#hong kong is coming for you indeed

[absolutebl]

Okay, FINE, the shows you should watch for BL's QUEER AF roots

You ready to go hunting?

Many of these are difficult to find. Also many of the images of them and their posters have been block/banned by tumblr, so, no screen grabs for you! (Good times.)

I don't necessarily *like* any of these, but if you are queer and in this fandom and need to dialogue around BL's queerness - these are going to provide a foundation for you. They are important for various industry, reputation, directorial, and cultural reasons. As seeds often are.

Trigger warnings throughout.

The true beginnings:

Boys Love, Japan's 2006 movie is a REALLY rough start featuring a journalist + hot model = murder gay, mild necrophilia, cheating, abuse, rape, and suicide for love. Start as you mean to go on, why don't you, Japan? Is it queer... maybe? Is it BL... honey, I am very sorry to inform you, this started BL.

Note: Yoshikazu Kotani is famous in og BL circles since he acted in 3 early BLs, both Boys Loves and then Same Difference. Also he v tall and hawt.

Eternal Summer, Taiwan 2006 - unlike Japan, Taiwan did NOT start how it would, eventually, go on. But what a messy way to start. A high school story of 3 besties in a love triangle, self discovery, and sexual awakening that fucks it all up.

No Regret, Korea 2006, is a very unhinged queer catastrophe piece about a lost gay man who ends up a host and then almost a murderer because of both his job and his identity.

Note: This is the directorial feature film debut of Lee-Song Hee-il Korea's (so far as I know) first openly gay director who specialized (to this day) in queer content.

The Love of Siam, Thailand 2007, this was Thailand's queer awakening, sure they would backpedal for YEARS after, but in 2022 they began to remember what this movie was (and did) and overtly referenced this quiet little masterpiece. This movie is sad but stunning in that way that the best queer works from Thailand can be (like Present Perfect or ITSAY.) It has Thailand's quintessential softness around theme and character, which you'll understand perfectly when highlighted against the backdrop of the early 2000s works from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Thailand will never lose this soft style and it's one of the most attractive qualities of Thai BL: it's never very harsh with us or its characters. This movie very easily COULD have been quite harsh indeed.

I thought long and hard about including Rice Rhapsody AKA Hainan Chicken Rice (Hainan ji fan) on this list and finally decided it doesn't really qualify. Still let me mention Hong Kong's 2005 movie. It is amazing, fascinating, and very rough going for an ostensible comedy. It wasn't the actual beginning because few saw it and Hong Kong never really picked up or ran with BL let alone QL, but it was hella queer. It's also hella homophobic.

Just Friends? (2009 Korea) - this is Korea's first (kinda) upbeat version of a BL featuring already established boyfriends, one of whom is on military leave, trying to decide on coming out, family life, and the future. All of these are themes Korea will pretty much never tackle again, retreating as they would to their bubble. But what a fun little offering this little show was and is to this day. You should watch it.

Like Love 1 AKA I Love You As A Man: Part 1 - China's 2014 offering is actually pretty classic early form live action yaoi with things like whipping boy, a university setting, rich/poor jock/nerd pairing, hard grumpy/sunshine and a very odd title. It's pre-censorship with an HEA, also explicit, yeah China once did that. This is a lot less queer that it is classic BL and classic Chinese romance, neither of which have any kind of connection to reality. But hey, that's what I'm here for. But it's important to note the drifting away from queerness beginning to occur.

Love Sick - Thailand's 2014 "boys in blues shorts" high school set soapy (in all ways) offering is widely considered the true beginning of Thai BL and by default, eventually, BL as we know it today. (As the biggest producer they somewhat dictate taste and trends in the genre.) This is one of those BLs that owes almost nothing to yaoi, although it started a number of tropes that are now endemic to Thai BL. What it is, instead, is a well scripted story of bisexual self-discovery and the inherent chaos of loving someone of the same gender for the first time, all wrapped up in hormones, existing relationships, and communication issues. It is high school queer angst at its messiest. Nothing is going to be easy for these boys because queer isn’t easy but also because life isn’t easy… welcome to adulthood sweethearts. Is is overtly queer? For 2014 Thailand? Sure is.

Love Next Door 2 a movie from 2014 and one of Thailand’s early very high heat pieces, it’s odd, but sexy I guess? Some unexpectedly decent queer rep including femme characters getting screen time + HEAs. (Part one from 2013 has the same high heat content and features the same lead character (and actor) discovering he is gay with the sex worker next door, but isn't as good nor is it relevant to this installment.)

A few other unknowns, for the queer babies

Wait For Me at Udagawachou AKA Udagawachou de Matteteyo - from Japan in 2015, this is a story about two boys in high school one of whom is a repressed outsider and the other who has a terrible secret (body dysmorphia & cross dressing). When the first boy discovers what's up with the second one, his reaction is very much fetishization. "Oh Japan must you?" kinda started for me with this show. But in this case, Japan, weirdly MUST. This is the ONLY show laboring under (and testing) a pointedly straight lens (or is it?) and identity examination (yes but which boys' identity? that's the question) that I've EVER seen even edge into the BL genre. It is crazy queer, even as it mostly focuses on the fetishization of identity from an outsider's perspective. I WISH more people in fandom would watch it so I could at least talk to someone about it.

The Lover (BL Cut) Korea's 2015 series had multiple couples in an apartment complex, one pair of whom is a BL romance between a Korean man and a visiting Japanese tourist (played by a Kpop idol). It's comedic, slapstick sexy only (no kissing), but basically starts up Korea's bubble and use of idols in BL. It's kinda fascinating to watch them dodge around and still represent gayness in what (is sadly destined to become) a very Chinese way, but which Korea in pursuit of Hallyu and market share would morph into the bubble.

Mr. X and I from China in 2015 is a compilation piece and, I think, the first of this kind of multiple narrative shorter grab bags AKA "Sampler Pack BL." Two of the stories are very queerly sad, but the third is CLASSIC BL of the kind that would become China's best (and last) true BL, Addicted.

Sweet Boy, (Thai 2016) Chimon's first gay role and it is quite sad, oddly sexy, and similar to Dew the movie or My Bromance (just so you know what you are in for) but the acting is on point. When Thailand goes dark, this is how they do it, but this is rough going for baby queers because that's the darkness it is exploring. Our old thematic friends: the pain of self discovery and coming out into a homophobic environment and unfriendly reality, and the cost of being the one able (and willing) to stay in the closet.

Method (Korea 2017) this movie is a May/December actor/idol pairing, that should have been everything I wanted in life but is more about the older character cheating on his wife and their weird “artsy” relationship and frankly, I hated it. And I don’t say that lightly. Is it queer? Who tf knows, but is sure has some interesting things to say about the nature of PERFORMATIVE queerness.

Red Balloon is Taiwan's 2017 precursor BL to their biggest and most famous prestige piece Your Name Engraved Herein. If you're making a choice, choose that instead, but this series certainly paved the way for it to come into existence. Both shows tackle the pressures of culture and social structures on self acceptance and identity and the loneliness inevitably caused by conflict between the two.

(As indeed does Life Love On The Line, Present Perfect, Grey Rainbow, Tropical Night, My Sky, and many other queer meets early BL pieces that revolved around coming out and family acceptance.)

China's 3 2017 "they tried to censor the gay... and it went HORRIBLY wrong":

Beloved Enemy,

The Fairy Fox,

Mr. CEO is Falling in Love with Him.

Honestly these 3 are basically the uncanny valley of BLs.

The Novelist AKA The Pornographer series (2018-2020). Messy psychological machinations, gaslighting, fetishization, sexual corruption, and more good times from "well, what did you expect?" Japan, but also no holds barred queer, just well and truly fucked in the head (and arse) about it.

The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese AKA Kyuso wa Chizu no Yume wo Miru (Japan 2020) - Drama llama queers so queer and so dramatic it's like Japan is trying to PROVE something: obsession, cheating, break-up, reunion, then break up again, all of it explicit. This show is just SO JAPANESE. I can't even, but you should watch it and you'll know exactly what I mean. Something like My Personal Weatherman owes it's lineage to this kind of BL. If you like Japan naked, boney, emo, and smoking (hot & ciggy) you will love this, and should watch it. It's objectively amazing, I can't stand it, but I NEED people to talk about it more.

More Queer Stuff about BL from moi

BL Linguistics & Queer Identity - I Am Gay versus I Like Men 

Will BL Get More Honestly Queer? 

Actually gay, not BL gay - the idea of “by queers, for queers, about queers,” the BL bubble, sanitized gay, and a queer lens

Queer lens (from the director) and chemistry (from the actors) in BL (A Tale of Thousand Stars)

Touch & Daisy in Secret Crush On You - Queer Coded Language and 3rd Gender Identity

BL in Taiwan & Gay Marriage

Debating Queerbaiting in BL ( + Devil Judge… is it queerbaiting?) 

BL Actors and the Assumption of Queerness - outing actors, coming out, being out, more:  Is that BL actor actually queer?

So is it really fetishization? straight women loving bl 

Some BL fans are sasaengs, and it’s a problem in this fandom 

BLs That Highlight How Society Treats Queers

10 BLs That Are Honest to a Queer Experience 

If you like these kinds of shows try the "Moody Arthouse Smackdoodle" section of this post too.

Happy watching!

(source)

[hermannsthumb]

Hey hey could you write something about newt confronting his middle school bully a la this post: https://10001gecs.tumblr.com/post/729455540321779712/my-high-school-bully-reached-out-to-me-and-asked

(post) hmm i wonder who sent this in after we talked about it in discord 7 months ago... allusions to non sfw behavior at the end !! (edit also literally seconds after i posted this i realized this ask says middle school and not high school like i wrote. sigh.)

-----------------

“Oh, shit,” Newton says. “Hermann, do you see that guy?”

He’s doing some strange, jerking head motion over the ambiguous vicinity of Hermann’s left shoulder, and it takes Hermann a good few seconds to realize Newton wants him to turn around and look at the fellow in question. He puts down his sandwich with a small sigh: he waited two hours for Newton to wrap up his work so he would have company in the mess hall for lunch, lunch which will continue to evade him, he supposes.

But Newton kicks his shin under the table as he cranes his neck around. “Newton,” he snaps with a startle. It wasn’t hard enough to hurt, but—offended at the mere principle of it—he hits Newton’s own shin back with the end of his cane. Newton is too preoccupied with attempting to hide the entire upper half of his body beneath their table to put up a fuss.

“Don’t be so obvious about it,” he says to Hermann. “Be subtle, subtle. Yeah, perfect.”

There’s no one exceptionally exciting over Hermann’s shoulder when he turns back about painfully slowly, or at the very least no one he can see causing Newton to get as worked up as he is. It’s the usual gaggle of personnel they see wandering about the Shatterdome with them. “Ugly blue shirt,” Newton whispers, “and a stupid beard.”

Hermann spots him after another glance through the food line—a stocky, unassuming man waiting with a tray in his hands, though admittedly Hermann can’t find anything particularly offensive about his shirt or his facial hair, not even by Newton’s standards. “What of him?” Hermann says.

He doesn’t recognize the man, but that’s hardly surprising. There’s been plenty of new faces about the base recently after the latest round of Shatterdomes shuttered their operations and sent their skeleton crews to Hong Kong as a last resort. Hermann expects he might be one of the transferred ranger recruits. He lacks the, ah, soft disposition of Newton and Hermann and their more technologically-inclined ilk, and is certainly built large enough to hold his own in a jaeger.

“I think I know him,” Newton says.

This is not that surprising either. Newton has a curiously long list of ex-partners spread throughout the various networks of the PPDC, partially because the instability of their employment at any given base up until recently (or, indeed, the instability of their expected lifespan) is not conducive to long-term relationships, and partially because Newton’s personality is not conducive to it either. Hermann envies the people who have had the means to escape Newton: he himself has had no such luck. “Another poor soul you’ve scared off?” he says, and takes a bite out of his sandwich more aggressively than he intended.

“Ew, man, gross.” Newton makes a face at him. “No way. He’s a total asshole. He used to make my life hell.”

Hermann swallows his mouthful of sandwich. This admission, on the other hand, is surprising. Newton doesn’t usually make his dislike of people unknown, especially not to Hermann, and Hermann had been under the assumption he was familiar with the full roster of Newton’s ‘enemies’—most of whom are academic rivals of some kind (though certainly none surpass Hermann’s high ranking in that particular category), and all of whom Hermann had Googled obsessively after being made aware of their existence. “Sounds a bit like the whole 'taste of your own medicine' cliche,” Hermann says.

“No, come on, I'm serious, I mean actual hell, just ‘cause I was out about being into dudes,” Newton says. “Whatever bullshit you can think of—stole my shit, made fun of my glasses, pushed me around, called me lots of really creative and exciting slurs. Really original content. He flushed one of my notebooks down a toilet one time and I got in trouble for it. Just—you know, stupid, immature, homophobic jock-vs-nerd bullshit.”

More than slightly alarmed, Hermann shoots another glance over his shoulder. The fellow with the beard has moved ahead in the line and Hermann has a much clearer view of him now. He’s most certainly at least twice Newton’s size, if not larger, and Hermann doesn’t like the idea of him treating Newton in such a physically aggressive manner by any means (to say nothing of the other half of the harassment he received). “When on Earth did that happen?” he says. “The Jaeger Academy? You reported him to—someone, anyone, I hope.” And if not Hermann is more than happy to do so now.

“Oh, no,” Newton says. “It was back when I was in high school for a year. Before I skipped twenty grades, I mean.”

Hermann relaxes his shoulders, which had grown quite tense. “Ah,” he says. As a child he was unfortunately quite familiar with schoolyard bullies himself.

“His name is something stupid, like Chad or Chet or something. Not actually, but you know what I mean. I used to stalk him on Facebook when I was in grad school to make sure his life still sucked shit. He got divorced the same month I got my fourth doctorate. Really poetic. Oh, fuck.”

He ducks back beneath the table. Evidently he isn’t fast enough, because when Hermann turns, Chad-Chet-something is staring intently at the empty space Newton inhabited seconds prior. If the wide-eyed surprise that flashes across his face is any indication, he has recognized Newton in return.

“He’s coming this way,” Hermann says to the rustling somewhere in the vicinity of his ankles. It must be filthy down there. He hears Newton curse, though given the alarming way the entire table wobbles, it may be because he’s just hit his head on something. “Would you like me to make up a lie and say you’ve gone off somewhere? Or I can stall for a bit, and you can—I don’t know—crawl off.”

“Newt?” Newton’s former classmate says.

Newton rises back up slowly, his hair in significant disarray. Hermann fantasizes briefly—not for the first time—about going at it with a comb. “Heyyyyy, man,” Newton says. “What’s up?”

Newton’s classmate had been squinting at him with a small frown, but (to Hermann’s immense surprise) he begins to smile. “It is you, that’s wild! I don’t know if you remember, but we went to school together—like, fifteen, twenty years ago. We were in the same homeroom.”

“Oh, totally,” Newton says. “Bradley?”

“Seth.”

“What’s, uh, what’s brought you to Hong Kong?” Newton says.

Seth looks down pointedly at the empty chair positioned between Newton and Hermann. “Mind if I sit here?” he says, and though neither of them respond, he drops his tray down with a small clatter and follows suit. “I joined on with the PPDC last year, and I was stationed in Seattle up until a couple weeks ago,” he continues, confirming Hermann’s earlier suspicions. “I’m still getting used to everything. I heard there was a Dr. Geiszler working at one of the labs here somewhere, but I had no idea that was you. Did they just throw you over here too?”

Newton has gone a little red in the face, as if he’s bottling up a great deal of shouting, cursing, and possibly crying, and Hermann is somewhat impressed at his restraint in not making a scene. He feels a small surge of protectiveness for Newton (despite everything) and steps in not-very-smoothly to help him. “Newton—Dr. Geiszler I have been stationed here since 2020,” he says. “I’m Dr. Hermann Gottlieb.”

“Hermann’s my lab partner,” Newton manages to say. “We get along really awesomely. We’re, like, pretty close. Seth and I went to high school together, Hermann.”

“Mm,” Hermann sniffs. “So you’ve mentioned.”

He does not bother hiding his disdain, and Seth is astute enough to notice and jump to the logical conclusion of precisely the conversation he’d interrupted: he gives them a small, embarrassed grin, and an exaggerated shrug of his shoulders. “Yeah, I was kind of an asshole back then,” he says, “but you know how teenagers are.” He picks up his tray and stands. “Anyway, I’ll leave you guys alone. We’ll have to catch up later, Newt? Maybe dinner?”

“Totally,” Newton says.

“I should hire someone to kick his ass,” he says to Hermann as they watch Seth find a seat with some fellow rangers—similarly fresh faces, Hermann presumes them to be his crowd from Seattle—across the mess hall. “I bet I could bribe another ranger into it, just go a littttle too hard in on a sparring match. Maybe knock out a few of his teeth. Ugh. Like I’d ever get dinner with that dick.”

“I got dinner with Seth,” Newton announces in the laboratory a week later.

“I wondered where you were last night,” Hermann says, feigning disinterest as he squints at his computer screen. In truth he’s rather peeved at Newton over it; they’ve had a long-standing arrangement as dinner companions for several years at this point, and he’d waited for Newton at their table in the back of the mess hall for an hour before he finally realized he was being stood up and stormed off to his quarters. He’d debated tossing out the extra chocolate pudding cup he had stolen as dessert for Newton but decided to eat it instead, imagining with relish the whole time how upset Newton would be if he found out. It made him feel a little bit better.

“Oh, yeah, sorry I ditched you, I kinda forgot,” Newton says. “I was on my way to the mess and he kinda accosted me out of nowhere and offered to buy me noodles downtown, as an 'apology'. Not gonna turn that down. I made sure to run up a bill. But, dude, you’ll never believe this.”

“Mm,” Hermann says.

He hears Newton made an impatient little shuffling noise behind him. Then Newton is stomping over and grabbing onto the back of Hermann’s desk chair to spin Hermann around to face him. He boxes Hermann in, one hand on each armrest, and (with nowhere else to go) Hermann folds his arms across his chest and scowls up at him. “Fine. Go on.”

“So,” Newton begins gleefully, “it turns out he’s also gay now. Or I guess he always was, which explains the divorce thing, but you know what I mean. He said the reason he treated me like shit was because he was jealous of me for being out, and also because he thought I was infecting him with my gay cooties or whatever since he wanted me soooo bad. What a jerk.” He drops his arms away from Hermann’s chair. “Anyway, we boned.”

Hermann sits up quickly and nearly collides with Newton's abdomen. “What?”

“Eh, don’t worry,” Newton says, “it’s not like I’m into him or anything. I’m gonna hold that grudge forever, sorry, he’s not hot enough to make me forget all that, even if he isn't an asshole anymore. I know what I’m doing. It’s all part of my awesome revenge plan: I’m gonna string him along and then dump him hard after he gets a taste of what it's like to date someone as cool as me.”

Hermann is of two minds: the first is that Newton’s plan is abysmally stupid, and the second, that he can’t help but be relieved that Newton is not earnestly subjecting himself to a relationship with a man whom he’s professed to hate. Loathe as he is to admit it, Newton deserves—Hermann grits his teeth—better. “How exactly do you intend to ‘string him along’?” Hermann says. “And why would you even want to? He hardly seems worth the effort.”

“Number one, by being hot and charming as usual,” Newton says, and rolls his eyes at Hermann’s loud scoff. “Shut up. I’m irresistible. He’s already trying to get me to go out for coffee with him today. Can you believe how clingy he is? So desperate. Ugh. And number two—” He shrugs, and something uncomfortable simmers within Hermann’s chest at the sight of the light blush rising to his cheeks. “I meeean, I don’t know, dude. The hate sex was kinda doing it for me. I guess technically I was the only one doing the hating there, because I’m irresistible, but it was still pretty hot.”

Being treated to details of Newton’s sexual proclivities is not a new experience for Hermann, as Newton seems to think it both constitutes daily small talk in the laboratory when their work gets slow and something Hermann genuinely cares to hear about, but Hermann finds himself bristling at it now. He wasn’t aware such an, er, act, spurned on by hatred, was even a possibility with Newton—that Newton would enjoy it. Could they have been finding more constructive outlets for their mutual dislike throughout all these years? Simply embraced the fiery passion of it all? Certainly Hermann has crafted list after list of increasingly erotic ways he could shut Newton up, but it is the first time he begins to wonder if Newton might not have done the same.

He forcefully turns his chair back around to hide his face from Newton. He is flushing, his skin hot beneath his collar. His computer screen swims in front of him. “That’s lovely to hear,” he says, after far too long of a silence. “I’m glad you—enjoyed yourself. Best of luck with it all.”

“Right,” Newton says, after too long of a silence of his own. “Uh, I’ll be back in an hour-ish.” He adds, mockingly, “We’re getting coffee. I’ll bring you back a muffin and tea or something.”

Once Newton has gone, Hermann drops his head into his hands with a small groan.

[eurothug4000]

INTERVIEW WITH SHIGENOBU MATSUYAMA - PRODUCER ON SILENT HILL THE ARCADE

I had the pleasure of interviewing Matsuyama-san, one of the producers on Silent Hill the Arcade! Here's what he had to say :)

Q - How did the idea for Silent Hill The Arcade come to be?

A - During the arcade boom of the 1990s and the 2000s, a desire was born to combine the unique worldview of the Silent Hill series - which was already a very strong IP console game-wise – with the haunted houses one might find in an amusement part. We wanted something that could provide an easy and pleasurable experience to an extremely varied range of customers… as in, the casual users. This is the idea that brought Silent Hill Arcade (SHA in short) to life. However, since our goal was to create a new kind of experience that could not be replicated anywhere else, we designed a game that could make the most effective use of the 5.1ch surround sound system, which was something that arcade games hadn’t adopted until that point, with a type of cabinet that could be somewhat isolated from the rest of the arcade via the use of curtains.

Q - Roughly how long did development for the game take?

A - At the time, the development cycle of an arcade game was so short it would be unimaginable today. The shortest one was around six months, the longest about one year and a half. I think SHA took us around one year and two months.

Q - What parts of development were most enjoyable for you?

A – Usually, arcade games are tested a certain number of times, both during development and just before launch in each and every country where their release has been scheduled (which, for SHA, meant Japan, the US, the UK, Italy, Spain, France, Hong Kong and Singapore). In order to keep the development budget for SHA as low as possible, however, I personally traveled alone to the US for the market testing, assembled the cabinet all by myself, repaired it when it was out of order, and stood next to it for days on end, pen and paper in my hand, ready to collect the players’ data. Game development, nearly 20 years ago, was very much an analog experience. It was also hard work, but when I look back, I have so many good memories of that time.

Q - Do you remember any kinds of ideas that you and the team wanted to include in the game, but didn’t in the end?

A – I’m sure this will sound obvious, since SHA was based on a pre-existing IP, but since the framework was pretty much already set when it came to characters and plot, we had to be extremely careful not to deviate from it so that we wouldn’t create inconsistencies. Personally, I would have loved to take the story in slightly wilder directions and include new and fresh ideas.

Q - I loved seeing so many locations from Silent Hill 3 and 4 make an appearance in the game! Was the team who worked on those two games involved in making any decisions for Silent Hill The Arcade?

A - We of course personally consulted select staff members of Konami, like for example Producer Yamaoka, with whom I had been acquainted with since before SHA. However, most development teams had a mix of internal and external members that changed pretty fluidly with each and every year, so there was no real collaboration between the various teams.

Q - What level of freedom were you given for creating this original story within the Silent Hill universe? Were you given any specific directives on what you could or could not integrate/use in the story?

A - If I have to express my personal point of view on the matter, however, should you compare the storyline for SHA with the timeline of the other games, you would indeed notice a few minor inconsistencies that we were not able to completely solve. That’s something I still have regrets about.

Q - Tell me about translating a traditional survival horror experience into the rail shooter genre and control style. What kind of considerations did you have to make for this?

A - The biggest challenge was by far to design a game system that could be as simple as possible, and to regulate the level of challenge in a way that felt balanced, because we didn't want to force complicated controls or an exceedingly high difficulty level on the casual arcade players. Moreover, there was another balance we had to strike perfectly: more specifically, the one between the aforementioned "haunted house" element - the one that was unique to SHA, with its sequences of terrifying events - and the thrilling playstyle that a rail shooter should provide to the player.

Q - As a final product, what are your personal thoughts on the game?

A - I think it had a state-of-the-art sound system, that the design of the cabinet, with its creepy-looking curtains, made people want to take a peek inside, and that the rail shooting system was simple and could be enjoyed by virtually everyone. I think we managed to combine these various elements with a one-of-a-kind worldview of Silent Hill in a way that was in my opinion pretty good! Of course, each and every member of the staff did their part, and I thank all of them wholeheartedly.

Q - Are you working on anything currently that you’d like me to mention?

A - Feel free to write whatever you prefer! If anything, I should thank you, since you allowed me to walk down the nostalgia lane and recall memories from almost 20 years ago that had been dimmed down by the passage of time. Thank you very much!

Shigenobu Matsuyama's site: shig.jp

[aftg-random-fun]

Neil had joined Andrew and Kevin for trivia night at a local pub. Usually Aaron would have went, but he had a test to study for. Their little team had managed to get enough points to be in second place and going into the last question were confident.

“And for our last question of the night, what country has the oldest population?” Asked the Trivia announcer into their microphone.

“It has to be Japan.” Kevin said munching on a fry. “I took a statistics class where we had to keep out Japan because their population threw off the rest of the data,”

“I agree that it’s Japan. So, all in?” Andrew asked as he wrote in the answer on their slip of paper. Kevin nodded and so Andrew handed Neil the paper to be run up to the Trivia announcer’s table.

A few minutes later the Trivia announcer had totaled everything from all the teams. “The question was, ‘What country has the oldest population?’ and the answer is Hong Kong. Sorry to all of those who put Japan tonight. Our list marks Japan as the third oldest population. That means our winners tonight are the following; in third The Potatos, in second Barbies and a Ken, and our first place winners are The Squirrels! Please come up to the table and receive your gift cards.” Neil cocked his head at the Trivia announcer before carefully looking at Kevin and Andrew.

“Okay, out to the car before the two of you go insane. I’m driving us back.” Neil yoinked the keys out of Andrew’s pocket and ushered the two out while they were still in shock. They had already paid for their food before the last question was asked.

When they got back to the tower Neil made it to their room first because Kevin and Andrew were going up the stairs like zombies. Neil opened the door to the room and saw Aaron at the desk hunched over textbooks. Aaron startled at the door hitting the wall and glared at Neil. “You’re back so soon? How’ d it go?” Aaron asked pinching his nose.

“The last question was brutal. It was ‘What country has the oldest population?’ and the guy said it was Hong Kong! Ridiculous! Anyway I have to pee!” Neil said as he made it into the bathroom.

Just as Neil was finishing up, Andrew and Kevin entered. Kevin started a dramatic telling of the night to Aaron. “I want to see what your answer to the last question is. Trevor asked ‘What country has the oldest population?’ So what’s your guess?” Kevin asked Aaron as Neil washed his hands.

“Well, obviously Hong Kong.” Aaron replied nonchalantly as Neil opened the bathroom door. Neil saw the vein on Kevin’s forehead bulge and Andrew narrow his eyes at his twin.

“Who told you?! Who texted you?! Was it Nicky!” Kevin shook Aaron’s shoulders. Aaron and Neil broke into laughter.

“How’d you have time to tell him? We were less than ten feet behind you,” Andrew asked.

“No idea, but that was hilarious!” Neil smirked at them.

Once Aaron stopped laughing he asked, “So what did he say when you contested him?” Andrew and Kevin paused and looked at each other. “You didn’t contest it?!”

“Well we were in a state of shock and disbelief!” Kevin tried explaining.

“You didn’t bring up that Hong Kong isn’t a country? And that it’s a city within China that’s been leased to the British for the past century or so? Guys, you’re supposed to be better than that!” Aaron tsked.

“It was a very silly time indeed. Now Matt invited me to movie night so I’ll see you later.” Neil said as he stepped back towards the door. The others muttered before joining Neil to the movie night.

The end

[meowunmeow]

Undead Unluck Chapter 202 Spoilers!!

At first, I thought the title didn't make sense. Then I read on and oh it makes so much sense.

Of all languages... French. 6997 languages. And you chose French. Nico you USAmerican.

But yeah the game is extremely biased. Unless you're a polyglot, you're gonna lose against the literal personification of language.

So how exactly did 100!Nico beat Language... Was he a polyglot? Did he skimmed through every single dictionary there was before battling? Was he smart enough to choose something other than French?

I audibly gasped and yelled "WAR?? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE" because seriously. What is he doing here and how did he even get here.

I'll admit to being unknowledgeable and not understand what Top means by Moga. Google only said a bunch of stuff that has nothing to do with planes nor war. If anyone knows what he means, go ahead and tell me.

I like how the planes have animal heads.

I'm assuming she means Mandarin here because it's the standardised language. Even though there are other Chinese languages like Hokkien or Cantonese. I can't blame Mr. Evelyn here because the raw is most likely to be "中国語" which literally translates to "Chinese".

I like the callback again. Logic and self-imposed rules are what ultimately stops negators from fulfilling their potential. Victor ends up falling behind Andy in terms of strength because he somehow convinced himself souls do not exist. So here, even though Ichico is well versed in souls, she is still a woman of science. She can't back away from logic that easily.

I had to search it up but wow, you're telling me this is supposed to be a sea creature of some kind... They're both equally confused, they 100% deserve each other.

Whoa whoa whoa... Nico can't see or hear souls. Yet he somehow manages to hear Ichico's pain? Does he have a wifey sense of some kind?? Loser.

I like how she talks to him like usual. She's either somewhat stupid or just forgot he can't hear her. But she's right in the end and he can indeed hear her.

Aw man that means summoning a living creature and having it die causes damage compared to summoning objects. Probably because it requires active imagination rather than pulling it from real life memories. That means that Nico needs to battle with a MacGuffin that isn't under Lan's domain.

But then that also means the way to beat Lan is by summoning an imaginative creature that can kill Lan's own imaginative creature, the dragon in this case. But what defeats a dragon?

Nico can't see her yet... He is stressed out to the max here and hoping that she is fine.

NEW SOUL ABILITY UNLOCKED?? TELEPATHY??? Or... An ability manifestation?

They weren't kidding about Ichico being a threat due to her quick adaptation with soul abilities.

Ooh she had this set up from the beginning... She chose umibuzou and didn't bother imagining a decent creature because she just wants a "u". Her reliance on English really convinces my British-born Japanese HC of her lol.

Lol Sean probably woke up and went "something's wrong. I can feel it." and Gina just snacks him back to sleep.

FENG??? rip to tells fans but FENG???

Should've seen this coming when I re-read the early 101 arc and I noticed that Feng understood Fuuko even after she took off her necktie translator (her armband). After living for so long, he could definitely picked up an extra language or two.

It's around 1:30-2:00am in Brazil. So probably around 6:00am in the UK. So around 1:00pm in China or Hong Kong if that's where he resides. This man was enjoying an afternoon nap when he got teleported with his hair messed up and tits fully out.

[kavaeric]

Hi everyone, just an update on what's been going on, with a massive cw for mental health and police violence.

I had a bit of a bad depressive episode these past few days. Yesterday i was beginning to improve with the help of some folks, right up until the point someone called the police on me for a "wellness check" which made things extremely worse.

I have specific trauma re: being around the police as part of my childhood growing up in Hong Kong, so suffice to say two Toronto cops forcibly dragging me out of my flat with my wrists handcuffed behind my back and barefoot to a hospital did not help my mental health, nor was being put into a very cold hospital room for six hours, where because I was technically an outpatient waiting for a doctor, meant I couldn't adjust my bed and I was not given blankets. Despite regaining my composure at the start of the night I slowly lost it l due to the cold, bad back/neck, and inability to tell anyone what had happened. Indeed until after I was discharged most of the folks I was talking to thought I was still at home soundly asleep

So, a reminder: do not ever call the police on someone who you think is having a mental health crisis. hell, do not bother calling the emergency line because you cannot guarantee against the dispatcher sending the police.

I wasn't doing great, no, but I was talking with friends and had already booked time with a therapist. now I'm not sure if I can show up to class in the coming week, and my wrists are still very sore from being cuffed and dragged around like that. Typing on my phone like this is right now very uncomfortable and in the morning in bed I still feel scared of moving my wrists too far apart. I can still feel the metal claw against my skin.

I do know who it is and tbh I don't know if I have the heart to really forgive yet. it was a genuine mistake, sure, but being arrested in a foreign country and manhandled like that for basically no reason is probably going to be a new traumatic episode for me

I did manage to have someone come over to hang out and cuddle me and bring snacks, and later played a game with another friend, so I'm feeling a little better. I have class again in the coming week but I think I'll be fine, the workload should be light

Take care all

[chierushi]

The life worth living

This week, I’ve had the pleasure of watching two romantic movies. Yesterday, I enjoyed watching Hello, Love, Again with my friends, and today, I watched We Live in Time. As you can imagine, I’m expressing my feelings about these movies.

Hello, Love, Again continues to be well-received, even after its second week. I’m delighted that Filipino mainstream films are still loved and watched in cinemas. It’s understandable that moviegoing costs more after the pandemic, but people are still willing to pay and spend time traveling to theaters. I’ll never stop expressing my joy that Alden Richards and Kathryn Bernardo exceeded local entertainment expectations. If it weren’t for their courage, we wouldn’t have witnessed such a beautiful work of art.

Alright, let’s move on from the actors. But wait, there’s one more.

Cathy Garcia-Sampana, the renowned director of numerous hit romantic Filipino movies, has once again delivered a delightful cinematic experience. Having watched most of her films, I’ve come to recognize her signature formula: exceptional leads, heartwarming romantic gestures, and a talented supporting cast. Joross Gamboa, who reprises his role as Jhim from the prequel, is a strategic choice that enhances the overall impact of the movie. Watching him on screen is a true delight, as his presence brings a sense of giddiness and joy to the audience. I would say that his presence and comedic timing have become essential elements for the success of a romantic comedy.

I still have vivid memories of my intense hatred for Ethan (Alden Richards) even after the first movie ended. I was certain that he would make another foolish decision if given a chance. His decision to let go of Joy was merely a calculated move to prove himself to her. I couldn’t help but cringe when Joy (Kathryn Bernardo) made a promise to Ethan that she would return, even though she despises Hong Kong and Canada was her lifelong dream.

Ethan’s firm establishment of boundaries with Joy in the initial minutes of the movie was all I needed to love it. When he declared, “I’m not trying to win you back,” it caught her off guard. She acknowledged her vulnerability, a trait often seen in her as she disregards her rules to pursue Ethan. However, she realized that if he tries to dictate her actions, she’ll eventually succumb to his demands. Surprisingly, this situation empowered her to regain control over her emotions. She could forgive, inflict pain, and love again, all within her reach.

This is a story about pursuing your dreams and living in the present moment. You can achieve your desired life, only to realize it’s too late to truly experience it. Would you rather live in the future or in the present? Prestige can be all-consuming. Don’t waste your life chasing a fleeting goal. Money, success, and fame can have different meanings and, in some cases, can be meaningless. Sadly, we won’t have enough of these things. There will always be another dream, another goal to achieve. Ultimately, we return home, and a beautiful life (not in a materialistic sense, of course) is what we should strive for.

The movie concluded with the conventional wedding scene, which has become somewhat predictable and outdated for me. Instead, they should have concluded with Joy and Ethan meeting at his home after she decides to forgo her flight.

—

We Live in Time initially confused me with its time skips, but I suppose that’s part of its charm. Isn’t that how our minds perceive the past?

I distinctly remember Florence’s words during the movie premiere, that this is a wonderful story of love, and indeed it is. It’s truly unique, though. I still can’t comprehend how, but it is.

The birth scene evoked multiple tears from me. It was a truly moving moment. I’m glad they included another woman in the film, providing Almut (Florence Pugh) emotional support. The actors once again delivered outstanding performances, making this a truly lovely movie to watch.

Another moment that struck me was when Almut joined a competition secretly, despite her partner’s disapproval. She expressed her fear of being forgotten or remembered poorly by her daughter. However, she realized that she was more than her illness. (And yes, this reminded me of Joy saying she’s more than her job.) She wants her daughter to have a mother who fought, who never gave up, even when the odds were stacked against her.

Almut finished her dish on time. Then, she looked around, removed her hat, bid farewell to Jade (Lee Braithwaite), and walked towards Tobias (Andrew Garfield) and her daughter, Ella (Grace Delaney). She had achieved her dream—not the culinary award, but the love of her family. This realization likely filled her with contentment. More significant than being remembered as a fighter or living a fruitful life, she understood the importance of cherishing the present moment. Like Almut, I hope to make wise choices in life. Like Tobias, I aspire to be a supportive partner and a caring parent, if God-willing.

Random photo from our recent family vacation:

[onepiece-song-tournament]

Winners of Round 1

Che Bello! ~My House is the Greatest!~⭐️ | Marukaite Chikyuu (Lichtenstein)

Hatafutte Parade (Japan) | Mawaru Chikyuu Rondo (France)

Winter | Gourmet's Heart Beginner Level

Absolutely Invincible British Gentleman | Hatafutte Parade (Netherlands and Belgium)

Fantasy Wonderland | Bon Bon Bon ❤️ C'est Bon C'est Bon

La Pasión No Se Detiene | Marukaite Chikyuu (Japan)

Marukaite Chikyuu (Germany) | With Love, From Iceland

Let's Boil Hot Water | Mawaru Chikyuu Rondo (China) | Always With You... Nordic Five

-----

Nah, It'll Settle Itself Somehow | Marukaite Chikyuu (Switzerland)

White Flame | Hatafutte Parade (Veneziano)

W•D•C World Dancing | Hatafutte Parade (Finland)

Hatafutte Parade (Russia) | Hatafutte Parade (Sweden)

Hatafutte Parade (Chibi Romano) | Mawaru Chikyuu Rondo (Japan)

Ah, Worldwide à la Mode | Hatafutte Parade (Prussia)

Einsamkeit | Marukaite Chikyuu (Sealand)

Cowboy Boot Camp Vol. 1 | Country From Where the Sun Rises, Zipangu

-----

Hamburger Street | Marukaite Chikyuu (Russia)

Seychelles Here ⭐️ Vacation Island | Hatafutte Parade (Hungary)

Mawaru Chikyuu Rondo (Russia) | Marukaite Chikyuu (Chibitalia)

My Heart Has a Light | Marukaite Chikyuu (Veneziano) | Fall in Love, Mademoiselle

How About Me? | Hetalian ⭐️ Jet (Russia)

Mm. | Having Friends is Nice

Join Me for a Full Course Dinner | Wa! Wa!! World Ondo

May You Smile Today | Hello ⭐️ China

-----

Marukaite Chikyuu (Prussia) | Let's Enjoy! Let's Get Excited! Cheers!

Hatafutte Parade (Spain) | Mawaru Chikyuu Rondo (Romano)

Peace Sounds Nice | Marukaite Chikyuu (France)

Pub and Go! | Hoi Sam ⭐️ Nice Guy

Hetalian ⭐️ Jet (Britain) | Hetalian ⭐️ Jet (China)

Ren • Ren • Renaissance | Hetalian ⭐️ Jet (Romano)

Hetalian ⭐️ Jet (Prussia) | Hatafutte Parade (Turkey)

Mein Gott | My Song That is Written For Me, By Me

-----

Moon Over Emei Shan | Excuse me, I'm Sorry

Vorwärts Marsch! | Marukaite Chikyuu (Spain)

Mawaru Chikyuu Rondo (Spain & Chibi Romano) | Hatafutte Parade (China)

Marukaite Chikyuu (Lithuania) | The Scent of Early Summer

Dream Journey | Let's Enjoy Today

United Nations Star | Gakuen Fiesta

Aiyaa 4000 Years | Marukaite Chikyuu (Poland)

Ah Legendary Class ⭐️ The Awesome Me Highway | Marukaite Chikyuu (Britain)

-----

Hatafutte Parade (Germany) | Pukapuka Vacation

England's Evil Demon Summoning Song | Marukaite Chikyuu (America)

Hetalian ⭐️ Jet (Germany) | Mawaru Chikyuu Rondo (Britain)

Santa Claus is Coming to Town | Mawaru Chikyuu Rondo (Germany)

Winter is Prynata Too | The Delicious Tomato Song

Let's Look Behind the Rainbow | Hetalian ⭐️ Jet (America) | Hatafutte Parade (Britain)

Hatafutte Parade (Romano) | I'm Your Hero

Overflowing Passion | Hetalian ⭐️ Jet (Japan)

-----

Marukaite Chikyuu (Holy Roman Empire) | Hyphen? Not to Hyphen?

Million Calories Party | Moi Moi Sauna

My House is... Quiet With the Trolls | In the Bluebell Woods

Embrace the Très Bien Moi | Maji Kandou ⭐️ Hong Kong Night

Heartfelt Seasonal Letter | Hatafutte Parade (America)

Marukaite Chikyuu (Austria) | Mawaru Chikyuu Rondo (Veneziano)

Canada's Complete Introduction | Panda's Recommendation

We Wish You a Merry Christmas | Germany's Anthem (I am German-Made)

-----

Steady Rhythmus | Marukaite Chikyuu (China)

Life is Fantastico | Hetalian ⭐️ Jet (Veneziano)

Mawaru Chikyuu Rondo (America) | Prost at the Fest!

Roma Antiqua | Paris is Indeed Splendid

Hetalian ⭐️ Jet (Micronations) | Hatafutte Parade (Greece)

Why Don't You Come Over? ~Beyond the Northern Lights | Ich Liebe...

Hatafutte Parade (France) | Hetalian ⭐️ Jet (France)

My Friend | Carrots and Sticks

[archoneddzs15]

Sega Mega CD - Illusion City

Title: Illusion City / 幻影都市

Developer: Aisystem Tokyo / Arrow Soft

Publisher: Micro Cabin

Release date: 28 May 1993

Catalogue No.: T-51014

Genre: RPG

At the beginning of the 21st century (A.D. 202X) a terrible disaster, the "demon-coming crisis", devastated the Asian continent. Hong Kong was most affected by the mysterious demonic attack. Terrible diseases turned the once prosperous city into a pale shadow of itself. But once people came back to see what had happened to the isolated town, they saw that it was ruled by a new order - a corporation called SIVA. The new order proclaimed New Hong Kong to be an independent state. Both the People's Republic of China and the United Kingdom signed an agreement in which they both renounced their claims over the city.

The player takes on the role of Tianren, a "diver" (demon-hunter) who lives in Hong Kong. His place of birth and the identity of his parents are unknown. Together with a girl named Meihong, he was brought up in the house of a wise Master. Traveling through the huge city, gathering information, and fighting demonic forces, Tianren will have to unravel the mystery surrounding the corporation SIVA and the supernatural beings from Chinese myths.

So, what is Illusion City all about? Well, if your Sega CD knowledge is nothing but Lunar 1 & 2, Shining Force, and Popful Mail, allow me to explain. The Sega CD (or in this case, Mega CD) really needed more RPGs in its short life cycle, and in Japan, it had lots of them. True, that some were horrid PC-ported dungeon crawlers with movement straight out of "Early Days Windows 3.0" era, but among the RPG selection, there were some bright spots. And yes, this even included Shin Megami Tensei.

Anyway, back on topic. Illusion City starts off with a pretty good introduction. It may be lacking in animation, but the style of it is what makes it appealing. Real true cyber punk anime style in an Appleseed / Bubblegum Crisis kind of way. It actually reminded me a whole lot of the WTFuture episode from Eddsworld, now that I think of it. Tianren kinda reminded me a whole lot of Future Edd here. While this is a pretty good game with several distinguishing characteristics, the actual game is an RPG in more of the old Japanese PC style than the console style. This makes sense, seeing this game was originally on the MSX Turbo R (this game also saw a release on the FM Towns, Sharp X68000 and NEC PC-9801). For context, the MSX Turbo R was the most powerful MSX computer ever made. It boasted not only the Zilog Z80 8-bit CPU, but also a custom R800 16-bit processor, and FM sound. From what I've gathered so far within the confines of the perspective of a US gamer, you take the role of a detective that seems to suffer from some sort of trauma caused by a past experience.

Unlike most games of the genre, it has no overworld, and takes place entirely in a vast city divided into several districts. The player advances the story by exploring the city, talking to non-playable characters, gathering information, receiving missions, and eventually heading into large, complex hostile areas. There are no random battles in the game; all enemies are visibly moving on the field, and many of them can be avoided.

The game isn't very pretty to look at, to be honest and scrolls like crap. I mean, it scrolls at the same speed that Battle Master on the Genesis does. And that was pretty slow to begin with. Still, these types of games you buy for the plot, right? Well unless you can understand Japanese you won't be getting much fun out of Illusion City. It's just a shame that games like this never get an English translation. This is the exact same fate that plagued many of the more interesting non-USA Mega CD games. A shame indeed.

On a sidenote, the mixture of chip and CD tunes for the soundtrack is pretty good. It really warranted being on the Mega CD.

[mykingdomforapen]

if you still feel like answering the writing ask meme: 1, 11, 13, 18, 22, and 68? Hope you're doing well!

Hehehehe I love answering questions :))

Do you daydream a lot before you write, or go for it as soon as the ideas strike?

I love daydreaming about it first! It makes me excited about the story, and I also love rewatching the movies in my mind of blorbos and stories hehehe. I've had something of a beloved routine where I sort of imagine certain scenes as I'm about to fall asleep.

11. Do you write scenes in order, or do you jump around?

I almost always write scenes in order! There are many moments that I can only fully realise after going through the journey of the story as the characters do. Certain emotional arcs that I would have missed had I only went with Plan A, or motifs/parallels/foreshadowing that I didn't think of including until I'm in the moment. I will jump backwards, but never forwards.

13. Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what have you been listening to recently?

YESSss I listen to music when I write, and very specific mood setting music. Whether it is thematically relevant, or its melody evokes emotions in me that fit the mood of the story even if the lyrics are not entirely relevant. I have certain songs that I associate to certain stories for sure.

For example, in spinning silk I listened to a lot of Kuchikamizake Trip during Chapter 6, when Cheng Xiaoshi falls through his different death scenes. For the finale, chapter 8, I was exclusively listening to Katawaredoki on loop, and I was sitting in the middle seat of a plane to Hong Kong and I had that song downloaded because I had no internet access. courage of stars wouldn't be what it has become were it not for Saturn by Sleeping at Last, naturally. But I also listened to Mercury by Sleeping at Last while writing chapter 12 and Repentance by Gable Price and Friends while writing chapter 13 & 14. And because these are about future chapters, I'll go ahead and say that they were for mood setting melodies, rather than because of their lyrics.

Right now, I'm playing with a new Link Click WIP. I'm listening to the Boy and the Heron OST by Joe Hisaishi on loop, mainly for its relevance :).

But in general? Sleeping At Last is THE band to listen to while writing. They have rescued me SO MUCH and they're beautiful. They have both lyrical songs and orchestral instrumentals, the perfect balance.

18. Do you enjoy research? Which fic of yours required the most research?

Because I love history, and I tend to write history-influenced fics, I do love research! I love aiming for accuracy in my stories, not to be pedantic about it but to make it feel as immersed into the setting as possible. One time, I was writing a fic that took place in Reading, England. A place that I've never been to, but because of looking things up and incorporating what I learned, a reader who actually was from Reading left me a comment saying how much they appreciated that, and it made me happy that those details could be meaningful to someone!

The fic I researched for the most....it could either be here be dragons (1917) or indeed, courage of stars. The difference is that here be dragons, which takes in WWII-era Reading, England, I did a lot of external research about the civilian experience of war, a day in the life of during that era, rationing, etc. as well as drawing from my uni background. It's weird calling courage of stars research when it was really me asking my family lots of questions, for purposes outside of fic, and I just happened to be able to incorporate what I learned into fic.

22. Do you title your fics before, during, or after the writing process? How do you come up with titles?

It depends on the story! Fics that I knew very quickly what the title would be, in some cases even before I finished writing it, are: here be dragons, today is such a good day, (Ted Lasso), and Jacob and Esau say their goodbyes (Thor). Others I have to finish it until I can tell what they are meant to be because of a theme of the story that had grown as I wrote it, like finally (The Bear), irreplaceable (Falcon and the Winter Soldier), and priceless (Squid Game). I also LOVE quoting poems, Bible verses, songs, etc. that are relevant to the story: greater love has no one than this (Trigun Stampede) which is part of a Bible verse, therefore, dark past, (Ted Lasso) which is from one of my favorite Mary Oliver poems, the prison disappears (FatWS) which is from a letter written by Vincent van Gogh, and more fics drawing from a line from The Little Prince, A Separate Peace, and various Sleeping At Last songs. Those usually come to me upon after writing it.

68. Are there any fics that influenced you to write the way you do?

There are so many fic writers that I admire and wish to emulate, but end up never being able to. There are also fics that, especially when I was younger, left SUCH an impression on me that they inspired me to write an original novel (if I got a nickel for every time this happened, I would get two nickels, which is not much but it's weird it happened twice). Both those fics were not on Ao3 and are essentially impossible for me to find again, btw. One was a Durarara!! fic and another was a Thor and Loki fic. I'm definitely a Frankenstein's monster of many writers I admire, both fic writers and published writers.

I will say that Markus Zusak a la The Book Thief fame has definitely influenced the way I write metaphors and turns of phrases. Hands down, that man makes magic with words, it's insane.

Thank you so much for asking me questions!! I love to share my thoughts heeheehee.

From this ask meme!

[mariacallous]

In late July, the Hong Kong judiciary quashed the city’s attempt to ban “Glory to Hong Kong,” a pro-democracy anthem that rose to popularity during the 2019 protests in the territory. In his ruling, High Court Judge Anthony Chan dismissed concerns that the ban would violate freedom of speech or stifle dissent. Instead, Chan threw out the authorities’ injunction because it was vague, ill-defined, and unenforceable. “The evidence contains little in terms of specificities on how the Injunction would … reduce the prevalence of the Song,” he wrote. “In truth, the answer to much of [the government’s] contentions rests in effective enforcement … I am unable to see how the Injunction would assist.”

It’s not often that a legal opinion takes on an authoritarian government for not being good at authoritarianism, but that’s what Chan’s ruling amounts to. As it turns out, in the Hong Kong of 2023—a city lurching into oppression while clinging onto the remnants of the rule of law—Beijing’s enforcers often aren’t all that good at their jobs.

In the aftermath of pro-democracy protests in 2019 and 2020, the Chinese Communist Party passed a draconian national security law that all but quashed dissent in the previously autonomous city. Since then, Beijing has leaned heavily on a team of hand-picked local officials to maintain an increasingly repressive status quo.

Indeed, in Hong Kong’s bewildering new political reality, strategic missteps now pass for official policy. Take the proposal to ban “Glory to Hong Kong.” Even before the judiciary’s intervention, the government’s misguided efforts had already brought more, not less, attention to the anthem. In a classic example of the Streisand effect, as soon as plans to restrict “Glory to Hong Kong” were announced, the song soared to the top of the city’s iTunes charts.

Other attempts at censorship have gone wildly overboard. In May, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department ordered a crackdown on politically sensitive books with the potential to offend Beijing. Scrambling to comply, workers pulled titles such as George Orwell’s 1984 and Animal Farm—both of which are widely available in mainland China—off library and school bookshelves. Even more inexplicable was the removal of works by Lu Xun, an early 20th-century writer lauded as a revolutionary hero and taught in the Chinese school system. “Lu Xun’s books were not censored even during the height of the Cultural Revolution, but they are censored in today’s Hong Kong,” a local editorial opined. “We’ve become a laughingstock.”

Then, in early July, Hong Kong sparked international outrage when officials placed bounties on the heads of overseas dissidents living in the United States, Britain, and Australia. The plan, which authorities acknowledged was a largely empty threat, quickly backfired: Instead of stifling opposition, the bounties emboldened the dissidents, who landed high-profile media appearances and brought renewed attention to Hong Kong’s authoritarian plight. The decision also upturned officials’ attempts to reassure Western businesses that the city was open for business as usual. “It’s confusing why you would do something like the bounties that create a news story about repression when it was kind of going away,” said Jeffrey Wasserstrom, a historian who studies modern China.

More of these ill-conceived measures are coming down the pipeline. The government announced in March that it plans to pass an amendment prohibiting discrimination against mainland Chinese visitors by the end of the year. How exactly authorities intend to monitor and prosecute discrimination between people of the same ethnicity and nationality remains uncertain.

To be clear, the Hong Kong government’s tendency to get in its own way is not for a lack of loyalty. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, whom Beijing hand-picked through a sham election, has pledged that Chinese President Xi Jinping’s directives have become Hong Kong’s “blueprint for governance” adding that authorities are “fully committed to live up to the mandate.” Over in the local legislature—which Beijing stripped of all pro-democracy parties in 2021—lawmakers frequently and enthusiastically invoke Xi by name.

Instead, the issue is that Hong Kong leaders have very little experience working closely with the mainland Chinese political system—and as a result, have very little idea how to implement Beijing’s directives.

Under Xi’s rule, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has adopted an increasingly centralized, top-down governance approach in which senior officials issue directives to their subordinates, who are then expected to obey without question. Given that the directives can sometimes be notoriously vague—Xi has been known to issue one-sentence notes on major policy matters—subordinates have to scramble to correctly interpret directives from above.

In the mainland, this system (more or less) functions because Chinese officials spend years rising  through the ranks of municipal- and provincial-level governments, learning how to interpret the will of their superiors. At the upper echelons, leaders are promoted according to their personal ties to Xi, further ensuring that his directives are correctly understood. Plus, when it comes to regional leadership, Xi has a track record of choosing former scientific administrators—relatively technocratic officials with a proven ability to follow directions—to run prominent cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Chongqing.

Not so for Hong Kong. Despite his loyalty to Beijing, Lee is a consummate outsider and Hong Kong native who has never been a member of the CCP, let alone worked his way through party ranks. As a Cantonese speaker and practicing Catholic who spent 20 years working under the British colonial government, Lee is highly unlikely to share any kind of connection with Xi, nor does he have the kind of tightly built mainland networks that his CCP counterparts enjoy.

Lee is not even seen as a skilled politician or a competent technocrat. The chief executive spent four decades as a blue-collar, career police officer before being passed over for the department’s top job in 2011. The combination of these factors means that Lee and his colleagues are constantly overcompensating—although they have pushed hard-line policies aimed at building their credit with Beijing, their decisions have largely ended up backfiring.

Of course, the mainland government faces its own host of issues. Even without the involvement of faulty officials, Xi’s centralization of power has already led to a spate of unwanted consequences; the recent economic slowdown threatening China’s long-term growth is largely a product of Xi’s unwillingness to listen to his own policymakers and enact pragmatic reforms.

But it turns out that faulty officials are also pervasive throughout the mainland. Although Hong Kong’s dysfunction tends to attract more attention due to the city’s status as an international finance hub, the problem posed by loyal but incompetent officials is widespread in China. The disconnect between Beijing and regional authorities was especially prominent during China’s zero-COVID period, when local governments often imposed implausibly strict quarantine controls to demonstrate adherence to Beijing’s policies. (A small city in the western Yunnan province, for example, paid billions of yuan to set up a facial recognition camera system that tracked the precise movements of all 270,000 residents.) By mid-2022, even the central government was forced to admit some local officials had been too overzealous in setting zero-COVID policies and fired administrators involved in particularly egregious cases.

Unlike in the mainland, however, Beijing has no easy way to make large-scale course corrections in Hong Kong without attracting undue attention and looking weak. For now, the central government has little choice other than to stand behind Hong Kong and present a united front.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s judiciary, which has to rule on these decisions, is caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. The city’s courts, which maintain a common law system inherited from the British, ostensibly operate independent of both the Hong Kong government and the mainland; Hong Kong judges are acutely aware that international businesses rely on their courts to enforce the rule of law. Yet judges are also acutely aware that they must correctly interpret Beijing’s will—or risk being overruled by the CCP’s decidedly noncommon law system. Going forward, figures such as Chan, the judge in the “Glory to Hong Kong” case, will have the unenviable task of choosing between obeying Beijing or sustaining Hong Kong’s patchwork rule of law.

Beijing’s tolerance for Hong Kong’s flailing leadership could eventually change. Carrie Lam, Lee’s predecessor as chief executive, assumed that passing a contentious extradition bill on her own initiative would prove her loyalty to Beijing. Instead, the bill kicked off the 2019 pro-democracy protests and plunged Hong Kong into chaos. As punishment, Lam was forced to retire at the expiration of her first term and was denied a position on China’s central political advisory body, an honor awarded to all but one previous Hong Kong chief executive.

Lam’s successor hasn’t sparked widespread protests, but Lee’s policies—as overzealous, haphazard, and erratic as they already are—still threaten to draw the mainland’s ire. It’s impossible to predict under what circumstances Lee will exit his office, but the issues at play here aren’t endemic to Hong Kong’s current batch of officials.

Beijing may have wrested control of Hong Kong, but as long as the central government relies on local leaders to oversee even the most innocuous of policies, missteps and tensions will inevitably arise—which, in a place such as Hong Kong, can still prove to be deadly.

[fadelbison]

BL tumblr getting all up in arms about glasses is always super funny to me I have watched movies/shows from India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong over the close to three decades of my life and Asian shows are often my primary form of entertainment.

The only time glasses weren’t code for ugly was when the character was either 1) a detective/scholar and even then they had to be older (I mean like 50+ min) and most definitely male or 2) serial killer

If they’re not wire-rimmed aka barely visible the glasses WERE going to come up in some way and most likely removed. And even then only Japan and specifically Bengali shows from specifically Kolkata ever deigned to even put their leads in glasses with any regularity when it wasn’t directly relevant to plot. (but im also fairly certain that Kolkata Bengalis can get wet off of a really good CV asdfghj)

Like it’s so rare in fact that the only character that I can think of off the top of my head who was wearing glasses AND was supposed to be entirely fuckable within the narrative is Fukuyama Masaharu in that Galileo movie and even then he was wearing the wire-rimmed glasses and I’m pretty sure he was meant to appeal to only like sexually frustrated housewives (this was either the vibe or my moms reaction to him clued me in). You know why I don’t remember exactly? Because this was TEN YEARS AGO. In ten years I can think of but one character that was meant to be hot in glasses in an Asian show I had watched.

I have hope for Ten because he is indeed a scholar and a man even though he’s a little young but what are we without hope after all? However, I’m not going to hold my breathe over it girl I need that oxygen.

note: this is a personal impression and everything I’ve commented on is from memory. I am but one Asian amidst a giant continent full of so many kinds of Asians. I’m explaining only my context.

[dropintomanga]

Get That Bit of Chunibyo Inside You

"We must have a bit of 'chūnibyō' inside us. The fact is we like manga because of the moral within that could touch us emotionally, and we have to behave as we are taught from these media." -Chloe Lisa Kung, Organizer of Rainbow Gala 30, Source: Rainbow Gala 30 and the End of an Era: Hong Kong's Biggest Doujinshi Convention Set to Shutter

I stumbled across an Anime News Network article about a Hong Kong doujinshi event, Rainbow Gala, possibly not existing anymore after a long run in a convention center set to be demolished in the near future.

The organizer, Chloe Lisa Kung, was asked about the future and what led to the impending doom of her event. She spoke about how Hong Kong youth aren't allowed to thrive or chase creative pursuits. Kung lamented on how there's no breeding grounds for young artists to shine or inspiration for art in Hong Kong compared to almost 30 years ago when she started to draw at the age of 12 after seeing doujinshi art.

It does make me think about Hong Kong's anime culture today. I remember visiting Mong Kok Shopping Center back in 2009 and it felt like going to Akihabara in some ways. Every floor was filled with anime, manga, video games, artbooks, toys, etc. When I hear about Hong Kong now, I hear that it's "dead." And reading what Kung said now makes me hesitant to go back there in some way. I do feel that Hong Kong is a bit too commercialized at times. I never liked Canto-pop much and listened to counter-cultural Cantonese music. While anime has always been popular in Asia, it does feel like there's a very genuine communal vibe in that part of the world when it comes to anime/manga fandom and outside forces are slowly stripping that away as everyone wants to jump in on the fan convention train.

There's something that Kung says about the future of Rainbow Gala that makes me think about fans in general and the growing appeal of anime to doujin artists.

"Indeed, there are more consumers now than ever, but the most important lead still lies in the people inside drawing."

I think about the kids who draw manga after watching an episode of anime. I think about the various drawings I've seen over the years of their favorite characters. Sure, some adults will find it "cute" and suggest that it's just a "phase." But to me, the magic starts to happen there.

There's so many consumers, but not enough people to create stuff that can touch lives. It's hard to be creative. Creativity is often devalued due to a general obsession over measurable outcomes.

Kung's words about learning from manga also make me think about how much manga has meant to me. While I did write that I needed mahjong to save me, manga is still what I care about the most. A lot of my mannerisms and attitudes still come from manga. I try to incorporate my manga reading experiences into how I behave. Sometimes, I make blunders, but I still try.

I think about how most fans aren't like me and countless others who use their love to talk about manga on the internet (shout-outs to the bloggers, YouTubers, and podcasters that promote manga in their way). What drove us to start talking about our love to manga to people who don't know us in person? What drove us to become more than just consumers? How do we cultivate that mindset? Those are questions that I'm still trying to get the answers for.

I can only speak for myself in that my own personal mental health experiences combined with the environment I grew up in made me want to blog in the first place. I continue to do so because of how much manga has grown in the past few years. I know it's not just a phase for some youth.

Until then, I'm proud to say that I still got a bit of 8th grade syndrome in me. I'm proud to say that stuff that's mostly read by teens still gets me pumped to seize the day. I'm proud to be a fan that wishes for future creators and their youthful enthusiasm to be treasured as much as the mainstream works that inspired them.

[kafkaoftherubble]

237不止没有改进236，还他妈的直接... //CH237 did not improve CH236. In fact, it fucking—

Spoilers for Jujutsu Kaisen CH237.

Damn. This chapter blows as a belated Gojo fan. Also blows as a character-work fan. Or a "surprise me with an interesting and creative maneuver after the last chapter" fan. I should be glad I didn't inhale dangerous amounts of copium last week beyond small doses and hope.

You know what feels like the point of JJK as of this writing? "Be an asshole, or lose." Megumi ain't an asshole, is he? So there you go. He kept getting punished. Bruh had been an L magnet for a while now for sure, but at CH237 you can reasonably believe he's in that same afterlife airport in yet another offscreen death. At this rate JJK is gonna feel like a fundamentalist/millennialist Christian talking point: "This life on Earth is shit. You can only hope for salvation in the afterlife. No point trying to fight suffering while living; no point dreaming about improvement. True happiness only exists after you die... In God's Kingdom Gojo's airport, mai furrendo. Until Sukuna Reality-cut through even the afterlife, that is."

Megumi had a lot of characterization early on, man. He's got an interesting psychology, legitimate mental growth, a self-ish goal revolving around Tsumiki, a selfless goal revolving around his definition of being a jujutsu sorcerer, a dynamic of interesting potentials between himself and Yuji + himself and Satoru + himself and Tsumiki + himself and the Zenin clan (or whatever's left of it), and a canonically busted technique. We would have been so stoked to see what Megumi himself could do with Ten Shadows, especially when it's said to rival the Gojo clan's Limitless.

Instead, when the 10 Shadow vs. Limitless fight happened, it was Sukuna who demonstrated how good it was, not the young hero we're rooting to master it. And now comes CH237 and Sukuna's like, "Yea, this technique was just an Anti-Gojo move so I can forget this now that he's 2.5jo. Bye Megumi's L Magnet body! Bye Megumi's soul; thanks for tanking Unlimited Void that one time! MAGICAL GIRL TRANSFORMATION SEQUENCE! BELIEVIX, SO MAGICAL!"

Was the whole point of Megumi's existence just to erase Satoru? Were all those previous hints to Megumi's character development and psychology just haphazard salad dressings?

And man. Because I'm, indeed, a Gojo fan, what really bummed me out is this growing realization: Satoru seemingly still dead right now really lends substance to people who said he's the single-most stupidest loser in this story ever. He has never made any right choice, has he? Even his insistence on not executing Yuji, which was framed to be a move for a noble cause back then (I'll die on this hill; I really can't see it as a self-motivating cause no matter how some people might like to paint it), is now seen as a stupid choice that doomed the future because of how much the villains are winning right now (while the strongest guy on the good guys' side is chilling with "no regrets" in an afterlife airport).

You'd at least hope that Satoru managed to introduce some permanent damage to Sukuna for the rest of the camp. Lose the battle, win the war. But apparently, from the looks of it, that didn't last. Sukuna magical-girled into his Second Stage Boss form. It's reasonable that his brain just got renewed from this, which means Malevolent Shrine may be back on the table already. And any (meager) damage Satoru had left on him from their fight is just wiped clean. Bruh even has his dumbbell-looking weapon (it's actually a legit weapon in Hindu myth if I recall correctly, though what exactly is the name slipped my mind this time) now.

Hell, that simp Uraume is still alive and kicking. Satoru didn't even offscreen that annoying twerp with his 200% Hollow Purple at the beginning of the fight. Now Uraume is presumably acting out those Gamble God(赌神) Chinese New Year Hong Kong movies with Hakari up there in the sky.

Honestly Gojo Satoru, are you sure you were the strongest at all? Or have you just been subjected to that old Chuck Norris meme, where tales of Chuck Norris being "the strongest" in the most ridiculous ways possible spread among people—except in your case, everyone including yourself believed it? 'Cause man, the story disrespects you so hard now.

Oh, and don't bother looking for Satoru's body among the rubble. Nor bother with the cast's emotional reaction. No Yuji, no Yuta, no nobody except Kashimo and Hakari. Some said this might allude to a background event—maybe Satoru is being patched up in the background as we speak, ya know?

But I don't know. It's just... better not to expect anything at this point. Better not to cook unless the intention is to write fanfics and what-ifs for yourself or your community. I do neither of those things, so I don't wanna try cooking at all. "Nekkhamma", man. Non-attachment is the better frame of mind by this point.

Still gonna stick with JJK though because hey, I still wanna evaluate things when it's all said and done. I'm not gonna try persuading my best friend into seeing it with me when Season 3 comes, though. Her fav is Nanami and she's only interested in Satoru because of me. By this metric, there's no point in having her stick around past her personal interests. She's not even one who likes pointless tragedies nor is she wanting of shows to watch, aye, Fionn?

Sukuna fans can rejoice, though. He reclaims the form Sukuna fans wanted to see for years! And he's more powerful than ever and is indisputably the King of Curses very likely riding into a non-airport style victory (unless Kenjaku screws him). In addition to being the strongest and poetic (that's the character depth non-Sukuna fans like myself missed at our peril, I suppose), he's—by his admission—an unwanted child with a hint of him "working to become the strongest" (this has been a pretty persistent fanon for a while now. Just need a confirmation.). He also doesn't know "love." And thinks everyone else is trash. There are some genuinely interesting possibilities to speculate about his background based on the breadcrumbs provided CH237 though. I wonder if the conjoined twin theory is true!

Hey, Gege? If you're transitioning Jujutsu Kaisen to Sukuna Kaisen, might as well start throwing the most meaningful bones to Sukuna fans, okay? No more being coy. Just tell them his backstory. Hell, I'll stick around out of curiosity alone... even if I hate an asshole who never gets punished.

Thank you for reading my ramble.

[wutbju]

The first page of the Sunday insert in the Greenville News includes a letter from Bob Jones, Jr. inviting Greenville to 1700 Wade Hampton Blvd:

Dear Friends:

I would like to express my appreciation to The Greenville NEWS-PIEDMONT Company for the interest and good will toward Bob Jones University as manifest by this special tabloid section which they are publishing in celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the coming of Bob Jones University in Greenville.

We also appreciate the friends who have cooperated with the Greenville NEWS-PIEDMONT Company and supported this project with their advertising. During these twenty years, we have found in Greenville many warm and loyal friends, and we are grateful to all of them for their support and their prayers for the work of this institution.

The ministry of the "World's Most Unusual University" is a world-wide ministry, and our graduates are found on every continent--indeed in almost every country. But naturally Bob Jones University feels a special interest in his home city and home state.

Some people in Greenville know less about Bob Jones University then some folks in Hong Kong, or Belfast, or Johannesburg know. This should not be the case, and I hope that this special publication will better acquaint these Greenvillians with the University and with the contribution it is making particularly to their city and this area.

It should also serve to inform them about what we have here, and I hope they will toke advantage of their proximity to the University to visit the campus and see for themselves what many thousands come hundreds of miles to seem one of Americo's leading art galleries, the world's largest dining common, the War Memorial Chapel decorated with a series of famous pointings originally intended for a chapel at Windsor Castle, a planetarium, and the studios of Unusual Films whose productions are screened all over the world.

I would like to extend to all our neighbors an opportunity to share in the spiritual and cultural benefits of the Bible Conference, special chapel speakers, and the concerts, operas, and dramas presented in the Rodeheaver Auditorium. You will find a friendly welcome.