#do not trust hiroki takahashi

[ijustkindalikebooks]

Anyone else a Yoongi bias? August has been a long month for the Suga biases in my life, but life indeed does goes on, and the reading is an excellent distraction from the media frenzy about falling off a scooter (cos you know there aren't more important things to discuss right now smh).

I had a goal this year to read 365 books and I suspect I will complete it around the beginning of October going by current reading speeds, of course this depends on some people's view of what reading is, but this month I read novels, novellas, manga and poetry that accumulate to over 30 books and I will be sharing those I loved the most over the last thirty days or so.

The Bloodaxe Book Of Contemporary Poets edited by Jeni Couzyn - A collection of eleven poet, this book covers a good range and though I think it lacks diversity (I mean no Jackie Kay? No Claudia Rankine?) I think this is mainly due to when it's published than anything else. A fantastic array of styles and poetry, I really appreciated reading this while working on the counter in the shop I volunteer in and definitely a collection I need to back and tab as I loved so many entries in this book.

Blue Exorcist by Kazue Kato - As this series nears its end (and I feel like it's in the right space to do so at this point) it has really got to a point in the plot that keeps you reading it, I won't deny that. Though I feel the story sometimes well, dawdles I do appreciate the real moments of emotion that appear in this series and the development of Shiemi's story arc within this series. There are things that I find frustrating, but volumes 27/28 were in particular, very very good.

Bloom Into You by Nio Nakatani - I really appreciate the representation in this book from Maki as an aro/ace person as an ace person and of course LGBT stories that do not end in someone dying, that's always great - keep that happening. I do feel there are elements of what the hellery in this book, and I would check on triggers for this as in reflection there seems to be some issues around consent but as the series goes on I feel alot of this is unpacked in the story and makes for a wonderful ending.

The Girl From The Other Side Vol. 6 by Nagabe - I am not going to talk much again about this as we're now at the mid point of the series and if you've not read it then it will be spoilers for you, but this series tells a story I can never ever predict where it's going ever and an art style that is reminiscent of Grimm's Fairy Tales in the best way possible - it's a dark fairy tale told at it's very finest and if you enjoy manga I do highly recommend picking this one up, I trust Seven Seas so much with the series it picks up and decides to share.

Finger Bone by Hiroki Takahashi - A novella about Japanese soldiers fighting in Papa New Guinea, Finger Bone isn't a book you love, it's a book that lays around in your brain and makes you think about it for days. The story of a Japanese soldier relaying the experience of a warzone that for them is sinking into despair, hunger and misery, the ending of this book left me feeling so many things. Named after the bone that doctors remove when a soldier passes away, this was 97 pages of a creeping sense of dread that reminded me of 'All Quiet On The Western Front'.

What have you been reading this month? Do you have any recommendations for me? I always love to hear feedback from you!

Thanks again for reading,

Vee xo.

[smokefalls]

Title: Finger Bone Author: Hiroki Takahashi Translator: Takami Nieda Publication Year of Translation: 2023 Publisher: Honford Star Genre: fiction, historical fiction

This was a hard novel to read. As short as it may seem, it took me a number of days to finish this one, mostly because the emotional weight of this book was so heavy. Set in the Pacific halfway through WWII, the novel is narrated by an unnamed Japanese soldier observing day-to-day life at a field hospital, where he is recovering from an injury. What I found interesting about this novel was Takahashi’s decision to show the futility of war not in literal trenches, but, rather, primarily in a quiet environment for the injured and dying.

I will fully admit that I picked up this book with some skepticism, as it was from the perspective of a Japanese soldier during WWII and translated from Japanese. I had a sense that the atrocities committed by Japan during the twentieth century would not be covered, which… more or less was the case. It became clear as the novel progressed, though, that Takahashi had a somewhat different intention, which was to show how the soldiers were almost unthinkingly trusting a government that didn’t reveal the full picture to them. The soldiers were led to believe that their side was winning the war; they cheerfully discussed how the indigenous people of the island they were on (the Kanak) would have to learn Japanese to prepare for inevitable tourism once the war ends; and they were fed misinformation about how the Allied forces were doing. The narrator’s belief in his government wavered as morale dropped over the course of the novel, not so much because he believed his side was in the wrong, so much as it was to question the purpose of war.

I still can’t quite place my finger on what about this novel didn’t completely work for me, but, overall, it was interesting reading from a different perspective and at a less-talked-about location during WWII.

Content Warning: graphic depictions of death, war, violence, blood, medical content, references to suicide

[koushirouizumi]

{Connecting the Dots?} especially with {The GhostGame summary for Ep14}.

{Prefer less re-blogs as I’m still working on compiling things for this, but hey!} (‘If it ends up happening, I predicted it like 3 eps ago’)

{gifs/edits by izzyizumi / koushirouizumi} [Me] {DO NOT re-post} {DO NOT remove caption}

[trashexplorer]

BLCD 2020: August Releases

Legends:

✓ - have      

💡 - interested

✘ - not interested (but will probably still listen to)    

🙏 - dying for

1. One Room Angel 🤷 *postponed from June

Release Date: 2020/08/07

Cast: Sugita Tomokazu x Shouta Aoi

Synopsis: A man is stabbed and left for dead in an alley, but he is saved by a young man who has a halo and wings who calls for an ambulance. Later, the boy appears at the man's front door and claims to be an angel with broken wings, and states that the only way for them to heal is to make people happy.

Comment: This was a one-shot before and has been re-released as a full length story of it’s own. I’ve heard that this manga won a lot of awards and was about to give it a chance and then BOOM HARADA. I AIN’T TRUSTING.

Also, HOLD THE PRESSES IT’S SHOUTA AOI’S FIRST BLCD AND OMG HARADA STRAIGHT OFF THE BAT?! AND SUGITA TOMOKAZU??? HOW MUCH WAS THE BUDGET FOR THIS??? Like the manga, it’s like they got angels to fall for this casting!

2. Shounen no Kyoukai ✘

Release Date: 2020/08/11

Cast: 

Yashiro Taku x Saitou Souma

Okitsu Kazuyuki x Kobayashi Yuusuke

Synopsis: Yuka is childhood friends with the timid and quiet Kaoru. After they've got into middle school Yuka decided to ignore Kaoru. When the time for the gender examination began their lives started to change. 

3. Danshi Koukousei, Hajimete no All Combination vol. 2 ✘

Release Date: 2020/08/21

Cast:

Furukawa Makoto x Murase Ayumu

Shirai Yuusuke x Masuda Toshiki

Yashiro Taku x Shingaki Tarusuke

Synopsis: Collection of past releases. As far as I know, there isn’t any new recordings in this.

4. Ano Hi no Houkago, Bokutachi wa. Futari ga Chikadzuku Towairaito Kouta x Haruki & Haruki x Kouta ✘

Release Date: 2020/08/26

Cast: *will this work, I wonder

(Kouta x Haruki) Ishiya Haruki x Itou Kento

(Haruki x Kouta) Itou Kento x Ishiya Haruki

Synopsis: Haruki and Kouta are childhood friends who grew up in a rural town. This year will be their last year in high school. Days go by in a blink of an eye and it’s already November. When spring comes, the two of them will have to part in order to further their education. One day after returning home from school, the two start feeling confusing feelings for each other. Are those feelings brought about friendship, or are they something more?

5. Love Me Love My Dog ✘ I SEE NO DOGS IN THIS

Release Date: 2020/08/26

Cast: Kumagai Kentarou x Takahashi Hiroki WAIT IF KUMAGAI KENTAROU SOUNDS LIKE ONO YUUKI THEN THIS MIGHT BECOME DAKAOTOKO

Synopsis: Akihiko, a bisexual author with a casual approach to sex, is put in the care of rookie editor Aiichirou, a diligent and naïve young man who has always admired Akihiko as an author. With their different views on life, what will happen when Aiichirou walks in on him sharing a bed with a man?! Spin-off to the popular 'Hoshi to Harinezumi'.

6. Old-fashioned Cupcake 💡

Release Date: 2020/08/26

Cast: Azakami Youhei x Okitsu Kazuyuki *y’all sure about this? I have very high standards for Okitsu’s co-stars 😂

Synopsis: Sleep, wake, and work — sums up the day-to-day life of 39-year old, Nozue. A routine that eases him, and conversely weighs heavily on him — which worries the hard-eyed but reliable Togawa, a 29-year old subordinate of his. In an unexpected turn of events, the two of them end up visiting a pancake shop bustling with girls.

7. Issho Tsuzukerarenai Shigoto ~ Yuzurenai Omoi ~ ✘

Release Date: 2020/08/27

Cast: 

Morikawa Toshiyuki + Ono Yuuki

Toriumi Kousuke x Shingaki Tarusuke

Synopsis: Hayasaka Yoshihito was so impressed by lawyer Mikami Haruhiko that he decides to work with him at his small law firm. But it's not quite what Hayasaka's expecting. With the sexually harrassing lawyer Katayama Masaki who doesn't seem to do anything, scary secretary Shingyouji Miho, and Mikami himself who isn't quite the way Hayasaka remembers, things are about to get interesting for an idealistic young lawyer!

8. Hadakeru Kaibutsu 2 ✘

Release Date: 2020/08/28

Pairings:

Satou Takuya x Ono Yuuki

Hatano Wataru + Ishikawa Kento

Ono Yuuki x Ishikawa Kento

Synopsis: Adaptation of the second volume of the series.

9. Tokyo 24-ku Drama CD vol. 2 Shirasu Takemi Hen “Body Talk” 💡

Release Date: 2020/08/28

Cast: Katou Masayuki x Mizunaka Masaaki

Synopsis: Extras for the game of the same name.

[justanotherprowrestlingblog]

NJPW Dominion Review: 

saturday june 9th, from the Osaka Jo Hall in Osaka)

IGWP Jr Tag Team Championship: Roppongi3K vs El Desperado&Kanemaru:[***]

Fun little match to start the night off, maybe a little too much shenenigans on the final stretch but at least it was enjoyable. Probably the best match from the champs in quite a few months at least since they won the titles and here in dominion they kept the titles, thanks to some of their sneaky heel tattics. I wish Roppongi3K could regain the titles but they are still very young so they will have more opportunities in the future. Wonder who will be the next challengers for Kanemaru and Despy if their feud with the Chaos member is over.

Winners and still IGWP Jr Tag Team Champions: Kanemaru&El Desperado

Juice Robinson&David Finlay vs Jay White&Yoshi Hashi:[**3/4]

The match was ok and it was mainly done to develop the feud between White and Robinson and keep their title match probably for the G1 special in the US, rather than have this match on a quite stacked card like today's one. The final stretch was the best part of the match as Finlay went for the stunner on Yashi, Blade runner from White on Finlay and then Juice capitalised with a big left punch followed by his Pulp friction for the win. I think it's time for Juice to win something in New Japan as he improved so much after he got with the company and the US could be a good start, while Switchblade could move and try to capture the Never Openweight title or the IC Title, since they are more important than the US title.

Winner: Juice Robinson&David Finlay

Minoru Suzuki&Zack Sabre Jr vs Tomohiro Ishii vs Toru Yano:[**3/4]

I wasn't expecting much from this match as it was marely a filler but in some parts it was actually fun: Ishii and Suzuki trading shots was cool as heel and the finish was nice too as Zack blocked with his tights the lowblow from Yano and then trapped him in one of his submissions and made him tap. Actually the post match was better than the match itself as Ishii went after Minoru and they beat the living crap out of each other as i feel they will have a big match during the G1. And speaking of G1, Sabre Jr could actually be an interesting outsider for the victory of the tournament.

Winners: Minoru Suzuki and Zack Sabre Jr

Never Openweight Title: Taichi vs Michael Elgin vs Hiroki Goto:[***1/4]

First title change of the night as Elgin captures the Never Openweight title for the first time in his career. The match was solid and well booked: Elgin-Goto trying to keeping the match between themselves, Taichi doing sneaky things and using Miho (Miho marry me) at his advantage but for me Elgin winning the title wasnt't a good idea. While i'm happy Goto lost because it was time to have a new champ, i also thought it could have been the right moment to have push Taichi after he got better since he moved in the heavyweight division. Elgin is a good wrestler but it would have been cool for New Japan to believe in a young wrestler for once but i guess they don't want to waste him yet or probably the have better plans for him.

Winner AND NEW Never Openweight Champion: Michael Elgin

IWGP tag Team Championship: Young Bucks vs EVIL&Sanada:[****1/4]

My god what a stunning match from these two team. Finally NJPW delivers a great tag team match since the Bucks-Golden Lovers showdown at SSE. I loved how they booked it and the spots were really cool: the indy taker from the champs, the sharpshooter from Matt and Sanada applying the skull head...the first sick double superkick from the bucks on EVIL and the one in mid air. Storytelling wise it was great too and it's something where the Bucks got so much better and finally they are proving everyone that they are not just superkicks and flips: Nick selling the injury was cool as hell especially when he couldn't do the springboard that leads to the indytaker and for once it wasn't Matt the one who was injuried for the whole match. Also, as Kevin Kelly said in the post match, Bucks had a big weight and size disadvantage and them overcaming the odds is a cool storyline to tell. Bucks winning the title was the right move as Sanada&Evil's title reign wasn't remarkable and they needed to send a message that they still want to have the very best also for the tag team division. The Bucks will indeed bring back some buzz around the division and probably deliver another great match with the LIDJ guys in the rematch they will have in the next months.

Winners AND NEW IWGP Tag Team Champions: Young Bucks

Jushin Thunder Liger, Hiroshi Tanahashi& Rey Mysterio vs Cody, Hangan Page and Marty Scurll:[***]

Another kinda filler match even tho you can't really say it's a filler when you have so many great talents in the same ring. Mysterio looked great and at the moment he could be a great pick for any promotion in the world because of his talent and star power. The match was fine, nothing really remarkable but a good win for the Bullet Club, especially for Cody who is at the moment my #1 pick to win the G1 if he will be part of any of the two blocks

Winners: Cody, Marty Scurll&Adam Page

IGWP Jr Heavyweight Championship: Hiromu Takahashi vs Will Ospreay:[****1/2]

And the Juniors deliver another fucking awesome match, after a great BOTSJ with a stellar final between Ishimori and Takahashi(unfortunately i couldn't do a proper review because of the lack of time). This match was nuts and also told a really great story, as i never saw Ospreay  showing a more nasty and sadistic side as he wanted desperately to win and defeat Takahashi. The crowd was super behind Hiromu who gained lots of support from the fans in the last couple of months and even more after his tournament run and victory...and he also gained back Mr. Belt as he deafeted a banged up Ospreay who probably might take some time off to heal as his neck isn't at 100% after the last couple of matches(the one with Scurll was nasty for his neck). CHAOS members keep the losing streak alive as they are 0-4 in Osaka. Storytelling was at his best as they really made sure both looked great and both did their best during this encounter, the result tho is a little surprising for me because i thought they wanted to go for Ospreay-Ishimori in the next months but probably now it will be a rematch from the tournament final. Another amazing match from the Jr Heavyweight division.

Winner AND NEW IGWP Jr Heavyweight Champion: Hiromu Takahashi

IWGP IC Championship: Chris Jericho vs Tetsuya Naito:[****]

Here it is the biggest upset of the night...Chris Jericho beat Naito and won the IC Title! Nobody and i mean nobody thought Jericho could win the belt. The match was good, pre-match was very nasty and very good as Jericho went totally heel and this helped a lot his character and the rest of the match, with Naito who tried a standard babyface comeback after being banged up (that cut under the eye must have hurt quite a bit). Finish was fine even tho it could have been a lot better. Jericho winning the titles now makes a lot of us wonder: will he stay longer with the company and maybe work more shows or just the big ones?. That's so sick, because having jericho on your side helps a lot and it could give us so many good possibilities and matches we never saw. Not sure that Jericho will last long as the IC Champ, but still it's so cool as heel to see him as a champion in NJPW. That's a really good surprise. And it's kinda funny it took Jericho less time to win the IC title in NJPW rather than being a ten time IC Champion in WWE...and on a less important note, jericho still has Judas as his NJPW theme <3 (i'm a big wrestling theme song fun and maybe i'll bring something, theme wise, on the blog)

Winner AND NEW IWGP IC Champion: Chris Jericho

2 out of 3 falls IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kenny Omega vs Kazuchika Okada:[*****]

O H M Y G O D W H A T A M A T C H....HE HAS FUCKING DONE IT! Ok i'll stop marking out...so for all those people concerned about this match, it was simply perfect. P E R F E C T. Crowd very into the match, commentary on point (god praise Callis and Kelly), Wrestling perfect, storytelling incredible, booking perfect. I was concerned they would do some BS on the finish but they didn't. And i was also concerned that Omega would lose because all the other CHAOS members won and Okada had not yet hit the rainmaker after the first fall, who came after almost 50 minutes with a sunset flip..and then two straight and clean falls for Omega who ended the impressive title reign of Okada, probably one of the best in the history of wrestling, because i cant remember a champion that had so many great title defenses during his reign. It was the perfect way and match to end his title reign and the best way to make Omega won the title for the first time. Post match was very emotional because we were all waiting for a big hug between Kenny and the Bucks (and Kota too). I recommend everyone watching this match, even tho it last 69 minutes and sometimes it's hard to find some time to watch the shows because of our busy lives, but trust me, you won't regret it and for sure you won't ask yourself why you spent this much time watching a match. It was perfect, it was what wrestling really is, it was what made me start watching wrestling. Today not only Omega won, but we all won and most importantly wrestling won...and fuck those people who really love to bash this beautiful piece of art.

Winner AND NEW IWGP Heavyweight Champion: Kenny Omega

Overall: A great show that delivered from the start to the finish. A show that had great wrestling, great moments, drama, emotions, just had everything. Perfect show? Maybe not, but amazing in every aspect. At the moment, best show of the year for me and it won't be really easy to top such a beauty of an event. [9]

[clearui]

*DO NOT POST THIS TRANSLATION ELSEWHERE!!*

Kujaku

"Aaah, welcome. I've been waiting."

"Somehow, you look bright today. Did something good happen?"

"Today, what kind of therapy you wish for?"

*chuckle* "I understand. Like usual, you're leaving it to me."

"That you trust me, I'm really happy. Well then, I shall begin.”

  *DO NOT POST THIS TRANSLATION ELSEWHERE!!*

Translated by clearui

[trashexplorer]

BLCD 2018: April Releases

Legends:

✓ - have      

💡 - interested

✘ - not interested (but will probably still listen to)    

🙏 - dying for

1. 30-byou, Sono Ato ni ✓

Release date:  2018/04/10

Cast: Kamio Shinichirou x Kobayashi Daiki

Synopsis: Homeboy has the ability to see thirty seconds into the future. One fateful day, he saves a shop owner from a car accident and the latter has been indebted to him ever since. They grew closer and homeboy becomes comfortable around him - until one day, he foresees shop owner-san kissing him in the next thirty seconds!

2. Caste Heaven 2 💡

Release Date: 2018/04/11

Cast: 

Ono Yuuki x Uchida Yuuma

Satou Takuya x Murase Ayumu

Synopsis: Second installment of the series.

3. Michi to no Souguu ✓ *was actually a meh for me

Release Date: 2018/04/11

Cast: Shingaki Tarusuke x Saitou Soma

Synopsis: Honda and Shibuya work at the same company and live in the same apartment complex. One day while Honda was doing his laundry, he noticed something unusual...it was panties! Shibuya comes rushing in and finds that he had left one of his precious men's lingerie! Shibuya tries to explain to Honda his lingerie fetish and at first Honda didn't care but he slowly got sucked into it and became infatuated with Shibuya's lingerie fetish and ending up pulling down his pants to see Shibuya wearing strawberry print panties! And the pantie pursuit starts! (BakaUpdates)

4. Kurui Naku no wa Boku no Ban; β1 ✓

Release Date: 2018/04/18

Cast:

Shingaki Tarusuke x Kobayashi Yuusuke

Furukawa Makoto x Shirai Yuusuke

Synopsis: side Beta HAHAHAHAHA

5. Dakaretai Otoko Ichii ni Odosarete Imasu. Chapter 0 and vol. 4 ✓

Release Date: 2018/04/20

Cast:

Ono Yuuki x Takahashi Hiroki 

Iguchi Yuuichi + Shimazaki Nobunaga x Kawahara Yoshihisa (only in 4)

Synopsis: Adaptation of Chapter 0 and vol.4. I’m def not looking forward to the other couple tho - like, no.

6. Danshi Koukousei, Hajimete no ~ Second Secret ~ Shidou x Aru Hen ✘

Release Date: 2018/04/20

Cast: Furukawa Makoto x Murase Ayumu

Synopsis: Harsh x riajuu members of the movie club.

7. Remnant 1 - Kemonohito Omegaverse - & 2 - Animate Genteiban Drama CD ✓ *best cover ever!!!

Release Date: 2018/04/21

Cast: Kawahara Yoshihisa x Satou Takuya

Synopsis: Adaptation of the Remnant series.

8. Ambivalence ✓ *art's great tho

Release Date: 2018/04/25

Cast: Furukawa Makoto x Nishiyama Koutarou

Synopsis: BL Kaichou wa Maid-sama

9. Cupid ni Rakurai ✓

Release Date: 2018/04/25

Cast: Shimono Hiro x Masuda Toshiki

Synopsis: Shingo is the school’s cupid - gifted with a good personality that makes all the guys trust him and give him info girl’s want from a certain guy. One day, he’s tasked to find out the story behind the scar on their mysterious senpai, Ao. 

10. Momo to Manji 2 Animate Genteiban Drama CD ✘

Release Date: 2018/04/25

Cast: Shingaki Tarusuke x Saitou Soma

Synopsis: Animate Limited CD. Not sure if this is canon or not ‘cause I don’t follow the series.

11. Tada no Classmate Kara Koibito ni Naru Tatta Hitotsu no Houhou Method.1 Mondaiji to Yuutousei no Baii ✓ *the hell’s with the long ass name?

Release Date: 2018/04/25

Cast: Furukawa Makoto x Satou Takuya *Gelateria couple!!!

Synopsis: The same age, the same classroom, and crossing gazes - won’t you stay tune into these student’s love? 

Asuka Keiichi and Asuma Haruka are classmates who aren’t exactly on the best of terms. Asuka’s the serious class rep while Asuma’s more of a free spirit - they couldn’t be more different and close to each other but, after the “incident” could it be possible for their relationship to become something more?

12. Himitsu no Koibito ✘                   

Release Date: 2018/04/27

Cast: Takahashi Hidenori x Kawanishi Kengo

Synopsis: Secret lovers who are 28 years apart. The uke is in high school and the seme is a working “adult”. Age gaps are not my thing, esp if one is still in hs like wat? Miyagi and Shinobu’s 17-year gap pales in comparison. 😂

13. Watashi no Shiranai Karera no Himitsu 2 ✘

Release Date: 2018/04/27

Cast: Kumagai Kentaro x Enoki Junya

Synopsis: Second installment of the series.