#What Is an OTT Platform?

[binaryinformatics01]

So you have a great idea for an over-the-top or OTT media service and want to build your own streaming platform. Kudos to you for thinking big! But before you dive in headfirst, you’re probably wondering about the costs involved. Developing an OTT platform is no small feat and can cost a pretty penny. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In this guide, we’ll walk you through all the factors that determine how much does an OTT platform development cost in India so you can budget properly and turn your idea into a reality.

[bolllywoodhungama]

Emma Thompson on collaborating with Shekhar Kapur on What's Love Got To Do With It: "He's very playful"

What's Love Got To Do With It?, directed by Shekhar Kapur, will be released on Lionsgate Play on November 10th. Creating relationships that can never be broken! What's Love Got To Do With It? is a cultural melting pot in which two families from radically different backgrounds come together to share the richness of their culture. What's Love Got To Do With It?, starring Emma Thompson, Lily James, and Shabana Azmi, will launch on Lionsgate Play on November 10th. This family film depicts the profound subtleties of arranged marriage in a way never seen before.

The film, directed by Shekhar Kapur, follows Zoe Stevenson (Lily James) as she investigates the nuances of love while attending her best friend's arranged marriage. Will Cath (Emma Thompson) find true love despite her mother's unwavering support? "He's very playful," Emma Thompson said of working with Shekhar Kapur. And yet, for him, the most essential thing is connections... individuals forging connections. So connecting these folks in a lighthearted way is his tremendous joy. He'll throw us all on the set and say, 'Well, okay, just respond to one another.' He'll give us a lot of wiggle room. And he recognizes that we can all accomplish it. That's why he's gathered such an impressive group." "He's extremely respected, famous, and well known in his own part of the world and here, so he's put together this marvellous cast, and he's very, very good at creating an atmosphere in which we can play," she continued. Also, he enjoys working with us, which is not true of all directors."

[levyfiles]

is it just me or is this kinda not a good idea?

I think it's a gamble. And like anyone who cares about something deeply, watching it take a high-stakes gamble can be terrifying.

What I think people don't take into consideration is just how flooded their recent youtube videos have been with scammy sponsors and cheap fast-product get-rich-quick scheming vendors. Sure, their writers and producers made it fun by adding some really excellent characters to the mix, but I wouldn't touch a thing like Mistplay if you paid me as much as they paid Watcher for their video. However, the thing is, look around at all the youtubers you know who are up and coming. You can't make it on that platform without advertising trash to your audience.

With the vimeo OTT program, i believe there is a shared revenue and more incentive to promote more simple dedicated engagement; it's not ad sense clicks; it's just clicks. It's a soft start and there are going to be some kinks to work out but if they get to control their brand more and decide what gets made without needing some nu-venture, cash hungry sponsor to look at it, then I think they could change media online for the better.

Having said all that, the execution? Not their best. Watcher--listen, I love them so much--has had a consistent and terminal administrative problem and that means stuff falls through the cracks. From a communicative standpoint, when you're about to take your company in a controversial direction, you should know two things.

The backlash! You gotta get ahead of it. You need your PR team on the go a MONTH before launch

Always soft launch a big move. Get your feelers out for how people react especially if you don't have the kind of shark PR person who would know already that people don't respond well to paying for something they didn't used to pay for.

Watcher is still a baby company in so many forms and I will wholeheartedly support their move to do what they can to keep control of their creative content today and in the future. I'm not in their offices so I can't make as prescriptive a judgement as Twitter feels emboldened to about capitalism and greed or whoever they think their audience is however I can and will say that with any form of growth, the growing pains are going to show. i'll give them grace as they pivot and figure out how best to move forward especially with the volume of vitriol the internet loves to spew when they feel entitled to art forms that used to be free.

I'll say it again. At least we're no longer having garbage peddled at us regardless how much I crave Fabian Sax biblically.

[ineffable-opinions]

BL “Censorship” & Commercialization

Content: 1. ubiquitous censorship - special focus on Japanese BL 2. commercial viability of live action BL & generalizations 3. solutions - special focus on state support of Thai BL 4. [update state-supported production of Love in the Big City series]

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Censorship is a sensitive topic. I have tried my best. Please feel free to comment and critique.

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History of Korean BL is one of censorship and commercialization and Korean fu-people has struggled against both. There have been different victors at different points in time. Aljosa Puzar’s "BL"(Boy Love), "GL"(Girl Love) and Female Communities of Practice and Affect in South Korea chronicles that struggle. (Highly recommended.)

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I have tried to problematize BL commercialization before. But that was in the context of fu-culture and the commodity fetishism associated with the consumption of BL, particularly in live action form which is probably its most capitalist rendition for many many reasons.

Here I would like to look at it from another angle: censorship. This is a continuation of my earlier post (Why so many shonen ai live-action?) motivated by the live action adaptation of ‘조폭인 내가 고등학생이 되었습니다’ (I, A Gangster, Became a High School Student) by 호롤 (Ho Rol).

The live action has jumped genres switching from BL to 판타스틱 휴먼 드라마 (lit. fantasy human drama). This switch got it tagged as ‘Censored Adaptation of Same-sex Original Work’ on My Drama List. I personally don’t like that tag. Almost all BL adaptation is a censored adaptation, with notable exceptions like Sei no Gekiyaku. But no one uses that tag for, say, 25 Ji, Akasaka de (2024) which censored all sexual content, especially from the volume 1 of the manga which was critical to the story and the couple’s development in the original manga series’ and its multiple adaptations’ popularity. Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka (2024) went as far as removing the more sexual second couple from the live action adaptation all together, yet it does not get a "censored" tag.

An interesting question that the controversy surrounding High School Return of a Gangster (2024) has sparked is that of BL media’s commercial viability, especially in live action form. Here’s what producers told the Korean newspaper, Hankook Ilbo, about the genre-jumping:

"BL 장르는 제작비 투자나 리쿱(제작비 회수)에 한계가 있는 게 사실이다. 그러다 보니 처음부터 이 작품은 브로맨스로 해보고 싶었다"

“The BL genre is limited in terms of investment in production costs and recoup (recovery of production costs). So, from the beginning, we planned it as a bromance (beulomaenseu).”

The author of this article cites examples of works that enjoyed success on OTT platforms, namely Watcha’s Semantic Error and TVing's Unintentional Love Story (2023). However, the article also highlights the fact that BL continues to be a niche genre and live action adaptations don’t guarantee success.

이성택 (Lee Seong Taek), the director of High School Return of a Gangster, previously directed the BL Love Class (2022). The producer 넘버쓰리픽쳐스 (Number Three Pictures Co., Ltd.) have BL works like Unintentional Love Story under its belt.

'Unintentional Love Story' Director Jang Eui-soon (장의순) | source

If the producer of one of the two most popular live action BL is admitting to it, then it is not easy to dismiss the issue of commercial viability of live action BL.

Very famous BL publishing houses (starting with JUNE) and hosting platforms with relatively lower expenses have struggled. Some of them are no more. It is also difficult for authors to survive merely on earnings from publishing houses and hosting platforms, especially when those platforms are not very rich. So, it is not difficult to imagine that live action production houses also struggle to survive.

Take GMMTV for example. They are probably one of the most successful BL producers. According to their managing director, BL content (series) is not a profitable business in itself. They rely on khujin (branded pairs) of actors to bring in advertisement revenue, merchandize sales, and pull crowds to concerts and fan-meets. It is not enough for actors to just act. They are expected to sing, dance and perform. Meanwhile, GMMTV is forced to keep working with these actor pairs and stick to templates that suit them. While it works for now, it remains to be seen how long the business model can last.

Now there is also investment from Mainland China that has migrated to other BL producers following dangai ban. But those who invest already burned themselves pretty bad with all the money they poured in during the short-lived but explosive dangai boom. It is sunk cost at this point. Another crack down could be the death knell for Chinese investments in BL. 

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More generally, it is likely that commercial viability of a live action BL project hinges on the following:

#1 Target demographic

Like all other BL content, live action too is primarily targeted at fu-people (BL audience) – both queer and non-queer. The target demography is further sub-divided based on the type of BL and purchasing power.

Sweeter ones are supposed to appeal to all ages and that’s the area Thailand and GMMTV in particular are focused on. Most of Japanese BL series are sweet. Korea too produces sweet BL. However, they are unlikely to bring in explosive success the way odo BL (those following royal road narrative progression – wherein characters face significant challenges, interpersonal or otherwise, to reach happy ending).

Older and, perhaps more hard-core fans, are likely to support jado works (BL that follow the evil path where neither happy ending nor resolution to challenges are guaranteed) with surprising frequency. This might be partly due to the erotic content in jado works.

Purchasing power of BL fans vary widely. There are those who are

“sending gifts to their actors in Thailand, sending food trucks to their shooting locations, putting up billboard advertisements and doing charity events [as well as] ordering merchandise in bulk.”

They also travel to BL producing nations [on fan pilgrimages] and attend fan meetings, concerts and other events regularly.

(Source: The Print)

The other group of BL fans who are probably younger and/or can’t afford to show support in the above-mentioned ways. BL commercially benefits from being appealing to those with higher purchasing power.

#2 Popularity of original work in case of adaptation  

Popular BL novels, manhwa, etc. bring in a set of fans who are interested in the live action. Longer and more-acclaimed works are likely to ensure success of the live action given decent making and reasonable changes during adaptation. Semantic Error is a case in point. However, missteps during adaptation can have the opposite effect.

#3 Cost of production

It is difficult to get investment in the first place, especially with how niche the genre is. Moreover, higher cost of production sets the bar for success higher too.

On the other hand, high production quality and better cast and crew (likely more expensive too) makes the viewing more pleasurable and increases the likelihood of success.

There are other factors which influence the success of BL producers. The most popular BL live action from China, Addicted, was produced by the author, Chai JiDan, with a tiny budget. Its dangai family drama remake, Stay with Me, also has an interesting producer.

Source | Mame with her Japanese fans

Orawan Vichayawannakul’s MeMindY is another BL author led production company that has enjoyed considerable success.

OP Pictures’ entry into BL genre has also been successful.

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Solutions

#1 Let’s start with the worst

BL as money laundering vehicle. It is probably the most obvious, sort of win-win until it isn’t. Sustainability depends how much skin the ruling class have in the game.

#2 State sponsorship

(or better yet, tax payer supported BL production)

State sponsorship is what Thailand has perfected.

source | 2023 seminar on "Beyond Borders: Exploring the Global Appeal and Diversity of Thailand's Boys' Love Contents" by 9 companies from Thailand organized by Department of International Trade Promotion under Thailand’s Ministry of Trade.

The eleven speakers, including an official from the Office of Commercial Affairs, Royal Thai Embassy in Japan, vigorously pitched partnerships with Japanese content companies [at the above-mentioned seminar.]

Also, several of the companies pitching at the seminar, such as Star Hunter Entertainment […] were plumping for BL not as a niche product but rather a core element of their corporate strategy.

Halo Productions representative Tewarat Supunnium [trumpeted] the vertical integration of his company, from talent representation to contents distribution.

source

Thai BL has been big hits in China, South Korea, Japan, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and beyond, which has motivated Thailand’s government to ‘deploy Boys Love as its latest soft power weapon to promote the country on the global stage’. In an article published in The Nation, BL director, Bundit Sintanaparadee, explains how that affects production.

He pointed out that the international popularity of Thai shows can boost tourism and generate interest in the featured locations – a vital aspect of soft power. The government can facilitate this process by providing support and streamlining the bureaucratic obstacles to filming in attractive locations like Bangkok’s Chinatown district of Yaowarat.

Filming in iconic places such as Yaowarat can be costly and complicated due to the need to coordinate with multiple government agencies and pay location fees. Bundit said the government could simplify the process to benefit not just filmmakers but also tourist revenue in the locations.

Bundit also cautioned against a top-down approach to soft power, where the government dictates what represents Thailand on the world stage. He emphasises the need for industry professionals to have their say.

source

In a 2022 article, Bangkok Post explores the impact of BL on Thailand’s economy ‘as export products that can draw lucrative revenue streams and foster business opportunities in other areas, including tourism.’

[According to government estimates from 2021,] Thailand's Y content market was worth more than 1 billion baht... In June that year, the Department of International Trade Promotion held an online Y content business matching event to boost the industry, with the participation of 10 Thai content creators. More than 360 million baht was generated from the purchase of the Thai content, with the top three buyers coming from Japan, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Noppharnach Chaiyahwimhon, GMMTV's senior director of content production, said [that the] business ecosystem linked to Y Series in Thailand shows a growth of 30-40% per year. [He also said that] Y Series can also be a boon for other businesses, such as films, artist management and merchandise. [He mentioned] Y Series from Thailand [getting] translated into several languages [and one of their Y Series having received theatrical adaptation in South Korea.]

[According to] Kanokporn Prachayaset, chief commercial officer and country manager of WeTV Thailand, … Y Series from Thailand is one of the most popular content genres on its platform. [Half of all the BL content on the platform was Thai.] WeTV [was] sourcing Y Series from Asia as well as having its own WeTV original shows by working with various local production houses, such as GMMTV, TV Thunder, Dee Hup House, M Choice Studio and All This Entertainment. [She also highlighted the contribution of the fan base, which is] active in organising activities and campaigns for their idols.

Seksan Sripraiwan, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand's (TAT) Tokyo office, said the TAT and the Royal Thai Embassy have actively promoted the country by using Thai entertainment [and that] Thai BL content is considered one of the most popular recent cultural exports to Japan. Japan's market for Thai BL is around 1 million viewers, of which 20,000-30,000 are heavily active on social media sites for renowned BL actors, led by Bright-Win and Krist-Singto. He said Japanese tour operators already offered tailor-made tour packages which contain elements related to BL TV series, such as shooting locations like universities, cafes, Wat Arun or the Amphawa floating market.

Kanokkittika Kritwutikon, director of the TAT Chengdu office, said Thai BL TV shows have gained popularity in China, such as the coming-of-age series "I Told Sunset About You", which helped drive tourists to Phuket, the main location of the story.

"Most Chinese BL fans are millennial females who can offer long-term support for their favourite actors," Mrs Kanokkittika said. [Recognizing the 3 million strong queer population of Chongqing,] she said the LGBT segment could be categorised as luxury travellers as they are high-income earners, live in key cities, and want to spend more for travel experiences.

source

Earlier this year Ministry of Commerce have partnered with Be On Cloud and Idol Factory to promote ‘Thai products, services, tourism, and culture by incorporating them seamlessly into’ their new series “Shine” and “Pin Phak” aka “The Loyal Pin” respectively.

“This will help create around 2 billion in value for Thailand’s economy,” said Commerce Minister Phumtham.

Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and two actresses, Becky and Freen, witness the signing ceremony between the Ministry of Commerce and Idol Factory Co., Ltd. on February 28, 2024....

According to the Department of International Trade Promotion, the Thai movie and series sector and related industries will generate 8,000 million baht in exports by 2023. In 2024, it will likely reach 10,000 million baht, particularly in the Y-movie and Y-series, which are expected to expand in value from 1,000 million baht to 2,000 million baht as a result of the Ministry of Commerce’s proactive cooperation with the private sector.

source

The Thai government’s efforts are paying off.

Oramon Sapthaweetham, director-general of the Department of Business Development, revealed that the Boys’ Love series had helped revitalise the film production industry, generating substantial profits and extending economic benefits to allied sectors, such as advertising, leveraging actors as influencers, event organisation, and tourism. 

"Over the past 10 years, Thailand has produced over 177 Boys’ Love [series], continuously gaining popularity and expanding its customer base, eventually leading to exports to international markets," Oramon added.

The film production industry in Thailand is witnessing substantial growth. In the first four months of 2024, 56 new businesses were registered, marking a 12% increase from 2023. The total registered capital also saw a significant rise of 146.44% to 195.18 million baht. In 2023, the industry grew by 20% with 137 businesses and a capital of 258 million baht. The total revenue in 2022 was 12.895 billion baht, indicating a continuous growth trend.

source

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#3 Diversification

Ok, so this is based on my limited knowledge and imagination. Feel free to skip.

There are two production companies that I have ever been interested in - Bhavana Studios and Mammootty Kampany. Both of them have produced experimental Malayalam movies while managing to remain commercially successful. While is partially attributable to these companies being brands, I think their overall strategy of diversification have worked in their favour.

Mammootty Kampany could produce art-house movie Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam for award circuits and with no expectation of commercial performance by banking on their other production Kannur Squad which was action entertainer sure to bring in the big bucks. Their queer family drama Kaathal – The Core and neo-noir psychological thriller Rorschach did exceptionally well in the box office as well as garnered critical acclaim. Bhavana Studios has similar track record of their commercially successful projects kind of cross subsidizing their experimental and unique projects and lifting the heat off in case of flops.

Having production companies which are aspirational in their approach to BL while having the economics sorted out help where government support is not forth coming.

Censorship as No-thing

When sometime is truly censored, we wouldn’t know. Unless we ask. Here’s what Jooyin Saejang learned from asking.

Conclusion

I have a strong preference for live action adaptations that are willing to go the last mile in terms of sexual content, social critiques and addressing real-life issues. That’s the reason why the header image for this BL side blog is from Moothon (2019).

But realistically this isn’t always possible. And I prefer having more production companies offering variety. I don’t want them to sink under the weight of BL that didn’t do well commercially and me being left at the mercy of media conglomerates with seemingly bottomless funds and monopsony over BL authors, original works and the culture that creates them.

Also, there is queer content from Korean that is neither mainstream nor from fu-culture. Support those. Unfortunately, Cheers by Cheers 짠!하면 알 수 있어 has been removed from their YouTube channel which is now called Cheer Up. While the series is gone, there are interviews with English subtitles.

Love in the Big City

Love in the Big City, the series and the movie are based on Park Sang-young's novel of the same name that was published in 2019. In Korea, it sold over 100,000 copies. Ever since, it has been translated into 15 languages, including English. The English translation by Anton Hur was published in 2021. The book has been longlisted for the International Booker Prize in 2022 and the Dublin Literary Award in 2023.

The movie secured an investor early on. The film was produced by Showbox and Tale Farming (고래와유기농). Michigan Venture Capital, a key investor, was responsible for 2 billion won out of the net production cost of about 6 billion won. Plus M Entertainment, a subsidiary of the JoongAng Group took care of its distribution. (source)

State-sponsorship for Korean BL !

The series, on the other hand, faced difficulty attracting investment as well as had trouble finding OTT platforms willing to air the show. It was co-produced by MerryChristmas, a subsidiary of WYSIWYG Studio' a KOSDAQ-listed company, along with Big Stone Studio. Mbrella Films provided production services in Thailand. They have received the state-support through Korea Creative Content Agency under Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism amounting to 3 billion won as production costs support aimed at strengthening the global competitiveness of K-content through OTT.

Finally, TVING, a platform that has aired multiple BL projects previously (such as Unintentional Love Story, Jazz for Two, To My Star 2, The Eighth Sense and High School Return of a Gangster), aired the series in South Korea and the streaming platform Rakuten Viki promoted it as a BL.

An iconic scene from bonus chapter 2 of The New Employee aka The New Recruit manhwa adaptation (web novel written by Moscareto and illustrated by Zec) ahead that didn't make it into the live action adaptation.

Gong comes home to find su in a sexy position at the doorway, fingering himself according to gong's instructions over phone.

[hopeidontgetaddictedtothis]

The worst possible platform

From what I've heard, Watcher TV is being hosted on Vimeo. This means the folks on Watcher Entertainment probably purchased Vimeo's Enterprise option, a tier being offered to organisations. Now, this is really bad for many reasons.

In the past 10 years, Vimeo has become incredibly user-unfriendly and increasingly expensive. It has become so notorious to filmmakers that they've been actively looking for alternatives.

There are also countless horror stories about how filmmakers and Patreon creators got hit with unexpected Vimeo price hikes. For instance, one user reported that Vimeo raised their rate that they were grandfathered into by 256% with only 45 days notice!! And in the Verge article below, one artist said she got hit with a bill of $,3,500 USD.

So, the Watcher will host their videos on a notoriously expensive and inefficient platform and make their fans pay for it.

And to put more salt on the international fans' wounds, Vimeo OTT actually offers support for regional pricing! The seller can add and adjust individual prices per region. Had the Watcher team used this feature, it could have been incredibly helpful for the international fans because the exchange rate makes the $6 USD drastically different, as many have pointed out. There is a more detailed overview on VImeo being their chosen platform on in a thread from Watcher's subreddit.

[yuseirra]

Hi there, lovely artist! Do you watch the oshi no ko anime? I ask because I wondered if you are excited to see their depiction of Hikaru, because you make such lovely art of him (it's a depiction I quite like :)). It made me wonder if you have some kind of expectations for the anime.

I'm personally very excited to see Hikaru animated and voice acted :D

Hello anon~ thanks for calling me lovely!♥ I love getting complimented!

Oh! I watched the first 2 eps of the second season, then I decided to put off watching it for a while (I can always buy it in our local OTT platform, they have it there!) because the manga... ;v; is already making my head spin so much already. I can only focus on one thing at a time... It was SO good though!!// I remember how the first episode started with stage-play, which was very impressive. The opening animation sequence is amazing too! I'd like to binge it all at once later.

Hmm...about expectations, I personally consider the current arc to be great in terms of depicting Aqua's psychology. It was peak in terms of helping us understand his character, so I appreciate that a lot. We get to see all his pains and trauma and the struggles he had, and it was so powerful. I'm sure the anime would be touching on those currently, if they do a great job with that (along with Akane's rivalry with Kana and how they shine on stage in different ways) I feel I'd be happy with it! Also that scene with Melt. I'm sure that one's been animated because I saw a thumbnail of it on youtube. I'm also looking forward to the aqukana date. That's one of the few peaceful, cute moments we have. I'm sure I'd watch that part the moment it comes out because I'm curious how that's going to be acted out.. and I need to see some happy moments in onk for once. Stuff's been depressing in the manga lately and I feel sorry for a lot of characters;;

OH... thank you!// I'm so happy to hear you like my depiction of him!!/// That gives me strength. Yeah, I'm excited too, because we never saw his color palettes yet, haven't we!! It's going to be all over the internet once it's out, won't it...I'm a little worried if I got it way off.. but I'm prepared to take what they give us! The anime team does the series justice. I trust they will come up with something good. I just mentioned I'd watch the aqukana dating scene as it comes out.. well, that scene with hikaru's also a scene I want to watch (and I NEED to in order to get his color schemes right in the future 'cause I draw! o<-<)

I really want him to get a bright color palette, because his name has to do with both "god" and "light"... or the god of light if combined.. I SERIOUSLY believe he HAS to do with amenouzume, the entertainment god's husband!! That god conveniently is said to have a "shining body" and is called the god of the bright lights!!!! There is no way that has nothing do do with him!! I don't really picture him with dark eyes, I feel golden eyes would really suit him because that gives off the "light" imagery and it'd make sense. It'd also be able to make his black star eyes really stand out as he has them.. and I feel he'd make a good contrast with Ai if he's colored a bit brighter than Aqua or Ruby. purple and yellow contrast each other very well! So I'm crossing my fingers for that to happen. Same here, I'm really curious how he'd sound like, and I'm happily awaiting to see his depiction in the anime. Since I drew a lot of things about him already, I'd be a bit embarrassed if happened to get his colors off... but?? It's the colors I really want. So I won't regret having colored him that way. We can all dream, right!

I drew them upon having received your ask!

it'd be really nice if he has these bright colors that contrasts Ai's dark purple. Saying this again because I really want that to happen ;v;)9999

I get chatty, I hope you can feel my excitement! :) This series makes me both so nervous and excited... I guess it will be like that for awhile.

Let's keep having fun together! I appreciate your ask and I hope you have a fun weekend!

[grimrester]

i lied! i did big fibs, i have more to say about the watcher situation after all. some assorted thoughts:

1. i'm a little surprised at just how big the rift is in the fandom post-apology. if i go into the tag, it literally alternates between "you guys are twisted sickos for bullying them into walking back the new platform" and "you guys are major chumps for accepting the apology and my trust is permanently damaged." this is a fandom that previously seemed pretty monolithic to me as an outsider, so i wonder if this will have long term implications for the sustainability of their fandom.

2. they said there'd be a "free subscription" to the platform for patreon supporters. makes sense, since their patreon tiers are mostly more expensive than the watchertv sub. this was presented as an indefinite sub dependent on continuing to pay their patreon, but patrons are receiving emails saying the sub is actually only for 3 free months. i'm like 90% sure this is the same kind of situation where they encouraged password sharing even though the platform doesn't enable it. they once again just seem to not fucking know what the vimeo ott platform they're using is capable of doing. they have to stop making statements like this until they get a better understanding of it because it's continuing to make them look bad.

3. there are multiple reports on reddit that at least ryan and sara (shane's spouse) are deleting comments on their instagram. look, i get it, some of the things people are saying are downright vile. the pointed targeting of steven and the borderline fanfic-writing quality of some of the theories about what went down interpersonally on the team during this decision is fucking weird at best and racist/invasive at worst. furthermore, i dont think making comments on personal instagrams is a good way to be heard. but on the other hand, controlling what people say on your platform right after you made a "we hear you" statement is really bad optics. obviously i think they have a right to delete anything that's outright bigoted, but it seems like they're deleting anything decidedly negative.

4. some of the comments getting deleted are about potential "fake" or "plant" patrons trying to skew the narrative positively on the watcher patreon. i frankly think this is unfounded conspiracy shit until i see substantial proof, but deleting these comments in particular without responding can cause some straight up streisand effect. this can really quickly start snowballing if they make it look like they don't want anyone talking about it. overall i just don't know if they understand just how much they're under the microscope right now. i didn't have to search very much to dig this stuff up - people are watching and documenting them. i think the variety article revealing they did initially intend to remove their backlog and them trying to pretend they didn't walk that back has caused a lot of people to hyper-inspect their every move. they're already in the youtube drama content cycle, and they risk someone making a blowout exposé if they aren't careful.

[rillyfrilly]

rillyfrilly rambles…! ୨ৎ

♡ ‧₊˚ ⋅ ౨ৎ ‧₊ .ᐟ

rebuilding my wardrobe: part one ദ്ദി(｡•̀ ,<)~✩‧₊

welcome, cuties~! it's so wonderful to be writing about this particular subject as i'm fresh from a ton of research..! some new readers may not know much about my personal journey as a lolita so i'll give a brief run down before we start with the topic of today's post. (˶ˆᗜˆ˵) i started buying lolita fashion a year, going on two now, so i'm still quite new building my wardrobe up.. this also coupled with the fact i was gothic lolita turned sweet in the middle of last year.. (ᵕ—ᴗ—) while i have some semblance of a sweet wardrobe from my change, it is not in line with the specific color scheme i'm dreaming towards. obviously my blog as of late has been all about setting goals, revisiting coordinates of my new style to see the improvements, and discussing the future of my newfound style. but making plans to plan around my signature style hasn't quite yet occurred to me.. (∩˃o˂∩)���

while i've stated the kind of style i aim for (2000s - early 2010s sweet) as well as the color schemes i have planned, i realize i need to choose pieces to get my wardrobe started and work with what i have. i haven't seriously dissected my wardrobe to see what ACTUALLY fits where i'm wanting to go with my whole pink x black / black x pink wardrobe. the concept isn't hard to grasp, neither the chosen years for my looks, but i have been looking too forward into in general versus actually making moves to plan my wardrobe further presently, and invest in pieces that i could use everyday as a lifestyler while hoping to get my hands on my dream items..! so today starts the day i map out coordinates and exactly what things i need to get a capsule wardrobe started that will eventually turn into a more fleshed wardrobe in the future! ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و

i think planning a capsule wardrobe currently is the best decision for me at the moment as my wardrobe isn't as cohesive as i want it to be, and it definitely gives me wiggle room when it comes to budgeting for personal spending on lolita. thinking smaller rather than the bigger picture is definitely grounding and a great place to start..! a capsule wardrobe also allows for me to have versatile coordinates from casual to ott if i wanted!◝(ᵔᵕᵔ)◜ i researched capsule wardrobes today via youtube and other lolita's blogs - all of which i'll leave at the end of this post! serious shoutout to them for being lifesavers.

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

starting point: what do we have?

the most logical starting point for me is asking, "what do we have?". asking this is a great way to get a good look into making sure i'm not investing in something already similar, and even help me free up some space if it's something i can sell to make room for an item more suitable to my wardrobe. the colors for this capsule wardrobe is black with pink accents or vice versa, so we can base pieces around this while trying to keep the looks inspired by my favorite years of lolita! (๑´>᎑<)~* things i have current in my wardrobe that are suitable for my capsule wardrobe plans (below):

(not pictured: a white lolita blouse, black platform shoes with heart buckles)

so, obviously it isn't much, but it's a definite start! let's move onto the next phase of action..! (,,>﹏<,,)

next: what do we need?

the begrudged question.. what do we need? judging by the starting point.. a lot, but that's alright! that's the joy of lolita is that planning really does make it perfect. from the videos i watched to the blog series i read there were some similar takes on how many main pieces and non-main pieces a capsule wardrobe could start off with / consist of. main pieces things being - 1 op, 2 or more jsks, 1 or 2 bottoms of choice (in my case skirts), 2 or more blouses, 1 or more outer garments (anything from a bolero, vest, or cardigan), 1 or more pairs of shoes (different colors obviously, but for me pink and black), and finally at least 3 different types of head pieces to get that variety into your capsule wardrobe! those headpieces can be (for sweet lolita anyway) headbow, beret, or smaller bows. non-main pieces are petticoat / hoopskirt, bloomers, otks, ankle socks, or tights, as well as one or more purse. a bonnet is also a choice for more ott sweet looks! i made a note of this as i would like to have an ott sweet look if i ever was able to get involved in community lolita activities..! (♡ˊ͈ ꒳ ˋ͈) now that it's noted we can plan accordingly and layout a visual of what we need to pair with what we already have and build upon.

i'll keep this as a mini-series of building my capsule wardrobe with me, but it'll be fun! in the meantime i'll work on a visual for next week that will display the "vibe" i'm going for while not necessarily showing the pieces i own or will own. i really can't wait to see where it goes, and to see my wardrobe grow from a small one in the future to a bigger one.

material for research: how to build a sweet lolita capsule wardrobe

how to build a lolita capsule wardrobe: step by step

building a lolita capsule wardrobe: what is a capsule wardrobe?

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

afterword: obviously i am no fashion genius when it comes to lolita, so i hope me documenting my journey doesn't come off as such. i really want to use my blog to show growth, share tips i've come across, and research lolita history as it's a huge fixation for me -`♡´-

anyways, hope to see ya soon!

♡ ‧₊˚ ⋅ ౨ৎ ‧₊ .ᐟ

riri ❤︎₊ ⊹

[curiosity-kills-literally]

DON'T VOTE FOR MODI. PLEASE!!!

I am having to make an effort at writing a coherent post instead of just screaming. Please don't vote for Modi.

He is not a saviour. He is not a God.

Here's what he is: A terrified extremist who has to maim the mainstream media to keep his support, who NEEDS to plunder the Hindu Muslim divide in India, and spread hate and fear about communities that can very peacefully coexist, in order to gain people's support, to be seen as an saviour for upper caste Hindus in India. He needs to shut down the internet, so many times that India had the largest internet shutdowns in the past year, to shut the voices of people. He is the leader of the party that drafted a bill that would maintain stringent control over OTT platforms, the only free and accessible source for information in India at this point, AFTER THEY SUSPENDED 140 MEMBERS OF OPPSN. Who maintains silence over protesters of his own country being attacked by tear gasses and pellets, who welcomes RAPISTS into his party.

And a lot of his actions suggest that he will bring dictatorship in India.

Here's what a lot of you are going to say: OMG, what is the other opinion, Rahul 'Pappu' Gandhi? Well, sorry to inform you guys, but India (fortunately) is not a two party system. It is a MULTIPARTY nation. There are a lot many options. vote for your MP's, who you think will have your voices heard.

[hotwaterandmilk]

Paripi Koumei/Ya Boy Kongming drama eps 2-3

After proving himself worthy of being Eiko's strategist, Kongming helps her not only out-perform event rivals Jet Jacket, but quickly works at finding a rapper to elevate her appeal.

Plot-wise the gist of these episodes is the same as the arcs in the manga (and anime) with Kongming using his tactics to outsmart Jet Jacket while still offering them an olive branch at the end of the day. KABEtaijin is then introduced as a rapper struggling to find his confidence after having succumb to stagnation following an on-stage incident.

What makes the drama stand out while covering the same ground as previous incarnations of the story is how it recognises in its 44-minute episode length it has time to play around with the setting and characters.

So instead of having a scene in the back office of BB Lounge involve Kobayashi, Kongming and Eiko just standing around talking we have Kobayashi riding the faux horse we spotted last episode for the majority of the scene. It is ridiculous and exactly what a TV show needs to break up moments that work well in a manga but could potentially drag in live action.

Rather than being a shot-for-shot remake of the manga, the drama leans into comedy with us actually following Kongming around properly as he surveils his targets in episodes 2 and 3. The absurdity of this man dressed as he is while trying to be subtle and also film on a smartphone is genuinely funny. However, the show never fails to underscore the lead's lighthearted ways by showing his past actions as fragments of a bold historical melodrama and it really, really works.

But Kongming isn't the only character to benefit from the way the drama embraces its unique perspective. We get to see a bit more of RYO from Jet Jacket and get a greater feel for his motivations. We get some genuinely hilarious doco segments with Maezono Keiji that establish his ego and single-mindedness long before (I assume) we get to meet him properly.

Even the moments that ARE straight out of the manga are translated to screen well, like KABEtaijin's encounter with Kongming at the laundromat. You can completely understand why KABEtaijin freaks out, but it's hard to ignore just how utterly silly it all is.

The third episode ends just before Kongming forces KABEtaijin's hand and begins their rap battle. And yes, before you ask, Kongming did ride in on something OTT (like he did in the manga):

Perhaps not as OTT as his ride in the manga, but I can't fault this show for how it has spent its budget. Not only does everything look top notch, the amount of care that has been spent on producing the performers in the show is amazing. For example, their releases are featured on all major streaming platforms and Jet Jacket got a proper MV for 'MID DAY'. They didn't have to go to this much effort but they did and that really adds another layer to the drama. It features the same characters and story we already know, but it still manages to hit different.

Things I didn't like

I still feel like Eiko is the weakest part of the drama. Kamishiraishi Moka isn't a bad actor and her singing as EIKO is solid, there's just a real low-energy feel to this version of Eiko that I had hoped would go away after the first episode. It's a shame, as I mentioned in my post about the first drama ep, I love Eiko in the anime and manga so I was fully expecting to love her in the drama too but she is still falling flat for me idk.

The throat-healing concoction that Kongming shares with Jet Jacket has a whole preparation scene that felt really unnecessary? Like oooh look at him brewing this ancient, weird, stinky broth. The drink has the same effect as the manga/anime versions but the whole prep scene didn't work for me.

I won't say it was bad, because I liked the idea of it being adapted for the drama but Kongming house hunting alone didn't work nearly as well as the manga version with Eiko did. Without her there to sort of balance him out or even to help add a bit of context (suggesting he stop living at BB Lounge with Kobayashi) means I'm not sure if the ultimate punchline (his staying put after driving the real estate agent batshit) will work as well. I'm willing to see where this goes though, if they decide to continue it as a minor plot thread or just decide to have him never leave BB. Either way, I think the manga got it right the first time with this.

Stuff I did like

I thought the official Twitter account was exaggerating when they said we'd see a more gentle side to Kobayashi in the drama, but they really have made an effort to humanise the guy a bit more and I'm absolutely here for it. While the manga acknowledges that Kobayashi is a decent guy, a lot of his character there remains tied up in explaining and reacting to the revelation of Kongming's tactics.

The drama doesn't opt for Kobayashi holding a stray rabbit during the Jet Jacket performance per the manga, but it does have a few little things he does which help add depth to his relationship with other characters. When Eiko is lamenting he gently punches her head, he looks up at Kongming for approval with his Three Kingdoms asides more than once, and I did really like this exchange between the two when Kongming admits his past mistakes as they drink together.

Overall these were two more great episodes in a drama series that is shaping up to be a more than adequate take on the source material. Bring on the rest of the eps!

[docrotten]

THE HOUSE OF SEVEN CORPSES (1974) – Episode 228 – Decades of Horror 1970s

“Cut it. Cut it, cut! I said you were supposed to be going into a trance, not an orgasm. Let’s try it again with a little more restraint this time. That’s today’s secret word. Restraint!” Well, you’re no fun anymore. Join your faithful Grue Crew – Doc Rotten, Bill Mulligan, Chad Hunt, and Jeff Mohr – as they try to figure out what is going on in The House of Seven Corpses (1974).

Decades of Horror 1970s Episode 228 – The House of Seven Corpses (1974)

Join the Crew on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel! Subscribe today! And click the alert to get notified of new content! https://youtube.com/gruesomemagazine

Decades of Horror 1970s is partnering with the WICKED HORROR TV CHANNEL (https://wickedhorrortv.com/) which now includes video episodes of the podcast and is available on Roku, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, and its online website across all OTT platforms, as well as mobile, tablet, and desktop.

Synopsis: A movie is filming on location in a house where seven occult-related murders were committed. The caretaker warns them not to mess with things they don’t understand, but rituals are reenacted anyway, that summon a ghoul from the nearby cemetery. Ghoulish shenanigans ensue.

Directed by: Paul Harrison

Writing Credits: Paul Harrison and Thomas J. Kelly

Selected Cast:

John Ireland as Eric Hartman

Faith Domergue as Gayle Dorian

John Carradine as Edgar Price

Carole Wells as Anne (as Carol Wells)

Charles Macaulay as Christopher Millan

Jerry Strickler as David

Ron Foreman as Ron

Dennis Record as Tommy (as Larry Record)

Marty Hornstein as Danny

Charles Bail as Jonathon Anthony Beal / Theodore Beal

Lucy Doheny as Suzanne Beal

Jo Anne Mower as Allison Beal

Ronald Víctor García as Charles Beal (as Ron Garcia)

Jeff Alexander as Russell Beal

Wells Bond as The Ghoul

Laurie Bartram as Debbie (uncredited)

This episode, John Carradine, John Ireland, and Faith Domergue are making a movie in The House of Seven Corpses (1974). A couple of shambling ghouls – or are they zombies – make an entrance when they receive engraved invitations from the filmmakers. Or rather, rituals from the Tibetan Book of the Dead are performed as part of the movie being filmed. Surprise! Mayhem ensues as the cast and crew start dropping like flies, their demises mimicking those of the original occupants of the titular house. The House of Seven Corpses is not a great movie, or even a good movie, but there are some effective scenes, and the 70s Grue-Crew show some love for Faith and the two Johns.

At the time of this writing, The House of Seven Corpses (1974) is available to stream from Vudu, Tubi, Screambox, and PPV sources. The film is available as physical media on a standard Blu-ray formatted disc from Severin Films.

Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode, chosen by Bill, will be Equinox (1970). The 70s Grue Crew covered this film in episode 124, released September 2000. This time, we’ll be joined by special effects artist Jeff Farley, one of the film’s biggest fans. This will definitely be worth the double tap!

We want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1970s podcast hosts at feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.

Check out this episode!

[spacemagicandlaserswords]

The Clone Wars 1x5 ‘Rookies’ Reaction Take 2

STILL SCREAMING

(I wrote this as I rewatched the episode, pausing as I went so that's why it's probably disjointed and all over the shop). Edit: Adding gifs to this because I can and I feel like it suits the more live-blogging style that these types of reaction posts end up being.

Lmao @ the GAR radio hologram

Omg Echo. It’s baby Echo! Look at him and his reg manuals!

Hello Sergeant Reed Richards and your lovely silver temples. Is this Sergeant O'Niner? More silver fox clones plz.

Are his eyebrows grey as well?

Deep Thoughts with Kenobi

Lol look at Obi Wan, so happy to see his space husband. Or its just the dated animation. But we’re all delusional here so let’s go with the first option.

Ah so this is where the ‘Good man, that Cody’ line comes from.

Rip not getting to know more about the lovely clone with the facial hair. Was this Droidbait?

Oof, foreshadowing for Hevy rip

Rip Sentry

Oh hey Fives has his little 5 Aurebesh tattoo already!

Droids! Well that was subtle lmao

I know this is very early on in TCW but there are some funky accents going on with the clones.

Rip Sergeant Silver Fox

Ventress is hilarious. She’s so completely beyond OTT. Ridiculous. I love it.

The entire comm exchange between Cody and the commando droid pretending to be a clone. CACKLING

Droid: Roger roger Rex: *narrows eyes*

Lol @ Cody palming off his problems to Rex. Have fun being in charge of this one!

“The reg manual says that the next–” Omg Echo. 

Rip Cutup. What a gruesome way to go.

“What the hell was that?” A “bad” word? In my animated children’s television show?!

“Ah, that was an eel.” Yes thank you Echo

“Now, that’s why we have the regulation not to go outside.” omg I love him

Lol @ the fanfare when Cody and Rex turn up. The heroes have arrived.

I know I’ve said this before but Rex looks all special with is kama and captain’s pauldron and different helmet and whatever else and then Cody just gets some golden painted bits of his armour and 2 aerials? What is he, a designer retro TV?

Omg the droid pretending to be a clone. You can just tell the animators had a field day with that one.

Thank you for visiting and have a safe trip back? Question mark?

Gif from this post by @dindjarism

“A droid attack flare?” OMG REX DID NOT HESITATE. Even Cody was shocked.

At this point, “Roger, roger” is basically enough to send Rex’s spidey senses into overdrive.

“Woah, Rex! What the heck are you doing?” An even less of a “bad” word? In my animated children’s television show?! 

Also lawl @ Rex’s drawled “Relax” after shooting the droid disguised as a clone at point blank range.

Does Cody not have his gold paint yet?! His armour looked distinctly grey, though they are on a moon so the lighting might be why it looks grey.

“Off the platform!” Rex you just yeeted yourself. And Cody. You actually want to be yeeted don’t you Rex?

Cody is the kind of friend who would jump off a cliff if his friend said to.

What happened on Tibrin? I must know. Is this The Clone Wars version of what happened in Budapest? Will we never know?

It’s a tiny little exchange but you can really tell from the change in voice how familiar Rex and Cody are with each other already.

Also that shot of Rex after he lands from their lines under the platform is absolutely a hero shot and hero pose. There’s quite a few of these throughout the episode and you can really tell that this is absolutely the introduction episode of Rex. So many moments throughout this episode exist just to show what an absolute BAMF he is. Seeing as the character was originally supposed to be Alpha-17 it makes sense. You can really Rex’s jaig eyes really prominently throughout this episode too. Makes sense, seeing as they’re on the front of his helmet, but it almost feels even more emphasised that you’d expect.

Sun bonnets!

Rex just turning around and one shotting the Rishi eel like it’s nothing omg sir stop

Gif from this post by @dindjarism

Echo gets his Rishi eel blood hand print from Rex! Seminal moment unlocked!

Lmao at Anakin and Obi Wan snarking about their clones.

Rex calls Echo kid! I AM WAILING!

Rex old boy? Since when was Cody bri’ish?

Rex, your ideas are as bad as Anakin’s.

The whole scene with trying to get in the blast doors and Rex kneeling there holding up the decapitated head of the commando droid? CACKLING

Cody is so done with your nonsense Rex

That was the most badass delivery of “Roger. Roger.” I have ever seen and we’re only 5 episodes in.

Aw Echo is already worried about Fives.

Rex is basically the personification of ‘so anyway, I started blasting’ at this point.

Rex, Sir, you did not have to go so hard in taking apart that droid with your bare hands

<insert line about hell in a kids tv show here>

Is this the first hero shot we get of Rex, Cody and Echo together? Sure looks like it! Look at Rex looking all noble in the background.

More foreshadowing for Hevy rip

Closest thing we clones have to a home. SOBBING

The little nod between Rex and Cody.

Random gronk droid.

"Didn’t say please." There are so many good cheesy one liners in this episode it's like an 80s action movie. I love it.

"We could use a jedi about now." I think Cody is missing his space husband.

That admiral definitely feels like a stereotype of a posh british officer from WWII or similar

Oh damn this is Hevy's last stand. What a way to go out.

Hevy nooooo what are you doing

“I don’t like your tone rookie” Rex was that a growl?!

Hevy just yeeting the machine gun at the droids.

Noooo Hevy

"I don’t." Wow those were some last words. Rip Hevy

Gif from this post by @theclonewarsdaily

Naw Echo and Fives getting medals. And joining the 501st! Also their completely in sync salute and about turn was the definition of crisp. I know it’s probably just the same animation copied and pasted but we can ignore that and focus on how it’s totally cause they’re the twins in their batch.

OMG THAT EPISODE. MY HEART. CLONES. THE CLONES HAVE MY HEART. EVERYTHING FOR THE CLONES. 

I think I’m going to have to go back and watch some episodes again because when I first watched this I a) didn’t remember most of it and b) hadn’t started to fall in love with the clones. I should imagine coming back and watching important and memorable episodes again after the finale will have another different meaning to it all as well. Though, given what happens in the finale, I might need to wait a bit. Maybe I’ll come back to it after watching Rebels and a few other things I want to catch up on. I did realise though that I did actually watch this episode when I started watching The Clone Wars, I just didn’t remember most of it. The only bits that I remembered were when the 4 clones (Echo, Fives, Heavy and Cutup, I think) escaped through the tunnels to outside the base, right before Cutup got eaten by that eel. 

[goldenpinof]

since youre into the business side of youtube im curious what your thoughts are on the watcher / try guys switch over to exclusive streaming platforms?

i did some digging and it sounds like they're using a product called Vimeo OTT (yes, THAT vimeo), which dropout also seems to use.

not really dnp related, since i doubt they would consider this move (since it seems to be more relevant for creation companies who produce a lot of series, a la buzzfeed), but i thought it might tickle your brain

aaah, i wish i had any thoughts on that!

i don't watch the Watcher or Try Guys. everything i know about them comes from commentary and drama channels. and we know what kind of a clusterfuck was the situation with the Watcher. stupid decision, even stupider announcement and reasoning behind it. i'm glad they backtracked. i don't really like it when people start putting their content behind a paywall all of a sudden. and if they police people sharing this content within the community. i would get a situation where you can pay for earlier access, i guess, but the same content should be available for everyone later, imo. especially, if previously everything was for free (like on Youtube, where it's monetizable). in the Watcher's case, their content is ad-friendly. so they make good money just on adsense and sponsorships. the question is, are they smart with that money?

aren't Youtube and Vimeo competitors? that's so interesting.

about Dropout. i heard Hank Green got a deal with them? idk the specifics and terms (like, are they producing/paying/buying, whatever? no idea). but his stand-up show is gonna be exclusively on their platform, it seems. and when i heard about it, i immediately thought of wad. dare i say, i'm glad we got it for free, and Dan can use as many clips from it as he desires anywhere he wants.

i don't think dnp would move to another platform either. well, for starters, Dan doesn't like making us pay for things we can get for free while he is also getting paid. if even Patreon is very questionable, then a video platform behind a paywall should be a huge no-no in Dan's household.

[kalena-henden]

The fantasy romance drama “Lovely Runner” has successfully captured attention of viewers around the globe!

According to global OTT (over-the-top) platform Rakuten Viki, “Lovely Runner” ranked No. 1 in viewership in 133 regions including the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, and more in the week the drama premiered. The drama is also maintaining a high viewer rating of 9.8 on Viki with favorable reviews from subscribers.

Based on a popular web novel and penned by “True Beauty” writer Lee Si Eun, “Lovely Runner” is a new time-slip romance drama that asks the question: “What would you do if you had the opportunity to save your ultimate bias?” Kim Hye Yoon stars as Im Sol, a passionate fan devastated by the death of her favorite star Ryu Sun Jae (Byeon Woo Seok), who goes back in time to save him.

Rakuten Viki is a global OTT platform that provides video streaming services for Asian dramas and films in more than 190 countries around the world. In addition to the on-air K-dramas such as “Lovely Runner,” “Missing Crown Prince,” “The Midnight Studio,” “The Escape of the Seven: Resurrection,” and “Beauty and Mr. Romantic,” more dramas including “Dare to Love Me” and “Midnight Romance in Hagwon” are scheduled to be launched in May.

[night-city-valentines]

Hi-Fi Rush Review

I knew nothing about this game prior to its release, other than two things - people said it was similar to Jet Set Radio Future, and it was coming to Game Pass.

I've never played JSRF (but I've always wanted to) and I have Game Pass, so I downloaded and booted it up.

I was hooked from the start.

Hi-Fi Rush is an action-rythym game, with platforming, puzzle, and collect-a-thon elements set on the futuristic island owned by the Vandalay Corporation - a robotics company, currently giving out replacement limbs as part of their 'Project Armstrong'. Our protagonist, Chai, signs up for a replacement arm, but a mishap with his legally-distinct-from-an-iPod MP3 player ending up where his heart should be makes him perceive the world to the beat of his rock music. It also makes him Vandalay's Number One Target, as they label him a defect to be destroyed.

This all happens in the opening cutscene.

The game is gorgeous, going for an animation style similar to Spider-Verse, with the visuals being incredibly comic-like. The anime inspiration is also clear, with all the panicked and OTT movements of Chai as he scraps his way out of trouble. Along the way, you run into a host of other characters, such as a robot cat named 808, a badass hacker called Peppermint, a gentle giant called Macaron, and a therapist robot named CNMN (Cinnamon). And they aren't just supporting characters in the narrative sense, they also help you out in gameplay too (well, not CNMN, but what can ya do). Peppermint can crack through energy barriers with her laser pistols, Macaron can bust through walls and knock heavy objects into place, and 808 serves as an understated beat-counter, their lights pulsing along to the beat of the song that's playing.

808 isn't the only musical gameplay indicator, though. The entire world moves with the soundtrack, not just to the beat, but adding flair to the current track, like platforms rapidly shifting, and certain puzzles following their own beat. Even the combat has rythym to it; security lasers with unique timings, having to attack, dodge, and jump on-beat to do more damage and build your score multiplier, and parriable mini-boss moves that let you get a 1-hit KO. Chai's weapon of choice is a guitar made from scrap, and every hit, combo, and parry comes with a musical element.

The story is a fairly standard fare - Chai wants to GTFO, but he can't until he helps Peppermint take down Vandalay. Full disclosure, I haven't finished the game yet (I'm about halfway done), but what I have played I have adored. The game is packed to the brim with charm too. Chai is a quippy slacker, way in over his head, but loving every minute of his adventure. Peppermint is hot-headed, but bounces off of Chai well, and puts him in his place. The 6 bosses of Vandalay are all wonderful too, from the aggressive Southern wrestler-type Rekka, to the obviously JJBA-inspired Zanzo. Like many games nowadays, Hi-Fi's characters like to make meta-jokes, and while I am tired of that as a concept, in Hi-Fi it's sparing enough that I don't hate it (unlike a certain OTHER Game Pass game that also starts with an 'H').

And the soundtrack, oh MAN the soundtrack. It goes hard. There isn't much more I can say! It features both original and licensed music, but the originals are so freakin good I can barely tell the difference. Obviously if you aren't that into rock music, you won't like it, but that's a matter of preference.

With regards to what I DON'T like, I found the part that teaches you about parrying to be way too obstructive. Like, the otherwise fast-paced game screeches to a halt to teach you about this new mechanic, rather than all the other tutorial segments, which are over really quickly. I also find it hard to stay on-beat, even with the optional big on-screen indicator. This may be a problem with my controller, but more often than not I would hit the buttons in time with the beat, but only like 2 out of a 4 hit combo would be on time, which massively brings down your score, which sucks. Also, some of the combos just...don't work? Like I don't know if I really am doing them wrong, but I do the input, and no special move happens. That sucks too. Also I would have preferred to be given the choice to play as Peppermint over Chai but that's just me being nit-picky, let's be honest.

Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed this game so far. I would definitely recommend trying it out if you have Game Pass, and I'd say it's worth the £30 price tag IF you like the music used. Even then, the gameplay is fun enough that you could mute the music and play to the beat on-screen if you just want a fun hack-and-slash adventure. The game is available on Steam, Windows, and Xbox Series X|S.

Hi-Fi Rush - 9/10

Pros:

- Great soundtrack

- Fun and addictive gameplay

- Wonderful characters and humour

Cons:

- Timings can be a bit wack

- The parry tutorial suuuuuucks

[namtanlovesfilm]

[04th June, 2023]

Hi Axelle!,

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH. #PrideMonthSeries

Not sure what percentage of BL audience understand the algorithm, or the metrics of how an OTT platform is run, but I believe, since they are paying for it by taking either monthly, quarterly, or yearly subscriptions, they should be made aware of how things work with the OTTs, because almost all the BL series are streamed on them, unlike movies which have their theatrical release. 

I do know for sure that well-established filmmakers, and producers get the analytics from multiplexes, and media companies that's into research, about how well their movie is doing domestically, and internationally. And they also get a detailed information about the demographics of the audience, to understand better about the kind of consumers they have. 

For some strange reason, I think it would be fine to compare HW, or any other successful movie industry in the world, with that of the BL, because although the genre may be different, the intention of making money remains the same. And I guess, no producer would deny that, be it someone from the Asia, or the West. And given that almost 90% of the BL audience are international fans, the amount of money that's pumped in by the producers, as against the money minted by the OTT platforms would show a big difference. 

That's the reason, I have always been intrigued with how OTTs function. And how does the business of streaming BLs on multiple OTT platforms work?

Apologies if any of my question is repetitive, but I guess its not.

So, my question to you are as follows:

As a BL fan yourself, how many OTT platforms have you subscribed to? And the price-point of which OTT platform according to you is justified? (If possible, mention how much you pay in your currency for each OTTs - Monthly, Quarterly, and Yearly.)

The subscription model of which OTT platform is affordable for all three options (Monthly, Quarterly, and Yearly)? (To you give you an example, a lot of BL fans are in praise of Viki, and have taken a yearly subscription of it, as against "iQIYI", which most have subscribed to for just Quarterly.)

At the moment, which BL OTT platforms would you consider the best in terms of streaming regular BL content, while at the same time offering a feasible subscription model? (The one that you are subscribed to for long, and will continue the subscription in future too.)

Which OTT platform according to you has the best User Interface? And what is it that's more appealing to you? (Please elaborate in detail if possible.)

As an audience, what kind of changes do you expect from an OTT platform? (Like for example: No pop-up ad windows, introducing comment section, multiple language subtitles, being able to reverse and fast forward, off-line download, etc,..etc,)

With multiple options of OTT platforms, like "Viki", "Netflix", "GagaOOLala", "iQIYI", "WeTV", "AISPlay", "DisneyPlus Hotstar". Don't you as a BL fan find it confusing and ridiculous at the same time to subscribe to so many platforms?

Should mid-budget, low concept BLs really be offered on a Membership model on YouTube, only because its coming from an independent production company that's trying to establish itself? (Case in point - "Commetive Productions by Dir.Aam Anusorn".), 

Will you be ready to pay more price for an OTT platform that not only offers the best BLs, but also offers HD quality content, and multiple other options that you were looking out for?

If you as a BL content consumer had to give a critical advise to the creators (service providers & app developers) of an OTT platform, what would that be? And why?

Thanks!

xoxo

Arjuna

hi!

I am not subscribed to ANY streaming platform, be it as a thai drama fan or outside of that. as someone who grew up watching everything on free streaming sites, & considering half of thai dramas are available on youtube anyway, it has never crossed my mind to pay to watch a show lol. for western content, I never subscribed to netflix either bc they cancelled all of my fave shows in my late teens & now I almost exclusively watch asian content so it would be ludicrous to pay for something I'd barely use.

I haven't looked into any streaming platform so I can't answer you.

again no idea since I'm not interested in that, but imo viu seems the best bc some (or all?) of their shows are available for free. also I'd say the distribution of bl shows is pretty equal across wetv, viu, & ais play. gagaoolala seems to have the most shows though, while disney+ hotstar & iqiyi have only a few.

I have no idea which one has the best interface, but let me tell you something: it ain't ais play lmao. you can't fast forward, you have to reset the quality at every new part of an episode, and the search bar is also shit so finding shows is horrible. but hey at least they stopped making this a paid service lol.

since I'm not a streaming platform audience I have no idea.

I agree that there is too many platforms, but I also think I don't care bc I don't use any. every show will either be on youtube or end up on dramacool anyways so I just have to patiently wait lol

for mid-budget & low-budget bl series, I don't really know which is the best plan for them. I think hiding the eps behind a youtube paywall might be good for some that do gather success, but sadly I've also seen it stifle a project's success bc no one outside of the paying members (so not a lot of people) is watching it or talking about it. I think working with sponsors & ads is almost always the best option to offer the show up for free, as that's what drives more viewers to watch the show.

the only platform I've considered paying for is gagaoolala, bc it really has a lot of the bl content from thailand & also some great qualitative queer movies & short films, that include the always forgotten wlw. but the reason I haven't is that the price is too high for me & I don't see myself getting enough value from it for that price. apart from that, I am not ready to pay for a streaming platform AT ALL, therefore not willing to pay more, even for better content.

streaming platforms are simply not for me, so I don't know if I have anything to say. there are two types of people in the world: the ones who are willing to pay for comfort & no ads, and the ones who'd rather have to struggle more to find a show but not pay at all. I'm part of the later category, therefore I'm just not a streaming platform demographic. I would, though, definitely watch a streaming platform who ran on ads for free, like linetv was.

xxx