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fullmetal-scar-simping · 28 days ago

Note

have you ever gotten a chance to read some the 03 creator commentaries? saw a translation floating around and it's interesting https://docs.google.com/document/d/13LxWEZiPfbZwTUyhgx1ausapBMGSHdJn79XBj8_Dppw/

I've never had a chance to read their commentary, no. But getting a small look into Sho Aikawa's and Seiji Mizushima's perspective and processes was really interesting. I appreciate you sharing this with me! If there are other translated sources where they, or anyone else involved in the creation of the 2003 anime, speak on their experiences I'd love to read more.

So many things stand out to me. The fact that the anime was initially slated to be 24 eps alone, but was confirmed for 51 as the production progressed makes me so grateful for what we ended up getting. Most of my favourite arcs and character moments are post ep.25. This anime wouldn't be nearly as impactful without the its other half (which isn't a knock against the first 24 eps at all, I love 'em too).

We always have to remember how fraught the animation process is, with numerous parties making decisions that can cut down or hamper a production. When we get anything, be it an animated short, an independent project, an animated show, or a film, so much labour and last minute decisions were made to get any of it out into the world. And we see the devastation that capital and shareholders have over animation industries globally. So many projects scrapped even when the work has been completed and ready for syndication; or cancelled mid-production; changed and micromanaged to oblivion; or churned out en masse just to make a buck for execs while the workers languish. Looking back on all of the animation that I have enjoyed over the years, I really respect the people behind each of them. And since fma 2003 has a special place in my heart, I'm particularly relieved we got 51 episodes rather than ending prematurely at 24.

(And hell, even animated shows I dislike, such as Brotherhood, still generally get my respect for the animators, writers, and actors for how much work all it took to make it.)

Diving into all of details that caught my attention [not spoiler-free naturally]:

How often Aikawa explicitly points out that he wanted the anime to deviate from the manga. We can already see all of the evidence of these decisions from the outset at episode 01, but this puts a finer point on the fact that this was an adaptive story, not merely a transfer of a story from one medium to another. (People have an astonishingly difficult time grasping that there is a difference between these approaches, often reducing the former to a generally pejorative/diminishing descriptor of being "AU fanfic". 😮‍💨)

Mentions of Al's subtle emotional landscape and how that weaves into his existential crisis.

The intent on making Izumi's contrasting care and rage against the brother's as highlighting her weakness. That she can love them, see them as deserving of her retribution for carrying the same sin as her (which they now carry in part due to her tutelage, no matter how much she tried to dissuade them); how this flaw of hers comes into play with how she attempts to handle Wrath once he too becomes sinful.

LOL at Mizushima insisting on practicing his cat anatomy by including the dying cat scene, despite Aikawa not being comfortable with the cat death due to his love for them. (Very Scar coded :p)

Wrath is introduced as a rival for Ed, since they felt Ed wasn't at Envy's level for that to be the rivalry just yet. Interesting! I see this as showing where Ed needs to mature, or more specifically harden himself, to the deeper truths of the world. Wrath is how they learn how homunculi are 'born'. From the one who was made a homunculus soon after his human birth (and death), unique compared to the other homunculi. And this is yet another example of the weaknesses of all the people who have guided the Elrics. Envy is a much older, harsher truth even beyond this reveal. (The reality of "equivalent exchange", who he is and what Hohenheim had done long before creating a family with Trisha, that Ed will have to resort to the sin of murder when there seems to be no other way.)

Which makes Wrath revealing how humunculi are created, while everyone is gathered on Yok Island extra tasty. This is where the Elrics were trained to learn One is All, All is One. That to be in sync with the rhythms of life and death, to respect your place in this grand tapestry thereby maintains a fraught but interconnected harmony. That alchemy should not be the way to lead your life, should not replace honing your other skills, nor should it dull your understanding for how your actions impact everything and vice versa. Something that Izumi tries to live by after committing the greatest taboo on her deceased infant, and that she hoped would sway the brothers from making that same grave mistake. And here they all are, gathered around the proof of their collective hubris. Their failures standing before them in the form of a feral child grinning at their horror. The body of Izumi's child, Ed's arm for his mother, Ed's leg for his brother, and Al without a body whatsoever, in union on Yok Island. Furthermore, creating a homunculus creates a being who is a slight against life and death, one who cannot fit into a "natural" One Is All order. They are rejected by their creators, by people, by society, by death and by life itself.

The obvious inspo for Wrath being a famous "feral child" case. Again, it is obvious, but I appreciate having that spelled out with even the exact name of the kid Wrath's character is based off of.

How Izumi's sin and flaws, her weaknesses, how they all prevent her from finding the path that makes things right with the world, with Wrath, with herself, and with those Wrath impacts (such as the Elrics); all serving as a necessity for the brothers grapple with, in order to grow as people. That things can't be made all right by a convenient contrivance that absolves them both in one fell swoop coughcoughmangahoodcough

The way writing for the Dublith Wrath Arc split the writing team supervising for said arc, while Aikawa supervised Dante's intro. Also how they wished they could have done more for Greed's story, but the decisions regarding the length of time for the series' syndication meant they couldn't keep him around longer than necessary for the story they were telling.

Mizushima appreciating the strength of Greed's self-identity against all odds. Which, in contrast to Greed's story in mangahood, he loses and has to regain and grow from.

How the entire staff put their collective pussys into Greed's final episode, resulting in the iconic showdown between Ed and the homunculus. 🤌

The craftmanship with the Lust-centric ep (and one of the best in the show imo) "Reunion of the Fallen" is *chef's kiss*

Woof, I'm glad they didn't go with Rick and Leo wielding a firearm against the Elrics and subsequently getting Rick killed in the ricochet. 😬 However I appreciate that they were aware of the potential to make Ed's speech about discrimination come across as Ed acting self-righteous, so the voice actor's duty is to sell his humility. The realization of his internal bigotry is such a pivotal moment for his character development. That being said, it's absolutely wild that Aikawa mentions some people seeing this scene and proudly proclaiming it has no affect on them because they "don't feel any discrimination." 🚩🚩🚩

Mizushima acknowledging Al's petulant transmuted poo 🤭

Aikawa talking about how he was reminded of (or perhaps referencing) the Sino-Japanese war regarding Amestris' invasion of Liore, and how others saw the USA's invasion of Vietnam and Iraq reflected in this arc. He acknowledges Japan's imperial history and the rampant atrocities it committed, and this arc does not allow us to turn away from this fact in-universe either.

That Aikawa not only originally considered having Lust remain memory-less of her past life, but that he specifies this past as "the person who was her source." I love this! The phrasing is so important, as he appears to be avoiding fully 'solving' the existential questions around the relationship between homunculus and their human origin. Though this doesn't stamp out individual interpretations based on the text by fully Word of God'ing an answer, he does show his hand just enough to reignite theorizing. The mysteries around the homunculi and their existence is one of my favourite topics in this show. Aikawa offers some credence to what Ed had asserted to Scar, that she isn't Her; which Scar echoes back to Lust in his final moments, leaving her with a poignant rejection in her one moment of vulnerability and hopefulness that someone from a past she can't fully grasp still cares for and loves her. MAN 😩💔

I'm glad Aikawa was so keen on how Martel's murder was done in the manga that he made sure to have it in the show too. It's a damn memorable scene, and the 03 team really nails the shock and heartbreak of her demise, with Bradley's reveal hitting just right.

That Aikawa implies that Rose's presence what held Scar back from potentially reigniting the fight he and Ed were having is interesting here. Because it feels as though that skirmish simmered down into a verbal, ideological front. With Ed arguably being the instigator, given his initial goal of investigating Liore that night in order to stop whatever Scar was planning. Given that Scar frees Ed from the holding cell he gets thrown into, quite calmly too, and the proceeding discussion between them and "Lyra", though heated particularly from Ed, Scar never came across as teetering on the edge of breaking into another (physical) fight. I wonder if this is a matter of something lost in translation? Language certainly, but perhaps production too? (The internal workings of the goals of the creators is not necessarily always conveyed or achieved in the final work.) If Scar wanted to serve Ed a beatdown, he had ample opportunity while Ed's hands were shackled. I dunno, I just don't see this intent on Aikawa's part as present or relevant to this scene. And frankly, after Scar forces Ed to visit the massive gravesite for the fallen Liorans, he could have easily reneged on his decision to not kill him and gotten retribution for Ed's (unwitting) act as military saboteur. But he doesn't. He merely asserts that nothing will stop him from luring the army into their own slaughter. As I noted, an ideological fight is certainly being waged between them, for which Rose, even in her mute state, contributes and argues as well. Her trauma and child as an argument is something Ed cannot rebut or deny with any self-assurance.

But just as significantly is Aikawa mentioning that Rose's contribution, and Scar's steadfast adherence to the plan to mass transmute the Amestrian armed forces lead Ed to finally abandon the military. That he cannot act as though he can remain in an apolitical, self-centered bubble while carrying the State's badge after everything he has witnessed. Because Ed's white Amestrian position as, in essence, a cop is not the moral arbiter here, nor can it be conveniently ignored with his soap boxing. It is a blinder that had to be shed if he wants to stop directly participating in a system of human misery. Yes, this is to solidify the motivations needed to pit Ed against, and then in-line with, a soon-to-be renegade Mustang, but Ed's own motivations have nothing to do with reforming someone he otherwise was in an antagonistic subordinate position with. He and Al deserted the military for themselves and to avoid having the Stone fall to the State. The fact that Mustang would choose to abandon the military in order to squash the dictatorship is a happy aligning of their disparate goals.

Queue the obvious "Wow, this is infinitely superior to inverting Ed's moral positionality in 03 to one as standing above Scar AND successfully """"""""""reforming"""""""""" Scar via Ed's white, Amestrian, military chauvinism, AND while having Mustang staunchly remaining pro-military while receiving the career boost he always ruthlessly gunned for. And all for the low low price of degrading Scar into a perfectly whipped 'savage' who renounces his 'terrorism'" rant that bubbles in my soul when I think of the absolute contrast between 03's and mangahood's philosophies. I'll spare us all any further ranting for now. It's well-trodden territory by this point.

I'm charmed when artists refer to characters like they're actors to be negotiated into or out of the spotlight. "I've politely asked Ed and his friends to take a backseat," ha. It shows a fondness and intimacy with his work. Anyway, "His Name is Unknown" is yet another excellent ep and it centering Lust and Scar is 💯/💯.

Again I appreciate the openness about which parts of the manga were simply drafts, and how that led to the 03 team to devise their own goals with a character. Hohenheim of Light isn't Van Hohenheim because he wasn't meant to be. Van was hardly a solidified character in the manga at this point, and how he would go on to be articulated within Arakawa's work would never truly fit in the world and plot of 03 anyway.

The commentary for ep.44-! So it's fairly well known that not only did Arakawa ask the team when the anime was first greenlit to create their own story from her materials, but she (and Aikawa here) has mentioned that they did keep in touch for details here and there. (Sometimes with disagreements, as she notes in one of her diary-comics.) But here we get the admission that Dante's role (perhaps even her existence itself) coalesced by Aikawa tapping Arakawa for some input. As he points out in the next segment, Dante was introduced in ep.32 and that aligns with their decision for the show's final villain. (Please note that this isn't the same as "Arakawa wrote fma 03" as some folks have sometimes misinterpreted this as. She had some involvement, but she is not a writer or producer for the show.)

Also of note: that Aikawa feels some of Dante had been 'wasted' via the body transfer. Fascinating! Did he feel she needed more time to cook first in the body we initially meet her in? That the visage of the elderly woman living a stately hermetic life had more to impart before she jumped ship to a new body? Hm. This is my interpretation, so I want to be clear that this isn't necessarily what Aikawa's perspective is. The statement is vague enough to mean anything. I wonder tho. Anyone else have any takeaways? At the very least I think most of us can agree that Dante could have used more time to develop pre-Lyra bodysnatch. I quite liked her elderly form and how that weaves with her misanthropic 'wisened' paradigm. Lyra's youthful physicality does lend a symbolic renewal of Dante's energy, that a new philosopher's stone is at hand and this time- This time it will be key to an eternal, rejuvenated life.

It makes chronological sense within the show's production timeline that Lyra was created before Dante, given that we are informed that Dante was decided as the villain coming up to her introduction in ep.32. This places Lyra as 23 episodes older than the woman who would kill and embody her. Neat! And with Aikawa mentioning how Lyra wasn't originally intended to be reintroduced into the show (she was meant to be a one-off), but the strength and range of her Japanese VA swayed the decision to offer up Lyra to Dante is serendipitous!

The admission that FullMetal Alchemist is a show about philosophy, about conflict via paradigm rather than a typical action shonen that communicates via battles. Love it! Ep.46 could have been an Al vs Tucker smackdown, but Aikawa knew that this isn't in the spirit of what he and his team had created. I'm with him on this and I'm glad that they took the route they did, both broadly for the entire show, as well as for this episode. Show the tragedy and sin of Tucker and those like him (ruthless scientists who view others only via their utility for their own goals/purview), that the disastrous and tragic consequences of those actions speak for themselves. A fist fight or alchemic battle would be superfluous, if not a detractor. (It would definitely have been a distraction imo.)

OUGh, now this is something I actually never tapped into, and it feels foolish on my part for somehow missing this all these years: Wrath and Selim both are the unwitting child who brings the homunculus parent's remains to them, leading to their downfall. Dude! Yeah! And the contrast here is fun, as Selim believed he was helping Bradley. He was trying to be a thoughtful son and paid the price. Wrath, on the other hand, though he intended to help Sloth he was also wild and fully lacked forethought and impulse control. He took her weakness into himself, and through his imposition of motherhood onto Sloth as she actively tried to end that reality with Trisha's/her own children, gets her killed. And his merging with her being symbolic of the return to the womb, from the dead infant transmuted and stolen into the void? Who hates his true mother and wanted to force another to be his replacement mother, who herself lacked the wherewithal to rebuke him (plus it was a useful control over his erratic behaviour)? Beautiful, horrendous, poetic, gutting!

Aikawa admits that he regrets the decision to offset Sloth's full death scene to the next episode as it less gracefully blends into the ongoing plot and character presences to come. Tbh I never felt this to be too janky or tone-eroding. It works, though I understand how more room to breath would enhance the emotions that emerge from Sloth's death and final words. For the Elrics (and Wrath) to really writhe in it, before Envy steals Al away and Izumi retrieves Ed.

But bless, BLESS them, for writing Mustang as a defector rather than a reformer and power grabber in the end of it all.

A confluence of reasons for Archer's transition into TerminArcher. It does explain the wonky execution of Archer's presence in the story this far in. Tbh he should not have survived being sagittally severed by Scar's alchemy, but hey. I've mentioned wishing that the body horror and human experimentation via bio-industrial processes rather than bio-alchemical had been better examined. Because the potential was there! The design also needed work, lbr. Still, I embrace 03's janky bits alongside it's quality and often brilliant sides altogether. The fact that they're running up against the final eps and being unable to organically introduce a new character this far out does make sense. They had to compromise by having Archer fill a necessary role rather than explore anything new with the in-universe methods that kept him alive (and what that says about non-alchemic sciences and systemic dehumanization via weaponization).

Here it is, the truth that the writers did not mistakenly forget about the laws of conservation, nor were they ignorant or accidentally stumbled into an explanation for why Ed's (and many alchemist's) dogma did not match the reality we were so often presented with throughout the entire show! So many people watch 03 (or, y'know, half pay attention to it and then dismiss it as they originally intended to anyway) and somehow miss Dante's grand obliteration of the 'Law' of Equivalent Exchange. They miss that this is the show's way of affirming that, yes! We know this has never been true, we have been showing you this in innumerable ways! Al's opening narration before the intro song was telling you the same thing too! If you were paying attention and noted that something wasn't adding up, this is because we were leading you as well as the Elrics to this destination! Now grapple with what that means across the themes and events we have been presenting you.

This next line shook me: Aikawa does not view the Hohenheim-like, youthful face that Envy dons to get Ed to slip up in their fight as his true face! Holy shit! There has been so much debate over the years about whether this is what Envy truly looked like as a human; whether this could even be possible given that Hohenheim's most current body could not have survived through centuries. (Envy being the oldest homunculus at around 400 years, therefore Dante and Hohenheim had him 4 centuries ago.) And here's Aikawa, saying he doesn't see this as Envy's truth! Goddamn. If we take this as Word of God, then Envy was not lying earlier in the series when he states that he has long forgotten what his original form looked like. Thing is, I don't think we have to completely abandon creating interpretations for why Envy presented this face (beyond the pragmatic shock that allows him to overcome Ed), since Hohenheim's current face does not look wholly unlike his original visage before having to jump into a new body. I personally enjoy the idea that Hohenheim tends to seek out men who have some resemblance to his original self, unlike Dante who wears human beings for the novelty of each of their unique selves. Envy may not remember what he looked like precisely (and given Dante's control over humunculus embodiment she may not allow him that recollection) but perhaps he could have been unwittingly close enough. Regardless of interpretation, that Aikawa sees the serpent form as more true to Envy due to its symbol as the Ouroboros to me underlines that Envy has drifted so far from humanity so severely. His contempt and pain buries the past that fuels his rage all the same.

And as though ep.50's revelation wasn't big enough, ep.51's is a sledgehammer to my brain. Aikawa describes the process Ed had to undergo in order to successfully bring Al back to life and I am !!UNWELL!! Holy shit. The Gate did not necessarily comply with the transmutation! It did not follow through with that exchange, as if to put the finest point on Dante's speech possible! Though perhaps one could argue that it did allow the opportunity for Ed to do what he does.

"The only way he could prevent himself from decomposing inside the gate entirely was to leave his body behind. During this process, he came across Al’s body and soul while in the gate, just as he left it at age ten. As Ed crossed to the other side of the world with all his memories intact, Al could only regenerate by losing those same memories of the last four years."

EXCUSE ME. AIKAWA. ED WOULD HAVE DIED AND ROTTED IN THE GATE?! HOLY FUCK. He had to encounter Al's body and soul himself! Which was being protected in stasis, the Gate staving off death and decomposition from the younger Elric, unlike Ed's! I'm devouring bedrock, omfg. And yet, had there not been an exchange of Al's memories post-body loss for keeping Ed's memories as he crossed universes, there's an implication that Al would not have survived returning to the world! I am now consuming magma from the Earth's core. The Gate truly toys with lives in unfathomable ways.

The Elrics reaching to the sky, to each other, inspired by a shot in the first opening! That they're happy, in spite of their separation. Aikawa emphasizing that the ending is not wholly tragic, but, as many people have interpreted, it is bittersweet. (Interesting then how CoS modifies, contradicts, and replaces this ending.)

Man... my appreciation for the folks who made fma 2003 has been renewed.

Once again, thank you so much for sharing this with me, anon! I'm sure this is old news to a lot of fans, but for those who haven't read the commentary, please do!

#ask #fma 03 #meta #ed #al #scar fma #lust #wrath #izumi #dante #lyra #rose #winry #pride #sloth #envy #hohenheim #greed #long post after the jump

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gayleviticus · 2 years ago

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FMA 03 writers

i had an autism moment and decided to look into the writers of FMA 03 and am now going to vomit out my findings here (nothing very in-depth but it's interesting to see which niches they fall into)

Sho Aikawa: 1-3, 7-8, 13-16, 21-22, 25, 29-31, 32 (w Yamatoya), 36, 39-51, Shamballa.

He wrote the first three episodes, the Nina/Barry the Chopper double whammy, the Marcoh/Scar arc, the latter half of Lab 5, Hughes' death, a decent chunk of the Wrath arc, the Elrics learning Scar's backstory, and then everything from about when the Liore arc begins.

Clearly as head writer he takes charge of the most significant turning points in the series - interestingly, aside from E35, E37, and E38 ("Reunion of the Fallen", "The Flame Alchemist, The Bachelor Lieutenant & The Mystery of Warehouse 13", and "With the River's Flow" by Inoue, Takahashi, and Yamatoya respectively), Aikawa is the only writer to write anything after the series fully diverges from the manga (which I would place at Ed killing Greed in E34). Wikipedia tells me has a reputation for working on adaptations that diverge significantly from the source material, as opposed to original works.

Other writing credits include head writer for Martian Successor Nadesico, Kamen Rider Decade, and the second half of Kamen Raider Blade. At 29.5/51 episodes (he co-wrote a single episode) he was responsible for 57.8% of the series.

Natsuko Takahashi: 6, 11, 17, 23, 26, 37.

She wrote the first Nina episode, The Other Elric Brothers 1, the Elrics recuperating in Resembool, the Elrics recovering post Lab 5, the Paininya episode, and Warehouse 13.

Her forte here is almost entirely slow, character-focused stories without danger or high stakes, with a tendency to emphasise cooling down from big dramatic moments and exploring the implications of these events for the characters.

Other credits include Tokyo Mew Mew, Chrno Crusade, Bleach, and Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo. At 6/51 episodes she wrote 11.8% of the series.

Akatsuki Yamatoya: 28, 32 (w Aikawa), 33-34, 38.

He wrote the Yock Island training episode, Greed arc, and the episode where Ed and Al get into an argument and meet by the river (while Winry and Sheska investigate conspiracies).

Interestingly he is the only writer aside from Aikawa involved in writing actual ongoing arcs after the anime begins to diverge significantly from the manga (I would consider this the introduction of Wrath in E29); the only other contributions past this point are Warehouse 13 (E37) by Takahashi, which a joke episode, and Inoue's Lust and Lujon episode (35), which is valuable characterisation wise but technically standalone. Essentially Yamatoya writes solely for the transition point where FMA 03 is moving from following the manga's blueprint (with significant elaborations, albeit) to its own path.

Other writing credits include Soul Eater, Ghost Stories, Naruto, Detective Conan. At 4.5/51 episodes he wrote 8.8% of the series.

Toshiki Inoue: 4, 10, 24, 35

He wrote Majhal, Psiren, Al defending the Ishbalans against Barry the Chopper with Scar, and Lust and Lujon.

His episodes are largely anime-original and standalone, without significantly shaping the course of the series, but arguably contain valuable characterisation. The Al episode is something of an exception here as it is tied into an ongoing arc (Al's existential crisis) which is also based off manga material, but the episode itself is not a direct adaptation of anything from the manga. Majhal and Psiren are arguably the only genuine cases of pure 'filler' in 03.

Other credits include main writer of Don Brothers and the Death Note anime. At 4/51 episodes he wrote 7.8% of the series.

Katsuhiko Takayama: 9, 19-20, 27.

He wrote the Yousewell episode, first two episodes of Lab 5 arc, and the one where Izumi catches the Elrics.

His work seems fairly solid but nothing very innovative: he adapts manga material well but it's hard to see any strong theme here I think. Notably his Lab 5 episodes mainly cover manga events; the Lab 5 arc does end up significantly diverging from the manga with elements like Scar, Greed, Kimblee, and the Homunculi trying to convince Ed to make the Stone, but not in his episodes.

Other credits include Star Ocean EX, Mirai Nikki, Magia Record S2. At 4/51 episodes he wrote 7.8% of the series.

Manabu Ishikawa: 12, 18.

He wrote The Other Elric Brothers Part 2 and Marcoh's Notes.

Not much to say here - an adaptation of a light novel and a manga chapter.

Other credits include production assistant on Neon Genesis Evangelion, and writing for the Arc the Lad anime and Kimi no koe o todoketai. At 2/51 episodes he wrote 3.9% of the series.

Aya Yoshinaga: 5.

Wrote only the train episode so hard to draw any strong conclusions.

Other credits include Golden Kamui, Natsume's Book of Friends, and Durara!! At 1/51 episodes they (unsure of their gender) wrote 1.9% of the series.

as a special bonus I have made a pie chart bc I like pie charts

#fma 03 #fma #my posts #rambling #fma 2003

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watasemasaru · 2 years ago

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Ten Films I LOVE

tagged by my comedy partner in crime, the tsukkomi to my boke; @zurdoabsurdo

Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl (1999 dir. Katsuhiro Ishii) This is my movie. Movie of all time. Rotten Tomatoes can eat my ass with their 25% rating. A yakuza on the run for stealing from the boss from a wacko cast of assassins with a clever girl in tow. It's what Tarantino wishes he could make.

Heat (1995 dir. Michael Mann) I mean, come on. AlPacino, Robert DeNiro, Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Ashely Judd, Mykelti Williamson? This movie could not fail even if that was the goal.

The Accountant (2001 dir. Ray McKinnon) It's a short film, and Ray is actually from the town I've lived in the last twenty years, so I have a soft spot for him. Ray is so captivating as an actor, and this film was something else. It's somber but still moving.

Straight Talk (1992 dir. Barnet Kellman) It's a cornball romcom, but it's DOLLY PARTON'S romcom. I love this movie to pieces. I even have one of the original movie posters. Unfortunately I have to also look at James Woods' face lol.

Tombstone (1993 dir. George P. Cosmatos) Another that's like, be serious. I love westerns and the outlaw/lawman yeehaw bullshit. You know how it is with yeehaw bullshit.

Deadland Inferno/Zアイランド (2015 Hiroshi Shinagawa) An action zombie comedy. This one is for the yakuza gworls (gn). Basic we have a plan to get to safety from zombies and hijinks ensuse. Sho Aikawa, SHINGO TSURUMI MY BABY BOY BABY, Hideo Nakano, Hitoshi Ozawa, Sawa Suzuki. So like...dead souls but you're playing as Takasugi, Sagawa, Shibusawa, and Kuze LOL

The Bridges of Madison County (1995 dir. Clint Eastwood) Romance between an older couple, bittersweet partings, it's everything. I'm a closet die hard romantic.

My Dead Dad (2021 dir. Fabio Frey) I watched this for Raymond Cruz and wasn't expecting much but it really hit me. For reasons of my own dead dad that I was estranged from, but there were so many pieces that were like snapshots of my own teens years. The skate parks and ugly fucking skate shoes, weed, sour beer. It's also beautifully shot. It was my movie of 2022.

Grosse Pointe Blank (1997 dir. George Armitage) The soundtrack fucking rips. Probably one of my favorites ever. Joe Strummer put his whole pussy in it. A black comedy, John Cusack & Minnie Driver? Hot stuff

The Devil's Advocate (1997 dir. Taylor Hackford) MY GAY AWAKENING, A MOVIE I HAD NO BUSINESS WATCHING UNDER THE AGE OF TEN. I was obsessed with this movie. Tamara Tunie only had a small part man....she changed my life forever. If you love the tropes of good and evil, the devil, lawyers, Keanu Reeves with a terrible southern drawl, watch this :)

Tagging @necrotizer @coffeemakesmeahappybean @xyndario and anyone else that wants to share their favorite films <3

#tag games #movies #film

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byneddiedingo · 3 months ago

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Pulse (Kiyoshi Kurosawa, 2001)

Cast: Haruhiko Kato, Kumiko Aso, Koyuki, Kurume Arisaka, Masatoshi Matsuo, Shinji Takeda, Jun Fubuki, Shun Sugata, Sho Aikawa, Koji Yakusho, Kenji Misuhashi. Screenplay: Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Cinematography: Jun'ichiro Hayashi. Production design: Tomoyuki Maruo. Film editing: Jun'ichi Kikuchi. Music: Takefumi Haketa.

Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Pulse is a quietly unnerving movie about the apocalypse, which comes not with a bang but with a slow (very slow) fading away. It seems to be brought about by technology, particularly the internet, which causes people to become lonely and isolated. The film is also a ghost story, which posits that the afterlife is a place of intense loneliness and isolation. As the film progresses, cities thin out and some of the characters simply fade into blurry splotches on the wall. One crumbles into flakes and is blown away by the wind. Unfortunately, we expect more from movies than melancholy disintegration, so the impact of Pulse disintegrates too, as it takes its long slow time to create a mood at the expense of telling a story.

#Pulse #Kiyoshi Kurosawa

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denebsapphic · 3 months ago

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Engine Sentai Go-Onger: Boom Boom! Bang Bang! Movie Bang (2008) by Sho Aikawa

3/5, Tokusatsu, Action Adventure

This was fine, I don't really have much else to say about it.

#movies watched in 2024

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izdatazn · 1 year ago

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S.U.I.T.S - Terran's Hidden War

TERRAN 29 - ENEMIES AT THE GATE

I woke up to the continuous chirping of birds in the morning, as rays of sunlight streamed through the blinds. The room was filled with brightness, although my vision took a few minutes to clear. I lay in bed, with only half of my body covered by a blanket. Beside me, I noticed that Asuka was also awake, completely wrapped up in her own blanket. Our eyes met.

With a shy giggle, she blushed as I planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Good morning, Issei," she said with a smile, reaching out to firmly hold my hand. "You were amazing last night," she added, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "I hope for more private audacious moments like this for the next two days.” She winked at me playfully while pursing her lips.

Suddenly, we heard a distant blare coming from outside. It continued for some time before we realized what was happening. We were startled by aggressive banging on the door and were shocked when Viktor burst into the room.

"Kobayashi! Our enemies are here!" he exclaimed. “The enemies are at the gate!”

Miyoung entered the room swiftly and delivered a quick slap to his face. "Don't you see they're occupied?" She then proceeded to pull him out of the room and kicked him away, sarcastically commenting, "Well, look who we have here! The sneaky love birds who snuck away from last night's festivities. I'm sure those multiple sessions took a toll on both of you." With that remark, she walked out while Isabel closed the door behind her and gave us a playful wink before slamming it shut.

Asuka's face flushed instantly upon hearing her comment. "Miyoung, why would you say that?!” She quickly sought shelter under her covers and exclaimed, “I wasn't that loud!" Frustrated, she threw a pillow towards the door and buried herself deeper into the comforting embrace of her blankets. Her voice was muffled as she cried, “That’s so embarrassing!"

I immediately hugged her tightly and laughed reassuringly, saying, "Come on, we need to go." She cried and complained as I continued to console her.

We assembled our teams in the main room of The Bertha II. Nanako, Amy, Kumiko, Isabel, and Miyoung approached Asuka with excitement before darting into a private room like giggling teenage girls gossiping. Aikawa wrapped his arm around me, flashing me the brightest smile.

“Aikawa asked, whispering with Hideki and Sho as they huddled near Aikawa and me. "We noticed both of you leaving the ballroom in a rather indiscreet manner. How was your daring and splendid night with the lovely lady named Asuka Shigihara?" I blushed intensely as silence encompassed me, with everyone eagerly awaiting my response.

“It,” I stuttered. “Was nice.”

"I-i-it," I stuttered, my voice shaky. "It was nice."

From the private room, we could hear the muffled squeals of the girls. Despite the door being soundproof, their excitement exceeded its capabilities. The guys leaped with joy, offering congratulations for having successfully performed the devil's tango.

“My boy became a man last night.” Aikawa slapped my chest and laughed heartily. “That’s the way to do it.”

Aikawa and the others departed as the girls finished gossiping. Asuka, who was the last one to rejoin us in the main room, stood next to me. Her face was flushed, clearly displaying her embarrassment from the confession she had made. I discreetly glanced at Nanako and Kumiko, and they reciprocated with knowing glances. They unsuccessfully tried to stifle their mischievous giggles and smiles as they averted their gaze. Asuka and I remained quiet, while our friends persisted in snickering and giving us discreet looks.

The Bertha II departed from the hangar. Kumiko and Shota's squad were also with us. A holographic figure emerged from the table - it was Charles Miller, joining us.

"Mr. Kobayashi and Ms. Shigihara, I would welcome you physically, but we are short on time," Charles greeted us. "We underestimated their arrival time, and our opponents will be here earlier than expected. You will be joining Empress Xaba on the front line. We must gather information quickly and put an end to the siege. You have your objectives; I wish you the best of luck. The world is watching us." With that, his hologram disappeared.

I spoke next: "Today in our garage, we have Asuka Shigihara's medium assault class known as Lady Himiko, Kumiko Kobo's medium light assault class named Izanagi, and Taishi Fujita's medium heavy support class called Issun-bōshi. Our objective is to defend the wall, capture the enemy commanders, and swiftly put an end to this siege. We have been assigned designated spots on the front line. Let's not disappoint our veteran agents."

I watched as numerous news cameras from around the globe hovered above the city and near the wall. It was nerve-racking to see Noxolo's army advancing towards the wall alongside SUITs agents in their own assault craft - this was no ordinary situation. The news channels switched off momentarily before returning with Noxolo Xaba giving a speech.

Asuka stood by my side while gripping my hand tightly as Noxolo addressed all of us passionately: “Today, I speak to my citizens of United Africa! My army stands united with my dedicated friends in defending our beloved city that we have worked tirelessly to make a utopia out of! Our enemies in the North seek to destroy our prosperous lifestyle and destabilize what we have built. You trust me to defend this country, and I will not let that happen. Rise, my citizens, and defend the country with me. They surround us with their fleet and outnumber us three to one. But then it becomes an even fight. What did they say when we refused to surrender?"

The monitor then switched to a recording of our enemies declaring, "We will blot out the sun!"

As we tuned back into Noxolo's speech on the monitor, her words were filled with unwavering determination: "Then we shall fight in the shade!" The views on the monitors shifted, revealing walls emerging along the coastline, extending from east to west and then south. "We will fight in the streets and within the confines of our own homes! We will defend our city until every citizen is secure!" Not only did we notice the walls, but we also witnessed a transparent shield slowly encompassing the entire country. Our right to live freely shall not be confiscated from us. My fellow citizens, let us unite and stand with me in protecting our cherished nation! The monitors panned and shifted focus as three massive allied ships materialized above the capital city. The illuminated energy tether suddenly dissipated, severing its connection to the ground station and simultaneously merging with the shields to create a complete safeguard for our country. "We will persist in fighting until our very last breath!" The monitors scanned across different regions of the country, where citizens cheered fervently at Noxolo's impassioned speech. "I vow to you, my fellow citizens," stated Noxolo as her image reappeared on the screen, "I will defend you with my life!"

Noxolo's flagship remained stationed above the capital city, while the other two ships headed northward to join the rest of the fleet for defense. We met up with the others behind the wall at our forward base of operations. Charles Miller temporarily took command and addressed us, explaining our positions before the invasion began. He informed us that there was a no man’s land between the wall and mountains, which stretched 10 clicks or approximately 160 km/100 miles. While it seemed like a vast empty field on foot, it would be different with advanced vehicles. This morning was filled with chaotic troop movements both on the ground and from above. Charles assigned us our objectives which we willingly accepted. Asuka, Kumiko, and Taishi were grouped together until we received approval to proceed. Leaving the forward operating base behind, we followed the road leading towards the gate beneath those imposing guns atop of the wall.

Passing through both gates and defensive trenches along with their accompanying guns made crossing no man's land feel incredibly daunting due to its emptiness. We took up our positions and gathered as much ammunition as possible to store in our vehicles. They believe we won't have enough resources to withstand a siege, with logistics being behind by a week. We hope to hold out until SUITs can provide us with resources as soon as possible.

I was taken aback by the sudden blaring of horns. Numerous monitors appeared on the central table, displaying various peculiar warps occurring in different locations. Three enemy ships materialized precisely above the ocean near United Africa's shores, while a few more appeared far away from the wall. Our attention was immediately drawn to the enemy flagship, which swiftly descended into the atmosphere accompanied by three other enemy vessels. They encircled us from all directions.

We quickly noticed thousands of enemy dropships descending from the sky, originating from these four vessels, while enemy aircraft swarmed around them. The situation felt frighteningly real, and some of us were unprepared for what lay ahead.

The monitor shifted focus and we saw Noxolo's royal vehicle approaching through the gate to join us in battle. She spoke with determination, "My friends, I will not back down from this fight. I understand that many of you are apprehensive about what awaits us. I too am nervous but let me assure you this: we must trust in one another. We have each other's backs and together we will endure and emerge victorious from this siege!” Her soldiers erupted in cheers and even within my heavily fortified vehicle walls, I could hear their jubilant shouts reverberating throughout.

“She knows how to make a speech.” Asuka chuckled.

“That’s reassuring I guess.” Kumiko added.

We assumed our defensive positions and patiently awaited the approach of our enemies. A strange silence surrounded us, not within the confines of our vehicle but outside, as if all sound had been swallowed by the howling wind. After a few moments had elapsed, we noticed countless adversaries emerging over the hillsides. My breath shook with trepidation as we observed from Bertha's cockpit, Asuka gripping my hands tightly. The assault was not confined to a mere wall siege; our foes were also launching attacks from the ocean, encircling us from every direction.

"I'll take care of you," she whispered.

"And I'll do the same for you," I replied reassuringly.

Noxolo commanded, "Extend the shield to four clicks!"

The rail cannons, anti-aircraft guns, and machine guns attached on the all adjusted their aim towards approaching soldiers as they held their positions until they were six clicks away before opening fire.The anti-aircraft guns launched projectiles at incoming enemy aircrafts.A single ship carrier hovered above the wall, releasing thousands of aircrafts. Admiral Charles Miller led the skies in this battle. Our enemies reached the shield walls. The machine guns and cannons began to open fire as well as our hovercraft.

"Noxolo exclaimed, 'We must not give up! We must not let them get through this wall!' She demanded, 'Find me the leader who is leading this siege!'

The enemy's long-range cannons breached our shield and fired upon our defensive structures. One of the defense guns next to us took a direct hit but remained functional. Chaos ensued as our enemies continued to advance while we unleashed a tremendous amount of fire upon them.

Kumiko spoke urgently, 'We need to get into position,' and walked away with Shota.

Asuka suddenly embraced me and kissed me on the lips. Stepping back, she gave me a gentle smile. 'I'll see you later.' I released her hands and watched as she ran towards the garage with the others. I continued to watch chaos happened in front of me. They were getting closer to our position.

We noticed thousands of enemy transport changed position and open up their vehicles. We watched millions of enemies pour out of the transparent as they headed towards us. They released a swarm five clicks away from us.

Noxolo gave us permission to attack, so we moved forward without hesitation. Thousands of SUITs and United African army hovercrafts drove towards the swarm.

'Lady Himiko launching,' Kumiko announced.

'Issun-bōshi, launching,' Taishi added.

'Izanagi, launching,' Asuka declared.

One by one, the ramps lowered as they exited the garage and followed behind The Bertha II. Riding alongside other hovercrafts, we advanced towards the enemy. The Bertha II absorbed a direct hit from an enemy laser beam but it deflected harmlessly towards the ground – it had no effect on us. Shortly after that Viktor and Miyoung began firing upon the swarm.

I heard Viktor whisper, 'This is suicide.'

Shit.

The Bertha II's auto cannons started firing as thousands of hovercrafts plowed through the swarm and enemy vehicles. For now, we held steady amidst the chaos that surrounded us up close. Holding my breath, we continued mowing down our enemies while slowly breaking away from formation to do whatever was necessary to halt their advancing army.

We noticed thousands of massive creatures joining in on the fight. Our weapons inflicted hundreds of direct hits on them; however, I witnessed one up close effortlessly ripping apart an allied vehicle. We couldn't allow it to proceed any further.

'Bertha, take the wheel. Viktor! Isabel! Follow me!' I commanded.

They agreed as we rushed out of the cockpit, leaving Bertha in control. We headed straight for the garage and entered our individual vehicles. Once again, the ramp dropped, revealing immediate chaos surrounding us.

'Viktor,' I called out to him. He looked at me expectantly. 'Smash.' He flashed a huge smile and laughed.

'Viktor!' His voice echoed as he drove off. 'Smash!'

'Right behind you, Kobayashi,' Isabel responded.

I accelerated and Isabel followed suit. Swiftly maneuvering through the battlefield, we fought amidst ongoing chaos.”

Viktor fearlessly charged towards the colossal creature, smashing through his foes with his vehicle. As he collided with the creature, he leapt off and skillfully landed on its shoulder. Maintaining a firm grip, Viktor rode atop the thrashing beast. With determination, he plunged his weapon deep into its back and swiftly decapitated it, ensuring its immediate demise.

After dismounting from the creature, Viktor observed multiple similar monstrosities closing in on him from all directions. He let out a booming bellow. "Viktor is bored! Will you all entertain Viktor?" Playfully swinging his weapon, he declared, "Excellent! Wilma, let's have some fun.”

In contrast to Viktor's approach, we did our best to evade direct attacks from our enemies and instead focused on eliminating those near Bertha. However, my time on my vehicle was short-lived as a creature lunged at me, snatched me up, and hurled me off alongside it. Reacting swiftly, I drew my sword and dispatched the creature before being immediately besieged by more of its kind. Isabel joined me in battle as we swiftly dealt with the creatures assailing us from all sides. Meanwhile, Bertha maneuvered around us attempting to prevent further swarming by these creatures. This wasn’t fun at all.

Engrossed in defending ourselves against our surroundings, I failed to notice a tall muscular two-footed creature approaching me until it tightened its grip around my body and pulled me closer to its face.

It hissed menacingly at me saying,"I didn't realize humans would be so small." Its hold grew tighter as Isabel struggled to free me but found herself besieged by other creatures making it increasingly difficult for her. "A powerful being like you can easily bore me," it chuckled darkly. "Perhaps if I squeeze harder your existence will turn into nothing more than a puddle."

As consciousness slipped away under increasingly constricted breaths caused by its tightening grip on my body,I suddenly witnessed a war fan flying past, cutting off this creature's wrist. As I fell to the ground along with the creature's hand, Isabel helped me release myself from its grasp.

"Don't you dare touch him, you bastard!" Asuka's angry voice echoed through the air.

Asuka emerged from underground and swiftly threw another war fan before catching her second one. The second war fan pierced through the creature's thigh but failed to stop it. Unfazed, Asuka hurled her first war fan with even greater force at the same spot on the creature's thigh.

The creature pulled out and discarded both war fans with a chuckle. "You really think that will stop me?"

Suddenly emerging from underground herself, Kumiko spoke up confidently: "Not really." A wooden tail sprouted from beneath the ground and impaled through the creature. When this failed to halt its movement, Kumiko threw two more tails at it until they successfully restrained its progress. She then added one final tail through its mouth.

"Now that last one is because you talk too much," she remarked coolly as her tails retracted into the ground and caused the creature to fall backwards.

Asuka helped Isabel remove the creature's hand while others joined us, forming a protective circle around us and preventing the creatures from getting any closer. Asuka slapped me lightly before immediately embracing me. Miyoung and Viktor joined us right after.

"That was reckless," she gasped. "I almost lost you."

"And I nearly lost you too," I replied, finally able to breathe normally again.

"Guys, this reunion is great," Hideki spoke, "but we have more urgent matters to address."

"The acting leader is right nearby," Noxolo interjected. "Detain him on my behalf and we can temporarily stop this siege. I will give you the coordinates. The acting leader's position is just ahead, about half a kilometer away."

"What should we do?" Kumiko asked.

"We keep moving forward," I replied. "As instructed, our objective is to detain him for Noxolo."

"Viktor, Isabel, and Hideki will lead the way," I declared. "Kumiko, provide us with shield protection as we advance."

"I'll do my best with my tails," she answered.

"Twelve of us against millions of them blocking our path," I joked. "Next time, I won't accept the invitation."

Without hesitation, we charged towards the location of the enemy leader, defeating creatures attacking us from all directions. Kumiko stayed at the back to protect us while using her tails to attack enemies within reach. Our vehicles also supported us from the sides and back as we continued moving forward. We only had to deal with a couple hundred that managed to get past our vehicle’s perimeter. It wasn't too bad, but it was slowly becoming increasingly difficult to reach the position of the enemy's acting leader. I noticed that it was the same creature as before but larger and more muscular than its predecessor who had grabbed me earlier on.

"What do we do?" Asuka asked anxiously."The swarm won't let us pass."

"Kumiko, do you want to push us towards him?" I suggested.

"Sure, but I'm coming with you," she replied bravely. “If you two are going to do dumb things together, you might as well add me into this mess.

"She's not wrong," I chuckled in agreement.

The wooden stumps emerged from below us, propelling us into the air and towards the commanding general. We observed the creatures leaping towards us, doing everything they could to impede our progress, but we managed to take them down with our vehicle's weaponry.

The commanding leader noticed us and aimed their guns in our direction. Asuka threw her war fans at one of the creatures, but they simply bounced off its armor. The leader fired a barrage of kinetic rounds at us, causing Kumiko to use a stump as a shield. Taking charge, Kumiko shattered the stump into pieces and hurled them at the commanding leader. The stump fragmented into numerous smaller splinters that impaled the creatures surrounding their leader.

We dodged the commanding leader's attacks as we soared through the air and safely landed on solid ground. While Kumiko focused on dispatching enemies around us, Asuka and I confronted the formidable leader. I aimed my sword at the leader's shoulder armor, but it easily slid off as I dove past him. Overpowering such an experienced commander wasn't easy, but we did everything we could to bring them down. However, before we could incapacitate him/her, they swiftly neutralized both Asuka and myself before Kumiko had a chance to react.

"Three against one and still not enough to disarm me," laughed the leader arrogantly. "This planet is a joke.”

"You should pick on someone your own size, Commander Draven.” Nehir stated firmly.

"Or perhaps someone more experienced," Jade added confidently.

"Ah! Long time no see Nehir... Jade," Draven hissed sarcastically. Asuka and I struggled back onto our feet while others quickly joined us. We formed a defensive circle around Nehir, Jade, and Draven without allowing our enemies through.

Nehir demanded sternly: "Tell me General Stakil's whereabouts along with Tefari Xaba's location."

Draven laughed scornfully: "You already know where they are located Nehir! But if you want their precise coordinates you'll have to go through my cold dead body." Draven unsheathed a massive long blade from his back.

"I intend to gather intelligence," Jade sighed. "And then I will put an end to your life, Draven."

Draven swung his weapon at them and they retaliated with equal force. The close-range battle raged on with neither side showing signs of defeat. Their fight persisted for several minutes as Nehir managed to land a few shots on Draven's body. Yet, it didn't hinder him; he continued attacking relentlessly.

"Such feeble attempts won't hinder me, Nehir," Draven laughed.

"I am not here to eliminate you, Draven," calmly replied Nehir. "My purpose is to delay you."

"Delay me from whom?" Draven questioned. He threw his weapon but was instantly blocked just inches away from Jade.

"From me," Noxolo spoke up.

We witnessed Noxolo's magnificent entrance as she joined the fight alongside Nehir and Jade. Bayu and Nala stood by her side, forming a protective perimeter around us. Bayu raised a thick wooden half dome above us as chaos erupted outside its boundaries.

"You haven't learned from your past experiences, have you, Draven?" Noxolo said confidently as she stood in front of him. “Just because you became a commander doesn’t mean anything to me..” Noxolo skillfully evaded Draven's attacks while Jade and Nehir watched silently. She continued. “You’re still at the bottom of the barrel.”

We observed how Draven swung directly at her but missed every shot against the queen—an amusing sight considering an experienced leader failing to land a hit on royalty.

"Stop playing games with me!" growled Draven.

We watched as blood pooled out of the body of Commander Draven while Noxolo controlled it, gradually wrapping around her. She extracted enough blood from Draven for him to lose consciousness. He fell to the ground and was promptly bound with wooden restraints. Soon after, we heard rumbling from outside the dome as it slowly crumbled apart revealing our enemies retreating fully from the siege.

"Noxolo spoke urgently to Kobayashi, 'I have received a message for you from SUIT's network, sent by Daisuke Model. While we will do our best to defend our country, you must continue pursuing the remaining Clubs. It is believed that Zaporg has been located on the moon, but that's not the only concern you should have.'"

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