#Also I am so worried about Tezuka

[fionnalovesanimeboysandholo]

 I am so excited for the Seigaku vs Hyotei match

[generouskittentidalwave]

Astro boy reboot, oh boy

So news of the new Astro boy reboot series broke out like WILD FIRE and as I predicted the fandom that has been waiting so long for it is very worried of how it'll turn out

But honestly

I'm actually quite hyped for it.

They removed the Miraculous creator from working on it which is a great start in my book THANK THE HEAVENS. Secondly I don't mind Astro having a girl he has feelings for at 9 as that happened in the 80s version and it was genuinely very sweet (ya know until she was found out to be a bomb and the two had to heartbreakingly seperate by her needing to be taken apart which destroyed the fandom's hearts). And he had plenty of crushes over the years so I'm not phased by it.

The only thing I hope for is that they don't make her human, because the problem with a robot child being together with a normal human child is the fact that she can age and he can't as he is permanently stuck with the mind and body of a 9 year old, so OOOO THAT RELATIONSHIP WILL BE *BAD* IN THE LONG RUN IF THEY MAKE THE RELATIONSHIP A PERMANENT THING AND NOT TEMPORARY.

Now to talk about some other things, I am actually really excited for the plot. It's a very slept on plot on the idea that Astro has to keep his robot identity secret from others to blend in as human and sometimes not even discovering he is a robot himself till later as usually unless told or shown otherwise Astro is mistaken to be a normal human child. That idea of self discovery and finding about who you are, who can from, and who you decide to be is a core trait for Astro and I find the plot as a cool way to show that.

And speaking of which, the elephant in the room. Tobio. By the looks of the plot it makes it known that Astro is gonna have the hero name be Astro when he is fighting and will most likely be called Atom by others AND I HOPE I PRAY TEZUKA GOD OF MANGA YOU BETTER HELP HERE I HOPE that they actually keep in and address the fact that Astro/robot Tobio is a robotic replacement by a father gone mad of his 9 year old dying in a tragic car accident as it's a CORE part of his character. The implication that robot Tobio has been living as a replacement in this series and is discovering himself and who he truly is by becoming Astro would be SO COOL

Lastly, the cgi, ima be honest it looks pretty decent. I like the way it looks as we could've gotten something so much worse if it was animated like Miraculous believe me. It looks bright, cartoony and colorful which ppl associate with it causing stir for it being aimed towards kids but the original Astro boy was also aimed towards kids in that same goofy cartoon style. What made it memorable was the story, the meaning, how a goofy and silly looking manga who could hold such darkness and truth and bringing to light deep societal and human issues while dealing with the inner turmoil of a boy trying to find out who he truly is beyond what he was made for. That he isn't a replacement, that he isn't just a robot. So as long as they are able or atleast TRY to hit that mark, then that's what matters to me more than the style.

In conclusion, it's just the pitch idea mind you, just a summed up concept. Everything is subject to be changed and tweaked as things get made and processed. For all we know it could end up being something completely different. The fandom has a reason to be on edge but we should be atleast a bit more open minded towards it until we see it in action it might not be another 2003 but it's definetly no 2009. And as for the ones working on it with both Tezuka productions and the fandom holding them at gunpoint over a series we've waited nearly a decade for, that better encourage them to give out one hell of a series.

Also Tenma and Oshan better be the same divorced science dads we all know and love or I swear to god-

[runawaycarouselhorse]

I found a new (to me--it's actually quite old!) heartwarming collection of cute, collection of fables/fairy tale-esque children's stories anime, Fukuyama Gekijou: Natsu no Himitsu [Fukuyama Theater: Summer Secret]--I found it via Pinterest because look at this adorably sweet mermaid design!!!

It's by one of my favourite artists ever, Fukuyama Keiko, who painted those touching scenes used for the end of Pikachu's Summer Vacation (yup, the first Pikachu pre-movie short!) and a lot of old Pokemon postcards! Osamu Tezuka fans will also know her as the artist of the Melmo-chan reboot manga! It's where this super cute bunny came from!!! I used to mistake it as something from Chibi Maruko-chan! It used to make the rounds on tumblr a lot.

The intro/narrative frame of little mice reading stories gives me the same so-heartwarming-it-makes-me-teary nostalgic feeling as Maple Town. (Side-note: so many punny references to Fukuyama-sensei's name everywhere!)

The rabbits' story is just bunny propoganda, poor wolf!! He's as pitiful as Tom! But I am very amused at the catchy song just trying to get kids to eat the veggies. See, the wolf is ugly because he hated carrots, but the bunnies are smart, because they love carrots, fff.

The longest story is a silly, Flintstones-esque story about cavemen living among dinosaurs, namely focusing on an aspiring artist (Henoheno), trying hard to make it big, supported by his friend (later wife ♡) Pink and dinosaur friend Shiro (Shiro also ends up a mom to many, many little dinos, but the father amusingly isn't shown, Sir Not-Appearing-in-This-Short, pfft.) Also, there's a famous established artist called (Moheji.) Yes, his and the lead's names are puns on the henohenomoheji doodle. As you can tell by the disclaimer, you are not to take this anachronistic story too seriously, it's just a sweet, funny, uplifting little story!

This little punk in the End of Semester Cleaning Contest story is very funny. Cute story. I did worry it'd take a dark turn when he fell down the stairs (they even had him wonder if maybe he died whe he fell), but no, it ended nicely... even if it's a little bittersweet.

There's some shorter stories that are mostly songs (another one about rabbits sung by a kindergartener and one song about yearning for love starring a little black dog named Kuro who does find a home!), and the last story is easily my other favourite after the mermaid story, and I'm so glad it was a longer one too... it's a very poignant story.

The Origami Princess is a little like Thumbelina, but very Japanese. A little girl, with her mother's help, makes an origami princess, but before she could go to the beach, she falls sick, so sends the princess in her place, floating her on a boat-shaped leaf down the river...

The princess is amazed by the beauty of the world and befriends a telescope goldfish (Kinguro), who was accidentally flushed while his tank was being cleaned, and he aids her as she seeks the sea, even as he warns her of the danger...

There's a dignity and grace in this story that's very beautiful.

(Also, tanuki statue spotted!)

[happiighost]

So… Pluto looks really interesting but my only experience with Astro Boy is the 2003 movie and I barely remember that. Feel like it wouldn’t hit right. Do you think it would still work as a watch? (Can’t make promises though I am… bad at getting to watching things.)

I swear you might have read my mind! I've actually been meaning to pester you about Pluto! Especially since you've been into robot media a lot recently!

I was initially worried about Astro Boy's context myself, back when I read the manga. But you don't need the astro-boy background. I'd argue, it's better to not have it all because it can spoil....kinda.

The nutshell version of Pluto is it's a retelling of an arc in Astro Boy, "The Greatest Robot in the World". However, instead of following Astro Boy, you follow Gesicht, an Interpol detective robot as he attempts to solve murder cases targeting the greatest robots and their creators. It's a crime psychological thriller twist on the original sci-fi story.

I'm not sure if you're familiar with Urasawa and Nagasaki's other works. But he loves crime dramas and thrillers, a lot. His other work monster shows this off, quite a bit. It also has a nod to Astro Boy with one of his characters being named after Dr. Tenma!

I adore all of the duo's works but if I had to recommend one, pluto would be it. It's short sweet and honestly hits the heart hard. The idea of a dark retelling of Astro Boy on paper would never work to me but the two authors pull it off so well! It is also the shortest! Even the original manga is only 65 compact chapters! The anime has 8 episodes each about an hour long. Beats the monster anime's original 74-episode run. It's a wonderful adaptation in my book. so matter how you go about you're in good hands.

If you want something even shorter think but somewhat adjacent! I can also recommend the movie Metropolis! It's another adaption of Tezuka's work, one manga made before Astro Boy. It bit clunky in its pacing and ideas but it's still a treat to watch!

Also even if you never end up watching either that's a-okay! Give Pluto a shot if like a crime mystery with robots!

Also if you wanna know my astro-boy context before reading pluto initially years ago. It was the 2009 movie with Nicolous Cage as Dr. Tenma... You don't need to know anything at all trust me.

[skeez-queen13]

Life Update

[✂️✂️✂️✂️✂️✂️]

I guess it's kind of official- but I finally made it out of my small town~!!!! It's kind of a long story, but I've been living in the city for about a year now. I didn't really plan on moving, but it just....sort of happened.

And I honestly am so eternally grateful. Especially for all of the kind people and organizations that have helped me make it this far.

I won't go into details, I mean- I remember when I used to treat this blog like a diary but that was ages ago and the internet has changed so much since then (like- what is this subscription b*llshit that we just can’t seem to escape these days- ugghh). Anyway- I will share that I am super busy just…..trying to LIVE *cries. I currently work @ this really cool deli place and I really like the team that I work with.

I'm also on the waiting list for housing (!!!!!). I've started the selection process but so far I haven't had any replies or offers to see anything in person (yet).

I'm also trying to go back to school for Dental Hygiene. Which is crazy. Like- I really had my heart set on going back to school for art and animation- BUT! At the end of the day I really want to be able to take care of myself and pay my bills and not have my family worry about me.

NGL- @ first, it really felt like I was giving up on my dream. Like- when I was younger I really REALLY wanted to work in animation; however- it was so hard to get started; like- even to make an art portfolio and the more I thought about it- I just don't have the self discipline to pursue animation professionally (@ least @ this point in my life). And then there’s the pressure of relying on my work for an income and deadlines and money and ajdjdjskkskakgg.

Don’t get me wrong, I love love LOVE animation with a capital L but it seems like such a crazy time for the industry these days. I watch from the sidelines and do what I can to support it but I’ve got bills to pay, I’ve gotta eat and I’m not getting any younger *cries in millennial*

Anyway! My passion for art and animation hasn’t died down and I do my best to fit into my weekly schedule as much as possible. Speaking of which! I’m currently enrolled at life drawing classes at the local art gallery and it’s so much fun! And! I went to go see Osamu Tezuka’s Metropolis last night @ the Cineplex and it was such a good movie. It really felt like a throwback to the 2000’s.

Aaahh- but! I digress. I love my new life in the city. It has its up and downs but there’s so much to see and do here. And there’s art everywhere.

It finally feels like I’ve started a new chapter in my life after being stuck on the same page for a decade. I’m very excited and I feel so incredibly lucky.

Wish me luck~!!! 💕💕💕

٩( 'ω' )و

[spicykaraage]

Wisteria Flowers Dancing in the Breeze - Story Translation

[Prologue]

Oishi: Okay, we should all be done with our shopping now.

Tezuka: No, Fuji’s not back yet.

Kikumaru: Oh, looks like he’s heading this way.

Fuji: You’re all back already. Sorry I’m late.

Inui: There was still time left. Don’t worry about it.

Kawamura: I saw you in the camera shop. You looked pretty busy in there…

Fuji: Yeah. The guy at the camera store was very knowledgeable about lenses and methods on taking photos.

Fuji: We were talking so much, I lost track of the time.

Tezuka: That sounds like you, Fuji.

Fuji: Even though photography’s my hobby, I still wanna improve in anyway I can.

Fuji: He told me the wisteria flowers are in full bloom right now, and he showed me all kinds of photos.

Tezuka: Right, we were also discussing that earlier.

Fuji: About the wisteria flowers…?

Tezuka: There’s been talk of these beautiful wisteria trellises at the shrine nearby. Apparently many people have been visiting there to view the flowers.

Kawamura: The shopping district’s gonna hold an event and have stalls set up there over the weekend.

Inui: It appears the shopping district is sponsoring the event. There’s posters of it all over the place.

Fuji: Wow…

Fuji: (Wisteria flowers… I’m curious now, especially after talking about flower photography earlier.)

Tezuka: We get half of a day off this weekend.

Tezuka: I think we should check it out.

Fuji: Huh?

Inui: Oh, so you’ve taken interest, Tezuka…

Oishi: It’s a great idea, isn’t it? Now that we know about it, why don’t we all go?

Kikumaru: Yeah. Let’s eat some delicious food from one of stalls.

Inui: Choosing food over flowers as usual, Eiji.

Kikumaru: Food, flowers, either way is fine!

Kawamura: Let’s invite Echizen and the others when they get back.

Fuji: Right…

Tezuka: What is it, Fuji. You want to go, don’t you?

Fuji: Of course I wanna go… Don’t I?

Tezuka: “Don’t I?”

Fuji: Nevermind. Fufu… This’ll be fun.

[Episode 1]

Tezuka: …A few more people won’t make much of a difference.

Fuji: Okay then, I’ll invite Yuuta too.

Gakuto: You guys heading out somewhere?

Yuushi: Pretty late for that, isn’t it.

Fuji: Oh, no. We’re talking about the weekend.

Tezuka: All of us from Seigaku are going to see the wisteria flowers at the shrine.

Gakuto: Wisteria flowers at the shrine…? Sounds like a field trip if you ask me.

Yuushi: That sounds nice and sentimental.

Fuji: There’s gonna be an event with stalls and everything. Kinda like a cherry blossom festival.

Gakuto: Huh, that actually sounds fun.

Yuushi: Food over flowers…

Gakuto: Shut up.

Fuji: Fufu… We were saying the same thing about Eiji.

Gakuto: Wha…

Yuuta: Huh, Big Bro?

Fuji: Yuuta, perfect timing. Are you gonna be free this weekend?

Yuuta: Why, what’s going on…

Mizuki: Yuuta-kun has already made plans for the weekend.

Fuji: Oh, you’re here too.

Mizuki: How could you not see me when I am literally standing right here!?

Yuuta: Well, I already have plans to go the shopping district with Mizuki-san. There’s a shop I kinda want to check out.

Fuji: We were talking about going to the shopping district too. How about we go together?

Yuuta: Huh…

Mizuki: I don’t mind. Even though it’s not ideal, we may as well go together since we’ll run into each other anyway.

Fuji: You don’t have to come if you don’t want to.

Mizuki: Did you forget I’m the one who made plans with Yuuta-kun first!?

Yuuta: Haha… It’ll be nice hanging out with you that day, Tezuka-san.

Tezuka: Right, I look forward to it as well.

Gakuto: Hey, Yuushi. Why don’t we go too?

Yuushi: Sure. Let’s go tell Atobe and the others.

[Episode 2]

Tezuka: Everyone should be here by now…

Kawamura: Looks like there’s some people missing though.

Kabaji: Atobe-san received an urgent phone call… He says you can go on ahead.

Jirou: A phone call won’t take that long. I’ll get something to drink before Atobe gets here.

Choutarou: Ah, Jirou-san, where are you going?

Jirou: The vending machines!

Tezuka: …Right. Let’s wait a bit.

Choutarou: Um, Hyotei’s gonna be late anyway, so you can go on ahead…

Kawamura: It’s fine, we’re not in any rush so we can all go together.

Jirou: Kaba-chan!

Kabaji: ?

Tezuka: That was certainly quick.

Jirou: I have something for you!

Kabaji: This is…

Tezuka: A ten yen coin…?

Kawamura: That’s a giza coin, isn’t it. What a rare find.

Jirou: Whenever I get a ten yen coin, I always “C” what kind it is. I collect them for Kaba-chan.

Gakuto: You’re strangely dedicated, Jirou.

Jirou: Hehe, thanks.

Shishido: …Was that even a compliment?

Kabaji: …Jirou-senpai, thank you very much.

Jirou: Don’t mention it!

Atobe: What’s going on, you were all supposed to go on ahead.

Tezuka: You’re here.

Atobe: Yeah, sorry for the delay. Did these guys give you any trouble?

Tezuka: No. If anything, they’re pleasant to be around.

Atobe: ?

[Episode 3]

*click!*

Kikumaru: Fuji. What’re you taking photos of?

Fuji: The scenery.

Kikumaru: But I’m pretty sure we see it all the time~

Fuji: No matter how many photos I take, I’ll never get tired of it since they show different faces in different places.

Fuji: Oh, this is a great shot.

*click!*

Tezuka: …What.

Fuji: Were you just holding back a yawn?

Tezuka: I don’t know about that.

Ryoma: Fuji-senpai, show me that photo later.

Fuji: Fufu… I’ll think about it.

Tezuka: Fuji…

Oishi: Haha. I get why you’d yawn, though.

Oishi: This nice weather and beautiful scenery, it’s really relaxing.

Ryoma: Too relaxing, it’s making me sleepy.

Kikumaru: Heyy…

Ryoma: …Hm? Where’s that coming from…

Kikumaru: Over here. Look, slooowly… at my fingertips.

Oishi: It’s a ladybug. Where’d it come from?

Kikumaru: There’s a field of canola flowers over there. I was checking them out, and it suddenly flew in and landed on my finger.

*click!*

Kikumaru: Oh.

Ryoma: Oh, it flew off.

Fuji: Sorry, Eiji. I was trying not to startle it, but…

Kikumaru: It’s okay. Pretty sure it was about to fly off, anyway.

Kikumaru: But we’ll always be together in the photo, send me it later!

Fuji: Yeah, of course.

Tezuka: You’ve been taking a lot of photos today.

Fuji: That’s what I came to do. My plan is to take a lot of photos of the scenery, flowers and people.

Fuji: And I plan on taking a lot of photos of you too, Tezuka, so you better be ready.

Tezuka: …Go easy on me.

[Episode 4]

Kaidoh: Pss pss pss… Here, come on.

Momoshiro: …Hm?

Kaidoh: Come on, don’t be afraid.

Momoshiro: Kaidoh, who you talking to?

Kaidoh: …!

Cat: Meow…

Momoshiro: Oh, a cat. You’re fond of them, aren’t ya.

Kaidoh: Shut up. I just… happened to see it.

Momoshiro: Oh whatever, you were going out of your way to talk to it.

Kaidoh: Huh? And what’s wrong with that?

Momoshiro: Did I say there was anything wrong with it? You’re insecure, totally insecure!

Kaidoh: Quit yelling, you idiot! You’re gonna scare the cat!

Ryoma: The cat’s already gone.

Kaidoh: Oh…

Ryoma: You guys never learn, do you…

—

Jirou: …Mm. I heard a cat meow…

Atobe: Huhh? Already falling asleep, Jirou.

Jirou: Wanna nap with a cat… *snore*…

Atobe: …Figures. Kabaji, carry him.

Kabaji: Right.

Momoshiro: …Huh. Akutagawa-san’s fallen asleep?

Ryoma: Wow, that’s nice. Being able to sleep and still be on the move.

Atobe: What Echizen, do you wish to be carried as well?

Ryoma: No thanks.

Ryoma: But isn’t he heavy, Kabaji-san?

Kabaji: I’m used to it…

Atobe: Don’t underestimate Kabaji’s strength.

Ryoma: I wasn’t.

Momoshiro: But being able to carry a middle school boy so easily, I don’t even have half that kind of strength.

Kaidoh: If he does it all the time then he’s probably getting some good training in.

Momoshiro: Yeah, true…

Momoshiro: Hey Echizen, lemme carry you.

Ryoma: I just said I didn’t want to…

[Episode 5]

Tezuka: Quite the turnout. There’s more than I was expecting.

Fuji: Guess the wisteria trellises at the shrine are pretty popular.

Mizuki: There’s also wisteria flowers on display throughout the shopping district.

Yuuta: They’ve got some on the front of that store.

Yuuta: Hey, Big Bro. Look.

Fuji: Hm?

Yuuta: The front of that store would make a good photo, wouldn’t it? Especially with the wisteria flowers.

Fuji: You’re right. Okay, smile, Yuuta.

Yuuta: Huh?

*click!*

Fuji: Mm, you weren’t smiling, but it’s still a good expression.

Yuuta: Hey, why you taking photos of me?

Fuji: I’m taking photos of the wisteria flowers too.

Yuuta: Yeah, like I’ll believe that…

Fuji: Fufu…

Fuji: This place certainly is picturesque. Since we’re here, let’s take a group photo.

Tezuka: Wouldn’t it be better to take it at the shrine?

Fuji: That’s what I thought too, but I think it’ll be hard since it’s probably crowded over there.

Tezuka: True. Okay everyone, gather around.

Mizuki: Us as well?

Fuji: If you wanna join then you can?

Mizuki: Well when you put it that way, maybe I won’t…

Yuuta: Hey, now… Let’s make this a happy memory.

Tezuka: Everyone, be mindful of the people passing by.

Fuji: Okay, I’m taking it. Say “cheese”.

*click!*

—

Shishido: …Let’s grab some grub first.

Gakuto: I thought we were flower-viewing first?

Shishido: They’re selling cheese sandwiches over there. It’s rare to see that at a stall.

Gakuto: Oh, there’s a karaage stall too.

Fuji: I think I’m gonna swing by the camera store I visited the other day.

Yuuta: There’s somewhere else I wanna check out…

Mizuki: Let us make haste then, Yuuta-kun.

Tezuka: …It’s definitely hard trying to do things as a group with this many people.

Tezuka: In that case, let’s all go at our own discretion. We’ll all meet up again at the shrine’s precincts in two hours, around 5:00 p.m.

All: Okay!

[Episode 6]

Fuji: …Okay. What to do now…

Tezuka: Fuji.

Fuji: Tezuka. I thought you went to the bookstore.

Tezuka: The store had some kind of event going on, it wasn’t a very welcoming atmosphere.

Fuji: Yeah, it’s crowded over here too.

Tezuka: Didn’t you say you were going to the camera store.

Fuji: I already went. I also ended up talking to that guy at the store again…

—

Tezuka: …A photo contest sponsored by the shopping district?

Fuji: Yeah, I remember he asked me to join the last time I was there when he was showing me how to take photos.

Fuji: He seemed really eager when he brought it up, but I dunno…

Tezuka: Are there conditions to participate?

Fuji: Not that I know of. All you have to do is submit a photo you’ve taken at the shopping district before the deadline.

Fuji: But the judges are professional photographers. So they might be a tough crowd.

Tezuka: You’re unsure of yourself.

Fuji: Yeah… I mean I am glad he asked me to join.

Fuji: But my favorite photo may end up being a disappointment, you know.

Tezuka: But that would only be a technical evaluation, they don’t judge them based on sentimental value.

Fuji: …

Fuji: Yeah, you’re right. Guess I was stressing over it a little too much.

Fuji: Okay, I’m gonna join then.

Tezuka: Right. Is there a particular photo you’re going to submit?

Fuji: I have one in mind. But I’ve only got about an hour before the deadline, so I’m gonna take as many photos as I can until then.

Fuji: Would you like to join me, Tezuka?

Tezuka: Let’s go together.

Fuji: You’re amazing you know that, Tezuka.

Tezuka: …? How so?

Fuji: What you just said. Alright, let’s go get some photos of the wisteria trellises first.

[Episode 7]

Fuji: There’s a ton of people here to see the wisteria trellises as I expected.

Tezuka: It appears you won’t be able to take photos so easily…

Fuji: Huh? That sweets shop over there…

—

Yuuta: …Wow, this is so good…

Mizuki: There’s… an elegant sweetness to it, how delicious.

Fuji: Hey, so you’re here.

Yuuta: Oh, Big Bro and Tezuka-san.

Tezuka: So they put a sweets shop over here.

Mizuki: Nhm, it’s a famous locally owned Japanese confectionery that branches out over here only during this season.

Mizuki: Their black tea manjuu is a popular item. They knead the tea leaves into both the dough and red bean paste, it’s absolutely delicious.

Yuuta: Oh check it out, they’ve got a limited-edition wisteria manjuu. Look, the dough’s purple.

Fuji: Huh, never seen that before. Is this the place you wanted to go to, Yuuta?

Yuuta: Yeah. I was gonna go by myself at first, but then I’d feel awkward eating all these sweets, y’know?

Yuuta: So I invited Mizuki-san since I thought he’d be interested in the black tea manjuu.

Mizuki: Yes, the combination of Japanese sweets and tea go hand in hand.

Fuji: Hmm…

Fuji: Okay, then to commemorate today… Cheese.

*click!*

Mizuki: Wha…

Yuuta: Back at it again… At least give us a warning if you’re gonna take a photo.

Fuji: You’d tense up if I did told you. I wanted to get a natural look.

Mizuki: That photo you took…

Fuji: Yeah, I’ll share it with you later.

Mizuki: R-Right. Thank you for that.

Fuji: Don’t mention it.

Yuuta: Huh…? So you two are starting to get along…

Tezuka: Mizuki, a moment.

Mizuki: Yes?

Tezuka: The left side of your mouth has bean paste on it.

Mizuki: Huh…

Yuuta: Ah…

Mizuki: Fuji-kun, you knew, didn’t you!?

Fuji: Fufu…

Yuuta: *sigh*… Never mind…

[Episode 8]

Yuuta: …Photo contest?

Fuji: Yep. I decided to apply for it.

Mizuki: Fuji-kun, you’re not going to submit that photo you just took, are you?

Fuji: Who knows?

Mizuki: Hey…

Tezuka: He already decided which photo he’ll submit before we even got here.

Mizuki: …You could’ve told me that sooner. Honestly…

Jirou: Ah, there’s a sweets shop over there!

Kabaji: …It’s a branch.

Mizuki: Oh, Akutagawa-kun and Kabaji-kun.

Jirou: Huh, you guys are here now. Is it time already?

Fuji: No, there’s still time.

Yuuta: We were eating the sweets at that shop earlier. They’re really delicious.

Jirou: Really? Kaba-chan, what should we do.

Kabaji: We’ve already had yakisoba, and karaage, and a cheese sandwich and french fries…

Tezuka: You’ve eaten a lot.

Kabaji: We all shared our food and ate together.

Fuji: Wow. Everyone at Hyotei sharing their food would’ve been a great photo.

Jirou: Oh, that’s right. Hey there, Fuji.

Fuji & Yuuta: ?

Jirou: Oh right, gotta say which one. Big Fuji!

Jirou: Y’know that photo you took at the shopping district earlier? Send me it later.

Fuji: Yes, of course. I plan on sending it to all of you.

Fuji: Oh, and about that photo, I have a favor to ask you all.

Jirou: A favor?

Mizuki & Yuuta: …?

[Episode 9]

Hiyoshi: …Oh, a photo contest huh.

Yuushi: They’ll be announcing the results later.

Tezuka: All right. Looks like everyone’s here.

Fuji: Five o’clock on the dot.

Yuushi: I heard you guys were hanging around here for a while.

Fuji: Yeah. I was taking photos.

Hiyoshi: I heard you entered the contest.

Fuji: I did. I wasn’t able to get the OK from everyone beforehand, but—

Jirou: Hey guys, the results of the photo contest are being announced!

Yuushi: …Whoa Jirou, you’re really worked up.

Fuji: He really like the photo I submitted. So he must be curious on how it turned out.

Tezuka: Let’s get going.

—

Yuushi: …I don’t see them.

Kabaji: …Right.

Jirou: Huh~, but they were such good photos, I thought for sure they’d win!

Hiyoshi: The winner’s a photo of a cat.

Jirou: Ugh~. That’s a good photo too, I guess~

Tezuka: …That’s too bad.

Fuji: Yeah. But…

Fuji: Even with these results, it was a good memory. If there’s a next time, I’d love to win the prize.

Tezuka: Right.

Jirou: There it is!

Fuji: Huh?

Jirou: The participant section! Over here, I “C” us over here!

Yuushi: Oh, isn’t that the first group photo we took?

Fuji: Sorry for just submitting it. I couldn’t check with you all beforehand.

Jirou: You asked us for a favor though, didn’t you. To use this photo, right.

Hiyoshi: You don’t really need our permission, it’s your photo isn’t it.

Yuushi: Everyone’s got a nice smile.

Fuji: Don’t they. That’s why I wanted everyone to see it.

Jirou: This is the true winner in my opinion. Right, Kaba-chan.

Kabaji: Right.

Fuji: Fufu… I’m happy to hear that.

Fuji: I’m definitely glad I joined this contest.

Tezuka: …So it appears.

[Episode 10]

Tezuka: …The trellises at night?

Fuji: I heard they’re beautiful when they’re all lit up. I’d like to take photos of it to commemorate.

Fuji: The guy at the camera store recommended I take photos at night since there’ll be less people around.

Tezuka: Echizen and the others are already heading back. Let’s divide into two groups of who’s staying and who’s going.

Fuji: I’m fine staying by myself. I don’t want anyone staying if they don’t want to.

Tezuka: There are some of us who are interested in seeing the wisteria at night. I’m one of them.

Fuji: Tezuka…

Yuuta: Yeah, I’ll stay too. I heard the wisteria at night is awesome to see.

Mizuki: The clerk at the sweets shop mention it as well. They said it’s a whole different world at night.

Atobe: A whole different world, huh. Hearing you say that has piqued my interest…

Shishido: Sorry, but I’m heading out. Training over flowers.

Shishido: Wakashi and the others said they’re gonna jog on the way home, so I’m going with them.

Atobe: Then I’m going too. We’ll check out the wisteria at night some other time.

Atobe: Tezuka, I entrust them to you.

Tezuka: And I trust you with the ones leaving, Atobe.

Shishido: …Huh? Hey, where’d Jirou go?

Atobe: Probably asleep somewhere. As always.

Shishido: Christ, forget “food over flowers” it’s all about sleep for him…

—

Mizuki: …It’s nighttime now.

Yuuta: Kinda spooky since there’s not that many lights around the shrine…

Tezuka: Maybe it’s so the wisteria will look better at night.

Fuji: By the way, I’ve been thinking about this since we saw the wisteria in the afternoon…

Fuji: The flowers have a strong fragrance, don’t they?

Yuuta: I knew something smelled good as soon as we came to the shopping district.

Yuuta: I just wasn’t sure what it was at first.

Mizuki: They were all around the entire district, so of course that’s what we’ve been smelling.

Tezuka: The scent has gotten even stronger.

Fuji: There it is…!

[Episode 11]

Mizuki: This is…

Mizuki: Magnificent. It truly is a fantastical world…

Yuuta: Incredible… This doesn’t even feel real.

Mizuki: Nhm, the clerk did say it’s a different world at night, now I understand.

Fuji: …

Tezuka: You’re not going to take any?

Fuji: Huh?

Tezuka: Photos.

Fuji: Oh, I forgot… I just couldn’t stop looking.

Fuji: I think I’ll look some more before taking any photos. It’d be a shame to only look at this through a lens.

Tezuka: Right… It is good to calmly observe.

Jirou: Whoaa! Awesome!

Yuuta: Oh, I thought everyone from Hyotei left…

Jirou: I kinda got left behind. Hehe.

Mizuki: I don’t think that’s something to laugh over.

Mizuki: And you too?

Kabaji: No…

Kabaji: Atobe-san left me in charge of Jirou-senpai today.

Jirou: Kaba-chan, thanks for sticking with me.

Kabaji: Right.

Fuji: Tezuka—

Fuji: Oh…

Tezuka: …

Fuji: …

*click!*

Tezuka: …Fuji.

Fuji: Sorry, didn’t mean to disturb you.

Tezuka: No, it’s fine.

Fuji: I just couldn’t resist. Seeing you like—

Tezuka: …?

Fuji: Mmm, never mind.

Fuji: Fufu… Another memory for me.

Tezuka: Speaking of memories… Fuji.

[Episode 12]

Tezuka: Speaking of memories… Fuji.

Fuji: ?

Tezuka: There hasn’t been any good photos taken of you, Fuji.

Fuji: Yeah, since I’m the one with the camera.

Fuji: But Eiji and Momo took photos on their phones. They’ll send them to me later.

Jirou: Oh yeah! Now that you mention it, you weren’t in the group photo, Fuji.

Jirou: And you were stuck taking all the photos. It’s too bad we didn’t notice sooner…

Yuuta: Big Bro, you’re always the one taking the photos aren’t you.

Fuji: It’s fine. That’s how it is when you’re the one holding the camera.

Kabaji: …I’ll take one then.

Kabaji: Everyone please line up.

Jirou: Huh, but you should be in the photo too, Kaba-chan.

Mizuki: Then perhaps we can ask someone else to do it.

Mizuki: Our group isn’t that big, so there shouldn’t be an issue.

Tezuka: Right. We may as well take a photo with everyone present.

Fuji: You guys…

—

Fuji: …Thank you. Another memory added my collection.

Tezuka: There’s one more, actually.

Fuji: Huh…

Tezuka: You’ve taken plenty. Now allow me to take one.

Fuji: It’s fine. I was just doing it because I wanted to.

Tezuka: If you don’t wish to be photographed, then that’s fine.

Tezuka: Even though you went and took all those ones of me earlier.

Fuji: Payback?

Tezuka: Returning the favor.

Fuji: …It’s kind of embarrassing now that I’m the one being photographed.

Tezuka: Now you’ll understand how we felt.

Fuji: You were embarrassed too, Tezuka?

Tezuka: …Taking it.

*click!*

—

Mizuki: …Yuuta-kun, don’t forget the souvenirs.

Yuuta: Of course. Most of these sweets are for me, though…

Jirou: So sleepy…

Jirou: But I’ll be fine. Let’s walk home together!

Kabaji: Right.

Fuji: I hope we can all come back to visit again.

Tezuka: It’s the shopping district, you’re free to come here anytime you want.

Fuji: That’s not exactly what I meant…

Fuji: Well, it’s fine. We should do this again sometime.

Tezuka: …Yeah.

[Epilogue]

Yuuta: Oh, look! They just showed the shrine!

Jirou: Huh, really?

Kabaji: …I believe that was the shrine.

Mizuki: Maybe they’ll do a segment on it after this.

Tezuka: Looks lively in here.

Yuuta: Oh, Tezuka-san. They were showing those wisteria trellises we saw yesterday on the TV.

Tezuka: Oh…?

Mizuki: It’s a special program showcasing the beauty of the wisteria flowers.

Yuuta: They showed it earlier, so I think they’re gonna show it again.

Fuji: Oh, you’re all here.

Fuji: Perfect timing actually. I wanted to give you all these photos.

Yuuta: You already printed them out, Big Bro? Weren’t there a lot of them?

Fuji: Yeah, but I chose carefully. It’s good to see them when they’re still fresh in your memory.

Tezuka: You did well on these… It was a lot of work though, wasn’t it?

Fuji: Of course. But for me, it’s a fun process.

Jirou: Hey, check out this photo. You can “C” Mizuki has bean paste on his mouth.

Yuuta: Ah…

Mizuki: Hey, Fuji-kun! Didn’t you just say you chose carefully!?

Fuji: It’s a great photo, isn’t it.

Fuji: Tezuka, this photo is for you.

Tezuka: This is…

Fuji: Fufu… It’s a great shot, right?

Jirou: Huh, what photo?

Fuji: I caught Tezuka almost yawn—

Tezuka: Fuji.

Jirou: What, what? I wanna know!

Kabaji: Ah… On the TV…

Yuuta: Oh, there’s the shrine! They’re introducing it!

Mizuki: Those wisteria trellises have made a mark.

Fuji: Everyone’s distracted now.

Tezuka: Good grief…

Fuji: I really like that photo. I think it’s good to let your guard down sometimes, at least on your days off.

Tezuka: …Maybe so.

Tezuka: By the way, I didn’t see that photo I took.

Fuji: Yeah, it’s only me in that photo, but… did you want it?

Tezuka: I am the one who took it.

Fuji: Fufu… That’s a weird answer.

Fuji: Okay, I’ll give you it later.

[STORY END]

Nothing more heartwarming than… unsolicited photography… I guess…

[masonuf]

Post for 1/24

While reading "Embracing Defeat" by Dower, I was impressed by just how much influence the Japanese emperor had on his people. As the text described, his task was "not merely to call a halt to a lost war," but also to maintain the narrative that the nation was justified in causing atrocities during the war, affirm Japan's aggressive war conduct as being valid, divorce himself from personal responsibility for the defeat, and refrain from framing the situation as Japan's "surrender" or "defeat." With so many aims to juggle at once, it is astounding to me that he not only managed to accomplish all of it, but also that he was so convincing in doing so that he made people feel ashamed for not living up to his expectations. Even if it is only a minority of people who publicly knelt in front of his palace in shame, it is outright frightening how much power and dependence people entrusted to him.

After urging his citizens to "endure the unendurable" and "bear the unbearable," the Japanese citizens reacted by continuing to hold on to a deep reverence for the emperor. Meanwhile, the reaction of the German citizens following the suicide of Hitler seemed different in some ways, and perhaps can be somewhat captured by the mass suicide of his faithful followers and the process of denazification and de-propagandization over time. However, one clear similarity was the abundance of confusion among the majority of the population as to how they identified and how to move forward. Since I am not really a history buff, I would appreciate any comments that could further elaborate on the similarities and differences in their reactions, as I think it is an interesting topic to read about and analyze. I wonder how differently the Japanese citizens would have reacted if the emperor expressed regret during his speech rather than tenacity.

The other reading, "Astro Boy" by Tezuka, was a treat (and relatively more pleasant to think about). I love science fiction media, especially old forms of it that featured old-fashioned ideas of futuristic inventions like flying cars. The manga was very creative in many respects and you can tell that the author was extremely passionate about his work. I also liked that the manga didn't take itself too seriously, as demonstrated by some instances of self-awareness, like how one of the enemies said, "Not to worry. It's a comic strip, after all."

Image of Emperor Hirohito in his palace from https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3023642/japans-emperor-hirohito-was-prevented-voicing-remorse-over-war.

[piduai]

Noda Satoru's interview with Asahi Shinbun

original here. as always, you can share anywhere but please credit me and stop posting screenshots of my translations on twitter without crediting. this fandom is pea-sized. and i do see when you do that, you know. it's very disrespectful and rude.

Q: Golden Kamuy has completed its serialization in the April 28th issue of the magazine, and the final 31st volume is scheduled for release on July 19th. With the total sales of previously released volumes exceeding 23 million copies, the series ended up being a huge hit.

Noda: It's embarrassing to hear it being referred to as a huge hit, but it is true that I was granted the Japan Cartoonists Association Award upon its finalization. Looking back, I have gotten a fair share of acknowledgement, including the Manga Taisho award, the Osamu Tezuka Cultural Prize, and being selected for the key visual for an exhibition at the British Museum. So I think it's appropriate to look at my own work with pride.

I am very grateful to my editor, Ookuma Hakkou, and the rest of the editorial team for allowing me to end this story when I wanted to end it. I was able to finish this story without thinking too much about other things - such as the TV anime or the live action movie - and without stretching it out unnecessarily. Ending long-term serializing projects is always extremely difficult, so when, after the last chapter was published, all previously released volumes went into reprint, and then shortly after went into reprint once more, I took it as a sign that a large amount of readers were pleased with this work.

I think that the strategy set by the editorial team of creating a buzz around it by releasing all of the chapters online to read for free and announcing the live action movie worked exceptionally well. It's a team victory, certainly not something one person could have accomplished alone. This work was created with the help of so, so many professionals.

On a personal note, having experienced the serialization of 31 volumes was huge for me. I now have a general idea of how much effort is needed for 20 or 10 volumes, and can use this knowledge in the future.

Q: Please tell us about your goals and thoughts behind the inclusion of Ainu people in your work, and what you were especially careful about and kept at the back of your mind in your depiction of them.

Noda: I decided to include the Ainu because their culture isn't talked about much. I'm sure that despite being casually aware of it, many people fail to realize how interesting and appealing it can be. If you tread around the subject always worrying about avoiding controversy, it feels insincere and your work won't be taken seriously, so naturally I sought out the advice of Ainu people and various experts. The first thing the Ainu Association told me was, 'There are so many novels and comics with miserable, pitiable Ainu, and we don't want to read about that anymore. Draw us some strong, bold Ainu'. That was very big for me.

After the last chapter was published, Fujiya Rumiko, a person with Ainu roots who has helped me out in my research before, has written me a letter for the first time in a few years. She told me, 'Thank you for showing Ainu culture in a good light. It's become easier for Ainu to admit that they're Ainu thanks to that'. The letter also stated, 'I have a friend, a grandma who is over 90 and has Ainu blood in her. Up until now she didn't speak of it to her grandchildren and has kept that part of her a secret, but thanks to Golden Kamuy she started teaching her grandchildren simple Ainu words. She was so happy when telling me this'.

This work is an adventure manga serialized in a mainstream youth entertainment magazine, so I never intended to touch upon subjects such as human rights and the governamental recognition of Ainu culture more than strictly necessary, but the story of that grandma reminded me strongly of those words, 'We don't want to read about miserable Ainu anymore'.

If I made a show out of the discrimination directed towards her people, I think that the grandma's words about Ainu being able to admit that they're Ainu would have come to naught. And I've been told things similar to her words by various other people with Ainu roots, so it's not that she's an isolated incident.

Still, I don't expect everyone with Ainu roots to be satisfied with this work. Ainu people, just like the Japanese, follow diverse ideologies and are not a monolith.

All I can say is that I know that many Ainu people want to have a fair relationship with Japanese people. I drew the last chapter in hopes that we can share our lives together.

There are many different approaches when it comes to fighting. If you want to take action, I think it's only fitting to start from scratch and convey what you consider is right using your own name.

Q: Please tell us about your goals and thoughts behind making Hokkaido, your birthplace, the main scene, and what you were careful about depicting specifically because it's your birthplace.

Noda: The history of Hokkaido is not widely covered, and late Meiji era Hokkaido in particular is an unexplored subject. I don't have a fixation on Hokkaido at all, but there's so much manga in the world I felt like my own would end up buried under the rest if I don't do something fresh.

If I had to give a specific example of an achieved goal, it would be the depiction of Blakiston's Line. Readers all across Japan seem to have received well the fact that there are animals that live only in Hokkaido. Especially the brown bears and the deer and their sheer size - if you compare them to the rest of their species in Japan, they would be like a large dog being compared to a medium-sized dog. I think that part was received especially well.

Q: There are many unique and fascinating characters in your work. It seems that the main character, Sugimoto Saichi, was named after your own great-grandfather. Was he modelled after a specific person, or were you using someone as your inspiration? How about the other characters, such as the 7th Division ones?

Noda: On a general basis I don't use a specific person as a model, but rather different elements from different sources combined together. In Sugimoto's case, there was a soldier named Funasaka Hiroshi, of whom there is an anecdote that no matter how mortally wounded he'd get, he was still running on the battlefield the next day. I used it for Sugimoto's immortality factor.

For First Lieutenant Tsurumi of the 7th Division, I have a feeling I was channeling Sherlock Holmes through him in the beginning. Holmes is a sharp-minded gentleman type of character, yet he did drugs and was good at boxing. That scene where Tsurumi goes on all fours and is sniffing the ground, and the slicked back hair - I think those were also borrowed from Holmes. I do love the original a lot, so I was inspired by the illustrated versions.

Q: As the catchphrase "Japanese-style, melting pot Western" suggests, one of the main attractions of your work is that it is packed with a variety of elements. However, did you have any rules you could or would not compromise on, or things that you were decidedly against portraying?

Noda: I wanted to make absolutely sure that Asirpa would not be seen in a sexual way, by either the readers or the other characters. There's a lot of perverts in the story, to be sure, but I didn't want her to sway in that direction. Her being a young girl is part of it, but I was always uncomfortable with women being shown explicitly sexualized to begin with.

There's also that trope of a female character being on the verge of getting attacked, and!… wait for the next week's issue! I am not a fan of such things, both as a reader and as a writer. So I figured that things that I personally find repulsive have no place in my manga.

On the other hand, when it's a bunch of naked muscular macho men on the verge of being attacked, throwing in a tease of "what will happen next week?", yeah, I'd do that. Though I think I've done it once or twice or more already.

Q: Tell us about your next project.

Noda: The work that preceded Golden Kamuy was an ice hockey manga set in Tomakomai, Hokkaido. But Supinamarada! was discontinued due to being unpopular. I'm personally very fond of it, so now that I've finished Golden Kamuy I'm preparing for re-releasing Supinamarada! in full, hoping that I can improve its quality somewhat. I'm very thankful to Young Jump for allowing me to work on it. I'd hate to leave my own work unfinished, so I want to focus on finishing it, and then I could concentrate on an entirely new project.

It's Golden Kamuy that has dedicated fans, not the author Noda Satoru. For this reason I'm not sure how my next project would be received. Therefore, in order to attract new fans to a new work, I will draw each of them like I'm a newcomer.

[besanii]

I need to know what caused Wei Ying to finally initiate a physical relationship with Xichen. Was it for Lotus pier and what the empress said? He does seem to have some feelings towards Xichen so did he not mind it bc of that? What does Xichen think about this whole thing ahhhhhhhhh so many questions. Sorry Lan Zhan cause ngl I ship them

[ part one (LWJ) | two (LXC) | three (WWX) | four (LWJ) | five (NQY) | six (WWX) | seven (LWJ) ]

[ follows on from six ] 

Alive.

The word washes over him like a wave, bringing with it a rush of joy and relief—his brother is alive—that lasts only a heartbeat before the significance of the news comes crashing down.

His brother is alive.

An arrow to the shoulder, the report had read. Knocked overboard in the heat of the battle and disappearing under the churning waters; for days they searched, picking through the bodies floating amongst the debris long after the Dongying forces had retreated. 

They found him, a day later, half-drowned and delirious with fever, unable to fight. News of his death in battle spread as he lay in his bed, one foot already through the gates of Hell and yet still strategising, planning, during his brief moments of lucidity. Conscious enough to know that they can use his perceived death to their advantage.

And indeed with the loss of Gusu’s greatest commander, their enemies pressed them harder, forcing them to cede waters they had previously held strong. Little did they know they were being lured into a trap, one that would decimate their fleet and end the battle once and for all.

“And how is Hanguang-wang now?” Lan Xichen asks. Only years of experience keeps his voice tightly controlled and his hands relaxed as they rest on the spacious desk before him.

“Replying to Huangshang, Hanguang-wang asked this lowly subject to pass on the message that he is well and not to worry,” the messenger reports. “Hanguang-wang has also said he will stay on to fight until the war is won, as is his duty as the commander of the fleet.” 

As a brother, Lan Xichen knows he should recall Lan Wangji from the front lines, allow him to return to Caiyi to nurse his injuries. As Emperor, if his best commander reports he can continue to fight and his staying on increases their chances of victory, then he has no reason to refuse. As a man—

He tells himself the rush of relief that courses through him at the news is because his brother is well; he does not allow himself to entertain the other reason. It is too shameful to admit, even to himself.

In the end, the Emperor wins out, as it always does.

“Very well,” he says finally, pressing the tips of his fingers together as if he is giving serious consideration to Lan Wangji’s request. “We will grant Hanguang-wang the right to stay, as reward for his loyalty.”

--

He does not call on Chenghuan Hall.

He tells himself it is to give Wei Wuxian space in the wake of such momentous news, to allow him to process it fully in his own time without the added pressure of Lan Xichen’s presence. It is a flimsy excuse, one he knows does not fool his Empress at the very least, whose knowing looks and raised eyebrow has his insides twisting with guilt and shame like a child caught stealing treats from the kitchens. So he avoids her palace too, and seeks refuge in the Imperial study until late in the evenings.

A whole month passes where Lan Xichen does not allow himself to see Wei Wuxian. Wei Wuxian does not send word to him either.

He wonders if he’s left it too long, whether Wei Wuxian would be upset or angry at their situation—at him, for putting them in this situation. If it is too late to show up now, after a whole month of silence, and try to make amends. 

Fortunately—if one could call any part of this fortunate—the decision is made for him when Wei Wuxian himself walks into the Imperial study one night and kneels in the centre of the chamber. Lan Xichen watches dumbly as he prostrates himself, forehead pressed against the tips of his fingers on the cold stone floor, his hair loose and unbound, spilling over his plain white robes, the very picture of contrition and penance.

“This lowly concubine pays greetings to Huangshang,” Wei Wuxian says, his voice loud and clear in the quiet of the study. “And humbly seeks your forgiveness.”

“Wuxian...” Lan Xichen begins hesitantly. He breaks off, looking around at the eunuchs stationed around the study with their heads bowed. “You may leave us.”

It is only after they file away, closing the double doors behind them silently, does Lan Xichen allow himself to cross the chamber to where Wei Wuxian is still kneeling. He hurries to help him up, grasping him below the elbows, but is met with resistance as Wei Wuxian stubbornly keeps his head and shoulders bowed.

“Wuxian,” he says helplessly. “There is no need for this.”

“This lowly concubine dares not stand until Huangshang has forgiven me for my transgressions,” Wei Wuxian replies, still in that formal, wooden tone of voice Lan Xichen has come to know too well. He sighs.

“It is cold tonight and you are barely dressed. You will catch a cold walking around like this,” he tells him gently, softening his grip on his arms. When Wei Wuxian still refuses to budge, he sighs again and tilts his face up with two fingers under his chin. “There is nothing to forgive, you have done nothing wrong,”

There is confusion and wariness in those grey eyes as they finally meet his, two emotions he had hoped never to see again.

“Huangshang is displeased with me,” Wei Wuxian says quietly, tightly, as if he would fall apart if he raised his voice. “Ever since the report from Jinghai. Huangshang can no longer bear the sight of me, now that Lan Zhan—” he bites off the name with a pained twist of his mouth.

Lan Xichen recoils as if struck. He had known the nature of their relationship before his brother’s departure, and their plans for his return. But hearing his brother’s given name, such an intimate address used so freely and without thought, is a stark reminder of what he had done. Who he had taken.

Wei Wuxian knows it too, from the shudder that runs through him as he exhales, and the way his hands curl into fists in his lap.

"This lowly concubine does not dare presume he has any right to beg forgiveness for putting Huangshang in such a difficult position,” he continues, the barest hint of a waver in his voice. “I only wished to let Huangshang know that he does not need to trouble himself over this any longer.”

There is a ring of finality to his words that immediately catches Lan Xichen’s attention.

“What are you saying?” he asks warily. “Wuxian—”

Wei Wuxian shuffles backwards, putting enough distance between them so that he can prostrate himself once more, touching his forehead to the floor.

“This lowly concubine begs Huangshang to grant me the death penalty.”

“No.” 

The word forces itself from Lan Xichen’s lips before he even realises he’s spoken, a spontaneous, visceral reaction full of hurt and fury beyond his control. For a long moment after, he cannot speak around the vice clamped tight around his chest, squeezing the air from his lungs. Wei Wuxian replies, but his voice is only a faint murmur against the blood roaring in his ears; he cannot see his face to read his lips, but Lan Xichen already knows what he will say.

“You cannot ask that of me.” The words rasp painfully against his throat. “I will not be the reason for your death.”

Wei Wuxian raises his head and Lan Xichen freezes at the sight of the tears in his eyes, the same hurt, the same helpless fury colouring his cheeks and knitting his brows.

“And I am not willing to be the conflict that destroys the relationship between brothers,” he cries. “I cannot—I will not do it. Huangshang. You cannot ask that of me. Please do not ask it of me.” 

He lowers his face to the floor once more.

“This lowly concubine is only alive today because of Huangshang,” he says, voice small and trembling but with an undercurrent of steel. “I should already be dead. If Huangshang grants me the death penalty now, it will only be putting the situation to rights once more, and Hanguang-wang will be none the wiser upon his return.” 

Lan Xichen reaches out a trembling hand toward him, but stops short, hand hovering just above the top of his head. He cannot ask this of him. As a brother, and as a man, he cannot do it. As an Emperor—

Almost as if sensing his indecision, Wei Wuxian raises his head, leans into the palm of Lan Xichen’s outstretched hand and smiles as those long fingers mould themselves reflexively around the curve of his cheek.

“This lowly concubine will never forget the kindness and affection Huangshang has bestowed upon me,” he murmurs. “So if there must be a sacrifice, please let me make it in your place.”

--

TBC (yes I have just decided there will be a part two to this)

--

buy me a ko-fi!

more paper-thin fic | verse

--

Notes

Such drama! Much angst! 

Sorry this took much longer than anticipated, mostly cos I’ve been devouring ancient Tezuka/Fuji fics and falling back into the ancient Tenipuri fandom in the past couple of weeks. So, uh, don’t be surprised if my next thing is Tezuka/Fuji instead (☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞

[dangerouscommiesubversive]

nothing but what came before

Fandom: Kamen Rider Ryuki Characters: Yura Goro, Kitaoka Shuichi, with a cameo by Tezuka Miyuki Song: "Bury My Lovely," October Project (playlist here)

Goro doesn’t go for fortune-telling. It’s for teenage girls and bored housewives, and anyway it’s never right. So when the fortune-teller reading cards on the street waves to him, he goes over, but not because he’s worried and wants his fortune told. The guy just looks weirdly familiar, that’s all.

The fortune-teller smiles at him, very gently. “You look troubled.”

Goro nods slowly. “Yeah. Do I know you from somewhere?”

A flicker of uncertainty. “I want to say yes, I feel like the answer should be yes, but I don’t think we’ve met.”

“Aren’t you supposed to say yeah, sure, and start talking about my past life or something?”

“Maybe, if I were trying to sell you something.” The fortune-teller gestures to the other chair at his table. “Right now I just have a feeling, though, and those are free of charge. Sit down and let me read for you.”

Goro eyes him, suspicious but swayed by the man’s odd familiarity. He sits. “A feeling about what?”

---

Shuichi walks out of the hospital. He’s been expecting bad news since the headaches first got bad enough to see a doctor, but not this bad; part of his mind has already started rearranging his schedule for the next few months at least. There’ll be appointments, treatments, surgeries…he’ll need to cut back on his workload.

The rest of him is numb.

His laughter sounds fake in his own ears; he hopes the kid he’s on the phone with doesn’t notice. “Look, Naru, if you keep on assuming the best of people it’s going to make this job very hard for you—”

Someone steps in front of him on the sidewalk.

“—anyway, tell Chihiro to call me herself if she wants my support, and let her know my offer of dinner’s still open.” He hangs up, ignoring the kid’s protests. “Can I help you? I’m not carrying any cash, if that’s what you’re looking for.”

Unexpectedly, the young thug blocking his path blushes.“No…no, um. Are you…a lawyer?” And—his voice is quiet and respectful, not at all what Shuichi would have expected given the tacky shirt, the bleached hair, the pierced ear.

Shuichi eyes him. “Why do you ask?”

“Well. Um.” The thug is staring at the ground as if embarrassed, the tips of his ears red. “A…a fortune-teller said if I came here now I’d meet a lawyer who’d be able to help my friend.”

“A fortune—look, unless your friend is a celebrity or a large corporation, I can’t help you.” Shuichi moves to step around him.

The strangely bashful thug blocks him again, gaze still lowered but stance firm. “Please hear me out at least, sir.”

“You’ve caught me at an especially bad moment, I’m really not in the mood to—”

And the thug’s on his knees, forehead nearly on the pavement, soft voice shaking. “Please. He didn’t kill anyone, he was trying to help her. I’m sure I—he—we can’t pay what you’re used to, but I’ll do whatever else you need me to do.”

Shuichi stares down at him. “Look…”

The thug doesn’t move, just stays there, on the ground in front of him. A couple of high school girls passing on the other side of the street glance at them, whisper, giggle.

“…look, stand up, all right? This is embarrassing.”

After a beat, the thug stands and finally looks up at Shuichi, their eyes meeting just for a moment.

The doctor was giving it to me soft, is Shuichi’s first thought, my actual prognosis must be much worse if I’m having delusions like this. Because he’s dizzy, all of a sudden, with the weight of half-memories, so much that he actually stumbles and the young guy catches him and helps him to a bench. Which also feels familiar, the arm around him, the whiff of a particular cheap aftershave that he knows this man buys at Don Quijote, knows which Don Quijote he buys it at. His head is spinning, and the sunlight is too bright, and he says, gripping the bridge of his nose, “What’s your name?”

“Yura Goro.”

He knows it. Part of him knows that name. “Yura…Goro. Goro, I’m Kitaoka Shuichi. You and your friend are that broke? And this is actually a murder case?”

“Yes, sir.”

“But you’re willing to work to cover your friend’s fees.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’m not cheap, you know. I’m guessing it would be too much to hope that you’re a trained paralegal?”

“Um…” Goro sounds faintly puzzled. “No, sir.”

“Well, that’s not ideal, my last paralegal just quit.” Because I slept with her, but he doesn’t need to know that. “Can you at least take dictation? How’s your handwriting?”

“I can…I can take dictation if you need me to.”

“Can you drive?”

“I have a license.” There’s a pause, Goro’s throat audibly working before he says, “This is later than—you have. A brain tumor.”

Shuichi actually starts laughing. “So I’m not delusional? You’re remembering things too? That’s a relief, I thought maybe the doctor was just being nice about it when he said it was treatable.”

“It’s…treatable?”

There’s a note in Goro’s voice that makes Shuichi look over at him, searching for the shocked hope on his face. “That’s what he told me. Why, you remember something I don’t?”

Another long pause, and then Goro ducks his gaze again and says, “No. It’s nothing.” It’s an obvious lie, but Shuichi isn’t sure that he wants to hear the truth.

Instead he says, stifling the urge towards more hysterical laughter, “So you seem like you probably know how to fight, you any good at being a bodyguard? Because a lot of people really don’t like me.”

“I can fight, but I don’t like to.”

“You don’t—ok, now I’m starting to think your friend really is innocent, if a guy with your look doesn’t like to fight. What do you like to do?”

A shy mumble of, “I like to cook.”

“Really. You any good?”

“I…I think so, yes.”

Shuichi stares at Goro’s lowered eyes and red ears, still dizzied by the indistinct rush of memory and wondering if something similar is the real cause of Goro’s furious blush—he’s sure remembering some things that would make him blush if he was capable of embarrassment. Or maybe the dizziness is just because of Goro’s cheap aftershave. No, scratch that, he likes the cheap aftershave, it smells like coming home. “You know,” he says, finally letting himself start to laugh again, “you know, Goro-chan, up until a few minutes ago this was the worst day of my entire life and now it’s not. Here, I’m going to need you to help me up, I’m a little dizzy, and then you can drive me back to my office and we’ll talk about your friend’s case.”

Goro smiling is somehow the best thing he’s seen all day. Maybe all month. “Of course.”

“You don’t happen to know who did kill this woman your friend’s been arrested for, do you?”

“A man in a snakeskin jacket, I think his name was Asakura.”

“Oh good, more déjà vu. Funny thing,” as they’re heading for the car, “I’ve had the nagging feeling for a while that I was missing something. I thought it was just the brain tumor. You can’t imagine how relieved I am to know that it isn’t.”

[kudamono94]

Please tell me I’m not the only one with this problem...

Like, I don’t even care about Astro Boy, I dont even care about the lore*1, but this one man will NOT leave me alone and now I have a problem lol

Please tell me I am not the only one still on this website who finds Hamegg adorable?!*2  This man has been lying dormant in my head since that ill-fated movie that came out in 2009 (i.e. Astro Boy 2009, which if you haven’t seen by the way, please watch it, it’s a wonderful movie and isn’t overly reliant on canon so you can still enjoy it without worrying about the overarching lore like me lol), and after watching said film once more due to recent nostalgia over it (again it’s a great film~), Hamegg has unfortunately been living in my head rent free now along with my other favorite characters of old...

Oh well, as far as problems go, this could always be worse, and again, he really is super adorable~

*1. While I may not care too much about Astro Boy lore, I am, however, very much interested in the Tezuka Star System, so I am more willing to watch the characters in other works instead of Astro Boy.  IDK why, Astro Boy just doesn’t really do much for me I suppose, and although I still love the 2009 film, I more so liked the background characters and Hamegg as opposed to Toby/Tobio and his story

*2. I say still because I have, through much hard work and determination, found blogs on here that once posted about him as well as the rest of the characters in the Tezuka Star System, but as of late have yet to see any new content being posted about him in the ye old year of 2022.  So. If anyone sees this and also likes Hamegg and/or the Tezuka Star System, please let me know that this fandom’s not dead on Tumblr (because I know for a fact it’s thankfully still alive and well on Pixiv and Twitter)

[starberry-cupcake]

The Chinapuri finale and its montage aka censorship who?

I decided to do all of this in one post and read more, so that the 95% of my followers who are uninterested on this particular drama/source material can easily skip it. Here are 7 relationships showcased in the montage ranked and 2 bonus (a family relationship and an extra). 

Note: I’ll speak about the relationships as they were portrayed, whichever the form of relationship chosen to display in this version. Also, I’m glad that everyone was aged up in this version, kinda wild but very much appreciated that some of these actors are my age or somewhere around there lol 

#7 Lu Xia (Echizen Ryoma) and Qi Ying (Ryuuzaki Sakuno) 

This drama was a bit more romantically-inclined in terms of these two than the anime/manga was, but some of that may be also influenced by them giving their version of Sakuno more room (which yay!) and having them be older. 

For this to stand alone as a drama, it was a needed step, I believe. I found Lu Xia to be more vulnerable than Ryoma, he doesn’t feel quite as ~cool~ and it doesn’t take away from the character that he has moments showing internal struggle (in tennis as well as at home). These two were sweet and adorable, which gave the drama probably more of an expected appeal for a wider audience, to make it stand on its own as a drama and not only an anime adaptation. 

#6 Yan ZhiMing (Inui Sadaharu) & Liu Lian (Yanagi Renji) 

Kinda mad they didn’t do this for Fuji (Zhuo Zhi) and Saeki (Zuo Xiaohu) but they did good with these two. I didn’t know at first why they started to build up their relationship so early, but it ended up being a good emotional plot point during their match, which is, as we all know, a determining factor in Seigaku’s (Yu Qing) win against Rikkai (Hai Guang). 

I don’t remember being as invested in their match in the anime as I was here, maybe I was just too focused on the Fuji match at that time, but what they did to build that game as a decisive point in the season finale was so well developed, I was impressed. 

#5 He XingLong (Kawamura Takeshi) & Ya JiuXin (Akutsu Jin) 

This is a relationship that can get complicated and even problematic if handled incorrectly. Akutsu’s journey through the anime is pretty long and takes a while for him to be on a healthier place, but the added element of aging the characters could have gone really wrong here if they had done him exactly as in the anime or manga. I think they did pretty well with the time they were given, showing his turmoil and learning curve. 

XingLong was allowed to have a more in-depth journey being older and about to graduate, it made more sense for him here to think about his career at this stage and added the gravity of this being THE moment to decide whether to keep pursuing the sport or take over his dad’s restaurant (they even adapted the type of food they cook to match the cultural impact of the family-owned business, which was great). 

I think the two complemented each other really well and worked interestingly together, in a way I didn’t think the drama was gonna give them time to do, so I’m really pleased. 

#4 Qiao Chen (Momoshiro Takeshi) & Zhang BaiYang (Kaidoh Kaoru) 

My younger self is thriving with this one being included tbh. These two were so much fun in the anime, two rivals and opposites that represented the future of the team upon their elders leaving. 

I was surprised to see them so focused here, because it’s not a relationship most adaptations put emphasis on (their loss), but it paid off immensely by the time their game against Bunta and Jackal (Jin WenTai & Ke Jie) came around. 

Kaidoh is a tough one to adapt most times, and they did him so well in this one, I think this is my favorite live action Kaidoh in any adaptation, and I’ve watched a whole bunch of tenimyu in my day. They really captured the ambiguity of his character, how he balances a tough exterior with a sensitive core. Qiao Chen maintained his feelings for Xu Xingzi (Tachibana Ann) but that didn’t stop them from showing these two every time they could. 

#3 Mu Siyang (Tezuka Kunimitsu) & Ji Jingwu (Atobe Keigo) 

Oh, these two. Hyotei (Xing Yao) wasn’t featured as much as one would probably expect (I’m a Fudomine fan and with Yu Feng I got more than I even was expecting, but I admit Hyotei is a riot and I always live my best life when they show up). Still, they did the Tezuka/Atobe match justice and then some. 

Mu Siyang was incredibly compelling as Tezuka, and had a vulnerability to him that made me worry for his health more than I probably did for his anime counterpart. Maybe also the fact that he was older than his anime version yet looked younger than him made it sink more that his injury was something to worry about. I wish we had time to include anime!Tezuka’s issues with yips with Siyang, because I know the drama would have pulled it off, but that was further down the line in the story. Maybe for a season 2. 

Anyway, the Atobe/Tezuka game is one of the best games in tenipuri history and the drama knew it. The game felt like it earned its gravity with the development of both Siyang’s injury and Ji Jingwu’s determination to play against him. Then they sprinkled the camp on top, as the anime does, with Ji Jingwu paying for his every expense and calling him to get updates, which is 100% canon compliant imo. 

I feel like Ji Jingwu didn’t have enough room to be as much of Atobe as he could be, but then again, that’s not easy for anyone to pull off. Not even Kato Kazuki can do Junichi Suwabe as well as Junichi Suwabe.  

#2 Bai ShiYan (Yukimura Seiichi) & Tian ZiLong (Sanada Genichirou) 

So, it’s tough to feel for Rikkai (Hai Guang) at this point of the story. You learn about Yukimura’s health and it’s difficult, but you just met them and the first impressions haven’t been great. 

However, the relationship between Sanada and Yukimura has always been something pivotal for the way the team is constructed (they were named that way for a reason, two parts of a same hero and all that) and they sustain the team in a way other teams don’t have to. They are the mom and dad of the team, the coaches, the leaders and the pillars. They have a balance of severity and permissiveness, of strictness and instinct. They are like a couple who has been married for 25 years. 

How on Earth, I asked myself, will they achieve that with censorship on the way? I don’t know, but they did it, the mad bastards. 

It really does come through 100% the importance of their relationship and the way in which the captain’s health affects the team and, more than anything, their vice captain. It reaches a crescendo during the final match, before ShiYan’s operation, and they manage to pull it off with the time they have. 

Also, their scenes are like shot for a contemporary romance drama and I appreciate that vibe. 

#1 Tang JiaLe (Kikumaru Eiji) & Chi DaYong (Oishi Shuichiro) 

Oh boy. Look. I still own Golden Pair merchandise from my Days, ok? These two hold a special place in my heart. I saw actors who portrayed them grow up, succeed and pass away, sadly. I still sing Depend On Me sometimes. There is a cheerful vibe with these two, a sense of overcoming obstacles and finding balance, I don’t know. Fuji is my favorite character but these two are special in their way. 

This freakin’ drama just went full on Golden Pair. The level of content was off the charts. The moment they came on the screen, the second they talked about their doubles, it was already setting the tone of how deep their relationship was going to go. I am a bit amazed that they avoided to get closed down for this ngl. And I appreciate the risk because it paid off.

They have a body language communication that is captured in every shot. Even when they’re not the focus of the scene, they’re close, touching or holding each other, arms around each other, hands on each other’s shoulders, grabbing each other’s clothes. When they fight, that language changes drastically, and the distance they take feels intense and cold. You go through it with them and the team shows it as well. There’s an entire episode I had screencaps of and never posted when the team falls apart because they do. 

My favorite part, though, ironically, isn’t what they did with them together but what they did with them apart. They took time to develop them as individual characters with their own issues, their fears, their worries and weaknesses. They were allowed to be flawed and wrong and have to mend their ways. 

What really got me and impacted me deeply was the fact that they chose DaYong to talk about mental health. They gave room to speaking about the physical implications of anxiety disorders and about how self esteem issues can give more magnitude to ongoing issues with your mental health. Again, the age of the characters being changed helped add a depth to some issues that get developed with more intensity in a drama of this kind, and the way in which it takes TIME to get resolved, it isn’t a one episode thing, it’s an underlying issue that spans the season...*chef’s kiss* 

Even though there’s a specific tenimyu incarnation of these two that I hold dear and will always remember fondly, I think that Xu Ke and Zhu ZhiLing are the most successful and best portrayed live action Golden Pair I’ve ever seen. 

Bonus that was in the montage but it’s specifically about a family relationship: The Zhuo Bros

I have said Fuji has always been my favorite and his relationship with Yuta as an older brother (albeit he’s not the eldest sibling like me) is one I always felt close to. 

In the anime, the two have a rocky relationship that gets developed throughout, but the drama is very good at establishing not only Zhuo Yu’s (Fuji Yuta) self esteem issues, the subsequent use of that Guan Yue (Mizuki Hajime) does and Zhuo Zhi’s (Fuji Syusuke) attempts to breach the gap between the siblings, they also use it to develop Zhuo Zhi’s character and his reticence to show weakness. 

It’s tough to get Fuji towards a place of vulnerability without breaking character, but they used family and the care he provides to his brother as a point to further his story, and I appreciate that a lot. They managed to build Zhuo Zhi up with this sibling bond as one of his core elements, and that gave a lot of dimension to his games and his character. 

Bonus that wasn’t in the montage but I’m including in some capacity: Mu Siyang (Tezuka Kunimitsu) & Zhuo Zhi (Fuji Syusuke) 

I thought these two deserved a place in the list, even if they weren’t grouped much in the montage, because the drama did make them share moments together that I feel gave more depth to their characters. 

There was a very interesting moment in which they showed Mu Siyang and Zhuo Zhi establishing their differences when approaching tennis, and how serious Mu Siyang is about taking the team to victory. I think that strengthened the character as a captain to me, in a way that shows it rather than tells it, and allowed for his guidance to still be present when he wasn’t physically there. His determination ultimately influenced Zhuo Zhi to take things more seriously, and that was a pretty interesting development to see. 

All in all, I should, at some point, go and do a serious review for MyDramaList but I wanted to leave in my blog how much I appreciated this adaptation. I wasn’t expecting much and I was delivered everything.

[jamboreeofsurprises]

alright, so forgive me the most typical question in existence, but: thoughts on rose of versailles now that you're done? and have you seen the anime? (also don't worry about the side stories, they're quite different from the actual manga both story and art-wise so skipping them is totally fine)

it’s not typical actually, i had no idea anyone cared to hear my thoughts XD;

Also no i’m not gonna skip the side stories because there’s still a whole other volume to come out and my collection-crazed self needs all 5 to feel a sense of completion and peace

!!So spoiler warning of course for The Rose of Versailles!!

really, what a stellar work of historical fiction this is. it manages to showcase riyoko’s insight on the events she is depicting (being a historical essayist herself on top of artist and writer) in a way that intrigues even me, someone who didn’t know jack about the French Revolution, enough to want to genuinely read more/engage with other media depicting this chapter of history, while also weaving its own, new story into the drama in the form of Oscar and how her life intertwines with Antoinette and Fersen’s. I don’t know how it read in the 1970s when it was published but reading it in the 2020s, it manages to portray the complex nature of class struggle and all the factors that lead people both rich and poor to do what they do in an empathetic manner. we both love and hate Antoinette for her actions as queen, but regardless, feel a pang of sadness at the life she has been thrust into by fate.

I will admit, in this final volume (4) the way André and Oscar get killed off so early on felt a bit unceremonious to me; i almost even lost interest following that not just because they were gone but because I was shocked it seemed over so fast, especially given the very melodramatic tone of the series, i expected more sentimentality over these deaths. but nope, they’re both just gone. unfortunately, i had it spoiled for me a long time ago that they both die, which I guess shouldn’t be that surprising given it’s a story about the French Revolution and most of the important characters die during it but something about it still felt weird. however, it picked up not long after as we settle on the final fates of the french royal family, the ending we all knew was coming from the beginning. i was a little surprised they actually showed the aftermath of louis xvi’s beheading, LOL. it wasn’t that prominent but I was like “wasn’t this published in a magazine for adolescent girls??”. METAL.

the drama is really terrifically done even if i understand it’s going to seem way over the top for people who aren’t used to oldschool shoujo, and that’s fair. But the way these emotion-focused pages are composed is just really gorgeous. ikeda’s artwork really accentuates the grandeur and ornateness of the period, and these freeform breakaways where characters express how they feel are standout moments to me.

my only big complaint with the rose of versailles at least with the manga is there’s sometimes tonal wackiness. tezuka did this too, part of me wonders if it’s just a matter of manga still being primarily seen as a kids’ medium in the 70s, but i feel like it was mere pages after a major character death that a few side characters were goofing off and i was like ‘not NOW guys....’ . it doesn’t happen often during the series but the couple of instances of it in this final volume made me like noooooooo...

I am watching the anime concurrent to where I am in the manga so now that I’ve read this it’s time to catch up and finish. I think the anime is a stellar adaptation if slightly abbreviated due to being only 40 episodes and the original text being quite rich. you can see how its directional style would be super formative to future anime, and the animation is quite tight and consistent for a show from 1979. i’m excited to see how it wraps up and what the differences will be from the manga’s conclusion!

so i overall really loved it. it’s a very engrossing read and not hard to see why it was/is so culturally significant, I can’t believe it took nearly 50 years to be translated into english. oscar is a true heroine for the ages. thanks for asking :)

[teawithshruti]

How did I keep myself sane amidst a pandemic - My thoughts on books, anime, and restaurants.

Yet another review of The Shining

A plot so well written you would want to go in room 217

Hi there! This blog comes to you from a bored 19 year old who has a knack for reading crime thrillers, watching murder documentaries, and loves watching MasterChef just to see Gordon Ramsay. LOL. And did I mention that she also happens to be a Stephen King fan, because who isn’t? So here is where I try and convince you that The Shining  is the best book ever written and how Stanley Kubrick completely butchered the screenplay, as well as why pasta is life.

Welcome to the Rockies!

The story takes place in the town of Boulder, Colorado, where our main protagonist Jack Torrance gets a job as a caretaker of the famous Overlook Hotel. Winters in Boulder are harsh, and the hotel remains closed as travel is not permitted with all the heavy snowfall. Now Jack is a recovering alcoholic with anger issues which led to him breaking his son’s arm prior to where the story begins. This made Wendy, his wife, question her marriage and the safety of their five year old son,  Danny. Danny on the other hand isn’t your average five year old who just watches cartoons and plays with toys. He is aglow with a psychic voltage, and has frequent blackouts. In the words of old Mr Hallorann, the hotel’s head chef, Danny’s a shiner. When the Torrances meet Mr Hallorann, he feels an instant connection with Danny. He warns Jack about the hotel and its sinister secrets and how the previous caretaker, Delbert Grady, killed himself and his family. But Jack is sure that this huge and lonely hotel with its splendid views is just what he needs in order to earn back his family’s trust. But going to a haunted hotel with a troubled marriage and a psychic son? Maybe not the best idea. But in his defense, Jack doesn't believe in ghosts. Little does he know that’s about to change.

Snowbound at The Overlook

The Torrance's begin settling in the Overlook. But as winter closes in and the blizzards cut them off from the outer world, the hotel seems to develop a life of its own. Meanwhile, Jack starts growing restless, craving for a friendly drink with each passing day. He also starts experiencing hallucinations, and wonders if they are withdrawal symptoms. Danny on the other hand is experiencing his own share of ghostly sightings, like the terrifying lady in the bathtub of room 217 who seems to have never checked out of the hotel. In one instance, he witnesses her climbing out of the clawfoot tub and advancing towards him with her bloated belly and dry hair as he stands frozen in fear in a blood covered presidential suite. This narrative by King with all its details is the truly the most spine tingling I’ve ever read.  Later when Danny’s parents find him in the room, a thumb in his mouth, that is when Wendy truly realizes that they are not alone in that strange big hotel. Jack goes and sees the tub for himself, but the lady from before doesn't want to greet him. Wendy, in tears, sees that both her husband and her son are being tormented by this place and begs Jack to quit the job. Danny later calms his mom down, who is weeping uncontrollably, by telling her not to worry as his daddy doesn't have the shining, so there is nothing to worry about.

Have you never heard of REDRUM?

Sure you have. Read it backwards.  Yes, you got it right. And so did Danny after seeing this word in his visions countless times. It so turns out that Danny is much stronger than he looks and after failing to possess him, The Overlook has turned to an easier target - Jack. As Jack slowly starts to lose his mind, he gives in and starts drinking again from the bar in the ballroom. His hallucinations keep getting worse to the point he actually sees Mr Grady, the previous caretaker / murderer,  and even has a talk with him. Danny sees his changing behavior and so does his wife, who just doesn't see the man she fell in love with in his cold, distant eyes anymore. With everything going on, Wendy takes Danny to their apartment in the employee wing of the hotel and locks them inside in fear of Jack, who is slowly slipping away from reality. But turns out this move from her proves to be disastrous, as Wendy keeping Jack away from his own son is the last straw for him. In one of his many hallucinations, Jack  meets his predecessor,  his buddy Mr. Grady and the two have a disturbing conversation about how fun it is to kill your wife. Yes , no one trumps King when it comes to the unique combination of horror and psychological thrillers packed into one nail-biting plot!

In other words...

The only thing I liked about the movie was Jack Nicholson’s excellent acting. Apart from that Stanley Kubrick let go of many crucial parts which were essential to the story. He eliminated the hedge sequence in the book, which was terrifying to just read. The ending was just a complete mess.  I get that you can’t exactly get all the details right of a 500 page book, but at least do justice to the ones you have chosen. Anyways I’m gonna go sulk in my room over this. Bye

.  

Is it too late to start Anime?

Hi there! Good to have you back! Ever since pandemic began, everyone’s been locked in their own house. So this led to me taking up a few hobbies like sketching and painting and binging on a whole lot of sitcoms.. My personal favorite is the alluring world of Anime. Several of my friends began watching it and I cannot exactly term it as peer pressure, but I did give in and start watching Anime too. And now my watchlist includes just a bunch of 2D characters with powers that even Superman himself can't fight. So this is my take on how a kryptonian can be defeated with Jutsu, as Mr Naruto would say. Lol. This one is for all the weebs out there. 

Manga and Anime are not the same!

To put it simply, manga is a Japanese term for comics and graphic novels, whereas Anime is the term for Japanese animations.. There are many similarities  between them, as they both have been created by Osama Tezuka, who is considered as the Japanese version of Walt Disney. Now have you ever seen a simple comic book? The one with black and white newspaper illustrations - like Garfield. Manga is just like that -  A book of illustrations. Now we arrive at the perennial question - Manga or Anime, which is better. Both of them are equally interesting, but I personally have a soft spot for anime. The intro theme songs, intense background music, and the beat dropping right before a big fight move, all these factors pack a punch. You don’t get that adrenaline rush from just a book.

My first anime - Demon Slayer

The story begins with the main character Tanjiro, who returns home after selling charcoal in town to find his entire family murdered by demons. Pretty intense right? His sister, Nezuko, survives but there’s a twist - she turns into a demon herself.  This makes him vow to take revenge and he sets off to train with Sakonji, who has trained many of the elite members of the Demon Slayer Corps. After many years of training and a painful exam called the final selection, Tanjiro finally becomes a demon slayer and is off on missions along with his sister, who unlike most demons doesn’t consume human flesh. On his missions he meets Zenitsu and Inosuke, who both have excellent powers of their own. My favorite story arc was when the highest ranking slayers, known as the pillars, were introduced. But my words won’t do justice to their powers they possess. So simply get your geek on by watching this short yet amazing series.

The Tale of Naruto Uzumaki

The hidden leaf village is not so hidden anymore! The series I am currently watching is one of the most popular anime from 2020 - Naruto.   The story is set around the shinobi villages and their ninjas and how Naruto Uzumaki plans on being the next Hokage [the most powerful shinobi] of the leaf village. He is trained by some of the best ninjas the village has ever seen. Before graduating from the academy, he was a hyperactive boy with lots of energy who just wanted to be the best. After graduation, he was placed in team seven, along with Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha. This team was trained by Kakashi Sensei who is known for wielding his Chidori and even the Sharingan. The sharingan, to put it simply, is a trait passed down in families. The Uchihas are known for their sharingans and hence it naturally comes to Sasuke as well. The mystery still remains unsolved as to how Kakashi got his sharingan, as he is not an Uchiha. But Naruto does have a super power as well. Not technically his powers per se,  but we can cut him some slack. After all it's not everyday you get to see a beast like the nine tailed fox sealed away in an 11 year old boy. In my opinion the story picks up Orochimaru’s entry, and it paves the way for Sasuke’s powers in the future. My favorite character has to be Sasuke Uchiha. With his effortless fighting skills and sarcastic yet cool personality, he definitely is an excellent shinobi. You have to start this show right away because once you have seen him use his fire style fireball jutsu.....the world just doesn't look the same anymore.

In other words...

My current watchlist includes Naruto Shippuden, Black Clover, One Piece, and a few other naruto spin offs. Anime was something I never thought I would like, but now as it turns out I can't get enough of it. So bye for now, if you need me I'll be at Ichiraku’s eating ramen with barbeque pork. And if you get this reference, have a bowl of ramen on me. K bye.

Home in a faraway land

Good to see you again ! Do you ever get that feeling of an intense craving for your favourite dish? Like say pasta or pizza? My favorite is pasta, but being raised in India, I can’t say no to a classic plate of butter naan and chicken tikka with a glass of buttermilk or chaas if you please. Of Course you can’t beat the taste of a home cooked meal, but let me tell you about the time I went to this amazing little Indian restaurant in Dubai with my family, and how the food there was absolutely heavenly. 

Out and About in Dubai

Skyscrapers, Sleepless nights, Gold Souks and gigantic malls - these are the visions  you'd usually get when someone mentions Dubai. Well, they're mostly right! I went there with my family about 5 years ago. We stayed at the Ramada, which was right next to the Dubai Mall.  The mall happens to be strategically placed next to the Burj Khalifa and we got lucky enough to see mesmerizing musical fountain shows night after night. The streets are spick and span, and everyone follows the traffic regulations dutifully. We also went for the desert safari, which was no less than an actual roller coaster ride. We also visited the Gold Souk, and oh boy. The name definitely fulfills its purpose, as the entire street is occupied entirely by gold stores. Huge gold ornaments are on display like clothes on hangers. I personally don’t have a thing for gold jewellery, but my mom had the time of her life there fawning and gasping over every store we came across. Shortly after our visit here, we came across this beautiful little Indian restaurant, and you can call me old school but at the end of the day, this girl needs a desi meal, because trust me room service gets boring after a while.

Peshwa - Not your typical 5 star restaurant 

Situated away from the hustle of the main city, this place still remains quite underrated. We stumbled across this hidden gem which saved us the efforts of getting back to the hotel for an overpriced lunch. As soon as we entered the restaurant, we could smell the aroma of a classic dal makhani  [ a simple gravy consisting of lentils infused with aromatic spices and hints of burnt chillies ] in the air. So we got a table and had a look at the menu and it was almost like being back home. The endless variety of gravies with paneer in almost every single one of them, to at least 6 different types of rotis, a little piece of heaven in this concrete jungle! We went ahead and ordered a simple meal of rotis and some paneer delicacy, along with dal and rice. Apart from the taste of the food, which was just heavenly, the overall ambience of the place in one word, was exquisite. The restaurant lived up to its very ethnic maharashtrian name. The food was served in those traditional style cutlery, reminding us of a simpler time.

A dish you just can’t miss 

If you have a sweet tooth like me, you definitely have to try the coconut barfi from this place. Made from desiccated coconuts, sweetened condensed milk, a finely ground cardamom, and a hint of saffron, this dish is a match made in heaven. It was freshly made and we could tell it by the intoxicating aroma of pure ghee [clarified butter]. So just for a day, give yourself a break from watching calories and try this mouth watering dish because here’s something to live for.

In other words…

The next time I’m in Dubai, the first thing I will do is find out if the restaurant is still there. And probably avoid the Gold Souk this time. I will most certainly go for the desert safari, because it’s not everyday you get defy gravity and drive through the sand dunes like in a Fast and Furious movie. Lol.  Also thanks for bearing with me throughout this blog. See ya!

[japaneseadventures]

“National Tournament Report” Tezuka and Fuji Version Part I

From Prince of Tennis OVA: National Tournament Arc, FAN DISK White heat Remix, translated by me. Part I is Tezuka and Fuji’s audio commentary on Momoshiro vs Oshitari match. Link to the audio is in the Content Source. :)

Tezuka: Fuji. Fuji: Hey, Tezuka! Sorry for making you come here when you’re so busy. Tezuka: My apologies, I was late since I was on the phone with Atobe. Fuji: Huh? Is the meeting between the captains supposed to be held today?   Tezuka: It is. Fuji: You don’t need to go? Tezuka: I got Oishi to attend in my place. Besides, it’s more of a get-together than a meeting. Oishi’s better suited for those types of things. Fuji: That’s true. If you attended, you’d probably be still distant with everyone by the end of it. Tezuka: I’m just not good at social events. Fuji: What’s more, many of the other schools have captains with strong personalities. Tezuka: As long as Atobe’s there, the meeting should get off without a cinch. There should be no problems with my absence. Fuji: I wonder about that. He seems like the most finicky one out of all of them to me. Though he might make things more entertaining that way.

Tezuka: Enough about the meeting. More importantly, what exactly did you want to talk about? Fuji: Impatient as ever, aren’t you. Tezuka: You told me there was something you wanted to talk over again. I got curious. Fuji: Hm? Any idea what it’s about? Tezuka: No, not in particular. Not in particular, but if you have any problems, I can lend an ear. Fuji: ...Problems? Let me think… Now that you put it that way, I guess it is a problem. Tezuka: What is it? Tell me. Fuji: Well, I’ll tell you some other time. Anyway, there’s something I want you to see. Tezuka: What? Fuji: I actually found this at a nook in the clubroom. Look. Tezuka: Oh… This is the Nationals match with Hyotei? The matchup between Momoshiro and Oshitari. Fuji: It was very good, wasn’t it? This match. Tezuka: It was. The end results aside, it was quite the heated match. Fuji: Yeah, seeing Momo so fired up like that made me feel a little envious. Tezuka: So what about this piqued your interest? Fuji: Seems like Inui got someone to film this video for analysis. This is the edited version, but I found more tapes taken from different angles. Tezuka: I expected no less from him. Inui has quite the inquisitive mind.  Fuji: Look! I also found this along the way. Tezuka: Hm? What’s that? Fuji: Inui’s Supplementary Analysis Notebook. It has Inui’s memos on every match. Tezuka: And you just found this by chance? I can’t imagine Inui carelessly leaving such an important notebook around in the clubroom.  Fuji: How mean~ I only just happened to find it, I swear. Don’t you believe me? Tezuka: 'Just happened to'………….. Sure. Fuji: Anyway, Inui jotted down something like this about this match. Tezuka: Something like what? Fuji: “To prepare for the match with Hyotei, Momoshiro trained in the mountains with  Kawamura. The two of them worked in tandem to procure food, with Momoshiro keeping a lookout for the fish’s movements and pointing it out, while Kawamura catches it in a show of strength.” Fuji: “As a result, his insight has gone up, and he also mastered how to sharply snap his wrist.” Tezuka: I see… Fuji: And apparently, the fish they caught during that time were used as ingredients for Kawamura Sushi. Tezuka: Is that information really necessary? Fuji: If it were freshwater fish, it would be chum salmon, or trout, I guess. Tezuka: I See. Fuji: Taka-san caught chum salmon with his bare hands. He’s like a bear! Tezuka: Mmm... To think the calm and collected Oshitari would be trembling with excitement.... Fuji: Chum salmon sushi tastes good when you grill it a little before eating, doesn’t it. It fills your mouth with its unique flavor, and... Tezuka: He’s gotten that absorbed into the game, huh… Looking back at things truly does give us some new perspective. Fuji: Tezuka… Are you listening to me? Tezuka: Yes, I am. You were talking about chum salmon, right? Fuji: Right. Well, if you say so… Tezuka: What’s wrong, Fuji? If you’re feeling unwell, head to the infirmary. Want me to go with you? Fuji: It’s nothing really, so don’t worry about it. Tezuka: I see… Okay then. Fuji: Alright, Momo’s match is almost over. I wonder who’s match we’ll see next. Tezuka: Yeah... Fuji: Speaking of which, you’re more talkative than usual today, Tezuka. Tezuka: Am I? I think I’m talking just as much as I usually do when I’m talking to you... Fuji: Are you? ....Then I guess it’s fine.

[Next Part]

[nyxravessnow]

Tenimyu 4th Season - Seigaku 11th and Fudomine casting news and it’s implications and results

Recently the cast for Fudomine and Seigaku 11th was revealed and I had a lot of thoughts about it immediately, a lot negative due to me not enjoying shin tenimyu and being apprehensive about the cast also being in 4th season.

I took some time to clear my head and think things through so I could give a more concise and less emotionally charged overview of my thoughts. 

The news: The new Seigaku and Fudomine cast will include mostly new 2.5d actors as well as Echizen, Momo, Tezuka and Tachibana’s actors from the Shin tenimyu musical. Fuji’s actor was also in the show as one of the tenimyu boys, ensemble cast members, but since he did not play Fuji I am not counting him in my thoughts about this. 

Please be aware this is all my own conjecture and opinions and you are free to disagree and also the casts of shin tenimyu and 4th might not be mixed more after this point so it may be baseless worrying. I am not going to comment on how much I liked each actor who is staying and whether I’m happy on an individual to individual basis, I am going to focus more on implications and what it could result in.

Overall I am not too happy about the mixing of Shin tenimyu and 4th season.

While I do understand that it would be difficult to have them at the same time due to them having largely the same fanbase and being at the same time would merely restrict the number of fans at the other, it does mean that one show can’t even rehearse while the other one is going on meaning we are going to get much fewer Shintenimyu and 4th season shows seperately, per year, than we did for 3rd, 2nd and even 1st. As it was already hard enough to wait during 3rd season as I was so excited this isn’t fantastic news to me, especially as, based on my thoughts on the first Shintenimyu, I am much more invested one than the other. 

It also spoils cast member reveals. I remember being so excited for the reveal of Hyoutei and Rikkai and Shiten and I think it takes something away from the reveal if you know some of the people. I also like casts starting out in the same show so they are able to explore their characters for the first time together and I think, again, the fact that some of these actors have previously played the characters they are going to play in 4th. 

This point is definitely baseless and could just be totally off the mark but I do worry about the actors if they are going to be in both. Vs Fudomine Echizen, Momo, Tezuka and Tachibana are very different from Shin tenimyu versions of those characters because of all of their growth so I kinda worry about the actors in that regard. I hope, being actors, they won’t get the characterisation mixed up but I think it is a bit hard of them to have to constantly be portraying different versions of the characters and causing undue confusion.

I do understand that some people I have talked to enjoyed shin tenimyu and I am more than happy for them. I am fine with saying that shin tenimyu isn’t my thing and just letting it be what it is being but I hope that doesn’t flow over into 4th. I personally did not like the way that shin tenimyu was handled and that is fine because it isn’t old tenimyu, it is something new, but I really hope that they don’t change what tenimyu is like. I don’t want to be the grouchy old person hating on change but tenimyu is so important to me and it changed who I was as a person in so many ways and I don’t want to effectively have to ‘break up’ with tenimyu because it became something I didn’t enjoy. I know this is a wholely selfish point but I do know that if 4th approaches tenimyu the way shin tenimyu did, it will cease to be my favourite 2.5D show and that would hurt me a lot. 

I hope none of these things end up happening and I am just worried for no reason but I thought it was worth it to get my thoughts out there, especially if anyone wants to discuss about it with me and possibly alleviate me of my worries. haha