#Fuller Studio | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

03jyh23 · 6 months ago

Text

🫀⌇enamored┆choi jongho (fluff? version)

jongho x tattoo-artist!reader

│synopsis: the tattoo appointment turns unexpectedly intimate when jongho offers you, a drenched tattoo artist, his hoodie

│genre: fluff, sugestive

│trigger warnings: physical touch/intimacy, mild sexual tension, embarrassment, pain (tattoo process)

│words: 4.8k

│reminder: what you’re about to read is purely fiction, so let’s keep it separate from reality.

│the requested prompt is bold

!minors do not interact!

— hi there! i had so much fun writing this one! it was a request for drabble yet i couldn't help myself but write a fuller story. this one is slightly more sfw than the smut version that will be published soon! hope you will enjoy it! I LOVE WRITING JONGHO FR

thank you for requesting! ♡

love, monika ♡

i’d be so grateful for a little love – a tagged reblog or comment would truly make my day!

You started your day by sleeping through two of your alarms, and you were in a hurry to make it to your appointment. You cursed yourself for scheduling the first client of the day as early as 9 AM, knowing you preferred to sleep till noon rather than wake up at 7:30. The sound of rain pattering against your window only made it harder to leave the warmth of your bed. It was raining heavily, autumn was coming closer, and instead of colorful leaves, the world was grey and rainy. As you rushed through your morning routine, you couldn't help but feel a sense of dread for the day ahead. The dark clouds outside mirrored your mood, and the chill in the air made you shiver. You grabbed a quick breakfast—if a hastily made cup of coffee and a piece of toast could be called that—and dashed out the door, umbrella in hand. The streets were slick with rain, and you had to carefully navigate the puddles to avoid soaking your shoes. The wind was stronger than you expected. Halfway through your walk, it broke your umbrella, leaving you drenched in heavy rain. You cursed under your breath and started running, shielding yourself with your bag. Despite your efforts, the rain was relentless, soaking through your clothes and chilling you to the bone. Each step felt like a struggle as you splashed through puddles, your shoes squelching with every move.

You took the last turn to reach your studio, and to your surprise, it was still closed. You could swear your colleague was supposed to open at 8. As you approached the entrance, you saw a boy waiting outside—a handsome boy at that. He was standing there in a casual, dry outfit (at least his umbrella did its job) —a comfortable hoodie and dark jeans. The hoodie looked soft and warm, perfect for the gloomy weather. His hair was slightly damp, the ends curling adorably near his face. His big, boba eyes darted around, taking in the surroundings with a mix of curiosity and alertness. Despite the rain, he looked effortlessly cute, and you couldn’t help but feel a warm flutter in your chest. The way his hair falls into his eyes and the serene expression on his face all make you pause for a moment, just to take him in. You feel a smile tug at your lips as you watch him, utterly enamored by the sight.

Finally, you step closer, dripping water with every movement. The boy turns his gaze towards you, and his eyes widen slightly in surprise, "Hi, are you here for an appointment?" you ask, your voice cutting through the sound of the rain around you.

He nods, a small smile playing on his lips as he responds, "Yes, I am. I think I'm a little early though." Despite the dreary weather, his smile seems to brighten the rainy morning.

You nod, shivering slightly from the cold and the wetness that has seeped through your clothes. "I'm sorry for this, my colleague was supposed to be here already and welcome you in," you say, feeling embarrassed about the situation.

Tho boy’s smile widens, and he steps a little closer, offering his umbrella to shield you from the rain. "It's okay, really. I don't mind waiting," he reassures you. His kindness and the simple gesture of sharing his umbrella, made you smile.

"Thank you," you say, grateful for his thoughtfulness. As you huddle together under the small umbrella, you can't help but feel a little warmer, "I'll let us in," you quickly reach into your bag and pull out the key, unlocking the door to the studio. As you push the door open, the warmth inside immediately contrasts with the cold, damp air outside, and you both step in, grateful to be out of the rain. The sound of the door closing behind you feels like a barrier against the chaos of the morning. You gesture towards the sitting area. "Please, make yourself comfortable," you say, trying to shake off the cold.

You quickly run to the bathroom, grabbing a towel to dry at least some of the water from your hair. As you pat your hair dry, you glance at your reflection in the mirror, the water droplets clinging stubbornly to your clothes. With a sigh, you do your best to freshen up. After a few moments of trying to get the worst of the dampness out, you return to the main area where the boy is waiting. He still stands near the entrance, looking around the studio with mild curiosity. The cozy interior, with its warm lighting and comfortable furniture, is a stark contrast to the way he imagined a tattoo studio. You approach him with a tentative smile, hoping to make up for the less-than-ideal first impression. "Who are you having an appointment with?" you ask, your voice steadying as you try to regain some sense of normalcy despite the chaotic start to your day.

Jongho turns his attention back to you, his eyes sparkling with a hint of amusement. "I'm here to see Y/N," he replies, his tone polite and friendly. His presence seems to bring a calming effect, making you feel slightly more at ease.

"Oh, that's me then," you smile at him and offer your hand. "Nice to meet you."

The boy’s eyes light up, and he takes your hand in a gentle handshake. "Nice to meet you too, I’m Jongho" he replies, his cute, gummy smile widening. The warmth of his hand contrasts with the chill still lingering from your earlier drenching, and you feel a small spark of comfort.

"I will give you a few papers to fill in, a consent form, and a health questionnaire," you say, reaching for the necessary documents from the desk. You hand them to Jongho with a polite smile, "Please take your time to fill these out. It's important that we have all the necessary information to ensure everything goes smoothly and that I can provide you with the best possible service."

Jongho nods, taking the papers from you with a grateful smile. "Of course, I'll get started on these right away," he says, moving towards the couch. You watch as he settles in, his expression focused as he begins to fill out the forms.

You take a moment to catch your breath, the warmth of the studio slowly seeping into your bones and easing the chill from the morning's rain. As you glance around, you notice how Jongho carefully reads each question, his pen moving steadily across the page.

You smile as you watch him read through the forms. Your regulars usually breeze through the paperwork, filling them out quickly and almost mindlessly. Jongho, on the other hand, seemed to be taking his time, meticulously going over each question. It was a refreshing change of pace, and you couldn't help but be a little amused by his thoroughness.

"You've never done this before, have you?" you ask, your voice tinged with curiosity and a hint of amusement.

Jongho looks up from the papers, a sheepish smile playing on his lips. "Is it that obvious?" he replies, chuckling softly.

"Just a little bit," you say with a playful grin. "But don't worry, you're in good hands. I love new clients. There's something about watching them squirm in pain that just makes my day," you joke, giving him a teasing wink. "Kidding, of course. I promise to be gentle. Mostly."

Jongho laughs, the sound warm and genuine and you feel weak in your knees. "Well, that's reassuring," he says, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I'll try not to squirm too much then."

"Good plan," you reply, still smiling. "But seriously, if you have any questions or concerns, just let me know. I'm here to make sure you have the best experience possible."

After a while, Jongho looks up from the forms, a puzzled expression on his face. "What's a Release of Liability?" he asks, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Oh, it's a form that releases the tattoo artist and studio from liability for any issues that may arise during or after the tattoo process, as long as proper procedures were followed," you explain, your tone reassuring. "It's just a precaution to make sure everyone's on the same page and understands the risks involved."

Jongho nods slowly, absorbing the information. "Got it. Thanks for explaining," he says and you could hear a hint of relief in his voice. He quickly returns to filling out the forms.

You decide to search through your cabinets in the hope of finding at least a spare t-shirt when Jongho's voice breaks the silence once again. "Aren't you a bit uncomfortable with those wet clothes?" he asks, concern evident in his tone.

You pause, looking back at him with a small, embarrassed smile. "Yeah, it's not the most pleasant feeling," you admit, continuing your search. "I'm hoping I left something here that I can change into."

"You will also be a bit uncomfortable if I start tattooing you like that," you add with a light chuckle, your concern mixed with a touch of humor.

Jongho looks thoughtful for a moment before standing up and walking over to you, handing you filled out papers. "If you don't mind, I could offer you my hoodie, at least?" He suggests, his tone sincere and considerate.

You look at him, surprised by his offer. "Are you sure?" you reply, touched by his kindness.

He smiles (damn, his cheeks look so adorable when he smiles like that), shaking his head. "It's no trouble. Besides, I'm going to have to take it off for the tattoo anyway," he insists, already starting to remove the hoodie.

"Then I'd be really grateful," you say, your voice soft with appreciation. Jongho takes off his hoodie, and as he does, the hem of his t-shirt gets stuck and rides up a bit, revealing his lower abs. You can't help but glance, feeling a flutter in your stomach at the sight. His toned muscles and smooth skin make you momentarily forget the chill from your wet clothes. Cute and with a hot body, God really does have her favorites.

You quickly avert your gaze, hoping he didn't notice, and take the hoodie from him with a thankful smile. "Thank you, Jongho. This will help a lot,"

He grins, seemingly oblivious to your momentary distraction. "No problem. I'm glad to help," he replies, his eyes warm and friendly as he watches you.

"Alright, I will change quickly, and we will get started," you say while walking to the bathroom. You took off your drenched shirt and bra, leaving them in the sink, and slipped on Jongho's warm hoodie. His perfume envelops you with its intensity, you sniff it in, and you swear it does something to you. It was almost as if the perfume was made only to ignite a spark within you. You shake this thought off, then you take off your drenched shoes, thankful you had a spare pair of sneakers and shorts—you had left them to have something to change into when you were cleaning the studio. As you put on the dry clothes, you feel a wave of relief wash over you, the warmth from Jongho's hoodie providing much-needed comfort. Once you're dressed, you proceed to your station and start to prepare it for the session. The familiar routine of setting up your tools and arranging the workspace helps to steady your nerves. You glance over at Jongho, who is still seated in the cozy area, his eyes following your movements with quiet curiosity. Something is reassuring about his presence, and you find yourself feeling more at ease. "I usually don't do somebody else's designs," you start the conversation, breaking the silence as you continue to set up your station. "I only tattoo my own, but yours looked too nice to decline. Did you draw it yourself?"

Jongho looks up, a modest smile forming on his lips. "No, my best friend did. I've always been a fan of his drawings, and I thought it would be meaningful to have something he created permanently inked on me."

"That's really special," you reply, genuinely touched by the sentiment. "It's always nice to have a personal connection to the artwork. I'm honored to be the one to bring it to life for you."

Jongho nods appreciatively. "Thank you, it means a lot to me," he says, his eyes sparkling with sincerity. You can't help but wonder whether he's holding an entire galaxy in them.

After your station was set up, you printed out the tattoo stencil and transferred the design onto Jongho's skin. You carefully ensured that the placement and size were to his liking, and he nodded approvingly, a small smile playing on his lips.

Once satisfied with the stencil, you guided him to a chair. "We are doing this on your arm, so instead of lying down on a bed, I'll ask you to sit down," you explain, gesturing to the chair. Jongho takes his seat, settling in and getting comfortable. "Put your arm here on the armrest and make sure your muscles are relaxed, alright?" You instruct, your voice calm and reassuring as you guide Jongho into position. He follows your directions, placing his arm on the armrest and taking a deep breath to relax. You can see the tension easing out of his body, and you offer him an encouraging smile. "It's important to stay as still and relaxed as possible," you continue, preparing your tools with practiced efficiency. "The more relaxed you are, the smoother the process will be. If you start to feel uncomfortable or need a break, just let me know, okay?"

Jongho nods, his eyes focused on you with a mix of anticipation and trust. "Got it," he replies, his voice steady. "I'll do my best to stay still." You give him a nod before turning your attention back to your equipment. The familiar routine of setting up your tools and arranging the workspace helps to steady your nerves, and you find a sense of calm in the precision of your movements.

Glancing back at Jongho, you see that he’s watching you intently, his expression one of quiet curiosity. "Alright, we're ready to start," you say, meeting his gaze. "Remember, if you need anything, just let me know."

He smiles, a hint of nerves in his eyes but also excitement. "I'm ready."

With that, you begin the process, your focus entirely on bringing the design to life on his skin. The buzz of the tattoo machine fills the room and it makes you feel at ease. You glance at Jongho, your eyes filled with concern. "How's the pain?" you ask softly, ensuring your voice carries a tone of genuine care. You know that for many, the first moments of a tattoo can be the most daunting, and you're keen to make sure he's as comfortable as possible.

Jongho looks up at you, his eyes meeting yours with a reassuring smile. "It's not too bad," he replies, chuckling lightly. "It's a bit more intense than I expected, but nothing I can't handle." His attempt to stay brave and composed only makes you admire him more.

You nod, offering him a warm smile. "That's good to hear. But remember, if it gets too much, just let me know, okay? We can take a break anytime."

Jongho's gaze softens, and he nods appreciatively. "Thanks, I will," he says, his voice sincere.

As you continue your work, you realize you need to reposition yourself to get a better angle. Leaning down to adjust your position, you inadvertently move closer to Jongho. You get lost in your work again, the hum of the tattoo machine and the rhythm of your movements creating a focused trance. As you glance up at Jongho, you notice his cheeks are flushed with a deep blush. Confused, you follow his gaze downwards and realize, with a sudden jolt, that your chest is pressed against the armrest in such a way that Jongho’s open hand is inadvertently cupping your boob.

"Oh, it's fine!" you are quick to reassure him, but your voice comes out a bit louder than you expected. "It happens all the time," you add more gently, trying to compose yourself.

Despite your attempt to ease the tension, Jongho remains frozen, blinking a couple of times as he processes the situation. His cheeks turn an even deeper shade of red, "I'm so sorry," he stammers, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't mean to—"

You cut him off with a warm smile, hoping to put him at ease. "Really, it's okay," you say, this time your tone light. "These things can happen when you're in such close quarters. No harm done." You look up at him adding, ''Oh, and you can squeeze it if you want," you joke as you lean in again, a playful grin spreading across your face as you try to lift the mood. "I won't charge extra for that."

Jongho's eyes widen, and he stammers, "N-no, I couldn't! I mean, I didn't mean to—I'm so sorry!" His face turns an even deeper shade of red, and he looks utterly mortified. He quickly averts his gaze, staring at the floor as if it might open and swallow him whole.

You can't help but chuckle at his reaction, finding his shyness endearing. "It's really okay, Jongho. I was just teasing," you say, your voice gentle and reassuring. "Let's just focus on the tattoo, alright?"

Jongho nods vigorously, still unable to meet your eyes. "Y-yeah, let's do that," he mumbles. He takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, but you can see the frustration and embarrassment still lingering in his expression.

But the thing is that suddenly you can't quite focus on your job. You feel the warmth from Jongho's hand on your chest, with only the fabric of his hoodie between you, and you start to feel uneasy. He was good-looking, sure, but you've been in this situation a hundred times before with plenty of other good-looking clients and never really minded it. So why now? As you continue to work, the sensation lingers. You steal a glance at Jongho, noticing the way his eyes are now fixed on the tattoo, his brows slightly furrowed as he looks at how the needle works, and how it deposits the ink into his skin. There's something about his presence that's different, something that stirs feelings you can't quite put into words. You try to push your thoughts aside, focusing on the rhythmic hum of the tattoo machine and the precise movements of your hands. But it's no use. Every time you lean in, every time you brush against his arm or hand, you feel a spark, a weird sensation in your stomach. His scent, the warmth of his body—everything about him seems to draw you in, making it difficult to maintain your professional detachment. In the quiet moments between the buzz of the machine, you find yourself wondering about him. What kind of person is he? What stories lie behind those boba eyes? Curiosity is distracting, pulling your attention away from the task at hand. You take a deep breath, trying to steady your thoughts, but the fluttering in your chest refuses to subside. You can't help but feel a bit frustrated with yourself. This isn't like you. You've always prided yourself on your ability to stay focused and professional, no matter the circumstances. Yet here you are, struggling to keep your mind from wandering, struggling to keep your emotions in check. It's both exhilarating and unsettling, and you can't decide whether you love it or hate it.

Suddenly Jongho lets out a small whimper, and for a second his hand squeezes your boob. Your eyes widen, and you swallow hard after clearing your throat, trying once again to compose yourself. The warmth of his touch sent electric tingles through your body, making it hard to focus, the sensation in your stomach only getting stronger. If you weren't before, you were definitely turned on now. "Are you alright?" you asked, your voice slightly shaky and betraying the flustered state you were in.

He looked up at you, his eyes wide with a mix of pain and embarrassment. "I'm so sorry, it's just the pain stung a little bit," he explained quickly, his voice laced with genuine regret. It was clear that he was unaware of his hand's movement, and the unintentional intimacy of the moment seemed to have gone unnoticed by him.

You took a deep breath, trying to steady your racing heart. "It's okay," you managed to say, your voice softer as you tried to reassure him. "Just try to relax." You hoped your words would calm him, even though you could barely calm yourself. Jongho nodded, his cheeks flushed as he attempted to regain his composure.

As you continued to work, the air between you seemed charged with an unspoken tension. You couldn't shake the feeling of his touch, and your thoughts kept drifting back to the unexpected moment. Every glance at Jongho, every accidental brush, seemed to reignite the fluttering in your chest. You took a deep breath, pushing those thoughts aside as best as you could. "Alright, we're almost there," you said, your voice steadying as you neared the completion of the tattoo. "Just hang in there a little longer." Jongho nodded, his focus returning to the tattoo process. He seemed more relaxed now, his earlier embarrassment fading away as he concentrated on the sensation of the needle against his skin. Finally, you finished the last stroke and lifted the machine, taking a step back to admire your work. "All done," you announced with a smile, feeling a mix of relief and satisfaction.

Jongho looked down at the fresh tattoo, his eyes lighting up with excitement and appreciation. "It looks amazing," he said, his voice filled with genuine admiration. "Thank you so much."

You smiled, feeling a warm rush of pride. "You're welcome. I'm glad you like it."

You put your tattoo machine down and take off your gloves. You glance at Jongho as you throw the needle and other trash, and you notice how Jongho hesitates before standing up, his movements deliberate and cautious. You didn't pay too much mind, assuming he might just be feeling a bit sore or stiff from sitting in one position for so long. You turned to search for a new pair of gloves and the tattoo bandage, focusing on gathering the necessary supplies to wrap his fresh ink and ensure it was properly protected. As you turned back to face him, you saw him tugging his shirt down with an almost desperate force. It was then that you noticed the distinct outline in his jeans. The sight caused a sudden jolt in your chest, a mixture of surprise and a rush of emotions, a blush creeping in. You reminded yourself to keep things professional, but the unspoken tension in the room was too obvious, and you couldn't ignore the way your own body reacted. Taking a deep breath, you approached Jongho with the bandage, your hands steady even though your heart was racing.

"Looks like I'll need to wrap this up nice and tight," you say with a teasing smile, your voice carrying a hint of playful suggestion. "We wouldn't want anything to get out of hand."

Jongho's eyes widen slightly at your words, a faint blush creeping back onto his cheeks. He chuckles nervously, trying to play it cool. "Yeah, definitely wouldn't want that," he replies, his voice tinged with a mix of amusement and embarrassment.

You carefully begin to wrap the tattoo with the dedicated bandage, ensuring it's secure and protected. As you work, you can't help but notice the slight tension in Jongho's body, the way his breathing seems to have quickened just a bit.

The silence between you was getting uncomfortable. Jongho cleared his throat, trying to break the tension. "So, uh," he began, his voice shakier than before. "Do you have any tips for taking care of the tattoo?" His attempt at casual conversation was endearing, and you could tell he was trying to steer the moment back to a more normal footing.

You nodded, grateful for the chance to focus on something else than the burning feeling in your stomach. "Yes, absolutely," you replied, your voice steadying. "Keep it clean and moisturize it every three to four hours with the cream I'll give you. Avoid soaking it in water and stay out of direct sunlight. I'll give you an aftercare sheet with all the details."

Jongho listened intently, his eyes meeting yours with a mix of curiosity and lingering embarrassment. "Got it. I'll make sure to follow the instructions," he said, his voice more composed now. As you finished applying the tattoo bandage, the proximity between you felt charged, and you couldn't help but notice the way his breath hitched slightly whenever your fingers brushed against his warm skin.

"If you have any questions or need a touch-up, don't hesitate to contact me," you added, trying to keep the conversation flowing smoothly.

"Thank you," Jongho replied, his expression softening. "I really appreciate the care and effort you put into this. It means a lot to me."

You smiled, "It's been a pleasure, Jongho. I'm glad I could help bring your friend's design to life."

As Jongho gets ready to leave, he gathers his things and glances at you with a shy smile. You can see him hesitating slightly before he gestures toward you saying, "I guess I'll have to come back to get my hoodie."

You chuckle, leaning against the counter with a playful glint in your eyes. "Yeah, looks like you'll have to," you reply with a wink. "Or maybe I could just keep it as a souvenir?" You draw out the words, making sure he knows you're teasing him.

Jongho laughs, shaking his head. "I don't think I could let you get away with that, this one's my favorite" he teases back, his tone light but his eyes serious. "But I wouldn't mind another visit." The implication hangs in the air, making your heart skip a beat.

You smile, feeling a warmth in his words that makes your cheeks flush. "Well, the door's always open for you," you say, a hint of anticipation in your voice. The thought of seeing him again fills you with a mix of excitement and nervousness.

He chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck as if trying to muster up the courage to say something more. "Actually, I was wondering if... maybe..." He trails off, his cheeks flushing slightly as he struggles to find the right words. "I mean, would you like to... go out for a—" He stumbles over the words, his voice trembling slightly.

Before he can finish his sentence, you cut in with a teasing smile, unable to resist the urge to make him squirm a little. You raise an eyebrow, a mischievous grin spreading across your face. "Are you trying to ask me out on a date?" you tease, your eyes twinkling with amusement.

He blushes deeper, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "Yeah, I guess I am," he admits, his voice barely above a whisper. The vulnerability in his eyes makes your heart melt.

"Are you sure you want to ask me out while you have a boner?" you quip, unable to keep a straight face.

Jongho's eyes widen, and he lets out a nervous laugh. "Hey, you were the one who put your boob in my hand on purpose," he jokes back, his tone light and playful, trying to deflect the embarrassment.

You burst out laughing, shaking your head. "I promise it wasn't on purpose," you say, your eyes twinkling with amusement. "But hey, if I wanted to, I'd definitely charge extra for that." The playful banter eases the tension between you.

Jongho laughs, the tension easing as he meets your gaze with a playful glint. "Fair enough."

"So, dinner today at 8?" you ask, a hopeful look in your eyes.

Jongho's eyes light up, and he nods eagerly. "Today at 8," he confirms, his voice filled with excitement. The anticipation in his voice mirrors your own feelings, making your heart beat a little faster.

You smile warmly at him, and at this point, your cheeks start to hurt "Will you pick me up?"

"Absolutely," he replies, "I'll see you then." The promise of the evening ahead fills you both with a mix of nerves and excitement.

As Jongho heads for the door, you can't resist adding one last teasing remark. "Oh, and Jongho," you call out making him turn his head back to you, his hand backing off from the handle of the doors. Your smile at him sweetly, before continuing, your voice playful but with a hint of seriousness. "You better not... you know, take care of yourself before our date. If dinner's a flop, I might need something else to stuff my mouth with." You give him a wink, your tone suggestive but not too forward.

Jongho blinked a few times before meeting your gaze straight-on, a confident yet mischievous smile finally forming on his lips "Oh, don't worry," he replies, his voice smooth and bold. "I'll make sure to save plenty for you. Just don't be surprised if dessert comes before dinner." He winks back at you, leaving you with a racing heart and a grin you can't wipe off your face.

#jongho x reader #jongho x y/n #jongho x you #jongho fluff #jongho smut #ateez x reader #ateez x you #ateez x y/n #jongho oneshot #jongho fanfic #jongho fanfiction #ateez fanfiction #ateez fanfic

214 notes · View notes

canmom · 1 year ago

Text

Animation Night 173: Takashi Nakamura

Hi everyone! It's that time of the week again~

The day that puppets bite their gloves off.

Tonight on Animation Night we'll be taking a look at the works of Takashi Nakamura (中村たかし).

Nakamura is a director who flies under the radar a bit over here, but for those who know him, he's a unique director - one who we've actually encountered a couple of times before, actually! He directed one of my favourite shorts in Robot Carnival [Animation Night 158] Chicken Man and Red Neck, in which the machinery of a city comes alive to have a violently strange Bosch-like party led by a strange red-robed robot, witnessed only by one salaryman on a moped...

...and if you remember when we looked into the three adaptations of Project Itoh's novels [Animation Night 127], he co-directed Harmony with Michael Arias, a powerfully understated film about a high tech biopower future and people who reject its utopia through a suicide pact. We also saw him in the Japan Animator Expo, with the charming Bubu & Bubulina...

But let's give a fuller story...

As an animator, Nakamura entered the industry very young, signing on as a colourist and inbetweener at Tatsunoko in 1974 - at which point he was only 16, an aspiring mangaka newly arrived in Tokyo. Working in Tatsunoko's distinctive 'industry within an industry', he was introduced to Hirokazu Ishino's 'Anidō' association, in which he was introduced to not just many important animators but also had the chance to see animation from around the world, from Norm McLaren to Japanese independent animators like Kenzō Masaoka. The two films that got him most excited were Takahata's Horus, Prince of the Sun [AN41] and Disney's Fantasia [AN15], both of which contained incredible flexes of effects animation.

(Incidentally, it makes me happy that a lot of the films Watzky mentions showing at Anidō showed up on here! Following in the footsteps of giants and all that.)

Once Nakamura got the animation bug he put aside his manga aspirations and became a key animator, going freelance a couple years later. In 1979 he saw Galaxy Express 999, and got to witness the insane 'liquid fire' effects of Kanada, and he instantly became a devotee - soon enough getting a chance to work with Kanada directly.

And by the early 80s Nakamura was definitely making a name, already working in animation direction and solo-animating entire episodes of Gold Lightan for Tatsunoko. The next couple of years he'd end up working on Nausicaa, Macross DYRL and the with Rintaro [AN53, 134] on Genma Taisen. By now he was specialising hard in effects (not unlike Anno!), and his work had become terrifyingly elaborate, look at this building collapsing into every single element or the clothes coming to the life under the power of a psychic. His work also inspired another incredibly significant animator to enter the industry - Kōji Morimoto, future cofounder of Studio 4°C - and they ended up working together on Genma Taisen.

Meanwhile on Nausicaa, Morimoto handled some of its most memorable scenes like the opening sequence where Nausicaa is pursued by the giant Ohmu. Once again you see his fascination with effects and debris, like the shot where the Ohmu explodes out of the forest, sending stalks flying in every directions. In Macross DYRL he animated the scenes of the gravity flipping sideways and a street's worth of stuff tumbling down all at once, elaborating on a scene by Itano from the TV show.

In short, if there's lots of bits of stuff flying around in a mid-80s movie, there's a good chance that Nakamura was involved somehow.

Such a focus made him a perfect fit for the 'realist school' developing in the late 80s - whyat you might loosely call the Otomo circle. You see his work on both Manie-Manie/Neo Tokyo and Robot Carnival, and naturally enough he ended up part of the team for Akira. Given what he'd already accomplished, could he somehow step it up another notch? You bet.

Going by sakugabooru comments, Nakamura's role in Akira was mainly related to two things: explosions, and animation direction. Considering how iconic the explosions in Akira are, and how challenging it was to animate Otomo's very solid and 3D designs... the success of the film depended a lot on Nakamura's insane drawing skills. Further, he was a kind of 'teacher' to the rest of the staff, such as Morimoto. But this was apparently the 'limit' for Nakamura, and after Akira he turned from creating animation for others.

And this point marks a major stylistic turn in Nakamura's work. Starting with the World Masterpiece Theatre adaptation of Peter Pan, on which he worked as character designer, he adopted a highly stripped-down, simplified style. With all the Akira goodwill, he was able to pull in many of the new stars of the 'realist' school, from Okiura to Ohira. But his work became a lot less flashy, focusing more on a Disney-like approach where it's about creating a consistent sense of life rather than individual flashy sequences.

The Hakkenden [AN 122] was one of his first chances to experiment with the new style as a director, with Episode 4 really kicking off the series' trend of completely redesigning the characters according to the sensibilities of each director. He also worked on the kinda obscure but gorgeous realist-school film Junkers Come Here [AN 118] as his own film debut, Catnapped!, progressed.

So Catnapped! This is a weird movie. Many people see a Disney influence in its style, and it definitely broke the 90s trend with a younger target audience - but Disney could never make a movie filled with as much imaginative strange shit as this one. Watzky points out how much Otomo influence there is in the direction - dense environments and elaborate multiplane shots, in contrast to simple character designs which afford a lot of movement. These designs allow great animators like Okiura [AN139] (who animated most of the finale) to really go to town. There's a great para in Watzky's article on the different directions taken by the 'realist' animators.

Catnapped is a pretty short film at less that 80 minutes, a revel of visual imagination; Nakamura's next film A Tree of Palme is just as distinctive but in a different direction. It's another take on the Pinocchio story [c.f. AN138], but a very 'dark, metaphysical' one, with its biggest inspirations apparently being French - Moebius and René Laloux [AN71, 93], with Mutsuo Koseki coming up with art direction capable of comparing to Laloux. The three year megaproject pulled in animator legends from across the board - Inoue, Ohashi, Ando, Masuo, Matsutake, Umetsu! (Count how many directed part of Robot Carnival).

The character designs of Palme look simple in stills, but once you see them in motion, they're anything but - incredibly volumetric and full of life and movement.

In the 2000s and 2010s, Nakamura ended up working with Colorido and 4C a lot (naturally enough given the connection with Morimoto!), increasingly making effective use of CG in his projects. This led up to The Portrait Studio (写真館 Shashinkan) (c.f. AniObsessive) in 2015 - an almost solo short film, with Nakamura writing, storyboarding, designing characters and doing all the key animation, which is a kind of slice through Japanese history through the lens of a photographer who just wants to figure out a way to get his client to smile.

Much like Palme, The Portrait Studio combines simple character designs (in a stylised picture-book look) with very precise, realist animation on 2s and 1s to lend them a sense of density and 'existence'. Moreover, unlike most anime, it uses the raw pencils as finished lines instead of redrawing them clean on a computer. The style might call to mind Otomo's Cannon Fodder, and in fact the two films share a colour designer. 3D is integrated with an unusual degree of skill and subtlety. It makes for a fascinating combination, a very memorable and impactful film for all its apparent simplicity.

So, that's our focus for tonight! We'll be watching Catnapped!, A Tree of Palme and The Portrait Studio, and getting to find out what the deal is with Nakamura - one of the Very Important Guys in the history of anime, influential on so many of my faves... but all too often overlooked by people who aren't like, huge animation nerds.

If that sounds fun, come join me at twitch.tv/canmom - going live in just a minute! I've been wanting to do Nakamura for ages, and today I finally found energy for a writeup. See you there~

#animation night #takashi nakamura #catnapped #a tree of palme #anime

537 notes · View notes

mrs-stans · 3 months ago

Text

Sebastian Stan describes the 'big reactions' from New Yorkers over his A Different Man transformation: 'I was terrified'

The actor and makeup artist extraordinaire Mike Marino unpack Stan's dramatic prosthetics turn.

By Nick Romano

Sebastian Stan was so determined to work with Oscar-nominated makeup artist Mike Marino on his film A Different Man that the actor was willing to undergo a social and professional experiment.

As Edward, the 42-year-old Marvel star would play an aspiring actor with neurofibromatosis, or NF1 for short, who undergoes an experimental procedure that radically changes his face, only to then emotionally spiral out of control when he loses the part he was born to play to Oswald (Adam Pearson), someone with NF1 who lives a much fuller life than Edward ever led, pre- or post-procedure. Stan needed the man who made Colin Farrell unrecognizable as Oz Cobb for The Batman and HBO’s The Penguin to pull off such a feat.

Since Marino was already busy on Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Stan walked the few blocks from his apartment in New York City’s SoHo district to Marino’s home every morning around 4 or 5 a.m. “Then you just wait till they're ready for you on set,” Marino remembers saying to him. On some of those days, Stan would kill time by wandering Manhattan in full makeup until his call time. “I walked up and down Broadway, basically,” Stan, sitting in the New York offices of studio A24, tells Entertainment Weekly. “It was a busy street. I was terrified, but I would just go get a coffee or sit.”

Sebastian Stan is unrecognizable as an actor with facial deformity in trailer for A Different Man

Stan doesn’t consider himself to be a physical actor, and yet his body of work might suggest differently. Even when the costume shoulders the bulk of the transformation, such as playing Tommy Lee in Hulu’s Pam & Tommy, his body language molds to match the look. That skill is especially prominent in A Different Man (playing now in limited release). “Even alone, being able to only look out of one eye and then having one ear more covered immediately changes a lot,” he says of Marino's makeup effects. “It changes how you stand. It changes how far away you are from people, how you look at people. I felt oddly on my back foot more. It's a defensive reaction because you want to be prepared in case something's coming, that you have enough time to react.”

“What we get is such an incredibly passionate, skilled actor that can hide within a true character,” Marino tells EW in a separate conversation on Zoom from his SoHo apartment, part of which serves as the mini studio where Stan’s makeup application occurred. “He would actually now have a chance to live with people's reactions and how they were treating him.”

Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more.

That experience informed Stan’s entire performance, and it became important for him to do so, even outside of the mornings' wait time. He would often stroll away from set on the Upper West Side in between breaks or setups. “New York is pretty evolved in a lot of ways, but I still got some big reactions from people,” he recalls. “Like, ‘Oh s---!’ ‘Oh f---!’ ‘Look at that!’ It was scary to experience. It was hard to experience. I felt powerless in those situations in some way. And, I guess, a lot of that is how Edward feels in the film.”

Sebastian Stan transforms in the discomforting drama A Different Man

Other reactions were less intense, but equally informative. While standing at a stoplight, for instance, Stan noticed the difference between those pedestrians avoiding eye contact completely, compared to those trying to discreetly steal a look or offer him a forced smile — all bystander reactions that director Aaron Schimberg incorporates into the movie. "I don't think it always comes from a bad place," he says. "Sometimes people just want to connect or feel okay. It's actually about their own experience. It's not even about you. It's like they're in that moment feeling something that's funny to them and they're trying to deal with it. They don't know how."

Marino wanted to be involved with A Different Man thanks to his love of the 1980 film The Elephant Man, loosely based on the life of Joseph Merrick, who lived with a facial disfigurement. As a 5-year-old, the movie scared Marino. But as he fell in love with the art of makeup transformations on screen, he came to see it for what it was: "a beautiful" and "touching story," he describes. "That really made an indelible mark on my life."

He would need that motivation for the obstacles that Stan's look on A Different Man prompted. "There were many technical challenges," he recalls. "It is very difficult to do makeup that thick where they have very thick areas. So I had to really balance what was too big, what was too small. I still need the movement of Sebastian to come through. I still need his own face to drive the makeup and not have it look purely like a mask. I studied Adam's photos. I really analyzed him and tried to balance how I can make it work for Sebastian."

Sebastian Stan calls out journalist who refers to his new character with disfigurement as a 'beast'

Stan has another transformative part coming out soon, the buzzed-about and already-controversial performance of young Donald Trump in The Apprentice. Because he's now promoting both that film and A Different Man simultaneously, it's been interesting for him to think about the ways in which he approached both jobs.

"I've been finding strange parallels that I never really thought about," he remarks. "There's some similar themes being explored in terms of truth, self abandonment, denial of reality to some extent. I think these last couple of roles have required a different degree of physicality. One, obviously, is specific, a real person. But I think about that, of course. You have to, because everyone walks differently and everyone carries things in their body differently. Sometimes you gain access in a different way to things by simply changing a physical aspect of yourself."

The greatest compliment he received for that kind of work on A Different Man, even more than the glowing praise he's seen from the critics, came from Pearson's mother. "After she saw the film, she was like, 'All I ever wanted was for someone to walk in his shoes for one day, to know what it's like, and you were able to do that,'" Stan remembers of their exchange. "I came close to that, I guess, in a way, to feel that kind of invasiveness that he probably felt at some point in his life, walking around."

#Sebastian Stan #Entertainment Weekly #A Different Man #Mike Marino #Aaron Schimberg #Adam Pearson #A24 #Interview #mrs-stans

55 notes · View notes

jbaileyfansite · 8 months ago

Text

Interview with the Los Angeles Times (2024)

“This is where all the cruising happened.”

Jonathan Bailey and I are standing in Pershing Square on a bright, blustery spring afternoon, nearing the end of a homemade queer history tour of downtown L.A.: One Magazine, Cooper Do-Nuts/Nancy Valverde Square, the Dover bathhouse, the Biltmore Hotel and this, the city’s former Central Park, a haven, since before World War I, for “fairies” and “sissy boys,” servicemen on leave and beatniks on the road.

“Is it still happening now?” he asks.

“Probably not as much,” I venture.

“Well, you let me know if it’s happening,” he teases, a mischievous smile lighting up his face.

Bailey understands the uses of the charm offensive. As Sam, the handsome Lothario of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s delightful pre-”Fleabag” curio, “Crashing”; Anthony, the romantic hero of “Bridgerton’s” second season; and John, the jerk of a protagonist in Mike Bartlett’s love triangle play “Cock,” the English actor, 36, has swaggered up to the precipice of superstardom. With roles in such studio tentpoles as “Wicked” and “Jurassic World” on the horizon, he may just break through. Yet he delivers career-best work in Showtime’s queer melodrama “Fellow Travelers,” as anti-Communist crusader-turned-gay rights activist Tim Laughlin, by leaving behind the self-assured rakes and tapping a new wellspring: soft power.

Tim may be, as Bailey puts it, “an open nerve,” but as it turns out, the devout Catholic and political naïf — who falls for suave State Department operative Hawkins “Hawk” Fuller (Matt Bomer) just as Sen. Joseph McCarthy tries to purge the federal government of LGBTQ people — is formidable indeed.

Stretching from the Lavender Scare to the depths of the AIDS crisis, in scenes of tenderness, cruelty and toe-curling sex, Bailey’s performance communicates that little-spoken truth of relationships: It takes more strength to submit than it does to control. The former demands discipline, courage, trust; the latter requires only force.

“In ‘Bridgerton,’ [Bailey] is like a Hawkins Fuller character — he is very sexy and has lots of power, has that kind of confident charisma that absolutely is not Tim at all,” says “Fellow Travelers” creator Ron Nyswaner.

But any doubt about Bailey’s ability to mesh with Bomer, who boarded the project early in development, was put to bed with the actors’ virtual rehearsal of a meeting on a park bench in the pilot. “‘Well, that’s a first,’” Nyswaner recalls an executive texting him. “I cried in a chemistry read.”

‘Am I inviting people in?’

Bailey grew up in a musical family in the Oxfordshire countryside outside London, and this, coupled with an appreciation for the morning prayers, choir practice and Mass he attended as a scholarship student at the local Catholic school, fed his precocious talents. (“I loved the performance of it,” he laughs. “Not to diminish the celebration of religious process, but I did love the idea of wearing a gown.”) By age 10, he’d appeared in the West End, playing Gavroche in a production of “Les Misérables,” an experience he now recognizes as an encounter with a queer found family — albeit one shadowed by the toll of the AIDS crisis, which peaked in the U.K. in the mid-1990s.

“When I’m asked about my childhood, there’s so much I don’t remember, and I think that’s true of anyone who’s been in fight or flight for 20 years,” he says. “I would have been in a cast of people whose friends would have died in the last seven years. I think of where I was seven years ago. I had all my gay friends then. It’s only retrospectively that I can retrofit a real gay community around me [in the theater], that I just wasn’t aware of [then].”

During the late 1990s and early 2000s, American and British culture presented queer adolescents with a bewildering array of mixed signals. As beloved celebrities came out in growing numbers, and the battle for marriage equality became a central locus of LGBTQ political organizing, the media continued to propagate harmful stereotypes of gay men as miserable, lonely, perverted or worse — and, Bailey remembers, callously turned George Michael, arrested on suspicion of cruising in a Beverly Hills restroom in 1998, and Irish pop star Stephen Gately, who revealed his sexuality in 1999, fearful he was about to be outed, into tabloid spectacles.

No wonder Bailey, like many LGBTQ people of his generation, should feel the “chemical” thrill of “validation and acceptance” during London Pride at age 18, then embark on a two-year relationship with a woman in his 20s.

“Dangerously, if you’re not exposed to people who can show you other examples of happiness, you think that’s the easiest way to live,” Bailey says. “It’s funny. You look back and you can tell the story in one way, which is that I always knew who I was and my sexuality and my identity within that. But obviously at times, it was really tough. I compromised my own happiness, for sure. And compromised other people’s happiness.”

Disclosures about his personal life have become particularly thorny for the actor since the premiere of “Bridgerton,” the blockbuster bodice-ripper from executive producer Shonda Rhimes.

“The Netflix effect does knock you off center completely,” he says, recalling the experience of finding a paparazzo waiting outside his new flat before he’d even moved in. “Suddenly, you do start having nightmares about people climbing in your windows... Even now, talking about it makes me feel like, ‘Am I inviting people in?’”

He is also critical of the media for churning out headlines about the smallest details of celebrities’ private lives, often detached from their original context. In an interview with the London Evening Standard published in December, Bailey described a harrowing encounter in a Washington, D.C., coffee shop in which a man threatened his life for being queer — and, in recounting the experience, offhandedly mentioned the “lovely man” he’d called, shaken, after it happened. Although Bailey acknowledges that the original story handled the subject with aplomb, he felt dismayed that more attention wasn’t paid to the intended warning about rising anti-LGBTQ sentiment: “The only thing that got syndicated from that story was that I had a boyfriend, and it wasn’t true,” he sighs. “It was kind of depressing, if I’m honest.”

Still, Bailey, who once turned down a role in a queer-themed TV series because it would have required him to speed along revelations about his personal life he wasn’t ready to make, is prepared to embrace the power of vulnerability when it feeds the work. Although a member of his inner circle expressed doubts about “Fellow Travelers’” steamy sex scenes, for instance, the actor intuited that they were what made the project worth doing: “I was like, ‘I’m telling you, they are the reason why this is going to be brilliant.’”

‘He’s changed my trajectory in my own life’

To those who would complain about the state of sex in film and TV, “Fellow Travelers” is the perfect riposte. All of it matters, from Tim’s first flirtation with Hawk to the finale’s closing minutes, because the series, at its core, is about the importance of soft power: the strength required to bend, but not break; to adapt, but not abandon oneself; to survive without shrinking to nothing in the process.And depicting that through sex, specifically gay sex, makes “Fellow Travelers” radical indeed.

Bailey understands that baring so much comes with certain risks. When I tell him that research for the story has filled my algorithmic “For You” feed on X (formerly Twitter) with speculation that his onscreen relationship with Bomer has a real-life element, he notes that “shipping” fictional couples and costars alike has long been part of Hollywood fantasy. But he bristles at the implication that he and Bomer are anything but skilled actors at work.

“I would love for people to know that the success of our chemistry isn’t based on us f—. It’s actually about us leaning into the craft,” he says. “It’s a vulnerable situation to be in, talking about it on record. I don’t want to rob people of their thoughts. But I do have a set of values, and as an artist, you don’t need to be f— to tell that love story.”

Underlying that craft, Bailey adds, is the confidence to speak up, as with one scene in “Fellow Travelers” that was adjusted because he said, “I don’t want to be naked today.” He learned to use his voice the hard way: In his early 20s, he recalls, he was once “bullied” on set when “someone was threatened” by him and vowed to himself, “I’m never going to do that to someone. I’m never going to allow that to happen.”

This impulse to direct his influence in support of others has blossomed further with “Fellow Travelers.” On the day of our interview, Bailey enthuses about an upcoming meeting with legendary gay rights activist Cleve Jones and shares his idea for a docuseries recording the stories of elders in the LGBTQ+ community while they are still here to tell them. He describes lying in a hospital bed on set on World AIDS Day, in character as Tim, surrounded by gay men who had lost friends and lovers during the crisis, and finding himself thinking, “What do I want to leave behind?”

“I think he’s changed my trajectory in my own life,” Bailey says.

This is, perhaps, the most common reaction I know to diving deep into queer history — the understanding that we, like our forerunners, are responsible for shaping the queer future, whether in politics, society or art. No one is going to do it on our behalf.

As we stand on the nondescript corner now named for her, I relate the story of the late queer activist Nancy Valverde, who was arrested repeatedly while a barber school student in the 1950s on suspicion of “masquerading” because of her preference for short hair and men’s clothing, and later successfully challenged her harassment by the police in court.

“What a hero!” Bailey exclaims, wondering at Valverde’s bravery. “The thing that’s so interesting with power battles is, ultimately, identity is the thing that gives you the most strength and power in your life, isn’t it?

“Because that’s one thing people can’t take away from you: who you are and how you express yourself.”

Source

#jonathan bailey #jonny bailey #interviews #interviews:2024 #LA times interview 2024 #LA times #fellow travelers #NEW!

79 notes · View notes