#it's such a subtle thing but it sets the mood together with the bg music

[scarefox]

[stateofgrace-acoustic]

lover - first song ranking & thoughts

first of all i just need to say i legitimately don’t feel ‘meh’ about a single song on this album. on any other album. i always had one or two songs i was just kind of ‘take it or leave it’ about. but Lover really did that - they’re all amazing and wonderful. but here’s an attempt at an order of how much i love them!

18. it’s nice to have a friend

this really reminds me of you are in love in the way it recounts all the small gestures and steps involved in becoming close to somebody. it’s really cute and at the perfect space on the album, leading to daylight. not a mindblowing song or anything, but the vibe fits onto lover really well. i’m glad that it’s here 

17. you need to calm down

yeah, i cooled down on this one a little bit. it’s fun and the message is important, but me! is the better single tbh. still though, the feeling of empowerment this gives me over my nonexistent online haters is wonderful. and i love the attitude of the song of just looking at the assholes who live their entire lives putting energy into hating people and just being like....why are you like this. it’s pathetic. calm the hell down. so needed in our current debate culture

16. me!

a real grower! taylor and brendon urie have such good chemistry, tbh that’s really the backbone of the song. it’s just a really nice carefree spring/summertime self love song, a perfect soundtrack for when you feel happy and content with yourself. 

15. the man

just dropping the complete truth on us with this one. i’ve wanted taylor to make this song for years (and i know she said she’s been wanting to but just never found the right words!) the bridge really elevates this too. and it’s sad how relatable the entire song is in literally every aspect of professional (and personal) life for women. i don’t think it’s quite as strong as it could have been, but still really solid

14. i think he knows

this is like the fun version of dress. that’s all i got to say. just as explicit, but this time around it’s super cheeky and i love it. also goals of self confidence if i’ve ever seen them

13. paper rings

the joyful energy this has!! just makes you smile and want to dance immediately, a wonderful wholesome happy bop

12. false god

listen.....this is special. i absolutely think this is the most experimental song on the album, both in terms of the music (is that a saxophone in the bg?? it’s almost got a jazzy vibe? completely uncomparable to anything she’s ever done and still so distinctly Taylor), but also with the lyrics, where she goes into the love = religion theme which honestly....as a Florence + the Machine and Hozier fan, i don’t even need to go into how much of a vibe that is. I couldn’t have imagined it working so well for Taylor though, but honestly, this song feels perfectly brooding, summertimey, melancholy, - it’s almost like taking the darker underside of Cruel Summer and exploring it in depth! this is very much a song i need to be in a Specific Mood to really appreciate, but it’s damn well made

11. afterglow

i love the maturity of this. not just the apologizing for picking a fight, but explaining how it came to be - at the end, from a place deep seated anxiety. ‘it’s all me, in my head’ (those high notes are beautiful) you can really feel how sorry she is. at the same time, the song sounds like something bigger, like an anthem - almost like that place high above that she’s trying to elevate them to.

10. i forgot that you existed

SO MUCH FUN i keep repeating that but that’s just the mood of this album tbh, playful and mature at the same time. this song is just like, when you’re over someone but you just can’t help yourself and have to throw shade one last time before moving on. i love the bouncy beat!!

9. lover

this song is literally the feeling of ‘home’ in music. so cozy, comfortable, blissful. dreamy. perfect title track. also completely timeless - i think this is one of those songs that we will look back on in years as a classic in her catalogue, a song you will always want to play again

8. the archer

this was my definite favorite of the pre released songs. anxiety, doubts, the way they all just keep coming back and eating at you, it’s described so perfectly and painfully. and the production really makes it sound like you’re in a separate space from reality, just stuck in your head trying to find a way forward, to soothe yourself. the ‘they see right through me / i see right through me’ transition in the bridge is fantastic and keeps giving me chills. so much personal connection to this one

7. soon you’ll get better

feels weird to even rank this but......just wow. the harmonies with the dixie chicks are so beautiful, and the way the lyrics talk about the feeling between denial and desperate hope, the transition from “because you have to” to “because I have to” - I have to cling to this hope, or i won’t make i - it completely broke my heart. and the fact that Taylor can conjure all these complex emotions with just a guitar and a few words is incredible. i’m so so sorry for them and i wish all the best for Andrea with my entire heart. 

6. london boy

i already see people underappreciating this, what is going on??? there are multiple cute bouncy joyful songs on this album but this is my favorite because it’s just got a fantastic flow and melody, and i love all of the references to places and dialect specific words and it’s just so wholesome?? but what really makes this is (once again) the bridge. stick with ME im your QUEEN like a tennessEE stella mccartNEY, just the energy!! the fun!! excuse me while i listen to this every day for the rest of my life

5. miss americana & the heartbreak prince

okay, taylor’s brain in this one. i made a post talking about how this song has three layers - at first there’s the high school setting, then it references the ‘cancelling’ of Taylor’s public persona, but then it can also be seen as a comment on US politics and the whole climate of society right now. and it’s all tied together perfectly because high school is the perfect metaphor for this!! she’s basically saying we’re all behaving like immature school children, bullying each other for the stupidest reasons, mob mentality, stupid contests, fabricated stories made up to tear people down, and the feeling of loneliness but also fear and horror that comes with all that for the people who are the victims of it.....it’s literally all like high school in the worst way. i just love this concept, and the melody and production give me a little bit of a reputation vibe almost? which is perfect for the song, the dark dramatic vibe shows the feeling of fear most of all and that’s just....too real. 

4. death by a thousand cuts

........listen, i surely didn’t think that Taylor would write one of her best breakup songs in the year of our lord 2019, but here we are. it’s once again, the small moments she recounts. taking the long way home. the uncertainty if it will ever be fine again. and the bridge/second verse / whatever that part is but that entire part. ‘paper cuts from my paper thin plans’, excuse me. the fact that she wrote this about a movie where a couple breaks up after years really shows tbh, because it’s especially that kind of....not being able to find a part of yourself that isn’t influenced by the other person, that’s so horrible and makes moving on so painful. i also love the production which makes this sound so uptempo, contrasting the lyrics! idk the entire song just clicks into place for me

3. daylight

this is like a summary of the entire album (and with the reference to the past and especially red, it’s even connecting her entire discography together). it’s like the clean of this album, except this time around it feels more complex - all the subtle references to past mistakes, ghosts, that might not be so easy to wash away. i’ve already mentioned that i love about the album (and this song especially) how it doesn’t gloss over negative experiences but addresses them directly, like looking them in the eye and then saying ‘you don’t have the power to define me’. that’s what this song feels like - it’s not unabashedly celebratory, it’s actually quite melancholic, but also full of real healing, a feeling of peace and reconciliation. and the ‘i once believed love would be black and white / burning red, but it’s golden’.....excuse me.....how dare she

2. cornelia street

god, what a magical song. the kind of episodic buildup that Taylor excels at. the vibrancy of the production matching the vibrancy of the relationship as it develops, revolving around this one place in its multiple stages, and then the repeated, deep seated fear of losing all that. it’s just. ugh. what can i even say. and so so catchy. the “listen..” killed me. just like delicate, the vibe between fear and being drunk on happiness is so so well done.

1. cruel summer

oh yes. and here we have an absolute perfection of a pop song. incredible catchiness. smart, clever lyrics but also that underlying vibe of sadness and anxiety. seriously, the complexity this has?? and then that soaring bridge, the chaotic but beautiful but painful reality of all of it coming together. ‘i love you, ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?’ idk this song just transcends everything for me friends. it’s like the vibe of out of the woods or maybe even style but the lyrics are even more sharp, they cut a little deeper, literally ‘summer’s a knife’. this is a song she only could’ve written influenced by reputation: there’s happiness but there’s that edge in it too. idk if anything i’m saying makes sense. i love this song so so so much. 

[recentanimenews]

Tower of God - Crunchyroll Spring 2020 Anime Spotlight

  It's finally almost time for the Spring 2020 anime season, which means the Tower of God anime is nearly upon us! The hotly-anticipated adaptation is coming as part of the Crunchyroll Spring 2020 Lineup, and we have all the info you need to prepare for the Crunchyroll Original production.

  Official website

Twitter

Instagram

    Navigation

Launch Info

Official Trailers

Synopsis

Characters and Cast

Staff

Additional Info

    Launch Info

Launch Time: April 1

Territories: North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, and CIS

Show Page (coming soon!)

  Official Trailers

       Synopsis

Reach the top, and everything will be yours.

At the top of the tower exists everything in this world, and all of it can be yours.

You can become a god.

This is the story of the beginning and the end of Rachel, the girl who climbed the tower so she could see the stars, and Bam, the boy who needed nothing but her.

  Characters and Cast

   Bam - Taichi Ichikawa (Seiji Maki in Bloom into You)

    Comments from Taichi Ichikawa:

I'm Ichikawa Taichi, the voice of Bam. The Bam I play is a pure and honest boy who is single-mindedly devoted to Rachel. I hope people watch over the powerless Bam as he grows over the course of the tower's tests with help from his friends. I hope fans of the original work and everyone else enjoys the series. The series gets more and more exciting with each episode, so be sure to watch until the end!

  Rachel - Saori Hayami (Sachi in Sword Art Online)

    Comments from Saori Hayami:

Though she appears cute at first glance, she carries all kinds of things inside her. Sometimes you may think she's showing kindness, but she's actually revealing her own desires.

  It was fun watching various characters speak with each other during recording. In addition to watching the actions of protagonist Bam's side, I hope people also pay close attention to Rachel's actions. Enjoy the series.

  Headon - Hochu Otsuka (Jiraiya in Naruto)

    Comments from Hochu Otsuka: 

At first, it felt like I'd been suddenly thrown into the work without really understanding his world view.

  Headon's actions were a mystery, his goals were a mystery, and even his appearance was a mystery.

  And the slight terror that played about his lips was truly mystifying.

However, for whatever reason, performing him was fun.

I love his type of character.

  Maybe having to grope around amidst the mysteries was a good thing.

For those who watch the anime, I hope you discover and enjoy the subtle mood that is a blend of joy and bewilderment.

  Anaak Jahad - Akira Sekine (Princess in Princess Principal)

    Bio:

The girl who wields "The Green April," one of the legendary "13 Month Series" weapons only bestowed upon the princesses by King Jahad.

Her lizard-like green skin and tail set her apart, and she is extremely physically capable.

  Comments from Akira Sekine:

I am Sekine Akira, and I play Anaak Jahad!

Despite being strong, she also has a weak side,

and though she's fierce, she also has a cute single-minded side to her.

I remember thinking she was a very charming girl when I read the original work!

How will she grow throughout the numerous encounters she has in the tower?

I hope everyone enjoys it!

  Endorsi Jahad - Rie Suegara (Tomie in Junji Ito Collection)

    Bio:  

One of the princesses of Jahad. Climbs the tower as a Regular.

Though she's an attractive and fashionable girl, she is also proud and strong-willed.

Of the Regulars climbing the tower together, she is exceptionally strong.

  Comments from Rie Suegara:

The character Endorsi Jahad is a touch sadistic (laugh). She loves to fan the flames… But maybe that's part of her plan. She's also a clever character who possesses a lot of delicacy. Due to how she was pushed around by fate, she was also forced to become stronger. That's the kind of girl she is.

  Yuri Jahad - Mariko Honda (Katsumi Nakase in STEINS;GATE)

    Bio:

One of the princesses of Jahad.

Possessing both top-class strength and experience, she has an extensive combat record as a "High Ranker," one who has reached the highest level of the tower.

She expresses an interest in the "Irregular" Bam who is not bound by the rules of the tower, and when Bam is forced into taking a harsh test immediately upon entering the tower, she lends him the legendary weapon "The Black March" granted to her by King Jahad.

  Comments from Mariko Honda:

I’m Honda Mariko, and I play the role of Yuri Jahad. The Yuri I play is a carefree and (physically) strong girl. She acts according to her instincts and is short-tempered and quick to anger. Which causes a lot of trouble for the character Evan who looks after her. Thank you for your work... Evan (laugh). The best part of Tower of God is all the characters bursting with uniqueness! Enjoy the show!

  Evan Endroch - Kazuyuki Okitsu (Serpico in Berserk)

    Bio:

Evan is a Navigator serving the Jahad royal family. He is very familiar with the construction of the tower. Okitsu Kazuyuki's Comments

Evan is a Navigator of the Tower at the mercy of a willful princess.

  Comments from Kazuyuki Okitsu:

Though his face is fairly gallant and masculine, he's actually very short. And his large backpack seems to contain something extraordinary... What a mysterious man!
 The TV anime "Tower of God!!"
 Expect great things from the youngsters facing the Tower of God!
 Huh? Is Evan a youngster??? Huh? Some of these aren't human?? In any case, don't miss it!!

  Hatz - Toshinari Fukamachi (Shūhei Yonezuka in Ao-chan Can't Study!)

    Bio:

Growing up under a father who taught him the warrior code, Hatz is a taciturn and cool dual-wielding warrior.

Fighting with swords that fly bother higher and lower than anyone else, among the Regulars with whom he climbs the tower, he boasts top-class fighting abilities.

Comments by Toshinari Fukamachi:

Hatz seems cool at first, but he conceals a quiet heat inside of him.

The boyish awkwardness he sometimes shows and the way he eventually gives in and aids his companions is heartwarming.

Pay close attention to his conviction and stylish sword-based fighting style as he continues to seek strength!

  Khun Aguero Agnes - Nobuhiko Okamoto (Bakugo in MHA, Rin Okumura in Blue Exorcist)

    Bio: 

Originally from the Khun family, one of the "10 Families." With strong combat capabilities, he is a strategist whose family's internal struggle for power tempered his strategic abilities and sharp mind.

He is the first friend Bam made inside the tower and one of the people he trusts most.

  Comments from Nobuhiko Okamoto:

He's smart. He's a strategist. It's a fun role that involves figuring out how to incorporate as much of his true meaning as possible while aloofly striking poses. I'd like to tell those who are about to watch the series to try to feel it rather than use their heads to comprehend it.

  Rak Wraithraiser - Kenta Miyake (All Might in My Hero Academia)

    Bio: 

A proud warrior bursting with confidence.

Having formed a team with Bam and Khun immediately upon meeting them, they are bound by a powerful bond.

Normally he is hot-headed and violent, but he also cares for his friends.

Nicknamed "gator."

Has a habit of calling others "___ turtle."

  Comments from Kenta Miyake:

In this series, I'm providing the voice for a big, strong, and loud giant gator named Rak. In "Tower of God," mysteries lead to more mysteries, and there are many mysteries and backgrounds that compel the characters to climb the tower, but the character Rak that I play is unrelated to any mysteries. He's a what-you-see-is-what-you-get, arrogant, powerful, loud, and sometimes cute character. Turtles, enjoy the show!

  Shibisu - Takuya Eguchi (Julius Euclius in Re:ZERO)

Bio: 

From the moment he enters the tower, he teams up with Anaak and Hatz to climb the tower as a "Regular."

Though his combat abilities are weak, he's an intellectual with keen powers of observation and is even smart enough to see through fellow intellectual Khun's strategy. Shibisu is a warm-hearted and genuine young man who always cares for his friends.

Comments from Takuya Eguchi:

The character Shibisu I play is frivolous and feels a bit underwhelming, but as he became cooler and cooler through his interactions with his companions, I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. I hope other also pay close attention to his growth! 

  Staff

    Original Story by

SIU

  Director

Takashi Sano

  Co-Director

Hirokazu Hanai

  Series Composition

Erika Yoshida

  Character Design

Masashi Kudoh

Miho Tanino

  Prop Design

Kenji Masuda

  Creature Design

Masahiko Suzuki

  BG Art Director

Keiichiro Shimizu

  Color Setting

Satoshi Hashimoto

  3DCG Director

Ryouta Takano

  Special Effects Supervisor

Kumiko Taniguchi

  Sound Director

Takayuki Yamaguchi

  Editor

Kazuhiro Nii

   Sound Effects

Yasuyuki Konno

Yui Ando

  Music 

Kevin Penkin

  Music Producer

Hiromitsu Iijima

  Music Production

IRMA LA DOUCE

  Animation Production

Telecom Animation Film

  Produced By

Tower of God Animation Partners

  Additional Info

  Tower of God started off as a popular comic on the WEBTOON platform, written and illustrated by SIU. Here's a message from the author that was released shortly after the anime was announced.

    Hello, 

  I am SIU, author and creator of “Tower of God.” When I was young, I imagined that in 2020, I would be able to wear shoes that would give me the ability to fly.

  It's currently 2020, and I may not have these flight-enabling shoes, but the webtoon I worked on for over 10 years on Naver, “Tower of God,” was finally given the chance to become a TV animation. I never would have imagined this to happen.

   I hope this animation gives everyone more joy than those flying shoes. I hope everyone enjoys this thrilling and exciting adventure with the few selected turtles from “Tower.”

  Thank you.

    By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com