#Full fun Chinese comedy

[k20spock]

Gecko’s list of free video games you should play right now

Hi I’m gecko I like video games and I like not paying 60 dollars for them so here’s a list of some free games I’ve unearthed and liked. Enjoy

(most of these are small, more obscure games made by a few people or even just one person, so support the creators if you can!! Some of these do have a pay what you want model)

Hikeback (Itch.io) 

You see a hitchhiker flagging you down during a long, lonely drive through the countryside. No matter how you choose to handle the situation, you end up back on that road. And then again. And again. And again, until you find a way to escape a loop of violence and self-sabotage. Hikeback is a visual novel inspired by the fable of the frog and the scorpion, and it takes about an hour to reach the ending. It’s available on Windows, Mac, Linux, and browser, and there’s a detailed list of content warnings on the game’s itch.io page. One of my strongest recommendations, Hikeback is an incredible experience, and it was made in only ten days!!

Purrgatory (Itch.io) (Steam)

Find ways to pass the time in an inexplicably cat-themed but otherwise pretty dull afterlife, and befriend its other inhabitants. Purrgatory can hit hard when it wants to, but it’s mostly a relaxed point and click game that takes about a few hours if you want the true ending (which you do). And also I really don’t like recommending things going “it’s rep!!” and not elaborating on what the thing is actually about, but Purrgatory does have a mostly explicitly LGBT+ cast and Korean characters by a Korean artist. It’s been a few years since I played Purrgatory, but I remember it was an incredible experience, and since then, even more people can play it because it’s been fully translated into Spanish and Simplified Chinese! It’s available on Windows and browser.

How Fish is Made (Itch.io) (Steam)

How Fish is Made includes incredible retro-style graphics, a sardine flopping around in a machine with a choice to make, a singing, cane-wielding, tophat-wearing, tongue-eating parasitic isopod, and a free expansion/trailer for the studio’s next game that’s like if Katamari Damacy was evil and also had fish in it. That’s the best I can do for a summary. How Fish is Made is available on Windows and takes about 30-45 minutes, but will itch your brain for much longer.

Stop Burying Me Alive, Beautiful (Itch.io)

A visual novel in which you are stuck between trying to convince your girlfriend you are not dead and she should stop burying you alive, and playing rat-themed card games with a woman you find living underground. The game doesn’t always do a great job walking the line between comedy and horror, but there’s some strong writing depicting a failing relationship and very strong artwork that makes this an easy recommendation. Stop Burying Me Alive, Beautiful is on Windows, Mac, Linux, and browser, and takes about half an hour. 

Caper in the Castro (Internet Archive)

Ok this one is pretty different, but fuck it, it was originally released for free in 1989 (with a recommendation to make a donation to charity instead) and is still free so I’m including it. Not enough people are aware that you can play the first known video game by and about gay people on your computer right now for free and it has that classic adventure game bullshit sometimes but it’s extremely playable and also funny as shit. Like it’s not just cool history it’s actually fun (sorry Gayblade). You play as a lesbian private detective named Tracker McDyke looking for your missing drag queen friend and you can get most of the doors in the game open by shooting them. People have made full walkthroughs for this game and how to get it working if you have trouble so there’s no excuse. Play Caper in the Castro.

Under a Star Called Sun (Itch.io) (Liminal Magazine)

A browser game made in Bitsy that’s extremely simple and only a few minutes long, but that’s all it needs to create a succinct, gut-wrenching depiction of grief. 

Hotel Infinity (Itch.io)

If you need more short Bitsy games you can play in your browser that are about death, you’re out of luck after this because I’ve only got the two. Hotel Infinity is more lighthearted, tasking you with checking in on your ghostly hotel guests, and helping one check out. It’s simple, but sweet and affecting. 

Water Womb World (Itch.io)

Back to marine life-themed horror. Water Womb World is about a man’s obsessive search for the Garden of Eden leading him to the bottom of the ocean. There’s a few brief moments of annoyance in the gameplay, but the atmosphere and visuals are fantastic. Fantastic enough I bought the shirt, because I like cool shirts. It's available for Mac and Windows, and takes about 15 minutes. 

Hyperhell (Itch.io) (Steam)

A rogue-like bullet hell with a hyperpop soundtrack. It’s a mess, but in a good way. A run can (allegedly, I am not very good at bullet hells and I wasn’t able to get all the way to the end) be under ten minutes, but the game is very replayable with its different characters, weapons, bosses, and DDR and fishing minigames. You might have heard of this one already because maia has a cameo in it, but it really is a fun, if slightly painful for your eyes, time. It’s available on Windows.

Magicafe HD (Itch.io)

Under a technicality, I haven’t played this one yet, but that’s because I played the original text-based version of this game and I didn’t know the dev had converted it to a full visual novel until right now when I went to recommend the original. I’m certain this version is even better! It’s a cute, simple visual novel about a girl trying to get to her job at a magical girl themed cafe, while dealing with the struggles of secretly also being an actual magical girl. Available on Windows, and lasts about half an hour. The original is available on browser here if you’re interested. 

Dedz0ne (Itch.io)

Ok, wrapping up on a weird one since this isn’t really a universal recommendation. Dedz0ne is a Yume Nikki/Splatoon fangame inspired by Dedf1sh’s backstory and the atmosphere of Octo Expansion in general. It came out before Side Order so it’s not accurate to it, but it’s a really neat game with great visuals and atmosphere. It’s available on Windows

And that’s it for now. There will probably be a sequel someday because I am unable to stop digging through free games. Or maybe a collection of not free but extremely cheap games (like under five bucks) I like. Who knows! I hope you found something that catches your eye here!

[welcometothejianghu]

Welcome to another round of W2 Tells You What You Should See, where W2 (me) tries to sell you (you) on something you should be watching. Today's choice: 成化十四年/The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty

(The) Sleuth of (the) Ming Dynasty (it's hard to get an agreement on how many definite articles should go where) is a beautiful, high-budget 2020 drama about a weenie genius detective, his long-suffering and deeply traumatized sugar daddy, and the eunuch with the most difficult job in the Great Ming: keeping these two dumbasses from getting their fool selves imperially executed.

Depending on how you like it, it's either an OT3 or an OTP with an intense, underage third wheel, and either way, it's delightful. I wouldn't call it a comedy, but it has very many funny elements that keep the drama fun and engaging. The first half is full of shorter mysteries that are clever and thoughtfully plotted, and the second half goes in on the longer mystery that ties them all together.

I've already done my quick guide to the early-episode characters, if you want a taste of just how many people are running around and how wonderful they all are. But in case you want to know a little bit more before you commit yourself to a 48-episode series, here's five reasons I think you should watch it!

1. The whole thing smacks of gender

Yeah, this was originally going to be selling point #2, but I know what the people want.

This is not a show about gender. But boy it is a show that has a lot to say about gender, and not just by way of critiquing premodern Chinese gender roles (though it does do that!). Many of the cis characters are either a) somewhat gender nonconforming, b) canny enough to weaponize binary gender expectations, or c) both. Sui Zhou's entire third-act storyline is about how expectations of masculinity exacerbate PTSD in veterans. Three different AFAB characters either dress or live as men. The part where one of the male characters goes undercover in drag is played for laughs, but the joke isn't 'ha ha, a boy in a dress,' it's 'ha ha, this particular boy in a particular dress, and also he's terrible at it.'

And that's even before we get to the eunuchs.

There are several professionally dickless, permanently unmanned characters running around. One-third of the OT3 canonically had his external genitalia nonconsensually removed when he was five years old, and because of this, he has been given unimaginable authority. He's basically the second most powerful man in the entire empire, and he only gets that way by being unquestionably, ostentatiously, and genuinely submissive to the first most powerful man.

I have seen other Chinese media where eunuchs are treated like sinister clowns, good only to be the bad guys and the butts of jokes. Sleuth's main eunuchs are real and complex characters, and because of this, the show gets to explore what it is to live in this weird third-gender category of incredible power and powerlessness.

Now, don't go into this expecting woke gender treatises. Wang Zhi's never going to sit down and go, "You know, my friend and fellow eunuch Ding Rong, because of my lack of a penis, I understand my relationship to masculinity differently than other men do." But the show understands that even if he doesn't say it, it's true. And that makes a lot of the characters and their relationships just so much more interesting.

2. Uncle Jackie Money

Sleuth was the was the fourth c-drama I dove into, following the Untamed, Word of Honor, and Guardian -- or, Some Money BL, Less Money BL, and No Money BL. So imagine my absolute wall-eyed shock to find this was All The Money BL, courtesy of its executive producer, Jackie Chan (seen here with some of his handsome boys):

Sleuth looks good. The costumes are amazing. The sets are stunning. The cinematography is beautiful. Everything is so detailed, and while I can't speak to the absolute historical accuracy of all those details (see point 3), they're still gorgeous. In fact, you know what? I'm going to shut up and show you some of the promotional images.

(For actual screenshots, I'm just going to point you at @rongzhi's tsomd photoset tag, as they have done a tremendous service to the fan community -- though do beware of spoilers.)

Uncle Jackie's influence doesn't end with the money, though. Even though things get a bit goofy and wirework-y near the end, most of the drama's fights are shows of real martial arts skill. You can see his fingerprints on a lot of the choreography -- I'm thinking particularly of the time Tang Fan tries (and fails!) to stab Sui Zhou three times, which is pure Jackie Chan high-speed dexterity.

Add this one to the category of shows your Average American Television Enjoyer Who Can Handle Subtitles would like. In fact, I have shown the first episode to my normie father-in-law, who was impressed. Show it to your dad! See if he picks up on the gay!

3. I am from ... HISTORY!

The Chinese title translates to "The 14th Year of Chenghua," which works out to the year 1478. There are some clear anachronisms, but they tend to be played for comedy, so it's hard to hold that against them. On the whole, though, the show is trying real hard to evoke a very specific moment, and I feel it does so beautifully.

This does, however, mean that several of the characters are real people. I don't even have a good sense of how many of them are based on historical figures, that's how many. Hilariously, Wang Zhi's tag on AO3 used to read "Wang Zhi (?-1487 CE)."

Moreover, these are characters I've seen pop up in other media, played very differently! In particular, Noble Consort (up there in blue) tends to be written as an uncomplicated villain elsewhere, whereas Sleuth gives her a chance to add some goodness to her badness, until, damn, you can't but root for the bitch. (It also downplays the cradle-robbing, which, honestly, is for the best.)

You may have guessed from the eunuch section earlier, but it bears repeating: Wang Zhi is straight-up the best character in the show. He's smart as hell, and he has to be, because the second he's stupid, he's dead. I actually consider it helpful to know ahead of time that he's never going to do a heel turn -- I feel like on my first watchthrough, I was holding my breath for the first two-thirds of the show, waiting for his sudden but inevitable betrayal. It does not come. Wang Zhi is one of the heroes.

He's also, like, evil. He orders people flogged, tortured, and executed. The very first thing you see him doing is sinister as hell. And the show clearly doesn't think this is good, but it also doesn't judge him for it. He's a traumatized seventeen-year-old who has not had a normal moment of his entire life. He's working thanklessly for a boss who could kill him on a whim -- and he's doing it because he literally, physically was made for his job. He's mildly freaking out because he has no emotional grounding to help him understand that these weirdos want to be his friends.

Was the real Wang Zhi like this? That's beside the point. The point is, you get to see how someone in that position could wind up as the war-crimes-committing platonic ideal of a little meow meow.

4. oh my god the food

Warning: This show will make you hungry.

Again, beware of spoilers, but @peppersandcreamsicle and @qinzai have put together an entire cook-along Google Doc so you don't just have to drool -- you can do something about it! Or you can just read it and learn about Chinese cuisine, which is a little more my speed.

But it's not just about how good the food looks. Food is a vital emotional part of the series. People bond over it. They make and share it as a sign of love and care. It indicates status, ethnicity, interest, personality. The show's message about the healing power of cooking for the people you love will bring you to tears.

And yes, Sui Zhou is the main one doing the cooking, so get ready to drool over both the dishes and the handsome man preparing them.

Oh, and as though that weren't enough, Fu Meng Po can actually cook in real life. He's so dreamy. Absolute unreal handsome man with a devastatingly sexy voice. (I know my opinion might be different if I could hear his Taiwanese accent, but I can't so it's not!)

5. An Unsunk Ship

So like I said, my intros to c-drama couples had been WangXian, WenZhou, and WeiLan. That meant I'd basically come to terms with the idea that you can't have a main couple in a BL-but-not-really drama without splitting them up at least a little in the end, for no-homo plausible deniability reasons.

Tang Fan and Sui Zhou are still definitvely, unequivocally together when the story ends, as the iconic pentultimate scene of the series confirms with beauty and simplicity. I refuse to give any more details than that, but that ship's afloat.

(These shirtless pictures aren't from the end, but I wanted to include them, and I didn't have a better place to do it. ...Also, you know, ships and water? Yeah?)

And I think their winding up together reflects Sleuth's entire attitude. Tang Fan is made of sunshine, and the series loves him for it. There is tragedy aplenty in this show, but there's no misery. It is ultimately a hopeful show that believes in the power of second chances, if you're willing to take them. Time and again, the moral of the story is that you are only ever as good as the people who have your back -- but you have to be willing to let them have your back. Let people help you. Let people cook for you. Let people give you a reason to keep living. And then keep living.

Also, Sui Zhou gets two good kabedons off on that little twink, which means they're legally married now. I don't make the rules.

Bonus: Banger opening theme

This is one you will watch all 48 times.

Bonus #2: The Halo Video

This is the video that made me go, huh, these Sleuth boys seem like other boys I've enjoyed! Perhaps I shall enjoy them as well! And then I did. So if that might be convincing to you too, well, have at it. Even if it isn't, it's a fascinating three-minute study of shared those-boys-are-in-love visual language across these shows.

Fair warning that it contains shots from right up to the end, so if you'd rather go in completely blank, give this one a pass until later. (Excuse me while I now go watch it for the 10000th time.)

Have I convinced you to watch it yet?

It originally ran on iQiyi, though Viki's got it as well, and Viki's is free if you're willing to put up with some ads about it.

...I just noticed iQiyi's description of the series reads, "When the two handsome leading actors Darren Wang and Fu Meng-Po work together, what will happen? A lovely prefectural judge and an arrogant embroiered [sic] uniform guard join hands to crack unusual cases! Are you going to choose a new idol?" And you know what? Yes. The details are a little off, but that is the correct spirit. Thank you, thirsty blurb.

[rotzaprachim]

the fun game where I look for yiddn in 1899 for personal enjoyment

note that pretty much none of this will follow canon and I am doing it for my personal Jewish enjoyment. It’s a boat full of Europeans fleeing Europe in 1899 what can I even say

a) Olek - by far the most likely, considering the absolutely mass immigration of Jews from Galitzia (where the postcard Olek carries is addressed to) to New York, where he wants to move. Olek being a secret jew is something I’m 99% the writers didn’t intent but that lines up incredibly well with what’s suggested of his story, the actual history of 1899, and the consistent thematic resonance of people concealing or lying about their ethnic or national origin, including not only Ramiro but Ying Li, olek’s deepest parallel and love interest. (Seriously like… these two parallel each other so deeply in everything and the cantonese speaking prostitutes’ daughter pretending to be Japanese aboard the white western ship and the Eastern European Jew pretending to be a polish Christian aboard the western Christian ship are such a fascinating parallel in nation and region and power relational to the West, as well as a negotiation of the brutal anti-Chinese and anti-Jewish immigration sentiment in the U.S. at the time.) The scenario would place Olek as a polish and Yiddish speaking Jew who was attacked by an antisemitic coworker at the oil refinery where he worked or something, or who had survived a pogrom or displacement, and ended up stealing his attackers identity and postcard after he killed him in self defense. This would be a Ramiro and a ying li parallel, and show the repeated and clearly heavy postcard metaphor in a new light - this isn’t a hopeful golden lit coming to America metaphor, as it seems in the first couple scenes, but a physical realization of olek’s guilt at what he did to survive AND a heaviness that lurks around where he took the postcard from (the coworker on the oil field.)

verdict: both totally unwritten and completely contingent with what we know of canon. JEW

b) unlikely but funny as hell: Ramiro. Ángel thinks he has problems having to pretend to be straight and here we have Ramiriko struggling every fucking day with having to pretend to be STRAIGHT and SPANISH and also remember the order of the mass and not get the paternoster mixed up with shmah yisrael. Absolute comedy act. (He also seems consistently bewildered by Catholic canon or how to even do the priest act.) Adds fucked up flavour and nuance to whatever the fuck is going on with Ángel and Ramiro and the “you aren’t even Spanish” line, although does Ángel know Ramiro is a Jew? Probably not. Had he ever worked out he blows kosher dick? Story suggests Ángel doesn’t blow enough sick to really know, nor that that kind of thing would ever occur to him. This one is kind of unlikely, given there were very few Jews in Portugal in the 1800s and the portuense inquisition didn’t officially end till the 1820’s, but it is technically possible - Judaism began to be legal again in the 1800’s and Portuguese jewish communities began to form again. Furthermore, Ramiro being a jew, particularly a descendant of conversos or marranos, could be the context of the showdown where ángel says that he’s never pretended to be anything other than what he is (unlike Ramiro.) they’re both clealry so fruity that whatever he’s talking about isn’t sexuality. (Ramiro is symbolized by the cross, but the cross, along with he background outline of a church, also shows up as a significant element in his Trauma Room, so it might even be the identity he was forced to take on and then casts off). (The crucifix is also the symbol of the priest Ramiro killed it seems, although I think by drowning. A Jew killing a priest - who might have been ángels abuser - would launch such an incredible amount of antisemitic deicide let’s hunt the godkillers backlash they’d have to leave immediately) verdict: unlikely but not technically against canon. Both hysterically funny in light of being a catholic priest winging it for 8 episodes and absolutely heartbreaking

c) eyk. Oh boy. Unlike the other two nothing to suggest it but also nothing to not suggest it, right, although the concept of a German Jew whose family burned to death in a house he keeps seeing is. Oh boy. Assimilated yekke who turned to piloting as a way to work his way up in the world (and part of why his crew disrespects him.) His wife’s name is Sarah which could be pretty Jewish. Nína isn’t like, Jewish, but also isn’t NOT Jewish, and we don’t know the names of his other daughters, which could be like, Rochel and Shoshana. (Or not! Considering the assimilated yekke thing.) clearly lying about a million things. Is this one of them? Is he even real? verdict: the fire was his maybe-automaton wife knocking over the shabbes candles. Possible yid. Who even knows? Not eyk, for sure.

d) you could spare a thought for Daniel, who actually has a Hebrew name that directly parallels the figure of Daniel in the Hebrew Bible what with seeing visions and being trapped in the den and all that but he and his wife (maybe) buried his son with a cross and that cross keeps repeating with some of the most objectively Christian imagery in the show. Also they’ve buried their son beneath the cross. This could be playing the machine but unlike Ramiro it doesn’t seem so performative. verdict: goy

e) clémence

nothing to suggest it and nothing to not suggest it. Who even knows? Not us. Not clémence most of all

[fluffypotatey]

Okay I love anon's sass and they should be a monkey's lawyer or spokesperson. perfect comedy. second, I like how this supports the idea that Macaque retained more monkey habits (blub was lit eating a banana last season and swinging by the tail) while Wukong evolved to try and match the humans, just like in his origin story. which both makes the idea of people calling him a beast that needs to be collared insane while also making it understandable why Wukong still keeps fighting that old image of him by holding back on his violence because if his mannerisms and gentle way of speaking with humans (or MK at least, he's not super social) won't do it then his strength seems to unravel all that progress to others. third uh, Macaque would totally make fun of Wukong for using a fork and drinking tea pinky out. And a le S5 Ep7 "no don't bother offering me to live in a real house." and idk if he means it. he had a temporary dojo but it was full of weapons not a TV. also. he kinda infiltrated Wukong's house and chilled on a couch with a monkey. is that tree branch soft enough boi or do we need to bring in harlow's monkey experiment logic. you need something soft oh my god is that why he doesn't get rid of the baby monkeys-

Lisyerally since Wukong’s birth, Heaven has looked at him like he is something wild and untamed (which makes sense given he is the embodiment of the untamed mind). but even when he plays by Heaven’s rules (the best he can) they still look down on him

one of his major desires was to be acknowledged and respected and Heaven always refused. it’s not until the end of jttw where they’re basically forced to

but even then Heaven (which in jttw, was meant to represent the very flawed bureaucracy of the Chinese government) cannot see Wukong as someone who is their equal post his redemption because of his power and impulsiveness and rather keep him under the label of a threat. and Wukong, to prove to them that he’s changed, helps out with trouble when he can and keeps a distance because maybe then they will finally respect him

but! turns out they will never be completely satisfied unless they have Wukong under their whims (as seen in 5x02) because he is too unpredictable for them :)

[porcupine-girl]

Did you enjoy Yibo's NYE performances?

Sure, we were all psyched for him to perform Observer, but did you like the surprise duet he did earlier in the show?

If so, I am here to tell you about the guy he was singing with - because Yibo loves him, and so should you!

That! Is Da Zhangwei!

He wrote that song! He was one of Yibo's cohosts on Tiantian Xiang Shang (also known by the terrible translation Day Day Up), and you know Yibo's TTXS cohosts were his family. His big brothers. It's how he got his reputation as a ge collector.

This is DZW's other NYE performance, which is a bit more representative of his usual aesthetic:

If you like either of those songs/performances, read on to learn more about why you should definitely be paying attention to this guy.

(Sorry most of these videos don't have English subs. But most are music so at least you can find the lyrics online.)

First off, DZW didn't just write this song and then perform it with Yibo (and give Han-ge a shoutout afterward). He then posted this video, basically shouting "I wrote this song because I miss my TTXS bros!" (The lyric being repeated here is "I will miss you")

I mean, I don't know for a fact that he wrote it about them. But I do know that he literally DID write a song about Yibo once. This is a thing he has done before. It's called Cool Guy:

But the fact that he and Yibo are on each other's lists of favorite people is only the beginning, and definitely not why I became obsessed with him.

Da Zhangwei fun facts:

You'll find him on English-language sites like Spotify and iTunes under his English stage name, Wowkie Da. People also often refer to him as DLS or Da-Laoshi, showing how respected he is in the music industry.

He started a band (花兒樂隊, The Flowers), wrote all the music for said band, and had his first hit, 静止 (Static), in 1999 - when he was 16 years old. Like all his music, it's catchy as fuck. (To go back to Yibo for just a second, I'm guessing they bonded over having to deal with fame from a really young age.)

(Yes, the guy sticking his tongue out at the camera up there is 40 years old.)

Da Zhangwei is actually a stage name, too. His real name is Zhang Wei (so you'll occasionally find him as Wowkie Zhang), but that's such a common name that when he started his career he started going by "Big Zhangwei" - which is hilarious given that he was a scrawny teenager.

He continued to write pretty much all the band's music for the next decade. (Here's a whole concert from probably 2007ish). Then when they broke up in 2009 he started his solo career, also writing all his own music.

静止 was an angsty teenage anthem, but since then his aesthetic, both songwriting-wise and visually, has tended toward upbeat and cute.

I think it's safe to say he's leaned into this even more since going solo. Some of his recent hits: 撒花/Scatter Flowers, 一个Nice, 满怀可爱所向披靡 / Full of Cuteness and Invincible, and 万物盛开法则 / Law of All Things Blooming, from above.

However, don't be fooled! This just means that when he writes something sad, it's absolutely heartbreaking. Examples include 永远唱不完的歌/The Song That Doesn't End (above) and 我的深情就是个笑话/My Affection Is Just A Joke.

In addition to hosting TTXS, he has become a staple on all sorts of variety shows, both for music and comedy.

I found him via Season 3 of Our Song, where some of his accomplishments included creating a mashup of 12 different songs, from traditional Chinese folk music and opera to his own 撒花, and turning "your team will do 3 songs" into an entire 3-act musical (link is to the whole episode, since the 3 songs are alternating with the other team, but the other team is AMAZING with people you should get to know too). ETA I forgot about this compilation I did of clips from some of his Our Song performances!

He got to meet the Rolling Stones earlier this year! There's a translator but he's so excited he keeps breaking in while she's trying to ask his questions. His English is really good (if heavily accented), and he has a tendency to throw it in completely unnecessarily to both his performances and random conversation.

He's been on this show for a few seasons called Who's the Murderer? - basically, the same cast plays out a different murder mystery improv each episode. I haven't watched it yet but I've been meaning to - the latest season is on YT with English subs.

His birthday is the day after mine.

Want to see more? His tag is not very busy, but I try to reblog most things to @da-zhangwei. Feel free to contact me by any standard Tumblr method if you want more links!

Tagging people who said they'd be open to getting pulled into my Cpop fandoms, even though I don't have the edited Our Song episodes yet (consider this a preview): @json-derulo @poetry-protest-pornography @emmajanereading @percy-persephone @nuttysaladtree @thelima-aka-chickwriter @writergamermom @oneringtorulethem @trickybonmot @lovebird17 @erza155hasleftthebuilding

[theresawritesstuff]

prompt: midge takes lenny for chinese food sometime between 1961-1965

May 1961

"You know when you said someday I'd be the one paying for the Chinese food, I didn't expect it would be when we were celebrating me."

Lenny smirked at her from across the table. "We're celebrating your success. Seemed like as good a time as any."

Midge smiled softly in return, admiring the pink flower she'd tucked into his lapel on their walk over.

She'd found him in the 30 Rock lobby shortly after the show, arguing with a security guard about letting him in to drop off a bouquet in her dressing room, even though he wasn't on the list. 

Pink and green. Just like always.

She learned that he was back in town for a friend's wedding. That Dinah had serendipitously called the bar they were having said friend's bachelor party in to tell the bartender about her set and they'd overheard, promptly deciding to move the party to the studio after a quick stop at a flower stand.

They got caught shortly thereafter trying to sneak in while the cameras were still rolling. The slow runners were a fun bunch but they lived up to their name.

Had her parents not asked her to walk them out after the show (they'd gotten lost on their way in with all the excitement), she would have never known he was there in person and not just in spirit via the little fortune tucked inside her dress, next to her heart.

It was good to see him. To know he'd really been there for her big break, even if he had to watch on a little monitor in the lobby. He was there. And it felt…right.

In the same way the past several months without running into him had felt wrong.

She'd been keeping herself so busy, trying not to miss him. Trying to keep her promise not to blow it.

She'd thought she had for a while. With her career and with him. 

But tonight seemed to be full of second chances, if she was brave enough to take them.

The check was placed on the table with a pair of fortune cookies on the tray.

"I'll take that," she teased, plucking the cookie from his hand as he began to break his open.

Lenny opened his mouth in amused protest but she held up a finger.

"My turn to pay, my turn to read," she insisted.

He propped his elbows on the table, covering a smile with his hands, nodding for her to continue.

She stared down at the slip of paper in her hands, and as she scanned the text, she realized she needed to be brave at least one more time before the night was over. 

Say what she should have said months ago…

"Your chance at love is waiting right in front of you. All you have to do is let yourself accept it."

She glanced up briefly, gauging his reaction.

"If you do," she continued, "you may finally know yourself as you are seen through the eyes of love…Someone not to be worshiped as a comedy messiah, but treasured as a friend, delighted in as a lover, and respected as an individual with the utmost decency of character, despite what any of the court documents or tabloids may say."

"Midge…"

"They will see you as someone never to be pitied or something to fix because they've never once considered you to be broken. Just someone worthy of support. Of care. Of mutual adoration, sometimes including the occasional show corset."

Lenny smirked behind his hands, staying silent.

"This love is not without it's fuck ups but it is genuine," she promised, keeping her eyes on the slip in front of her. "And it's yours for the taking."

He exhaled thoughtfully as she folded her hands on the table.

"It says all that, hm?" he murmured finally.

Midge nodded. "I've gotten very good at reading fine print since we were here last. Gotta practice for all those contracts they want you to sign when you're famous."

Lenny shook his head, sliding the fortune over to his side of the table.

"Your lucky numbers are 46, 24, 11, 6, and 5." 

"Well…" Midge shrugged, pulling out the fortune she'd tucked into her dress and laying it beside its twin.  "I've heard it's all in how you read it."

He stared down at the papers quietly.

"You kept it?" he wondered.

"I did."

He nodded, glancing towards the window, letting the simple admission speak for the more complicated things they'd left unsaid until now.

"What are the odds it starts snowing?" he asked absently.

Midge smiled. "I dunno… I kind of like our chances though."

"Yeah?"

He turned back to her, hesitant but hopeful.

"I'm having a good night. Call me optimistic," she replied.

He smiled softly, his hand tentatively finding hers on the tabletop.

"As long as we're calling…"

"I think we could figure it out."

They made a point to revisit that booth regularly. First whenever they both found each other in New York, then on a monthly basis when he moved back to the east coast.

Until finally they decided to rent out the entire restaurant on the twenty fourth of November in 1965, where they celebrated their wedding reception with forty six of their dearest friends and family.

[animehouse-moe]

Chainsaw Man Chapter 131: Taste of Crap

An interesting chapter full of oddities and action. So basically, another Tuesday for Fujimoto. Really though, there's quite a bit that gets the gears turning thanks to this chapter, but just before you can figure it out, it makes a sharp turn elsewhere.

⚠️Warning: Spoilers Ahead⚠️

We all know how good Fujimoto's action and art is, so I'll skip over that to the latter half of the chapter where things go down, starting with the Falling Devil. The curtain gets pulled back rather quickly as the Falling Devil expresses regret for being unable to feed Asa properly to the diner.

From there, we get the reveal that Fami, of all people was behind this scheme. But before we get into that, I just wanted to explore a bit more in regards to this page. She undeniably has control over the Falling Devil, but what's more curious is that piece of the Falling Devil that she holds. What is it? She picked it up from beside of the Falling Devil, and it appears to be something like intertwined hands, but what purpose does it have? And why was it the only thing left behind aside from the head? Plenty of questions in regards to how moving between Hell and Earth is possible, and what the requirements of it are.

Moving forward though, we see that Nayuta is what stopped the devil from eating Asa and Denji, exerting some of her power as the Control Devil. Very interesting to see her show up so late to the party, especially considering the "dire" situation the pair were in. The faux Chainsaw Man said they had to evade the devils for a certain amount of time, but introducing another Horseman forced a stalemate.

Speaking of Faux Chainsaw Man.... if Fami is the one behind trying to stop the Nostradamus Prophecy, and she told Yoshida, it really feels like there's a shot at Yoshida being the imposter. Cleaning up Denji's mistakes, helping him when he needs it, but never divulging information or identity in the process. Similarly, it seems like the imposter Chainsaw Man knows a good deal about how devils work, potentially providing information (from prior chapters) that a devil can only be summoned to Earth for a specific amount of time. Past that, they must enter through the cycle of reincarnation. Otherwise, why else would they say Denji and Asa need to evade the devils for a certain amount of time? They wouldn't simply give up after 6 hours or something like that.

Anyways, the serious tone doesn't stick around for long, as both Fami and Nayuta engage in a bit of off topic conversation. I really enjoy Fami's character being so closely tied to food. Using the Falling Devil to turn Asa into a meal and be eaten, stuffing her face with everything at the cafe, and selfishly wanting to stop the prophecy because she likes pizza and Chinese food.

Similarly, Nayuta expresses equal selfishness in wanting to stop the prophecy, but goes the extra mile to refuse to assist in stopping it, all because she wants to go to school. Really fun little bit, and just a great piece to show how well Denji's done in raising Nayuta.

Another day, another Chainsaw Man chapter. Fujimoto's been all over the map with this Falling Devil arc, and it's been really enjoyable because of that. Kickass action and reveals, crazy powers and foreshadowing, impactful dialogue and interactions, and more than a bit of comedy and oddity. I'm really excited to see where we go next considering that there will effectively be 3 of the 4 horsemen teaming up with Denji. And on that note, the theories of Yoshida being the Death Devil are really starting to gain some credibility, but only time will tell.

[the-himawari]

A3! Troupe Event Translation - Journey to the Colours (2/11)

*Please read disclaimer on blog; default name set as Izumi

---

Izumi: Now then, today’s topic of discussion will be Summer troupe’s performance—. Tsuzuru-kun, you wrote the general outline for the script, right?

Tsuzuru: Yeah. This time, I used Journey to the West as the base. It came up when I was talking to Kumon the other day. I thought it’d be perfect for the action-packed adventure he mentioned he wanted to do. Also, the only Chinese-style play we’ve done is Mantou Fist.

Izumi: I see. That’s a good point. (The story this time is set in a modern Chinese fantasy world. Son Goku and Sanzo and company, who don’t get along, embark on a journey filled with incidents…) (The action that Kumon-kun requested will be incorporated through a showdown with Kinkaku and Ginkaku.)

Yuki: The costumes will look nice considering the theme.

Kazunari: I think I’ll be able to make the designs colourful too.

Tenma: It’s also great it’s packed full of comedy for Summer troupe.

Misumi: Action sounds fun~!

Kumon: It’s totally perfect for my request!

Muku: I’m looking forward to showing a stage we’ve never done before!

Izumi: Okay, I guess we’ll proceed from here.

Tsuzuru: I’ll try to work out the details a little more under this theme then.

Izumi: Please do. For the title, should we use “Journey to the West”?

Tsuzuru: We’ll go with that for now. It’s catchy and has a nice ring. But if anyone has any good ideas, then I’m all ears.

Izumi: Please brainstorm some ideas too, Summer troupe.

Misumi: Okaaay!

Izumi: As for the cast… starting off, the lead Son Goku will be Kumon-kun.

Kumon: I’m super stoked to play Son Goku~!

Muku: He suits Kyu-chan for sure!

Kazunari: Yep, yep. He’s got the Son Goku vibe more than anyone else in Summer troupe!

Tenma: That’s his image alright.

Izumi: Next is the co-lead, Genjo Sanzo…

Kazunari: Won’t you let me take it on? The fact that he’s clumsy and all he does is study is sorta like my old self… Plus Tenten supported me a ton as the co-lead during Sky Gallery, so I feel like it’s my turn now!

Tsuzuru: I see what you mean. Sanzo’s image was like Miyoshi-san.

Izumi: That’s true. I think Kazunari-kun works in terms of the age difference too.

Yuki: Sounds good to me. I think he’d look good in a monk’s robe.

Kazunari: Yukki, that’s the image you have of me!?

Muku: I agree!

Kumon: I’m counting on you, Kazu-san!

Kazunari: Samesies!

-pause-

Izumi: Alright, it’s settled. We’ll have Misumi-kun as Sha Gojo, Yuki-kun as Cho Hakkai, Tenma-kun as Kinkaku, and Muku-kun as Ginkaku.

Misumi: I can’t wait to fight with all of you~!

Yuki: The foodie Cho Hakkai sounds fresh and interesting.

Muku: It’s rare playing siblings with Tenma-kun.

Tenma: Let’s do this, little brother.

Izumi: The fight scene in the finale looks like it’s going to have some pretty full-fledged action.

Tenma: We can’t cut corners there even though we’re the comedic Summer troupe.

Kumon: We gotta give it our all.

Izumi: It might be a good idea to ask Autumn troupe to teach you about action scenes.

Kumon: Aw yeah! I get to rehearse with nii-chan! I’ll do my best for my first lead in a while~!

Izumi: Fufu. Kumon-kun is sure fired up.

Tsuzuru: The theme fits perfectly with our lead’s image. I’m sure it’ll be promising.

-pause-

Worker: Please take the seats over here.

Kumon: I’m starving. What’re you having?

Yamaguchi: Hmm… the steak sounds nice, but the hamburg steak looks good too.

Kumon: Ah, this explosive serving special plate has fried shrimp along with a hamburg steak twice the size!

Yamaguchi: Oh, nice.

Kumon: I’m gonna order this!

Yamaguchi: Same here.

-pause-

Kumon: I’m glad I chose this amount.

Yamaguchi: You’ll get hungry again quickly with a normal serving size, huh?

Kumon: True, true. I have to eat a lot on days I have rehearsal—. By the way, I’m gonna play the lead in Summer troupe’s upcoming play!

Yamaguchi: Is this your first lead since that baseball play?

Kumon: Yep! So you better come watch, Yamaguchi!

Yamaguchi: Ahh… I don’t know about that…

Kumon: EH!? You’re not gonna!?

Yamaguchi: I’m just pulling your leg. Of course I’ll go.

Kumon: Thank God~. I’m gonna do my absolute best! I’ll request a ticket for you too.

Yamaguchi: It’s fine. I always get mine myself.

Kumon: Eh~? But I’m inviting you.

Yamaguchi: Well, there’s a point to getting these things myself. It feels like I’m supporting you that way.

Kumon: You think so? But if you don’t win the draw, you won’t be able to watch!

Yamaguchi: Don’t say something so ominous. Ah, on that topic, the baseball club is going to hold an intra-squad game soon.

Kumon: An intra-squad game…

Yamaguchi: It’ll be a match between the retired third years and the first and second years. You played one when you were a first year too, didn’t you?

Kumon: Oh yeah, I did do that.

Yamaguchi: The sports ground is being renovated right now, so we’re going to play on a different field this year. Outsiders are free to watch. Why don’t you come, Kumon? It's not an official match, but for us third years, it's the last match of our high school life and it feels like a culmination of all our hard work.

Kumon: …For sure! Of course I’ll go!

-pause-

Kumon: Mannn, I’m full.

Muku: Oh, Kyu-chan?

Kumon: Are you on your way home too? It’s late.

Muku: I was studying at a café with some friends from school. How about you?

Kumon: Hehe. Yamaguchi and I were eating explosive serving special plates together~.

Muku: Yamaguchi-kun and you are really close, aren’t you?

Kumon: We were a battery team back when I was active so we spent a lot of time together, just the two of us. I also got a lot of advice from him~. I have other teammates, sure. But in the end, Yamaguchi is special. That’s why I’m happy to be able to talk with him normally like this again. It’s all thanks to you, Muku.

Muku: I’m really glad to hear that. Is he coming to watch our upcoming show?

Kumon: Mhm! I invited him, so he’s coming. I’m gonna practice hard so I don’t show Yamaguchi my bad side!

---

previous | next

[familyromantic]

Okay so shipcest recs! I don’t have very many yet, I think the only full legit one I’ve been reading was that Ani To Imouto No Shitai Shitai Shitai Koto one, but I gathered some passable stuff out of desperation lmao

First is Brother’s Sick Love, which is a chinese manhua with pseudo-brother/sister incest (switched at birth). They wind up actually together but after a lot of plot stuff and a timeskip, even so the brother Pinyan is delightfully obsessive over the sister Xiang from the start, so if you’re desperate for a light yandere older brother siscon like I was, it’s there, very pretty and very wholesome.

There’s also Futago Complex, which is not *technically* incest, but is a comedy manga about a twin brother and sister which is all about how incredibly close they are with lots of incest jokes—it’s funny in general if you want a light comedy read!

Then there’s I’m a Brocon Little Sister That Loves Big Brother Too Much and Wants To Do “NyanNyan” But I Can’t Be Honest (what a title) which doesn’t have an incest endgame and is pretty short, plus a dumb plot, but if you want unambiguous brocon nonsense with a healthy amount of ecchi and an absolutely *adorable* older brother who cluelessly adores his sister, it’s a nice read! The rival is also a relative 😄 (cousin who calls them brother and sister).

And I haven’t read it in a while, but there’s The Twin’s Circumstances, which is pseudo-brother/sister incest (adopted) but were raised until, like, 17 as blood siblings and developed an attraction in that time. It’s a kind of sweet romcom of them struggling with their affection for each other, the side cast is nice, and the art is really lovely!

…Man is that all I have? I think the rest is hentai lmao 🤣 I’ll be back with more recs if I remember/read anything else! (Trading recs is fun ❤️)

- Ocie/outtayourmouth

Thank you so much! ❤️ Even though my main focus is real incest, if I'm in the mood maybe I'll read the pseudo-incest ones! (And I'm sure there are followers who'd like to read this stuff) Futago complex sounds fun :)

[tellthemeerkatsitsfine]

I'm in a bad mood and just straight up using this blog as a diary at the moment. Please excuse the indulgence, posts about old pictures of Chris Addison or whatever it is that I usually have on here will resume shortly.

Reasons why I’m in a bad mood today:

1) Got into an argument with my brother about comedy yesterday, which is always a bad idea, as he has been performing comedy for 13 years but has an incredibly bleak view of what comedy’s supposed to be. This is the first time I talked to him about comedy, and one of the very few times I’ve talked to him at all, since Christmas 6 months ago, when he said doing caricature Chinese accents isn’t racist (for the record he's never done anything like that in his set, it was just hypothetical, but he's the one who brought it up, I don't go looking for fights like this) and I said yes it is and he laughed and called me an oversensitive snowflake and then my mother burst into tears and yelled at my grandparents that they may as well go home because her children have ruined Christmas again with their chronic inability to get along. You know, fun family stuff. I know it could be much worse.

Anyway, I got into an argument with him yesterday that was not about racism, it was just about whether comedy should be focused on soulless commercialism and prizing a shallow club set over something more thought through (not saying all 20-minute club sets are shallow, but the ones he was bringing up are), and it contained the exchange:

My brother: He hasn’t even done a full show.

Me: Yes he has! I don’t know how many, but I’ve heard a recording of his Edinburgh hour in 2017, so that’s at least one. Pretty sure he’s done a bunch more.

My brother: Oh that doesn’t count, that’s a fringe festival, anyone can set up a show there and sell a few tickets because there’s a big enough audience to draw from. I mean he hasn’t done any show where you have to actually get booked.

And then I went home because too much exposure to that perspective on anything was ruining my soul.

2) Applications to work in a school in September have just opened. I applied to 20 schools across the city and I really, really want to get one. I’m okay where I am now, I know I’m privileged compared to many people, and compared to where I was just over a year ago, to be looking for jobs while already having a stable full time job, so I’m not desperate to find something due to risk of unpaid rent if I fail. But I really, really want a school job. For a whole bunch of reasons, the most shallow/least important overall, but also the one that feels most significant right now, is I am getting exhausted and burned out right now, and I would love to finish my UK trip in mid-August and then have a few weeks off work before starting a new job. Instead of getting home from a very busy trip and having to go to work on Monday morning and then having no more time off than 2-day weekends/a couple of 3-day weekends until we get our week off at Christmas. Again, I’m aware that I’m coming from the very privileged position of having a 2-week holiday booked while having a fulltime job (a job that gives me weekends off and a week off at Christmas, lots of people don't get that). But it’s a very tiring fulltime job, and a severely underpaid fulltime job (a school job would be about $8/hour more than I get paid now, and that would still be quite a bit below the national average hourly wage, for a job that is definitely harder than the national average job), and I am tired. I would like a school job where I still have to do this hard work but with somewhat shorter hours, for more money, and with more time off throughout the year. I really, really want that.

Anyway, yesterday I got an email from what would be one of my top few schools in the city where I’d most like to work, offering me an interview. I got really really excited, and then an hour later they sent a follow-up email saying they’re canceling the interview. One sentence, no explanation of why.

3) It’s too fucking hot. It’s too hot. It’s too hot it’s too hot it’s too hot and my place doesn’t have air conditioning.

I was thinking of this today, when you talk on the internet about it being too hot or too cold, you need to specify what you mean because “too hot” and “too cold” mean so many different things in different parts of the world. What are the temperatures that everyone considers comfortable? I have probably had conversations with people about uncomfortable weather where we’ve been talking about wildly different numbers.

I think the temperatures I find comfortable, as in I could feel fine outside if I’m appropriately dressed for the weather, would be about -10 to +15 (Celsius, I do not understand Fahrenheit). Obviously being appropriately dressed is important, I’m not going to be comfortable outside in -10 degrees in a t-shirt. But if I have a decent coat and hat, anything up to about -10 is all right. Beyond that, I’ll feel uncomfortable but basically all right if it’s +15 to +25, or -10 to -20. And I’ll be miserable if it’s below -20 or above +25. My range of temperatures that I find acceptable are not set at those numbers because that’s what I’m used to and it lines up with the normal temperatures in my area – for about three months of the year here, it’s regularly above +30. It just means I’m miserable for about three months of the year. It’s been highs of +34 all week this week. It’s fucking horrible.

[yuexuan]

[Review]七天七夜

Title: 七天七夜 Seven Days, Seven Nights

Author: 春风遥

Length: 165 chapters + 6 extras

Tag: Unlimited flow, supernatural, comedy

Summary [taken from novelupdates]:

‘Seven Days, Seven Nights’. Initially, he had thought it was forbidden due to explicit rated contents (er*tica). In order to survive, he behaved so unrestrained he was basically flying. Later — I’ve already flown out of the sky and only now you tell me it’s an ‘unlimited flow’ horror novel?!

Novel | Novel [translated]

Comments *contains spoilers**

There was a rumored book called ‘Seven Days, Seven Nights’ that was banned for allegedly explicit content. Strangely, despite how viral it was, no one had actually read the book. Except perhaps Su Er (MC)’s deskmate. One day, said deskmate went missing, leaving him with nothing but a mysterious taser. Upon touching the taser, he was transported into the world of Seven Days, Seven Nights. Turns out this wasn’t an erotica novel, but a series of games. The mechanics of the games were simple: each game had a ghost boss and a host that oversaw the rules of the games, and players had a maximum of seven days, seven nights to complete the game. Follow along as MC flew through the games with flying colors, much to the horror of the game bosses and hosts.

Main highlights of the novel include:

The MC. I freaking love the MC. He can best be described by the words: 浪 and 贱, just someone full of chaotic energy. He wasn’t afraid of being cringe and his approach to each game was basically taking the unconventional route and finding loopholes in the rules. Where other players shied away from the bosses and hosts, he married or adopted them. And when none of these worked, he opted to destroy the games. At one point the hosts became so afraid of MC that they developed an insurance package to cover the risks of MC ruining the game lol.

Due to MC’s unconventional ways of handling the games, the novel was highly entertaining, despite all of its shortcomings. Despite being an unlimited flow novel, the story was light-hearted. Sure, players do still die, but in terms of the overall tone and plot outcomes, it stayed pretty comedic throughout. So if you want to try out an unlimited flow story that doesn’t require too much brain power, I’ll say this might be an entertaining read.

Aside from the MC, I also enjoyed reading about the different hosts. Unlike game NPCs, they were all so full of personalities and had their own methods of maintaining the rules of the games and dealing (or failing to) with MC’s antics. Their exasperation, frustration, and pure despair were fun to read about. My fave would have to be Mr. Chinese Rose. He seemed like such a stern host but was a big softie, adopting the numerous little mud people that MC created~

Things I don’t like

Now as much as I found the novel entertaining, there was also a lot to nitpick about. One thing that irked me was the writing style. The scenes tended to jump from one to the next without being fully elaborated on, making for a disjointed reading experience. There were many moments where I went “wait, how did we get here from the previous scene??”. That said, it got easier to read later on, though I’m unsure if it was because the writing got better or that I got used to the writing.

Of all the unlimited novels, this one has a weaker worldbuilding. Most of the games didn’t have a very coherent setting and were composed of random horror elements. In one game you might have parasitic invasion, ghosts, taoists, buddhist monks, and mummies all put together. It’s just very random and the full potential of the game mechanics were not explored. For example, all players have spiritual, martial, and seductive points. But beyond the initial mention in the story, these points barely played a role in the latter parts.

Also as a heads-up, if you are entering into this for romance, there is practically none lol. Generally I’m used to romance being a more subtle and secondary element in unlimited flow stories. But this novel barely had any romantic plot points and ML didn’t have a prominent role other than being a conveniently strong teammate for MC.

[mirageofadesert]

So I guess I have a type ... part II

The more I fall into my current rabbit hole, the more I notice these similarities between Chinese actor Luo Yunxi and Korean singer Jimin from BTS. If you have a praise kink when it comes to both or one of them (or need a new obsession), this post is for you!

I'm writing this purely for my own indulgence! If you are someone who shares this combination of hyper-fixations, please DM me and be my friend! 💜☁️🐤

✔ started out as an underdog in the industry and worked their way up

Both started out as idol trainees in the 2010s and debut in a very unfortunate time when it comes to fashion ....

✔ background in classical dance (ballet vs. modern dance)

I think there is were a lot of the similarities originate. From their graceful body-lines, to their self-discipline and work attitude to their expressions of masculinity - this classic background as well as the environment in which they were trained, has left a profound impression.

✔ dedicated to their work, perfectionists

They are not only known for their professionalism, but are remarkable hard working -even to a degree they stand out among their peers and will end up overworking themselves. They are also notorious hard on themselves, which is hard to watch as fan at times.

✔ sweet and caring personality with a high EG

Treating the people around them with care and kindness, looking out for others and treating their fans respectfully and affectionate. Their high EG is also evident in interviews, that demonstrates a sense of emotional maturity and even wisdom. They are also great with children and animals (which goes both ways). They do appreciate their fans and will engage in fan-services, but still set boundaries.

✔ charismatic and charming

Both are very charismatic and have a certain "aura" to them. However, while they might look cold at times, they are actually very charming and approachable. Oh, and did I mention they both have a cute eye smile?

✔ very grateful and humble

They will praise everyone around them, before even utter a single acknowledgment of their own talent. Instead, they will focus on the things they can still improve. While rooted in both Chinese and Korean cultural norms, they are not only very sincere in their gratefulness towards other, but sometimes too humble for their own good!

✔ give amazing hugs (I'm sure of it)

Others have attested to this. We have seen it, we want it, we can't have it...

✔ clumsy

Both are notorious clumsy, constantly falling over their own feet, falling of or running into things. Paired with their extraordinary flexibility, they become a danger to themself - not everyone is able to kick one self in the face while falling of a chair. There is actually a correlation between clumsiness and professional dancers! It's cute and relatable, until it's combined with their tendency to overwork themselves, which can lead to injuries.

✔ goofy sense of humor

They both have a very goofy sense of humor, that involves a lot of physical comedy. They are not afraid to make fun of themselves or act silly for their own amusement and that of other. It makes them really entertaining to watch and can be such a mood maker in a room full of stressed people! I just love my two dorks!

✔ challenging traditional gender norms

Both of them present a non-toxic, softer form of masculinity, that doesn't shy away from embracing femininity. While they never outright addressed this topic, they have done so via their art. They are also not afraid to cry, especially if they feel like they let someone down. Sadly, another thing they have in comment are hateful comments, that target their gender performances as something to look down on.

✔ having great chemistry with everyone

Luo Yunxi always has great chemistry with his co-stars, even to a degree that he tends to look so much more in love than his female leads (especially when they are no match to his acting skills). It's also not limited to his roles, but is visible in interviews and interactions as well. Similarly, Jimin is known to be incredible charming, that creates great chemistry not only on stage, but with every talk show host, interviewer or fan - if he wants to.

Sometimes they do gets into "trouble" for having for having too much chemistry with people - especially once shippers are involved.

✔ love to sing

We already established them as talented dancers, but they are also passionate and talented singers!

✔ not a Social Media person, but share snippets of their daily life

They are doing their best, okay? They are not into Social Media, but will update fans on promotions, activity and occasionally share their interest or a picture of the sky or food. This makes every update rather special! It's not just relatable but probably rather healthy for a celebrity!

✔ play games to unwind

Playing computer games with friends in the middle of the night to unwind? All three of us can relate!

✔ shy and outgoing depending on the situation

Their personality a different in many ways, but both can be rather introvert or outgoing, depending on the situation and company. Their shyness is very endearing and their self-esteem admirable. It's their love for their work, rather than their interest in fame that has brought them this far.

✔ look great in silver hair

✔ falls down when laughing too hard

You can't tell me this isn't the cutest habit?!

✔ touchy with people they feels comfortable with

Once they are comfortable with someone, they are very touchy. I'm not jealous ... it's sweet!

✔ public hyper-focused on their weight and body

For a combination of reason, the public and haters are very focused on their body. They are often being shamed for being to thin (or not thin enough). In addition they receive hate for alleged "feminine" body features that apparently add to them not being conventional attractive - a load of bullsh*t!

✔tiny waist

Not only do they both look stunning in white, they each have their own fandom dedicated to their small waists.

✔ very private

They are very private and set clear boundaries. You wont catch them share any information about their private live. Still, they have a way to express vulnerability and share their thoughts and emotions in a way that feels quite sincere and open. They both mastered the art of saying a lot without actually giving any information. And while always grateful to fans, they react strongly to their privacy being invaded - be it in crowds or by stalkers.

✔ angsty motherf***ers

I love angst and so do they. Luo Yunxi's appearance in almost any drama should count as it own content warning "angst ahead"! Jimin's music like "Lie", "Filter" and the whole album "Face" and the corresponding concept are also full of angst. I wouldn't have it any other way!

✔ multitalented

They are talented singers and dancers. While Luo Yunxi is a great actor, I think Jimin's acting ability is underrated. From rubrics cube, pool/billiard, art, calligraphy, athletics, math - between the two they have many interests and the ability to excel in them.

✔ great role models

Beyond their talent, their work ethic, personality and wisdom they are both great role model. They are worth looking up to, but also derive motivation and inspiration from. Being their fan is such a fan experience and I'm grateful for that.

[filmforager]

Joy Ride: Review

Crazy Hitch-hiking Asians

While comedies like Bridesmaids and Girls Trip have showcased the hilarity of female friendships, major studios have shied away from films about Asian girls just having fun. But, doing for raunchy comedies what Crazy Rich Asians did for rom-coms, Joy Ride is here to give the genre a much-needed shake up. Delivering a ton of riotous laughs at breakneck pace, this is one of the funniest films in years.

From first-time director Adele Lim (part of the writing team on Crazy Rich Asians), Joy Ride is tied together by a moving study of identity and friendships. We follow Audrey (Ashley Park), an uptight career woman who was adopted by an American family, and never met her birth mother. Learning how to blend in in a dominantly white neighbourhood, she met best friend Lolo (Sherry Cola), a slacker who protected her from racist bullies, and now specialises in body positive art installations (a lot of penises). When a big work opportunity presents itself for Audrey in Beijing, Lolo convinces her to hit two birds with one stone and meet the woman who gave her up for adoption. 

The journey takes a while to get going, as the two friends pick up Audrey’s college roommate Kat (Everything Everywhere All At Once’s Stephanie Hsu), a saintly actress with a wild past, and Lolo’s cousin ‘Deadeye’ (Sabrine Wu), a strange but endearing K-pop stan. But as with all joy rides, things don’t go entirely to plan. And after a run-in with a troublesome drug-dealer, this trip takes a turn for the chaotic. 

Written by Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and Teresa Hsiao, this keeps the laughs coming at a pace that’s almost hard to keep up with. You may think you’ve seen every scene of friends accidentally taking drugs in cinema, but you’ve not seen anything quite like this. The standout set piece is a mind-blowing sex montage featuring a Chinese basketball team, which brings plenty of tension, lust and repressed feelings to the surface. There’s also a hilarious K-Pop rendition of Cardi B’s ‘WAP’, which reaches a shocking climax the likes of which you rarely see in cinema.

Joy Ride might go to some crazy places with its comedy, but there’s still plenty of heart amid the chaos. While you can see the third-act complications from a mile away, Lim keeps things fresh with plenty of surprises and a dedicated cast that bicker and bond like real life friends. Everyone gets a moment to shine, though Sabrine Wu’s oddball performance threatens to steal many a scene. The result is a study of female friendships that feels sincere and true to life, as well as an affecting story about belonging that will have you reaching for the tissues. Fast, lean and full of freewheeling energy, this is not a ride you’ll forget in a hurry.

With first-time director Adele Lim at the wheel, Joy Ride manages to be both an outrageously funny comedy and a touching portrayal of female friendships.

★★★★

[fishylife]

Fishy's top movies watched in 2023

It’s that time of year again. Time for my movies roundup for the year.

This post includes movies that I watched in 2023, not movies that were released in 2023. I will rank movies based on my personal impression, so this is not an objective post. As well, I sort the movies in tiers as opposed to individual rankings.

From my ‘About’ page, you can see my movies posts from prior years as well as my Dreamwidth blog where I post writeups on movies and other media.

And on with the list!

My Favourite Movies of the Year

These were the movies that had the biggest impact on me. I think of them often.

The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019)

This movie was about a man and his attachment to his childhood house. It was based on the experiences of one of the writers, who also played a fictionalized version of himself in the movie as one of the main characters. I thought the movie was thoughtful in its themes, about gentrification, and people's attachments to places.

Another reason why I liked this movie was because it was very beautiful. I was so in awe of some of the shots and aesthetic choices that the director had made. San Francisco is such a visually distinct city and the director definitely took advantage of that. As well, the colour palettes in this movie were so pretty. I had fun choosing a gif for this movie in my post because there were so many beautiful shots. (My custom Tumblr theme seems to be cutting off some gifs so if you are viewing this post in my custom theme, please click on the above gif to see it in full because it is pretty :3)

Definitely check out this show if you want a visual feast and a meaningful story.

Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms (封神第一部: 朝歌風雲) (2023)

I know this is more of a fun action flick but it really did move me. This movie is the first in a trilogy covering the Investiture of the Gods, a famous Chinese historical fantasy and mythology novel. The novel is a retelling of the fall of the Shang Dynasty and the rise of the Zhou Dynasty, with mythology weaved in.

This movie specifically followed the journey of Ji Fa, who would be the future King of the Zhou Dynasty (sort of a spoiler though most Chinese audiences will already know who he is). Ji Fa was a hostage son who glorified his captor, Yin Shou, the last King of the Shang Dynasty. Over the course of the movie, Yin Shou’s tyranny was revealed, and by the end of the movie, Ji Fa understood his values and decided he had a responsibility to take down the tyrant. The mythological story line had to do with the immortals seeing that Yin Shou’s rule would be bad for the common folk, and wanting to stop that from happening. It was an exciting movie about war and politics, but it was also a touching story about fathers and sons. I kept rewatching scenes between fathers and sons and brothers and feeling those moments of love for one another.

There have been comparisons between this movie and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and for good reason. The director, Wuershan, took much inspiration from the Lord of the Rings and consulted and hired people who had worked on the Lord of the Rings. Many behind the scenes videos outlined the extensive design process in creating the world that this story was set in. There was also a separate variety show that covered the 8-9 month training camp that all of the young actors attended to hone acting and physical ability. It’s clear that a lot of love went into this movie, and it showed in how rich the movie felt to me.

For some reason, I couldn't find any Creation of the Gods gifs using the Tumblr in-post gif finder. So instead, I looked up specific characters and found a gif from one of the most hype scenes in the movie >3

Check out this movie if you want something fun and fast-paced!

Honourable Mentions

These were also movies that I enjoyed and they made me think. They just weren’t at the top of my list.

The King of Comedy (1982)

The King of Comedy was about a man who was desperate to find fame through any means possible. There were characters in the movie who were fascinated with fame and celebrities in different ways. What was chilling was that some of these characteristics were familiar to us and I was sympathetic to them to varying degrees. I thought the different interpretations of obsession with celebrity were interesting, and relevant even to celebrity culture now.

An Elephant Sitting Still (大象席地而坐) (2018)

This was a drama film focusing on a few main characters living in a town, each with their own battles. One of the characteristics of this movie was its length, nearly 4 hours long, and yet this movie did not feel as long as other long movies I watched. The director Hu Bo naturally had a slow style but it didn’t feel slow. Rather, he captured some of the mundanity of life so instead of feeling bored, I felt that I was accompanying these characters in real time as they went about their day. As mentioned, this was a story about characters and their battles, and I did feel some parts of this story to be somewhat hard to watch. Not literally, but in the sense that I felt bad and I knew I couldn’t do anything for the characters. I know this movie definitely isn’t for everyone given its length and style, but I felt that I could get a sense of what the director was trying to express, about trying to break free of one’s chains.

Movies that were still good

I thought these movies were good and they had messages that would speak to other people.

From Up on Poppy Hill (コクリコ坂から) (2011)

This was a movie about young people, young romance, and coming of age. Our main characters were high school students. Through the course of the movie, they learned about themselves, each other, and they learned to fight for causes they believed in. As a story, it was fun. It was cute, but our characters did encounter troubles which I appreciated.

While this movie was animated by Studio Ghibli, it was directed by Miyazaki Goro, the son of Miyazaki Hayao, and there were notable differences in style. I felt that From Up on Poppy Hill was a bit faster paced, but still showed off much of the Studio Ghibli style that we appreciate, in high quality animation and pacing.

Apocalypse Now (1979)

I’m not normally drawn to war films, but I felt that the story line of this movie offered something a bit different. This movie was about a military captain who was assigned to assassinate a defector during the Vietnam War. I think this movie appealed to me because the plot was more of a personal journey of the captain as he tried to understand why the defector had decided to take the path that he did. It offered a different perspective on the horrors of war that I commonly see. I think this is one of those movies that I’ll have to re-watch several times because it was packed with interesting dialogue.

Bullhead (Rundskop) (2011)

This was a solemn drama/crime film, surrounding an illegal market where livestock were injected with hormones. From beginning to end I felt a serious sense of gravity over the main character as he went about his life, and as we discovered his past. I think the appeal of this movie was the style and the character, as opposed to the story. Not that the story was bad, but rather, I think the story was more of a vehicle to show us what life was like for the people in this movie, specifically our main character.

I Am Mother (2019)

I do love a science fiction story that asks questions and makes me think. I Am Mother was about a child who was raised by a robot. Initially, we were only privy to the nurturing of this child. As she grew older, we were shown more about the truth of the world. I liked this movie because it was simple from a story standpoint, but it did raise a lot of hypothetical questions, which is what I love about science fiction stories.

Quest for Fire (1981)

I included this movie on my list because it certainly left an impression on me. To sum up my feelings on it, I appreciated the commitment to the concept. This movie was about a group of cavemen in prehistoric times. They had had a fire, but it was put out, and so the group sent a few members to find fire again. The reason this movie left an impression was because it was very raw. This was a prehistoric time, a time before many of the social norms we were familiar with would have been common among people. Some of it was gruesome, such as violence or just eating habits that were hard to watch, but I appreciated that the movie retained this cohesive style to immerse us in the time period. I’m pretty sure this movie was not historically accurate (for reasons that I won't say because of spoilers) but I think it delivered the story it set out to deliver.

The Heroic Trio (東方三俠) (1993)

If I was 13 years old I probably would have made this movie my entire personality. This was an action-adventure movie starring three icons of Hong Kong and Chinese entertainment (Michelle Yeoh, Anita Mui, and Maggie Cheung). It was a story about solving crime mixed in with a little bit of the supernatural. It had a surprising amount of backstory, particularly relating to two members of the trio. And of course I loved seeing the women fight in cool action scenes.

Closing Remarks

I’m a little surprised myself that there were some critically acclaimed movies that didn’t make this list. This didn’t bother me in previous years but it did bother me this year. I went into some movies expecting to love them because they were what I would consider my type of movie. Perhaps it was because my expectations were too high, that the parts I didn’t like seemed to stick out more to me. I did do some thinking as to why I didn’t like those movies and I think I still stand by those opinions.

Anyway, that’s it for 2023. Have you seen any of these movies? What did you think of them? Let me know!

Wishing everyone a happy 2024!

[zhoufeis]

What are your favorite dramas and tv shows? ^^ Are there any you’re currently watching or interested in watching??

Hi there :)

I didn't expect to get such an ask to be honest. The first question is kind of really difficult to answer. Let me start with asian dramas since most things are just them, I'll list the main genre/vibe since I don't know if you're looking for recs.

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My best kdrama experiences: - W TWO WORLDS (2016) - rather serious tone, sci-fi/romance - I'M NOT A ROBOT (2017) - romcom tone with some serious elements, more of a slice-of-life vibe than a sci-fi drama - HOTEL DEL LUNA (2019) - rather serious tone, fantasy - EXTRAORDINARY YOU (2019) - goes back and forth between utter comedy, romance and utter tragedy, most people put it into the high school kdrama section, i personally think it is much more into the fantasy aspect) - THE TALE OF NOKDU (2019) - serious tone, historical/political with a wonderful romantic ship. The only Korean ancient drama with rights. - FLOWER OF EVIL (2020) - serious tone, crime/romance. - TRUE BEAUTY (2020) - light tone, it's the parallel line directingwise to Extraordinary You without all the severe tragedy and fantasy, high school drama with pure romance - A LOVE SO BEAUTIFUL (2020) - light romantic/comedy. Mostly high school, but they grow into adults. - DOOM AT YOUR SERVICE (2021) - serious tone, fantasy/romance. But beware, the secondary couple is absolutely useless.

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My best cdrama experiences: - THE LEGENDS (2019) - serious tone, ancient fantasy. The show would have been better if they stuck with their 30 intended eps and didn't end drama for secondary characters for 25 episodes, but overall, good show with awesome messages. - THE UNTAMED (2019) - serious tone, ancient fantasy with politics, the plot is as addictive as it is complex. You must pay lots of attention to understand things. - THE LOVE BY HYPNOTIC (2019) - juggling between comedy and tragedy, a wonderful historical and political drama with a beautiful romance. - I'VE FALLEN FOR YOU (2020) - mostly a romantic comedy with memorable characters and actors. It started off in the most ridiculous ways and gradually became better every episode. - THE ROMANCE OF TIGER AND ROSE (2020) - a time travel / world travel show with romantic comedy elements. If you hated what Goodbye My Princess did, you will love how this show here drags all the bad tropes through the mud. A very entertaining show. - LEGEND OF FEI (2020) - serious tone, ancient fantasy. Badass female lead and warm, soft boy who is in love with her. Funny secondary characters and a nice character journey. - A GIRL LIKE ME (2021) - hidden gem. Barely anyone seems to know it but it perfectly balances romance, politics and tragedy. Absolutely worth a watch because it really has something for everyone who likes ancient dramas. - LOVE BETWEEN FAIRY AND DEVIL (2022) - a tumblr favorite. Very good directing, alongside Ancient Love Poetry the best use of CGI I have seen on a Chinese drama. Cinematopgraphy my beloved. - WHO RULES THE WORLD (2022) - ancient drama. Basically, in the same league as Legend of Fei and The Untamed, but the CGI is better. - LOVE LIKE THE GALAXY (2020) - historical-political drama. Very, very, very slow-moving and utterly serious tone throughout the show. Very intriguing once you get into it. - LOVE UNDER THE FULL MOON (2021) - another hidden gem. Modern fantasy, very well done overall. 1/2 modern day dramas on my cdrama list. - LIGHTER & PRINCESS (2022) - the only modern slice-of-life drama I've sincerely become obsessed with. Serious tone, very good directing, outstanding acting and plot development.

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My best Thai drama experiences: - NOT ME (2021) - sociopolitical BL with a serious tone and very memorable messages. Directing is spot-on and, honestly, a gem in the maze of Thai BLs. - BAD BUDDY (2021) - romcom BL with all the right messages and the fun you want to have when you wanna watch a romcom.

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My best experiences with Japanese productions: - MY BEAUTIFUL MAN (2021) - high school BL (later university) that absolutely gives off an independent movie vibe. Very good camerawork and dialogue. Somewhere between very slow moving and sudden time jumps. First season is enough; the second season rather drags the issue the first season had already established. - THE DISASTROUS LIFE OF SAIKI K. (2016) - anime/comedy.

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Now, western world things that I genuinely enjoyed: - WESTWORLD (2016, U.S.) - THE show. The best goddamn thing I've watched in my life, but sooooo complex and difficult to understand. Serious tone, sci-fi. - SANKT MAIK (2018, Germany) - Comedic tone, romcom/crime. - AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER (2005, U.S.) - Light tone, animated fantasy. - THE SOCIETY (2019, U.S.) - Serious tone, fantasy/sci-fi/dystopia. - SIEMPRE FUI YO (2022, Colombia) - Serious tone, drama/mystery. - SIMONA (2018, Argentina) - Light tone, telenovela/romcom. - JULIE AND THE PHANTOMS (2020, U.S.) - a disney show that isn't disney, but is supposed to be fun and entertaining, but somehow utterly destroys you emotionally, idk. - MIRACLE WORKERS (2019, U.S.) - Anthology, satire/comedy, fantasy. - FLORICIENTA (2004, Argentina) - Light tone, telenovela/romcom.

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Currently watching: - THE STARRY LOVE (2023) - livewatching. went into this show wanting to root for the secondary ship, love them, but the main ship is destroying me. - THE JOURNEY OF CHONG ZI (2023) - livewatching. I do not recommend to watch this, the ML is a disgrace. - MY DEEPEST DREAM (2022) - i should really finish this one it's so good. Modern fantasy. - SEASONS OF BLOSSOM (2022) - a tragic drama. i should finish it, it's so good, but i do not want. - OH! MY SWEET LIAR (2020) - i should also finish this one, it's cute and I'm almost done with it. - HIS DARK MATERIALS (2019) - should finally watch s2&3.