#great mutual battle of 2023

[grapefruiters]

[sesamie]

(id: digital ms-paint art of somsnosa from hylics and gerard way holding a corded telephone. they are high-fiving with excited expressions. bubble text reads, "VOTE ROBIN & JUNE". end id)

@catholicjinx @blorb0

mark my worms we will be victorious!

[writergeekrhw]

I grew up on DS9 and VOY. I'm now a mutual aid organizer and the agricultural science director of a community farm/living agricultire classroom. I think it's pretty safe to say Trek helped steer that path. Past Tense was a formative pair of episodes.

Sitting here on Dec 31st, 2023, 32 y/o, broke, friends living on my couches, cooking for people facing winter in tents, watching labor win some battles but violence and hate and fascism and greed and war win many others...

I just wondered, as one of the people who wrote the story I think many of us are rewatching tonight, and has seen everything that has happened since...what are you thinking as we enter 2024?

Well, it's pretty late in 2024 and it hasn't been great, but I have hope things can get better.

Or they could get much, much worse in November, but I'm rooting for hope. And joy. And all that stuff.

Fingers crossed.

[mirai-e-jump]

Animage October 2023 Issue ft. Aoto Watanabe Interview (translation below)

Publication: September 8, 2023 (between episodes 27-28)

"I'm on Top!"

Born and raised in the slums, Yanma Gast ascended to the throne with just his computer. He's the "President," who's earned the respect of the nation, or rather of his friends, for his passionate way of life. N'Kosopa has had a history of being forced to work as Shugoddam's supplier. Standing at the top is Yanma, who isn't afraid of any opponent.

"I won't flatter or bow down to you. Regardless of who my opponent is, I'll beat them down with guts and brains!"

It's his core belief

Charging down the path he believes in, Yanma claims to be a king of knowledge, and is by no means an bad person. He has the insight to see through both Gira's role as an "evil king" and Racules's true intentions. He's compassionate, someone who at times will subtly care for his friends, at other times, he'll show off a mature attitude. He's an exceptional engineer who's developed weapons such as the Ohger Calibur, and the mechanical lifeforms know as Shugod's. His many strengths are his main appeal.

The battle against the new enemy, Uchu King, is bound to be fiercer than ever. Yanma's engineering abilities, superior brains, and his belief to not give into anyone or anything will be a great source of strength for the royal Sentai.

-The cool things about Yanma, who can respect others-

"It's now been about half a year since the the start of the broadcast, how do you feel?"

Watanabe: Each day was long, but looking back, it felt like it went by in an instant, it's a strange feeling. I suddenly realized that we're halfway through filming, and every 5 episodes feel like the climax of the show, so now I'm thinking, "What's going to happen in the next 20 episodes?" (laughs).

"Since filming began, has your impression of Yanma changed at all?"

Watanabe: I felt that he was more friendly towards other people than I originally thought. As I'd said in one of my lines, I think that Yanma's stance is that he does what he wants to do, and only follows those who want to follow him. In the end, they all unite, and while I thought he didn't like helping others out, in episode 7, he talks about how friends should be, saying, "It doesn't matter if you're in the middle of a fight, you lend a hand when things get tough, and when it's done, you get back to fighting." Recently, there have been more scenes in which he offers alittle more help to the other kings, and I see him as someone who's opened up and discovered new sides to himself. For example, in the film, he tells Rita what he thinks, but when Rita says that they don't think the same way, Yanma backs off. Don't force your opinions onto others, and maintain a certain distance. I like the respect he has for the others. I also like the fact that Yanma isn't stubborn, and is able to accept other people's ideas, being flexible even if he thinks differently. Even though he has his own path, in order to follow it, he needs to think about things with an open mind, and see things from different perspectives. That's why he was able to come this far from nothing, and I feel that he's the type of person who'll grow the most in this world.

"In terms of his relationship with the other kings, he told Kaguragi in episode 17, "You'd never go along with anyone. In fact, that makes you more trustworthy"

Watanabe: In a way, that exchange with Kaguragi was cool, because it conveyed some good things about him.

"Furthermore, your relationship with Gira, Hymeno and Jeramie seems to be mutual ones.

Watanabe: That's right. Kaguragi and Rita are the type to put boundaries between themselves and others, so there's a sense of keeping a distance from them, on the other side, Gira and Hymeno are more direct. When it comes to Jeramie, I want to continue to be on equal terms with him. Jeramie comes off as rather cute, so I think we can have a relationship where Yanma pulls him along. But, what Jeramie has gone through is something we can't even imagine. So, I want to have a relationship with Jeramie where I can fight along side him in a normal way, to become alittle annoyed with him if he says something wrong, and to have a strong sense of respect for him. This is shown when we fistbump in episode 19, which is one of my favorite scenes.

"Is there anything you're conscious of in presenting the relationship between Shiokara and the others members of N'Kosopa?"

Watanabe: Honestly, I rarely discussed things like acting with them. Especially with Akka, Usuba, and Mayuta, I try not to get too close since those 3 have a relationship that is to follow Yanma's lead. Shiokara, played by (Yuhei) Chiwata-san, plays a more central role, and I'll see him thinking up his performance, but, he never bothers to tell me what he's going to do, and he doesn;t ask what we're going to do. Everyone just tries doing what they like when it comes to the performance.

"What was the most memorable interaction with Hirotsugu Mori-san, TomboOhger's suit actor?"

Watanabe: It didn't happen on set, but the first time we went out for drinks together was very memorable. Mori-san is a very sociable person, so we became good friends right away. We went out for drinks and both talked about how we got into King-Ohger, and what we wanted to do as Yanma, we talked so much that before we knew it, 5 hours had gone by (laughs). I'm not the best at socializing with other people, so I was really surprised by the fact that we had endless conversations during our first drinks together, and was impressed that we actually talked for 5 hours.

"It seems exactly like having a like minded partner."

Watanabe: Yeah. I felt like Mori-san created that kind of atmosphere.

"How is it doing the dub for TomboOhger?"

Watanabe: I think it's very difficult to perform using only my voice. In the beginning, when I would hear my own voice in the broadcast, I would sometimes think it lacked abit of energy or that it just didn't sound like Yanma. Now, I'm more conscious of performing while moving my body, throwing in more hand gestures than normal, and speaking in a lower tone.

-Interactions with children who reaffirmed his starting point-

"Do you have any memorable events, such as the stage greeting for the film?"

Watanabe: I was happy to be able to feel the enthusiasm of the audience. I usually spend time filming on site, so I only had a chance to see people's reaction by looking at their feedback online. When I actually saw the audience in person, it really felt like, "These people are happy to see us." In general, children don't get to post their feedback online, do they? Of course, I was happy to see the reactions of adults, but I was most excited for the children due to the fact that I myself watched Sentai as a child. When we were doing highfives, some children would come running up to me with their eyes sparkling, while others would be too nervous to look me in the eyes. When I was a kid, I was also the shy type, so I felt like I was looking at my younger self. I recognized that, "I'm acting for the sake of these kids," and it gave me more motivation for future filming.

"We're sure there'll be more opportunities to appear at events in the future, and we hope you'll be able to make more wonderful memories. Please tell us about your favorite episode so far, or what episode you have fond memories of."

Watanabe: It changes every time (laughs). If I had to pick, the scenes where everyone assembles are most memorable. The scene in episode 5 where the five of us finally stood side by side was very exciting, as we'd been playing our roles since the audition. There's the scene in episode 10 where we call for Legend King-Ohger, and I also liked the scene in episode 19 where all of us transform together. Things started out with just Gira and me, but then Hymeno, Kaguragi, Rita, and finally Jeramie, we grew one by one, and the process of seeing our group formation up close was probably why it's so memorable.

"Other than your role as Yanma, if you could name your favorite character, who would it be?"

Watanabe: For me, I'm a fan of Hymeno. I feel that the charisma Hymeno possesses is similar to that of Yanma's. Yanma gains allies by just doing whatever he wants, while Hymeno gets people to follow her through being selfish. I myself admire such people, and think it's cool that she's a loner, or rather, that she's selfish and doesn't follow others. I've always been more attracted to strong female characters who are willing to go ahead, rather than stand behind and offer support.

"Speaking of which, at the press conference to announce the film, you mentioned that your first love was Jasmine (DekaYellow) from "Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger."

Watanabe: That's right. Possibly due to the influences of Sentai, she gives off the image of the ideal woman (laughs).

"By the way, who's your favorite female character from anime and films?"

Watanabe: For anime, I really like Hancock from "One Piece." Films include Elizabeth from "Pirates of the Caribbean" and Padme from "Star Wars"…..The 3 people I mentioned are all either princesses who fight or high class ladies (laughs).

"You're consistent in the type of women you prefer (laughs)."

Watanabe: Yeah, I noticed that too. (laughs).

"As mentioned earlier in your conversations with Mori-san, is there anything you'd like to do as Yanma in the future?"

Watanabe: I want to do a scene where I'm in the rain, and Mori-san said he wants to do a 1 on 100 fight. So, we talked about wanting to do 1 on 100 fight in the rain (laughs). I was told we couldn't do that because I used to spray dye my hair blue, and the color would fade if it got wet. But, starting with the new chapter, I now have blonde hair, so I'm secretly hoping that we can finally do it. I have alot of things I want to do with my mentor, Gin-san (Ken Yoshizawa-san), and I can't wait to tell you all about it when it finally become a reality.

"We're looking forward to the day when Watanabe-san's visions are realized! Finally, please give us some highlights of future events."

Watanabe: The new chapter will not only bring in new enemies from outer space, but it will also explore the heart of the show's universe. I have a feeling that we'll be diving into the story of the world from 2,000 years ago and explore the roots of the Yanma and others. I'm very excited about it, and I'm sure that you'll enjoy the new developments as well!

[powerful-niya]

The Tell-Tale Heart

❀Fest No Jutsu 2023❀

Naruhina Oneshot Available on: AO3 | Wattpad | Fanfiction.net |

Prompt claimed fulfilled for @wickermayne 🥰

❀Naruhina RomCom❀

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Summary: The Fourth Great Ninja War ends and Konoha is at peace; Hinata Hyuga contemplates Naruto Uzumaki's unexpected desire to spend more time with her.

》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ * 。° 。 • ˚《

》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ * 。° 。 • ˚《

Tags: Blank Period • Canon • Canon Divergence • Declarations Of Love • Drama & Romance • Fake Relationship Trope • Fluff • Happy • Happy Ending • Humor • Light Angst • Love Confessions • Mutual Pining • Naruto Universe - Freeform • No Smut • Post War • POV Third Person • Romance • Teen Rated  •Tooth Rotting Fluff •

Word Count - For Entire One-Shot: 8.4k.

Word Count - Tumblr Post: 3.3k.

❀Preview:

Today in Konohagakure, the temperature was moderately warm.

The shining sun rose high in the cloudless, blue heavens, beaming with happiness where it took center stage above.

The residents of Konohagakure, enjoyed every moment of the new day, a day of peace and fun, as the sun smiled down on them with warm but pleasant beams.

The summer breeze flowed through the busy streets of the village, sweeping green leaves within its gentle wake where they carried on powerfully, just as the ninjas, Konoha's defenders, have done each and every day.

A year had passed since the conclusion of the Fourth Great Ninja War, allowing Konoha as a whole to at last settle down.

The streets were alive with laughter and chatter, with kids flying kites and pretending to be the ninjas they idolize, racing full speed through the crowds with their arms thrust behind them as if soaring.

Smiling villagers of all sizes and ages filled the streets, setting up their businesses and outlets to cheerfully trade their produce and wares with one another.

All around, structures and residences stood tall, having all been rebuilt from the devastation that numerous battles, particularly the Pain onslaught, had wreaked upon them.

Konoha was now endowed with brand-new structures, fresh possibilities, and new beginnings.

Ninjas, villagers, and children alike were all beaming and renewed—all appreciative of the timeless peace they had gained by never giving up, by consistently standing up for what is right, and by moving onward no matter what.

Konohagakure was now at peace.

Aside from Hinata Hyūga.

In the midst of the happiness that beamed all around her, the young kunoichi found herself having quite an episode: fingers twiddling together, her breathing escalated, cheeks red, and her mind in scrambles.

Hinata traversed the streets of Konoha dressed in her typical ninja garb, accompanied by her longtime team members and companions, Kiba and Shino.

Kiba, her loud, ferocious friend, shot her a glance with his slitted eyes, lifting an eyebrow as he sensed his shy friend's worried state.

After all, it was Hinata's idea to get together so the three of them could go for a walk through the village, get some fresh air, and just spend some time in each other's company.

However, Kiba and Shino have observed Hinata to be extremely fidgety and quiet the entire time, appearing to be preoccupied with a problem that both ninjas were overly conscious about.

Hinata was unable to stop talking about it after all.

Kiba groaned and shook his head, causing his brown curly hair to tussle about, brushing against the nape of his neck due to its increasing length.

To lighten the mood, the cheerful canine ninja gave Hinata a gentle shove with his elbow—just with the side of his folded arms.

He laughed as he caught the surprised squeak that flooded out of her lips, her body jolting as a result of being shoved out of her troublesome thoughts.

"Come on, Hinata-chan, stop overreacting already. It's not that bad." Kiba remarked with a gruff tone and an amused grin, his lips stretched wide to show off his razor-sharp canines.

Due to his delighted smile, the red triangles on his cheeks raised just a touch, his features quite robust and well-defined given his maturing age.

His voice, which had become deeper over the years, was emitted in a halfhearted manner, with little worry detected within, which did absolutely nothing to calm Hinata's anxiety.

Hinata's predicament was only made worse because of it.

Her pale cheeks grew even redder, and she found herself hiding behind the curtains of her long, midnight-blue hair, unable to meet Kiba's gaze.

"No, th-this is..."

"It's just Naruto, Hinata-chan. What does it matter whether the knucklehead wants to spend time with you? Big deal."

Kiba muttered impassively once again, simply shrugging his shoulders as if everything was normal—and especially normal for Hinata.

She shook her head. There was nothing normal about her situation.

Hinata took a glimpse at her brown-haired pal through the strands of her dark hair, only to be struck by the nonchalant expression found on his tanned face.

Kiba didn't seem bothered by her predicament or even able to understand why she was feeling the way she was, for the matter. It was certainly a sight she just couldn't comprehend.

It was quite obvious why she was so worked up.

Hinata bit her lip briefly, to deal with her nerves.

"B-But every day?" Hinata exclaimed, apprehensive.

"A-Am I the only one who finds it strange that Naruto-kun is suddenly spending so much time with me? It's s-so odd."

Hinata's meek voice broke through the gaps of her delicate lips, bursting into the village's midday hum. Such comments of hers would have been drowned out by the din of the crowd, but Kiba's keen hearing picked up on her words flawlessly.

He heard her loud and clear.

Kiba shrugged.

He genuinely did not perceive anything wrong with her current "situation."

Kiba thought Hinata was acting rather ridiculously, in fact. Every time Naruto was brought up in their many conversations, she would just revert to her usual flustered self.

The mere mention of the goofy blonde ninja always causes her to flush red all over and sends her into a stuttering frenzy. Even in her primary years, she would faint just by being in the blonde's presence.

Hinata has always been a flustered mess around Naruto, but even now, after having Hinata as a teammate for so long, Kiba has never been able to understand the immense anxiousness she would feel because of the blonde.

Apart from the fact that Naruto was now regarded as a war hero as a result of his heroic deeds during the Fourth Great Ninja War, Kiba still saw him merely as a hyperactive, dense, brainless knucklehead.

He just couldn't wrap his head around the fact that anyone would feel immense anxiety around someone like him.

It was all quite ridiculous.

Kiba found nothing odd or different about Hinata's frenzied behavior nor about Naruto's desire to spend more time with Hinata. After all, they were all growing closer to one another—every single one of their friends—now more than ever.

Nothing's strange there.

Shino, on the other hand, saw a different picture.

He let out a hum of curiosity, bringing to light his presence as he walked alongside Hinata.

His eyes were shielded from the sun by black shades, so others couldn't see his facial expressions as well.

One hand of his was buried in the pocket of his long jacket, while the other lifted to stroke his chin.

"Now that you mention it. That is strange."

Shino's voice emerged from his mouth, somber and monotone, phasing with the pleasant breeze around them. He too joined the conversation between Kiba and Hinata, voicing his concerns about the current situation at hand.

Hinata's dilemma.

All in all, it shouldn't really be a dilemma.

Hinata was aware of this.

Her predicament shouldn't be one that keeps her up at night, sends her in a tizzy, and leads her to become a hot, stuttering mess whenever she thinks about it.

Naruto.

Naruto was her dilemma.

Since the war has ended and all of Konoha has spent its time relishing the peace, Naruto has been exhibiting a variety of behavioral shifts—shifts that were pretty different and quite apparent—particularly because they diverged from the customary behavior tactics he has always demonstrated.

Such changes were all very unusual to Hinata, changes that she was unable to interpret or understand.

To put it simply, Naruto's been acting quite strangely toward her.

How strange you might ask?

For starters, Hinata thought it was somewhat odd of Naruto to unexpectedly develop the longing to devote every waking moment with her.

It seemed weird to her that he wanted to see her every day at the same time at Ichiraku Ramen in order to spend time with her.

Hinata bit her lip a bit harder.

She could hear him now.

"Let's eat out again, tomorrow, Hinata-chan. At Ichiraku, same time, same place. I had such a great time with you, dattebayo!"

Hinata could still clearly remember what he said to her almost a day ago when they shared a meal together at the Ichiraku Ramen Shop.

Even then, he showed signs of immense eagerness for her that she had never seen him show before.

Hinata recalled how he constantly barraged her with many subjects of discussion, even as he spoke to her while stuffing ramen noodles into his mouth.

He told her several of his own tales, including mission experiences that actually made her laugh quite a lot. More than she's ever done in her entire life.

It was all so... strange.

Don't misunderstand Hinata; Naruto's excitement was refreshing, albeit a little overwhelming.

Indeed, Hinata has always wished to spend time with Naruto, and she can't stop herself from enjoying those moments when she gets to sit beside him, shoulder to shoulder, and share a meal and a conversation with him, especially after the war is all said and done.

Sharing such moments with him has always been her dream.

Hinata relished the moments when Naruto lavished her with lots of attention, gazing into her eyes with a true sense of joy and care, and wanting nothing more than to spend as much time with her as he could.

And maybe, she's just overthinking.

Maybe, she's just blowing the entire situation out of proportion.

Maybe she was getting ahead of herself, but she was unable to ignore Naruto's peculiar behavior toward her, including the very difference in the way he spoke to her. It consumed her mind and bugged her so much.

Hinata has made a constant effort to understand why Naruto's behavior has drastically changed in the way it did toward her and why he suddenly developed the urge to hang out with her so excessively.

This was a really big deal to her.

Hinata couldn't help but mull it all over.

In the immediate aftermath of the war, Naruto changed from scarcely recognizing her to having just fleeting conversations with her to obnoxiously craving her company all the time.

It's such a drastic change.

This cannot be a coincidence, she thought.

Hinata occasionally found herself questioning whether Naruto's motives were sincere; she wondered if perhaps he was merely allowing himself to be close to her out of pity.

Pity for her losing Neji.

Yes, the war was officially over, but even so, there were still a lot of wounds that needed to be healed, and Neji's death surely left a lot of them. A lot of wounds.

Hinata occasionally finds herself becoming very sad at the mere recollection of Neji being dead, no longer living in Konoha, but instead buried with the other valiant ninjas who fought in the war.

She would frequently experience severe depression as she recalled the events leading up to his death and once more realized that he had indeed left this world and never to return again.

Hinata often thought of such depressing memories and felt their suppressive effect on her throughout her day-to-day life, and thus, she often thought that is why Naruto wished to spend so much time with her.

Because of pity. Because of guilt.

However, she always dismissed the idea, labeling herself as ridiculous for having such negative thoughts about her dear Naruto-kun.

As a result, Hinata discovers herself becoming quite enthusiastic about the alternative reason she came up with for Naruto's behavioral changes toward her.

And that was a result of authenticity.

Maybe, just maybe, Naruto has come to want to be close to her from a genuine standpoint.

Maybe he secretly yearns to be close to her, yearns to learn more about her, or, better yet, just genuinely enjoys her company.

Maybe, Naruto has come to yearn for something more.

But just as Hinata thought of such a thing, just as she allowed her fantasies to intertwine with her thoughts, she was quick to shake them off.

Hinata squealed, covering her eyes with her hands due to her lewd thoughts.

'No, no, that can't possibly be it!" Shaking off the idea, Hinata exclaimed in a frenzy fit in her mind. It was absurd for her to think that the frequent outings she would have with Naruto were anything romantic.

Yes, Naruto yearns to see her virtually every single day.

Yes, he genuinely offers to pay for her meal at each and every get-together.

Yes, he regularly gives her his jacket whenever she grows cold, without her having to utter a single word.

But...

Those were merely the acts of a friend, Hinata thought, a friend that truly cares.

'There's nothing romantic about that.' Hinata dismissed once more, hysterically shaking her tomato-red face as she hurried on carelessly, her open-toed shoes kicking up dirt every step of the way.

However, she was interrupted from her thoughts when she once more heard the voice of her enigmatic friend, Shino, speak after a little period of silence between the three of them.

"Hm, it almost seems like the two of you are dating. Maybe that's what Naruto wants."

It was only hearing those words from Shino that led Hinata to completely lose it.

She began to feel lightheaded. Terribly lightheaded.

'Me? D-Date Naruto-kun?!?' Hinata practically screeched in her head. She was going to faint, she just knew it.

It was only a matter of time now.

She whipped around to face Shino, in an effort to quickly dismiss such a ridiculous notion from his head. She couldn't bear it.

Hinata sweat dropped, her cheeks flushed red, "No, no, Naruto-kun and I aren't d-dating. Dating o-or romance, for that matter, isn't possibly the reason for all of this. There has to be a-another explanation..."

"Hm." Shino rubbed his chin once more, "It's quite obvious what's going on here, Hinata-chan. Naruto's sudden and enthusiastic yearning to spend more time with you when the war is over. All of it seems to be pointing towards the possibility that his eyes may have opened after all this time." Shino hummed.

"The evidence is right in front of you." Shino expressed with a nod, as he tried to piece together the situation and come up with a solution.

Kiba, in contrast, just shrugged. He merely found the two humorous, trying to solve an issue that was so clear.

He shook his head, "Hinata-chan, come on. You gotta stop overthinking."

He brushed his shoulder against hers yet again, doing so with a groan, "Good kami, all of this Naruto stuff is getting you ridiculous, Hinata-chan. Come on, think about it. Isn't this what you always wanted?" He asked, blurting out what he knew had to be said.

With wrinkled brows, he gazed down at the midnight blue-haired woman beside him, watching as her lavender eyes widened at his remark.

He tilted his head, his expression somewhat solemn, "Isn't this time spent with Naruto, or rather, him wanting to spend time with you, something you always wished for?"

Hinata's eyes widened even more. Even her heart skipped a beat.

It was. It's all Hinata has ever wanted.

She's spent her entire life walking behind Naruto, always staring at his back, longing for him to turn and notice her.

She had yearned for him to realize her presence, to recognize all the times she had followed him, supported him, been influenced to become stronger by him, and even risked her life for him.

She yearned to be by his side, showering him with her affection and reverence.

She wished so badly he would one day look at her the very same way she looked at him.

That is all she has ever wished for—Naruto to notice her.

And now...

Hinata's breath caught in her throat as Kiba's words flashed through her mind, finally waking her up and causing her to realize what a blessing this entire situation was for her.

The sudden acts of Naruto wanting to spend time with her; and the genuine smiles he showers her with.

The big, warm hugs he gives her the moment she arrives at Ichiraku Ramen.

The jokes, the laughter, the smiles.

Everything.

Hinata finally considered every bit of her situation, and she used the opportunity to take a step outside of herself, away from the troubling emotions that were stifling her, and instead take in the situation as a whole.

Her breath hitched.

Indeed, she has always wanted this.

Always.

And now, with her eyes opened, she has realized how silly she has been.

She has done nothing but speculate about Naruto's motives, questioning herself as a whole for liking his behavioral shifts.

She was so worried and anxious about the whole thing, as well as flustered and embarrassed by being so close to Naruto so suddenly, that she entirely failed to notice the positive elements of her predicament.

But now...

A smile arose on Hinata's face and in that moment, she felt a weight lift from her shoulders. She suddenly felt the worries she's been dealing with for a couple of weeks now set sail and fly away.

She finally sensed herself becoming free from her worries; free from it all. All thanks to her friends; Kiba and Shino.

She really needed this chat.

Because now, Hinata could finally see the situation from a different perspective, a more positive approach to her situation, and now she finds herself a little bit more...

appreciative.

She bawled her fists tight by her chest, biting her lip briefly, "Y-Yes, this is what I have wanted." She whispered, finally voicing out her own wants for a change, voicing that she indeed has always wanted Naruto to notice her, just in the way he has recently.

Kiba and Shino exchanged a joyful grin, both ninjas flawlessly catching their bashful friend's answer even in the midst of the raucous outside noises around them.

It was undoubtedly like music to their ears, and they were both comforted by the fact that their friend's sentiments of embarrassment and worry were no longer clouding her judgment—no longer keeping her troubled.

The two men were pleased to find that their efforts had been successful and that their words of caution and contemplation had not been merely ignored or overlooked.

Kiba and Shino were certainly pleased to see Hinata finally diverted from her mental woes and the clamor of her irrational thoughts, which had previously blinded and hampered her. And ultimately, keeping her from finding happiness with the one man that almost everyone in the village knows can greatly comfort and increase Hinata's level of contentment.

Peace was now assured.

Kiba exclaimed joyfully, "See, there you go! So I say, quit your overreacting and relax! Enjoy the peace already!"

He shoved her shoulder again which actually caused Hinata to giggle, her body swaying a bit.

"Kami, if you're so worried about Naruto spending time with you, why don't you just ask him? Who knows, Shino might be right, your precious Naruto-kun might have finally woken up." Kiba teased with a laugh.

Hinata instantly gasped, her head space once again flooded by overwhelming thoughts, her body riddled with feelings of flusteredness.

Throughout Kiba's entire speech, one particular detail caught her attention the most.

My precious Naruto-kun.

Hinata's blush rushed back to engulf her whole tenfold, "H-Hey don't call him that!" The flustered kunoichi exclaimed in embarrassment before reaching over to slap Kiba's folded arm.

But her gesture of getting him back due to his teasing only pushed the brown-haired male to laugh and tease her even more.

"Oh, Naruto-kun! My precious Naruto-kun!"

"St-Stop it, Kiba-kun!"

"No! You make it so easy, Hinata-chan!"

Hinata grumbled, her heart racing in her chest as she was teased by Kiba but soon comforted by Shino.

After all was said and done, however, and after a much-needed conversation with her good friends, she found herself looking forward to the dinner get-together with Naruto.

Now, more than ever.

[donatoarts]

ast year I was contacted by Jacob Covey, an Art Director with Wizards of the Coast, to work on a special Magic:The Gathering card project to honor Sheldon Menery, a player and judge credited as the 'Godfather of Commander” format for the game.

Sheldon was in a fight against throat cancer and Wizards' wanted to get this commission (a portrait of Sheldon casting one of his favorite instants Inkshield) out as quickly as possible. It was an honor to be considered by Sheldon for this project, as unknowingly he had chosen another person affected by cancer.

I was a cancer survivor myself (testicular cancer, 33 years ago as a young man) and embraced this portrayal of Sheldon as a way to pour my love of painting and appreciation of the game into this image, and to celebrate our mutual fight against cancer.

Unfortunately Sheldon lost his battle back in September, 2023 as I was working on this card.

I was saddened to now be creating a memorial portrait, a tribute to someone who has helped give great pleasure to millions through his dedication to Magic.

In Sheldon's honor and in his spirit of helping others, I will be auctioning off this portrait with all proceeds going to benefit the American Cancer Society (Sheldon's preferred charity) and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (my preferred choice).

May we see the day when cancer is defeated.

Details on the auction will follow in approximately another week.

Sheldon Menery - Inkshield

20" x 16" Oil on Panel

[ge]

okeyyy...i know this acc is preddy much good and dead, rest in peace all my dearly beloved tgcfmdzs mutuals and followers who moved on to smth else in the yrs since mdzs ended, ....but i still have a big enough active audience methinks soooo i wanted 2 promote a korean novel thats REEALLY unappreciated in the eng community ITS SO GOOD its my favourite novel atm and i really want it to catch on w western audiences bcuz i swear it has the potential to be as big as mxtxs novels were if given the opportunity to blow up...

RETURN OF THE MOUNT HUA SECT (aka, officially, RETURN OF THE BLOSSOMING BLADE) is an action, fantasy, comedy korean novel by BIGA on Naver, with a webcomic by STUDIO LICO on Webtoon

THE WEBCOMIC IS CURRENTLY ON BREAK AFTER THE COMPLETION OF ITS FIRST “SEASON” (will be returning sometime mid 2023) AND THE NOVEL IS STILL ON GOING WITH 1494 CHAPTERS (as of 4/15/2023)....if uve read tgcf in its entirety pls dont let that chp count scare you..rotmhs is a very bingeable novel... while rotmhs doesnt have an official english translation, the ongoing fan tl has 379 chapters translated (as of 4/15/2023) [LINKS PROVIDED BELOW]

MY SYNOPSIS: the story follows the main protagonist chung myung, a member of the mount hua sect who was formerly known as the legendary ‘plum blossom sword saint’, reincarnates into the body of a beggar child a hundred years into the future after dying following the beheading of the demonic cult leader, chun ma, who slaughtered his clan members as well as countless other sects during the war. when he wakes, he discovers that his once proud and respected sect has fallen into ruin during the century following its defeat. chung myung, hiding his identity as a fabled hero from the past, rejoins the mount hua sect under the guise of being nothing but a beggar to help restore the mount hua sect to its former greatness while making friends as well as enemies along the way..

the official (webtoon) synopsis:

When Cheongmyeong of the Mount Hua Sect awakens a hundred years in the future, his last memories are of a bloody battle against the Leader of the Demonic Cult, the evil Cheonma. The battle almost saw the end of the Ten Great Sects of ancient China, when Cheongmyeong ended the hard-fought struggle by striking down Cheonma. Soon after, he succumbed to his wounds, filled with regret at their pyrrhic victory. All is not lost, however, as he awakens to his second chance at life. Shocked to find his beloved Mount Hua Sect reduced to a mere shadow of itself in the present day, Cheongmyeong embarks on a journey to restore Mount Hua to its former glory.

while the official synopsis does make it seem like the story is going to be heavy and action focused, the novel itself is more comedic than its led on to be and its action scenes are rlly fun and exhilarating to read..

the main cast are extremely likeable and their relationship w each other is very funny and heartwarming... that being said i feel like if uve come from any of the popular danmei novels and r interested in reading rotmhs (PLEASE BE INTERESTED) i feel like i shuld mention that THERE IS NO ROMANCE IN THIS NOVEL... its not a BL, theres no romantic connotations between any of the main characters, this novel is more focused on found family and the bonds between friends than anything BUT PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT LET THE LACK OF ROMANCE DISSUADE YOU..

AIIISSHH THIS IS GETTING LONG ENOUGH soo basically here are links 2 where u can read ROTMHS please consider reading it PLEASE bc im sick as hell of not having enough fics or fanart of it or ppl to talk to abt it with..feel like im rting art on my priv to brick walls....!!!!!!!!!!

(official) NAVER (1494+ chapters, korean) https://series.naver.com/novel/detail.series?productNo=4130558&isWebtoonAgreePopUp=true

(official) WEBTOON (73 chapters, english) https://www.webtoons.com/en/action/return-of-the-blossoming-blade/list?title_no=2849&page=9

FANTRANSLATION (379+, english) https://skydemonorder.com/projects/return-of-the-mount-hua-sect

one last also before let yall have at it, if u’ve read the webcomic and dont feel like rereading the entire novel up to the webcomic stopping point, jump to chapter 117 on the fantranslation.. chp117 is right where the webcomic leaves off👍

OKAYYY HAVE FUNNNN PLEASE READ RETURN OF THE MOUNT HUA SECT PLEEEASEE SHARE THIS POST W EVERYBODY OR ILL KILL MYSELF IDK YAYYYYY YIPPEEEEE ROTMHS SUPREMACY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if u do end up reading and liking it please god..talk to me about it..... im literally shaking scratching my neck rocking in a corner crying sobbing sniffling snotting

[spnproshipbang]

SPN Pro-Ship Bang 2023 Masterlist

It's been a wild few months—thanks to all our contributors, and even more to all our readers! If you missed any, here's the masterlist for this year's submissions.

1. Jump then fall (you all over me)

Author: @restingdeanface Artist: @ncdover1285

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

2. Searching for the Hand That I Can Hold

Author: @eninkahootz Artist: @midnightsilver

While Dean is trapped in Purgatory, Sam searches for him so intently that he hardly sleeps. When he does sleep, Lucifer haunts his dreams. Thanks to a witch named Rowena and a rogue reaper named Ajay, Sam is reunited with Dean in Purgatory but ends up with no way to get them home. He learns that Dean, Cas, and a vampire named Benny have a plan to get out via a distant portal. As the four of them journey through the woods to get to the portal, Sam hides the fact that he never stopped having psychic powers. Although they must regularly battle monsters and sustain injuries, the group enjoys the simple pleasures of living amidst nature. Sam and Dean grow closer as the months pass. Cas and Benny show signs of mutual attraction, and Sam wishes Dean would open up to the possibility of their relationship becoming romantic as well. Will Sam and Dean ever become a couple? Will Sam ever come to terms with his psychic powers? Will the four of them ever make it home?

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

3. i'm so sorry (that you have to have a body)

Author: @archangelsammy Artist: @brothersinablackcar

Lucifer is still in Sam's head. Sam would say something about that, except he kind of likes being possessed.

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

4. Diplomatic Measures

Author: @ladylilithprime Artist: @hawkland

Sam Winchester was taking a Saturday breather to read just for the enjoyment of it when a pair of no longer dead Angels come calling with an offer he absolutely could refuse but doesn't want to.

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

5. Pen Pals

Author: @zrterria Artist: @oopsimfade

Gabriel was just doing his job punishing the wicked when he found a letter from a sad child. Thinking on it, he decided to write back. Things change when there is a kind ear to listen and an archangel willing to step in at a moments notice.

Read on Ao3

6. Wherever I Am...There You Are

Author: @ncdover1285 Artist: @alexiescherryslurpy

Dean uses a spell to travel to the past, and the future, and back. It gets a little confusing, but whenever he lands, Crowley is there to help him anyway he can… until he isn't.

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

7. A Tale of Two Brothers

Author: @sam-and-dean-codependency Artist: amberdreams

On November 2nd, 1983, the Winchester home was enveloped in flame, and parents John and Mary were found dead in the morning. Their sons, Sam and Dean, were nowhere to be found. While the town of Lawrence, Kansas, eventually forgot about the family, Sam and Dean were being held by Heaven and Hell to fulfill their great destinies in God's Plan. Dean held by Heaven with Castiel as his trainer and Sam held by Hell with Crowley as his caregiver. When the two brothers meet ahead of schedule, no one could've predicted what happened next.

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

8. Found a Place in Independence

Author: @sweet-sammy-kisses Artist: @pasta-n00dles

Independence is a place where the outcasts can come and find a place where they belong. No questions asked, if you had no place to belong well then Independence was the place for you.

The Winchester’s had searched for a place like that where they could be happy and let the ghosts of their past be just that in the past.

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

9. Always The Wolf You Know

Author: @babyboykingsammy Artist: @blindswandive

The Winchester Boys have never had any easy life, their upbringing being supervised by a man hell-bent on vengeance for his murdered wife, and have largely been left to their own devices. If Dean's behavior, as the only Alpha his Omega brother, Sam, has had to turn to for love and affection, has become something with sharp teeth and long claws, well... It mattered not to him. Sam had always been his to love, cherish, and protect, and Dean would do anything within his power to ensure that he was the only one that Sam looked at as if he hung the moon.

There was no other bonds, familial or otherwise, that mattered as much to the two young Winchester boys as the relationships they had with each other.

If Dean had to fight to keep all of Sam's affection to himself he would do it. Even if it meant going after the one Alpha that they should have looked up to, their father, John Winchester.

There would never be a price Dean would not be willing to pay to keep his darling Sammy forever by his side.

Never.

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

10. Beauty and the Beast of Below

Author: @ladyknightskye Artist: @spn-fanfic-reblog-writes

Fending off an unwanted advance leaves Dean Winchester in a bind - literally. He wakes up about to be auctioned off in one of the slave markets of the Below, the seedy underbelly of the City of Enoch. However, all of this is further complicated by the fact that Dean is the Michael Sword - the only person in the entire city whose internal hardware is immune to being hijacked.

Or so he thought. Enter Lucifer - the first Michael Sword. Lucifer buys Dean under the pretense of using him as a sex slave. In reality, Lucifer knows how dangerous Dean can be, and wants to use him to help take over the Below.

As Dean and Lucifer get closer, they begin to realize that Dean’s abduction was not an accident at all.

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

11. Living His Grey Flannel Life

Author: @samanddean76 Artist: @girlsvmonsters

Jimmy Novak is a 21-year-old twink working his corner in Papillion when he is attacked by a long-term client. As he struggles to escape, he is rescued by a big, strong, and mysterious stranger named Sam Winchester. When Jimmy wakes the next morning, he flees the safety of the strange motel room as his life has taught him that he can never expect good things to come his way. And he can’t help but to be suspicious when a few days later, Sam pulls up to Jimmy’s corner and buys some of his time. But as Sam keeps coming back, night after night, Jimmy wants to simply surrender to the irresistible pull he feels towards his savior. The problem with that scenario? Jimmy is losing chunks of time, waking up in strange clothes, remembering chilling images as he apparently helped Sam bring justice to those who had viciously hurt him in the past. Jimmy is beginning to do things that he had never done before. And then Jimmy comes back to himself and finds that Sam has been badly injured. Will the arrival of Bobby and Rufus save the day or only deepen his confusion? And when will the little voice in the back of his head ever stop trying to convince him to just put all of his faith into Sam?

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

12. on a stormy sea of moving emotion

Author: @izzyaro Artist: @alexiescherryslurpy

Dean is sick of angels. From orchestrating the Apocalypse to shattering Sam’s Wall, all they’ve done is cause trouble.

Balthazar is no exception to that rule, but there might just be more to him than that.

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

13. A Stairway to Heaven

Author: @atwojay Artist: @hawklander

Dean never understood why his best friend (and crush) just up and left after graduation, and he'd probably ask him what the hell all that was about now that he sees him again after ten years of no contact... if Dean wasn't too busy being shot and bleeding out on the floor of the Crashdown Cafe. Good thing Cas has some kinda superpowers, or this reunion might have ended before it even got started.

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

14. What Happens In Vegas

Authors: @lord-angelfish, @callalilycas Artist: smallscalemajestic

wherein the boys first go on a hunt, dean wants to go to vegas, and they proceed to get absolutely wasted (ft. sam's admittedly very clever spellwork getting cas drunk). oh, and they get married. but not legally.

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

15. Put My Feet on the Ground

Author: @hello-starling Artist: @thegoodthebadandtheart

In the wake of the defeat of Chuck, Sam takes a chance with Dean that puts them both on a different path. While navigating a sexual relationship after years of trauma, they build a new life together.

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

16. It's Rest I Want

Author: @klove0511 Artist: @imnot-evenhere

After John's betrayal results in Sam's death, Dean follows in the Winchester family tradition and swears vengeance on his father. The question is: is Sam really gone?

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

17. The Devil's Triangle

Author: @quicksilver-castiel Artist: @keziahrainalso

After everything, when all is said and done, God beaten and all that good stuff, Dean figured that life would go on as he knew it, just with a few fewer ends of the world.

As it turns out, he instead gets a bunch of changes, including Sam moving out of and Lucifer and Nick moving into the bunker. That last one is temporary, of course, lasting only until they can trust that the archangel and her vessel aren't going to cause one of the aforementioned ends of the world again.

At least Dean hopes that it's temporary - that is, until he doesn't anymore.

Read on Ao3

18. Until the End of it All

Author: TheLemonrevenge Artist: Outofnowhere82

Season 3 canon divergence. Dean does not go to Hell thanks to something Sam has done. Of course nothing is free and the costs change them both.

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

19. heaven, hell, and the human heart

Author: @saltbind Artist: @pentacentric

Sam isn’t about to let Dean suffer for his sake. It’s not like there isn’t historical precedent for travelling through Hell as a human - if he even still counts as that. With Ruby as a seemingly reluctant ally, and a cadre of rogue angels watching him carefully, he’s going to take a leaf out of Dante’s book. And possibly upend Hell’s carefully wrought hierarchy in the process.

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

20. A Study in Winchester Transgenderism

Author: @boywifesammy Artist: @outofnowhere82

Dean shows up at Sam's Stanford apartment expecting to find his little sister, and instead finds a 6'4 dude with his sister's face and a voice an octave too deep. It takes a while for Dean to wrap his head around Sam being trans. It takes him even longer to understand why he struggles to look his little brother in the eye, and why he can't stop staring at his bare chest.

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

21. In True Love's Shadow

Author: @avalonsilver Artist: @oopsimfade

A Fantasy Royalty! AU weaving through Adam Milligan’s family history on his Mother's side. From his great grandparents accepting the Archangel Michael's help down to Adam's mother working at the palace, catching King John Winchester's eye and then Adam's life as a prince — involving him being at odds with his eldest half-brother Dean and falling in love with someone unexpected. Adam is the youngest Prince of the most powerful kingdom in all the realms, Exalos. The Mainland continent of Wislira depends on Exalos's strength through the certainty of male heirs. Prince Adam is the illegitimate third son of King John. Adam's maternal grandfather, Noah Milligan, is wildly famous on Exalos. Many would be just fine with his grandson becoming King. At twenty, Prince Adam is faced with being the next King of Exalos. Although he may die before he is ever crowned King. The Archangel Michael is at the center of a secret that leaves Adam facing Death's door. Adam needs to make a life-changing decision.

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

22. Naamah's Secret

Author: @samisadeangirl Artist: @ladylilithprime

Prince Samuel de la Courcel, middle child of the king and queen of Terre d'Ange, goes to the Court of Night-Blooming Flowers to pay for the services of one of their adepts, Dean Champbelle nó Eglantine, after hearing him sing and spends a steamy night together; however, Sam neglects to tell Dean that they’re half-brothers--that the king had had an illicit affair with Dean’s mother before marrying the queen—because he’d become enamored with Dean's beauty and music. As the two continue their passionate relationship and fall in love, how long can Sam keep their familial connection a secret from Dean before the truth comes out, leaving him to determine how to atone for his deception?

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

23. The Immortal Game

Author: @missroserose Artist: @ncdover1285

September, 2005. Jessica Moore is focused on acing her final year at Stanford, passing her medical school entrance exams, and figuring out her boyfriend Sam—all of which leaves very little time for sorting through her strained family relationships, or wondering about her missing cousin, or remembering the charming green-eyed drifter she slept with some months back. But when she gets a strange call from her best friend Brady, kidnapped by a cult while home for the summer, she and Sam set out to find him—and along the way, she discovers her part in a sprawling chess match that not only involves Sam’s family secrets, but her own as well.

Read on Ao3

Check out the art!

24. (Not) Wanted: Alpha for Heats

Author: @outofnowhere82 Artist: @blindswandive

Sam has been suffering his heat for over a week. He needs an alpha but isn't interested in using a stranger for his heats any longer. Dean makes him an offer.

Read on Ao3

[drarryspecificrecsdaily]

2023.07.25

Complete fics posted on AO3 this day

1. Bewildered by SparrowGrim [E, 147k]

►"Harry. My name is Harry Potter." James fell back against the floorboards, casting one last frantic glance at the boy who claimed to be his son, before shaking his head. "That isn't possible."

2. like the back of my hand by @stationintern [T, 1k]

►It takes a certain kind of respect to understand what mutually assured destruction means.

3. A Saviour’s Guide to Manners and Decorum by @wolfpants [E, 13k]

►Honorary Minister Harry Potter (yes, he's fully aware his job title is meaningless, and he quite likes it that way) is a disaster at public events. After seven years of dealing with his boorish behaviour, cringey table manners, and clumsy dancing, the Ministry's press team take matters into their own hands and hire Wixen Britain's leading Etiquette and Deportment Expert, Draco Malfoy, to take on the challenge of cleaning up Harry's image before the Ministry's 300th Anniversary Celebration Gala.

4. Shadows of Redemption by S2dSouI [M, 8k]

►The Great Hall buzzed with anticipation as Hogwarts welcomed its students back for another year. Among them were Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, both returning for their eighth year after the Battle of Hogwarts. Tensions were high, and old rivalries had not been forgotten. The two found themselves as heads of their respective houses, Harry for Gryffindor, and Draco for Slytherin. [...]

5. Weasley Is Our King by amstarsll [E, 6k]

►Ron pisses himself during a Quidditch match gone wrong, gets teased, then challenges his fellow eighth years to a holding contest.

---

Fest/Exchange

1. Bonne Foi, Draco Malfoy by Anonymous [E, 19k]

►[...] At twenty-five, Draco Malfoy has to return to England to do something about the Manor, and Harry Potter won’t leave him alone. His years-old crush on Potter is reignited over repairs, mermaid lemonades, and pocket owl messages. ★ HD Wireless 2023 | @hd-wireless

[upismediacenter]

FEATURE: BOTBehold: Today’s musicians once on the UPIS stage

Every year, the Battle of the Bands (BOTB) closes out the UPIS fair. These featured artists, who have been on our BOTB stage once, twice, or even multiple times before, share their learnings and experiences from joining the event, and how those have carried over to their music life after UPIS.

Ahlee Dela Cruz

Ahlee Dela Cruz is a UPIS Batch 2023 alumna. She is currently the main vocalist of Silver Screen Stardust, a Midwest emo and shoegaze band formed in late 2023. She also releases tracks on SoundCloud as she makes up one half of the 2021-founded duo cover band Gi & Ally. There, she is alongside Gio Capili, a fellow UPIS Batch 2023 alumnus. Additionally, she is part of Miriam College’s singing organization, CCATT Singers.

In her six years in UPIS, she was able to join four bands as a vocalist—three of whom partook in BOTB. There was Raketship, BOTB 2020’s champion, maisSobra, a guest band in the virtual BOTB 2022, and My Knee, Lad!, a competing band in BOTB 2023. Her fourth band, Mac & Cheese, performed in MCLive 2023.

“Partaking in BOTB 2020 with Raketship actually started out as a whim for me,” Ahlee said. She and some friends had initial plans to form a band in eighth grade, although eventually, those plans fell through. In ninth grade, Gio proposed that Ahlee join their band, Raketship, during one of their jamming sessions. While Ahlee had never been in a band before, she knew that she liked making music with others, regardless of whether or not they were her friends, and so she agreed to join. “[It] started out as a way for me to bond with some friends over a mutual interest and merely evolved into a personal social experiment,” she told us. Then as more time progressed, performing became an outlet—a form of expression that Ahlee could practice and therefore knew she could be genuinely happy about.

When Raketship was practicing for BOTB, Ahlee said that their practices weren’t really serious since the band had no aspirations of winning. They would simply spend hours jamming, not really practicing what they were going to perform; Ahlee was happy with that, because the band liked what they were doing. “Many of my most treasured memories were made because of BOTB—from the weep-and-vent-filled practice sessions, to the chatty sun-soaked trips to kiosks and the studio. Though our rehearsals were never strict and critical, it was evident that we all worked hard to do our part and to sound good—that was how much we loved making the music we did. Winning BOTB may not have made us burst into tears or hark back to sleepless nights of practicing, but it was rewarding all the same knowing that all that time we’d put in together as a band had come into fruition—come into something beyond what we could’ve imagined,” she shared.

Joining BOTB taught Ahlee a lot of things. She said, “nothing has had so great an effect on the way I sing now as BOTB.” Prior to it, she shared, she never aspired to much in terms of singing outside of being in tune. She said that if it weren’t for the vocally challenging songs her bandmates wanted to perform, she wouldn’t have pushed herself to practice belting and reaching higher notes. She wouldn’t have improved her timing in singing, developed her own singing style, practiced rhythm guitar more, or learned (“out of necessity,” she remarked,) how to harmonize to stand out in a band with multiple vocalists (as was the case with My Knee, Lad!).

One thing that has stayed with Ahlee from her BOTB experience is the knowledge that everyone has a role. She admitted that she sometimes struggles to remember that—after all, singing is something more or less everyone can do, according to her; it wasn’t very difficult to think of herself as the most easily dispensable member. But she reminds us that no matter how easy, difficult, essential, or nonessential you find yourself to be, a group setting compels you to do your job well, especially in the case of a band where mistakes tend to be much more noticeable.

Being in BOTB also showed Ahlee the importance of adjusting and making the most out of one’s position. In her experience, “bands have always comprised sundry sorts of people . . . passionate, lazy, proficient, not particularly proficient but diligent, conceited, shrinking, bossy, devoid of shame and initiative, et cetera—so you’re bound to run into differences of opinion.” In such cases, Ahlee said that really listening to everyone’s thoughts, no matter how ridiculous and reeking of diva behavior some may be, and knowing where she really stood considerably helped. “Whether or not you get the song, solo, or part you like, do the best with what you’re given—doing so and proving yourself to your bandmates over time will naturally allow them to trust you and give you what you want.”

“For everyone who is in a band, you really need to like what you’re doing,” Ahlee said. “This applies to literally everything you do—from being satisfied about your personal contribution so you don’t feel like a burden, to appreciating the skills and best traits of the musicians around you so that you can be inspired.” (“Or feel more pressured,” she jokingly added.) According to Ahlee, the latter in particular allows you to set goals for yourself and makes it easier to want to improve.

She also advises to try to love the music. “Trying to fall in love with the part you’re given . . . in the process of practicing, as well as everyone’s collective sound will take you far,” she shared.

Lastly, Ahlee suggests trying not to make BOTB about “winning” in the sense that everything hinges on placing. Instead, Ahlee said, “Make it about winning in that you’re happy with the output and the people you’re playing with—winning in that you feel what you do is appreciated regardless of any concrete markers as would be gotten from placing.”

You can find Ahlee’s band, Silver Screen Stardust, on Facebook and her duo cover band, Gi & Ally, on SoundCloud.

Justin Polendey

Justin Polendey is a Batch 2021 alumnus. He has “retired” from playing music, but he has, in the past, played drums for Waki & The Winstons (formerly Cutting Corners), Elkan, and Aldrich Agad. (“Please support these artists!” he remarked.) During his time with Waki & The Winstons, he got to record two songs (“Make-Believe” and “Don’t You Dare”) that have been released on all streaming platforms. Justin also still plays drums at his local church.

He competed in BOTB 2018 and 2019 with his band, Prizmo, and performed with them in BOTB 2020 and 2023 as a guest band. He was also part of Elks, another guest band who performed in BOTB 2020 and 2023.

Prizmo formed when Keanne Nuevas gathered Justin, along with his other bandmates, to form the band. Justin recalled that it was so that their batch would have a representative in BOTB after going through two years of high school without one. Their formation started Justin’s “pretty interesting experience” with BOTB.

He described it as such because it was his first time being part of a band, and because he also wasn’t really friends with several of his bandmates when they started. He even added that that could have been the very first time he interacted with one of them.

“I think a lot of high school bands are formed by people who are [already friends] so may previous relationship na sila before they started working together in the context of a band,” Justin said. Since Prizmo didn’t have the privilege of being friends prior to their formation, coupled with egos and personalities clashing and, Justin added, “your typical high school drama”, it led to some tension and a sense of awkwardness within the band.

“All things considered though,” Justin said, “I really enjoyed my BOTB experience. Especially the times when I got to perform in front of the UPIS crowd.”

When asked about how BOTB influenced his musicianship, Justin answered, “Everyone has to start somewhere.” He admitted that whenever he remembers their performances in BOTB, some part of him cringes because his playing was messy back then. (He joked that even now, it still is, though only to a lesser extent.) But as Justin looked back on those memories, he shared, “I think my experience [in] BOTB is what taught me to be critical of my own playing.”

After graduating, as he did his rounds doing music outside of school, the thing that stayed with him from his BOTB experience was having the awareness that he still has a long way to go, while also still celebrating how far he has come.

For the students in UPIS who do music, Justin said, “I don’t think you can ever be fully satisfied with your playing, but you don’t have to play perfectly to enjoy playing music. Be critical of yourself, but don’t be too hard on yourself.” And then he ended with a joke, saying, “Unless ‘di ka nagpa-practice to a metronome, in which case you should totally be hard on yourself.”

You can find the two songs Justin recorded drums for (“Make-Believe” and “Don’t You Dare”) on Spotify and all other streaming platforms.

Aldrich Agad

Aldrich Agad is a UPIS Batch 2021 alumnus. Recently, he has been focusing on writing songs and planning for his feature releases, but also he is actively performing in various gigs in UP Los Baños along with his fellow musicians. Additionally, he is part of a musical organization called "UP Silakbo”, which was in charge of writing songs for the UPLB Feb Fair 2023 and 2024. They got to perform those songs on stage.

Aldrich’s first appearance in BOTB was in 2018, when he was in ninth grade. He was alongside his track and field teammates then, explaining their band name, “TRACK AND FIELD 2.0”. The following year, they joined BOTB once again, with slightly different members and a new name (“The Wednesdays”). In both bands, Aldrich played rhythm guitar and was one of the main vocalists.

TRACK AND FIELD 2.0 started out when one day after their training, they talked about the upcoming UPIS Days and how their older teammates in track and field joined BOTB before. Since Aldrich was very interested in music and had enough knowledge of guitar to be able to play simple chords, he threw them the idea of joining the incoming BOTB. At first, his teammates thought he was joking since none of them really knew how to play an instrument, “but after some pleading and persuading,” Aldrich shared, “they eventually gave in and decided to form a band with me.”

But around that time, the ongoing UAAP season was near, which meant they were amidst gruesome training. Since UAAP would take place just a week before BOTB, it meant that they would perform immediately after their season. They were all beginners and didn’t have any time to practice, so their band decided to only perform two cover songs and not perform any original song. This withdrew their hope of winning the competition. Yet to this, Aldrich said, “We only wanted to perform for fun and for the experience!” He recalls even bringing a guitar in their hotel during their UAAP to practice some songs in their free time.

The next year, as “The Wednesdays”, they decided to take BOTB more seriously, putting more effort and time into their practices and creating their own original composition. Aldrich mentioned that that was his first time writing a song and experiencing performing it live.

Ever since he was a child, Aldrich has been very interested in music. “I was exposed to a lot of music as my Dad loves to collect and play a lot of music in our house. I’ve always been the first one to take the mic during any karaoke sessions back then and I tried learning the guitar when I was 10 but eventually gave up as my hands were too small to do some chords (barre chords, specifically),” he told us. “That’s why when I had the opportunity to create a band where we would get to practice and perform songs, I immediately took it.”

Being part of a band was new to Aldrich since it meant he had to own a guitar to practice on his own. It also meant he had to do studio practices which were also very new to him. Nonetheless, he said that it made him a better musician, as every time they would practice a song, he would put all his time and effort into learning it. He also said that it was a good way to practice his creativity since whenever they performed songs, he usually arranged them and led the band to make them sound tighter and more cohesive.

Aldrich’s experience throughout his BOTB life was very exciting. “It was an adventure that I am willing to try again if given the chance,” he said. For him, it was nice to start from scratch doing something he loves along with his friends who share the same passion for music as he does. “I remember having the best memories with them during all of our studio rehearsals,” Aldrich added, reminiscing on how they got to bond closer together through music. He mentioned that he doesn’t recall a single rehearsal where they went home sad or angry at each other. “It was all fun and good vibes inside the studio as we would just make fun of each other for making mistakes or switching instruments during our break and sometimes, spending 30 minutes talking about “chismis” while waiting for our members who are late.” (“[Which was] sometimes me,” he added cheerily.)

On the other hand, his experience in both his BOTB performances were the same. He told us how he would get nervous at first, especially when they were beside the stage and were up next, but also how their 15-minute set would only feel like 30 seconds once they got on stage. He said that it was only after a while that they would already find themselves exiting the stage as they finished their last song. And after it all, according to Aldrich, “it’s just a sigh of relief from everyone in the band; taking pictures with everyone, congratulating the other bands, and watching the remaining bands perform.”

For Aldrich, BOTB was a great start to practicing his musicianship since it introduced him to the habit of practicing and honing not only his guitar skills but also his showmanship on stage. “Seeing my improvement along with my band between the two BOTBs that we performed in set the bar for me to always make sure that my next gig or set should always be better than my last,” he shared.

Aldrich told us that until now, he still brings with him the lessons he has learned from BOTB. “Most notably, my BOTB experience helped me establish my passion for music and how I want to be known as a songwriter and a performer,” he said. “Also, most of my musical endeavors in college involved music collaboration, and having already experienced this in BOTB helped me develop my skills to collaborate with other musicians better.”

Aldrich tells the budding musicians of UPIS to not be afraid to try something new. “As long as you want it, go ahead and try,” he said. He added that it’s also normal to feel like you’re just a “beginner” or “not good enough”. He reassures us that “everyone has to start somewhere—just know that as long as you don’t stop, you’ll soon reach the levels you want to reach.”

You can find Aldrich on Instagram, Facebook, X, and Spotify.

Elkan Reyes

Elkan Reyes is a Batch 2020 alumnus currently majoring in guitar performance. As part of his requirements, he has a lot of performances inside his school (such as orchestra class and his upcoming recital in June). Outside of school, he teaches music as a part-time job and plays in his band and solo project, Elkan.

In UPIS, he had two bands: Silakbo and Elks. In Grade 7 or 8, he played as the drummer for the former. In Grade 12, he played in BOTB as a guest band, doing rhythm guitar and vocals for the latter. They came back to play in BOTB 2023 as a guest band.

Elkan looked back on his childhood when he was asked about why he decided to join BOTB. He talked about his musical upbringing—how he grew up around music, regularly took music lessons, and did many recitals as a kid—and how performing was a natural thing for him. At the same time, he also mentioned, especially as a child, how he wanted to have that kind of band experience. He shared that it was his first time being in a band when he was part of Silakbo, though it wasn’t his first time performing per se.

Elkan said that most people who join BOTB will relate that at first, when you’re still gathering bandmates, there are instances where some instrumentalists are just roped in. That was the case for him in Silakbo, where even if he preferred playing guitar and singing, he was chosen as their drummer. Although, he remarked that, “normal naman ‘yun na palaging kulang ang drummer.”

Taking from his BOTB experience with Silakbo, he said that when it comes to preparations, “palaging gahol [sa oras]”. He said that the one month or so before the screening or the performance itself was stressful—add to that the fact that they didn’t play very often and that he and his bandmates were still adjusting to each other since they weren’t the closest of friends. He also mentioned how at the time, it was always a race between bands to book their rehearsals at Ciento Rehearsal Studio—or as he calls it, “Dagohoy” (since it is located at Pook Dagohoy, UP Diliman), which made the preparations all the more stressful. After all, according to him, “Dagohoy was the place to be.”

When it came to their performance in BOTB, Elkan personally wasn’t that nervous since he was already used to performing since he was a kid. But he did notice his bandmates’ nerves, and to that he shared the difficulty of when a bandmate makes a mistake and how it can drive the band to play at a different speed, whether slower or faster.

So BOTB, admittedly, was stressful for Elkan. “[But] despite that,” he said, “masaya pa ‘rin, kasi ‘di ba kaya ka naman nagbo-BOTB [ay dahil] gusto mong mag-perform? Gusto mong magpasaya ng batchmates mo.” He added that “BOTB is the night of rakrakan, so talagang masaya pa rin siya.” BOTB was still a fun experience for Elkan, even with the nerves and the stress. To him, it was worth it.

Elkan shared that BOTB honed his skill of performing in front of a crowd or live audience. It also helped him learn how to manage a band. He learned how to be strict in terms of what is best for it and he learned to be diligent in scheduling rehearsals. Aside from that, he also discovered what commonly happens whenever one plays in a band—giving the example he mentioned before, the instances where the tempo of the music changes when the band is nervous. Most of all, he learned how to help his bandmates in the times when things get confusing or messy in rehearsals or performances.

Those learnings from BOTB have stayed with him up until today, when he plays in his own band. Since he is the frontman of his current band, his lessons from BOTB really helped him. Also because of all the experiences he had such as consistently having trouble with a specific section of the song, the band’s sound not being very clean, or being clueless when it comes to adjusting the equipment on stage, he gained knowledge on what aspects to improve on, what mishaps to look out for, and how to avoid them.

Elkan said, “Kapag nagbabanda ka outside of BOTB . . . in an audience na hindi ka kilala, or if you’re trying to market yourself, you have to be fully prepared.” Because of his BOTB experience, he learned how to be just that.

He has two messages for the musicians of UPIS—a reminder and a few words of advice. He reminds musicians—especially the ones that are part of ensembles—to not practice your individual parts during rehearsals. He said that rehearsals won’t make any progress if you do so. “Consistently practice your part at home. . . . If you practice everyday, whether simple lang siya or mahirap, kapag consistent mo siyang ginagawa, palagi at palagi kang mag-iimprove.” And, “Just keep playing.” Those are his words of advice. “When you perform or when you play, that’s always a start of something,” he added. He shared an instance where if you perhaps messed up the previous year, you would not choose to perform again because of the embarrassment and the thought that people might just remember your mistakes. But he simply countered that with, “Tugtog lang.” Because to Elkan, nothing will happen—not unless you play.

You can find Elkan on Instagram, Facebook, and SoundCloud.

Keio Guzman

Keio Guzman is a Batch 2020 alumnus. He currently finds himself doing mainly production work such as mixing and mastering. He also works for BANDAI Namco and is a student in music production. Recently, he has been doing more electronic music—arranging, composing, “the usual musician [stuff],” as he calls it. Keio also sessions for bands, playing electric guitar and electric bass guitar.

When he was still a student, he was part of a few bands in elementary and high school. Some time in high school, he performed in MCLive with one of his bands, Smilky. (He mentioned that the name came from a SUD song of the same title.) Meanwhile, his other high school band, Elks, formed when he was in Grade 12. They performed in BOTB as a guest band in 2020 and 2023.

While it wasn’t his first time being in a band when he joined BOTB, Keio told us that he decided to do so because “it was fun; it was with friends.” He added that it was also mainly because he wanted to play with Elkan, the frontman of Elks, and other musicians.

For Keio, the preparations for BOTB were a nice experience. It helped him see what it was like to be in a band setting, but still with the consideration that it’s in a school setting. That made it much more intimate, he said, because it was an experience with the people in school. Overall, BOTB was an experience that Keio thinks everyone should have because it helps set one’s standards and because—as a musician or as someone who wants to pursue music—it is important to have any form of experience in that regard. He also shared, “It’s nice to see the batchmates support what you do,” and, “As a musician, at the end of the day, I feel like it’s always a nice feeling to see the crowd, to see your friends, and whoever else that’s watching, support you.”

His experience in BOTB taught him how to talk to the right people—to find a circle of like-minded individuals that are interested in the same field as he is.

To the aspiring musicians in UPIS, Keio said, “Don’t forget the part [that] if you aspire to become a musical artist—artist in particular—half the battle is [public relations], and the other half is if your music is good. You have to be good. . . . Invest in your musicality. Don’t take shortcuts in music. Never take shortcuts in music.”

You can find Keio on Soundcloud and on Spotify.

Reisa Elgincolin

Reisa Elgincolin is a Batch 2015 alumna. She has a Spotify solo career as Underdogpianist, she is the UP Music Circle’s Vice President of Presentations Committee, she currently sessions for many local bands in both the underground scene and pop label (under Universal Records and Soupstar Music), and she is a MIDI music arranger for an Australian-based karaoke client.

In 2013, she performed in BOTB as a lead singer, keyboardist, and guitarist alongside batchmates Ryan Cacho, Rheyven Fernando, and Alexis Advincula. She said that she decided to join the event because she was encouraged by her peers and because she had a good sense of musicality and arrangement. She also said, “[I] wanted to explore my passion more in a band setting.”

While Reisa had been part of numerous casual bands prior, it was all for culminating activity purposes or batch team building events. This made the BOTB experience different for her. “[It] felt different in a good way,” she shared. She also added how BOTB wasn’t something she was used to, since her musical background had mainly been classical piano since she was six years old.

In BOTB, Reisa said that she felt freer to do what she wanted to sing or play. She also mentioned that she had great chemistry with her bandmates and that up to this day, she is still in touch with them. She even recalled some of her memories with them. “We’d practice after school a lot sa home studio namin and it [always] felt [really] refreshing to do something other than academic work,” she shared.

When we asked her about BOTB’s influence on her musicianship, Reisa said, “It shaped my courage.” BOTB helped boost her confidence during a time when she was still lost and unsure of what path she wanted to pursue as a third year high school student.

Reisa shared with us what has stayed with her from her BOTB experience: “Always be prepared to take whatever opportunity lands your way because you never know who’s watching within the audience and where that performance—no matter how small or big—may bring you.”

Lastly, her message to the student-musicians of UPIS is, “be true to yourself, have faith in your abilities, and always be memorable to your crowd.”

You can find Reisa on Instagram, Facebook, and Spotify.

Darius Casuga

Darius Casuga is a Batch 2009 alumnus. In 2023, one of his bands, Lemlunay, launched an album called “Hanap Buhay”. He mentions that it’s a pun between “hanapbuhay”, the word referring to work, and “hanap buhay”, as in “finding life in the mundane.” He also started vlogging on YouTube back in 2022 to bring hype towards their album launch and help it gain traction. Currently, Darius is studying mixing and mastering since he is part of four bands.

When he was in UPIS, Darius was in three bands—one in elementary, and two in high school. One of his high school bands, 天スレイブ, joined BOTB. He played guitar in that band. Meanwhile, he had another band with his other batchmates that he played bass for, though that band did not join BOTB.

We asked why he decided to join BOTB, and Darius answered, “Even before high school kasi, mahilig na’ko sa music, so lahat ng puwede kong pasukan, sige.” He listed down his participation in his village choir, in an orchestra, and then his band. He noted that that was his first time being in a rock band. He also remembered how two of their members said they couldn’t graduate UPIS without joining the Battle of the Bands, giving them all the more reason to join. “It was a coming-of-age type of thing, I think,” Darius said.

Darius looked back on his BOTB experience, sharing memories from their preparations. “Masaya ‘yung preps namin—usually sa bahay ‘yun nina Fidel. Tapos na-realize ko, ‘yung bulk ng core memories ko nung high school ay puro nando’n. Like, wala masyado do’n sa other stuff, puro do’n sa band stuff na.” He explained that back then, it was still a bit patriarchal in UP, so most of the boys in school were interested in basketball or “macho stuff”. Since that was not Darius’s cup of tea, he didn’t quite fit in, but he said that once he started being part of his band, he didn’t feel the need to fit in anymore. He realized, “uy, this is my thing.”

For their BOTB performance, Darius lightheartedly said, “nagkalat kami.” But even so, he said that they were still able to hype the crowd up. He also remembered how people were surprised they joined BOTB. Because they were the “nerds” or the “introverts”, people didn’t expect it from them.

Darius said that now, whenever he writes songs with lyrics, the kind of setup he imagines is the one they had in BOTB—one pianist, one drummer, one bassist, two guitars (which didn’t have designated lead or rhythm roles since Darius wanted those interchangeable), and a female and a male vocalist. He told us that having that setup for BOTB formed his idea of those positions being the ones he would want to fill when he joins bands outside high school or even college.

He also recalled the time before BOTB when he performed around sixth grade, which was around the time he had his band awakening. He and his bandmates were pushed to perform on the high school students’ stage. Darius says that performance was the first time he ever saw the people that he didn’t quite get along with sing along with them, and it didn’t feel like a “plastikan moment” either. He even quotes a Madonna lyric to go along with that memory: “Music makes the people come together, music, mix the bourgeoisie and the rebel.”

When we asked for his words of advice or inspiration for UPIS student-musicians, Darius gave the dictionary definition of music: “Music is the tonal analog of the emotive life.” Along with this, Darius said that when you meet someone you vibe with, “tropahin mo agad, ‘tas yayain mo ng jam. Minsan mas mahalaga ‘yung vibe kaysa sa skill level.” And he added that when you meet someone that you don’t vibe with, “tropahin mo pa rin,” he said, then jokingly added, “baka siraan ka,” which he justified with the explanation of the music community being small.

He also said to know yourself as a musician. “Bakit ka tumutugtog? Anong gusto mong tugtugin?” he asked. There could be several reasons for why you do music—religion, politics, an outlet for your emotions, to catch your crush’s attention—and they are all valid. Music is right there, and it is there for the reason that you do it. And so Darius says to find whatever your purpose is, then set practice routines accordingly.

You can find Boshicore on YouTube and Instagram for behind-the-scenes, vlogs, covers, and originals. You can find Darius’s band, Lemlunay, on Spotify and Instagram.

We behold not only these musicians but also the journeys that they went on. Whether onstage or off, whether in UPIS or outside, their stories and experiences hold inspiration for the next generation of musicians from our school. Knowing that BOTB has taught these artists a lot and has given them many invaluable experiences, we hope that the aspiring musicians in UPIS are not afraid to tackle the BOTB stage. We’ve learned that BOTB is not just a competition, but also that it is an experience that shapes young music makers—the ones who might just turn out to be the artists you listen to years from now.

//by Elis Reyes & Dzy Santos

[thecollegerations]

Mystery Quiche

As I make my way to the secret location of the peace treaty I find myself in a desolate town. It is in this town I lose my way and comment on a crime. It is when I finally come to, I find myself  standing over a Quiche, hands covered batter and crust, I understand immediately what I have done.

Shocked and lacking guilt I quickly consume the remaining evidence. As I grab the lasting remaining slice I notice it resembles a pie if a pie is worked out. It could almost be mistaken for a beef and thick omelet. The outer shell was soft and squishy as if i was squishing an infant's skull 

After taking a bite I was flooded with a thusmime of flavors, spongy, eggy, peppery, crumbly, and more I can't put into words. It is if a tasty omelette decided to cosplay as a pie. It has a nice springy and spicy taste to it that makes my tongue tickle. When consuming further I was able to go past the flesh to the pure meat and the bottom crust. It is safe to say my crime will not be found. I would rate this 39 buried 0 found

The brutal cookies civil war of 2023

Right away when observing the circular edible circles, better known as cookies, I am able to notice their differences. It seems as if the 4 nations of cookies have finally come together to discuss a peace treaty. Little do they know it is their judgment day.

Ginger chew

The first diplomat is most notably the smallest, perhaps from a weaker nation begging for mercy from the bloody wars. It is durable perhaps from all the horrors it has seen. The darker complexion makes me believe its nation is heavily focused on farming and other manual labor.

After sustaining a wound I was able to determine it was in fact cinnamon or a gingersnap flavored. Its innards were soft and warm when consumed. Its people should fear further cannibalism.

Snickerdoodle

The next of the fatal four has a spotted appearance. It reminds me of those freckles you might find on a ginger. I hate gingers. Immdentilany I notice that despite its second largest size it’s considerably softer. A once powerful nation turning soft, as they spread themselves too far and became comfortable therefore lax. A perfect nation not prepared for an attack.

It practically melts on my tongue as I taste the buttered infused tissue. I was unfortunately unable to discover the supposed doodle, further consumption is recommended

Chocolate chip

The largest of them all, the empire that holds them in a chokehold. A true king amongst kings. This nation fears nothing and they make sure to advertise it. A ballsy move instead of sending a peacemaker or a diplomat they send their best general. The texture of it is rough and bumpy showing the scars from previous victories, chips still embedded after being shot at.

The taste of its chocolate blood runs deep showing its great pedigree and status, the taste is rich and prevalent. The hard crunchy outer meets the pliable and flexible innards of the general and creature, a texture I can only equate to sex. My only wish is for the general to return my phone calls… 

Oatmeal crazen 

The last and the least suspecting of the fetal four. A peacemaker hiding a trettours past of a war criminal. A truly crazy and unstable individual, with a plan of mutual destruction. Similar to the chocolate chip general this one has seen its fair share of battle leaving it scared and branded. Its nation purposely looks weak and submissive but is any but. Spending years of research and training they have amassed an army of genetically modified soldiers ready to invade after the peace treaty meeting. It bump outside hides a terrible weapons

Instantly I was attacked with a bomb of raisin infecting my tongue with flavor, the nuts and oatmeal took advantage of my surprise and held my hunger hostage. 

Overall my time acting as a scribe during the peace meeting has left me fearful of these great nations' future. After witnessing and unashamedly taking part of the consumption, I have decided that eating them all will solve our problem of war. I would rate this venture mutually assured destruction.

10/19/2023

[grapefruiters]

[sesamie]

okay (i was @/canolatie!) mutuals of robin @catholicjinx and myself (june insomsniac) we have to band together now. we Both won our battle now we have to work together to take down anyone who stands in our way. we must put aside our differences and join forces it is the only way we will remain victorious

[tarosophical-tarot]

27/05/2023

The current Lunar Mansion "Al-Awwa" is a mansion of union signifying the beginnings of a mutually creative project, but what is it today that represents a challenge to rise above our existing values and the usual ways of viewing the material world? (Uranus in Taurus)

What Shadow Aspects are trying to block our initiating these activities? (10♦️)

5♣️ We enjoy exploring new ideas and trying out different lifestyles - gaining insight from the mistakes as well as successes but we experience some form of difficulty in freely expressing our individuality and personal creativity. Yes, we want to be appreciated for our originality but feel it may distance others.

Is our indecision stemming from attempting too much? 3♦️

Do we feel we have to battle others in order to reach a position of autonomy?

Deep down there is a need to affirm our sense of personal power and identity 10♦️ which today is paradoxically achieved by giving over our will to another person or higher cause. This isn't how we usually operate 8♠️ but the change will force us to re-evaluate - as we find that being of service to others brings great spiritual reward 9♠️ and will in the long run help us understand our emotions by reflecting how we respond to challenges. 2❤️

This encourages others to trust us also 7❤️ which is important as we care about relationships and realise how beneficial they can be, more so than material reward/symbols. 7♦️

Yes, we need to consider the financial challenges which the material world has presented - but these factors shouldn't hinder us or prevent our engagement with loved ones (the best things in life are free, right?).

Money and possessions are just the surface level of what is shared and exchanged between people 6❤️, it is the feelings and emotions which circulate in the invisible undercurrents connecting one person to another - that demand our attention today.

[mirai-e-jump]

Animage November 2023 Issue ft. Murakami Erica Interview (translation below)

Publication: October 10, 2023 (between episodes 32-33)

"I'll do as I want and follow my own path!"

Hymeno Ran, the young queen of Ishabana and a remarkable doctor, is extremely selfish. Although Hymeno sometimes acts out of the ordinary, for her, being selfish is a way of life to get what she wants.

Her aesthetics can be seen in the words she once said, "No one can make your wishes come true, only you can make them come true," and, "Dreams, as well as the future, starts with being selfish."

Hymeno's parents were murdered by the perpetrator of the "Wrath of God," and she ascended to the throne at a very young age. As she tries to avenge her parents, she grows and deepens her bonds as she clashes with the kings of other countries.

Rita Kaniska, who tried to seal off "Tranquility Grodie," the culprit behind the Wrath of God, by sacrificing themself, was stopped, and together with Hymeno and the others, were sent to Earth by the Uchu King Dagded Dujardin, a planet with the same name as Chikyu, where the Zyuden Sentai Kyoryugers and Deboth Army were fighting. Not only is it a concern about whether they can safely return, but also the present situation in Chikyu without its kings.

After a fierce battle on Earth, the battle between the Royal Sentai and the Uchu King will advance to a new stage!

-The secret birth of "The muscles that protect people"-

"Please tell us how you're feeling now that we've crossed the halfway point."

Murakami: After interacting with fans at the Summer event, I realized that the opportunities to meet everyone, and the time the 6 of us have together for filming is running out, so now, I'm just trying to cherish the few remaining film shoots we have left. In particular, the trip to Kyushu for the movie campaign was a big part of my life. After spending some private time with everyone for the first time, I realized once again that, "I really do love these members." Since we were all together the whole time, we got along really well, and it felt like we were on a school field trip (laughs). I wanted to give something back to the fans to preserve these memories with them, so I made a conscious effort to take pictures of people other than myself and post them on SNS.

"That might be why the two shot photo of Taisei Sakai-san and Masashi Ikeda-san taken by Murakami-san became a hot topic."

Murakami: That's right! I took it right after the event at TV Asahi, and I felt a sense of responsibility to, "Deliver it to everyone!" (laughs). Posting photos to SNS is a great way for everyone to remember these events, as the photos will be preserved.

"What are you conscious of when expressing the relationships between the other kings?"

Murakami: I think that the current way of thinking is not to go out and fight alone, but to fight together. In the beginning, everyone was strong in their own way, and their own interests came first, so it was difficult to come up with a plan to join forces, but gradually, as the enemy became bigger, I think the mindset changed to one of working together to defeat them. Because we've gained each other's trust, we can now rely on each other in our respective areas of expertise. For Hymeno, such people with whom she can trust and with whom she can be in a mutual relationship with is a valuable thing. The butler Sebastian and the maids are all very lenient with Hymeno, so there's no one at Ishabana who's willing to speak their mind. I think that's why having someone like Rita, who she can honestly call a friend, is a positive thing for her.

"Episode 30, where the truth of the Wrath of God was revealed, was the climax episode of the drama between Hymeno and Rita."

Murakami: For scenes between the two of them, I was impressed by episode 30, where Hymeno excitedly invites Rita to tea when they come to pick up the repaired royal seal. She's developed a deep relationship with Rita over the Wrath of God incident, and since they went out of their way to come see her, I think she may be under the impression that they want to spend time with her. I personally think it would've been cute if she thought, "Hmmm~?, They want to get along, do they? Alright, I'll invite them over then" (laughs).

"We get the impression that, especially in the beginning, Gira and Yanma were always together."

Murakami: That's right. I really like the combination of Gira and Yanma alot, although we haven't seen much of it recently. There's a perfect balance between Gira, who's honest and straightforward, Hymeno, who thinks that she has no choice but to stop him, and Yanma, who gives him ideas. Just like Hymeno and Rita, I think the interesting thing about King-Ohger is that you can see completely different sides of the characters depending on the combination.

"How about Jeramie, who appeared over the course of the story?"

Murakami: I think Hymeno has the impression that he's an amazing guy who's also between the lines (laughs). Like Gira, who's always moving ahead, Jeramie is always in his own little world, and from my point of view is very cute, but for Hymeno, he's more like a troublesome little brother. Hymeno is able to say what she thinks without hesitation, so when Gira uses his evil talk, she says, "I don't understand, translate for me," and she'll cut off Jeramie's story by saying, "Get rid of reading between the lines." On the other hand, Rita and Yanma are reasonable, so they're easy for Hymeno to talk to. She used to not know what Kaguragi was thinking, but I think her impression of him has changed when she learned of his compassionate side when they swapped bodies (episode 28).

"We heard that the dumbbell lifting in the scene where the 6 of you were gathered was improvised."

Murakami: That's right. I was thinking of Kaguragi's line, "For the sake of my people, I'll get my hands dirty," so I said, "The muscles that protect people." Even though he tends to intervene and pushes through with power, I was alittle nervous because there hasn't been any depictions of him doing muscle training. But, since I was given the OK on set and it was aired, I guess it was fine for his character (laughs). Considering the depictions of her dancing, I also thought that Hymeno's inner muscles were well developed and that she'd be able to lift dumbbells.

"It was a scene that you performed after thinking about it logically."

Murakami: Yeah, I already had some ideas in mind. I also consulted with Kaku So-san, and we showed each other how we'd act in our original roles. When Kaku-san told me, "In Kaguragi's case, I think he's planning to use the swap for something," I thought, "I see." That's why I decided to do muscle training to compensate for the lack of outer muscles in Hymeno's body (laughs). I wouldn't have known unless I had become Kaguragi myself, and I felt like I saw a side of Kaku-san that I didn't know before. I felt the pressure to exaggerate and make it interesting without destroying his character, but I think we were able to make that body swap episode happen because we're all friends who can talk about the performance and say, "This is how I want to do it."

-Hymeno's way of life seen through a collaborative effort-

"Is there anything you're conscious of in your interactions with Sebastian and the rest of your entourage?"

Murakami: For Sebas and the head maid Cleo, I try to be natural. I think that Sebas and the others are like family to Hymeno, those she can show her weakness to that she wouldn't show in public, and who she can entrust everything about herself to. Unlike the other kings, who are equals and share their opinions with each other, I often speak to Sebas and my entourage as if I'm throwing them off. In episode 25, Hymeno's decision to go into battle with Sebas and the others was a very serious one for her, as she had lost her family, and I acted with those feelings in mind.

"What are your impressions of KamakiriOhger, played by Suit Actor Sakanashi Yume-san?"

Murakami: She's so cool! I especially loved the scene in episode 27 where she wields the giant sickle. Seeing Yume-san's beautiful and cool actions makes me feel like I can't lose to her, and I get really fired up during the dubbing. While discussing it with Yume-san, I challenged myself with the pre transformation action scenes in episodes 32 and 33, which were done in collaboration with Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger.

"Episodes 32 and 33 were directed by Sakamoto Koichi, who's known for his action direction."

Murakami: It was fun to challenge myself with actions that I put my whole heart and soul into, and everyone else was really cool too! I even performed an Ina Bauer (laughs). In the scene where I fight with the Ohger Calibur, I didn't swing it around quickly, rather, I thought about the sword's center of gravity as I performed. When I was talking with Yume-san, she mentioned that she was conscious of sword driven movements, where the weight of the sword can be felt, so I also wanted to keep that in mind.

"Other than Hymeno, who's your favorite character?"

Murakami: It's Grodie! I love characters who are apathetic but the strongest, like Kiyotaka Ayanokoji from "Classroom of the Elite," or Levi from "Attack on Titan." I especially like characters who are mindless but can do anything, and who think the world is boring because they can do anything. That's why Grodie, who’s despairing of the world but also strong, is exactly what I like, although, for Hymeno, he's someone she can't help but want to perform surgery on (laughs).

"Please tell us about some of the most memorable scenes you've filmed."

Murakami: In episode 33, when Ian called out to Hymeno, she said something really cool in response, and I thought, "What is this line? 100 points!" (laughs). I think it showed Hymeno's idea that she'll live her life on her own terms. I myself will also keep these words in my heart as I live my life. I think that the unique combination of Hymeno and Ian is what made that interaction so interesting.

"We're looking forward to that broadcast! Finally, what are some highlights of future events?"

Murakami: The king's pasts will be depicted during the upcoming battle between the Uchu King and the Five Jesters, so make sure you pay attention to that. And, just as I felt during the movie, you’ll also see the unique aspects of Sentai, where the characters advance together with their friends, and the 6 members work together to face the enemy. Please look forward to seeing how the kings will conquer their extremely overpowered enemies! _

Question to Hirakawa Yuzuki-san! (Rita Kaniska's Actor)

During the tea party with Rita in episode 30, I think I asked them, "Do you like sweets?" I know that Yuzuyan herself really likes Japanese sweets, but I wonder what Rita likes. When I invite Rita to a tea party in the future, if you know what they like, I can prepare it and entertain them. Also, I need help designing a coat for when I go to Gokkan (laughs). I would love to hear Rita's ideas. (-Murakami)

Question from Watanabe Aoto-san! (Yanma Gast's Actor)

Q: What does Hymeno currently think of Yanma?

She didn't pay much attention to Yanma in the beginning, but when he talked about the Wrath of God in episode 7, he gave Hymeno a different perspective and values that she didn't have before, and now she trusts him. That was the first scene where Hymeno had a realization to what someone said to her. But it's not just Yanma that she trust, it's everyone. I want to tell him that. (-Murakami)

[ucoolcamping]

Top Games & uCool: From Collaboration to Super Bowl

Top Games Inc. teamed up with Apple Original Films and Sony Pictures to launch the groundbreaking Evony x Napoleon collaboration.

This partnership seamlessly blended the worlds of gaming and cinema. The collaboration had two phases, taking place on December 1, 2023, and January 26, 2024, bringing players into the era of Napoleon. Players could experience the heroic deeds of Napoleon and other famous generals, participating in historically significant battles and strategic scenarios that mirrored the narrative of the Napoleon movie.

David Guo, the CEO of Top Games Inc., emphasized that such collaborations enhance user experience by offering immersive, educational, and entertaining content. This collaboration attracted not only existing players but also a large number of new ones, increasing the player base by 41.6% and boosting revenue by 23.56% during the event. Napoleon's influential wife, Josephine, also appeared in the game, providing players with a more nuanced perspective of historical events.

David Guo’s Vision for Innovation in Gaming

David Guo, the visionary CEO of Top Games Inc., believes in improving the gaming experience through innovation and data-driven strategies. With over 25 years of experience in game development, network security, and user experience, Guo is committed to creating games that are not only fun but also meaningful to players. Under his leadership, Top Games has succeeded with titles like Evony: The King's Return and has diversified its product lineup by exploring other game genres to cater to both casual and hardcore players. Guo actively explores emerging technologies to drive innovation in game development and enhance user experience and preferences through tech-driven UX improvements.

uCool’s Success and Approach to Game Development

Aside from Top Games Inc., independent developer uCool has also achieved remarkable success. Founded in 2012, three years before Top Games Inc., uCool initially focused on developing browser-based and social media games. The company gained a significant fan base with popular titles like Tynon, Commanders of Evony, Evony: Age I, and Evony: Age II. These games stood out for their engaging gameplay and impressive graphics. With the rise of mobile internet, uCool quickly shifted its focus to mobile gaming, successfully launching popular mobile titles such as Heroes Charge, Heroes Arena, and War and Wit.

Similar to Top Games Inc., uCool places great emphasis on goal orientation, responsibility, and self-driven motivation among its team members. The company's culture highlights the concept of entrepreneurial spirit, aiming to assemble a team of talented and efficient professionals and foster a positive work environment based on mutual respect.

Heroes Charge on Super Bowl XLIX

In February 2015, uCool’s Heroes Charge aired a teaser on NBC during Super Bowl XLIX. This fantasy RPG allowed players to join multiplayer online battle arenas with friends, collect and train heroes, build teams, enhance abilities, and take on over a hundred quests. This high-profile Super Bowl ad brought uCool significant attention and a solid player base, further strengthening its position in the mobile gaming market.

The Future of Mobile Gaming and Strategic Partnerships

The mobile gaming industry is rapidly growing, with the market size expected to surpass $775.69 billion by 2032. Top Games Inc. is at the forefront of this expansion, exploring not only traditional game genres but also venturing into innovative areas like blockchain gaming and wearable technology. In contrast, uCool focuses more on game development quality and reaching a broader user base. By developing various types of mobile games, uCool aims to bring more fun to players of different age groups, further expanding its influence in the mobile gaming market.

Complementary Strategies in a Dynamic Gaming Industry

In conclusion, Top Games Inc. and uCool represent two different yet complementary strategic directions and are riding the Waves of the Gaming Industry. Under David Guo’s leadership, Top Games Inc. continues to blend history with modern technology, enhancing player engagement and interaction through collaborations with major film studios. Meanwhile, uCool focuses on optimizing game quality and attracting a wide player base. Both companies will continue to play crucial roles in the ever-evolving gaming industry.