#anyways i wonder how much of this will be proven wrong by the 1st season's end

[eulaties]

marionetta: first impressions

as you can tell, i veryy much love marionetta so far and i am super excited to see where the story will go in terms of conflict + character development! so below, i will be theorizing about the connections between anthonn and the ah’kon people, as well as julia’s overarching role in the story. please bear with me bc this'll be pretty rambly ^^;; and because everything is subject to being proven horribly wrong by canon, please also take everything with a grain of salt!

edit (1/4/23): ok so apparently the Hot Guy isn’t anthonn. unless....he’s just lying and he actually IS anthonn.........../hj

jokes aside i have no idea whether this entire post was immediately proven wrong by ep. 4 or not so. i’ll just leave this here in the very slim chance that my crack theory is right...or, if anthonn’s identity is finally revealed and i am proven horribly, horribly wrong, i’ll still leave this up but make another edit.

in either case—happy reading! i am truly excited to see where this story’s mystery will take us ✨

edit 2 (1/10/23): ok yeah i was proven horribly wrong lol but also i would die for tonnie

1. anthonn & the ah’kon people

firstly, with all the emphasis the narrative places on the ah'kon people within just the first 2 episodes, i think it’s clear that—with the whole three eyes thing, and the fact that they look pretty similar—anthonn is related to them in some way. maybe they’re kin, or maybe they only have a shared identity. either way, they are connected.

another interesting thing to note is the way that kalgratti citizens speak about the ah’kon:

a) episode 1 ➜ the scene on the bus

b) episode 2 ➜ julia’s conversation w/ her father

J: “No way am I sitting there! Can’t you see who’s sitting next to it?!”

K: “Oh, right. That man is one of those Ah’kon people. Do you think it’s true that under that badge they have...?”

J: ...“Stay behind me. It’s dangerous letting this guy travel with normal people...Don’t make eye contact with him, Kamille.”

Afterwards, the people on the bus excitedly talk about going to the circus.

J: ..."But the new uniform orders just came in! The rest of us will have to do twice as much work! You're all just slackers!”

c) episode 3 ➜ the scene after julia wakes up from the dead

F: “We have to return some Three Eyes to the Aspett Research Center.”

J: “Yes, I saw one on the bus yesterday. Why are they letting them walk around like that?”

F: “I don’t know, but don’t even think about talking to them...They’re superstitious people.”

After this, Julia tells him that she went to the circus last night.

F: “To the circus? What for? Only slackers go there!”

these three scenes give away a LOT of information:

J: “Yes, that’s it! Are you trying to drive me crazy?! I’ll report you all!”

D: “Hey...”

J: “You use cheap tricks to poison the minds of Kalgratti citizens! You’re a bunch of—” [censored by the speech bubble]

D: “Calm down, young lady...”

julia, as a character, is very restrained in that she is pretty conservative with her lifestyle and perspective of the world (ofc i don’t mean “conservative” in the political way, i just mean that she’s more traditional compared to someone like kamille, who is naturally free-spirited and inclined to adventure). this is mostly seen in episode 1, where she acts grumpy all throughout the trip to the circus, and consistently wishes that she was anywhere but there. she also doesn’t hesitate to say “i’ll report you!” whenever she gets angry at other people (namely, the circus troupe).

this characterization makes a lot of sense when we consider that julia’s father seems to be a decently ranked official in the village. he looks like he may work for the law enforcement, given his uniform and how he says, “we have to return some three eyes.”

the fact that the three eyes, or ah’kon people, are regularly sent to research centers signals that not everything is as innocent as it seems. it’s almost as if kalgratti citizens generally accept that ah’kon people are all “crazy” subjects that need to be studied by researchers. this dehumanization is similar to what we saw in hooky, though it seems to be more covert; not as outwardly violent as burning someone at the stake, and yet just as harmful. this silent persecution may be one of the driving conflicts of the story.

2. julia’s identity & narrative role?

from the scenes outlined above, i believe it is also pretty obvious that julia parrots a lot of the rhetoric that her father says. from thinking that the circus is just for slackers to wholeheartedly believing that the ah’kon people are freaks, she doesn’t seem to have an identity for herself. even her steadfast work ethic and “stick-in-the-mud” attitude is largely due to her upbringing. this means that the way julia perceives the world is very much molded by her father; she believes she leads a respectable, normal life, while in actuality she lives according to convention and doesn’t question societal norms.

and here is where the circus comes into the picture.

everything that she has ever known is suddenly turned upside down by the contract that she hastily signs (and doesn’t even bother to read the fine print of). anthonn’s wandering troupe presumably gives the unfairly deceased a second chance of living, at the cost of shedding their former identities, so when julia is simultaneously killed by the circus that is so very diametrically opposed to who she is at that moment, it’s ironic! because she’s also given a second chance through the circus—only that, rather than shedding her former identity, she must pay her dues through murder.

regardless, it seems that when she does commit the murder months later, her former identity is already long gone.

and there is certainly a lot to unpack here about her chosen (or assigned?) circus costume.

as preface: miriam bonastre tur is an artist from spain, so i think it is reasonable to assume that she’ll be incorporating spanish and/or latin american cultural influences into marionetta. therefore...

julia’s mushroom hat & makeup: mushrooms in spanish and latin american folktales have strong connections to spirituality and are highly respected in traditional shamanic culture. this is super interesting when we consider the context of the circus in marionetta...

“Shamanism is a system of religious practice. Historically, it is often associated with Indigenous and tribal societies, and involves belief that shamans, with a connection to the otherworld, have the power to heal the sick, communicate with spirits, and escort souls of the dead to the afterlife.”

julia’s mismatched tights: they may be a visual representation of going against what is perceived as “normal,” and breaking free from strict conventions. perhaps by being in the circus, julia will gradually unlearn her own subconscious prejudices. this ideological change would then set up conflict with her father later on in the story.

julia’s braids: instead of wearing her hair in only one braid, like what was seen at the beginning of the story, she now wears her hair in two braids. this parting of her single, unified braid visually parallels a fork in the road; in turn, this may imply that she will come to make a crucial decision (i.e., to kill or not to kill anthonn). maybe she won’t choose either of the paths laid out for her. maybe she’ll create a new path for herself...and maybe that'll involve her trying to escape the contract.

3. miscellaneous wonderings

is there narrative significance to having julia (& everything she represents, especially in relation to the ah'kon people) “kill” anthonn?

in a society where ah'kon people face covert persecution, was founding the circus troupe anthonn’s way of surviving?

who wrote the contract? who “chose” julia to kill anthonn? alternatively, are there more people in the circus tasked to kill him?

[arcaneranger]

Final Thoughts - 2019 Long Shows

Dear Lord. This is where all the good shows went.

2019 was absolutely awful on a season-by-season basis (except for Summer, anyway), but that’s mostly because most of the best shows ran longer than what has become the industry norm of a single season. And indeed, heading into the new decade, we seem to be seeing a major renaissance for two- or split-cour shows, given the massive success seen by shows like My Hero Academia, Food Wars, and Haikyuu!!..particularly in comparison to the new perpetual-runners Black Clover (which, despite running for over two straight years now, is still not the most popular show of Fall 2017 by viewer count on MAL, and sits at a ‘meh’ 7.2), and even worse, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, which is faring even worse on both counts even though it premiered two whole seasons earlier and the fact that it is the sequel to Naruto.

As a reminder of my rules, the shows on this list may or may not have premiered in 2019, but they finished airing this year. The split-cour rule (stating that I judge any show that “finishes” and then premieres a “new season” within six months) didn’t come into play for any 2018 shows, but it will for Ascendance of a Bookworm and Food Wars this year, at the very least.

With that being said! 25 shows running longer than thirteen episodes finished airing this year after being simulcast, and of those…

I skipped 6:

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part V: Golden Wind, Fairy Tail Final Series, A Certain Magical Index III, Ace Attorney Season 2 and Cardfight Vanguard (2018) because I either dropped or have not finished their previous (also long-running) seasons.

Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINS because the simulcast started late and also it was bad.

I Dropped 8:

Worst Long Show of 2019: The Rising of the Shield Hero

It’s always fun to see that a show you hated from its first episode only gets more and more distasteful afterwards, but it’s less fun when a service you have to promote because they’re the legal option is forced to shove it down your throat because they had a hand in making it and it became a massive hit that your friends don’t see any issue with because the author wrote a story that justifies its hero’s patronage of the slave industry. This is my punishment for watching the whole first season of The Asterisk War before I knew better.

YU-NO: A girl who chants love at the bound of this world

A confusing mess from the word go, this ill-fated adaptation of a visual novel from the nineties seems like it was mostly made to cash in on the popularity of the Science Adventure series, but failed to present itself in a way that made an ounce of sense or looked remotely interesting.

Fairy Gone

Am I really the only one that saw potential here? I mean yes, it ended up a boring slog that didn’t care to move its plot in a meaningful direction, but the first episode was at least cool. I guess Izetta: The Last Witch should have taught me better.

We Never Learn

I know that I’m in the minority in terms of the male demographic for shows like this, but honestly, how are bland harem shows still this easy to market? A copy-pasted protagonist with copy-pasted waifus drag down what could be an interesting setup for a story. 

Karakuri Circus

The first episode of this one had me excited, the second and third left me bored to tears and wondering if it would continue to look uglier by the minute. I haven’t seen a three-cour show look this janky since Knight in the Area.

Radiant

Having heard good things about this show from my cohorts, I do feel bad for saying I’ll probably never return to Radiant, but when you have a show that’s notably written by a European author...and it turns out to be a frustratingly standard shounen affair with middling production values, well, you can see my earlier annoyance with Cannon Busters.

Ensemble Stars

This one still gets to me. It almost looked like a male-idol show I would finally be able to get behind, what with its rebellious attitude and oddball setting...that is, until the setting got to be too unbelievable and the show began drowning its audience in side-characters because they had to squeeze every husbando from the mobile game into the story, and it all began to resemble UtaPri a little too much...but without the production value.

Boogiepop and Others

This was a hard drop, honestly. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how I felt four episodes in, before concluding that I was bored and not particularly invested, two things that should never describe the experience of watching a Madhouse show. The fact that this was the project responsible for ruining One Punch Man only made it worse. There’s a slow burn, and then there’s walking away without turning the stove on.

And I Finished 11 (holy crap that’s like three hundred episodes just on their own).

That Time I Was Reincarnated as a Slime (5/10 & 1/10)

I’ll be honest, I had forgotten just how livid I was with the ending (and especially the sad excuse of a recap episode) of Slimesekai, and reading back through my write-up of it, it’s certainly coming back to me. While this year had bigger demons to fight (Shield Hero), the bad taste that Slime left me with hasn’t really faded, and the wasted premise bugs me to this day.

Hinomaru Sumo (7/10)

What Hinomaru lacked in production value, it happily made up for in good execution and earnest heart. I can’t believe this came from the same studio as Conception, Try Knights and 7Seeds, but if they can only get out one good show a year, I’m glad that we got one bringing attention to a sport that many will joke about but few understand, respect and appreciate.

Kono Oto Tomare (7/10)

Speaking of giving love to traditional Japanese culture, here’s a decent-if-unoriginal show about a local high school koto club down on their luck, and the troubled teens coming together under a scrappy protagonist to bring it back to life. Kono Oto Tomare doesn’t have much that you haven’t seen before, but a decently-executed club drama with Your Lie In April-inspired musical performances is more than enough to keep me interested, and since Forest of Piano kinda crashed and burned under the weight of its own self-importance this year, it was nice to have an alternative.

MIX: Meisei Story (8/10)

It’s hard to judge MIX next to the other shows on this list because it’s almost too old-school for its own good, revelling in an eighties storytelling style that didn’t end up jiving with a wide audience this year. But at the same time, its fun character dynamics (and a very good dub from Funimation, despite them saying they’d never touch sports anime again) were very entertaining to watch, even if it didn’t focus as much on the sport it was supposedly about as much as I’d have liked.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (8/10)

I fully admit that I’m very salty about the fact that this won Show of the Decade in Funimation’s poll while it was still on and I thought there were hundreds of more deserving shows, but I can’t deny that Demon Slayer was a very enjoyable experience, albeit one that I had notable problems with. That’s not gonna stop me from getting mad when it sweeps the Anime Awards in a few weeks, though.

Fire Force (8/10)

I was very afraid that David Productions wouldn’t be able to match the energy of Studio Bones’ adaptation of Ohkubo’s previous work, Soul Eater, but I was happy to be proven wrong. Even if the last few episodes contained a bit too much infodumping, it was all sandwiched between jaw-dropping fight scenes that proved that the people who make Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure can still handle the reins of a more traditional action show.

Fruits Basket 1st Season (8/10)

I know that my score for this one is a bit lower than others, but I think that Fruits Basket did pretty well in its first season, considering that it was largely spent setting up future storylines and adapting the part of the manga we’d all seen before, but with much higher production value. I’ve been familiar with this part of the story for over a decade, and the scene with Tohru and Kyo (you know the one) still made me cry. Now, we get the real plot going.

Dr Stone (9/10)

A great start to a totally new spin on shounen, Dr Stone gives me hope for survival in the post-Shokugeki world in which we’ll soon live, as a show that wears its research on its sleeve. A complex plot weaving interesting characters in and out of a narrative surrounding a philosophical battle where both sides actually do have fair points (even if one of them is going about it in a pretty cruel manner). More please.

Vinland Saga (9/10)

Once again, a great start to what will hopefully be years of quality storytelling, Vinland Saga made it seem like it was dragging in the middle only to reveal just what its slow burn had been leading up to, with twist-heavy storytelling and a fantastic cast to match the high visual quality of its brutal battles.

Run With the Wind (9/10)

It’s not often that Production I.G. gets to make a complete, fully-realized show anymore, and this one was a glorious reminder of the potential of the studio in the TV space, and a great rebound for the director of Joker Game. It’s gorgeous to look at, the cast is wonderful, and the story is both realistic and idealistic in a satisfying balance. It’s a miserable process to get to the finish line in real life, but sitting back and watching this was nothing but a treat. At least, until a minor fumble at the end.

Best Long Show of 2019: Dororo (9/10)

Speaking of complete stories, Tezuka Productions and MAPPA teamed up for a breathtaking adaptation of an underappreciated Tezuka classic that expands upon the story in exactly the right way to create a thrilling, savage, beautiful masterpiece that focuses a laser-sharp eye into the relationship between two characters in their journey to, literally and figuratively, become complete people. Also, that opening was killer.

And that’s it! That’s the fun list. Next comes the painful one. Stay tuned for the trash heap.

[furederiko]

1st post for the month of August 2017! And it's the 'Clash of the Reds'. Yes, a belated write up for Kyuranger episode 24!!!

NOTE: This recap-view is for the episode that aired on Sunday, August 6th, 2017 07:30 JST. It was initially meant to be published last week, just a few days after it was broadcasted (precisely on August 8th). Unfortunately, the plan got sort of derailed. Long story short... the social media detox that was only planned to last for a week, got unexpectedly extended for another because I was bedridden afterwards. So yeah, hence the long delay. But not to worry, recap-view for episode 25 will arrive very soon to make up for that!

- Assuming the show will be 48-49 episodes in total, that means it's officially around its halfway point. Yes, eventhough things are already feeling so heavy and serious, we still have HALF a season to go from here! NOTE: If it's 48 episodes in total, that means this episode marks the end of the first half. If it's 49, then the next one (episode 25) serves that purpose. - We should know by now that Kyuranger isn't the type of show that likes to drag plot points. This episode is just another solid proof of that. Just three episodes in, and Tsurugi's facade of bravado has been peeled away, revealing a more sentimental true personality. Interestingly, we also get to see him struggling with memories of the past. I wonder if it's in a way, implying that Tsurugi is suffering from a... war PTSD? O_O. In order to get to the bottom of this, he needs to know 'the truth'. Thus, he sends out Spada and Raptor on an important mission. Which of course, also serves as the show's usual excuse for characters to be absent from the episode. Not that I'm complaining... - But the two aren't the only ones who need to be... benched out. This episode is clearly a double focus for the Reds, as they try... or rather, 'forced' to work out their differences. Hence... it doesn't even take long for everyone else (sans Commander Xiao, who stayed on the Rebellion) to get literally swallowed by our MotW, Malistrate Gabbler! IMHO, this right hand of Tecchu is a scary MotW that should really have had higher rank in the Shogunate. Why? With his ability alone, he actually succeeds in taking down SEVEN Kyurangers all at once! WOW, right? - Anyways, eventhough he doesn't approve Tsurugi as Kyuranger at first, Lucky begins to... sense there's something 'wrong' with Tsurugi. Commander Xiao wisely helps him realize, that the 'legendary hero' tends to act the complete opposite to his words. Proof? Tsurugi's boasting about immortality, eventhough he had already lost that ability before his cold-sleep. And hearing a holographic projection of Don Armage making fun of his fallen comrades, causes him to lose his composure. Symbolizing that inspite of his words that dismissed them as 'expendables', he actually CARED for them. Also, he's telling the Kyurangers to be his shield, yet he's the one who does that to protect Lucky! Oh the irony... - Speaking of being a 'shield', the show introduces a new character in this episode: Kuervo (VA: Daisuke Namikawa, who previously voiced Engine Speedor in Go-Onger). He's one of Legendary 88 Warriors that represented the Corvus Constellation System, their strategic advisor, and also a personal close friend to Tsurugi. He was the one whom Tsurugi refered to as 'sacrificed his life for him', during the battle against Don Armage in the past. Thus obviously, he's the one responsible for leaving behind a deep 'scar of friendship' in Tsurugi's heart. Fun Trivia: The word 'Cuervo' is actually the Spanish word for 'Raven/Crow'. And yes, in case you're unaware, Corvus is the Crow Constellation! So as always, TOEI isn't even trying to be subtle when it comes to names. LOL. - Intriguingly, assuming Kuervo's truly dead, then that means there's only one sole candidate who might end up becoming the new Don Armage: Olion (whom you can see using a sword and a mostly white outfit in the flashback scene). Remember my theory that proposes Olion as the Darth Vader of the show? This reveal just adds that notion. Then again, we never really witness Kuervo's body (just like Scorpio) as well, so anything's still possible here. Beside, we also know how that much-hated Jedi eventually became Vader? Meaning we can't rule out anyone yet, because the rule of death is pretty much flexible in science-fiction. - Lucky challenges Tsurugi to share his story (get it? his-story? XD), even if just to put them both on the same page. Instead, that makes him understand the reason behind his stand-off-ish demeanor: Tsurugi simply doesn't want to sacrifice any more comrades in battle. Aaaaaw... T_T. That's why he wants to deal with Gabbler and Tecchu alone. So yeah, someone's definitely having a lone survivor syndrome! Tsurugi even proves that point, by taking Lucky's Leo Kyu Globe as hostage, to prevent him from joining the fight. Fun fact: I just realized. True to his 'Soldier' namesake, Tsurugi is acting like a drill-sergeant. Showing all tough and mighty bravado on the front, but secretly tries to protect his comrades. He even has his share of warfare PTSD. That's a really good angle right there. - Due to the duration, of course said twist doesn't last long. Tsurugi gets into a fickle due to his previous wounds, and Xiao and Lucky arrive to save the day. The younger Red then proposes a new 'system' to Tsurugi's face: "If the current saviors... and the old savior work together... We... can create a new legend!". So yeah, ignoring the fact that it might have arrived a tad too quickly (I WAS expecting more resistance and stubborness)... the 'Rivalry of the Reds' has been resolved. It shouldn't come off as too surprising though, as Draco Commander says it best... "Say what they will, these two get along pretty well.". Indeed, they ARE actually two of a kind. Probably the reason why they're both Red, right? LOL. - While Draco Commander distracts Tecchu, the duo works together to free the other Kyurangers. Good timing, because they are all (including the mechanical ones like Balance and Champ, the joke's on them) almost on the verge of having all their life energy drained! With none of them being fit enough to join the fight (thus preventing any of the mecha sans Gigant Phoenix to be used), it's up to the Reds to handle the giant battle as well. Taking down Gabbler is easy, but what can they do when Tecchu decides to tag along? That's when a miracle occurs. Or in the words of Tsurugi, "It's about to be truly legendary!". - Yes, the other 10 Change Kyu Globes (including those of Spada's and Raptor's... who are busy tinkering around with a lever-like contraption) join the battle in their own free will! They boost the power of Leo Voyager and Phoenix Voyager, thus forming... the 12 Kyu Globes combination, Kyutamajin. Gotta admit, it's a rousing and exciting sequence. As for the robot itself, when I first saw the catalogue picture, I thought the new combo looked weird and odd. But now that I've known the concept and seen it in action, saying I've warmed up to it would be a huge understatement. Because I'm actually DIGGING this combination! Sure, some parts still looks a bit awkward (like the giant ball on top of the head), but this is a smart design, that unites all 12 heroes in one mecha without overdoing it. And this is coming from a guy who actually liked those messy-complicated clusterfuck formation in Go-Onger and last year's Zyuohger. LOL. In a way, it's a solid mecha. - The problem is, only the two Reds are using Kyutamajin! And knowing how the internet works, this has surely rubbed some fans in the wrong way. Of course, since this episode aired two weeks ago (once again, this recap-view is a week late), everyone should know by now that there's a logical reason to why only Leo Red and Phoenix Soldier are sharing the control of this mecha: because the others are being saved for episode 25! LOL. Then again, it's not like the Reds aren't hinting about it throughout this episode. I mean, they ARE repeatedly asking the tune of, "Can we really move it with just the two of us?". They're not even being subtle about it. I guess impatient fans wouldn't be able to see these hints past their complains, huh? LOL. NOTE: Kyutamajin isn't even using its ultimate finisher in this episode. "Kyutamajin! Meteor Booster!" is a just a secondary attack that only manages to take down Gabbler. Don't forget, Tecchu is still at large! - Tsurugi officially joins the team, as proven by his Kyuranger License. Yep, the one that Kotarou delivered for the team at the start of the episode. Something that even Xiao hasn't owned before (hence why he 'forgot' all about it, huh? LOL). It's nice to see all 12 onboard the same ship, right? Hold on, the question here is... what about Spada and Raptor? - Turns out, they are in Planet Tocky of the Horologium System, in search of the Horologium Kyu Globe. Why? Because Tsurugi wants to use it... to travel back in time, and see with his very own eyes, what really 'happened' to Don Armage. Yep, time travel is the show's next big arc! And this discussion comes at the right time, because Spada and Raptor pop up on the communication screen with a 'distress call'. Why? Because something is going on in the Planet that can't be handled by only the two of them... A few additional notes before I wrap this up: - Bandai Japan released a Special "Henshin Series" episode after this episode was aired. And it was.... hillarious as always! I thought the company was going to release one after every episode (they should, tbh), so it was a bit of a bummer when the series stopped four months ago in episode 6 (following Mr. Pega's short-lived debuted). The fact that the previous extra members (Xiao and Kotarou) haven't had their time in the spotlight yet, also added to the disappointment. So obviously, the arrival of this special episode was more than just a pleasant surprise. That's right, because all extra members get their chance to show off! Interestingly, this video didn't include Phoenix Soldier's henshin pose. Does this mean we'll be getting another one in the future? Especially with that rumored new transformation gadget? Here's hoping... - More movie scenes can be seen in the opening, as well as the new trailer that debuted after the episode. There were two standouts from them. First, Leo Red is using Herakles Kyu Globe in the movie, to somehow deal with the Kerberos one. Second, there are obvious scenes hinting that Commander Xiao is killed in the movie. Remember, this is Japan and their habit of spoiling things in advance. Eventhough the movie is doing really good! Then again, should we really believe that Xiao is dead? I seriously doubt it. Just look at what happened to the Kamen Rider Ghost's summer movie last year... LOL. - Haruka Tateishi (Amu of last year's Zyuohger) is giving an exclusive on-location tour for Kyuranger's G-Rosso action show. Go ahead and see it, it's all kinds of fun. Makes you eager to see her character returning to meet the Kyurangers in the upcoming Versus Movie, right?

Overall: Tsurugi's 4-part debut arc has come to a close. Thanks to the show's swift pacing, it didn't take long for the legendary soldier to get grounded and humbled down. Even his signature arrogance has already been taken down more than a notch, revealing a more painful and broken nature. I love how he and Lucky seems to exhibit contrasting personality from one another, while in actuality, they are still the same color. Yes, the conflict between them got resolved a little too quickly for my taste. Then again, it also proved my point that they are basically two of a kind. And in a way, Tsurugi was welcomed to the team in an organic manner, so I'm not complaining. Overall, a great albeit imperfect episode, with a stunning but equally imperfect debut for a new mecha combination. But that's because the next episode will be... something else! You'll see... Next week: Prepare for tissue, because Kotarou is giving us all the feels! PS: Expect the recap-view for Episode 25... in just a few hours from now! ;D

Episode 24 Score: 8 out of 10

Visit THIS LINK to view a continuously updated listing of the Kyutama / Kyu Globes. Last Updated: August 15th, 2017 - Version 2.10. (WARNING: It might contain spoilers for future episodes)

All images are screencaptured from the series, provided by the FanSubber Over-Time. "Uchu Sentai Kyuranger" is produced by TOEI, and airs every Sunday on TV-Asahi. Credits and copyrights belong to their respective owners.

[mercureehg]

It’s Been A Long Time....

Hey there Guys and Gals!!! I know I shouldn’t have left you all for as long as I did, however there has been a great reason for my absence... Before I get into the wonderful surprise, I want to offer my sincerest apologies to all of you who were actively checking on this site to see if I showed up. I haven’t neglected this page for no reason... I have been building and working on my brand: Mercuree The Personality and The Break Room Talk Show!!! I am 2 years into this venture and doing very well. The talk show has been picked up for the 3rd quarter.. I have had my 1st year anniversary for it’s debut air date: January 14th, 2016!!! I am in my 2nd year and 3rd season (based on how the quarters go and how many times I come on a month. The Break Room airs on Bric TV’s public access cable network: Brooklyn Free Speech Network 3, every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at 10pm est., on channels 56 Time Warner, 69 Cablevision/Optimum, 84 RCN, 44 Verzion Fios (this channel airs in all 5 boroughs). It also streams live on the internet at www.bricartsmedia.org for those who do not live within the 5 boroughs or do not have those channels; all they have to do is click BRICTV, then scroll down to the box with the 3 in it. I have been working on airing valuable content for the viewers, as well as learning hands-on how to edit. I taught myself how to produce, direct, edit and host a whole talk show, so that is why I haven’t been here in a while.

I took one year to learn everything, then spent a year doing it...now this next year coming I am learning how to brand myself and market myself to these other networks. I have made plenty mistakes along this journey, cursed a few people out as well and cried a few rivers too, yet essentially everything has been going smooth. I have the best team at the tv studio/network and I am building a very strong team behind the scenes as well. My circle has switched around dramatically... the people I thought had my back, have proven that they liked me when I was down and literally want no parts of me now that I am back on my square stronger than ever. Some people can only deal with you when you are down and out...they can not deal with you when you are on your feet for reasons that are in their own head and reasons I wish never to have to figure out ever again. I spent enough time in my life trying to figure out why people this and why people that... man phuck all that... let people be people is my final answer from now on. I can only know what I’m doing and figure my own stuff out.. I can only work on and change myself...not these other humans that come in and out of your life for their own benefits and if you are not beneficial then you are out anyway.. Might as well be the one to do the kicking out... I learned that at a great time in my life and so glad that I am taking heed.. see... taking heed is what learning truly is... not the mere knowing of a thing.. you must apply what you know in order to fully learn it and it’s effects of application.

I never mean to preach or act like I’m giving sermons from the mound...it will always appear that way because I am authentic and only speak when I have something to say as well as know that what I am saying is tried and true. I only wish to steer the people in the right direction and show myself in the most honest light possible. I had to start my life over three times along my journey, and the first two times my focus was not in the right place yet in the right place (if that makes sense), I just wanted in the music industry by any righteous means necessary, yet I was surrounded by the wrong people (that’s where the displaced focus was), so I got stomped on and kicked around... That threw me for a loop, there goes me having to start over for the second time... bad marriage was my third time and that is when I switched up everything after I escaped with my life and clothes on my back. Took me 5 years to figure so many things out... and nope.. I do not have it all figured out, yet what I did was I removed all the stuff off the table that did not belong to me to figure out much less rent space in my humble abode.

Once I removed all the stuff on the table that did not belong to me I was left with three things to rid myself of that belonged to me, three things to figure out about me, and three things to accomplish before my last day on this beautiful cursed earth... during those 5 years I learned all about me again.. I use the word ‘again’ because I got reminded of some great stuff during this period of my life; and I don’t mean “great” in a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ way.. I just mean great.. plentiful, intriguing, lovely and humbling. I found everything I was looking for and just went to work. I began working on it all...and came out with these two things: I always been a Personality and I have to pay it forward even though I never “made it”. One day, in 2013, I was taking a shower and “The Break Room” popped in my head.. At the time, I needed a name for my next venture... had no clue what it would be...so I would keep thinking of names... until that day in the shower when the best name on earth came to me mid lather!!! 

The Break Room Talk Show started out as a showcase called: ‘The Break Room Showcase’, for all up and coming artists’ in the Hip Hop and R&B scene...then I kept getting hit with all these club prices and walk-thru prices and I felt like everyone was being so greedy and showing that it’s still not about talent and helping this dying art gain exposure in a more positive light and higher frequency... That’s when I decided to turn my showcase into a talk show and expand it to feature guest that are not only gifted and talented artists in music, but all spectrums of entertainment and fashion, as well as entrepreneurs with their own businesses and such. I started out interviewing enterprising people with no network behind me... I was filming people with my handheld camcorder in McDonald’s fast food restaurants.. .club hallways... classrooms... wherever I could get my shine on...and I just held on to all the footage... held onto it for 2 years... then something wonderful fell in my lap!

I was doing someone else’s talk show (being a model for a fashion designer friend of mine), and the producer of the young ladies show told me that I need my own show... that my energy and conversation needs it’s own spotlight and that they would like to sponsor my first couple of shows, but first he’d like to interview me on his own show. I was way excited... I got all dolled up, had my other designer friend lend me one of his top of the line designs and I came there dressed to the 9′s... him and his co-host, however, came in looking like they just rolled out of bed.. I was mortified and I tried to bite my tongue... I even tried to sit through the interview, convinced myself that the interviewer can look the way they want.. I am the one that should look decent... that’s what got me on camera with them...I sit down and the interview was dry...they were sucking my energy right from out of me...they had zero energy... not one question.. nothing.. I kindly got up and walked out...I was livid.. On my way out I signed up for classes so I can be my own producer, my own director, my own editor and host, until I find people that are as passionate about this brand as I am.

The Break Room is all about the creative, the entrepreneur and the enterprising human, we cater to them, we inspire them, we motivate them, we empower them to give it their all, to keep going, to begin...we are here for them. Through each featured guest, they get to hear the journey’s and stories and advice from their own mouths. The viewers get to see them at work, at play, at the negotiating tables, at the clubs, restaurants and even barbershops too. I take my film equipment outside the networks studios and get footage up close and even more personal. I give candid shots from my first time editing to my 100th time because I want the viewing public to see my growth from start to finish of my career in television. I want you to see me do this from scratch, from a zero budget, from a one man crew, to veteran status, to million dollar plus budgets, to a 100 man crew... I want the people to see what it takes, how lonely it is, the true struggle of how no one sees you until you get seen by that one popular person, then all of a sudden the whole world sits up and takes notice to you now...yet that you must go hard until your last day, no matter who is watching.

In closing, I just want you guys and gals to know that I will have more to blog about in the months to come because I have to go over these last two years... who was on the show, what it was like filming each guest, etc., etc.. I do not want to hold back by being vague about the building of the brands, just wanted to give you all an overview of what has been going on. I found my niche, I am working on it...and even named it and myself.. I always been a personality, so why not be Mercuree The Personality, since I already been both my entire life might as well make it official and marry the two for business...also I always wanted to pay it forward...always wanted to help others gain exposure...and so there I have it... both templates laid down and being built up strong. Stay tuned for another excerpt in the coming weeks...pictures and links and all... And don’t forget to tune into The Break Room talk show every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at 10pm est., on channels 56, 69, 84, 44(all 5 boroughs for channel 44), and if you aren’t in NYC then log onto www.bricartsmedia.org, click BRICTV then scroll to the box with the 3 in it, it streams live at the same time it airs on television so you won’t miss a beat! 

Thanks Guys and Gals...stay loyal!