#and some are meh but are incredible live (like youth)

[gabrielokun]

Hi. You watch a lot of dramas/series. Do you have any favorites? If you do, what's your top 20 favorite Asian BL dramas/series?

Hi, anon)) thank you for asking. Sorry, it took a while) but I have to prepare a visual representation to compensate for the lack of writing skills))) english is hard T_T

anyway, here are some of my favorite things

Love by Chance (2018)

The show that started it all (づ ᴗ _ᴗ)づ♡ Yep, my first Bl therefore I just must include it. Is is a good show? - not really. BUT! AePete are my babies, I love them. Nobody does it like them ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و ♡

2. My Only 12% (2022)

Childhood friends to lovers done right! My favorite show of the last year. It is a slooooow burn but it's so worth it! Very lively and real boys. great family and friend dynamics, kind of meh last story outside of CakeEwi but still…If you want some great friendship slowly blooming into romance this is the show

3. Kieta Hatsukoi (2021)

Super cute show. All characters are amazing, story well written, minimum hurt all the comfort. Good girl-not an enemy (im really easy too please ( •̯́ ₃ •̯̀) xd)

4. 30-sai made Dotei Da to Mahotsukai ni Nareru rashii (2020)aka Cherry magic

JapBL are totally for me when they do fluff, (cause their angst is on a such level I need a lifetime to process it xd)

but this one is so fluffy (ฅ́ ˘ฅ̀)♡ They make me happy and I grateful for it

5. My Ride (2022)

Speaking of fluff °ʚ(´꒳`)ɞ° Other couples are kind of boring But! Mork's uncles, MorkTawan's adopted son (still a bit salty we didnt see him again, Tawan should've had more parenting time, he is clearly a great dad ଘ(੭◌ˊᵕˋ)੭* ੈ♡‧₊˚) natural growth of their friendship into love *_*. This one is good!

6.Color Rush (2020)

I love soulmates. Its short, simple story but with very interesting and original idea.

7. Hello Stranger (2020)

Such a simple story but the way it was done is amazing! Falling in love through web camera (੭ ˊ^ˋ)੭ ♡ Characters have such an incredible chemistry even tho they have minimum personal contact(kudos to actors they done well)))

I Will Knock You (2022)

Okay, yes age gap not for everyone. But again it was done very respectful. ૮₍ ´ ꒳ `₎ა I love love love Noey's ˖°.✧aesthetic✧˖°., his room is my fave ngl, i want everything he has))))I love this delusional king He was so sure Thi is into him from the second they met and i live for it.

9. Until We Meet Again (2019)

I love soulmates 2. I just love this show. Its gonna traumatize you and then comforts you with cutest fluffiest boys that going through it

10. Vice Versa (2022)

I didn't like it at first

Puen annoyed me too much ૮꒰˶> ༝ <˶ ꒱ა but then I binge rewatch it in one weekend and I just fall for it. Its so good))) I love soulmates 3 and it's super pretty. I love colors

11. About Youth (2022)

Show where I love main and second couple the same ପ(๑•ᴗ•๑)ଓ ♡ thats rare))) Again very simple story but told beautifly

12. HIStory2 Right or Wrong (2018)

Let's talk HIStory. They kind of getting worse imho. 4 and 5 were just fine. thats sucks ʚ₍ᐢ ›̥̥̥ ༝ ‹̥̥̥ ᐢ₎ɞ i still love them tho

HIStory2 Right or Wrong (2018) 13. HIStory3 Trapped (2019) and 14. HIStory2 Crossing the Line (2018)

are superior for me. but just watch any of them they all are worth your time

15. Our Dating Sim (2023)

Second chance romance done very very right!

16. Oxygen (2020)

Good fluffy fluff. P'Phu and his bunny are so precious. Main are cute and sweet and adorable. Ignore weird girl and doctor everything else is just so lovely

17. Light on Me (2021)

Love triangle done right. Good light fluffy show that did hurt so good (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)

18. To My Star Season 2: Our Untold Stories (2022)

I love how they told this story

19. Not Me (2021)

its hard to explain how good this show is, its more serious than usual bls, great acting, amazing story, strong message told through not just cinematography but art and dance too. its truly great show

20. Triage (2022)

Time loops are fun

+ some honorable mentions

Ingredients (2020)

not a show))) just an add but damn. It such a feel good little comfort add Jeff and Gameplay have an amazing chemistry, simple slice of life stories but so good , mutual pining done so well

anything by strongberry, literally just go at their YT chanel and enjoy ଘ(੭ˊᵕˋ)੭ ੈ♡‧₊˚

emmmm that a long post sorry

[honest-kdrama-reviews]

Review #9: Twinkling Watermelon

WARNING: THIS POST DEF CONTAINS SPOILERS. PLEASE READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED THE DRAMA. (I will do my best to label spoilers, but I’m not perfect.)

Oh, we are SO BACK!!!

After a One Direction-esq hiatus, I have returned with my wit and thirst to discuss a drama that I loved.

✨Twinkling Watermelon✨

Of course, this wouldn’t be one of my reviews without the…

THIRST CORNER!!!!

I am being so fr when I say this man is gorgeous. His smile takes up his entire face and it makes me giggle and kick my feet every single time. Choi Hyun-Wook is not only so handsome but he plays the role of a kind, charming, stubborn and extremely loud 18 year old so well. Like, I think casting him for that role was the actual perfect choice.

Let’s just take a moment to look at him 🥰

LIKE THAT SMILE COULD MELT ME IN AN INSTANT

(Also this scene was so cute like he’s so in love pls)

Okay anyway, moving on.

The cast of this drama was actually just way too cute in general. I caught myself so many times watching with the goofiest grin on my face as they all lowkey fell in love fr fr for the first time.

The plot and storyline was so interesting! I really love how they made Sign Language a central part and really shone a light on how difficult it is for deaf people in Korea specifically.

Also, time travel seems to be a trend in recent k-dramas (I’m not mad about it buuut. A Time Called You and Lovely Runner 👀)

Similarly to 25/21 I think they took advantage of the fact that Y2K fashion is popular rn and set most of the drama in 1995. It’s cool to see the similarities!

I think it’s hard to keep my attention for very long when watching dramas if the plot has a lot of filler, which this seemed to have in the middle. It took me a while to get through (the last like six episodes were so engaging tho).

So I felt very meh for the first 15 episodes and then episode 16 had me bawling every five minutes. A huge jump, I know.

(SPOILER) Lee Chan coming to terms with not being able to achieve his dreams while he was under in surgery actually kinda broke me as a person. I was not okay. Also when his grandma comes and they cry together :(. I had to actually pause and take a minute. I was not okay!!

I LOVED the way it ended, though. Eun Gyeol felt like he had failed just bc (SPOILER) Lee Chan still lost his hearing, but seeing the positive impacts that he made really warmed my heart. Like yes, his family had been content and happy before. But now things were so much better and his mom was able to thrive because she hadn’t been abused as long.

The soundtrack went back and forth between being boring and going so INCREDIBLY HARD. The cover they did of 볽은 노을 has been stuck in my head for days and I found the OG version on Spotify and I love it. Also, A Song For You makes me feel so nostalgic for my youth for some reason. I wanna never forget all of my shining moments.

That’s honestly what I walked away with from this drama. I want my youth (and my life in general) to shine so brightly in my memory. I wanna make the most of the time I have so that one day I can smile and know I lived.

Viva La Vida :)

My Rating for this drama is a solid: 9/10. (Definitely in my K-Drama top 20)

Reminder that these are simply my opinions. If this is your favorite drama, I don’t mean to offend you. Feel free to put what you loved/didn’t love in the comments. Just be kind and remember that everyone like different dramas. Also please be nice to me, I am but a normal person. :)

[fangsofwhite]

I find this both incredibly frustrating and hilarious every time, but an interesting issue I have discovered is that on occasion, for some reason more often on this site then others, I will randomly face a personal phobia.

Basically, some of y'all have OCs or avatars featuring an animal that apparently elitists a violent fear response from me and it usually results in me chucking my phone across the room. In fact several people I have chosen to follow, absolute bombastic artists, have OCs of this animal. Like I can't avoid this animal on here but also I choose not to because darn it I ain't letting my fears get in the way of great art!

I have no idea why I have this reaction. I have no memory of encountering this animal or any experience in my youth that would leave such a deep set response. All there is to it is that if I see this animal, my instinct is to run or get it as far away from me as possible. Especially if I'm not expecting an encounter. Like if I want to look at a page I know I will see it, I can kind of suppress it enough to be able to scroll past the more obvious stuff featuring this animal to look at other things, but if I ain't expecting it and an image of this animal pops up then it's safe to expect my phone to be chucked across the universe.

This has become such a regular occurrence whenever I just try to scroll on here, like I'm sure eventually I will start to get over it just due to exposure. It's also just weirdly fascinating because I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M LIKE THIS! Like this is not a dangerous animal. In real life a dust bunny is far more of a threat to me then it. I just... why!?

Anyways my phone has experienced sudden velocity flight more times then I want to admit due to this but somehow has yet to break so... meh, I can live like this.

[fallininyou]

Mili do the twitter jar thing 😲

this thing? haha

[endomidol360]

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[silyabeeodess]

Even after making these guys, I still can hardly fathom how much I actually like this show now…

Here’s a character line-up for the six IZ ocs I mentioned in my earlier post.  I’ll list some info on each of them in the cut below, but here’s some general info for the whole group:  These guys all knew each other since they were smeets. At the time, Irkens were going through one of many phases to genetically engineer better, stronger, taller versions of their species. At this point, the experiments were winding down and each phase pushed for only mild or subtle changes in order to limit any extreme consequences. Most of their batch ended up slightly taller than average and tested better overall during their training. They were all also very loyal Irkens! The problem was… a lot of them proved to be more loyal to each other than to their actual leaders.  This actually led to about a 2 minute “uprising” in their youth where a few of them got themselves just about vaporized. Some other smeets from their batch would later meet similar fates or get their little, green butts handed to them down the line whenever any of them stepped so much as a foot out of line.  …Woohoo! :) So, the ones that survived basically either never really had a loyalty issue or learned pretty fast to keep their mouths shut.  In the case of these six, it was the latter. Rather than favor height, they value competence. That doesn’t mean that they won’t follow orders, but whoever leads them better do so well. This leaves them to often have shaky opinions of their fellow Irkens and higher-ups, and the group will often debate (in secret) over which traits are the most valuable for the empire’s goals of conquest. They’re also pretty ambitious, and divided themselves in a way to both jointly live…somewhat, comfortably and rise through the empire’s ranks.

LARG:

Larg is the tallest of the group, and because of this the others will sometimes treat him as an outsider. In public, they give him the respect other Irkens would show him because of his height and position. In private, he has to prove himself to them more than the rest of them have to with each other to show that he isn’t taken in by his own status and that he won’t end up stabbing them in the back at some point. In reality, the fear is pretty baseless as he’s actually the most lenient and easygoing of the bunch. 

Once he became a navigator on the Massive, he was able to solidify his place in the group a lot more. They valued his placement and what it meant for them overall, with him doing the others favors or giving them subtle recommendations when possible. It also gave him the chance to keep an eye on the Tallest.

Out of the six, he questions authority the least. He gets along well with his fellow navigators too.

 SLEEVEEN:

Sleeveen is the next tallest of the six and became a scientist. It’s not so much that she devoted herself to science because that’s her strong suit, but rather that “someone needed to fill that slot” and the role fit her personality best. Sleeveen’s the sort to play mind-games rather than draw a weapon. She’ll put on a show to convince you that your family’s dead just to see how you react and test how far she can push you over the edge. Therefore, it could easily be said that she favors/specializes in psychological weaponry and related tech.  

She likes talking and bragging about her work, so she’ll show it off any chance she gets. In turn, she’ll take it as a personal offense if you don’t give her some attention. Just letting her talk and nodding along on occasion is typically all it really takes to satisfy her though. 

The group views her as the least rational, due to her being pretty petty and desire for revenge if she feels slighted–which the others mostly view as a pointless waste of time. Still, she doesn’t let her feelings get in the way of her work or their safety, so they’ll usually let her have her way or even play along.

FIZ:

Fiz probably would’ve been fine anywhere in the military, but the others pushed her to be an invader due to her self-discipline and well-rounded abilities. And it was good advice: She does a pretty good job.  Her main issue is that her usual “angry” expression sometimes gets her into a bit of trouble, as most people can’t read her and don’t know if she’s giving them sass or not.  She often gets sent to planets with darker atmospheres or that are tidal locked, so she wears a much darker uniform than normal to help her blend in a bit better to those types of surroundings. 

Even when she first hatched, Fiz had a pretty angry expression. She’s not a negative person though: It’s just her face. She can be a hard-case with a razor focus to her work and a stern desire for control of both herself and her environment; however, she will emote more at times of extreme emotion, such as surprise, and doesn’t mind relaxing a bit–especially with the others–if she is offered the chance. Just don't expect her to spill her innermost secrets…

Fiz has a major caffeine addiction. She once had to go several weeks without caffeine on an assignment on a dwarf planet and it frustrated her so much that she dumped a ton of chemicals into its entire water supply to turn it into soda. Even though she went a little out of line, the Tallest were actually happy with the result and pumped the planet dry before conquering it completely.  

CESTUS:

Cestus is the group’s second invader; however, he stayed an Irken elite for a much longer period than Tiz from a lack of trying. He shows a general apathy for most things, and as a result nothing really moves, disappoints, or impresses him easily.  The most anyone can normally get out of him is a resounding “meh.” Out of the six, he’s the most likely to be a follower, as he doesn’t give much input on things and has a habit of staying silent. Despite this, the others know that he’d come through for them in the end.

The one thing Cestus really does care deeply about are the others in the group, even if he doesn’t show it. If something happened to them, he’d fight tooth and nail to save them–even shirking off his obedient façade if it came to it, so long as he knew it wouldn’t do more harm than good.  He actually has a soft spot for smeets too, and would’ve wanted to teach if he was able. Not without attempting to slip their batch’s ideology onto future generations despite their PAKs’ programming, but he would’ve enjoyed it.

No one will say it to his face, but some Irkens talk about Cestus’ head. He doesn’t know it, but a lot of them think he got hit with something that caused a permanent indentation in the back of it. It’s one rumor that somehow no one in the group has picked up on, or if they have they just don’t care enough about it to bring it up.

MOOB:

Moob is about average in height for an Irken, as well as average overall in most fields. Because of this, he became a standard soldier. He specializes in demolitions for his unit, which is the main area where he shows incredible skill.  He’s very passionate about his explosives. Some might even say dangerously so.  Give him any opportunity to blow something up and there’s a chance that the armada will see fireworks from halfway across the galaxy. If it weren’t for the others reminding him to keep himself in-check, he’d probably get himself into a ton of trouble.

He’s got a very “silent, but deadly” personality, not really saying much to other people outside of the group, but breaking into a loud, scary fit of laughter when it’s time to do his job. Effective as he is, most people don’t like teaming up with him on assignments. 

He’s blown himself up and his PAK has had to revive him multiple times. It’s a miracle he still has all of his limbs. 

CALU:

Unlike the others, Calu didn’t get very far in his training. Although just a little shorter than the average Irken, he was one of the shortest in the batch. That, combined with his slight chubbiness and lack of noteworthy abilities led to him getting stationed as a janitor on the Massive. His placement was intentional, with Larg pulling some strings so he could watch him and so that Calu could check out other parts of the ship. No one makes his job easy though–and it’s already not, because sometimes he’ll get sent on jobs cleaning up areas like that trash compactor in “Star Wars”–so he does what he can to keep attention away from him.

Calu is actually very intelligent, but hides it since his low status actually works well for them all in the end. Since most Irkens view him in a poor light, if they notice him at all, they don’t really bother hiding anything in front of him. So he gets to listen on plenty of good information or dirty secrets.  While he might get in trouble for spilling them himself, it doesn’t stop him from telling the others in the group. That sort of know-how comes in handy, especially if any of them ever want to one-up a fellow Irken. 

Due to the abuse he does face, the others will treat him almost like a little brother despite them all being the same age. They’ll tease him a bit too, but only in good fun. And if anyone else messes with him, they better hope they don’t “accidentally” slip through an open air lock. They help him bear what he goes through, like secretly giving him a small earpiece to hide under his goggles in case he wants to listen to music. 

Additional Info:

The group tries to meet up on occasion and hate being separated. Still, it’s next to impossible for all six of them to be in one place at the same time. Larg and Calu see each other the most often, with Fiz and Cestus seeing the others the least due to falling out of contact for long periods while on assignments. 

Fiz and Cestus have the most in common. Not counting their antenna, they’re both the same height; they’re both invaders; and they were both pushed to be invaders by the group for their skills, demeanors, and, according to their smeet days, ”because they look so intense.”

Sleeveen and Fiz act a lot like bickering sisters, throwing insults at each other and talking over the other’s head, “borrowing” each other’s things, and so forth. Really though, that’s just their typical way of dealing with each other and they’re pretty close.

Sleeveen sometimes uses Moob as a test subject when he’s off-duty, since he can take a lot of damage. In return, she sometimes lets him mess around with experimental equipment–if always when she can observe.  

All of them are pretty comfortable and open around each other except for Larg, who tries to connect with them the most. He’s closest to Calu, who in turn doesn’t mind being brutally honest with him in private.

They’re technically defective, but it’s not actually their PAKs that causes it: It’s the chemicals in their bodies transmitting signals differently to their brains. The PAKs would’ve been fine strapped onto another Irken.  Should their PAKs be attached to another Irken now ,however, their memories and ideology would imprint on future generations. Their current defective state could be “corrected”, but it would have to be done through severe torture. 

[smillingcartoonist]

TV Shows That I Watched in 2018

A bunch of shows that I saw only one episode.

I have different reasons to drop out some of this show most of them is because It just didn't ring right with me. The first one I guess it was the Grant Morrison comic adaptation 'Happy' it was kinda fun, maybe I should watch the rest since it is on Netflix now ! The new Devilman anime was another one off ! Mostly because I kept reading the comics and I saw no sense into watch something that I just read and it was gonna be the same exact thing but with some differences ! also another anime was that B whatever that was terrible, and I saw the first episode of Final Space, it was fine but is not for me, it was like it was trying to hard to be funny and I can't care for that !

Black Mirror (Season 4)

Not as good was the last season, but still have some good episode, like half is good and the other half is meh ! I liked the most of them but the best one was the Star Trek parody one, and the most boring was the one after that, the one with the Daughter with a video cam in her brain, that one was way to dramatic for my taste ! Did kinda liked Metalhead there is pretty interesting stuff in that episode, it also weird that there is a episode that links all the other episodes in one shared universe ! like almost everything seems to happen on their on place, but ones says that no ! everything happen in one place, I Know that there is subtle hints of that on some episode, but I’m not one to look after that !

Adventure Time (Season 1-7)

I wanted to Watch all seasons in almost half of this year, but I couldn’t, because I get easily distracted sometimes and I’m Lazy, I managed to finish the 7º season in time to end to write this ! I Not one for care about all this cartoon shows that fan art appears on that god awful Radar, but this was like the last modern cartoon that I watched when i was a Teen, and so this year i decide to catch up to it and I realized that this year was gonna be the last season of the show ! talk about luck. But anyway, this was the most enjoyable thing that I watched this whole year ! re watching the first season make me realize how much cynical they are, like there is this episode where they go find a crystal in the middle of the woods with Tree Trunks and a lot of silly cartoon stuff happens and then at the end they find the goddamn apple and Tree Trunks bites it and explode ! it’s like the whole episode was this joke and that ending was the Punchline !

I guess it’s around season 5 when everything get really existentialist Are you dreaming this Universe Finn ? or are you a butterfly dreaming being a human boy and land made of candy ? it’s weird this children show passing this topics that don’t even go though the head of most people, like they own Mortally or something like, but it’s incredible to see how mature the show get across the time, everything begins with this silly crazy LCD cartoon show and go evolving and taking on more mature themes, the characters also evolve, like you see Bubblegum is this lovable character at the beginning and then you realize she is actually a Control freak maniac ! the character arcs are really nicely done in this show !  and also the own mythology of show is build up nicely, but there is some weird message that i get from this show, like some things are inevitable, Finn losing his Right arm in all of his lives, the end of the world ! there is some pretty eerie stuff in there ! man Love this show !

Also for reason one these i was Think about that scene with David Bowie in Fire Walk with Me but I replace all the character with the ones from this show ! Finn was Cooper of Course, Magic Man was Bowie, I Though that the whole FBI should be form by the wizards. Maybe I why work on that someday, Twin Peaks but the characters of Adventure Time ! That should be fun ! we live inside a dream.

The End of the Fucking World (Season 1)

I Think I describe the trailer for this was the Murder version of Moonrise Kingdom, and after watching I Think I was kinda right, it was based on a graphic novel that Will probably never see the light of where I live ! It was one the best series of this year for me ! You have two oddballs one think he is a psychopath and the other is rebellious Teenager and both of them go out on a journey of disasters ! It has nice sense humor and soundtrack too is nice, mostly composed of music that I probably have listen at least once and never knew the name ! I Though it had Sonic Youth in the middle of that, but It wasn't it was another band ! I do wonder how the next season is gonna be ! some Prison Break stuff maybe ?!

Jessica Jones (Season 2)

A Much weaker season then the previous,but still watchable ! I like seeing Krysten Ritter as Jessica, I Enjoy most of it the only thing I Kinda didn’t like was the whole thing about her Friend being jealousy of her for not having super powers, that diminish so much about that character ! Also the Villain was kinda of OK, Jessica psychopath mother, in comparison to David Tenant in last season ! Tenant appears in one episode in this season as Ghost and Think that was the most enjoyable episode of this season ! This was also the only show that got saved from being Cancelled from netflix, I don’t really know if that good or bad ! 

The Rain (Season 1)

One of the most boring show that I watched in this year, I really don’t know why I watched everything ! Does even anything in this show make any kinda of sense ?! I suppose this was to be something like the walking Dead,but in Denmark, and on the place of zombies there is a Killer Virus mixed in the rain and some incredible boring and stupid people ! and really dull story ! so I don’t Really care about it !

Dennou Coil (26 Episodes)

The Only anime series that I care to finish ! It’s about a bunch of kids that use a glasses to see through some kind of virtual reality, but also it’s about dealing with Grief of dead relatives ! most of the show is this straight forward narrative that get’s kinda of rushed in the end, but the stand out of this show was the one-shot episodes, those are really good, especially the one where they grow beards that are actually a bunch of sentient hair virus thing ! I wish that more of this show was just this type of one shot episodes, I think that the original Idea was kinda like that ! specially when you see the conceptual art for the show !

The Alienist (Season 1)

A Good first season for a show that can get better ! I Really like the concept of this, a Psychologist create a crack team to play Sherlock and find a serial killer, I really like the first episode but everything after that was kinda of average, good performances in general, but most of the other story lines I Couldn’t care less about them, Expect from the main one that was the serial Killer that was killing boy prostitutes in the streets ! pretty big shock of culture that come of that, Like “Really that happen before ?! Damn ! Thank god I don’t Live on that time” 

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (5 or 6 Episodes)

I Think this year I discover that I might really not like anime, I Wanted to watch all of this, but I end up not really caring about it so much the more I watched, and I at some points I barely wanted to continue, I don’t Think that it was bad, I Think it just me ! Maybe was my mood at the time, i stopped after watching 6 or 5 episodes, maybe I Get back at watching this, I still Think that Giant Robots fighting is a pretty awesome concept.

Banana Fish (5 Episodes maybe)

Another one that I just dropped because I just didn’t care about it, I think it begins great but I kinda lost interest in the way, I guess it’s good but just not for me ! So year ago I try to read the manga and the same thing happen !.

Atlanta (Season 1 & 2)

One of the people that I follow keeps saying how good this show is and saw it was on Netflix, so I decide to see if was that good ! and it is ! I Don’t even like hip hop that much, actually I don’t Like Hip Hop Point, but really didn’t think that this show would be of the quality that it is ! So intelligent and funny, Donald Glover is really something else.I watch most of the second season while trying to do a Essay that really didn’t wanna do it , I Think I finish both of them at the same time I guess. I can’t to see the next season, hope they give more episodes to Darius, that is the best, the actor is pretty great to, he was on that Death Note Movie, I guess that there he was really bad !

The Hollow (Season 1)

One day I was browsing in the netflix catalog and find this show, that was just there ! I decide to watch because why not ! I Think I already said what I though about, it’s a really fun show with a terrible ending, It’s about three kids that wake up in a white room and they have to figure out the way out and what is happening, eventually they learn that are inside of a videogame, but you can figure that out way early ! I suppose this did make quite a success for a show that have no advertising what so eve. Also I think this show is just this one season, I don’t see how either this can go further then what it was !  

Preacher (Season 3)

Find Incredible that this show keep getting better and better ! The first season was kinda of Ok, the second was a way better and this one is just even better, I like the way the adapted the angeville arc, Jesse Grandmother was a crazy religious fanatic, but in this series they turn her into a Vodu witch with a phone with a direct line to hell ! also like how they make Jodie and TC more charismatic, in the comics those two are just the worst fucking person to ever walk the earth ! in this one they still complete bastards but still likable ! God this time is not a Yellow buff dude turns red when it get’s angry, But it’s a old man in a Dog costume riding a motorcycle with some tramp ! I mean you kinda have to love the surreal sense of humor of this show ! I Think from everything that happen in this season, the next might be the last one ! I do wonder If gonna see god rip out Jesse eye with his teeth.

Disenchantment (Season 1)

I Though this show was ok, most of the jokes didn’t really landed with me, but still was something nice to pass the time, since I had nothing to do at the time that I watched this ! I Not really the biggest fan of Simpsons and Futurama, but I kinda watch a lot of episodes of this shows, I remember that since we never got a cable TV we watch most of this show on the public channels, at Simpsons will all ways be on a different channel ! or on a different time ! Browsing to channels one day and find that is passing at this one channel at afternoon, the other day It was in another in the evening ! It was kinda crazy ! This show did some kinda of success and got already four seasons ready to be delivered in the following years ! I Think that would happen even if it wasn't successive !

American Vandal (Season 2)

This I have some kinda power over me, because i can’t stop watching, like I watch one episode and I just get so into it that I binge watch almost everything, I don’t really know what it is, well this time they moved from dicks to shit, I don’t really know if that was supposed to be more funny or less, it’s kinda like almost the first season but on a better resolution and a Incredible likable character that is the basket player, there is even a Meta thing about the show being a show in Netflix, is kinda nuts ! anyway still a really solid show, the humor is still not flying with me but the investigation stuff is really what grabs me ! this time the season end with some kinda of moral massage that I totally forgot about, I guess it was about being yourself or some stuff like that !

Maniac (Season 1)

I Just remember the Scene where there is a fat Asian guy playing chess with a pink kaola in a park with no context what so ever ! that enough for me to say that this one the best show of the year ! It’s on me over on the concept of the mind exploration so you end up seeing a lot of crazy stuff that don’t really make sense but they are there anyway ! the show is Cute, it’s about the relationship of this two broken persons and them dealing with their problems, I thing one of the high points of the cinematography that is really interesting, also like the universe they are in, is like a futurist version of 70′s or something is completely crazy, I was watching the first episode trying to figure out what year they are ! also the other high point is Jonah Hill playing the Sweden secret agent in penultimate episode.

Big Mouth (Season 2)

I thing the one of the downsides of this season was not seeing people over reaction to the explicit stuff in this show, this season was even more explicit then the last, I mean some people flip because there was a scene where Jess talk with her vagina in the Mirror, This time they enter in a vagina in that episode of the sexual education lesson, that was the weakest episode of this season by the way !  and there even more gross stuff like that in this. Also this season got more of a story line then just one-off episodes, they introduce a villain to this season, which I kinda like the idea. In Resume I think this season was kinda better then the first.

Castlevania (Season 2)

What everyone wanted a season of castlevania that have more then a hour ! iT have two hours now ! Still amazing as ever, even though the animation was kinda poor on some scene, most when characters are talking at some points the animation become really wonky, but on the fight scenes, whoa ! it’s something else ! Most of the season was focus on the bad guys and Belmont and friends stay kinda on the background for most of the season, I Though that was a really good idea, focus more on the new interesting characters and let the other laid back a little. I also like the whole depressive Dracula thing, give more character them just some megalomaniac bad guy that wants to kill everyone ! the only thing that I wonder is if Warren Ellis is gonna keep writing for this show. I can’t imagine this show having the same quality without his writing !      

Daredevil (Season 3)

I don’t really don’t remember if I watched this show before of after I read the Frank Miller run on Daredevil, I Think it was after that, because while i was watching i was starting to remember the things that I just have read ! specially on the second season, it is kinda a ok adaptation, everyone seem to love this show from all the other marvel netflix super hero shows, I thing it is just kinda of ok. This Season was the fall of Murdock, and kinda have to say that the comic was way better, I really don’t like saying that, because I think the only people that say that are complete idiots that want to pose was intelligent or something ! The High point is the fight scenes, those are really well done ! 

Doctor Who (Season 11)

This was the worst season of this show so far ! No even Kidding, this was really bad, I said one my mega review last year that season 10 was bad, and thinking about it, it wasn't that bad, and the finale wasn’t complete trash, I still don’t like what I don’t like. But this season, damn, we have Jodie Whitaker was the first female Doctor and her first season is a complete mess, everyone though if they got rid of Moffat the show would get better, I don’t see why everyone hate him so much ! he have Up’s and Down’s, But so far Chris Cannibal only have downs ! The main problem is the writing, is so poor ! almost all episodes are either ok or complete garbage, in mine opinion there is only 3 good episodes in this season, the first one, the Rosa parks one and It takes you away ! Cannibal episodes are the worst, the first episode was ok, and then he just got worse and worse, this season Finale was the most boring thing ! I stop caring to whatever was happening in the middle of the episode, Like last time I had something to complain to about the finale, this time I had nothing, because I don’t give a shit !

Whitaker was the Doctor was kinda of ok to me, it seems to me that her acting was really good when they give a Doctor, which are very few ! so most of the time she was saying complete nonsense ! Her characterization of The Doctor was really shallow too, it’s like she was a side character in her on own Show ! it’s Crazy, it’s like they have no Idea what they are doing ! The companions of this season too are possible the worst  too, except Graham ! he is a charismatic old man with a actual character, But the other two, Ryan and Yaz, I could do without them ! Ryan is a Complete Dipshit and Yaz is a complete blank slate ! most of her scenes she just kinda there, listing and them she say something, she never really did something in this entire season ! Why have her them ?! also why they are travelling together ?!  all of this people have no chemistry what so ever, they try to impose that their a friends, but it seems like they are sharing a cap together ! 

The Critics have been saying that this season was the best of the show in years or something, and Jodie is the best Doctor ever, and of courser their going to say that, she is the first female Doctor, they going to fill her ball even if she was complete terrible ! also the notes of for this season in IMDB have been the lowest that I ever seem for the show ! It was complete shit show I Think even care about that I have to wait a entire year to get the next season, I Don’t really give a shit anymore ! if we keep getting this kinda of quality for the next seasons I Don’t stop given a fuck about this show !

But on the hand this season re-woken mine fanaticism for Doctor Who and I saw a Bunch of old Episodes, and I end forgetting about that Park Chan Wook series ! Also two Other series that I wanted to see and end Forgetting was Killing Eve and Sharp Objects, also maybe I should have watched the Sabrina show or maybe not I don’t really know. 

[nivestuff-blog]

Aaron Carter Headlines The Forvm On September Thirteen

Mya and Dmitry Chaplin/Quickstep/Samba - Len called the dance a disappointment because he couldn't find anything to criticize. Bruno found it like champagne, mild and sparkly. Carrie Ann praised the synchronicity. Mya's Samba was set in the 70's and outfitted with fringe. Carrie Ann called it unbelieveable. Len stated she was on hearth and Bruno stated she did an amazing Samba. Rating 29 & 30 for a complete of fifty nine. Tom Bergeron rehashed final night's motion and current judges' standings. And then. the men's component of tonight's DWTS 7 days 1 period nine elimination began: Louie Vito and companion Chelsie Hightower and have a peek here and companion Karina Smirnoff were proclaimed secure to dance again. I'm not really shocked; they're each adorable young thangs, after all.

Karina Smirnoff is usually a enjoyment to watch on the dance floor. There is no denying that she is 1 of the very best professionals in the bunch. However, placing up with the daggers she throws the judges and the viewers when issues don't go her way is just as well much to inquire.

Aaron Carter Wiki

It began, curiously sufficient, when entertainer Donny Osmond's son Don Jr. "tweeted" congratulations to his Dad, noting that "You and Kym [Johnson] are going to win this season. You've got my vote every week! Love ya!" Oops.

Natalie Coughlin and Alec Mazo - How about that costume Natalie was rocking? I'm lovin it! But that include version of "American Lady" she and Alec danced to was absolutely heinous. I believed Natalie and Alec's Paso Doble was superb, but the judges obviously didn't concur. Score: 22. Joanna Krupa and Derek Hough/Quicksteps/Paso Doble - With a standing ovation, loaded with content, Carrie Ann disliked Joanna's ft. Lacking body get in touch with and containing too much running about still left Len non-plussed. Bruno said it wasn't 1 of their best dances. Joanna's Paso Doble was engineered in the long term. Bruno known as it a masterful reinvention of a classic. Carrie Ann called it excellent and completely executed. Len stated Derek was a genius bit of choreography. Rating 23 & 29 for a complete of fifty two.

Aaron Carter Oh Aaron

Tomorrow night's outcomes show will get rid of one more couple before Dancing with the Stars enters the playoffs. The highlighted visitor performer will be Susan Boyle and Michael Buble. Jerry Rice, Kenny Mayne and Stacy Kiebler will appear in the seasonal Dance Center vignette to add some humor to the evening. Eleven celebs remain in the Dancing With the Stars competition, so who will go home throughout 7 days 4? Is there any celeb right on the edge, and who is rising to aaron carter and nick carter the leading after 3 weeks of dances? But what Keara brings to the table is not another fairly face with a good voice - it is, instead, a distinctive combination of musical abilities that are adept far past her many years, matched with a serene, but youthful, vitality that keeps her relatable to audiences of all ages. With an R&B acoustic audio relatively reminiscent of a young female counterpart to Bruno Mars, Keara (or 'guitarprincesskeara' as she's known to her 3000+ subscribers on YouTube) is ready to bring a fresh edge to teen pop songs. I sat down with Keara just a couple of evenings in the past prior to an exceptional overall performance supporting Check This Out at the Live performance For Our Long term in Manville, New Jersey, exactly where she opened up about her dreams and objectives for her promising long term in songs.

Popstar Aaron Carter

Next we listened to from the Dancing with the Stars season 9 professionals about the challenges of breaking the celebs' poor routines. Meh heh. That should be fun. We learned from Lacey Schwimmer that Mark Dacascos talks to himself much too often, and Alec Mazo complained that Natalie Coughlin retains her breath too frequently. What a surprising factor for a swimmer to do! Co-hosts Tom Bergeron and Samantha opened the hour of the initial Dancing with the Stars fall 2009 outcomes show by turning to head judge Len Goodman and requesting the judges' pick for the encore dance. Final evening's shock sleek swan of the ballroom Kelly Osbourne and Louie van Amstel delighted the crowd with their Viennese Waltz once once more. I'm nonetheless so impressed with Kelly. I had, pretty literally, nearly no anticipations for Kelly Osbourne on DWTS period nine. I thought she'd suck and I felt badly for poor Louie. But she's amazing and was incredible however once more tonight.

Aaron Carter Tattoos

DeLay experienced to toss a joke about politics in there, saying that it is "simply outrageous for him to go left." His "Wild Thing" dance was described as "surreal," and his dancing was really better than I thought it would be. He was goofy, and that was likely a fantastic idea to get the voting public to believe of him as a polarizing determine. At least, this season, viewers lastly got a chance to see Kym Johnson in full action. She has moves that she's never experienced the chance to display off in recent cycles. And Joanna Krupa (who)? Let's just say the reason she is still in the leading 5 is simply because of Derek Hough. Anyone who is lucky enough to get him as a companion is going to adhere around for awhile. He is, by much, the best dancer on the display (as well as Mark Ballas). Derek has some of the very best choreography and should truly be a great instructor because he goes a lengthy way on each display.

[riikkamhaynes-blog]

Reading wrap up (Feb, 2019)

I was kinda in a reading slump this month, but it wasn’t too bad. I finished 13 books this month. 

#01 Anatomy of spirit by Caroline Myss

Anatomy of the Spirit is the boldest presentation to date of energy medicine by one of its premier practitioners, internationally acclaimed medical intuitive Caroline Myss, one of the "hottest new voices in the alternative health/spirituality scene" (Publishers Weekly). Based on fifteen years of research into energy medicine, Dr. Myss's work shows how every illness corresponds to a pattern of emotional and psychological stresses, beliefs, and attitudes that have influenced corresponding areas of the human body.

I ended up giving it a two-star rating. It just wasn’t for me. 

#02 You by Caroline Kepness

When a beautiful, aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he Googles the name on her credit card.

There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.

As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.

I was pleasantly surprised by the book. I thought the writing style would be unpleasant to read, but in the end, I ended up liking it. It does baffle me that some people see this as a romance story, whereas it’s actually a horror. The book was not amazing by any means. I am not planning on continuing the series. I would recommend this as an after-reading-slump-read since the writing was smooth and the story structure was fluid. 3/5

#03 Reindeer moon by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas

A fictional account of the life of a Siberian tribe 20,000 years ago, from the author of "Harmless People" and "Warrior Herdsmen". It is both the story of a daily struggle for survival against starvation, cold and violence and an evocation of spiritual journeys and primitive magic. ~Goodreads

I found the Finnish version of this book while digging through my grandmother's stuff. The premise was unlike anything I had ever seen. I have for some time been curious about prehistoric life. 

The book's depiction of life after death left me feeling hopeful. The story has two timelines, one of the main character growing up and one of her as a spirit. I would recommend this for anyone who loves animals and is interested in prehistory.

#04 Chant and be happy by Swami A. C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada

I haven’t the slightest clue why I decided to read this. The book is about the “Hare Krishna” mantra. I am not much of a believer, and the book ended up being a big meh for me. I would recommend it if you are interested in Buddism. 2/5

#05 Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan

There's no ancient evil to defeat or orphan destined for greatness, just unlikely heroes and classic adventure. Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater, are two enterprising rogues who end up running for their lives when they're framed for the murder of the king. Trapped in a conspiracy that goes beyond the overthrow of a tiny kingdom, their only hope is unravelling an ancient mystery before it's too late.

It ended up reading a bit too much as a young adult. I think I would have prefered the story more if it was written as an adult novel. The reading experience was weird. I constantly felt like there was just something off with the story. After finishing it, I realised what it was. This book is what shonen anime would be like in a novel format. It was especially apparent in the way the scenes switched and moved on during the third acts. 

I don’t know how to explain it. I feel like everyone who has watched Naruto would know what I’m talking about. 

The story structure and plot twists weren’t the most surprising, but I didn’t really mind. It was an incredibly easy read. I will continue the series even though technically speaking I think it’s trash. 3/5

#06 The unwanted: A novel by Christiaan Barnard

I don’t really know what to say about the book. It was quite average. The characters were forgettable and the plot wasn’t anything special. I am glad I read it, but it wasn’t anything special. I would recommend it for someone looking to learn about racism in 20th century America. 3/5

#07 War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

In 1914, Joey, a beautiful bay-red foal with a distinctive cross on his nose, is sold to the army and thrust into the midst of the war on the Western Front. With his officer, he charges toward the enemy, witnessing the horror of the battles in France. But even in the desolation of the trenches, Joey's courage touches the soldiers around him and he is able to find warmth and hope. But his heart aches for Albert, the farmer's son he left behind. Will he ever see his true master again?

This book was a childhood favourite of mine, and I read it to see if it would hold up. I still enjoyed it, but it was apparent that it was meant for a younger audience. It took me roughly two hours to finish it. I would recommend it as an easy middle grade read. 4/5

#08 Before they are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie

How do you defend a city surrounded by enemies and riddled with traitors, when your allies can by no means be trusted, and your predecessor vanished without a trace? It’s enough to make a torturer want to run – if he could even walk without a stick – and Inquisitor Glokta needs to find answers before the Gurkish army comes knocking at the gates.

Northmen have spilled over the border of Angland and are spreading fire and death across the frozen country. Crown Prince Ladisla is poised to drive them back and win undying glory. There is only one problem: he commands the worst-armed, worst-trained, worst-led army in the world.

And Bayaz, the First of the Magi, is leading a party of bold adventurers on a mission through the ruins of the past. The most hated woman in the South, most feared man in the North and most selfish boy in the Union make a strange alliance, if only they didn't hate each other so much, potentially deadly ones.

Ancient secrets will be uncovered. Bloody battles will be won and lost. Bitter enemies will be forgiven – but not before they are hanged.

I was quite afraid to reread it since second books in trilogies tend to feel like filler. I was pleasantly surprised. I ended up liking the second book more than the first one. The characters, the dialogue, the writing, I adore everything about Joe Abercrombie’s books. I said I was going to do a review about the trilogy in my previous wrap up. I don’t know if I’ll actually do it since I still can’t really say for sure why I love this trilogy this much. 

I would recommend the First Law trilogy for anyone who feels like GRRMs SOIAF is too big of a commitment and want to read something similar and easier. 5/5

#09 Stones to Abbigale by Onision the onion boi

I posted my Goodreads review of this book. Check it out. 1/5, would recommend for laughs.

#10 Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie

The conclusion to the 'First Law' trilogy is here. Battles will be fought, kings will be made, love will be won and lost and cities will be destroyed. Magic is going to be unleashed, heroes will fall and the First Law will be broken once again. The end may be coming.

I loved it with all my heart. I did go into a small reading slump while reading it since it was so long. 5/5

#11 No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai

Portraying himself as a failure, the protagonist of Osamu Dazai's No Longer Human narrates a seemingly normal life even while he feels himself incapable of understanding human beings. Oba Yozo's attempts to reconcile himself to the world around him begin in early childhood, continue through high school, where he becomes a "clown" to mask his alienation, and eventually lead to a failed suicide attempt as an adult. Without sentimentality, he records the casual cruelties of life and its fleeting moments of human connection and tenderness.

Semi-autobiographical, No Longer Human is the final completed work of one of Japan's most important writers, Osamu Dazai (1909-1948). The novel has come to "echo the sentiments of youth" (Hiroshi Ando, The Mainichi Daily News) from post-war Japan to the postmodern society of technology. Still one of the ten bestselling books in Japan, No Longer Human is a powerful exploration of an individual's alienation from society.

I don’t want to say too much about this book since it is basically a fictitious autobiography of the author. The book left me feeling blue. I didn’t rate it because of the autobiographical nature of the book. 

#12 Room by Emma Donoghue

To five-year-old Jack, Room is the world.

It's where he was born. It's where he and his Ma eat and sleep and play and learn. There are endless wonders that let loose Jack's imagination--the snake under Bed that he constructs out of eggshells, the imaginary world projected through the TV, the cosiness of Wardrobe below Ma's clothes, where she tucks him in safely at night in case Old Nick comes.

The room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it's the prison where she has been held since she was nineteen--for seven years. Through her fierce love for her son, she has created a life for him in that eleven-by-eleven-foot space. But Jack's curiosity is building alongside her own desperation--and she knows that Room cannot contain either much longer.

Told in the poignant and funny voice of Jack, Room is a story of unconquerable love in harrowing circumstances, and of the diamond-hard bond between a mother and her child. It is a shocking, exhilarating, and riveting novel--but always deeply human and always moving.

Although the story is quite dark, the fact that it was written from a child's point of view made it strangely uplifting. The first half of the book was slow, but I think it’s worth struggling through it. 4/5

#13 Ted Bundy: Conversations with a Killer by Stephen G. Michaud and Hugh Aynesworth

Drawn from more than 150 hours of exclusive tape-recorded interviews with Bundy, this collection provides shocking insights into the killer's 11th-hour confessions before his death in a Florida electric chair. A unique, horrifying self-portrait of one of the most savage sex killers in history.

A definite must-read for anyone interested in serial killers and true crime. 5/5

[thebibliomancer]

100 Days of Comics! 045/100: Legends of the Dark Claw #1 (1996)

So today’s pull from the box of mystery brings us... Amalgam.

Oh dear.

Okay so once upon a time, Marvel and DC had a crossover and then the universes were poorly jammed together. No, I’m not talking about JLA/Avengers.

So a bunch of Marvel and DC properties were smooshed together into a new Amalgam Universe. I’ve heard that the majority of the Amalgam titles were Not Very Good and kind of half-assed. I’m not expecting much. Maybe some yuks.

Then again, Dark Claw is what you get if you squish together Wolverine and Batman which seems... like not the natural two choices for characters to be squished together. They mostly only have three things in common: a tendency to mentor the youth (although Bruce usually mentors boys and Wolverine girls), saying they are the best there is at whatever they do, and being incredibly popular.

So yeah. That third point is why they were probably jammed together.

So who else has been jammed together? We have Dark Claw’s young ward Sparrow - Jubilee dressed as Robin. Unclear whether she has her firework powers still.

There’s Huntress - Carol Danvers dressed up as Huntress. Since she lost her powers in the deal, its not really worth it. And I can’t figure out what exactly Carol Danvers contributed to this mix aside from the name.

The Hyena - Joker plus Sabretooth WHICH SEEMS LIKE A TERRIBLE IDEA.

So with all of that established, what kind of plot do you get by mashing up Wolverine and Batman?

Mostly a batman plot with references to mutant healing factors, adamantium, and two of Wolverine’s supporting cast dressed as Batman’s supporting cast.

We start off with Dark Claw attacking Hyena at the Gotham Gazette printing plant, having deciphered his fiendish riddle of “black and white and red all over.”

... Is Hyena part shitty Riddler in addition to Joker Sabretooth?

Anyway, they tussle for a while and Dark Claw threatens to slit Hyena’s throat but Hyena’s gang shows up and uses bullets until Dark Claw has to run away to his Claw Copter. As piloted by Sparrow. Who remarks that she would have preferred to be called Death Urge Overdrive instead. Which leads me to believe that Sparrow is Robin + Jubilee + Negasonic Teenage Warhead DESPITE THE DATES NOT MAKING ANY SENSE FOR THAT.

Also, Hyena throws Frolic Frags at Dark Claw but they just make normal grenade noises. That is a missed opportunity. They should have made laugh splode noises like the Green Goblin’s pumpkin bombs in Spectacular Spider-Man.

But I digress and digress and digress.

“Meanwhile, in the artsy-trendy section of Gotham” Huntress Carol Danvers in name only breaks into the swank penthouse of one Logan “techno-wizard, painter, sportsman and walking enigma.”

Yup. Instead of using the guise of an idle playboy, Logan does... a bunch of stuff sounds like. But he’s most famous for his distinctive art style “said by some critics to ‘possess the fury of feral slashes.’“

LOGAN YOU ARE BAD AT SECRET IDENTITY.

Honestly, most of the paintings we see look like he just paints slashes on top of amorphous blobs.

Huntress finds a bunch of photos that don’t jive with Logan’s public records - including a picture of him in the RCAF with Creed H. Quinn, alias Hyena.

And then she opens his closet and finds a bunch of Dark Claw outfits. YOU ARE BAD AT SECRET IDENTITY LOGAN.

There is no reason for them to be in this closet. Its revealed in just a couple pages that there’s a pneumatic tube down to the claw cave (actually called the Barrow, meh) behind a secret panel in the closet so why not have your costumes down there instead?

Well, so because Huntress can discover his identity.

Dark Claw pops out of the secret panel and demands to know what she’s up to. She explains she wasn’t after Dark Claw. She was investigating Logan’s ties to Hyena.

So Dark Claw decides to explain his whole backstory. And since he’s Batman + Wolverine, its twice as tragic. When he was five, his parents were killed in front of him by an armed robber. He was sent to live with his mountie uncle in Alberta who was then killed by some poachers. Then he was sent to an orphanage. And then as soon as he was old enough he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. That’s where he met Creed.

Him, Creed, and four others were chosen for a secret Canadian project to create remorseless killing machines devoid of all human compassion. Because Amalgam Canada is still a terrifying hellhole.

The project succeeded too well with Creed. Because the researchers forgot that the best thing about unliving weapons is that they are usually inert weapons that don’t get up and start doing harm by themselves.

Logan was a failure. BECAUSE HE HAD A CONSCIENCE.

Geez, Dark Claw has swung a huge 180 from saying he couldn’t let Carol walk out knowing what she knows to telling her everything she didn’t already know.

I’m also kind of confused what Dark Claw’s motivation is. Batman, of course, is motivated by MY PARENTS ARE DEEEEEEEEEEEEEAD. I guess he leans more towards Wolverine’s motivation. Or he just really hates Creed.

Anyway, Sparrow is outraged that Dark Claw let Huntress into the Claw Cave.

Sparrow: “This is totally uncool and unacceptable!! We can’t let her walk out of here knowing about all this--!!”

Dark Claw: “What do you want me to do, Sparrow--? Take her out in the woods and lose her?”

Sparrow: “Well--YEAH!!”

Heh.

And then Sparrow completely forgets about murdering Huntress when Dark Claw praises her for hacking into the typesetting computer at the Gotham Gazette and gives her an affectionate and painful looking punch in the arm. She seems thrilled.

They discover that shitty Riddler Hyena changed the morning’s headline to “AF1+NaCN=”

THE HYENA IS GOING TO POISON AIR FORCE ONE WITH SODIUM CYANIDE!

They take the Claw Copter and reach Air Force 1 just as its about to take off and Sparrow tells “the slut” to take her shot with the sniper crossbow grapple.

Because one of Jubilee’s prevailing traits at the time was a hatred for all other women, I guess? She definitely did not like Psylocke. Both out of ‘she tried to ninja murder us’ and ‘she has a much better butt than I do’ sort of thing.

Speaking of the portrayal of women in this comic, I don’t think we see either of the two female characters ever standing flat on their feet. They are always tippie toe. I hate 90s art with all of my hate.

Anyway, I digress and digress and digress, Dark Claw swings over to Air Force 1 and climbs into the wheel well. He SCHRIIP!s his way into the cockpit with his adamantium claws and tries to warn them about Hyena.

Hey, how do you think the secret service would react if an unidentified aircraft buzzed Air Force 1 as it tried to take off and then a man armed with very long claws that somehow retract into his arms seriously how do they do that ripped his way into the cockpit?

Did you guess 'they’d shoot him a lot’ in the less than one second you had between reading the end of that paragraph and starting this one? Because if so, you win the prize!

Meanwhile, Agent Sanderson is checking the potty for other interlopers and gets shot a lot by Hyena who tells the dead agent “This is no way to get a head, lad! This would probably put your career in the toilet -- that is, if you weren’t already dead!!”

Because the last thing someone wants to hear before dying of being shot a lot is shitty puns.

BADUM PISH!

Hyena sets off the shaped-like-a-masked-dog-head gas grenade filling the plane with sodium cyanide but Dark Claw adamantiums the hull open.

The explosive decompression blows them both out but also vents the gas. PRESIDENT CLINTON IS SAVED!

Because that’s totally Clinton.

Hyena has a parachute and gracefully parachutes to safety but luckily Sparrow is hanging nearby in the Claw Copter and manages to catch Dark Claw.

He thanks Sparrow and tells her to circle back so he can get another crack at the Hyena! Except the next issue box implies next issue we find who Huntress is really working for.

Although I think this was just a one-shot masquerading as the first issue for an ongoing series. Kudos to them for sticking with the illusion. They even have a bunch of fake letters in the letter section alluding to previous comics that don’t actually exist.

Implying that Amalgam didn’t only merge the main DC and Marvel continuities but their respective metatextual Earth Prime counterparts where the comics are published? Although in Marvel, that is in the main Marvel continuity. Marvel comics were even used as evidence in trials in the Marvel universe. Man, She-Hulk is great.

Geez, one of these fake letters even complains about the collector boom and big events and crossovers and metallic covers with die-cuts and holograms and thanks the creative staff for this book for writing a story for people who actually read it.

One goof though. If this is the first issue of the Legends of the Dark Claw book, where did these letters come from? Usually new books don’t get letters until the third or so issue, I think. Although I guess they were letters that were written to Sleuth Comics where Dark Claw got his start.

Amalgam! It put more effort into looking like a real ongoing than it did with the actual content sometimes!

[putschki1969]

Translation of Kalafina’s appearance on the radio show 「Takeshi Washizaki’s YORU NIGHT×YORU NIGHT」

I thought I’d provide a rough summary [scratch that. This thing turned out longer than expected >_>] for yesterday’s radio appearance. This is dedicated to @sangaella who was kind enough to capture the whole thing. In case you haven’t seen the link she provided, go HERE (inactive)!! The interview can also be downloaded HERE on my google drive + the extra few minutes that were only available for subscribers of the channel (slightly better quality)!!

Disclaimer: Take this with a grain of salt. My Japanese listening comprehension SUCKS. T_T I tried my best though. And I might come back to this post and edit things later when I am not so tired >_<

Translation starts behind the cut! Enjoy ^_^

They start with their usual introduction and then they are saying it’s been a long time since they have last been on the show. Washizaki-san is sorry that it took so long and he also apologises for the late hour. The girls say it’s all right because he is always super hyper and they are having loads of fun. They also mention that he likes to play on his guitar which is quite entertaining. He asks if Wakana wants to try and Wakana is all like, “yeah, sure, I wanna try”. He adds whether she would sing too, Wakana is up for it. Washizaki goes on to ask if they would sing in an izakaya (= Japanese pub) and Hikaru is all like, “nope, we don’t sing there” *in a monotone voice* Washizaki is thrown back by her cold reply and Keiko explains that Hikaru is now a grown-up, she doesn’t do stuff like that anymore.

Then Hikaru goes on to bluntly ask Washizaki to sing some of Kalafina’s songs for them but they all end up agreeing that he would probably suck since he can hardly produce a three-vocal harmony . They start talking about their upcoming Live Tour and apparently some of the ticket sale for the Tokyo venue will be conducted by “Cultural Broadcasting = the channel they are on” [or something like that o.O] The girls are like, “YAY, that’s great!!!” Seems like they didn’t expect that, they are quite surprised.

Washizaki explains the details regarding the Tokyo concerts at Tokyo International Forum and on how to get the tickets. The girls are laughing at how he is saying the number for the ticket application because he is doing it all seriously like he is some sort of voice actor or something. They love his voice though. And YAY, the application period is officially starting for their listeners! Everyone should be calling since it’s first come first serve. Next up they talk about their 「9+ONE」 tour in detail. How it is a “hall” tour and how they will perform in many different areas (read out by Keiko). Washizaki seems quite surprised by the last venue [probably because it would make sense to finish a tour in Tokyo] and asks Keiko to repeat it, it’s the concert hall in Fukuoka. Wakana explains they chose it as their final stop because that’s where she grew up, she wasn’t born there but she spent her childhood and youth there. Washizaki wants to know if that’s their first live in Fukuoka, “it surely isn’t, right?” Wakana replies, “no, it’s not our first time there”. Washizaki then wonders if Wakana’s childhood friends come to see her whenever she performs in her hometown and yup, they all come and cheer her on, every time. They are incredibly happy to see her perform. Keiko is imitating her friends’ reactions by being all like, “ahhhhaahha” and she says it’s great when the audience is this lively. Washizaki mentions the Coming of Age Day celebrations in Fukuoka, apparently they are a bit special there and it’s become quite popular (they are even in the news).I guess the outfits, hair and accessoires are a bit more flashy than usual or something. Washizaki wants to know what Wakana wore for her ceremony. Her ceremony and outfit were completely normal though, nothing out of the ordinary. Keiko is like, “That’s because Waka-chan is so innocent!” However, seems like people told her her hairpiece looked like seaweed. Awwww... Keiko thinks Wakana is too cute.

Washizaki wants to know if Wakana was a “bad girl” in her student days. Wakana is quite shocked by the assumption, “Do I look like I had a bad image???!!” Washizaki has to admit that, no, she really doesn’t look like it. Wakana is trying her best gangster/yakuza imitation, “horahh, horahh!!” LOL But no, she was a totally normal student that liked to hang out with her friends. And they were all members of the art club. Washizaki asks the other two what kind of students they used to be. Hikaru took her studies very seriously and she was the type to be elected as class representative. But she didn’t stand out at all, she always wanted to be as inconspicuous as possible. As for Keiko, she always stuck to her older sister and she would do everything she did (which was mostly sports). She spent her student days playing soccer and tennis. Washizaki asks if Keiko was a class representative as well and Keiko replies in husky voice, “no, I wasn’t.” Washizaki is like, “oh, such a sexy voice!” Keiko says that at this time of the night her voice tends to become quite husky and she likes to talk in a lower voice to give her throat some rest (because they have been singing a lot). Washizaki keeps saying that it is quite sexy and I guess he starts to flirt a bit with Keiko (who is quite embarrassed).

Wakana comes to the rescue and cock-blocks him, “Topic change, next topic!!!” => Next up is the meaning of their tour name, 「9+ONE」. They go on to explain that it is because this year is their 9th year and they wanna dedicate this year to work towards their 10th anniversary. They would like to create this tour together with all their fans, they wanna make it special. Washizaki talks about some ideas and how it would be great if they did some roller skating on stage. The girls are totally up for it and wanna try XD Keiko in particular

Wakana thinks that she might not be able to, she will probably be super shaky. Then she goes on to explain what they mean by creating the tour together with the fans. Seems like they will include a lot of the wishes that fans wrote in their questionnaires (the ones that are always handed out during lives). They will also consider some other input like the wishes that are mentioned on their blog or in the emails they receive on their radio show. They collect everything. Washizaki goes on to say something about a “lounge voice” and Wakana mutters something but meh, no idea what’s that supposed to mean. Next topic is their Arena Live Bluray that was recently released. Hikaru says that they tried a lot of new things for that concert. Washizaki then asks if there is anything they notice when they watch super old recordings of themselves, if there is any change. Keiko jokingly replies, “Our faces were so round!!”

Washizaki is like, “What? Round faces!!! Kalafina dango-siblings!!”  Keiko, “Yup, we were dumplings!!” Next up is a break where they are playing “blaze”. After their break we return to see Keiko leaning close to Wakana. Wakana is Kalafina’s official heater because she always radiates a lot of warmth and her temperature is always high. [Note that this part is NOT in the youtube video, they probably forgot about it] Another break where some girls read out some emails or something. Then we return to Kalafina and Washizaki playing the guitar.  

They are having their own little party XD Washizaki then reads out an email by someone who attented Kalafina’s anniversary live at the Shibuya O-EAST and they mention something that Keiko wrote in her recent blog post. About live houses being amazing because you don’t just see the audience, you are literally locking eyes with each and every person. The person then continues to say that they also perform a lot in arenas and halls and whether or not live houses are very different to those venues. And yup, Wakana says that concerts at live houses are much more intimate, it’s almost like their situation right now, sitting in a booth across from each other. In halls on the other hand, their lives have a further reach. Wakana goes on with some weird train station metaphor, I don’t really understand it. The others seem to find it weird as well. Her point is though, that their hall lives can reach more people. Washizaki wants to know if live houses are more fun and Hikaru says that all venues have their perks but at the live house there’s always this awareness of each other. Everyone’s eyes can meet. Another question for them (from another mail). Is there any private challenge they wanna tackle?

LOL at Wakana’s thinking face....For Keiko it’s trying out new kinds of training. Every year, she will change her work out and focus on different parts of her body. She will also get another trainer at the gym. It’s important for the body not to get used to the training. Washizaki wonders if there is any part of Keiko’s body left that still needs training. Washizaki then asks about oily food and Keiko outright shouts at him that she doesn’t eat oily food, “NAI/NO, I don’t!!!” She doesn’t like it. However, as we all know, she loves candy. I think Washizaki then asks about Keiko being chubby. Not sure if he asks if she used to be chubby or if she tends to be chubby or something else. Something along these lines. Anyways, she once again replies with, “NAI/NOPE” [her “nai” is so cute] Washizaki says something about her dango-past when her face was still round but Keiko clarifies that aside from her round face, she wasn’t particularly chubby. [I think... I am not too sure about this part, my listening comprehension sucks] Washizaki wants to know if they are active together and if they sometimes go for runs together. Both Keiko and Wakana reply with a clear, “NAI/NO!” Wakana’s body is just too weak for these kinds of activities and Hikaru is only active on stage XD Typical Kalafina style! Keiko =>”That’s Kalafina for you!!”

Hikaru wants to watch more anime. DUH :P She talks about some anime called Yowamushi Pedal. She is very passionate about it and she has been very invested ever since she watched the first episode. Apparently it makes her cry a lot. As for Wakana, she wants to try diving. To avoid misunderstandings she clarifies, “...in the sea. The sea!!” Keiko is like, “Eh? I can’t imagine Wa-chan doing that!” Apparently Wakana has a lot of trouble with her ears when she is in the water, she can’t get her ears clear or something. She will have to work on that if she wants to go diving. She really wants to go. Why? Because she wants to see some sharks of course! She wants to swim with them. Her older brother lives in Australia and apparently there’s a place near his home where a lot of sharks and crocodiles come out regularly. Swimming is obviously not allowed in that area but still, Wakana wants to go there! She would like to continue talking but Keiko gently makes her aware that she has talked enough about sharks XD

Keiko is like, “she always does this. She always strays from the topic and keeps on blabbering away.” Next question is whether or not they watch their own live footage. And yes, of course they do. Usually each of them will watch it immediately afterwards, on the day after the concert. They get special footage for that. Washizaki asks if they ever do live commentaries on their Blurays. The girls say no, they don’t and they are not even sure what that is supposed to be. Washizaki goes on to explain and they seem quite intrigued by this idea. The more they talk about it the more they are into it [PLEASE DO IT!] A last message to their listeners since their time is over. Mostly info about their upcoming live tour and their single.

Now we get to the extra part that was reserved for subscribers only. They are back!! BANZAI!! Party!!! High FIVE!!

They talk about alcohol and how Wakana has recently started to drink white wine. Usually she is more into red wine (which she would drink with her meat and so on) but she thought she would try some white wine for a change. She is trying different kinds right now. Hikaru only drinks Japanese wine. Washizaki is having some wild ideas of Hikaru sitting in Japanese pubs and drinking sake. He is going on and on about being drunk and such and riding a bike. As for Keiko, she says she doesn’t really drink alcohol. During all of this Washizaki managed to fall under the desk. I guess he was laughing too much due to his crazy story about getting drunk. Keiko comments that at such a late hour, something like this probably can’t be helped. She then goes on to explain that she will sometimes have teeny tiny bits of sake with her meal but that’s about it. She can’t deal with too much alcohol. Washizaki wants to know how Wakana and Hikaru act like when they are drunk. Keiko says they are completely normal, they don’t act overly drunk and they don’t walk wobbly or anything. She believes it’s because they grew up in Fukuoka and Toyama respectively (they are hardened countryside people). Wakana is just more talkative and Hikaru doesn’t change at all. She has never thrown up or had diarrhea due to drinking (it’s funny how she sugarcoats this by using an euphemism :P she says “kirakira” and Washizaki is like, “what?” and then she has to explain what she meant). Anyways, she says that her behaviour doesn’t change at all when she is drunk. And she will usually only drink when she has eaten a lot. Wakana can drink a lot, she is quite strong in that regard, she is saying something about having bear blood o.O She got that from her mother. She can drink a whole bottle of wine all by herself. And she gets very cheerful when she is drunk. Washizaki says he usually drinks by himself and he doesn’t really go outside, he is a hikikomori. Keiko is like, “Ah, Hikaru is one as well!!”  Not sure what they are talking about next, it’s more about Washizaki so meh... For some reason, Wakana is posing and calling it a “narcissist-pose”

Keiko and Hikaru are very amused. Suddenly Wakana and Washizaki start singing, no idea what they are singing but I am sure it’s just some reference I am not getting. Now Keiko and Hikaru seem to be embarrassed. Keiko says jokingly “Let’s go home NOW!” Wakana is having fun though. Another question by Washizaki. Do they ever harmonise in private? If I understand correctly, Keiko is talking about their wrap parties and other official events and how they used to have certain difficulties growing accustomed to that atmosphere. She thinks it’s easier for solo artists because they just go around and accept all the well-wishes and congratulations. But for some reason they never knew what to do, what to say, who should do or say something first etc....but ever since their 7th year, they seem to have become used to it or at least, they are trying really hard. [Not sure if I am understanding this whole part correctly o.O] Washizaki is like “YAY, great job for putting so much effort into it for the past two years!” They shortly talk about some other artists like Angela’s Atsuko. And then of course they also mention their live with LiSA. YAY two-man live with Ri-chan!  Everyone is waving at Ri-chan! Some talk about May’n as well. Washizaki hopes they will be all right at Lisani in the waiting area/lobby (due to their difficulties they mentioned previously). He offers some advice on how they should introduce themselves and such. And then it’s pretty much over...

[13thfloornz]

The 13th Floor’s Kate Powell spent her Sunday night with Friday Jams at Auckland’s Spark Arena. Photographer Reuben Raj provides the visuals…

Philosophers suggest that nostalgia has coincided with revolution, because during a time of tumultuous change we like to cling to a never-changing past. The soft warm glow that comes with nostalgia gives us a sense of psychological well-being; it soothes our existential fears and quashes our loneliness with shared familiarity.

Sound familiar?

In a world characterised by socio-political uncertainity for an entire generation, the digital revolution is ideally suited to share and trigger nostalgia. Google and various “share” buttons have given us countless ways to revisit the old.

As a result, nostalgia has become a cash cow on an unprecedented level. Within popular culture, the past is being upheld culturally more than the present. Going to a #throwback club night in brand new 90s fashion has become a normal weekend activity. Expressing strong opinions about your favourite childhood film getting a reboot has become a regular brunch conversation. (Jks, we’re too poor for brunch).

ZM jumped onto the nostalgia bandwagon a little under a year ago with its Friday Night Jams segement which paid tribute to R&B artists. It quickly gained a dedicated following which resulted in the Friday Night Jams show, paradoxically on a Sunday at Spark Arena last night.

Featuring Christina Milian, Mario, Kelis, Ne-Yo, Craig David and Sean Paul, it delivered on the promise that it was New Zealand’s biggest R n’ B party on the strength of its names alone. It was the first time to our shores for many of these artists, which only increased the hype among its multi-generational audience.

The new millenium heralded a new era for R&B and there were numerous shifts and developments within the genre during the early to mid 2000s. Sandwiched between the hip-hop and soul infused sound of the 90s and the electronic, heavily produced sound that was popular at the time, ‘aughties’ R&B intertwined sultry sensuality with a playful, collaborative spirit. R&B style permeated mainstream fashion, sports and television, making it a true cultural force of its era. Also, given that it exploded during the rise of the internet and increased sharability, it makes complete sense that for many millenials, it represents the soundtrack to their youth.

Perhaps its nostalgia at work, but at the time, R&B wasn’t my jam. I was far more interested in the garage-rock revival, 80s indie-rock and other generic artsy kid genres and on a deep level that is the music that reminds me of being 16. But neurologists say that because pop music plays so often in the background of our day to day lives whether we select it or not, it has the ability to inadvertently invoke powerful memories. Socials, balls, lunchtimes, first loves and losses, the time your school bullies cornered you in the common room, the first post-high school roadtrip, University parties. They are powerful memories, and I can guarantee if you cast your mind back you’ll subconciously get a song playing in your head.

Bearing this all in mind, it was still a massive trip to walk into Spark Arena to the sight of thousands of people throwing their hands up in the air to Fatman Scoop performing his perpetual banger

Put Your Hands Up. I hadn’t heard it since a very early morning visit to Wellington’s Good Luck bar back in 2012. It put an immediate grin on my face. Scoop was our MC for the evening and he did a spectacular job. His boundless energy was infectious and he was a joy to watch.

Unfortunately I was only able to catch Ne-Yo, Craig David and Sean Paul, and they proved a mixed bag.

With his star power and unquestionable singing ability, Ne-Yo was a clear highlight. Bringing his live band, the Las Vegas singer-songwriter-actor-producer had his entire CV flash up onscreen before appearing onstage to rapterous applause.

Opener So Sick set the tone as he swaggered across the stage pausing every so often to pop and lock (classic aughties) and at one point flashing his abs, which he wiped down with a towel before throwing it into the audience. He knew what the people wanted and was more than happy to oblige. An audience member reciprocated the gesture, throwing a protein bar at him, suggesting that the crowd was hungry for more. Ne-Yo was just getting started.

He commanded the stage with talent and charisma with a career-spanning set. Slow-jam Mad saw him undo one button to a chorus of shrieks, while he showed off his songwriting chops with Beyonce’s Irreplaceable. He then invited two ladies from the audience to dance with him to his new single Push Back, a reggae inspired number that saw both audience members enthusiastically grinding on him. The opening bars of Closer had everyone snapchatting their friends. The energetic performance peaked with plumes of dry ice erupting with the crescendo and he rounded his set off  with Time of Our Lives before tossing his hat into the audience.

Craig David and TS5 were up next. Although starting off life as a DJ some 20 years ago, he found international stardom with his albums Slicker Than Your Average and Born To Do It. TS5 began in David’s Miami home where hosts and DJs weekly parties. These eventually found a following and he now travels the world replicating the house party atmosphere. With just his onstage mixing setup for company, David opened with Re-Wind (The Crowd Say Bo-Selecta). Mixing samples of R&B, Rap, Trap and Electronica, David sang his own material over them and the result was not good. It may have been about “flexing some tunes and putting a new spin on them” but it felt incredibly disjointed. Case in point was when he reworked his classic I’m Walking Away over the instrumentals of Still D.R.E. Seperately, these are great songs, but to force them together just sounds uncomfortable. The beats didn’t  match up, not to mention the awkward coupling of David’s honeyed vocal style with a G-Funk classic. I truly expected better from someone who touts himself as a world class DJ. The attempt to merge Seven Days with Justin Beiber’s Where R U Now was especially tragic. Dressed in a hoodie, what looked like Activewear leggings, and sneakers, David gave the impression that he was about to host a particularly aggressive spin class. It was a real shame, because his vocals were fantastic and he was a gracious performer.

Finally headliner Sean Paul took to the stage. Despite having a host of features in famous songs, his own discography and a live show that consisted of impressive back up dancers, a keytar and energy, the audience still felt “meh.” Which is unfortunate given his legacy as a Dancehall pop pioneer, bringing it into the western mainstream with his single Get Busy in 2003.

As he sang Sia’s Cheap Thrills the crowd seemed confused, which was only amplified by a cover of Ed Sheeran’s Shape Of You. Get Busy and Like Glue saw them perk up for a moment at least. Sean Paul and his backup dancers clad in reggae colours were giving it their all and it was sad to watch the crowd be so unresponsive. Bringing out fellow Jamacian artist Chi Ching Ching for Crick Neck and Rock Da World did little to invigorate the audiences rapidly lagging energy after a long night. Sean Paul seemed to recognize this, and with a quick thank you, he was gone.

A hit and miss night of nostalgic audience memory mixing somewhat awkwardly with performers trying to live in the now.

Kate Powell

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Reuben Raj:

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          Friday Jams ft: Christina Milian, Mario, Kelis, Ne-Yo, Craig David and Sean Paul – Spark Arena October 22, 2017 The 13th Floor's Kate Powell spent her Sunday night with Friday Jams at Auckland's Spark Arena. Photographer Reuben Raj provides the visuals...