That's why I wanted to support everyone. I've always felt that way.

-Feelings I want to share with everyone now-

Kaku: If we were to take this opportunity to say a few words to everyone, I'd first start with Masashi. Thanks for always messing around with me!

Watanabe: I hope Masashi will continue to do well with his friendliness.

Sakai: I want to work together again with you even after this job ends!

Hirakawa: I really appreciate the way you always looked out for everyone during filming.

Murakami: When we all go out together, he takes the initiative to invite us. Thank you for creating so many memories.

Ikeda: Eh! I'm so happy! Marie has always been cheerful, and I hope she continues to do her best with her cheerful and beloved character!

Murakami: Yeah! I'll do my best!

Watanabe: I hope you keep that smile on your face.

Sakai: She has the kind of character that I wish I had as a childhood friend or something. You always had a smile on your face and brightened up the set.

Kaku: For her performance, in the Hymeno episode (episode 36), Hymeno, who was being impersonated by Kamejim, was really interesting. I'd like to see a performance like that in a different production.

Hirakawa: Marie has always supported me with her "harmonizing" spirit. On the other hand, from now on, I hope to be able to help her as much as possible.

Murakami: Yuzuyan is the one who has always been there for me. I think that's her strength, and I hope she continues to be there for many people.

Hirakawa: Of course! Thank you.

Kaku: Despite being the youngest, she was the hardest worker in our group. During the idol episode (episode 38), even though she was having a hard time during filming, she simply said, "I have to practice tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, and then the day after the day after tomorrow I have a costume fitting." That's what gave me courage and energy.

Watanabe: She was more aware of her surroundings than anyone else. You helped me there too.

Sakai: That's right. When I was alittle out of the loop, she'd casually come over to me.

Watanabe: I'd say it's okay to think for yourself from now on.

Ikeda: Right, take care of yourself more.

Watanabe: Be selfish.

Hirakawa: Well then, I guess my goal is to be Hymeno (laughs)

Murakami: For Kaku-san, when the time came, he'd show off his "dependable big brother" nature.

Ikeda: He's got a heart as generous as the universe itself.

Hirakawa: I asked Kaku-san for alot of advice during filming, and he always listened to everything. I'm sure I'll be asking him for advice again in the future.

Kaku: Please do, please do!

Watanabe: When I got heated, he'd calmly give me advice from an adult's point of view. I also got alot of advice from him.

Sakai: I'm not the type of person who can talk to others about things, but there were times when Kaku-san sensed that I was at a loss and approached me. That made me really happy.

Kaku: I was alittle worried that you'd all think, "How annoying" (laughs).

Murakami: Aoto seemed like he was laid back, but even when times were tough or difficult, he always made it a point to help liven up the mood.

Ikeda: Usually, Nabe-chan and I notice the same things. We'd both go, "Hmm?"

Watanabe: That's true! (laughs).

Ikeda: That made me happy.

Kaku: Also, he had a super funny and cute character. He made me laugh so much.

Hirakawa: In the beginning, I wasn't the type to talk much, but I was happy to open up to Aoto!

Sakai, Murakami, Kaku & Ikeda: Right?!

Watanabe: No, I think I opened up first.

Hirakawa: We opened up to each other. At first, I thought we'd never get along (laughs).

Watanabe: Eeeh~?

Hirakawa: I kept watching you from different angles, and then you spoke up unexpectedly. I spoke up too.

Ikeda: Such words! (laughs). (*she used alot of onomatopoeia)

Sakai: Aoto and I are the only ones who are the same age.

Ikeda: That's true

Sakai: Especially in the pilot (episodes 1-5), I still wasn't used to things, but I was really inspired by Aoto's good acting.

Watanabe: No, on the contrary, I was focused on Taisei.

Murakami: Taisei had a huge burden on his shoulders as the main character, and it must've been extremely difficult for him, but I thought it was really amazing that he didn't come off that way at all.

Ikeda: Yeah, I definitely respect that.

Hirakawa: You must've had a much harder year than us. Still, you never said "It's tough" or, "I'm tired" at all.

Sakai: No, there were times when it was tough.

Hirakawa: It's amazing that you never showed it.

Kaku: Taisei had alot of trial and error in the beginning, but halfway through, I learned alot from him, including how to switch between emotions and how to act. What'll happen when you play a different role in the future? Right now, I'm very excited about Taisei, and wonder what kind of actor he'll become in the future.

Murakami: After all, he's the "leader."

Ikeda: Thank you for being the leader of King-Ohger!

Sakai: Same here, thank you everyone!

Murakami: Even after this job ends, I want to see you all again.

Watanabe, Hirakawa, Kaku & Ikeda: We'll definitely get together again!

Retainer Cast Special Comments From the cast members who fulfilled their roles as competent followers, supporting the kings of each country, their comments have arrived.

Morioka Yutaka (Douga) Profile: A strong retainer who served as part of the entourage for Racules. After that, he went job hunting in the other countries but wasn't hired, so he became the retainer for the next king, Gira, and protected the country.

"Please tell us what you respect about Douga."

Morioka: He's someone who values etiquette, does his absolute best in everything he does, and lives his life honestly through his own convictions. He has a strong will that allows him to sincerely offer advice to his king, but I also like the fact that there's a part of him that's somewhat out of the ordinary and we get a glimpse into his cute side.

"What are your impressions of Gira and Racules (including Sakai Taisei and Masato Yano), and were there any memorable moments during filming?"

Morioka: I think that both of them have a perfect link between their own personalities and those of the roles they played. Sakai Husty-sama is kind to everyone, and his natural side that's visible in his hard work is endearing, which makes me smile when I see him on set. Yano Husty-sama built his performance with great delicacy and precision. He truly is Racules. Their appearance have a certain "aura" that allows me to be their retainer without forcing myself to be aware of it.

"Give a message to the character you played!"

Morioka: Douga, you must be exhausted from the many things you had to do to support your country and family…..Sometimes, it's good to spend time relaxing and not think about anything.

"What was your most memorable moment in King-Ohger?"

Morioka: It'd be episode 21, the episode where Douga's job hunting. I have fond memories of the staff working together to support me to the best of their ability, even in the silliest scenes, including the wonderfully strange costumes and props as I traveled around each country. Then, after the short but intense performances with the other retainers of each country, there was the serious last scene with Gira-san. It was great and I'm truly grateful.

"A message to all the retainer members of the other countries!"

Morioka: Shiokara, don't address the kings with "you." Sebastian, despite your appearance, I'm in awe of your physical ability. Kuroda, I'd like to learn from you your excellent fighting skills. Morphonia, you should try to be alittle more motivated everyday. (*form of "you" meaning you're inferior to the speaker)

"Please give a message to the fans of King-Ohger."

Morioka: This was my first time participating in the Super Sentai series, and I was surprised and moved by the amount of energy and love shown by all the tokusatsu fans, and I was able to make it through this because of everyone's support. I can only express my gratitude. Your words on SNS and other sites have been well received. Please continue to love King-Ohger!

Chiwata Yuhei (Shiokara) Profile: When they first met, he saw Yanma as a yankii with a bossy attitude, but admired him after learning of his manly spirit. After that, as Yanma became king of N'kosopa, he became his retainer.

"Please tell us what you respect about Shiokara."

Chiwata: There's alot, but the most important would be his charm. You could call it junior colleague energy, but I think he's good at building relationships and closing the distance with people. I was never good at such things, but as I got older, I began to realize the importance of it and started to practice, and little by little, my weakness turned into my strength. However, I'm still not as good as Shiokara-kun, so I'd like to use him as a reference (laughs).

"What are your impressions of Yanma (including Watanabe Aoto), and were there any memorable moments during filming?"

Chiwata: I feel that Yanma is a character whose emotional growth was depicted throughout all the episodes. I think it's cool that he's able to calmly, sometimes violently, confront everything that happens to him, and then use what he learns from it to take the next steps in his life. I think this is also due to Aoto's acting ability, so Yanma and Aoto are one and the same! The most memorable moment was in episode 10. I still vividly remember thinking that the way he created the atmosphere of the scene was wonderful, just like Aoto.

"Give a message to the character you played!"

Chiwata: Thank you so much for your hard work! Keep up with the most coolest Yanma-kun and follow him wherever he goes!

"What was your most memorable moment in King-Ohger?"

Chiwata: It's episode 35. I was very happy that Shiokara's character, which had been built up, was given depth, and that his past of being very different was depicted. It was a really hot development, and as an actor, there were many scenes that required alot of passion, so even preparing for it was fun. Until the actual performance, I would read the script everyday and think, "How would Aoto react if I did this?" Normally, I don't discuss the scripts with Aoto, so imagining it was part of the fun. What's more, we wouldn't know the title of an episode until the week before it aired, so when I saw the title, "Don't Cry Slack Jawed Tanuki," I was moved. The last bit of the episode was a perfect fit. Furthermore, I was overwhelmed with emotion when I heard that it was (screenwriter) Takano Minato-san who came up with the idea. I was also very happy that this episode won a special award at the "Toei Tokusatsu Fan Awards 2023."

"A message to all the retainer members of the other countries!"

Chiwata: Originally, I don't think the Super Sentai series featured so many sub characters. This is because there are already six members making up the main cast. However, I think the reason why the retainers have become so beloved is due to the fact that we all played appealing characters, and continued to support the main cast, who played the kings, in different ways in each country. This resulted in the popularity of "retainers". And for that, I'm grateful. Thank you so much!

"Please give a message to the fans of King-Ohger."

Chiwata: First off, thank you so much for sticking with us for the past year. I still think about how fortunate I am to have been involved in this production in the long history of the Super Sentai series. It was a great experience for me to see everyone's excitement online every week, and to then go to the set feeling like I was carrying everyone's voice with me as I performed. In this show, each character stands out, and I've seen the characters moving freely in everyone's minds through fanart, and I feel that this was a production that has been truly loved by everyone. There were alot of things that made me feel like, "Ah! I see, I definitely think Shiokara would say that! I think I'll do it! I want to play Shiokara like this!," and they were alot of fun to see. I also felt a real love for the people who participated as extras and prepared costumes for the different countries. Thank you so much. The Super Sentai series is revised every year, but I hope that King-Ohger will remain in your hearts forever. And, for those of you who are children now, I'd like you to go back and watch it again when you grow up. I'm sure you'll see it differently. Until then, let's meet again soon!

Yoshimitsu Hiroto (Sebastian) Profile: His real name is Romane Dearborn (aged 25). Under orders from Hymeno, he was given a "butler looking" elderly appearance through special makeup, and changed his name to "Sebastian" when he became Hymeno's retainer.

"Please tell us what you respect about Sebastian."

Yoshimitsu: I think that Sebastian's willingness to fulfill any of Hymeno-sama's selfish requests is worthy of respect. Sebastian's life was saved by Hymeno-sama, so he must be absolutely obedient to her orders. Well~ I think Sebastian understands the kindness and compassion that goes beyond Hymeno-sama's selfishness.

"What are your impressions of Hymeno (including Murakami Erica), and were there any memorable moments during filming?"

Yoshimitsu: I think that Murakami Erica-san is an impeccable young lady. There are no complaints when it comes to her appearance. She's bright and has a great personality! In addition, she's positive. Even when she's depressed because the performance isn't going as well as she'd like, she doesn't let it get her down, saying, "I've gained this experience, so I can use it in the next performance." In the first place, I don't have time to hold back (laughs). She had a hard time sitting down on set. When I asked her to "sit down," she replied, "Because all the extras are standing, I can't sit," which shows just how considerate she is. She's a really good kid!!

"Give a message to the character you played!"

Yoshimitsu: When playing Sebastian, my hair is slicked back, I wear glasses, and I have a mustache. His appearance is balanced by the fact that he wears a tailcoat, but while in casual clothes, with his "slicked back hair, glasses, and mustache," wouldn't he stand out? On the train ride home from the set, there wouldn't be that many people who'd sit next to me, right? (laughs). Well, that's because I did ride the train looking like that.

"What was your most memorable moment in King-Ohger?"

Yoshimitsu: Was it episode 25 with the 20 person combination? If I'm remembering right, I rode in God Scopion. It was a fresh new experience for me, both the cockpit and the controls. Also, episode 36, where Romane Dearborn appears, personally left a deep impression on me. It was Sebastian with his special makeup removed. We find out how the super handsome Romane Dearborn ended up in the special makeup, and why he serves Hymeno-sama as a butler who changed his name to "Sebastian"……It's my favorite episodes because it depicts the bond between Hymeno-sama and Sebastian.

"A message to all the retainer members of the other countries!"

Yoshimitsu: To all the retainers, thank you so much for getting along with me. Douga-san and Boshimar-san are relatively closer in age with me, so when filming ended in the evening, we used to go out and drink alot. Morphonia-chan was my partner who liked to talk with me alot about old man stuff. I also talked to Shiokara-kun and Kuroda-kun about various things. From now on, please continue to support Sebastian!

"Please give a message to the fans of King-Ohger."

Yoshimitsu: Thank you very much for your support of King-Ohger over the past year. No matter how interesting a show is, it's not complete unless everyone watches it. This time, King-Ohger has been seen by so many people, and I think everyone involved in this production feels happy. If it remains in your heart and you remember it someday, King-Ohger will live on forever!! Thank you so much.

Hasegawa Kasumi (Morphonia) Profile: She's Rita's retainer and candidate to ascend to the throne as Gokkan's king. While she has a lazy personality, she's always concerned about Rita and never gives up on her work despite complaining.

"Please tell us what you respect about Morphonia."

Hasegawa: Even though she complained about it, no matter how difficult the environment or situation was, she was able to do her job. And, she never gave up on communicating with Rita. If it were me, I would've given up halfway (laughs). I also respect her quick thinking and ability to look ahead. She's a surprisingly capable kid (laughs).

"What are your impressions of Rita (including Hirakawa Yuzuki), and were there any memorable moments during filming?"

Hasegawa: I think Rita was and still is an interesting person. It's great that we're able to see them in many different situations, with the self they show on the outside and the real them. They're pure in a good way. When I first met Yuzuchin, I thought, "Waaah! It's Rita!! Rita's appeared!!" (laughs). When you talk to her, she's even friendlier, kinder, and more dependable than Rita. My partner. Also, I guess our most memorable moment was……the kabedon. I couldn't stop laughing (laughs).

"Give a message to the character you played!"

Hasegawa: When Chikyu is at peace, please relax and enjoy eating oranges under a kotatsu. Make sure to apply for paid vacations and eat lots of delicious food. Also, please continue to support Rita.

"What was your most memorable moment in King-Ohger?"

Hasegawa: It's episodes 10, 25, 38, and 45. I was impressed by the gradual deepening of her relationship with Rita. While reading the scripts, I felt that the way Rita and Morphonia relationship grew closer was very endearing. I remember that even when I was actually performing, there was a warm feeling within me. And the more we filmed these scenes, the more I came to love Rita.

"A message to all the retainer members of the other countries!"

Hasegawa: Douga-san, We look forward to welcoming your career change at Gokkan any time. Boshimar-san, I've had almost no interactions with the real Boshimar-san, so let's meet in Hakabaka if you get a chance. When the opportunity arises of course. Shiokara, I've been curious about this for awhile now, but what's up with your curly bang? Sebastian, you've been a great help to my Rita. Thanks for your continued support. Kuroda-san, next time, please treat me to some delicious food. Gerojim, you're alittle bigger than the others, so please consider your range when moving. That tail will hit you.

"Please give a message to the fans of King-Ohger."

Hasegawa: Thank you for supporting King-Ohger up to this point! Even though there were many strong "personalities" among the kings, they were able to reach the same goal in the end. Through this production, I also learned the strength of valuing one's own individuality and respecting the individuality of others. I hope that King-Ohger, which was created by many people including myself, will remain in everyone's memories. And with that, see you later!!

Kanzaki Hajime (Kuroda's Actor) Profile: A male kuroko who serves as the retainer to Toufu's king, Kaguragi. Although his face isn't shown, his movements are gorgeous and he's got a very nice voice.

"Please tell us what you respect about Kuroda."

Kanzaki: It's possible that he's known Kaguragi for a long time, but since becoming his retainer, he's kept the "king and retainer" relationship, and has been thinking and acting in accordance to his position as a kuroko. He's sometimes missing, but he has a cute side. And, he has a nice voice (thanks to Toriumi Kosuke-san!).

"What are your impressions of Kaguragi (including Kaku So), and were there any memorable moments during filming?"

Kanzaki: He's big! Of course, he's also tall, but his muscle mass and costume makes him look even bigger. In his spare time, he does muscle training with Masato Yano-san and others, and he'll work on his shoulders using a folding chair, so he's definitely stoic! Other than that, when the Director gave me the "OK" for a take in the film where I use a trampoline as Kuroda, he was happy and said, "You did it!" He's a magnificent man, not only with his body but also with his kind heart, it's as if he's Toufu's mother nature!

"Give a message to the character you played!"

Kanzaki: I read somewhere that originally there was no role for "Kuroda," but I started speaking lines along the way, and I'm grateful for this blessed year. Once the matter with the Uchu King has been settled, please take a good rest.

"What was your most memorable moment in King-Ohger?"

Kanzaki: It's episode 9, where I spoke as Kuroda for the first time. It was also fun to mess around with the other retainers! As for Toufu, it would be episode 37. It was like a Taiga Drama that condensed Kaguragi's past, which had been told little by little in the main story and the film into this one episode, and I was relieved that abit of Kuroda's past was also revealed.

"A message to all the retainer members of the other countries!"

Kanzaki: Boshimar-sama (Fukuzawa Jubun), I have fond memories of being mistaken for (Masato) Tsutamune-san when I first met him (laughs). He has a strong passion for acting, and I learned alot from him. I got goosebumps when I played the role of a soldier against him! Douga-sama (Morioka Yutaka), It was great that you got to play the role of a handsome old man with a family. On the other hand, when you were being interviewed in various countries, you were really funny and your actions were cool! Your style is good! Shiokara-sama (Chiwata Yuhei), He was always thinking stoically and calmly about how to make the viewers happy, which was a great inspiration! His style is good! Sebastian (Yoshimitsu Hiroto): Thank you so much for talking to me in your spare time and for thinking about a bunch of ideas for the flow of the performance on set! It's a pity that you couldn't do a backflip……If the opportunity arises, let's film it! Morphonia-sama (Hasegawa Kasumi), She had a "floaty" vibe, but she knew what was expected of her and was very stoic on the inside. It was wonderful to see her naturally embody what a senior colleague once told me, "Create fans among the staff." It's a pity that she couldn't do a back handspring……please do it if the opportunity arises! Gerojim-sama (Saitou Kenya, Suit Actor), With Gerojim's arrival, the retainer team became even more lively. The delicate acting that linked Seki Tomokazu-san's voice with his large body was wonderful! It's a pity that you couldn't perform a reverse somersault……If the opportunity arises… (laughs).

"Please give a message to the fans of King-Ohger."

Kanzaki: Everyone, thank you so much for supporting King-Ohger. It was a very meaningful year for me, as I was able to see the scenes in a different way than usual in the Action Club, I was able to appear on TikTok while rubbing shoulders with talented performers, and I was able to become part of the merchandise. Thank you so much for your letters and presents as well! I'll study so that I won't have any trouble when Kuroda appears again, thank you for your continued support!

Seki Tomokazu (Gerojim's VA) Profile: He's a Kaijim equipped with mayfly BNA and can mimic the appearance of humans by applying light refraction. He's currently working with Jeramie, who has become the king of the Bugnarak.

"Please tell us what you respect about Gerojim."

Seki: Ultimately, I think it's his unwavering faith. Even when he's lost, troubled, or frustrated, in the end, he tries to follow through with his beliefs. I respect his heart and attitude, which is like a blue flame, quiet but never extinguished.

"What are your impressions of Jeramie, and during recording, were there any episodes with memorable moments?"

Seki: First of all, I'm disappointed that I didn't get to work with Ikeda Masashi-san, who played Jeramie, even once during recording. When I saw Jeramie's performance during the broadcasts, I felt that his soft demeanor, intelligence, and his somewhat lonely appearance were all wonderful. I'd like to directly talk with him in person someday!

"Give a message to the character you played!"

Seki: I'm so glad you found a nice place to belong. I hope you'll feel safe and secure at Jeramie's side for all eternity.

"What was your most memorable moment in King-Ohger?"

Seki: That we were all able to ride the Shugods with the kings! I've ridden in Robo's as an enemy in previous productions, but I think the opportunity to ride a Robo in the Super Sentai series is very valuable! Even though it was just my voice, it was great to feel like I was in the fight with them!

"Please give a message to the fans of King-Ohger."

Seki: This year has flown by! I'm sure that everyone else feels the same way. However, I believe that the story will continue! Please continue to support King-Ohger, and let's see where we end up, together!

[jaywalking-rogue]

Listen, I know that The Best Film Wrap was ultimately just a little silly mixed event that primarily focused on Nene's character development and Kamiyama chaos, but I've been rotating one particular moment in my head and I need to talk about it.

Event spoilers under the cut!

So I've been wondering, (while I'm very proud of her, look at her go), how and why exactly An jumped from being insecure and not confident in her acting ability literally a couple episodes prior to ad-libbing an entire scene? I know both Akito and An have been getting some lessons from Nene but that's not nearly enough to have that much of a confidence jump, right?

And maybe I'm looking too much into it, especially since we don't even get An's POV in this, but in my opinion it's because her acting partner was Akito.

I mean, they've been singing together for probably something over a year now and during this time An has definitely learned Akito's telling signs, when he stumbles or loses the rhythm or whatever, so you course she's gonna jump in to cover for him! It's almost an instinct at this point, it's what VBS do!

Akito losing his timing was supposed to be a minor enough thing that Nene, the director who's paying the closest attention to the scene, only notices something is "off" a moment before An cuts in. Neither Nene nor the other actors have a clear sign that something's gone wrong, but An's somehow paying enough attention to notice Akito acting off at the same time as Nene does, and at the moment's notice makes a correct decision to jump in and save the day. And Akito catches on immediately, too.

Neither Akito nor An have any prior acting experience but what they do have experience with is being on stage together. I don't think this episode would have gone in the direction it did if An wasn't absolutely confident she interpreted the situation correctly.

VBS bounce off each other so nicely and the way they're almost always ready to cover for each other (remember Akito dragging An into a wedding and her just rolling with it? Basically same thing), and I think in-universe this dynamic between An and Akito is exactly what made the movie work and why they've been able to act their best. These two are physically incapable of letting their teammates down in any possible way.

Idk, I just think they're neat.

[theygotlost]

ok. here is my attempt to make a coherent post about the watch bbc.

my main reaction, over and over again watching the first episode, is: CHOICES WERE MADE. truly inscrutable choices for which I cannot possibly understand the rationale or thought process. If I was adapting discworld for the screen, it would ever in a million years occur to me to make these choices. some of these choices include, in no particular order:

cut-me-own-throat dibbler is a white woman with dreadlocs who uses a wheelchair. I can NOT make this up.

vetinari is also a woman. .....I have nothing else to say about this.

instead of a dragon sanctuary, sybil runs some kind of femdom petplay sex dungeon for bedraggled old men. including vimes. and this is how they meet. she traps him in her sex dungeon.

she's also skinny and average height. I repeat: sybil ramkin is SHORTER THAN VIMES.

the actor playing vimes does have a very vimey look about him I won't lie, I even like his little fauxhawk hair situation, but his performance is completely baffling. he's always making an over-the-top jim carrey face but doesn't sell it nearly as well as jim carrey so it's just awkward and not funny.

vimes' accent is also completely unplaceable. I swear it's different in every single scene. sometimes american, sometimes irish, sometimes an american doing a bad impression of an irish accent or vice versa. watching @fealtyfaggot (irish)'s face in real time as he tried to calculate this man's accent was entertaining to say the least.

honestly, every actor sounds like the director instructed them to do an irish accent except they're all bad at irish accents so they all sound weird in their own unique way.

goodboy bindle featherstone is a normal-sized, horrible cgi lizard and sybil uses him like a handheld flamethrower.

the series is attempting (and FAILING) to adapt the events of guards! guards! and night watch simultaneously. carcer is killmongerfied into a black man (not raceblind casting as ciarán pointed out to me, they specifically put out a casting call for a black actor) who is justifiably angry at the police system. and he's carcer. so he's still the main antagonist and a crazed serial killer. he's the bad guy.

john keel was also black and vimes is white, so while it doesn't actually happen in the first episode it seems apparent that CARCER will end up being the one to impersonate keel?!

AND carcer was best friends with vimes and they had some kind of ~history~ together where there was some kind of dramatic betrayal and vimes attempted suicide(?). what

I guess dwarves are.... not short? cheery is normal human height.

carrot's tragic backstory where he was thrown down a mineshaft as a baby (I laughed out loud when he said this) and his adoptive dwarf parents sent him to join the watch cause they hate him and are trying to get rid of him.

just...... why the cyberpunk angle? discworld isn't the most traditional, historically accurate medieval fantasy out there and it's not supposed to be, but.... WHY CYBERPUNK?

I almost forgot: colon and nobby are completely absent.

my only question after watching this is WHY. WHY WHY WHY WHY. why is this a discworld adaptation? why did they decide to adapt discworld in this way? there is absolutely no respect or appreciation for the source material or understanding of what makes it good. whoever came up with this does not seem to like discworld very much at all. every single second of these 42 minutes was a slap in the face.

If this was just its own show, not related to discworld in any way, it would still be pretty bad. But I could still see it having a cult following you know? there would for sure be a niche tumblr fandom for it. the best thing I can say about this show is that it would have been good if literally everthing about it was different.

[ajwamiju]

Scene 7: Reviews

CW: None

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Thanks to the rehearsals you and Suna did, the rest of the filming went by smoothly with minimal fits of laughter, even for the scenes where Hiroki and Kumiko were implied to have been intimate not long before the scene is supposed to take place (You and Suna bursted into fits of laughter a grand total of 10 times! You would’ve had 50 if you weren’t comfortable with each other).

When you and Suna watched the clips you shot together of that particular scene, you were amazed by both your and Suna's abilities to look so genuinely in love with each other, lying in bed, and holding each other while you both acted out your characters having some pillow talk in a more heartwarming scene of the movie.

“To think our situation was basically the blind leading the blind.” Suna comments as the two of you sit in the bus rented by the studio to bring the crew back home to Tokyo. “The arguments Kumiko and Hiroki had were fucking intense, I think that series drained me more than my 6-year career.”

“They were.” You agree as you nod your head. “I absolutely cannot wait to get back to acting in horror movies. They're much easier than the series we did.”

Suna glances around for a bit before leaning in to whisper in your ear. “Wanna shit on the series when it finally comes out?”

“You don't even have to ask!” You laugh as you lean back into your seat. “Thinking about it, Kumiko and Hiroki were fucking toxic man, don't think they’d actually work out if they were real people.”

“That's true. But I guess they did redeem themselves at the end there when they talked everything out.” Suna shrugs. “I don’t know how our reputation will hold up after this drama comes out, though.”

“I guess we just have to take the L and move on as if we’re not the main characters of the drama.” You sigh. “Even the best actors have a stain in their career.”

The drive from your last shooting location in Kyoto back to Tokyo takes a while, but you don’t feel just how long it is. During the 6-hour drive, you mostly either slept or talked shit with Suna and your crew, gossiping about the latest scandals of celebrities or their secret activities that would get them into scandals.

You and Suna exchange addresses before you both part ways, promising each other to keep in contact and hang out as you click well with him (you also know you both have intentions to star in the same horror movies together and that’s another reason why you’re keeping contact. But that’s honestly a given).

You would contact Suna frequently and you would even meet to hang out during your cooling period before you get another job, the highlight of these hangouts is when you two got to watch the finalised version of the drama you starred in. You both cleared your schedules for the whole day and spent watching all 12 episodes in one day, shit talking and cringing at yourselves as the story unfolds into Director Kurosu’s vision.

“This is never going to get good reviews from anyone.” Suna says as he skips the end credits of episode five to go to episode six.

“Yeah, the trailer’s out and literally the whole internet is confused as fuck.” You comment as the recap for episode five starts. “The first impression from our fans doesn't look good.”

“Let’s just look for a good horror movie to star in by next month. That should steer the public’s attention away from whatever this is.”

What you and Suna didn’t expect though is that the drama you both starred in ended up as a huge hit, to the point where it’s one of the most streamed dramas on all streaming platforms. Fans of both the romance and horror genres banded together to praise the drama as well as you and Suna for your 'phenomenal acting'.

“[Surname]-san and Suna-san’s acting were so good 😭😭😭 I’ve always known they were well-known in the horror genre, but I never knew they would also be this good at doing romance dramas!” -xxTsumufan123, 5 stars

“I’ve been a big fan of Suna-san’s works and have been DYING to see him in a movie with [Surname]-san since I also love her movies. I never thought I would see my dream come true in a romance drama but I’m deffo not disappointed 💯💯💯” -User89302, 5 stars

“Kumiko and Hiroki’s characters fit [Surname]-san and Suna-san so well! The plot of the drama isn’t that light-hearted so it also makes it feel so real and not forced!!! I can’t wait to see them in future instalments, doesn’t even matter if it’s horror, romance, or even comedy!” -Sunasveinythickthighs, 5 stars

“I’m so used to seeing Suna-san and [Surname]-san dying or killing, literally covered in blood. This is a breath of fresh air.” -Yamiki8294, 4.5 stars

You and Suna agree that you’re both dying at the outcome of this drama as well as what’s to come in the near future.

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[canmom]

last season's anime: that elf show (1-6)

Belatedly watching Sousou no Frieren, the darling of the... previous anime season four months ago. So old news as far as most are concerned!

I have held off on watching this one because, well, videogamey elves-and-dwarves European fantasy is ehhhhhh! I can get into it if it's really well done and puts the focus somewhere interesting (c.f. Dungeon Meshi), or if its medievalism is a bit more historically grounded than your average videogame-inflected fantasy anime (actual European history is full of fascinating/fucked up shit which rarely makes it into fantasy). But Frieren didn't strike me as having that vibe.

Nevertheless I heard Madhouse were the ones that did it and somehow that was enough to finally tip me over into watching it. So lol. I was a baby or even an ovum when Madhouse were doing most of their best known work, and yet...

Anyway, it turns out, not only was it a Madhouse project, but none other than Yoshiaki Kawajiri actually boarded a good few of the episodes, although he's not the enshutsu [episode director/storyboarder] whose people are most excited about. The series director's last work was Bocchi the Rock after all! And this sure is another hit.

The first two things that jumped out at me in the first episodes were: the bgs are insanely good looking and the photography department is absolutely in love with a digital bokeh filter. I don't think I often see this specific kind of blur filter in anime (though I think you'll see it the works of some directors who like to emulate realistic photography like Yamada or Shinkai), and it was interesting the effect it had of eliding the lines and creating an effect kind of similar to posterisation.

Bokeh aside, the background painting and layouts in this anime are really incredibly good. When I occasionally watch fantasy anime - I have a friend who is quite into isekai and will occasionally show me one of her faves such as Ascendance of a Bookworm - one thing that often bothers me is the architecture, you have identical box-shaped houses with big windows, wide flat streets, it generally doesn't feel like a lived-in city. This is something that particularly bothers me about Attack on Titan.

By contrast, Frieren is routinely dropping scenes like this:

Split levels, varied colours and heights, accurate depiction of features like jettying, mixing up the verticals a bit. It's an impressive attention to detail and it does so much to sell the setting.

And the nature scenes are outstanding as well. Although I'm pretty sure they're painted digitally, it has the feeling of older physical media. The bg painters clearly understand the power of hinting at form with brush stroke shapes and a few flat colours - a technique similar to the bg paintings at Ghibli. There's rarely an obvious digital texture and they exercise restraint in overwhelming everything with glows and flares. The flat colours and paint-like textures are allowed to shine on their own. Plus everything has a subtle grain (pretty sure it's just good old Perlin noise), adding to the analogue feel.

But yeah, look at the subtle atmospheric perspective in the last one there! The layers of forest in the background are painted with less saturated colours, creating a powerful sense of layering and distance, without having to draw more trees than the immediate foreground. I could learn a lot from this painting alone when it comes to forest scenes.

While I'm going on about technical stuff, the animation also stands up. The first episode in particular has some real flexes with crowd scenes containing dozens of moving characters. The character animation is generally very restrained, but naturalistic. There is constantly a strong sense of space. The action animation later does less for me - it's not at all bad, but it's within the conventions of modern shounen adaptations - but it's generally speaking strong.

All that said, what about what it's actually, y'know, about?

Frieren wastes little time in establishing its premise. The title character is a nigh-immortal elf, who was part of the RPG party that defeated the demon lord just prior to the outset of the show. Frieren has a pretty flat affect in general - not to say she's emotionless, far from it, but rather the heavy lifting of what she's feeling has to be conveyed through cinematography and implication of her actions. Though that said, it does plenty to humanise (elfise?) her too - she is not a morning person, and there are moments where she will get visibly excited about small things. Mostly, Frieren is a character who really doesn't understand herself very well.

Comparisons to the prototypical emotionaless girl Rei Ayanami come to mind to me - especially the version of Rei we encounter in Eva 3.0+1.0. Both characters' affect is shaped by transience - for Rei, she's a short-lived clone, for Frieren, her perception of time is completely miscalibrated to all the people around her so she'll accidentally disappear for decades while they get old and die. And both characters' arcs involve learning about how to understand human connections.

As kvin has said in his impressively detailed article on the background to this show, this premise is used to tell a story about the passage of time. In the specific, it's about the grief of realising you did not spend enough time with someone after they've gone. Frieren is retracing the steps of the party after disappearing from their lives for nigh on 50 years, returning just in time to catch the human characters as they die of old age. The episodes are usually constructed around her memory of that adventure, paralelled by the connection she's forming in the present with her new apprentice. She's trying to do things that she never managed to do when they were alive, get in touch with her own feelings, etc. etc. Lots of mono no aware in the air.

So each episode tends to develop two stories in parallel. There will be the immediate impetus - Frieren and co. find something that needs dealing with and coincidentally links back in to the past - and also flashbacks which help flesh out the rest of Frieren's party and why the journey was such a big deal to her. The writing and editing generally does a very good job of knowing what to leave unstated, what can be implied by a cut and a closeup.

More than anything I think I'm reminded of Seirei no Moribito. Frieren herself reminds me a little of Balsa - they're quite different characters, but the way they relate to others and the general arc of being changed by their connections - and while the dynamic between her and Fern is a little less parental than Balsa and Chagum, the use of scenery and the general approach to setting up of episode plots feels quite similar.

Predictably, stories about grief touch a nerve! 'I didn't properly appreciate the time I had with her' is something I feel particularly with my friend Fall, who we lost nearly two years ago now. A story about figuring out just what someone meant to you after they are gone is resonant, shall we say.

The first and second episodes as a pair end up particularly affecting. I talked about the technical stuff above, but the editing is also really strong. A couple of moments that stood out to me: moment of ephiphany communicated with a sudden eye closeup, an L-cut to bells which you don't hear until there's been another cut to the actual funeral. Since I've been in the sakugabooru server I've been learning to pay a lot more attention to individual enshutsu, so the names to credit in this case are Saito himself for the first, and Tomoya Kitagawa for the second.

The third episode (Daiki Harashina) stumbles a bit in my view, not so much because of the direction but because the script brings in some less-interesting magic mechanics and fighting-a-demon elements. The fourth episode, the first directed by Kawajiri, falls back into the rhythm: the stakes are small but we feel the development of Frieren and Fern's dynamic.

The fifth (Kenichi Shimizu) and sixth (Toru Iwasawa) episodes are a two part story, introducing a new character Stark as a second young apprentice character - the sixth episode has a really exceptional action scene with its dragon fight, bringing in a lot of familiar action animator names, and moreover the preceding episode does the work to set it up so we're invested in the culmination of the character arc it represents! Also there's that one sitting down cut I heard about. I wasn't sure I'd be on board with Stark at first, but he's growing on me through his interactions.

By this point we're starting to have more present-day 'villagers have a monster problem' type setups, but they're still primarily instruments to advance characterisation: the conflict of Stark with cowardice and responsibility is paralelled by one of Frieren's former party members, Frieren and Fern get to face ghosts of people they've lost, etc.

The first few episodes jump forward in years at a time in between, and even within the episodes tend to elide huge periods of time with montages - very effective for driving the central theme of tiiiiime. That seems to be slowing down a little now, although we'll see.

I think if anything weakens it, it's that the demons and monsters feel undercooked as setting elements - and I'm a little worried by hearing that they become increasingly central elements as the show goes on. Of course, they're kinda mandated by the RPG setting, and being able to just say 'back when demons attacked the village' lets the show put its time into characterisation. But to take episode 3 for example - surely there is drama to be had in the idea of a senior underling who was frozen for nigh eighty years, unaware that his master had been overthrown? But nah, he just attacks immediately, and then it turns out that human magic science has advanced so much building out from his technique that he's not a big deal anymore (ratfic ass concept). Mostly demons and monsters exist as plot devices, opportunities for characters to prove themselves or experience an epiphany.

It's a shame because the show goes to such enormous lengths to flesh out everyone else's motivations. 'Why did character x do or feel y' is kind of the thrust of every episode (c.f. that kinda questionable stuff people say about JP storytelling being more about causality than conflict). Next time they supply us a demon character, I hope they're willing to give them a comparable treatment. 'Kind, peace-loving villagers vs ontologically evil baddies' is just such a boring dynamic, and with such love poured into everything else, it seems a shame.

Overall, I don't think Frieren is going to displace Tengoku Daimakyou as my fave of 2023, or stand alongside Dungeon Meshi as elves-and-dwarves fantasy goes, but it's definitely a memorable one. As an adaptation it's absurdly strong. Looking forward to watching the rest.

[animehouse-moe]

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 3: Hidden Inventory 3

I'll be the first to say it, this episode is markedly better than the prior two. It's better in quite a few different ways, though is still peppered with quite a few complaints. Would I say that things are looking up? Probably not, no. Would I say there's a chance at this adaptation getting better as we go on? Quite possibly, yes. It's a very weird spot, but this episode does well almost because it doesn't try to be Jujutsu Kaisen, rather it tries to move as far away from it as it can, and it's in the pieces that are central to JJK that you understand something is wrong. Confusing yes, but hopefully I can break down my thoughts into more detail with this post.

I like to call what I've just described the "Tanya The Evil Effect". It's an aspect where the depiction of a story and its events ends up so far deviated in tone and experience, that when under good direction and work you can still value and appreciate it as something disparate from the source material.

The episode director isn't in over their head this episode, Gosso isn't hamfisting excessive and incoherent direction into the content at large, there's just a lot of stuff that greatly divorces this episode from Gosso's vision at large, and is part of why it remains successful.

I still think there's things that are silly and pointless changes for the sake of cutting corners, like this sequence of Kuroi and Geto talking where they're static in the anime vs in motion in the manga. It's just one of those simple things that provides context and agency to the situation. Why would Geto and Kuroi be standing still if Amanai is in danger?

If you take a closer look at the episode, it's actually quite odd. There's a lot of direction that's bog standard, just characters in frame standing still. But then you get random bursts of direction that are surprisingly solid, like this piece of Amanai behind the fence/bars, symbolizing her isolation and feeling of being prisoner to her role as the Star Plasma Vessel. Arguably one of the only scenes that makes proper use of the change of scenery from the rooftop rendezvous of the manga.

Anyways, onto Okinawa. I'm disappointed, but also surprised. Incredibly sad to not see Gojo's summer hairstyle on display, but I also feel like with a lot of these scenes, this is the closest we'll manage to S1/manga humor parity.

Alright, back into disappointment mode. Very sad that they didn't include this pose/panel for Haibara and Nanami. Why don't we just continue to strip the characterization and style of this cast more, MAPPA? Also, poor Haibara man. Nanami's already a lost cause sadly, but I at least had a bit of hope for Haibara in spite of the early showings of their character design. Even worse than I was expecting to be honest. The energy and slightly goofy nature just does not exist within him in the anime.

Have to shout out my boy Asta/Tadano though. Love seeing Gakuto Kajiawara getting more and more VA roles.

Where was I? Oh yeah, Okinawa. This is now a drama anime, plain and simple. The framing/layouts/etc are all very much drama leaning, and it's well done. It's just that compared to what the manga offers.... it's, well, decidedly not it. Also, unsure why, but random scenes in the episode are very low-res? I know Tumblr compression does not help at all, but this scene in particular is incredibly grainy and odd. There's also something wrong here in how dull Gojo and Geto's colors are in the shade compared to how vibrant the scene is in the light. I wouldn't call it bad compositing, but the color design doesn't feel quite right. I mean, the second image is of them in the exact same spot under the shade, but it looks so much better? The environment art is sharper in their vicinity, the character designs are more detailed, there's proper shading, and the colors seem way more accurate/realistic.

Maybe I've just gotten used to the poor compositing/coloring of the series to be honest, because at first glance I didn't actually think it was as inconsistent as I'm finding it to be.

Also, shoutout MAPPA hating on Geto again man. This dude is just stepped all over through these episodes and it hurts me so much. His expressiveness is totally stripped away from him and replaced with some hollow smile that I'm sure anime onlies can even tell carries no weight. Like please tell me, who are these two people in the anime??? It just hurts, and it's the tip of the iceberg for the issues with faces and expressions.

Personally speaking, I think this one is the biggest failure from MAPPA. They literally did this exact defeated smile Geto loves to wear in JJK 0, and they can't repeat it for S2? It's just so painful to see them totally mismanage the characters despite having simpler designs so they can "be more expressive".

That's enough bemoaning what's happened to poor Geto, allow me to return to why this episode is actually better (though it only really borders on good) than the prior ones: that drama feel. They extend what's displayed in the manga of Amanai and co's Okinawa trip, and it's pretty well done. I'd say as a manga reader though? I don't really care, and I don't think it adds a great deal to the experience in the first place with how they chose to add things. The scenes are pretty and some of the best displayed in the episode though, of course. The good old MAPPA special of placing insane effort into original pieces while giving the source material the cold shoulder.

Okay, one little piece of criticism (though it's actually sorta big). MAPPA just can't keep their little paws off of messing up characters for some reason. It's a simple thing, I know, but it's also why I'm complaining about it. There was no need. No need to have Amanai place her hands behind her back, to do something that her character never did even once in the manga. But they do, and it changes the tone of Amanai simply walking through an aquarium, to Amanai placing more thought in the experience. A very frustrating and needless change that weighs down the actual potential displayed in the sequence at large.

Anyways, what makes this piece of the original adaptation good? Well, the use of the symbolism of fish was already strong in the manga thanks to Gege, as its used to further show Amanai's isolation and the lack of a group that she can exist alongside/be with. That part remains clear in the anime thankfully. The piece that adds to it though is the parallel between the aquarium and its customers. They place the idea of Amanai's isolation compared to the fish on top of the people visiting the aquarium. Sounds a little odd maybe but I'm bad at explaining, but the point is to show the isolation Amanai feels from seeing the fish (and whales) in the aquarium as a palpable and noticeable thing that she actively experiences.

Of course, I'm not without complaints, but I feel like it's easier to let it slide if you don't look deeply at this sequence. If you see it as something untethered to Amanai's character, the weird extra cuts of the fish swimming freely in the aquarium is fine, but putting it alongside the context of Amanai's character it's pretty confusing and excessive. Why spend all that time fixating on the movements of the fish trapped in an aquarium, relegated to their current fate? Feels like a tone deaf movement for some odd pursuit of artistry that neglects the function of the sequence.

Alright, on to the next butchered character/sequence! Toji and Gojo. Man, I knew what to expect considering they showed viewers as much of the "good" stuff as they could, but I didn't think it was going to get this weak.

I knew Toji was going to suffer, but I mean, how different can you really get and still call it the same character? What a weird shit-eating grin in the anime versus the far more creepy and naturally twisted smirk that rests on Toji's face. It's just incredibly bothersome to see them fail so miserably with reactions that are so important to characters.

And I mean, they do it again, and again, and again. The whole flashback sequence is meant to be played off like horror, and up until the reveal is well done. It's got tension, a cheesy horror soundtrack. It's got the potential to actually do something with the appeal it's aiming for, but it ultimately fails because what is Toji's reaction here? It's supposed to be the thing that he fears/despises/disgusts, but all that shows on his face is plain surprise? Compare that to the manga, and you see how flat and lifeless this reaction is.

Okay okay last one before I move on. What kind of pose is this? He's so relaxed and standing like he's already superior to Gojo, like he knows he could win effortlessly. It is absolutely not the pose and expression of a man set to go up against arguably the most feared sorcerer of his time.

Anyways, action and stuff. I don't think it's terrible. As I'd already established though it's not JJK action. It takes well done choreography and layouts, and reduces it to flashy cuts that viewers can barely piece together in time. What's more worth talking about is how dim and over processed the sequences are. They just end up looking so out of place no matter what MAPPA tries to do. Also man, the S2 OST really does stink. Even in a tense action sequence there's just zero heart in it. Such a massive flop compared to the electric work on S1 and 0.

Okay, yes, Keiichirou Watanabe's animation for Gojo's Blue is well done. But, if the camera wasn't having a seizure I'm sure it would be better received. Of course, same issues in regards to the prior statement about action with the dimming and over processing too. Wastes a lot of potential that the cut had to be a genuinely great piece of animation in the context of JJK. It still undeniably is, beneath all of the additional oddities that bury it, but it's pretty far removed from JJK.

If you want to understand what I'm saying, take a look at Hanami vs Yuji and Todo (Watanabe did the cut of Hanami's massive branch attack). Yes, the compositing is better for Gojo's blue, but take a look at the camera work. How much effort it places into keeping the duo in frame, how hard it tries to keep things cohesive and easy to follow. It's a night and day difference that shows the importance of a director in delivering the best version of someone's animation.

Anyways, here's Gojo's Blue sequence, as a video. Too long to make into a reasonable quality gif, and also insanely flashy and all over the place so nicer than having seizure material auto-play in two places at once.

Alright, so uh, Gojo dies, Toji pulls up with the gat and domes Amanai right in front of Geto, following it up by announcing that he killed Gojo. And then the episode ends. Honestly? I loved the ending just cause I know it'll cause so much chaos for viewers.

The episode overall though? It's weird that I think it noticeably better than the prior two when I've complained about so much, but maybe it's one of those things where the closer you get to being correct, the more faults you find in the thing being examined. Regardless, it feels like Toji's been incredibly nerfed from a viewer's perspective compared to the manga (alongside Geto and plenty of others), and honestly I had next to no hype for their actual sequence because it all felt so disjointed. The pacing of it felt off, and the action just didn't grab me with it's super flashy, highly processed, up close and personal so you can't quite tell what's going on combat. I'd say it's still a flop compared to what S1 would offer in comparison for big moments, but it's also done better on average when compared to the prior two episodes.

Pacing is of massive concern now though. We're three episodes in, with a total of five. It took us three episodes to make 8 chapters total, and we've got 6 though more likely 7 chapters of content left to cover for this arc, with only 2 episodes remaining. "Oh that's not too bad", except for the fact that there's the massive upcoming fight alongside us still having to get through Toji vs Geto. Even with the 6 instead of 7 chapters, even if they don't add any original content, they're speed-running at a minimum of 3 chapters for the last two episodes, which is pretty damn bold.

Is Hidden Inventory/Gojo's Past going to hold on and make it to the end in its current state, or will it rush itself to an early grave? Next episode will certainly be the deciding factor, but whatever it is, I'm not exactly hopeful of where we're going to be left.

[chirpsythismorning]

In reference to the script for 4x04 dropping, curtesy of @aurorabyler

STRAP IN FOLKS!

Basically, I'm now considering the possibility that Finn used notes separate from the script for season 4, which were specific to Mike and Mike only.

Because let's be real, there's no way the Duffer's gave Finn absolutely nothing to go off of, at all. Which is what this script here implies.

They themselves actually revealed that they gave him 'some pretty hard hitting stuff this season'. And I'm starting to think it's because his character was very difficult portray.

Until we get all the scripts for s4, we won’t know for sure, but if/when we eventually do, I think what we’ll find is that all of these important moments involving Mike this season, are never going to be from Mike's perspective, but from either Will's, El's or even Jonathon's. At best, Mike's inner thoughts will be vague or hidden in the subtext, but not even close to being fully acknowledged.

Luckily for all of us, there happens to be at least one scene in particular we may not have to wait for a script to find out...

Before Vol. 2 dropped, the one and only swiftlynavel said that the pineapple pizza scene was from Will’s pov (tweet since deleted 👀).

Although they weren’t right about everything, they were right about a few things that happened in Vol. 2, including:

Humoring the possibility of Byler is not something they're known for, so I'm not surprised they revealed this "Will's pov' leak, only to not think much of it initially. But the fact that they've since deleted this tweet, makes me wonder if they realized this detail ended up being not so great for their interpretation of things.

Still, if what they said is true, then this would only support the theory that we're witnessing everything mostly from Will's perspective this season, even in every M*leven scene potentially now. Well, besides their 'big' fight, because Will wasn't present (but, when we eventually do get the script for that scene, and it's from El's perspective and totally ambiguous in regards to Mike's feelings... then what?)

If the Duffer's are going through all this trouble to keep us in the dark, to the point where Mike's perspective is entirely missing from the script... to the point where even the most casual of fans are begging for s1-2 Mike Wheeler back... then it must be building up to something, and for a specific reason.

After reading the script for 4x04, we can see there are indeed little to no hints about what Mike is thinking/feeling. When it comes to him, the script focuses solely on his actions, literal expressions and dialogue. That’s it. Nothing much deeper though, especially not anything that could hint too much about his feelings/thoughts regarding Will. They don't want to give us any clear cut reason why he is saying/doing the things he is. They offer up the bare minimum, then leave the rest up to interpretation.

How convenient.

Now, Will on the other hand... his mouth, DRY AS A CALIFORNIA SUMMER???

So yeah, this is all very suspicious.

Oddly, what made this possibility of Finn having notes, separate from the script, sort of hit me, was that I noticed there was no mention in the script of Mike putting his arm up to Will during the shoot out.

Fans first noticed this subtly in the actual episode, but it was only a mere observation at this point. It was so fast, that I don't think any of us were all too confident it was a definitive creative choice by the director or anything...

But then Shawn Levy, director of 4x04 himself, posted a video of them rehearsing this exact moment, with Finn clearly putting his arm up to Noah in a way that feels, dare I say... scripted?

I think understandably, they all tried to be as exact as possible in their character’s movements during the rehearsal here, because the official shot needed to be done in one long take. They had to get it right.

But hypothetically, for the sake of this post, this could be just one potential example of Finn doing/saying something, that was intentionally left out of the main script, and understandably so, because it might hint towards Mike's thoughts/feelings towards Will.

And this alone may also disprove the popular fan theory that Finn is pushing for Byler all by himself, against the Duffers wishes (tbh I think dude is just doing his job the way they intended??). And even if that was the case, wouldn't it have made more sense for him to wait to pull this out in the final take, not outright during rehearsal? It's very clearly something he wouldn't do unless he was supposed to, directed to, especially given the implications with everything that’s going on in the plot during this episode.

Again, I think that if/when we get the rest of the scripts for s4, it's likely going to follow this trend of everything being from Will's perspective, or at least heavily ambiguous in regards to what Mike could possibly be thinking.

This would also conveniently explain why Mike’s behavior this season has been so confusing to the audience overall. Vol. 2 especially has people STUMPED. Which would make sense if only Finn and a handful of others know the true nature of his reactions. It’s possible most involved in the process aren’t entirely aware of Mike’s feelings as a result of them leaving everything out of the script. And I think that allowed for the story to come off so disjointed and confusing. That was the intention.

It was entirely intentional that we didn't know a single thought that was going on in Mike's head.

But why? What could he possibly be thinking about, that would make it so worthwhile to hold off on...

Anyways... Highly anticipated Mike revelation in ST5, here we come !!

[initiumseries]

Can you list the best asian dramas you ever watched?

Oh 100%. Now this is in no particular order. So I'm gonna combine best and most compelling. Some dramas I watched weren't necessarily "The Best" but they held onto me and I think that's worth noting.

Goblin The Great and Lonely God

This drama, is a drama I'd pay money to have my brain wiped of memories of so I could watch it again for the first time. Everything about it is so good, so emotional, and it's literally changed the landscape of kdramas since.

Touch Your Heart

Lee dong wook and Yoo in na's reunion drama right after goblin is EXACTLY what we needed and it was such a perfect, quintissential romantic comedy drama. Exactly what got me into kdramas in the first place.

Hi Bye Mama

I've said this before, but this drama was...whew. It's weirdly slept on, because it's the first drama that made me CRY, cry. So worth the watch.

Navillera

Not necessarily the best kdrama I've ever watched, but you put young people in need of a parental figure and old people in need of a young person together and you've got me HOOKED. I will watch ANYTHING kdrama related with young folks and their grandparents. I'm very close with my grandfather so this drama MESSED ME UP. So emotional, so good.

Something In the Rain

this drama was like...it took over my life, made me SO FUCKING ANGRY, and then like ruined me. Their chemistry was INSANE, and it elevated the emotionality of their relationship. Also the cinematography was so...thoughtful. They deliberately filmed it so their intimate moments felt like we were spying on them a bit, and I really liked that idea of seeing them behind bookcases while they're cuddling to watch tv etc. They felt like a real couple.

Crash Landing On You

It's just a drama you have to watch. Nothing I can say about it will make sense. But when you watch it and see them AND the second leads together? Bro.

Princess WeiYoung

This was one of the first c-dramas I actually sat through. The backbiting, the scheming, the costumes, the sets, HOOKED me. I was IN. And THEN their chemistry?!?! LOOK at how he's LOOKING at her. Ugh.

The Rise of the Phoenixes

So, I know I'm alone in this, but this was one of the most thorough and intense dramas I've seen. The attention to detail really resonated with me. It's like, the definition of a slow burn, but their chemistry is CRAZY, the acting is top tier, the sets, the costumes, the drama. It was all just such a feast. Even the fact that, there was no dub for this drama, the actors read all the really challenging poems they recited themselves, the meaning behind everything, was sooo cool. The director's cut saved it, I know, but I felt like they could've cut some stuff out to keep it tight. Such a melancholy drama from beginning to end.

The Story of Yanxi Palace

I am a messy bitch who lives for drama and yanxi palace DELIVERS. All the women are insane, and compelling, and NASTY. And I LIVE for that. I've been watching kdramas a long time, and I was so happy when they finally got to the point of making their female leads have personalities and not be doormats. So when I started getting into c-dramas, the thing that hooked me was that the lead female characters were often women with strong personalities, smart, and simply limited by the circumstances of the world they live in, but even with those restrictions, they exercise such power within those boundaries that I LOVE. This drama does all that and more. A+.

Misty

this drama is so tough for me and zalrb. It was SO COMPELLING to watch. Kim Nam Joo is RIVETING to watch, and it was her comeback drama and boy did she come BACK. I remember rushing home from work to watch the next episode because I had NO idea where it was gonna go, and the TENSION between her and the guy not her husband was STRESSFUL. But whew the fucking whiffed it at the end. It's so unfortunate because a tight ending would've sent me over the edge. But alas, this was (minus the ending) one of the most compelling kdramas I've ever watched.

Till the End of the Moon

Jesus christ. This drama was so FRUSTRATING. But their relationship was compelling, HE was compelling. Tantai Jin was SO incredibly interesting to watch and it felt like watching an actor level up as you're watching. I'm generally not a fan of fantasy C-dramas bc the cg is ALWAYS awful. But I just ffwrd through most of that stuff to watch the relationship stuff. I felt like there was a stronger way to tell this story, but they were compelling.

I feel like I might be missing some but these are the ones I thought of right away.

[thewrongmoon]

Color Grading in Stranger Things

Soooo I wanted to make this post because I'm someone going into the field and I've been seeing some debate on the topic. Mostly around "production errors." I think the term "production error" is kind of misused in a lot of cases? For me things boil down to one of four things: 1. actual production errors, 2. intentional details, 3. coincidences, or 4. things that just happen and/or are normal in the production process.

The fourth one is the category I see most with the color grading "errors" in the show. I think there's an inclination to apply real world logic to film/tv a lot of the time, but you have to remember that that doesn't necessarily extend to things like color grading and lighting. Lighting and color grading are both things that can change slightly between shots in the same scene. And this isn't an error (most of the time.)

Making these subtle changes usually is done with the intention of making the viewer subconsciously feel something. You can get away with quite a bit because viewers will not notice these subtle changes on their first watch; there's just so much new information that your eyes are absorbing that the color or lighting set up being slightly different isn't usually something you'll immediately notice (unless maybe you have some expertise in the topic/work in the field.)

The reason for these changes can vary. Each lighting setup and color palette has a different feeling, emotion, symbolic meaning. I'd say a lot of the time they're based in color science but they can also have a more narrative based meaning (example: director deciding that in the film he makes that the color yellow = danger. They start to associate the color with every precarious scene. Subconsciously the viewer begins to become fearful whenever the color yellow is on screen.)

I think showing actual examples from the show would help kind of demonstrate what I'm talking about so let's get into it!

Exhibit A:

Image one: Around 10 minutes 30 seconds into the episode

Images two and three: Around 13 minutes into the episode

So I noticed that this shot became more blue in time when I was making my movie theatre blush analysis (see that here) But actually, rewatching the scene, the shot of Mike only looks slightly more blue than the previous shot of them. The shot with Will looks very noticeably more blue, though. These shots were obviously filmed on the same day, maybe even at the same time with multiple cameras rolling. They also have the same lighting set up (split lighting.)

So, is this a production error? No. If the intention was to make the shots of Mike and Will have the same color grading, you would literally have to be the most incompetent person alive to mess that up. Copying the same color grade from one shot to another is the easiest thing ever. You will not be hired as a colorist if you don't know how to do this.

Why make these shots slightly different, then? I'm not the guy who did this grading so I can't tell you with 100% certainty, but I have a couple ideas: The one I see the most is tying this to Will's visions in S2. The bottom two images are after Will has another vision. We see this blue color grading when Will is in the upside down and having visions. Blue also has a cold connotation, and we see Will get goosebumps, shiver and tremble in this scene.

Exhibit B:

Okay this one is a lot more subtle. Also this one has to deal more with lighting than color grading though I'm sure both play a part in this.

So in the scene where they bury the body, the light setup is extremely bright and high contrast. If you look at their shadows in particular you can see how dark they are. There's almost no fall of on the shadows in the first picture. I think the whole set of scenes has a yellow filter to imply a hot, arid environment, but it's more noticeable in the first and last image. The first two images also have a lighting set up where the main light is right in front of them, putting Will specifically in a Rembrandt lighting setup. This lighting is meant to kind of represent the sun beating down on you, it's hot. Will and Jonathan are also really sweating, so it's obvious that this is what the intention was with this lighting setup.

When Mike and Will sit down to have their heart to heart, the lighting very subtly changes. The main light is now a back light, though there's also a light above them as indicated by where the shadows lay. But the lighting is also a lot softer. The shadows have more fall of, which leads me to believe they either used a soft light or a reflector. Softer light can be an indication of a more romantic scene. When they're broken out of their moment, the lighting grows less soft and everything starts to get more yellow.

Exhibit C:

So I think this whole thing was confirmed to be recorded in one take, so I'm operating on the idea that they didn't change the lighting in this scene in between shots. But they possibly could have? The fill light on our right looks slightly dimmer than in the shot before.

But I mostly think this is a difference in color grading. Mike's face is darker and has more contrast. Once again, not a mistake but an intentional decision. This is the scene where he's trying to desperately get El to fight Vecna. I think the contrast was accentuated to add more drama to the scene. Mike's cries of "Fight!" grow more desperate, his voice is cracking, he's clearly scared. High contrast lighting is more dramatic, more cinematic, more high stakes.

A discussion on the more technical side of things:

So not every one of these things is explainable by them intentionally wanting to set the mood or having a narrative reason behind the slight changes. Color grading is one of the final parts of the production process, so the footage you have to work with is all you're gonna get. And mistakes do happen in some footage. Some scenes are shot on different days, sometimes a light breaks or is set too dim, etc, etc. The colorist is responsible for helping to match these shots together in a way where the error isn't noticeable and doesn't break the immersion of the viewer. But you have to work with what you have!

Also, I did mention copying the grade from one shot to the next, but please don't think that that is like "oh i just have to grade one shot, copy it to all of the other ones and then I can be done!" because that's not really correct either. You'll still want to tweak the grade slightly for each new shot. Each shot probably has different lighting, a different set of people or objects, and other things you have to consider.

But I hope this was a helpful break down of the process! Honestly if I went back and rewatched more scenes I could probably find more examples of this, I only really have Mike and Will scenes because I've analyzed those the most, lol. Just know that not everything is as linear as in real life, film/tv is an artistic medium so it's gonna break some rules occasionally.

[goingroguepod]

What happened to all those shots from the Rogue One trailer?

so this is the first question I always got when I told people about my Rogue One hyperfixation and it's one of the most complicated to answer - it basically spans two whole episodes of the podcast, because there's a few different answers depending on which shot it is, but the TL:DR is:

When the trailers for Rogue One were cut, the film did not exist.

Especially the teaser trailer - the director's cut was still being assembled, which was about 10 minutes longer than the final film and substantially different for a while heap of reasons, but the Lucasfilm Marketing team that cut the trailers weren't cutting a trailer from a film, they were assembling a reel from the film rushes, without a final cut and possibly even without a script.

Which brings us to the first type of cut shot: Indie Hour

Because director Gareth Edwards usually worked in a really lose, improvisation style, there was an hour of shooting time every day that was dedicated to unique shots that looked cool. These included the one above and the cut shot of Jyn turning around in a corridor in her imperial disguise (at the top of the post). These shots were visually striking but because they weren't planned, they often didn't have a strong story purpose and weren't needed in the edit - but if you're cutting a trailer, they're catnip because they're cool shots that don't spoil anything because they're all mood, no plot.

The teaser trailer in particular has a lot of these (a third of that trailer isn't in the final film). But there's also another reason for the wildly different shots in the trailer: reshoots.

Rogue One's reshoots have been speculated about a lot, but the trailers act as a kinda archeological artefact of how the film was structured pre-reshoots, especially regarding the final act. Basically the Scarif mission originally had Jyn, Cassian and K2 steal the plans, then cross the battlefield to a second tower to transmit them to the Rebel Fleet. This version was probably about 20 minutes longer than the 50 minutes Scarif is in the film, and it was cut down for time, both to avoid dragging and leave room for other scenes added in reshoots, like Jyn's prison breakout and Cassian's mission to the Ring of Kafrene.

But when the trailers were being cut, the reshoots were still happening, so the marketing department had no real way to know what would and wouldn't make the cut.

They actually included some shots that they already knew weren't in the final film, like this one of Jyn facing off with a Tie Fighter.

There was, in an earlier iteration, a storyboarded face-off like this, but by the time it was included in the film's story trailer, it had already hit the cutting room floor. But the marketing department felt that it matched the film's tone and vibe, so they got the VFX finished just for the trailer.

There's a much more comprehensive breakdown of the trailers and the reshoots in Going Rogue, my frankly too-indepth podcast about Rogue One's difficult production, but yeah, basically there's a heap of reasons why all those shots in the trailers weren't in the films.

[mirai-e-jump]

Hero Vision Vol.17 (2005/Winter) ft. Kamen Rider Blade Cast Members Takayuki Tsubaki & Ryoji Morimoto Final Episode Interviews (translations below)

Publication: February 20, 2005 (after broadcast end) Takayuki Tsubaki (Kazuma Kenzaki)

Before anyone else, Kenzaki Kazuma had always protected Hajime, an Undead, by recognizing his human qualities. If anything should happen to him, Kenzaki is responsible for (sealing) him. And now, that time (where a certain event may happen) is finally approaching. At that time, what will Kenzaki do?

"With heart pounding anticipation, Tsubaki-kun read the tense final script in his room."

Tsubaki: I was really looking forward to it, so I took it with me when I went home to read it over carefully. Reading the script was very emotional, when I finished it, I almost cried……It's very sad. I felt like, "Ah, I don't know what I should do……"

"Of course, it's not the ending we had imagined."

Tsubaki: For me, the only thing I could think about was that it would be better if I didn't have to seal Hajime. I though if it were Kenzaki, he could manage to save the world without ever sealing him……But I liked the way it ended because it was what I wanted. I thought it was a happy ending.

"A happy end."

"If you watch the final episode with such a familiar sounding phrase in mind, you'll be shocked. I'm sure the viewers will have the same feeling when they finish seeing what was written in Tsubaki-kun's script. The story is over, and now that I have these feelings, I don't know what I should do. I think Kenzaki's feelings in the last episode are rather complex, but I wonder how you, Tsubaki-kun, feel about it."

Tsubaki: I wasn't required to do anything in particular (by the Director), so I decided to act like Kenzaki until the end. If I didn't, I wouldn't feel like it was over. I'm going to keep moving forward with the feeling of, "Making everyone happy." I don't have a problem with being the one to suffer.

"I don't have a problem with being the one to suffer"

"As Kenzaki fights a cruel fate for the sake of everyone's happiness, Tsubaki-kun says, "It's pretty manly, huh?" When I said that I wanted Kenzaki, who is always thinking about Hajime and the others, to be happy, Tsubaki-kun responded with a surprised, "Eh?! But, he's happy when everyone else is happy, that's what his happiness is." He said this, smiling, as if it was already obvious. We all understand that wishing others happiness is a good thing, but, to actually do so in this world is quite difficult. Meanwhile, Tsubaki-kun regards Kenzaki's behavior as "normal." He fully understands and identifies himself as Kenzaki. Kenzaki was in a situation where he had no friends, lost his parents, and was all alone. When I asked, "Do you feel the same way?," Tsubaki-kun does have friends, so it seems different. As for his feelings toward Hajime, he interprets it as, "I can't leave him alone," rather than being attracted towards him by the feeling of loneliness."

Tsubaki: It's like, um……with Hajime, I feel like I can't leave him alone, you know? I think Kenzaki had a strong feeling that Hajime really needs him. Moreover, Hajime also does his best to protect Amane-chan. I guess that's how they got through to each other, huh?

"Kenzaki and Tsubaki-kun aren't exactly the same. But, there's no doubt that they're in synch."

Tsubaki: Even in my daily life, when I suddenly remember one of the scripts, my excitement levels rise, and I'll tend to cause a commotion. I try to suppress the urge, because it bothers everyone (laughs). Speaking of which, things have been really weird latley. Even though I not doing anything, I often get complaints like, "It's the middle of the night! You're too noisy!" I really don't understand it. You know what I do think, it's because I read scripts at home and sometimes I may speak out loud. I also read the script before going to bed, so I'm wonder if I'm doing something while I'm sleeping……(he looks nervous).

"The script for the final episode is so emotional that you may be unconsciously shouting out loud (?). The day where you'll leave this world is drawing near."

Tsubaki: I'm sad to see it end, but I hope I can inherit Kenzaki's positive qualities and continue to grow. I've received alot of things from Kenzaki that I previously didn't have. The most important thing being strong minded. Kenzaki has the ability to believe in others and act accordingly, so I really want to learn from that.

"When the show first started, he said that he had no emotions or feelings, and that he wanted to experience them through acting. Just as he promised, since the Summer, Kenzaki's facial expressions have become much more intense, and he even seems to be able to convey subtle nuances. I wonder if Tsubaki-kun himself was able to acquire these emotional movements?"

Tsubaki: No, no, when I go home……I'm still rather quiet (laughs). I spent more time acting as Kenzaki, so I didn't really care (about myself), but once it's over (the show), I'll have to live a different life.

"Just as Kenzaki called risking his life fighting "work," when I asked Tsubaki-kun if acting was also important work he can devote his life to, he responded with a very clear, "Yes!"

Ryoji Morimoto (Hajime Aikawa)

"As the final episode of Kamen Rider Blade drew near, Ryoji Morimoto-kun and Takahiro Hojo-kun were making a fuss saying, "No way, I hate this!" When the script was giving to Morimoto-kun, he said……"

Morimoto: Honestly, I wasn't sure I wanted to watch it. I thought I wouldn't watch it because it's the end, but, I'll guess I'll watch it after all (laughs). My though process is: I should watch it, actually let's not, but still, let's watch it (laughs).

"Finally, the script was opened. There was an unexpected turn of events, or rather, a shocking ending for Ryoji Morimoto, who played the role of Hajime Aikawa."

Morimoto: The ending was the complete opposite of what I had in mind. I was expecting a happy ending, a future where all the Riders could live together, but I didn't expect……that. Hajime was supposed to be a tragic hero, but in the end, Kenzaki carried the burden by himself, and it almost made me cry. I was deeply moved.

"This emotion continued to stir Morimoto-kun's heart even during filming."

Morimoto: In the final scene where I fight with Kenzaki, I was suddenly overcome with emotion while performing.

"I wonder, did Tsubaki-kun feel the same way?"

Morimoto: Tsubaki-kun……was the same as usual (laughs). He didn't really say much. Our conversations went like: "What do you think of this?," "Yeah, let's just do things as usual," "Eh?! But, this is our last time," "I know, it's alright," "Okay, well, let's do it with feeling. As we usually do." Tsubaki-kun was just his usual self. But, the feelings of Ryoji Morimoto's, "I'm sad that Blade is over" overlapped with Hajime Aikawa's feelings, which made me feel even more depressed. Tsubaki-kun only expressed his feelings to me through his performance, which made me incredibly sad. I almost cried not only during the fight scene, but during the very last scene with Kenzaki.

"The final episode is so sad because Hajime becomes more human towards the end, and because everyone had hoped that they would live happily ever after together, it'll leave viewers in shock."

Morimoto: I wanted to create a peaceful environment for Amane-chan and Haruka-san, so that they could spend their time together like a real family, all without being aware of the fact that I'm an Undead. Mutsuki may have had a barrier in that respect, and even though Hajime has become more human, he has to consider keeping the distance between himself and other humans.

"In a scene that stunned viewers, what were your thoughts on the scene where you attack Kenzaki with a lemon?"

Morimoto: I read the script and didn't feel strange about it, so I was able to do it easily. I only did it because I upset by Kenzaki doing it to me first. Well, to be honest, I was thinking of doing it in a somewhat cuter way, or saying my lines in cute way (laughs).

"Now, considering all the factors, I wonder if Morimoto-kun considers this ending as a happy ending?"

Morimoto: It's tricky……Happy end……Well, I guess for me, no matter what form I take, I'm glad that I was able to save the world.

"Speaking of Hajime, something that concerns me is Amane-chan. Amane-chan has a crush on Hajime, but Morimoto-kun used to tease Hikari-chan (Amane-chan's actress), and for awhile, she didn't like you. How are things now?"

Morimoto: Things are perfect. Hikari-chan's birthday will be soon I think. I need to buy her a present! When she gave me a present, it was T-shirt with a heart on it. I still wear it when I'm at home. By the way, Amane-chan's changed quite abit this past year, hasn't she? She used to be very childish, but recently she's become more mature (laughs). Is it all thanks to Hajime-san? I'm sure that I, Ryoji Morimoto, have become alittle more innocent thanks to Amane-chan's pure feelings.

"Looking back on the past year, how do you feel right now?"

Morimoto: My confidence as an actor has grown alittle, and my desire to be an actor has gotten even stronger. I strongly feel that there's no other profession that'll make me happier. I'm very happy when people see me perform, when they see that I'm doing my best, or when they see me being upbeat, it all makes me very happy. It may seem simple, but when I see that others are happy, I feel that I can do my best. Seeing them like that is the greatest happiness for me. I hope I can continue to attract people in the different works I do in the future.

"There's only one day left of filming. All that remains is the scene where Hajime turns into Joker. In this short scene, it's only Hajime and Joker on location.

Morimoto: I've been on the verge of tears so many times since the final episode, I'm sure you'll cry at the end too. But, being with Joker feels abit lonely. It makes me want to say something like, "I'm going back to live with my parents~" (laughs). This past year has gone by very quick. I worked incredibly hard, but I wish I had worked harder……Ah, man, I'll apply for Kamen Rider one more time next year. No, actually, let's go for Ultraman next time! (laughs).

"Although Morimoto-kun ended the interview on a cheerful note, he was abit teary eyed during most of it. I wonder what he'll do in the future……I'm personally looking forward to seeing some stage performances."

[444lpblue]

Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts #5 - The Holy Beast of Immortality and Rebirth

Screenplay: Seishi Minakami Storyboard: Kiyotaka Kanchiku Episode Director: Masako Sato Chief Animation Director: Masahiro Fujii Animation Directors: Brian Barredo, Kazuyuki Ikai, Konomi Sakurai, Shinichiro Minami, Wei Xulong, Wei Feng Du

Still catching up on anime and started watching Sacrificial Princess some more. I'm a huge fan of the Sacrificial Princess manga, that is no secret, and I was a little worried about cramming so many volumes into the given amount of episodes, but after watching 5 episodes so far, the script has been genuinely very accurate to the manga.

I have no idea how he did it, but I will never doubt Minakami again. Each episode contains a lot of content, yet it never feels rushed. The way he handles the storytelling of Sacrificial Princess is so impressive. This episode, in particular, is one of the best parts of it. They only had about 5 minutes after introducing Bennu to give us some background on him, his character, and his personality, and to provide us with the satisfying moment of him being able to fly. I looked at the time left in the episode and thought, 'There's no way' they're going to do all this in one episode, but they did, and it felt perfect, honestly. I felt what I did when I first read this in the manga.

Of course, that also has many things to do with the episode directors and storyboard, who gave us strong visuals for Bennu's past and Sariphi's summoning. It was a darker and grittier visual than the show usually presents, but it doesn't get too dark as we always have cute-faced Sariphi shining in the light (literally) in shots to let the viewers know everything is okay. The visuals for the summoning of Bennu (especially the failures) reminded me of something almost like a Vanitas-type visual – a bit mystical yet somewhat foreboding.

Sato has worked on episode 1 and 5 of the show, which has been arguably 2 of the best episodes I've watched so far. They just stand out greatly in my opinion just in terms of how refined and visually potent it is. She just has such a great way to show the brightness that Sariphi exudes to others, while showing us the really dark and gritty nature of what's actually going on.

The animation for this episode was also consistent, while remaining conservative. People often give J.C. Staff a lot of crap, but I do not think they're a bad studio. They do sometimes push out mediocre material, but when they have a lot of their in-house animators like in this episode, it genuinely looks refined and animated enough. It only really got a bit janky in Episode 3, where the entire key animators were outsourced to Jumondou Seoul, Giza Studio, and Sonsan Kikaku. There was a noticeable drop in animation quantity and quality in that episode, having extremely limited amounts of animation and when it did move it was very stiff. However, when they come together to work on episodes like 5 and 1, it genuinely looks good. I don't think we should blame the entire studio for projects like Requiem of the Rose King because it doesn't really make sense. There are many factors that go into a project, and while upper management has a lot of control, each project, even if it's from the same studio, has different people working on it. Many projects also involve a bunch of freelancers, some great, some not so great, so the quality of a studio's projects can vary greatly. I see J.C. Staff as a decent studio that is sometimes judged too harshly.

If Sacrificial Princess can push out episodes like these, I wouldn't mind those dips in between the less important episodes. So far so good, hoping it keeps up for the rest of the series.

[zmediaoutlet]

hello liz!! happy wincest wednesday!! can you do a director's commentary on the constant vow? like what inspired it, how the story changed along the way, what you had to leave out, stuff like that?

helloooooo happy wincest wednesday, and we shall all politely ignore how many wednesdays ago this was sent [ 😓 ]. To slightly fuck up my most-quoted line from the West Wing: let's forget about the fact that I'm late to the party, and embrace the fact that I showed up at all!

Tricky q, though! It's a lot of just like... sheer volume of fic to comment on, haha. But I'll use your questions as a starting-off guide, and given that it is wincest wednesday (wincest week, wincest life), I'll keep that in mind. So --

what inspired it?

What inspired it was how I was reading like every single genderswap/sex curse/etc etc fic that had been written in fandom at the time -- the time being roughly when s8/9 was airing, so... like ten years ago, lol -- and noticing a trend, and also getting kind of increasingly annoyed at that trend. To wit: isn't Dean Winchester just the most terrible womanizing horndog, and doesn't he just really need to be narratively punished for his Crimes? The answer to both is... uh, no. Not at all. So: a fic, haha.

Fandom takes Dean's whole womanizing naughty boy thing as received wisdom a lot of the time and I find it completely bewildering. It's subverted in episode 2 (if you didn't notice it was a total act in episode 1). Like... hello. Use your eyes and ears, friends. But what's more interesting to me on that level is that Sam takes it as received wisdom, and while it's also tempting to ask Sam to use his eyes and ears it's a lot more excusable for him to be confused about that whole... thing. Dean performs it very well in public -- and tbf, he does fuck! Not like he's not getting tail -- but womanizer is a very particular kind of pejorative and one I pretty roundly reject (for interesting and good reasons I'm right about that I've gone into elsewhere). But so many of those fics had both the flawed womanizer assumption at the heart and also a Sam who tended to buy it, even if justice was asserted by the end, and it was just driving me slightly nuts, lol. And because the only reason I ever write a fic is because I want to read the one I actually want, it went on the list. To be very eventually written, haha.

(more babbling below the cut)

how the story changed along the way

Things I always knew: I wanted the witch to be stupid/bad at magic, because I was also getting tired of Oh So Wise Arch Bitch Witches who somehow manage to laser-focus a punishment spell. (Can you guess that I found Rowena tiresome, lol.) I always knew I wanted it to be a reset every day for a month for the iterative game of 'there's no getting away from this, we have to keep having sex, and how will the relationship evolve as we do?' I always knew I wanted it to be a True Love game, a) because it's a classic of the genre but also b) because it'd be fun to see them circling that inevitable conclusion, especially given that c) I wanted Bobby to have to try. Just to be mean to Dean, basically. :)

That said: in the ten years of contemplation I really went back and forth on the setting being s2 or s7. I knew all along that I wanted it to be true first time, i.e. neither of them had any secretly pining wincest wants (beyond what's true of their codependency in canon), and for it to be a slow coming together over the course of the curse. s2 first time is one of my favorites because of the seismic effect John's loss has on their relationship; s7 is one of my favorites because of the weird sense of true freedom they've got, when Sam's mind is back in place and he's all whole and he's still standing right next to Dean, exactly where he wants to be. (Gah!) But what I realized is that s2 was just... too early. They're babies, still untested. If the story's about True Love then... I'm just not interested in their early-seasons True Love, frankly. It's nice, it's intense, but it lacks the tempering of real tests that'll come in s4/5/6. There's a reason I'm a mid-seasons girlie.

Of course, then I realized it was better to shift it back a little more to the second half of s6. You still get most of the revelatory pleasure of s7's unspoken We Choose To Stay vibes, but without the added complication of Lucifer talking to Sam throughout (did not want his color commentary on Dean's pussy of the day), or the Leviathan plot ramping up. Eve's just out there doing her thing in late s6; it provides a nice narrative breather. Not that they realize it, haha.

what i had to leave out

Very little, actually. Over 120k of decompressed sexy navel gazing you can cram in a lot of stuff, lol. But one thing that did keep coming up and I kept very deliberately cutting right up to the edge of it so you could see the shape but not the thing itself: gay/bi Dean.

Obviously it does come up, with Sam's very careful questioning that starts in the cabin -- Dean dropping hints himself; Sam having little fireworks going off in his brain. I think in those OKC conversations it's a little more bald, in a way that I think/hope was appropriate for that stage in the relationship -- once you've slept with someone like 28 times it's reasonable to ask more about their background, I guess.

Given, though, that a lot of the fic is circling around the concept of Dean-as-object, I really wanted to keep some opacity in him. Some little bit of mental privacy, especially with how he's being cracked open physically. I hope that in all that's not being said there's a lot of room for all kinds of history, stuff Sam might learn more about (or not!) as they continue. Obviously prostitution was part of it, but to what extent? Did he hook up with guys just because he wanted to? (Was Dean/John ever a thing?) All stuff that the fic needs to be aware of, e.g. in how it informs how he does not want to open that door with Cas, but that doesn't need to actually be on screen.

Oh, I also left out period sex and pregnancy kink. Both wildly tempting but would've dragged the fic to yet another place.

random this-fic trivia

I had no idea how the curse was going to get solved until the day I wrote that it was going to be solved in 'two parts' and went, oh fuck. Now I gotta come up with the two parts.

I initially hated Denise and then she became my bestie. She makes really good lasagna. :/

In a lot of ways the most important part of the whole 120k is the line Dean has about saying that even the cure is stupid -- because he loves Sam, and loves making him feel good, and so what's good for Sam is good for Dean, so how do you differentiate? Sam and Dean are both bibros, news at 11.

For me the sexiest part of the fic by far is one of the middle nights at the cabin where Sam wakes Dean up in the early morning to be fucked and then is just playing with his body after, wide-awake while Dean's sleepy, vaguely possessive and smug. It's just a good look on them both.

Not-on-screen headcanon from me: Dean was treating it like prostitution even through the first 'date' where Sam asked him not to, and it wasn't until Sam tried to kiss him at the beginning of ch5 that the careful mental shield of it being a 'job' cracked, and never repaired. No going back, at that point (even if he had another mini-crisis over the blowjob, later).

Future headcanon for the fic: Dean is way less shy about showing Sam his lingerie kink. In contrast, Sam develops an almost-crippling breeding kink. (Dean is delighted when he finally figures out why Sam's acting so weird.)

[jessybarnes]

Rough With Me

Pairing - Sebastian Stan x Stunt Double Reader

Rating - 18 + Only!! Minors DNI!!

Tags - SMUT, kicking, being stepped on, choking, face fucking, hair pulling, name-calling, degradation, metal arm kink, unprotected sex, a countdown to cum, language, mentions of blood, chase scene, and I think that’s it. 

Word Count -  2,394

Beta - None...all mistakes are my own.

Fic Aesthetic - Yours truly

Written for: @wermadashatters on TikTok.

A/N - This was based on a TikTok that my bestie saw where Sebastian kicked a stunt double into a table for TFATWS.

The crisp morning air whipped your hair around as you walked onto set. Birds chirped around you and the faint colors of the morning's sunrise blanketed across the sky like a painting. This wasn't the first time you'd filmed in Georgia, but it was the first time you were needed for this particular stunt. 

As a stunt double, you had to be prepared for anything. Cuts, bruises, blood, and even broken bones were possible in this line of work. Your parents supported you, sure, but it still concerned them whenever you visited them sporting a new injury.

The new series you'd been a part of was called The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and you couldn't be happier. Being an avid Marvel fan, you jumped at the opportunity when they began looking for stunt actors. 

Taking a sip of your caramel macchiato, you caught sight of the director walking toward you.

"Y/N! Good morning! Lovely weather isn't it?"

A toothy grin spread across your face as you readjusted your bag on your shoulder.

"Mornin' Kari! Yes, it's so nice out."

She handed you a packet and began to walk alongside you.

"So, I wanted to talk to you about today's scenes. Well, one in particular. I know you're used to your line of work, but I always like to talk to my doubles to make sure they're one hundred percent okay with everything." 

You nodded and set your coffee down on a nearby table. At first glance, it didn't look like you'd be doing anything major, but something caught your eye on the last page.

"It's this one here." Kari's finger hovered over the middle of the page. "This is a warehouse scene. It'll be you, Mackie, and Sebastian. Now, the writers and I set the scene up to have you running away from Seb and Anthony."

She gestured to the stacks of boxes and shelving units in the makeshift set they built. "Once you come through that door and cut a hard right around those boxes there, Anthony is going to try and grab you, your jacket comes off slowing you down a bit. Seb is going to be coming from the opposite side and he is scripted to kick you into that table over there." 

Kari glanced at your face for some sort of reaction, so you opted for a soft smile.

"I appreciate your concern. You're one of the only directors who have asked my opinion. I'm down for anything you want to throw at me. I signed up for this, and if I gotta be kicked by Sebastian Stan to make the episode good then so be it."

She laughed and placed a hand on your shoulder. "Alright, great! I'll see you in about an hour." 

Forty-five minutes later you made your way to the warehouse. To someone who wasn't used to a film set, it would look like total chaos.

The crew ran around setting up lights, getting camera angles right, and moving set pieces to ensure the scene was ready. Sebastian's costume designer was making sure Bucky's prosthetic arm fit properly and Anthony was munching on a donut in a nearby chair.

"Y/N! Over here! I saved you a seat!"

Smiling, you chuckled and made your way over to him.

"Morning Mack! Good to see you!"

He offered you the box of assorted donuts.

"Thanks! So, how's Seb today? He seems...I don't know...off?"

Anthony swallowed the last of his breakfast and sighed.

"Seabass isn't particularly keen with today's shoot. He doesn't want to hurt you, Y/N."

You let out a breath and patted him on the knee.

"I'm gonna go talk to him."

As if on queue, the blue-eyed Romanian glanced warily in your direction. You moved to stand in his line of sight and looked up at him.

"Hey, don't look at me like that. You have nothing to be scared of, Sebastian."

He shook his head and ran the fingers of his right hand down your arm.

"You can't ask me to be okay when I'm scripted to kick you in the ribs, Y/N. These are steel-toed boots for God's sake!" 

Your free hand grabbed his left one and began rubbing small circles to try and soothe him.

"Seb, listen, I signed up for this. I can take it."

His concerned eyes locked onto your Y/E/C ones silently pleading you not to go through with it.

"How about this? How about we get this shot in one take, hm? Put some extra Seabass spice into Bucky's demeanor and give me one of those stern Winter Soldier stares or something. Blow Kari away and then we only have to do this once, okay?" 

He closed his eyes and licked his lips. The action of his tongue ignited a fire deep in your core that you tried desperately to ignore.

"Alright….alright I'll do it, but I'm gonna go all out. I don't want to do this more than once." 

"Okay everybody, places, please! We've got a lot to cover and only so many hours in the day."

Kari moved to sit behind the main camera while the rest of the crew got to their designated spots. She began to call out the rest of her orders as you, Seb, and Anthony moved into position. 

"Roll sound!" 

"Falcon and Winter Soldier warehouse fight sequence, scene twelve, take one,….marker,….and ACTION!" 

After a deep breath, you cleared your mind as you shoved the metal door open and ran. It was dark, mountains of boxes flanked you at a dead end.

"Hey! Stop!"

The sound of heavy footsteps closed in behind you as you took a hard right. Fingers gripping onto your jacket made you stumble, and you quickly freed yourself before breaking into a dead sprint.

"Buck, she's headed right for you!" 

As soon as you passed the last row of shelves, a boot connected hard against your side making you cry out in agony. Your body collided with a wood table smashing two of the legs. Your left hand wiped the trickle of blood from your brow as you scrambled backwards away from the super soldier. 

He stalked toward you, a murderous look in his eyes as he brought his boot down to rest on your sternum.

"Where is it?"

You struggled underneath him as you thrashed from side to side doing your best to break free.

"Like I'd ever tell you, Barnes!"

His eyes darkened and the pressure of his weight increased on your chest making it hard to breathe as he knelt down on his opposite knee.

"I said…" He hovered directly over your face, his metal hand gripping your chin tightly. "Where is it?!"

He raised his voice and squeezed your face a little tighter. Your free hand tried to pry him away, but he was too strong.

He licked his lips and leaned down so he was inches from your face. Your core throbbed, arousal dripping onto your panties as you tried to regulate your breathing.

"How about you stop being a bitch and give us the flash drive." 

"CUT! Guys, that was perfect! I think we got it, so no need to reset. Go ahead and break for lunch and we will meet back here at two for the next scene." 

The moment Kari called cut, Sebastian's eyes softened with worry. He pulled you to your feet, taking note of the way you winced when he touched the cut on your head.

"Y/N, I'm so sorry...I...I knew I shouldn't ha-"

You cut him off with a kiss, his body going rigid for a few seconds before pulling you flush against him. Your hands reached up into his hair and you licked his bottom lip asking for entrance. His hands found purchase on your hips and he let out a low groan. Taking the opportunity, you licked into his mouth desperately trying to gain friction to where you needed it most. 

Sebastian pulled away, his eyes dark with arousal as he leaned his forehead against yours.

"What was that for?"

Instead of answering him, you grabbed his hand and pulled him to a nearby supply closet. You shoved him in and locked the door behind you both.

"Y/N, wha-"

"Do you know how fucking hot that was, Sebastian?"

He furrowed his brow and searched your eyes for an answer.

"How...what...huh? Y/N, I just kicked you and practically stood on top of you...I...y-you liked that?"

A giggle fell from your lips and you began to pull off his costume.

"I think like is a bit of an understatement, baby." 

He cupped your cheek and kissed you again, softer this time. Once you finally got his pants undone, you pulled them down and practically ripped yours to get them off your legs.

"Seb, please… feel how wet I am."

You brought his right hand between your folds and moaned when his fingers brushed your clit.

"F-Fuck, baby… want you to be rough with me… love hearing you call me names like you own me." 

Sebastian nearly came undone at the sight of you before him. He had never been so turned on in his life. Something inside him snapped. It made him almost primal seeing you writhe against him, pussy dripping from his hand alone.

He shoved you against the door and kicked your feet apart.

"Look at you. So fuckin' needy for my touch."

He shoved two metal fingers inside you and curled them, immediately finding the spot that made you see stars. His free hand clamped over your mouth to muffle your moans.

"What a fucking slut. Getting all wet from what my character did to yours. Do you like that, Y/N? You like when I stuff Bucky's thick fingers in this tight little cunt?" 

Your eyes rolled back as you clenched around his digits, legs starting to shake from your impending orgasm.

"Don't you fucking dare, doll. You'll cum when I tell you to."

He pushed a third finger in and quickened his movements making you whimper. You knew you wouldn't be able to hold back, and you knew Sebastian knew that too. The moment his thumb touched your clit you screamed into his hand, your cum gushing down his fingers. 

The hand covering your mouth moved to your throat and squeezed slightly. "I fuckin' told you not to cum." He moved the hand that was on your pussy to your mouth and shoved his fingers past your lips. "Be a good girl and clean them off."

Your tongue lapped at them like it was your last meal, the taste of yourself making you moan.

"On your knees."

Immediately, you sank to the floor and looked up at him. He gripped your hair and shoved his boxers down to where his pants lay around his ankles.

"Open up, let Daddy fuck that pretty mouth." 

He slid past your lips and bit his when he felt himself slide into your throat.

"Fuck...What a good fuckin' girl."

He tightened the grip on your hair and set a brutal pace. You brought a hand between your legs and began small circles on your clit as drool and tears began to cover your face.

"You're such a cock-slut. Takin' Daddy's dick in your throat. You needy little whore."

Right before your second orgasm came he pulled you off him and brought you to your feet. 

"Gonna fill that tight little pussy with my cum, baby."

You pulled him down for a searing kiss and wrapped a hand around his cock stroking him slowly.

"Please, daddy… please fuck me."

Sebastian groaned and lifted you against the door. His hands roughly caressed your curves as he began leaving love bites anywhere he could reach.

"How bad do you want my cock, baby doll?"

"Daddy, I need it. Please, please fill me up. Wreck me and show me who I belong to."

He growled at your words and slammed into you, his cock stretching you deliciously.

He thrusted relentlessly, his fingers tugging at your nipples harshly.

"Fuck, Y/N...you feel so good...so fuckin' good. Mmm…"

His lips crashed against yours, swallowing your moans.

"You were made for me. Fuckin' perfect. Taking my...ah f-fuck...cock so well."

Sebastian brought his right hand to your throat and his left to your clit.

"You wanna cum for Daddy? Wanna cum all over my cock?"

"P-Please.." was all you could say without crying out in ecstasy. 

He changed his position, the new angle making your walls clench tight around him.

"Not yet, doll. Gonna count down from ten and you're gonna be a good girl and cum with me."

He slowed his pace and thrusted harder, his cock going impossibly deeper. 

"Ten…"

His lips kissed along your neck leaving another mark next to the others he'd made previously. 

"Nine….eight"

The pressure on your throat increased and you nearly lost it, eyes shutting tightly to try and hold back. 

"Just a little more, baby...you're doing so good. Seven….open those eyes, pretty girl. Show daddy those eyes...six….five….four.."

The fingers on your clit sped up, your legs shaking as you gripped onto Sebastian's biceps. You locked eyes with him, silently pleading for him to take mercy on you and let you cum. 

"Three….You're nearly there, Y/N…two…" 

His movements became sloppy as he fucked into you faster, his own release beginning to wash over him.

"Oh, shit...ah fuck...Y/N. Can feel that sweet pussy squeezin' me…gonna fill you up...cum with me, baby…"

His gaze met yours and slammed into you hard as you raked your nails down his back.

"One." 

Sebastian kissed you feverishly, doing his best to muffle your moans as both of your orgasms crashed over you like a tsunami. He stilled inside you, his lips lazily molding with yours in sweet kisses.

"Such a good girl...so good for me, Y/N." 

He set you down on wobbly legs and helped you get dressed.

"So much for eating lunch, we only have thirty minutes to get cleaned up and ready to film again."

You laughed and took his hands in yours.

"My trailer has a detachable shower head." You gazed at him seductively and watched as he bit his lip. 

"Woman, you're gonna be the absolute death of me."

[canmom]

Man, it is refreshing to find someone else who wasn't impressed by Frieren's demon arc. It is not like I disliked it, I do like this kind of shonen action bullshit, it is fun. But to me it seems like a step down to the earlier episodes, the show downplaying its own strong points to do common action. It is surprising to me so many people seemed to love it as much as they did, it is the lowest point of the show so far for me.

Mmm. 'Didn't dislike it, but a step down' is a good summary - it deemphasised what made the show stand out narratively, to try to be something else. If I was in the mood to watch Kimetsu no Yaiba or Jujutsu Kaisen I would! Fortunately, we seem to be getting back on track with ep 11 - I'll be writing that up once I've watched another 4-6 more episodes. I'm getting pretty near the end of the first cour, so I might watch up to there.

Bit of a weird cour length at 16 episodes, but honestly that's good - I'd love to see 'seasonal' anime be more able to break free from the pacing constraints of 'it must always be 12-13 episodes'. Sometimes that's not the best way to slice up a manga!

One thing I do appreciate about the simultaneous success of Frieren and Dungeon Meshi is that they're both fantasy anime which don't do the isekai thing and put some effort into establishing a setting which feels like people live there. They're both very overtly RPG-influenced, but neither is actual litRPG, which is very much to their benefit. Ryōko Kui's passion for lovingly constructing her fantasy setting goes without saying. I'm told the Frieren manga sketches its setting rather loosely, but the anime is doing a whole lot to flesh it out as a place people live, because they let Seiko Yoshioka go absolutely nuts.

I was chatting with kvin on the sakugablog server (senpai...!) and he mentioned one particular instance - there's a scene Eisen is tending to the graves of his family. In the manga it looks like this:

Nondescript piles of dirt with a rock on top that are just next to his house. (Also, oof, this colouring. I thought this was a fan colouring at first but no that's official.) When we cut forward 50 years, we see Eisen leaving flowers: they're in big wrapped bouquets like you'd buy at a supermarket. The little Minecraft hut hasn't changed at all.

In the anime, it looks like this:

Not only do we have the recurring use of fields of flowers as a symbol of remembrance, there's clearly been some thought put into the design of the grave markers - even if we're not told what the spherical stone might mean, it obviously means something, and you have the stone as a symbol of permanence. There's those little ritual plates for offerings. And, significantly, it's clear that Eisen has added to these graves over the intervening 50 year period: the graves in the later time are larger, with more stones. The area around the grave site has more flowers and another tree that's grown. It's clear he's been carefully tending to this site his whole life. It's that kind of attention to detail that really makes this anime shine.

It's clear this anime was a real labour of love, and I don't want to deny that there is a lot to praise in the demon arc. I didn't mention it in my post, but the scene where Frieren commands Aura to kill herself (after Aura's mind control attempt backfires) is impressively brutal - apparently episode director Nobuhide Kariya acted that scene out with an umbrella, complete with expressions. (The expressiveness of the acting does a lot to foreshadow the demons having more complex characterisation, too. I hope.) It's just quite a weak storyline off the bat, so the execution can only do so much to elevate it.

Honestly, skimming the manga a bit, I'm all the more impressed by this adaptation. Admittedly, some of it is down to a weak scanlation that doesn't read very well, but it really doesn't have the same impact at all on paper. It's not just the fight episode - throughout, the anime staff clearly gave themselves freedom to interpolate and expand in ways that end up making the manga feel like a rough draft.

...actually come to think of it, they did a similar thing with Bocchi. The manga is a 4koma (by all accounts a good one), and they fleshed it out into a more substantial story with a strong emotional arc and also all the wacky experimental animation gags you could hope for. So I guess that's kind of just how Keiichiro Saito rolls! But it's really impressive how adeptly this team is able to handle such a completely different register. Bocchi and Frieren could hardly look more different on the surface.

Anyway, I'll save any more comments for the next part of this impromptu liveblog.