#but it has that style where the episodes are super slow and boring until the big extreme violence plot twist in the end

[destiel-wings]

I've been rewatching daredevil and oh my my, it's even better than i remembered, this show is so criminally underrated

[ziracona]

Who of the DBD original killers do you think would be cool to see in horror movies? What characters do you think have the most potential for a film and what do you think it should/could be like?

Interesting question! Let’s see: Lisa, Sally, Philip, Max, Evan, Herman, Anna, Kenneth, Rin, Frank/Julie/Susie/Joey, Adiris, Danny (kind of), Kazan, Caleb, Talbot, and the Deshayes.

Hmmmm. Danny would work the least well as an original product, because he’s also a Scream expy thing. And then I also don’t think Talbot would work well outside a very DbD like in-universe heavy story, because he just has so much realm context backstory.

Out of the others, they all have potential. Basically none of the sympathetic ones would work as standalone horror characters, because they just didn’t like, /do/ murders before in-realm or live horror lives. The exceptions being Charlotte, Legion, Anna, Max, and Lisa. A lot of the others are definitely interesting enough to be really cool to watch their backstory lives, just, it wouldn’t be traditional horror. Charlotte and Lisa wouldn’t be the antagonists, but they /did/ both live complex horror lives before the realm, and there’s a lot of tragic potential there. Anna, Max, and Legion are all fairly sympathetic killers, but they /did/ live horror experiences before their time in-realm, so they have potential too. Out of them, I think Anna would be the strangest to adapt as traditional horror, since so much of her genre is tragedy and drama, and a narrative from her pov doesn’t play her as living a horror story, while Max and Legion’s do. It /could/ be crazy sad and work though, especially if you say, started the film from the pov of a kid who is kidnapped by her and the family who loses the child, and then only slowly as Anna goes from this horrific thing that kills people and steals children and eats human, to a weird kidnapper mother-wannabe, does she become less a monster and more complex. Maybe then you get flashbacks. It’d be dark, though, because even if you learned her past and understood what she’s been through and why she did what she did, and she and the child form any kind of bond, and she’s temporarily happy with a daughter and full of affection, you know none of her kids ever lived, so it would have to end with the child she’s had a few slow heartwarming moments with falling ill and her working hard to make her better, keep her warm, only to return from a hunt or panicked mission to collect herbs, relieved to have found what she needs, only to find a cold lifeless body waiting. Which she cradles for hours weeping, and then goes to bury finally behind the house, and only then does the audience realize this is one more joining fourteen graves that have come before it. And god, that’s just...so dismal. Chilling.

Uhhh, Max could be really good, but I would be so afraid people would adapt him badly because mentally ill and disabled antagonists in horror like, almost without fail are disgustingly treated. So, this one gives me fear. It could be a really nice character study, slow understanding movie though, where you go from identifying with him and him being the character in a horror situation, to the monster at the end of the film killing anything who comes near him in a frenzied need to be left alone. Also a very tragic and dark film.

The Legion would be a top pick, because it’s less dark and more like, unique? As far as horror goes. You get these kids, kind of a Gingersnaps, The Craft feel horror, with character-driven and a slow build into the actual horror of it all. Things only spiral slowly, and you like and sympathize with at least to some degree the stupid shit teens by the time things fall apart and their is blood on their hands. And there’s just--so much in the air. One murder. Unplanned. Punk troublemakers that just went off the edge into something darker on accident, and never really have time to choose what this means for them as people or if they’ll come back, because they are still in the immediate turmoil of processing that first kill when the Entity grabs them all. Could be really sick. Also there’s so much sweet-tragedy to work with here, I die for it. Ahhh, and baby Jeff Johansen! --Side note: while I think a lot of these would be cool horror films, honestly, I wouldn’t make horror flicks out of any of them. The reason isn’t that they would be bad films, but that I think the ideal way to adapt dbd killers cinematically would be in like, a DbD tie-in miniseries that’s a collection of stories that gives you backstories like archives does, but does it /way/ better. Like how Overwatch does character short films periodically for lore, except longer and probably live action. Or like the Coming To America segments in American Gods before episodes/chapters that introduce characters or backstory. I fkn love that concept in media when it’s done well. I think it would be super sick, and it would be a great way to tie things into dbd while letting different killers have unique flavors and storytelling styles to their shortfilms. (Honestly, DbD as a concept could make for some /fantastic/ tv show material. I’d /love/ to adapt it. And if there /was/ a show, it would be really cool to periodically have episodes that are just character backstories before you go back to the like, over-arching realtime plot).

Uhhhh, Lisa’s would be tragic, and it would /have/ to go full story. Poor kid just living her life, to kidnapped and struggling to survive. Trying to escape. Canibalized and tortured horribly. Eventually dying and vowing revenge. All the way to twisted and abused by the Entity, doing things she never ever would have chosen for herself, for just the...the fucking wholesale tragedy of her. Honestly, if DbD had a show, she’d be a /fantastic/ choice for first or second killer to get a backstory segment or episode, because like, people new to the media would understandably be like ‘yo these monsters are all 100% evil’ but then you get Lisa and you’re like ‘Oh fuck. That was one of the creepiest, and really she’s some poor young woman who needs rescuing as much as the survivors,’ and then there’s just so much left up in the air to question--who else is like her? And who is like Danny, or Freddy? Who is somewhere in between? Great for storytelling.

Uhhh, it’d take a long time to break down how I’d adapt all of these even with me doing shortform like this so I’ll try to be brief. Let me see. Charlotte would be great horror, back to the original question, not my miniseries fantasy, because her whole life is a horror film she’s the victim in, but her situation is complex and fascinating, and she’s a kid, and it’s so tragic, but not in a pointless way. Her life was full of love and pain, but it mattered, to her, to her mom who loved her and died for her, and to the baby brother whose corpse she couldn’t stop cradling and literally carrying not just with but in her. I think you’d have to finish that heartbroken for the girl, and hoping somehow she is able to find healing in whatever time she has left.

Sally and Philip both went through awful stuff, but Philip’s is not really a subject for just a horror film--although his time in Autohaven could be. Sally also had horrific experiences at her job, but again, like Max, less excited about this one because I don’t trust many people to do a good job with an asylum story. If done well, could be really tragic. Watching her fall apart trying to care about the people who just deserve help, and falling apart being abused by the criminals kept right in the next room over. The horrific ‘treatments’, the slow influence of the Entity whispering in her head, her finally fracturing and believing so completely she is saving people by purifying them and setting them free while she smothers a young boy who trusted her to death. Devastating. And Philip’s life overall and his time in autohaven lend themselves very well to horror, and he’d be a magnificent protagonist, I just don’t think if it was mostly the stuff in America, that that’s a full-length movie. Could be a really great like 45 minute short film. God, poor Philip. He deserved /none/ of this. Uhhh, Rin’s is horrific, with her as the victim, but like Philip, there’s not a /ton/ of buildup, so short film, not feature? Also God, poor Rin. She was just a kid. Doing her best. Please, Entity, fucking stop this.

This leaves Evan, Herman, Kenneth, Adiris, Kazan, and Caleb. Out of these, Caleb would make for a really good movie, but I don’t think it would be a horror film? It’d be a drama, or action-adventure. I mean don’t get me wrong--dark drama--his life was fucked--but like, it isn’t very horror-genre. Kenneth would be super gross but he fits classic horror well so if you want a killer clown, let’s goooo, but like? It’d just be two hours of him drugging, torturing and assaulting and then killing kids, teens, young adults, adults, and old people? And like, almost getting caught but not, and then being recruited by the Entity? And there’s just...not a story in there I see very worth telling? So I’d hard pass. Gross.

Uhhhh, Herman is boring if he’s rewrite. Torture bastard but like with mad scientist vibes is more interesting, and I could dig a CIA is evil film. Only, since he canonically kills /everybody/ in the building, you’d either have to retcon, or have a very disappointing film. Because Herman can’t be the pov character if he’s mad scientist Herman--you kinda need to see that from the outside at least as like, a deuteragonist. Not that horror is always disappointing if the cast all dies--sometimes that works--but like. Given the plotline I know Herman’s life takes, I can’t see your protag being slowly mind control tortured and then eventually experimented on and ripped apart until they die Herman’s last day being a very worthwhile storyline. If you retcon the complete losses though, and have maybe a spy who is the pov character, experimented on a lot, tries to escape and is punished, maybe tries to help a friend, tries to kill Herman in retribution for what he does to a colleague, and last day, somehow finds a way to survive whatever is done to them/not end up vegetative for the rest of their life or dead? Maybe puts a plan into action and messes up a machine and gets hit with a much lower than it looks like dosage of electricity and fakes vegetative, and survives, and witnesses the Entity come and take Herman even, and the Entity notices them and is like “Okay...more free food” so you have a last minute terrified beat to shit spy trying to break free of arm restraints and escape the place before the Entity gets them. Maybe rescues someone else too? Then baybeee we got a story with a great antag! Throw in a new protag to spice it up and u got something I’d like to see. If it’s just torture man lover Herman -the mad scientist aspect, I am not super interested but it’s not a /hard/ pass. I keep this pitch, it just becomes a less interesting film.

Adiris baby, I’m so sorry I didn’t do you with the sympathetic killers you know I love you your name was just late in my list because of how I typed it. Uhhh, her life doesn’t lend well to horror, although she’s a fantastic drama or epic. I’d love to see a major focus on her in-relam in a show, but as far as this question goes, I just don’t think that’s her genre.

This leaves Kazan and Evan. Guess I lied before about not going into any detail TuT but I’ll try. Uhhh. Kazan I am just not that interested in the story of? Man goes around killing farmers brutally for no reason. It’s less horror, more historical drama, unless you take the pov of a victim who seeks revenge or something. So, like Herman, he’d need a pov character fix to make it work. But the end result I find much less compelling. I’d probably pass. It’s just not that interesting to me.

Evan. Well, he’d be a good film I think. Classic horror. Rich, privileged, conceited bastard. Even worse father. Dead mom, drama as a young man. Becomes a horrific monster and loves it, cooks workers to death in his foundry furnace for no reason except sadism, lots of kidnapping workers and forcing them into slavery for him and then horrific murder. Kinda a torture-porn leaning here if you’re not careful, but it could be a really solid flick. I don’t think any of his victims survive though, so without a retcon, it’d be a pretty damn dark one. You could have any number of pov characters that just end up burned to death, or beaten to death, or buried alive and suffocated or starved, crushed to death. You could follow Evan and just be overwhelmed with horror and disgust for the person he becomes. But it works better than some of the other dark horror options, so I’d say it has potential. Especially as a lead-in to DbD, because then it works better as a storyline, because it isn’t totally over.

Hope you enjoyed this! Again though, a lot of these could make nice movies, but I think like 45 minute episode TV show for DbD would be ideal, and they’d all make /phenomenal/ backstory short films. Even the ones that really don’t lend to standalone feature.

[dustedmagazine]

Listed: Jeffrey Alexander

Jeffrey Alexander is a fixture in a free-wheeling, Grateful Dead-loving, guitar jam underground, a founder of the Iditarod and Black Forest/Black Sea and a sometime member of Jackie O Motherfucker. His Direwolves splice acid folk with a buzzing, humming motoric-ness that edges near Stereolab, but his latest band, the Heavy Lidders, is pure transcendental pleasure. In her review, Jennifer Kelly noted that, “These songs take their time to loosen and relax, pursuing repetitive vamps until the edges melt away and the hard colors swirl into pastels.” Alexander is also a DJ and here he lists some of the music he spins for listeners.

For this Listed, I decided to run down some of the bootlegs and quirky things that I often play on my radio show — hope you dig it. I started doing radio back in college in the 1980s, where I was also the record librarian. The archives at the station opened me up to a myriad of sounds and new zones. Radio for me is like a new mixtape — not knowing what is going to come next… or waiting for the next mic break to try and find out the name of that killer song they played 15 minutes ago. The mystery of it all is still exciting, like remnants of pre-internet music fandom when we searched through record stores, made lists from music magazines and traded tapes. I had a spell as a commercial FM DJ on WRNR in Maryland in the 1990s, but it wasn’t until moving to San Francisco that I started my own program called Pome Pome Tones. PPT currently broadcasts Wednesdays 7-9pm Central fortnightly on www.dunebuggyradio.com. Podcasts are up at www.mixcloud.com/dwlvs.

Fairport Convention — Reno Nevada — April 27, 1968

Recorded live on the French TV program Bouton Rouge. Brooke Sietinsons of The Espers turned me on this this when we were VHS tape trading in 2000 and I’ve been retreating to it every so often for 20 years. This is Fairport at their most delightfully blinding San Francisco ballroom jamming free flight. It’s just so fucking good. I love the crisp dual vocals of Judy Dyble and Ian Matthews, I especially love that they both sit down and look so bored during the guitar jam out. Especially Judy, just like a Donna Jean icy stare. But the jam out is super nice too — modal jazzy freak-outs, some of Richard Thompson’s best ever captured on video. This takes the most boring song from my favorite Richard and Mimi Farina album to incredible new zones. I also tend to play a lot of Ian Matthews’ early 1970s records on my radio show, as well. Such a pure voice and perfect ringwear rock vibes.

The Smiths — How Soon Is Now? (Chopped + Screwed)

The chopped + screwed style coming out of Houston, TX in the late 1990s/early 2000s is so fascinating. Full-on Robitussin-fueled shamanism, it’s like the modern-day version of dub. There are so many examples of this across the spectrum, but this 10-minute chopped version of The Smiths takes the cake — probably because 16-year-old me in 1984 sat on the floor listening to the original version of this over and over again, studying the gatefold. But this version is so much better. Thank you Scobed + Robed.

I’m Still In Love With You (Alton Ellis, Sean Paul)

Althea + Donna’s Uptown Top Ranking is one of my all-time favorite songs, and one of John Peel’s as well. A well-worn Jamaican riddim starting with Alton Ellis in 1967 and made famous again by Marcia Aitken in 1977. DJ Algoriddim has expertly mixed together a boat load of these variations here and it’s a killer 30-minute jam.

Jon Rose – Paganini’s Last Testimony

When things get autumnal each year, I gear up for a spooky edition of my radio show. One of my favorites featured this Jon Rose piece which he originally broadcast on ABC, Australia in 1988. It’s an amazing sinister collage of bible-belt radio bits, demonic violin, and Rose reciting devilish text from Paganini’s own letters. The CD is long out of print but you can hear the entire 57 minutes of this glorious creation on an old episode of Pome Pome Tones here.

10cc — I’m Not In Love 1975 Disco Purrfection Version

12-minute remix version of a favorite song from my early childhood — unbelievably smooth mix by DJ Disco Cat. Read the comments on the YouTube post for the full mix backstory. Purrfect.

Sun Ra Arkestra — at Victoria Theater, San Francisco California — Aug 3, 2013

I’ve been super fortunate to experience the live Arkestra a handful of times, and this set from 2013 simply floored me. They completely consumed that old ratty theater space with their magical floating power.

Dire Wolves — at Festival of Endless Gratitude, Copenhagen Denmark — Sep 13, 2019

Live DWLVS ! Yeah, I play my own music on my radio show all the time, somebody has to. This is a short rough audience clip — the proper audio of the whole set was released on LP by Feeding Tube / Cardinal Fuzz with a fabulous poster.

Flow & Heady by Dire Wolves Just Exactly Perfect Sisters Band

Copenhagen 2019 was the last time I saw these DWLVS bandmates in person, but we have plans to meet up again at the Milwaukee Psych Fest November 19-20, 2021, unless ya all spreadnecks shut it down.

Chuck Brown and The Junkyard Band — at Wilmer’s Park, Brandywine Maryland — Sep 19, 1989

I grew up in Baltimore and spent a lot of time going to punk and hippie shows in DC (old 9:30, DC space) in the 1980s, but Wilmer’s Park in southern MD was totally the place. All-day and night go-go shows, mini festivals with overnight camping, shows from Hot Tuna, Zero, Allmans, Root Boy Slim (!!!) and some of the best BBQ I’ve eaten, oh man. There was a lot of crossover of punk/funk/crunchy scenes back then, I loved it all. I went to a lot of Trouble Funk gigs, but this was the only time I witnessed the legendary Chuck Brown.

Alice Coltrane — at Palace of Culture, Warsaw Poland — Oct 23, 1987

Harp solo during her appearance at the Jazz Jamboree festival in 1987. Perfect, transportive.

Bardo Pond — What Are Their Names?

Probably the greatest band of the last 30 years covering one of my absolute favorite David Crosby songs, what could be better? I curated this Terrastock festival in Providence RI in 2006 and assembled a CD compilation of some of the performers for a micro release on the label I used operate called Secret Eye. The original features Jerry Garcia, Neil Young, Phil Lesh (what an amazing LP!) and this Bardo version somehow channels that essence in a slow fried perfect hash jar tempo.

[blundergato]

I've been thinking of watching dragon ball but it's one of those things where there's Like a thousand episodes and multiple media to catch up on. Is there a place you'd suggest to start?

Very short answer:

Dragon Ball (153 episodes) -> Dragon Ball Z Kai (167 episodes) -> DBZ: Battle of Gods (movie)

Long ass answer:

Umm, I would start with Dragon Ball, without the Z. It follows kid Goku's adventures all the way until he's a young adult and introduces a lot of the main cast that you see in later series. It's 153 episodes long and it's pretty straightforward and easy to recognize because it stars a very small kid Goku. Dragon Ball has more of a big adventure feel to it which is different from the later series.

The Dragon Ball Z series takes place 5 years after the end of Dragon Ball and is about adult Goku. This series is more focused on fighting and alien stuff. This is where things get a little more confusing though.

The original DBZ series is 291 episodes long and has a lot of filler in it...most of it pretty terrible with only a couple of notable exceptions. It also tends to stretch some moments out longer than they should which can make the pacing feel slow at times. If you want to watch DBZ how it originally aired, then you'd want to watch this series.

However, there is a revised version of the series, Dragon Ball Z Kai, which basically cuts out all of the filler/extended content from the original series. This cuts down the original 291 episodes to a much more manageable 167 episodes. DBZ Kai tries to more closely follow the pacing of the original manga. It has a slightly different script and the vocal performances are redone. It also has different intro and outtros, if that matters to you, though the original intro and outtros are EXTREMELY good and Kai's are pretty whatever.

Even though I personally like the 291 episode version because it's what I grew up with, unless you really want to experience how DBZ originally aired, I would recommend DBZ Kai if you are just starting the series and then just search out the good filler episodes later.

There are also around 13 or so original "movies" that aired during the original series' run which are closer to extended episodes, but none of them matter or are canon, so you can just ignore them if you want. They can be fun, but none of them are mind-blowing or offensively bad.

After DBZ, things get murky. There are two series after DBZ which are extremely 'mileage may vary' and two full-length movies that are "canon."

Dragon Ball GT takes place 10 years after DBZ's finale. This series is like...64 episodes and it's also not canon at all. It might sound enticing to watch at a relatively short 64 episodes, but the first half of the series is maybe the most boring show of all time and the latter half isn't all that much better either. It does introduce a very cool looking transformation, but outside of that, this show is not worth the suffering. It tries to recreate original Dragon Ball's adventure feel, but fails pretty miserably. It also has some of the worst fights ever. The very last episode is pretty emotional though, so you can just watch that because it doesn't require watching the rest of the series. Or...you can just not watch any of this show because it SUCKS.

DBZ: Battle of Gods is a movie that came out in 2014 (nearly 20 years after DBZ stopped airing) and takes place after the end of DBZ. It's a fun movie that feels like a good sendoff/homage to the entire series. I'd recommend it.

DBZ: Resurrection of F...is a movie...that takes place after Battle of Gods. I would NOT recommend this because it sucks...but, it's also a single movie so it's not a huge time investment. But also, it sucks so don't watch it unless you plan on watching Dragon Ball Super.

Dragon Ball Super came out in 2015 and is technically canon, but it's also not great. It's 131 episodes, so it's pretty long, though shorter than Dragon Ball and DBZ/Kai. The animation style has taken a BIG hit at this point and everyone looks like a plastic action figure. The fights are generally pretty awful and the plotlines take the absolute worst aspects of DBZ and make them the focus. All of the characters also feel like caricatures of themselves . Super DOES have some really sweet "filler" episodes which are the episodes that don't focus on fighting or plot at all, and has generally really good music, but outside of that...it's not worth it.

If you want to be like...up to date with the "canon" then watch Super, otherwise, skip it because it's bad. If you do decide to watch it, you can just watch the Battle of Gods and Resurrection of F movies and then skip like the first 20-30 episodes of Super, which is just a much worse, more drawn out version of the movie's events.

After that, there's just a bunch of random bullshit you don't really need to worry about unless you are just...absolutely FIENDING for Dragon Ball content and want to start scraping the bottom of the barrel. This is shit that I, Dragon Ball series superfan, refuse to touch with a 10 foot pole because I practice self-care.

I know I literally just wrote a dissertation on this nonsense, but I do hope that helps!

[aj-anime-blog]

To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts - Review!

First review here we go!!

So, after being completely and utterly obsessed with Jujutsu Kaisen and AOT season 4, I decided to check out MAPPA studios and watch a bunch of stuff from their roster. My so-called "MAPPA binge" included this strange and unknown piece: Katsute Kami Datta Kemono-tachi e, or in English, To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts. An adaption of a manga originally released in Bessatsu Shounen (you might recognize this as the magazine that released Attack on Titan!), it looked pretty promising. I do have to admit that I didn't read a page of this anime's manga, though the art style on it looks gorgeous!!

The concept behind the show: A war has torn two halves of a nation apart, split into the North and the South. The Northerners, who were previously greatly outnumbered in battle, created a half-human, half-beast species known as "Incarnates" because of their God-like abilities. But the Incarnates begin having some issues when their beast forms take over their bodies, turning them into monsters. When the war ends, our protagonist, Hugh Hank, an Incarnate and previous captain of the Incarnate squad, swears to kill all of his mutating Incarnate buddies before they can destroy the world.

This review will not contain spoilers until the labeled "Spoiler" section at the bottom.

In general, what do I think?: 4/10, this show kinda sucked. Ouch! I hate being that blunt! Especially on my first review here! But To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts (let's call it TTASB from here on out!) had glaring flaws that, while it did hold up as a show, made it uninteresting and hard to love. Not only were the characters mediocre and boring, but the show seemed to contradict itself and its own opinion of the Incarnates all the time! Are they bloodthirsty monsters that need to be killed? Are they misunderstood humans who should be given peace? I don't know! Our main characters don't seem to either! Other than the "war bad" motif that gets shoved down your throat from episode one, the show felt stagnant in what it was trying to make the audience feel.

I hate being so cynical about it, though, because it does still earn those 4 points! Even though a lot of it falls flat, as a whole, it's still an ok show! Hank and Schaal have good concepts and their dilemmas are interesting in certain parts when the writers manage to nail pits and pieces of their development! The fight scenes were cool and I think that the concept for the world was neat! And the show does have a pretty cool title. Let's be honest, To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts sounds super metal.

So what about those characters?: 5/10! Hugh Hank and Schaal are our two main protags for the show, and they both have pretty interesting concepts! Hank is an Incarnate, he used to be the leader of the other Incarnates, and he made a vow with them that when they lost their minds, he would kill them himself. Schaal is the daughter of one of these Incarnates that fought under Hank. Interesting, right?! How could these two opposing characters get along with one another?

TTASB tries to give the two of them a sort of grumpy-old-mentor-teaches-a-cheery-youngster relationship (which, admittedly, is one of my favorite tropes) and manages to forget everything good about having this kind of relationship. To start, it feels like Schaal has next to no reason to be tolerating Hank, and vice versa. She follows him around because *insert some excuse about understanding the Incarnates?* and Hank lets her because *insert I really don't know*. It really feels like Schaal doesn't need to be there, and she's just a plot device to move along Hank's character development.

Then, the two of them never really interact in ways that really moved me. It never felt like they made a deeper connection that meant something to the plot. They interacted, sure. They spoke about their issues, yeah. But it never felt like Hank needed Schaal, or that Schaal was emotionally tied to Hank, until the show spoonfed it to you that they were.

In the end, neither of their developments felt compelling or interesting. There were a few scenes that maybe, if you squinted, hinted towards them growing as people, but for a 12 episode anime, it was very menial. It also felt like said scenes were fairly forced, with their development not really leading them to the point that they ended up at. Again, TTASB has a bit of an issue with contradicting itself.

The villain was so meh. He has a motive, yeah. It's pretty lame. He's not compelling at all. Nothing about him is interesting or kept me hooked on him. The show probably could've existed without him, to be entirely honest. I don't really have much else to say about him! I just did not really care about him at all.

The best characters in the show are hands-down the supporting cast of Incarnates. Each one has fairly interesting motivations, and even though they're only given an episode or so to tell their stories, they feel the most genuine. My biggest qualm with them is that the show doesn't build their connection to Hugh Hank at all, so when he gets emotional over them, you're kind of like "uhhh u know this guy??". More about this down in our spoilers section, as I'll go over a scene where this is prominent.

So characters were meh, but what about the story itself?: 4/10, just as meh. Again, very interesting! Lots of potential! But it fell flat where it mattered. To be clear, just before we dig deeper: the 12 episodes of TTASB isn't the entire story. It's clearly intended to be continued, though, as of writing this, I haven't been able to dig up any news about a potential season 2.

I don't really mind if animes aren't completely original, as long as they're fun, but TTASB didn't really do that. A lot of the episodes felt boring and reused like it was a watered-down copy-paste of other material. Some episodes were repetitive and seemed to be trying to hammer in the same themes, only to be later contradicted by other episodes. TTASB will spend a few episodes showing you how misunderstood and sweet the Incarnates are and then have an episode where an Incarnate murders a bunch of people. I would love it if it was, in any way, shape, or form, sarcastic, but it is not. TTASB just thinks it can get away with the blatant disregarding of its own morals. It only ends up feeling disconnecting and frustrating.

It follows an almost monster-of-the-week style format for introducing the Incarnates, which does them a bit of a disservice, in my opinion. I really would have liked it if there was a bit more overlap between the Incarnates and their stories! We know that they're all very close (or, at least, the show tells us that they are without really showing us) so seeing them interact with one another outside of their respective episode would've been fun!

The story tries to be darker and grimier than it actually is. I didn't end up caring much for the nation itself and much of the politics that the show tried to utilize felt boring and, again, watered-down. It felt like the show wanted to make it a political drama about war and human rights and only ended up shying away from what makes those genres impactful. Again, this isn't to say that TTASB's story is bad, it's just not as good as it could've been.

But it's MAPPA, so the art has to be good, right?: Yeah! Art was cool! Nothing golden, like MAPPA's newer stuff, but a solid 7/10! The fight scenes were nice, and even though a lot of them felt redundant to watch, they were still smooth! I have some qualms about a few of the Incarnates' beast forms (especially Hank's) looking like they belong back in 2001, but they still looked cool nonetheless.

I don't really have much to say on this front! Nothing really blew me away, but I never looked at the screen and winced away.

Ok and finally, pacing!: 4/10. 12 episode animes always have tricky pacing to them. I like to think about the show being pretty much only 5 hours long, which isn't that much time to cram in as much story and plot as they might want to. Overall, TTASB actually had pretty decent pacing, with a long enough build-up that led to a final showdown. If you ask me, I do think there was a pacing problem in the second half, as it felt far too stretched out, but that could've just been my perception of it.

My biggest issue with pacing loops back to the characters again. They're never really given time to explore or build up relationships. Especially not Hank and his prior team of Incarnates. I think that there should've been more screen time dedicated to their time in the army, to better explain the emotional distress that he's going through as he's forced to hunt them down. Instead, TTASB relies on a throwaway line or scene to deliver this emotional blow, and it nearly always falls flat.

Music!!!!: 6/10, The soundtrack in this anime really wasn't memorable and I don't remember much from it. Whoops!

I did like the opening a bit! It was done by Mafumafu, who I think has done a Pokemon intro song? Either way, it was energetic and fit the theme of the show well! The ending is also a bop, now that I'm thinking about it! It manages to be nostalgic and sad without being too slow! So good music on both fronts!!

OK, now we're in spoiler territory! Be warned!

I don't have too much to say regarding spoilers. Nothing in the show really feels important enough that I have to mention it under a spoiler tag. A few small notes, I suppose.

The show treats Hank like the more important character but then throws him away in his "death" to focus on Schaal, which was a very frustrating episode. Schaal felt so bland and useless in it, even when she faced her father again. Bringing him back to life felt like a sad excuse to force her into character development. I did like it when she found the courage to shoot him, but I also thought that it wasn't really as emotional as the show wanted it to be.

Hank's connection with Schaal, particularly in the second half, feels completely unnatural and forced. When she gets kidnapped, he has some sort of mental breakdown over her and it, if anything, felt creepy. It was undeserved and was forced down your throat rather than built.

Beatrice was the best character in the show and I think that if they stuck to ideas like hers (misunderstood creatures who just want to go back to their old lives), the story would have been much better. Instead, you switch to characters like the Gargoyle Incarnate, who just goes on a murder spree, and it ruins a lot of the development that Beatrice brought to the table.

& our deep deep look at one part: Forgive me if I get this screwed up a bit, it's been a weekish since I finished the show and my brain dumped out all details of it already.

Hugh Hank goes to the mountains and fights the Garmr Incarnate, Rex (Roy? I'm a bit confused on his name), in an epic show-down. Obviously, at the end of it, Hank wins, killing Rex. Now, if you're like me, you sat there for most of the fight going "who tf is Rex and why is this battle important?" and only at the very END, when he's dying, do you see a clip that you might remember from the very beginning of the anime, with Rex talking about Schaal. You go "oohhh I know who he is!" but you wished that you remembered this ten minutes ago when the fight started because it would've been so much more impactful. The show didn't remind you of this scene. It didn't tell you that Rex was this same person that you already met. It expected you to remember, and I didn't. This scene sums up a lot of the character problems with the show, where even if something does have emotional weight, the show doesn't act on it.

Now we're done!: Sorry if this was harsh, but that's my full review on To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts! I'd love to hear if you agree with me or think that I'm totally wrong! If you've read the manga, tell me if it's better or worth a read! And thanks for reading!

(The crossed-out "Hugh"s are all of the times that I got Hank's name wrong! I'm not super great with character names, but I always take it as a bad sign when I screw up the name. )

[hopeshoodie]

Please do share those thoughts if you want to, cuz i would love them!

BET (winx rambling under the cut)

These are just generally disorganized thoughts rather than critiques or points but

Winx was the first show that I ever got to experience the ‘magic girl’ format. I’ve never been an anime person, but I think the genre was created or controlled by Sailor Moon? Either way, from what I understand of the genre it’s very ‘find new power/girl/outfit’ oriented. So the Winx model of ‘each season follows the girls all leveling up in some way’ was novel, but simplistic enough to be compelling

The ‘heros’ academy makes me laugh so much. I get it, they need boys in the show. But... These non-magical dudes are all segregated to a ‘hero’ school where they... Drive hovercars?

I said it before and I’ll say it again- I LOVE the world building of having a fantasy world but then also just... Having sci fi existing alongside it? Like of course a future fantasy world would have technology. But the different realms being like... Planets and all the interdimensional travel? Super dope. 

Mirta being turned into a pumpkin for like... A whole season... is on the same level of hilarious as when Dean and Sam Winchester left their brother in hell for over 6 seasons. 

Also I don’t know if I just got the ‘Sky is a prince and Brandon is his guard but they switched places for security” reveal confused in my tiny child brain, but rewatching the series as a teen I was so confused??? I could’ve sworn Sky and Brandon were switched in like... Who they were dating and their appearances. 

Enchantix is OBVIOUSLY the best powerup. The song? Slaps. The outfits?? BEAUTIFUL. Having to save someone from your home to unlock it, thus dooming Bloom to confront her tragic past and never fully get to access the power? Amazing. 

Yes all the winx (except Stella) are hot as hell but the TRIX???? THE TRIX??? The trix were so sexy holy shit I could not handle them as a 8 year old child. 

Valtor is like... the coolest villain. He is camp. His relationship with the trix, his spells, his voice acting.... they were just so iconic. 

Dark Bloom. Need I say more.

I’ve said this before but I was so obsessed with the episode where Stella turned into a frog monster and the one that she had to give up her face to escape a labyrinth that I printed out screencaps of both of those episodes and pinned them to my childhood wall. And I’ll do it again BAP BAP.

The outfitsssssssssss. I always loved Techna and Flora’s outfits the best, but that sparkle texture had me wanting to both eat and wear it. Same with Annaliese's’ pink dress in Princess and the Pauper.  I wanted to rub my face in that pink shimmery fabric and then put it in my mouth so bad. 

I didn’t like the pixies as a kid and still don’t. Bloom already had Kieko we don’t need any more small comedic relief characters.

I loved Layla’s backstory as a kid but now, as an adult, it’s just kinda..... Boring. Ugh. I get it, it’s literally a kid’s show and mermaid princess is a kids show concept, but like... Stella got so many royal intrigue episodes and Layla’s all happened off screen.

Roxy is annoying and S4 sucked. 

Whenever my elementary school friends and I ‘played’ winx, I wanted to be Brandon (gender issues who), but then my friends would tell me I had to be a girl so I would always play as Lucy

A lesbian icon. 

Riven!!! is a male manipulator and Musa deserved so much better!!

They shouldn’t!! Have given Techna long hair!!! in her transformations!!!

Everything went downhill after S3. The reboots are shit. 

But I think it was inevitable that the show would die a slow, cruel death because of its premise. A show designed around fashion and magic girls is tailor made for merchandizing- primarily dolls, where you can collect different outfits and hair styles for the different points in the story. But because it’s so marketable, artistic integrity has to go by the wayside as companies try to capitalize off of the merchandizing. You can’t have an organic conclusion to a story if your dolls are making more money than the show itself, because the show must continue marketing until it’s not profitable anymore.

Also the argument that the show is bad because it gives kids body issues? In my opinion, doubtful. In animation especially, I don’t think any of my body issues were because I was trying to look like my barbie dolls or the winx, they were because of the adults around me and the realy human celebrities in media (though I definitely experienced gender envy the first time I watched Danny Phantom so maybe there’s something to be said). Like the girls aren’t drawn realistically, they’re drawn like Parisian and Italian fashion sketches. I don’t see how that’s any more problematic than Disney reusing the same ‘massive eyeballs, no internal organs’ design for their modern princesses. 

The whitewashing in the newer seasons was BAD. Layla/Aiesha and Stormy are black, and they just... Forgot that... Yikes. 

[him-e]

Could you give some recommendations of TV shows that are, in your opinion, good/interesting/fun to watch/etc.? They can be recent or older ones, and pretty much of any genre (also, the more recommendations, the better).

disclaimer: I haven’t been in the *right* mood to really get into anything for a LONG WHILE, so my feelings about tv and movies at the moment exist in a spectrum that goes from “ok I guess” to “this somehow sucks even more than my life does and I want to crawl into a hole and rot in it”. So don’t expect lots of flailing and squeeing, lol. THAT SAID, I’m going to focus on the stuff I’ve seen recently:

bridgerton. mildly fun. very cw-ish but with occasional sexplosions. a mix between reign and gossip girl set in regency era. no mr darcy equivalent, unfortunately (the duke of hastings is 100% a chad). also don’t expect historical accuracy or anything like actual jane austen vibes. the main couple is quite shippable and has some decent banter and slow burn until it suddenly escalates into marriage and the sexplosion I mentioned above. the best part, though, is that i’m apparently shipping in*cest again 

the undoing. nicole kidman is married to hugh grant, who is, shockingly, an asshole. but before you think “typecasting”, more on the creepy than pathetic side. the mystery is kinda underwhelming imo bc it leads you to think there’s much to the story than what you originally thought, but no, it really is that simple.

the crown. what can i say? very well written and acted. It’s also super slow and analytical, and can be occasionally boring, if you’re not in the mood. I’m being super slow at catching up because I’m watching it with my mother, and I’m still at season 3 and feeling inappropriately (but also predictably) sympathetic towards Charles (but I’m looking forward to the Diana episodes). This is also a good show if you wanna play “drink every time you recognize a Game of Thrones/Being Human/*insert iconic franchise starring predominantly british folks* actor”. Speaking of royals...

the queen’s gambit. 10/10. Singlehandedly cured my depression for a week. absolutely perfect in every aspect (almost---the lack of a main romance with HEA was a bit of a bummer, but there’s shipping material nonetheless): only one season, “strong” heroine in the sense that she’s a character with an actual PERSONALITY who falls and has genuine flaws and---despite being “inexplicably” a genius (the show gives the context of how she learns to play chess but doesn’t go out of its way to *justify* her talent or how she managed to pulverize guys older and better trained than her)---falls, and loses, sometimes badly, actually at one point slips into a pit of depression and self destruction but only to eventually rise again. I also somehow didn’t come out of this show hating the entire male gender any more than I already do, even though it’s a story about a woman in a male-dominated field who often has to face sexism and patronising attitudes from her peers. but almost everyone she meets is, actually, a quite decent guy? even those who initially challenge her or treat her condescendingly. It’s also a lesson about writing stories with very definite ANTAGONISTS who, however, are NOT villains (but obviously this wouldn’t work for every genre, this one is a fairytale-ish coming of age, a female power fantasy set in the real world, it actually reminded me of 80′s spokon/shoujo anime like Attacker You) 

a discovery of witches. I’ve seen only season one so far, and let me say I didn’t expect a main romance between a VAMPIRE and a WITCH to be such a SNOOZEFEST. dear god. I swear they’re giving me Bill/Sookie vibes (and I like Matthew Goode). but aside from this, it’s sorta watchable, and there’s an *evil* finnish witch who’s in a sorta kinda enemies-to-friends dynamic with the protagonist

his dark materials. Still have to catch up on season 2 because I feel rather lukewarm about it. I haven’t read the books so I can’t tell if it’s a good adaptation or not. From what I can see, everything is in the right place to make it a good story, but somehow, I’m not vibing with it? Maybe I’m just too old to care about stories with child protagonists lol.

cursed. watch it for the weeping monk. YES he’s Medieval Kylo Ren.

the boys. pretty much the most FUN (and plot-heavy) shit I’ve seen recently, but also the only good take about marvel-style superheroes and their whole fake-deep, dishonest, intensely capitalistic rhetorics i can stomach anymore (beyond the on the nose parody and obvious--a bit insufferable actually--genre-subverting intent, try looking at Homelander & co. through the lens of this post). oh yeah I also ship Frenchie and Kimiko btw, which just proves how a mediocre show can become good, and a good show can turn into AMAZING if there’s something I can ship in it.

now quite out of character for me but here’s a couple Netflix rom com movie recs:

holidate. yeah I know christmas time is over but this somehow became my new comfort movie. Fake dating at its finest. Hot, fun, not insufferably cheesy, definitely not a Hallmark Xmas movie (you know those movies where as a set up the female protagonist breaks up with her long term fiance and she’s like, “oh.”, and proceeds to be sad for 0,5 seconds? This is not one of those), it’s an actual slow burn, and there’s a part where the heroine has a diarrhea emergency which a) is not played as a gross joke and b) somehow leads to hot, romantic sex??

leap year. a 2010 movie with Matthew Goode (who is sexier here than in vampire form) and Amy Adams, it’s a road trip in Ireland (!!!!) with a shitton of belligerent romantic tension and fanfic tropes, 10/10

[localkatshelter]

Okame’s Underbelly: Intoxication |2nd|

(ShinsoxOC)

Katsumi's POV (localvillageidiot#0870) and Shinso's POV (hecker#8339)

Warning: Contains toxic relationships, heartbreak, quirk misuse, and alcohol consumption

Preview:

| Fuck, it’s actually over. The grave reality hit me in the face like a brick. I felt an unfamiliar emotion painfully swell in my chest. It terrified me. So, I did what I knew how to do best: avoid, avoid, avoid. I reached into the bag and pulled out a bottle of soju. I twisted off the cap and began downing it; I didn’t even notice the bitter taste. It didn’t take me long before I was ready for the second bottle. My head was    empty. |

1st Chapter - Anticipation

(Katsumi’s POV)

Performances had been going on for a little while. I had shifted my position in my chair a couple of times to get comfortable and finally settled on sitting cross legged with my knees resting on the plush arms. Holding my, now lukewarm, tea in both hands, I inhaled as I took a sip. The minty aroma cleared the fog in my head a bit from the heavy summer air that was being moved around by the slow ceiling fans scattered across the room. I did my best to politely listen to the people on stage as they went through their pieces, but really only one in every five people were any good. I looked at my phone to check the time. There was about 20 more minutes until Okame’s usual time slot. As a particularly boring piece was being performed, I heard some shuffling to my right. Curious and in need of something a bit more stimulating, my eyes wandered towards the sound. Not wanting them to notice my staring, I kept my eyes low towards the ground. I saw a pair of large black chelsea boots stop two chairs away from me. Their owner sat down rather slowly and as my eyes moved up the distressed denim pant leg I caught a glimpse of their hands tensely gripping the arms of the chair as they lowered themselves down. I couldn’t help but stare at those hands as they fidgeted with the loose strands of the cloth chair. The chipped nail polish certainly wasn’t intentional, but the aesthetic fit oddly well with the haphazard chunky rings that adorned their long, rough looking fingers. Am I weird for thinking hands are attractive...?

 Afraid that I would make accidental eye contact but now fully invested in analyzing this random stranger, I adjusted my angle in my chair, so I could easily peek to the side and see the stranger fully. Now that I could get a full look, I could tell for sure that the person sitting nearby was a guy around my age. I watched as he shifted in his seat to take off the black jacket he wore. He set it in his lap and tugged at the seams. I continued my observation. Oh he has an eyebrow piercing too? That’s kind of cute. His whole vibe is a bit Edgelord for me but he pulls it off. My eyes trailed back to his hands, which hadn’t stopped fidgeting. I followed them as he raised them to run his fingers through his hair. The color of it is what struck me first, it was so unique. The shade of purple really suited his pallet. But what the fuck is with that style? Is that on purpose? Is bed head a new trend? Well, I guess it doesn’t look terrible on him... Satisfied with my full analysis and slowly losing interest, I turned my attention to the next performer, who was at least a bit better than the few prior, but still not great. I checked the time again and got a bit excited since it was almost time for Okame to perform. In the meantime, I decided to entertain myself by making up little stories about Mr. Edgelord to pass the time.

I checked my phone casually to see the time. Oh, it’s almost time!  I straightened up in my seat to make sure I could see the stage well. It seemed like the whole room did the same, any side conversations that had been going on suddenly lulled and faded out. The entire room’s focus shifted to the empty stage at the front. We waited in collective anticipation for Okame’s ghost performer to walk up on stage. I peaked around the room for the familiar looking girl but to my surprise, one of the staff members walked onto stage instead. People turned towards each other and began murmuring in confusion. The staff member tapped into the mic to refocus everyone’s attention. 

“Good evening, everyone. The Squeaky Wheelhouse has an announcement to make. As many of you know, typically around this time our resident performer, Okame, has their ghost performer read their work. Unfortunately, Okame has informed us that they will be going on hiatus starting tonight. We are very sorry to see them go but we wish them well and hope they will come back whenever they are ready. With that being said, lets move right into our next performance.” 

The room remained silent for a moment as the announcement sunk in. Then all at once, chairs began to scrape against the floor as people got up to leave. Wow, I had no idea that this many people came specifically for Okame. Among those that got up was Mr. Edgelord. Huh, never would have pegged him for an Okame stan. I wonder what his deal is? When did he become a fan? I’ve never noticed him before. I was pulled out of my thoughts by a gruff, low voice speaking to me. I looked up to see Edgelord standing next to me.

“Excuse me.”

I pulled my legs in to make room for him to pass by, not saying anything. He looks super disappointed. I really can't remember ever seeing him here before. How weird. I looked around to see a noticeable amount of people had left already. I feel bad for the rest of the performers. I should stay for at least a little bit longer. I don't have anything better to do anyway and no one is waiting on me back at the dorms. Despite my best intentions, I could only make it through about another 20 or 30 minutes of performances before I decided that I didn't have to punish myself anymore with tonight’s below-average open mic entries. I gathered my things together and put them into my bag. I headed outside to start my walk back home. As I went to pop my headphones in, my quirk started to pick up an immense amount of sadness coming from someone to my left. I looked over and saw Edgelord hunched over on a bus bench with his head in his hands. Before I knew what I was doing, my quirk was dragging my body in his direction. I gently sat down next to him and reached out to tap his shoulder.

(Shinso’s POV)

If I’m being honest, I barely paid attention to the other performers. I knew I was being rude,  but I couldn’t help myself from impulsively checking for my ghost performer as it was getting closer and closer to the time slot. She liked to keep me on edge so I’m sure she was waiting for the last second to show up.  I heard snaps followed by the crowd hushing as the last performer before “Okame” left the platform. I stared at the stage intently but to my bewilderment, one of the staff members walked on instead.  “.... Unfortunately, Okame has informed us that they will be going on hiatus starting tonight…”  I didn’t hear the rest of what he said after that, his words just became a drone. She didn’t even show up.  After the staff member finished up the announcement he left the stage. My mind was blank, as the empty spotlight burned into my brain. I felt my body lift itself from the chair abruptly. Before I could process what I was doing, I was already making my way out of the place. To my relief, other people followed behind me so I didn’t stand out too much. I brushed past a few people, and luckily my auto-pilot still had some manners to excuse myself. 

My thoughts were racing as my heartbeat pounded in my ears. Fuck this, I’m going home. I swiftly beelined straight to the bus stop near the Wheelhouse. The soju bottles clinked together as I dropped down on the bench. I impatiently dug in my pocket for the pack of cigarettes I was trying to stretch for the week. I’ve cut down significantly and planned to eliminate it from my life completely. Right now is not the time to think about that. It’s actually the perfect fucking time to whip one out.  I put the cigarette between my lips and lit it with a shaky hand. I took one deep drag, the familiar static sensation coating my tongue and throat. If I wasn’t fuming, it might have actually felt soothing. She has some nerves not showing up after fucking around on me. What the fuck does she have to be mad about? 

We were laying together on the couch, catching up on the most recent episode of a show we both enjoyed. We had just finished laughing at the comic relief after an emotionally dense scene, when I saw her phone screen turn on in the corner of my eye. My eyes habitually followed the light to where her phone was plugged in next to me. The unnamed preview message read Are you still with him? I’ll be in the area tonight. I froze. I took in a deep uneven breath before slowly turning  to her.

 “What is this?” I rasped, as I held the phone to face her. 

She looked over and her expression shifted unpleasantly before she attempted to grab the phone from my hand, which I reflexively dodged.  She knew better than to answer my question. I rarely ever used my quirk on her, because it always managed to exacerbate the situation so it wasn’t worth it. If she’s already avoiding my questions, then this must be bad news. 

“Unlock your phone.” I demanded firmly.

 “No, Shinso.” she sighed. “You always let your paranoia get the best of you. Just stop. Don’t ruin tonight. We can always fight about something stupid another day.” 

Her dismissive demeanor irked me to no end. 

“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” I borderline growled.

 “Leave me alone!” She spat back at me before her face went blank. 

Got her.  

“Unlock your phone.” I repeated steadily. 

She took the phone with a slack grip and entered her password.

 “Give the phone to me.” 

The more I scrolled through the thread of text messages, the more betrayed I felt. I was too devastated to be angry, but I was far from numb. The intense influx of emotions caused me to unknowingly release her mind from my control. I finally realized, when I heard soft choked sobs coming from her. When my eyes returned to her, she looked completely defeated, but I could not bring myself to sympathize with her. I tossed her phone on the couch before getting up and snatching my keys off the table.

 “Shinso, stop! Please wait!” she cried as she tugged my arm towards her. 

“For what?” I retorted sharply. “Actually, don’t answer that. I don’t need to get more evidence to know that we’re over.” I yanked my arm from her grip. 

She said nothing.  I pushed through the door without looking back.

After reliving the memory, I slowly came back to the present. I flicked the now cigarette butt on the ground and stepped on it.  Any sane person would wonder why I still wanted to be with her. The truth is, I’m a big fat hypocrite. I’ve done my fair share of bullshit in the relationship. Granted, I never cheated, but still, it’s not my place to get on my high horse. We’ve gone through so much together, and honestly, I can’t imagine what it would be like to not be with her anymore. And now...it’s actually over. Fuck, it’s actually over. The grave reality hit me in the face like a brick. I felt an unfamiliar emotion painfully swell in my chest. It terrified me. So, I did what I knew how to do best: avoid, avoid, avoid. I reached into the bag and pulled out a bottle of soju. I twisted off the cap and began downing it; I didn’t even notice the bitter taste. It didn’t take me long before I was ready for the second bottle. My head was empty.

I stopped keeping track of how much I had consumed. All I knew was that the bus was taking fucking forever. Despite it being cold out, my chest was warm due to the alcohol. I could barely sense that nameless feeling in there anymore. My head was fuzzy, a little too fuzzy now. Is this the third or fourth bottle?  Before I could contemplate the answer, the horizon began tilting before my lowered eyes. I rested the weight of my upper body on my knees and hung my heavy head low, hoping this dizziness would soon pass. 

[kdramaanalyst]

THE KING: ETERNAL MONARCH REVIEW

EDIT: I AM SO SORRY, THIS IS A SECONDARY BLOG AND I JUST LEARNED THAT I CAN'T REPLY TO COMMENTS. PLEASE CHECK MY PINNED BLOG WHERE I WROTE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU!

Spoilers ahead!!! Read at your own risk. Once again, I am not an expert and these are my personal opinions. If you have disagreements, let's talk it over. Don't judge me, let's judge the show together instead and have an understanding.

For the first drama that I am going to review, I chose The King: Eternal Monarch. A lot of viewers who supported the show with all of their hearts could still not get over its ending. Others who like to binge-watch are relieved because they can finally watch the entire series without waiting for a new episode to air. While some are still mulling over about watching it. Well, I hope I could help you with this review.

• Introduction to the Drama

Short gist:

The story revolves around Lee Gon, present King of Kingdom of Corea. He witnessed his father’s death when he was young, an incident that haunted him until he grew older. Due to unfortunate circumstances, a legendary flute with powers called Manpasikjeok that can open different worlds was cut in half. He was able to get hold half of the flute, while the other half was obtained by Lee Lim, his uncle who killed his father. Lee Lim had been going back and forth two different worlds, plotting foul pursuits to fulfill his evil desires, and disrupting the peace between the two worlds. In order to restore balance and order, Lee Gon also traveled between worlds, meeting Jeong Tae Eul who soon became a significant person in his life.

If you've been watching Korean Dramas for quite a while now, you must be familiar with some of the characters of The King: Eternal Monarch, especially the lead.

If you call yourself a k-drama fan and you don't know who Lee Minho is, give yourself a slap (just kidding, please don't take that seriously). Lee Minho has a good reputation because of his experience, acting skills and obviously, his gorgeous face. He has an impressive list of successful dramas and movies! Most of us probably knew him through his breakthrough role in Boys Over Flowers.

Meanwhile, Kim Go Eun, despite being fairly new to small screen (she first started appearing in movies), is also highly distinguished by a lot of k-drama fans. In all three dramas she starred in, including The King, she always got the lead role. His leading men are no joke either. And because of Kim Go Eun, many of us still wants to be the goblin's bride.

Among the cast also includes the familiar faces of Woo Do Hwan, Kim Kyung Nam, Jung Eun Chae, and Lee Jung Jin.

Anyway, I'll try to share every thought I have from the first time I watched it until it ended. I will also try not to give so much spoilers because the drama just ended. I will talk first about my experience watching it and then I will list at the very bottom some of the issues I have and that list contains major spoilers so watch out for that. As you notice, I always warn you with spoilers using red font color.

• The Experience

When I watched the first teaser of the drama, I got intrigued and a little confused. What worlds are they talking about? Do they have super powers? Is this a historical drama? Questions were instantly formed in my head.

It also reminded me of the drama Queen In Hyun's Man because of a similar scene where the leading man is riding his horse in the middle of the city and finding his woman. But that's just it, the two dramas are completely different. I just mentioned it because others may have felt the same way.

I don't usually watch dramas while it's still fresh. I wait for about two to three weeks before the schedule of the ending so I can binge watch without waiting so much. When I watched The King, there were already 12 episodes available on Netflix. Usually, I would finish 12 episodes in 1-3 days, and if the drama is really good and it's MY STYLE (i said that in an obviously fake Korean accent), I could watch it for an entire day.

However, I finished those 12 episodes in 2 weeks...

Why??? Why did it take me that long???

I wouldn't say I was bored, it's just that during the first few episodes, nothing caught my interest yet. I wasn't convinced that it was a good drama. There was nothing special and I didn't know what to look forward to that's why I couldn't watch it continuously. I got lazy. The pace was slow and the story build up was a little stagnant. It was too slow that I even started watching a long length saeguk just so I can watch something else.

I could have skipped some parts and dropped it but I continued watching and gave it a chance. Though it was a good thing that I didn't stop because as I watched more episodes, the story actually became more exciting. Finally, I saw some progress. I started to get invested in the drama after the eighth episode. That's when the story felt more alive. Finally, there were revelations, more conflicts arose, more emotions were shown, and the story got deeper. I began to appreciate the drama. However, I still don't like the fact that it took me 8 episodes before I started to like it.

• Points that I Liked About the Drama

1. The plot seemed like it's going to be too science fiction-y but it's just the right amount. I was worried that it might be too much for me to handle but it was just okay (i am a potato who dislikes thinking so much, but that depends on my mood lololol). I liked how there's a mix of history in the drama, as well as of politics but it still feels modern. There is a balance.

2. The distinction between the Kingdom of Corea and Republic of Korea is impressive. It's obvious that they put a lot of effort in building their vision of KOC to life.

3. Many people were saying that it's hella confusing and so much was going on. I don't think so. They actually made it easy for viewers to understand about parallel worlds. You don't have to study science facts just to get this drama's concept. I think the slow pace did its job well in this part.

4. The story is unpredictable. You never know what's going to happen next, that's the strength of The King's concept. Because of the two different worlds and the crazy number of characters, there could be a lot of possibilities and backstories.

5. The action scenes are commmendable. I liked the action scenes, the one during the last episode is probably my favorite.

• Points that I Didn't Like About the Drama

1. The slow pace. I don't think I still need to explain more but it totally ruined my whole experience of watching the drama.

2. Many characters didn't leave much impact. Their acting was great, however, I don't see a lot of personalities that standout. The most remarkable ones for me are the characters played by Woo Do Hwan. The other characters, especially the lead, the prime minister and the traitor were okay, too. The others were just bland and years from now, I probably won't remember most of them.

• The Ending (spoiler alert!)

The ending was good. It didn't feel rushed and everyone had a separate ending of their own. I just wished there was more Nari and Eunsup / Yeong and Seung A moment in the end, the conclusion was fine though. I don't like that Prime Minister Koo ended up in jail but Luna became a cop...

I just have one issue regarding the ending that they decided on. In the end they didn't show if Tae Eul became a queen. Well, it would be weird if she became one considering there is Luna in KOC. They can't be together in ROK, too because Gon's counterpart was able to live. So... what? They just kept traveling whenever they have time? Because if that's the case, doesn't that mean they will hide their relationship forever??? I liked that they ended up together but I wish they also kept this in mind. Because it kinda makes me sad. Lol.

• Final Thoughts

Overall, it was alright. It was over-hyped by netizens due to the amazing casting and promotions, but it's not bad at all.

Would I watch it again? No.

Would I recommend it? Yes. Give it a try! I honestly thought I wouldn't like it but I still did, even if it took me 8 episodes, I wouldn't say it wasn't worth it. If you enjoy fantasy dramas with complicated twists and conflicts, this drama is for you. Just have patience and prepare yourself mentally when you've reached the middle. This drama is gloomy and a little heavy, too. It was serious and has a very few humorous scenes.

I am giving The King: Eternal Monarch a 7/10. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• The King: Eternal Monarch OST Top 5

There are 13 songs in total and everything is so good! I wish I got to hear more of the songs in the drama, some were just played briefly. I swear every song makes me feel things. Choosing just 5 songs is really hard. If you don't watch dramas but love music, give these a listen!!!

My Day Is Full Of You by Zico, Wendy

Orbit by Hwasa

I Fall In Love by Ha Sungwoon

I Just Want To Stay With You by Zion.T

Please Don't Cry by Davichi

Now I'll move on to some of my "issues". This section isn't really what you think. The word "issues" is just intriguing ㅋㅋㅋ but this is just a compilation of my opinions, observations, feelings and other stuff no one might care about in the series. If you have answers for my questions or if you can explain it for me, please enlighten me. Major spoiler ahead!!!

• Issues

1. During the time when Lee Gon was time traveling and finally got back to Repuplic of Korea, it probably took him a lot of time, right? He even took his time to take care of Tae Eul in the hospital. I wish they also showed what was happening in Kingdom of Corea during that time because he's a king and his absence might have caused a ruckus in his kingdom. I can even picture the palace lady Noh getting really worried as Lee Gon travels. The moment he came back, they only gave him updates as if everything was okay.

But since they didn't show it, I guess it is safe to assume that nothing much happened in his kingdom back then. 🤷‍♀️

2. When Gon and Tae Eul met again in Gwanghwamun, why did Tae Eul hug him? In my understanding, at that period of time, Tae Eul only met him twice—once when she was 5 and once when she was 27. So why did she hug him suddenly as if she knows he's going to be a significant person in her life? Their dialogue when they met again when she was 27 wasn't even enough for her to act that way.

3. I hope they also gave Nari more lines and importance. Maybe it's just me, but at first, I thought she and her KOC counterpart would have more significant roles. When I think of it, even without her, the story could still go on. Though this is just a minor issue. ✌

4. Prime Minister Koo. She was a villain, but I didn't really hate her until the last 4-5 episodes (can't recall the exact episode, sorry), though I wouldn't say I hated her so much. I actually liked her at first! She's ambitious, fierce, independent and intelligent. She just got blinded by greed.

My issue here is, am I really supposed to feel like that? In my opinion, her character has the potential to become more heinous and despiteful. I was wondering why they didn't turn her into someone like that? She was just greedy, bitchy, a little sly and annoying.

5. Lee Gon's and Tae Eul's love for each other was a little shallow. Sure, the man who saved Lee Gon when he was a child, had Tae Eul's ID. But how sure was Lee Gon that the woman who owns the I.D. is not a villain? The woman in the ID could lead him to the man who saved him, yes, but it still bugs me how easily they fell in love especially on Lee Gon's part. Maybe I'm just thinking too much. I am sorry. 😅

In spite of that, I still liked their love progression. I didn't ship them that hard but their chemistry wasn't cringey and forced.

6. The scene where Lee Gon gave Tae Eul flowers and then left, was a little confusing. It didn't break my heart, too. I just felt a little sad while watching that scene because Kim Go Eun's acting was good.

7. Who the f is thay yoyo boy??? My guts tell me he's a part of the flute or something because he knows a lot. But I wish it was explained more. It looked weird how he just suddenly appears sometimes and suddenly talks some sense. He remains a mystery.

8. Why the f is Jeong Tae Eul a flat earther??? Well, at least she had a character development in the end. It just annoyed me lmao

9. I don't get why people keep comparing The King: Eternal Monarch to Goblin. Why??? They don't even have the same plot or concept.

10. Court lady Noh was from Republic of Korea... What? Was that necessary?

Don't mind me. Don't mind me. Don't mind me.

Anyway I hate how tumblr wasn't able to save my draft when I was writing additional content. I lost half of it and it makes me furious!!! I had to redo the draft but I can no longer remember some of the things I wrote. I am sad because I lost something that can't be brought back again. This experience earned me a lesson.

That's it for my first review. What are your thoughts? I am a horrible reviewer, I know, but I will do better in the future. Thank you for reading!!!

[marshmallowgoop]

So have you watched the other stuff Studio Trigger has made (Little Witch Academia, Darling in the Franxx)? If so, what are your thoughts?

I try to watch Trigger’s original series at least! I got tags for Kiznaiver, Space Patrol Luluco, Little Witch Academia, SSSS. Gridman, and the A-1 Pictures/Trigger collab, DARLING in the FRANXX. For some of these shows, I’ve written about my thoughts fairly extensively:

DARLING in the FRANXX

Goop Watches: DARLING in the FRANXX

Episode 1: Alone and Lonesome, More

Episode 2: What It Means to Connect, More

Episode 3: Fighting Puppet

Episode 4: Flap, Flap, More

Episode 5: Your Thorn, My Badge

Episode 6: DARLING in the FRANXX (Outline Only)

Do You Think DARLING in the FRANXX Will Have Several Tone Shifts?, DARLING in the FRANXX Has a Lot of Heart

Do You Think the FRANXX Will Only Operate with Certain Pistils?

English Simuldub

Ending Thoughts, Thoughts on Endgame Couples, Thoughts on Hir02

Episode 1: “And you weren’t frightened by my horns.”

Episode 3: “The hand she held out and the smile she offered to me alone came at a price.”

Episode 12 Quick Thoughts, Responses

Episode 13: Amazing Piece of Animation

Episode 13: Does Zero Two Recognize Hiro?

Episode 13: Zero Two Biting Hiro (and Hiro’s Response)

Episode 14: Reaction

Episode 14: Thoughts on the Ichigo Hate Train?

Favorite Moment from Kill la Kill and DARLING in the FRANXX?

Human/Non-Human Romance

Third Ending Sequence: Lily Flower Symbolism and Ikuno

Why Watch DARLING in the FRANXX?, Would You Recommend DARLING in the FRANXX?, Would You Recommend DARLING in the FRANXX and Kill la Kill to Someone Who Dislikes Fanservice?

X Symbolism

Zero Two: Manic Pixie Dream Girl?

Kiznaiver

Flower Symbolism in Kiznaiver’s Ending Sequence, Revised

Kiznaiver Episodes 1 and 2: Thoughts and Impressions

What is Kiznaiver About, Exactly?

SSSS. Gridman

AX Premiere Thoughts

Space Patrol Luluco

Episode 7

Space Patrol Luluco and Kill la Kill Crossover Idea

Space Patrol Luluco’s Finale vs. Kill la Kill’s Finale ☂

Buuuut I know that’s a lot, so:

tl;dr?

Inferno Cop: Okay, I admit it. YouTube-Poop-styled humor is ridiculously amusing to me. (I once did a whole final project in college about YouTube Poop. Yes, really.) 

And the horrible cut-out animation will never fail to make me crack up. Inferno Cop is truly a masterpiece.

Space Patrol Luluco: Hey, I actually finally picked this one up at Comic Con about a month ago! While I wasn’t expecting to enjoy Luluco much, I think it’s actually my second-favorite Studio Trigger series after Kill la Kill. It’s just really cute and silly and fun. As I realized in excruciating detail at a Comic Con panel I went to, most anime humor honestly doesn’t do much for me, but when the panelists showed a clip from Luluco? That got me smiling. Things can get mean-spirited at times (which isn’t my cup of tea), but overall, I think Luluco has some real heart. And it’s adorable.

Kiznaiver: Oh, I was so excited to love this show! I was lucky enough to see an advanced screening of the first two episodes, and I was totally hooked. It was drop-dead gorgeous—and probably the prettiest series Trigger has ever put out—and I was very intrigued by the plot and characters. I remember just coming back to my hotel room at like 3:00 am after the premiere, utterly filled with excitement. I mean, Kiznaiver was directed by Hiroshi Kobayashi, the episode director behind the two episodes that got me hooked on Kill la Kill (episodes 5 and 18)!

But… my excitement quickly died. The story tried to develop way too many characters in way too little time, and I never enjoyed the romantic pairing of Katsuhira and Noriko, finding it shallow, undeveloped, and nonsensical (in a bad way), which… kind of ruins a lot of the series when that’s arguably the heart of the whole thing.

Kiznaiver is still super, super pretty, though. That last episode’s animation got me shook.

Little Witch Academia: I wish I loved this one more than I do. I really, really admire Yoh Yoshinari as an artist and director, and I know LWA is totally his baby, and the animation in both the series and shorts is so good, and I don’t know if I’ve ever related to any character ever as much as I relate to Akko Kagari, but… I just… don’t really have any strong feelings one way or another about the work on a whole.

Maybe my issue is that Little Witch Academia comes off as rather meandering to me. I’ve always felt (perhaps very wrongly!) that the focal point of the story is the relationship between Akko and Ursula/Chariot, but there’s just… so much else going on. 

I can relate, though. One of my babies is the first novel I ever wrote and completed back when I was 13. There are so many ideas I have for the story, and I’ve tried to stuff everything into my drafts. But you end up with an unfocused narrative without a solid core when you do that, and I sadly feel that that’s what happened with Little Witch Academia. There’s a lot of good stuff, but it’s just too much for one story!

I will say that I enjoyed both OVAs more than the series, though, and the first OVA is my favorite.

DARLING in the FRANXX: Oh, DARLING in the FRANXX. While I definitely had the obvious problems with this show when it started, the promise of a legitimate human/non-human romance was more than enough for me to keep watching anyway.

But after episode 15… everything fell apart. The romance I was there for became boring and bland, with the leads nauseatingly reiterating how in love they were instead of actually talking to each other or dealing with any of their problems. So much potential character depth got swept under the rug, and to make matters worse, the world building revealed itself to be even more ludicrous than imagined, there were some absolutely bizarre and potentially very hurtful messages about love and sexuality that I can’t even begin to make sense of, and the less I say about the ending, the better.

Of course, a poor conclusion doesn’t always spoil what I did like about a work; I still obviously adore Kill la Kill even though I despise the finale and the OVA legitimately makes me feel ill. But DARLING in the FRANXX is one of those stories where my disappointment is so great that I kind of… don’t even want anything to do with it anymore. The stuff I had loved is soured by how everything ended up.

I still have some great DARLING content in my queue that I definitely intend to post because it’s not the fault of any fan that the final product came out so lackluster. But I’m personally just pretty done with this one.

If there’s anything I’ve learned from DARLING in the FRANXX, though, it’s that I probably should hold off on buying merchandise until I’m sure I actually really like the thing. I certainly didn’t spend anywhere near as much on this show as I have for Kill la Kill, but I still dropped a fair amount on stuff that’s kind of wasted on me.

Live and learn…. 

SSSS. Gridman: I got the chance to see the premiere of the first episode at Anime Expo last year, but I unfortunately can’t say I was all too fond of what I saw. I’m slow to warm up to comedies, and while I love cliches and the series definitely acknowledges and has fun with its cliches, the characters didn’t stand out enough for me to find the cliches particularly endearing.

Also, there’s absolutely no deep or meaningful reason behind it or anything, but I do not like what I’ve seen about Akane. That kind of character archetype annoys the crap out of me.

But Gridman is really neat from a directorial and compositional point of view; I really liked, for example, how there weren’t just a bunch of boring shot-reverse-shot conversations, but conversations that spent time focusing on the backgrounds and scenery and environment instead. I also feel like I’ll really, really enjoy Gridman if I actually watch it past episode 1, but… I’m bad at doing things.

I think when I do watch it, though, I’ll do a livebloggy sort of deal?

Others: I haven’t seen anything else from the studio (unless you’re counting stuff animators from Trigger have worked on, like Takafumi Hori’s contribution to Steven Universe, which are always excellent, expressive, beautiful animations), but I’m moderately excited for the upcoming Promare. The fact that it’s apparently a family-friendly film has got my interest.

And I got a kool Promare sticker already from Kumoricon last year, too!

[winchestersandsuperheroes]

Seeing Ghosts (Leonard Snart x Reader)

Pairing: Leonard Snart x Reader

Words: 2473

Warnings: This is 99% angst... I apologize in advance. I wrote this awhile back to deal with the feelings that episode gave me.

Summary: The reader has a hard time coping when Barry brings Snart to help steal the dominator tech from Argus.

A/N: I'd probably be willing to make a second part to this if you all want it.

Siberia 1892

“So what exactly was your plan? Light the place up?” I asked Snart as we headed back to the Waverider.

“Hey, we got out didn’t we,” he drawled.

“I think that building looked better on fire,” Mick said from ahead of us and I rolled my eyes.

“Oh my Jesus,” I mumbled under my breath. “You know Rip is going to be livid when we get in there,” I started “And that,” I gestured toward the direction that we came from “That was all you guys, if you two had stuck to the plan. We would have been in and out.”

Snart rolled his eyes. “You know that’s not my style,” he replied with his signature smirks, which at that moment I wanted nothing more than to wipe it off his face, preferably with my fist.

“But Rip specifically said-”I started but I was cut off.

“I don’t care about what Rip said; his opinion doesn’t matter to me. There’s only one person on this team whose opinion matters to me,” He said cryptically. I turned to him. There was a look in his eyes that I couldn’t quite read. A look that said that maybe, just maybe, he was talking about me. But why? I didn’t have time to look into it too much, because then the look changed to one of someone on alert.

“What’s up?” I asked. “Nothing, you go on ahead. I’ve got this,” He said with a wink. I just shook my head and continued on towards the Waverider.

Siberia 1892 (Third Person POV)

Snart watched Y/N walk back on to the time ship before turning and pulling his cold gun out to face whomever was behind him.

“Hello Flash,” he said gun pointed at Barry.

“I need your help,” Barry spoke.

“Barry Allen, the hero of Central City. This is Siberia in the year 1892. We’re a little out of you jurisdiction,” he said putting his gun back in its holster.

“Yeah, hear me out,” Barry started walking closer. “I want to recruit you for a mission.”

“I’m already helping a bunch of idiot do-gooders. Sorry I’m up to my fuzzy hood in team work,” Snart replied turning back toward the Waverider.

“Would it help if I said please?” Barry asked.

“No, you already have a bunch of super hero types in your life why ask me?”

“Well you have a particular set of skills,”

“Great movie. Last time we tried to be buddy-buddy it didn’t work out so well,” he paused. “For you. Why trust me now?” he asked

Barry didn’t respond. “Spit it out or I’m going to step on to that ship and pretend like this conversation never happened,” Snart threatened.

“Iris,” Barry finally replied.

“Oy, girlfriend,” Snart

“Fiancé,” Barry corrected.

“Mazel tov,” he joked “What about her?”

“If you don’t help me she’s going to die,” Barry explained.

“True love, that’s your pitch?” Snart looked unimpressed.

“It’s all I’ve got. You know what it’s like to care about someone. What was I beginning to interrupt back there with Y/N?” Barry tried a different tactic.

“That, was none of your business,” Snart said before quickly changing the subject. “And I suppose saving your girlfriend requires us doing something less than lawful.”

Barry nodded “We need to break into ARGUS and steal an alien power source,”

“Flash, thief. That’s my kind of mission. One condition, my rules,”

“Your rules,” Barry agreed.

Central City 2017

I couldn’t stay on that ship after Leonard Snart died. It was too hard. So when we came back to help fight the Dominators, I decided I needed a break from time travel for a while. I left the Waverider and went back to helping Team Flash. My heart was healing with the help of my friends. With each passing day I felt myself moving forward. Fake smiles became real smiles. Even in the current terrible situation the team was in, I knew that I was doing much better than I was when I stepped off that time ship.

We were currently less than a day away from Iris’s death date. Tracy had finished building the bazooka, it was just in need of a power source. A power source that was currently housed at ARGUS. Barry and Cisco came back from asking Lyla about it, with no luck.

Barry’s current solution, steal it. From ARGUS. Brilliant. He ran off after Iris’s comment on none of us being master thieves.

We were all waiting around for Barry to come back from where ever he’d gone. I sat at one of the desks combing over every file we had on ARGUS security. I was no master thief, but I had to do something. I couldn’t sit around and do nothing when we were hours away from my friend’s death. H.R. was telling an extremely outrageous plan to Cisco. I rolled my eyes, continuing my research as he went on.

“Hello Joe. Cisco. Iris, love the ice, sparkly.” I couldn’t breathe. I had to be imagining this. I had finally going insane. “Y/N, what are you doing here? I thought you’d still be on the Waverider,” it couldn’t be. I slowly turned away from my research. And he was there, Leonard Snart, alive and well.

“Captain Cold,” Cisco said confirming that he was indeed there, and I wasn’t losing my mind.

“Snart, what the hell are you doing here?” Joe asked confused.

I seriously felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest. He had to be from the past. How could Barry do this? Well I mean I understand why, but a little warning would have been nice.

“Snart’s going to help me break into ARGUS, get the power source,” Barry explained, the world was spinning, I needed to get out. So I did. I got up and rushed out of the room.

I was pretty sure I heard Cisco call after me. Cisco was my best friend, and therefore the one who understood best how broken I was after Snart died. I didn’t turn around, I just kept going until I was outside the building.

Third Person POV

“Awkward. I can see you all have a lot to talk about. I’ll be down in your lab, getting everything ready,” Snart said before heading towards the lab.

“Barry, are you out of your mind?” Iris asked.

“I thought he was with the Legends?” Joe asked.

“Yes,” Barry said in response.

“No, he dead,” Cisco corrected.

“Well I...” Barry started.

“You time travelled again,” Joe cut him off.

“Yeah,”

“That’s what got us in this mess in the first place,”

“I thought you said you would never do that again,” Iris spoke up.

“I also said I would do whatever it takes to save you. That hasn’t changed. And I’m pretty sure you all feel the same way too, right?” Barry explained. “Look I’m not changing time. I’ll put him back right where I found him after we get what we need.”

“Fine, you say we need Snart’s help, we need his help,” Joe agreed.

“Guys, is anyone going to address the elephant in the room?” Cisco asked. “Am I the only one who saw Y/N run out of here on the verge of a panic attack?”

“I.. I..” Barry couldn’t find the words.

“Snart and Y/N got close on that time ship, didn’t they?” Joe asked.

“That’s an understatement. Why do you think she came back? His death broke her, to the point that I thought she might not ever get the pieces picked up,” Cisco explained.

“She told me she was staying to help with Savitar,” Iris looked shocked.

“The only ones she told the truth to were me and Cisco,” Barry spoke up.

“So all that time…” Iris looked hurt, “I had no idea she was suffering,”

“She was really good at hiding it. Now if you all will excuse me, I’m going to check on my friend before we all meet down in the lab,” Cisco took off to find Y/N.

Back to Y/N

I knew I needed to pull it together. I had to go back in there, for Iris. She needed me right now. I couldn’t revert now. But he was there. I just… I couldn’t look at him. It hurt too much.

I sat down on the curb and tried to steady my breathing. I could do this. I was strong enough. I already lost him; I didn’t want to lose my friend too. I would pull together, for Iris. But the more I told myself that, the harder the task seemed.

“Y/N,” It was Cisco. He sat down next to me and put his arm around my shoulder. I leaned into him, thankful for the comfort. He was definitely the best friend that I could ever ask for. My breathing steadily slowed, until I was finally able to speak.

“I have to go in there and help,” I said.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to, I’m pretty sure everyone would understand. Plus I can’t risk losing my best friend in that pit of despair again. I need you here and happy,” Cisco was always looking out for me.

“I have to do this for Iris. I’ll be okay, and if not, I’ll pretend I’m okay. I’ve done it before, I can do it again,” I replied.

“Okay, but if you aren’t really okay, please promise me you’ll talk to me, that you won’t take this on your own again,” Cisco pleaded.

“Deal,” I agreed as we both stood. I would do this.

Cisco and I walked into the lab where everyone was already gathered. Snart was standing in front of blue prints.

He made eye contact with me, and I tried to look bored, but I knew his calculated stare could see past the façade.

“My guess is the power source is most likely here,” Snart pointed to the lowest point on the blue prints.

“Why there?” Joe asked.

“Because it’s the deepest part of the facility,” I answered, void of emotion, before Snart got the chance.

“Somebody was paying attention in class,” Snart smiled at me. I didn’t have the energy to return it. But he was right, I had paid attention. This wasn’t the only thievery I’d ever watched him plan, there were plenty of times his skill set was put to use on the Waverider.

“Yes, because it’s the deepest part of the facility. And if it’s as valuable as you say it is, then the deepest recesses of any facility are usually the most secure.”

“hmm… Smart Snart,” Cisco giggled at himself, “Smart Snart,” he repeated “I’m gonna keep hacking away and find out for sure,” he walked off.

“Do you have any idea what else might be down there?” Barry asked.

“Doesn’t matter. There are only four rules you need to remember,” Snart started. I’d heard this one before too. “Make the plan. Execute the plan. Expect the plan to go off the rails. Throw away the plan,” he listed. “Follow my lead and you’ll be fine,”

“I’m trusting you,” Barry said.

“We all are,” Iris added.

“Just don’t sit me at the single’s table at the wedding reception,” Snart joked.

“Just out of curiosity, you have a plan for getting in there?” Joe asked.

“I’ve got that covered,” Barry assured him.

Just then H.R. and Tracey walked up. This resulted in Tracey learning Barry’s true identity. They then walked off.

“Alright Joe, I need you to take Iris some place far away from here, far away from me,” Barry

“Barry,” Iris tried to argue.

“I can’t know where, if I know then Savitar knows,” Barry

“I’ll get Wally. We’ll keep her safe, don’t worry.” Joe walked off. I started walking off so Barry and Iris could have their goodbyes. But I was soon followed by a certain parka wearing Rogue. I should have seen that coming.

Once we were far enough away from Barry and Iris, he spoke up. “So, do you want to tell me what the future version of me did to make it so you can’t even look me in the eye?” He asked. I kept walking. “Nothing,” I said without turning around. “You never were a good liar, Y/N,” his voice was close enough to make me jump.

The Waverider, Somewhere in the Temporal Zone

“So, do you want to tell me what’s wrong?” Snart walked uninvited into my room.

“By all means, come on in. No need to knock or anything,” I said sarcastically, putting down the book I’d been reading.

“You didn’t answer my question,” He sat down on my bed.

“I’m fine, there’s nothing wrong with me,” I lied.

“Don’t ever play poker, you are a terrible liar,” He said and I rolled my eyes in return. “I’m fine Snart,” I repeated.

“You see, here’s the thing, I don’t believe you. I want to know the truth, and I always get what I want one way or another,” That sounded a little bit like a threat.

“I’m not in the mood to play your games right now Snart,” I picked my book back up, attempting to wait him out. He’d get bored and leave eventually, right?

‘’I’m not playing any games,” he said plucking my book out of my hands and setting it a safe distance away from me.

I was not amused. I glared at him and tried to reach for my book. He moved it even farther out of reach.

“This would go a lot faster if you would just tell me what your problem is, then I could get out of your hair,”

“What if I told you that you were my problem?” I asked with a challenge written in my eyes.

Central City 2017

“We are not talking about this right now,” I said flatly, attempting to get away from him. I was pretty sure I would break down if I was around him much longer.

He grabbed my wrist and spun me around to face him. “You know I don’t give up that easily,” he said releasing my wrist.

“I can’t tell you.”

“Because it will change the past, mess up the timeline?” He taunted.

“Yes, it’s the first rule of time travel,” I knew he wouldn’t actually care about the timeline. He didn’t care much for rules, unless they were his own.

“And since when do we follow that rule?” he asked, still as infuriating as ever.

“This time I can’t break it, as much as I selfishly want to break it. As much as I want to change the past, I can’t. It’s not an option this time,” I coming dangerously close to losing it and it was getting harder to hide my emotions from him.

I quickly walked away from him, so he wouldn’t see me break down.

[hazyheel]

Monday Night Raw 5/6/19 Review

The night started off by torturing the brand split, but not quite getting rid of it. Vince McMahon was out, and just said that this would be an episode that we would always remember. Roman Reigns came out to interrupt McMahon, and he said that he would show up on any show he wants if the crowd would have him, thankfully that got cheered. McMahon then said that if Reigns was ignoring the brand split, everyone would start to. Daniel Bryan then came out, I think to complain that he wanted a rematch although he was cut off. He was kissing McMahon’s ass and calling him an intellectual when Kofi Kingston came out. Kingston then told Bryan that he should’ve gone straight to Kingston if he wanted a rematch. Bryan then ran him down with similar rhetoric to the old feud, but this time Kofi was even more confident. McMahon then said that he would make a wildcard rule, where a couple roster members could work both brands. Bryan and Kingston argued again, and Drew McIntyre interrupted. He wanted to fight Reigns, because he has a huge ego. McIntyre was weirdly pro management in this promo, insulting Reigns for punching McMahon. McIntyre wanted a match with Reigns, so McMahon booked both that and a WWE Championship match between Kingston and Bryan. 

AJ Styles then showed up, and they just transitioned into a new segment. Styles was pissed about the wildcard rule, the one that just came into existence. I don’t know why he is so pissed, but he is. Seth Rollins then came out to confront Styles about their brawl last week. He said that Styles showed his true colors by attacking him, and Styles said that Rollins was being a dick first. McMahon said that they were to riled up, so he booked them in a tag match against a random tag team.

Grade: D-. I just don’t know why they are still clinging to the idea of the brand split. This whole wildcard rule is just stupid. If you want Roman on both shows, then just get rid of the brand split. It is just dying a slow death, and I wish it would be faster. I dislike inconsistency, and that is all that this wildcard rule will be. The way that this will become tolerable is if NXT is involved. I just don’t like that they are trying to extend this brand split longer than it should be. Just pull the plug Vince. Pull the plug. Oh, and the tag match booking was fine. Vince was annoying when he was patting himself on the back, but that was the point.

Into the actual tag match, Styles and Rollins took on Bobby Lashley and Baron Corbin. The match quickly turned into a competition between the faces, hitting stereo dives in a dick measuring competition. They did very limited moves, but they seemed like they had good tag team chemistry. At one point, Styles went for the phenomenal forearm, but Corbin distracted him, allowing Lashley to hit a rough spear through the ropes. Lashley hit his stomach hard on the apron as he went down. Towards the end of the match, Styles tried to hit Corbin with the phenomenal forearm, but he dodged it and Styles sailed into Rollins. Styles then left the ring in a very heel move, leaving Rollins to be hit with the end of days for the heel win.

Grade: D+. Super didn’t care about this match. True that it continued the feud between Rollins and Styles, but other than that it was just unremarkable. Corbin got a pin over Rollins, which could be leading to a title match in the future. Oh to joy. This was a slow opening to Raw, because these first few segments took the entire first hour. 

Sami Zayn came out for another promo insulting critics like me, and asked what we had to complain about. I said the first hour. He then said that although we can be positive sometimes, he said that we are still toxic after the fact. Bruan Strowman then came out to confront Zayn, and Zayn ran away through the corwd and around ringside. Even during the next match, they ran through the backstage area. Zayn tried to escape while throwing buckets and bins at him. Strowman eventually grabbed him and threw him in a dumpster. Right as a garbage truck came to grab it. I think Sami was thrown in a garbage truck.

Grade: C-. I am gonna cut this some slack because it is the beginning of the storyline, but I can’t give it anything higher than this. I am just sick and tired of Strowman fighting cowardly heels. He should be fighting someone who is actually tough, because that is what he deserves. Sami’s character is good, but I don’t see how it translates into an actual feud.

Lucha House Party then came out for a 6-man tag, and I had forgotten that they were on Raw, against some jobbers they won quickly with their finishers in succession. Fine

Backstage, Naomi, Natalya and Dana Brooke received invitations to Lacy Evan’s match later on. They said that she was weird, and made fun of her for scenting the envelopes. Alrighty.

Next was Ricochet against Robert Roode to qualify for the Money in the Bank match. Ricochet was guaranteed a spot in Money in the Bank, but he had to defend it after losing a match to Roode a couple weeks ago. Roode’s offense has changed quite a bit since he turned heel, becoming much grittier and more violent and overall better. However, Ricochet won quickly with the 630 senton.

Grade: C+. Could’ve gotten higher if it was more competitive, but this wasn’t given enough time. Still, I liked the work in this match, and I always love to see Ricochet.

Backstage, Rey Mysterio was walking around with his son Dominic, but they separated when Mysterio grabbed went into his locker room. Dominic went to grab water, and Samoa Joe followed him. However, Joe just talked to him backstage. Joe criticized Dominic for hoisting his dad up on his shoulders after the match. Joe just yelled at Dominic for a bit, and then told him to tell his dad that he was looking forward to their match at money in the bank.

Grade: B. This was an intimidating promo, but I thought it would be a bit more sinister. Dominic actually held his own while being all up in Joe’s face. I like this feud, and I am excited to see a real match between them. And I want to see how Dominic gets involved.

Next was Lacy Evans against a Jobber, with all the Money in the Bank ladies at ringside (Naomi, Natalya, Alexa Bliss and Dana Brooke). She squashed her with a woman’s right quick, and then Evans got on the mic and ran them all down for not being as good as her. She said that they shouldn’t bother trying to cash in on her, because she will take them down. Becky Lynch then came out for a wild brawl between her and Evans. Lynch was really kicking her ass this time around.

Grade: C+. It was a short brawl, but I was entertained. Maybe that was because I was so bored from the first hour, but I liked it. Still not a positive though.

Daniel Bryan then cut a promo backstage about how Kingston is a terrible champion due to his promotion of consumerism. Cool.

Backstage, the Usos were up to something. 

And then the Viking Raiders were out for a match against Kurt Hawkins and Zack Ryder. I think this was a non-title match, but the Champions got a jobber entrance which is never good. However, they had an enjoyable match. Hawkins hit a great flying lariat off the apron, only for Erik to come by and knee him in the face. The Viking Raiders then got in the ring and hit Ryder with the Viking Experience for the win.

Grade: C. Yeah, I was wrong when I said this was entertaining. It was just frustrating and short. I wish they would actually let the Viking Raiders to get over before they were pushed so hard, but they pinned the champions in this match, so the story is not over.

And then we had the firefly funhouse, which I have heard has actually been really good. During the show, Wyatt was trying to find out what Mercy ate, and it turned out to be Ramblin Rabbit. Wyatt said that this was okay, because he expressed himself, and he rewarded Mercy with a picnic around a bunch of kids that were frowning. 

Grade: B+. This one was kinda short, but shit it was creepy. I really liked that I lot. So I apologize for saying it was bullshit a few weeks ago. I really like that Wyatt is coming for the kids, it is awesome, and he should be back to a similar character with a twist in ring soon enough. This was my favorite part of the night.

Rollins then cut a promo on Styles, saying that he was going to beat his ass next time they see each other, because Styles made his intentions clear when he left the match. Unclear if this was a heel turn for Styles tonight, but we will see.

Next up was Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre. McIntyre dominated in a similar way to their Wrestlemania match. McIntyre nailed Reigns with a reverse alabama slam onto the apron. He also countered a superman punch with an awesome spinbuster, so McIntyre was the real highlight of the match. Roman was about to get the win after a spear, but Shane McMahon ran out to cause the DQ with Elias. The beatdown was happening, and Miz ran in to chase McMahon away. However, Reigns was still hit with a claymore. Backstage, Shane was desperately trying to hide from Miz, and was actually successful until Charlie tried to interview him. Shane tried to hop in a care, but Miz fought him in the parking garage. Shane got the better of the match with a low blow, but Miz was very valiant during the fight.

Grade: B-. Lots of stuff to cover here, and I think it just edges into the positives. The match was fine but not great, and there seems to be a lot of rivalries brewing right now. McIntyre stood tall, but he should have gotten a clean win. As for Miz and Shane, their rivalry is as intense as ever. This all was just a lot, but it was fine in the end.

The Revival were set to have a tag team match against The Good Brothers, but the Usos interrupted on the mic before the match. They played a prank on the revival by putting Uscy hot in their trunks so that their sweat burns. Then the revival was rubbing their asses on the ground and making fools of themselves. Then they poured water on themselves, and started selling for the Uscy hot like crazy.

Grade: F. Fuck this. I get that they are trying to embarass the Revival because they are leaving, but do the stories need to be this stupid? Honestly, the Usos aren’t coming across great either, but having a bit of a change in their character was good. This was just stupid. The Revival are weirdly good at selling though, so that was kinda funny.

No Way Jose was out at ringside dancing around, but Lars Sullivan showed up. He beat down the Konga Line, and then destroyed Jose as well. One guy he hit with a freak accident onto the barricade. He hit Jose with a running sitout powerbomb before leaving.

Grade: B. Pretty good, but I just kinda don’t care about No Way Jose. The Konga people were good at selling, but this segment is always the same.

Backstage, Sullivan was in Vince’s office to intimidate him into extending the wildcard stuff to four people. He did. Well, I guess that means that Elias is getting suspended.

And in the main event, Kofi Kingston defended the WWE Championship against Daniel Bryan in the main event. The two went at it at a very high speed, but their interactions weren’t quite as smooth as the one at mania. At one point, Bryan back dropped Kingston out of the ring, and he messed up the landing and his head smacked the floor. Kingston attempted to use high flying to fight against Bryan with several splash variations off the top rope. In the end, Kofi was able to hit his trouble in paradise to retain.

Grade: B+. Pretty good, but not nearly as good as their encounter at wrestlemania. I think the right person won here, and it was a good way to wrap up the feud. I don’t know what Bryan will do from here, but I am sure he will be involved in a good feud.

Overall Grade: C+

Pros: Samoa Joe promo; Firefly funhouse; Sullivan Beatdown; Main event

Cons: opening promo; opening tag; strowman attack; raiders vs. tag champs; revival bullshit

[entamewitchlulu]

Homura’s Flash Reviews [February 2019]

This will be my first review post for 2019!!  I’m watching winter anime currently which I won’t be reviewing til the season is over, but for those who are interested, here’s what I’m watching for winter!

The Price of Smiles

Ace Attorney

Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka

The Promised Neverland

Mysteria Friends

I’m also gonna be adding a few other things to these Flash Reviews and also review the movies I’ve seen during the month, just cause I rly like having opinions lol.  So without further ado, here are the anime, shows, and movies that I saw this February and January!

Castlevania

Not technically an anime in anything other than style, Castlevania is the animated adaptation of the third Castlevania game, following the adventures of Trevor Belmont, the last of his vampire hunting legacy, Sypha, a nomadic magician, and Alucard Tepes, the son of Dracula and his human wife who was killed by the church, and their struggles to take down Dracula before he wipes out all of humanity.

I don’t know much about Castlevania the games, as they really aren’t my genre, but this adaptation was incredible!!  Proof that video game adaptations can and should strive for greater heights!  The dialogue was funny and witty, the characters were interesting and even the villains were endearing, and there was this incredibly crafted atmosphere of both sadness and hope.  Not to mention, the animation was top notch.  Plus, I have to give it credit for finally letting characters say “fuck” realistically.

overall: 9/10

Futari wa Pretty Cure

The very first, original start of the popular magical girl franchise, Pretty Cure chronicles the tale of Nagisa and Honoka, two very different girls who are brought together when they are chosen to become Pretty Cure, the legendary warriors who will defend light from the darkness!  Together with their mascot friends Mepple and Mipple, and juggling their real lives along with their supernatural battles, Cure Black and Cure White will do whatever it takes to protect the world from evil!

I’ve intended to watch Pretty Cure for literally years now, and no one could agree with where I should start, so I decided to just do what I usually do and watch from the beginning.  I’ve only seen the first season of Pretty Cure and not the Max Heart sequel yet.  Overall, it was about what I expected!  I’m a bit of a sucker for the traditional 2000s magical girl genre, with its repetitive formulas, catchphrases, poses, and the usual five episode plots that every single one of them has.  The designs were super cute and I love how Black and White look so distinct and yet are still clearly a team.  Pollun especially is super adorable!!

Definitely I can see why Pretty Cure became such of a behemoth in the magical girl genre today; it has staying power.  This season was definitely full of a lot of generic magical girl filler, and I will be honest that I started to lose steam for it towards the end, plus the villains were not at all endearing or interesting (like, Poisonny and Regine are both very pretty, and Kiriya was okay, but other than that, no one stands out), but it was still a great and adorable experience that I’m glad I experienced.  I’m not sure when I’ll get to the next series, but I’m sure it won’t be long!

overall: 7/10

Incredibles 2

I took my sweet time going to see this sequel, but here we are.  In the anticipated sequel to the original Incredibles, the family faces new challenges as Elastigirl is scouted by a CEO to help make superheroes legal again, while Mr. Incredible has to learn the challenges of taking care of the family by himself.

 I guess overall it was a good movie and well made for its intended audience.  The animation was pretty good and I usually like their cartoony anatomy designs which are more concerned with a comic-book-esque aesthetic rather than proper anatomy and perfect realism.  Definitely the quality has soared since the first Incredibles.  For me personally though...as much as it was entertaining, in hindsight I don’t think it was really made for me.  There were a lot of plot threads that didn’t seem to get resolved or even addressed.  Bob never fully confronts his jealousy for Helen’s new job, and is never quite confronted about the fact that he hid Jack Jack’s powers from Helen either.  The new superheroes were...honestly not my favorite designs in the world outside of Void, and I felt like their only purpose was to become fight fodder for the final battle, which could have been done with almost any other means.  For as long as the movie was, it felt like a lot of the threads were simply not deeply solved, and only shallowly addressed.  As this is a movie for kids, though, I can look past that; this wasn’t the story for a hugely deep look at things.  It did affect my personal enjoyment, though, but it was still a greatly fun movie to watch.

overall: 7/10

Dragon Ball Super: Broly

Finally coming for the canon after a couple of decades, DBS Broly brings the legendary super Saiyan Broly into the main cast.  When the young Broly is sent away from Planet Vegeta for being too overwhelmingly powerful, he and his father are stranded on a barren planet for forty years, until they are found by some of Frieza’s soldiers and brought into the Frieza Force.  Frieza immediately pits the super powerful Broly up against our heroes Goku and Vegeta, who must pull out every trick in the book in order to stop him from destroying the planet in his growing rage.

I never ever thought I would say this about anything relating to Broly, but GODDAMN that might have been the best Dragon Ball media in years.  Let’s get this part straight: I’ve disliked Broly since he first appeared in the DB movies.  He was boring, had a ridiculous backstory, and was just there to be a Gary Stu to really push Goku and Vegeta to their limits.  But this movie??? This movie singlehandedly shot Broly to my top ten characters in Dragon Ball.  He is endearing, gentle, a recovering abuse victim with a rage he cannot control, and his strength is more dangerous to himself than to those around him.  In TFS’ review of the movie, they made a great point: the real stakes of his movie aren’t whether Broly is going to destroy the planet; they’re whether Broly himself is going to be okay.  I’m focusing a lot on Broly, but Goku and Vegeta are in top form in his movie as well.  It’s great getting to see Vegeta have a massive fight where he isn’t immediately jobbed for Goku’s sake, and Goku himself is at the top of his game as the fun-loving, battle-crazed but still sympathetic hero that he should always be written as.  Not to mention our new additions to the main cast in Cheelai and Lemo, two of Frieza’s soldiers who found and ended up befriending Broly, who are equally endearing and fun especially in their dynamics with Broly himself.  

All in all, this was a fucking excellent movie, and the first DB media that I can imagine wanting to rewatch!

overall: 10/10

Fireworks

When Nazuna is about to move away, she asks Norimichi to come with her to the fireworks, though she plans instead to run away.  When this doesn’t work according to plan, Norimichi finds that a strangle marble belonging to Nazuna has the power to turn back the clock, giving them a second chance to be together.  However, with each reset, they move further and further away from reality -- can they return to a world where they’re able to spend at least one day with each other?

This is pretty much, in a nutshell, everything I love about anime movies.  It’s beautiful, fluid, full of amazing music, and the emotions hit so close to home.  While the story itself doesn’t explain much, it really doesn’t have to -- the surrealism of the surrounding world sells it more than any exposition would, proving you don’t need to slow down your story to explain something as long as you can make people feel something for it.  Despite having so little to know about both Norimichi and Nazuna, I was still more than sold by their romance. And once again, the surrealism of the animation and the story are something that only anime can pull off.  You just can’t do stories like this live action.

The only thing that really dragged this story down were some of the CGI bits, which I found unnecessary and weird against the otherwise gorgeous backgrounds, but I guess this is where animation is going lately so I might have to get used to it.

overall: 8/10

[khiphop-discussions]

SMTM777 Ep.4 Commentary

D.Ark being That One Kid(TM) who just REALLY wants to be involved with the big kids lol

He's good but it's pretty funny. Milli giving him advice and stuff.

Super Bee is such a good leader. He'd be a GREAT producer for next season!

Coogie. I love him

Now New Champ is being That One Kid(TM) hahaha DUDE at first I thought that the whole hook was just curse words and that's why ot was beeped. I was like damn Super Bee is it SMTM4 again? They were just trying to keep the hook secret lol Yun B was boring but the rap was good Lol Super Bee it is Seoul. You right hahah Choi LB was more fun. He had a lot going on with his flow plus more interesting.    Then the shout out to Giriboy hahah. Super Bee STOP! Lol when they all walked around Slick. Team Super Bee seems like they are having a lot of fun. Los was more interesting than Slick. He had more energy in his rap. Also, his rap was HELLA clear YAAASSSS Black Beatles instrumental. Loopy bro you better kill it. That shit DID NOT fit the beat. That's a dud Loopy. The rap was good just not on that beat. It was a mess. I'm disappointed. I kinda knew that would happen tbh but I wanted it have faith so that's why i said to kill it. Loopy was trash Ok "Indigo" verse fit much better. And the provoking of Luda during the HSR line hahaha Like Swings said "Milli exploded for the first time". It really showed how cool he is. FINALLY ! Now stop reusing verses hahah Coogie so far is the only one that was interesting from team Nafla so far. Coogie is very repetitive but at least he's good at what he DOES do. Another Woo Wonjae in that sense. I think Coogie said he's only been rapping for like a year or less to so it's to be expected. Coogie was better than PH-1. I deadass forget he's on this show. Team Nafla is getting ate by Team Bee. The only person who could save it at this point is Nafla but I don't think his will be enough for all 6 of the members that went on Team Bee . Yeah , Nafla is going now. It's not enough. His rap and performance is good but not amazing enough to take on all 6 of team Bee as expected. Qwala kept up with Nafla pretty well tbh. Not better especially with him messing up but up until then he definitely kept up. Lol @ team Nafla getting hype when he messed Odee was great as soon as he opened his mouth. He's definitely the most technically talented rapper on the show. Or maybe EK? I think it's probably Odee though. I have to hear more EK. Super Bee! Making fun of people's jewelry again. I love when he does that. I really can't wait to see Super Bee v. Nafla in the final episode. Shit is gonna be lit. Yeah, team Bee ATE team Nafla. There's no way. Nah, team Bee CLEARLY won tbh. Giriboy LOVED that hook. Team Bee is Team Designer. Cause most of them wear designer shit. Loopy was trash STOP this! Yes, Changmo stay cool w/ Super Bee so you ain't gotta beef with him. Dude...super bee team won stop dragging it out.Whoever is holding out for team Naf is annoying af lol WHAT?!?! That is a fucking ROBBERY bro. Are you fucking kidding me? ROBBERY! All 6 members of SB did well but only 3 of Team Naf are memorable. Robbery. Straight robbery. Well considering they fucking robbed Team be of 50 mill won they better not eliminate them. Also, all that mushy gushy shit about "uwu you guys were all so good WE decided not to eliminate anyone. It's all love, first ever elimination-less mission" it's probably more because SMTM eliminated so many people during the 1v1v1 so there's no need to eliminate 6 whole contestants right now lol. Damn, how the fuck did I forget how good DeepFlow is? What?!? They brought Donathan of course. They should bring BigOne I was just WAITING for these fools to pull out 작두 (jakdu i think that's the right hangul spelling lol, "cut cut cut") VMC has no versatility outside of BigOne but they are just so good at rap that it kinda doesn't matter lol Damn, I forgot how good Giriboy was at rapping too. He mostly does a more trendy rap but he was just straight spitting here. He's damn good. Team Swingiri is so mad. Lol. So aggressive. Oh yeah, Swings used to have a mohawk lol. Lol performing a song that features Milli with him in the audience instead of onstage hahah Yeah, of course you almost ran onstage Milli, it was your damn song LOL LOL he just took back the lyrics of "Maestro" he's too nervous I KNEW he was dropping "Maestro". YASSS Genius[citation needed] Pianist King!!! I've seen these guys live before (Changett) so I know how LIT it is in person. Lol to whoever said "Changmo's so hot" you right If they had eliminated 6 after the team battle mission, they would have only been able to eliminate 2 additional people here so it wouldn't have been as high of stakes tbh. So like I said earlier. All that mushy gushy shit was LIES! LOL This team selection seems so unnecessarily complicated lol. But at least they are doing something new lol He's unique in that I literally don't remember him unless he's on screen. Yeah Chaboom belongs on team VMC. That's the type of music he excels in. I knew Dongmin had to go to Changmett cause he does a trap type style. EK~ just plays in my head every time he's on screen now lol VMC NEEDS EK  even though it's obvious he can do more trendy, melodic stuff. Damn, he used Jvcki Wai as bribe? Shit, I would have went RIGHT to Swingiri team lol. DeepFlow is so happy lol. I am too Damn, Ek basically has to eliminate them. That sucks. They should have eliminated Zilla like??? Stop keeping trendy people just cause. I PROMISE there's someone who can do trendy AND rap well. Ok now Los came so replace Zilla Then Choi LB got replaced too. Swings gone have to square up with whoever else doesn't come to his team lol He gets Nafla so no need to whine this early. Slow and steady wins the race. Odee came over to his team. Now stop being salty Swings lol It's kind of an unspoken rule that you don't choose your label on this show lol. I think B.I. Is the only person who has done it. So i knew he wasn't going with Changmett Ilgyo awwww and they gave him like no screen time. He was hiding under his hat the whole time anyway, I guess. Lol That's true The Q, "the more you see Kid Milli the more he grows on you" They played "nondisclothes" when he got chosen. If Woochan reminded me of G Dragon, D.Ark kinda reminds me of B.I. the attitude, charisma, the good technical skill despite being young af. Damn, slick is good. That had to be hard. I wanna hear what Loopy would make w/ changmett but I just remembered he goes to CoPal. Wow, New Champ really did turn the annoying up to like 6 or 7 this season tbh. He's just trying to get his screen time, I get it. He wasn't like this on smtm4 lol. Coogie like HAS to go to Changmett. I'd be pissed if I was the q and he didn’t lol.    I don't even know why swingiri was mad. Like have they even been there this whole seaaon? It's obvious coogie is 100% team changmett. Him and the quiett are a whole couple. They should have eliminated Hyunseok instead of Luda but like Changmett said, they already have a vision for their team. I don’t think luda was ever supposed to make it. Oh yeah, i forgot he was with Illionaire on SMTM5. Lol I feel like we've already seen what he can do with IllionaireAmbition like he's in the Ghood Life crew and has done a bunch of songs with Changmo and worked closely with The Quiett. It's kinda weird tbh. But honestly Super Bee is at a point where he doesn't need anyone else to foster his growth so.it really doesn't matter what team he's on. He already makes dope songs regardless of who produced them. That said I do hope we get to see a different side. Maybe a slow, emotional, powerful song at some point accompanied by Changmo on the piano? Swings you get Nafla! STOP.WHINING! Damn, D.Ark. Bias wrecker lol. Got hyunseok eliminated haha I think VMC would have done the most with Naf but again, his producing team doesn't matter he's already fostering his own growth tbh. Nucksal that was DISGUSTING. Worse than when The Quiett said "we've never seen anything like that in tv. Thanks for coming to smtm to show us that" or something to that effect. Also, nuck. Nafla's favorite rapper is Biggie NOT Tupac! Keep up! This is exactly why he ain't choose your team! Lol The Quiett REALLY though he was about to finesse that huh? You really thought you was gonna get Super Bee AND Nafla AND Coogie AND D.Ark? Lol The end when the producers got in to the team battle was dope

[archivingspn]

Sequential Tart: “Super Women: Supernatural's Executive Story Editor Sera Gamble”

 Sequential Tart: Eric Kripke's offered a variety of answers in interviews as to what Supernatural is for him, the most often-quoted probably being "Star Wars in truck stop America". Is that the interpretation you approach it with, or do you have a different take?

Sera Gamble: I sometimes say it's "the epic love story of Sam and Dean," but that's just to tease Eric. Yes, I do keep the "Star Wars on Route 66" thing in mind. However huge the scope of Star Wars got, it never stopped being a personal story that was very simple and family-centered at its core.

It's the "truck stop America" part that I especially like. Our show has a different feel than anything else on TV. That dusty road, the vintage car, the classic rock. Oh, and the mullets. I'm a huge fan of mullets and the characters who wear them. I love the juxtaposition of that stuff with the supernatural.

ST: Could you explain a little of the process that each Supernatural episode goes through as it's written? How much is dictated by the season's broader story? Are contributions made by the show's other writers?

SG: "Show mythology" episodes have to be crafted carefully to fit the broader arc. With closed-ended episodes it's not as important, but we do keep in mind where the boys are emotionally and service that. This season, they lost their father. That colors their points of view, even when they're just hunting the monster of the week.

Here's the basic process: the writers sit down with the executive producers and pitch a bunch of ideas. My style is to just keep talking until Eric's look of "you're on crack" is replaced by the faraway, happy look of "this could potentially make people pee themselves with fear".

Once we've settled on stories, we each disappear into our offices and start plotting them out. Occasionally a story unfolds quickly and elegantly — "Bloodlust" was like that. Others are evil, sadistic, slow-moving beasts. We tend to drift into each other's offices when we get stuck. We're very passive-aggressive, though. We never say we need help — instead, we offer to buy each other delicious Starbucks coffee. Then once everybody's caffeinated, we pounce.

One of the exec producers oversees the development of each episode, and ultimately, Eric spends up to a week refining it and making sure it fits into the bigger story. After all that, we finally write the actual script. Does that make it all sound incredibly tedious and boring? It's actually not bad, and sometimes it's so funny and weird I can't believe it's my job. Like when I spend an hour discussing the ways to get someone to die by dunking their own head in a deep fryer. (There are more ways than you think.) 

ST: Do you do any writing exercises with the Supernatural universe, to help you learn the characters and the world outside of the confines of particular episode stories? If not, do you have other techniques for getting the characters right?

SG: I reread Eric's scripts before I start writing. It's actually been quite challenging to get the boys right. I didn't realize how few average-Joe, heterosexual 20-something guys I've even hung out with until I started writing Sam and Dean. I mean, I come from the theater! I don't even know any men who change their own oil! So now I pay very close attention to boys like that. I am a world-class eavesdropper.

(...)

[source]

[lia-nikiforov]

Fall 2017 Anime Final Review

The fall season is over and in many parts of the world the red colors of autumn are giving way to the whiteness of winter. Not where I live, mind you, we just get sucky cold and incomprehensible weather. And we’re here for my final rundown of this very prolific anime season. To close with fanfare, the list will go from worst to best.

The above was valid when I started writing this post, like three weeks ago, but between Hozuki going for a 13th episode that threw my schedule completely off and two weeks of family affairs, I fell behind on everything and could only finish the last few shows today orz. Still going from worst to best and not counting the shows I dropped early in the season (Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryouko and the others I mentioned in my watchlist)

15. King’s Game: This show has the unenviable honor of being The Show that Keeps Ballroom From Hitting the Bottom. I honestly find it hard to talk about shows that are so unequivocally terrible because it seems a waste of time to try to explain all the things it gets wrong. In fact, I don’t think it gets anything right except being accidentally hilarious. I think it peaked with the girl giving exposition whilst literally bursting into flames and the guy who stopped the murder game for five minutes to give MC-kun a haircut, but it’s sorta worth watching if you enjoy irony-watching terrible stuff

14. Welcome to the Ballroom: The big disappointment of the summer continued to limp its way all through the fall until it ran out of manga material. Not that it matters much because it is such a financial flop it’s unlikely anyone will ever want to make more of it. From its failure to showcase much actually animated ballroom dancing, the misguided musical choices, gratuitous bending of the sport’s rules, the hateful characters and its deep-seated mysogyny, the show’s problems just kept mounting, and even the introduction of Chinatsu in the second half didn’t do much to improve it. It managed to have a somewhat strong finale that could’ve been great if any of that character development had been properly earned, but as it is, it just feels like a rushed attempt to tie everything up with  nice bow since they’re never ever making more anime of this.

13. Juuni Taisen:  What started as a fun and stupid action schlock managed to become boring, predictable, uninteresting to watch and a complete waste of time, only so NisiOisin could convince himsel he was writing something profound and meaningful even if the final message is “war is pointless and sucky”. Woohoo, what breakthrough discovery *eyeroll*. It’s also kind of incredible that they had a cast of such colorful personalities, wild outfit designs and a wide range of crazy battle styles and weapons and yet they managed to make most of the fights extremely underwhelming.  I guess the lesson to be learned with this show is: NisiOisin shall always be NisiOisin.

12. Kino no Tabi -The beautiful World-: The only thing keeping this from being below Juuni Taisen is that both shows managed to spite me about equally in their finale but Kino had at least two or three serviceable episodes, with the first one being a particular stand out. It’s a shame,but even the ones that replicated stories from the ‘03 anime were evidence of how thematically and narratively inferior this iteration is, and don’t even get me started on that final episode. What was the thought experiment? What was the point of that idiotic story, which was also aggressively poorly animated? Oh look, Kino is such a baddass she can actually outsmart a bunch of psychotic sheep. Amazing!

11. Sengoku Night Blood: I ain’t gonna lie to y’all, this show isn’t worth watching unless you’re a hardcore Sengoku history fan with immense patience for stupidity and terribleness that isn’t even terrible enough to be funny. Heck, I considered dropping it more than a couple of times during the season -I’m glad I didn’t, but just because their take on Nobunaga turned out to be very fascinating to me, academically-. By the way, the fact that they’re werewolves or vampires hardly had any relevance to the story except to justify everyone wanting to steal the main girl- and we didn’t really get any answers in regards to anything. It’s a bad show my friends, it’s ranking above four whole other shows should only indicate how teeeerrrible those were.

10. Shokoku no Altair: This is a hard show to talk about because I feel the story itself is very strong, but the anime is, as objectively as one can judge a piece of art, a failure. The pacing is irregular and half of the story we barely learn it by exposition. Although the characters are interesting, their personal development is almost null, instead they serve as tools to move the plot along. It almost feels like watching a historical documentary, which isn’t bad per sé, but the way it is told, with the jerky pacing, makes it not super compelling. It also falls for the easy trap of making the not-Germanic Empire inequivocally evil, whilst the not-Otoman empire is inequivocally righteous. Even when Torqye starts their own imperialistic endeavour, it is justified as “necessary”. I think Zaganos is an interesting, morally ambiguous figure, but the fact that Mahmut doesn’t really question his actions makes that ambiguity less clear. Overall I’d say it didn’t live up to its potential.

9. Fate/Apocrypha: I’ll give the show credit for being much better than it had any right to be, even if that only led it to be slightly above mediocre, although undeniably entertaining. It’s an extremely uneven show, with very high moments like Mordred’s arc or the entire episode 22, and then extremely NasuFate garbage like everything surrounding Palurdo-kun and Jeanne and also the whole Jack the Ripper nonsense. It had a good fare of great characters like Mordred or Astolfo and it also had boring of underdeveloped ones like Palurdo-kun, Achilles and Atalante. It was overall an entertaining story, definitely better than UBW and with some of the coolest fight scenes of the year.

8. Classicaloid 2: While weaker than its first season, Classicaloid has had some really good episodes in the last quarter of the season, once again recurring to stories from the composers’ real lives. The “reveal” of Wagner’s identity felt a little too late, but his choice of Super Idol name was gr10. I’d wish they’d introduced more Classicaloids to the cast (where’s Vivaldi, you cowards!) and it doesn’t seem the introduction of Kanae’s mom has served any purpose so far. It’s still a very fun mindless absurd comedy, worth checking out if you enjoyed the first one.

7. GARO: Vanishing Line: In my last Rambling post I mentioned how this show has managed to grow on me over the last four-ish weeks, so I don’t have a lot to add. If you’re able to look past the constant shoving of women into refrigerators and the hurr durr boobs jokes, it’s an entertatining action show, and I’m growing to love the father-daughter-like relationship growing between Sword and Sophie. Let’s just hope the second half won’t disappoint

6. Kujira no Kora wa Sajou ni Utau: This was a very good surprise for this season, and could’ve ranked higher if I had any certainty of a second season coming because as it is, it felt like a prologue more than a complete story. The series has lovely visuals, an interesting world-building and is overall very smart in how it doles out the answers to its many mysteries. It also has a few stand-out characters like Ouni and Suou, although Chakuro is a little too bland to carry the show. I’m certanly curious about where the story is headed, so I hope that “the journey will continue” tag at the end bodes well for the future.

5. Hozuki no Reitetsu 2: It’s always great when a good show comes back for a second season without losing the magic that made it great to begin with and Hozuki is a prime example of this. Almost like there wasn’t a two year gap between seasons, Hozuki managed to retain its strong visuals, brilliant comedic timing and wide range of folkloric and historic jokes mixed with pop culture that never gets old. Hozuki is definitely one of the best anime comedies of the decade so I’m ecstatic to know they’re doing a second part of this season come spring. Can’t wait!

4. Recovery of an MMO Junkie: Easily the best surprise of the season, a show I never intended to check out until I read all the positive responses, and boy am I glad I did. It’s a cute and silly rom-com with a rare woman in her thirties as a main character and an adorable relationship at its core, with very poignant commentary on gaming and how people relate to their gaming experience, as well as gender presentation in online games. It also avoids  the easy and idiotic “gaming is a symptom of a shitty life and you should stop playing games and get out to the real world” but doesn’t go to the “actually game are better than real life” extreme that SAO spouses, instead showing there is a healthy and happy balance to be had. Also, MoriMori is #relatable and the complementary OVA really was a cherry on top of the sweetest cake

3. Blood Blockade Battlefront & Beyond: Withour Rie Matsumoto on the driver’s seat, this sequel decided to follow closer to the manga storyline, which means no continuing plot and just a series of more-or-less standalone stories. This had its good points in that we got episodes centering on minor characters that had been sidelined by the first season: the Chain and K.K. centric episodes were highlights for me. Of course, it also had some negatives, like the show lacking a cohesive thread and some characters like the doctor from ep 2 getting introduced only to never be seen again. I also missed a Klaus-centric episode, since it feels we don’t really know a lot about him other than he’s the purest soul in the Libra family. The animation remained fantastic even without Matsumoto’s frantic style and the final two-part story was very sweet and exciting. No doubt, the best sequel of the season.

2. Mahoutsukai no Yome: My most anticipated show of the season didn’t fail to deliver. While it had a slow start and the episode pacing has been uneven, the high point that it reaches in episode 12, with Chise’s phoenix transformation was just jaw-dropping, visually and emotionally. Using the Opening song as BG music for the scene was absolutely perfect too. It’s taken a while to get there, but the payoff for Chise’s development has been definitely worth it and I’m very excited for the second half.

1. Hoseki no Kuni: Okay so this is another show that feels more a prologue than a complete story, but damn is it a bloody amazing prologue. A unique setting with lovable characters, mindblowing animation and a lot of heart, it’s fantastic through and through. Unlike KujiKora, HoseKuni didn’t really give us a lot of answers, but it compensated with diverse and extremely compelling character dynamics. The climactic encounter between Phos and Cinnabar summed up the masterful character developments that happened over the course of the season and I’m crossing my fingers so hard for a continuation. Hands down my favorite anime of the season and, depending on which day you ask me, of the whole year.

And that was Fall folks! We’re already halfway through the Winter premieres and I’ve caught up to 3/4 of what’s out, with still a lot to go, hopefully I can catch up before my classes start again :’D May 2018 bring us a better, kinder world and a ton of great anime!