#norm nakamura

[tokyolens]

“Life is the sum of its side quests”

Norm Nakamura - Tokyo Lens [2024]

[skeepy-deepy34]

GO FOR IT NORM!!

I love the old men.. 😔💖

[canmom]

Animation Night 173: Takashi Nakamura

Hi everyone! It's that time of the week again~

The day that puppets bite their gloves off.

Tonight on Animation Night we'll be taking a look at the works of Takashi Nakamura (中村 たかし).

Nakamura is a director who flies under the radar a bit over here, but for those who know him, he's a unique director - one who we've actually encountered a couple of times before, actually! He directed one of my favourite shorts in Robot Carnival [Animation Night 158] Chicken Man and Red Neck, in which the machinery of a city comes alive to have a violently strange Bosch-like party led by a strange red-robed robot, witnessed only by one salaryman on a moped...

...and if you remember when we looked into the three adaptations of Project Itoh's novels [Animation Night 127], he co-directed Harmony with Michael Arias, a powerfully understated film about a high tech biopower future and people who reject its utopia through a suicide pact. We also saw him in the Japan Animator Expo, with the charming Bubu & Bubulina...

But let's give a fuller story...

As an animator, Nakamura entered the industry very young, signing on as a colourist and inbetweener at Tatsunoko in 1974 - at which point he was only 16, an aspiring mangaka newly arrived in Tokyo. Working in Tatsunoko's distinctive 'industry within an industry', he was introduced to Hirokazu Ishino's 'Anidō' association, in which he was introduced to not just many important animators but also had the chance to see animation from around the world, from Norm McLaren to Japanese independent animators like Kenzō Masaoka. The two films that got him most excited were Takahata's Horus, Prince of the Sun [AN41] and Disney's Fantasia [AN15], both of which contained incredible flexes of effects animation.

(Incidentally, it makes me happy that a lot of the films Watzky mentions showing at Anidō showed up on here! Following in the footsteps of giants and all that.)

Once Nakamura got the animation bug he put aside his manga aspirations and became a key animator, going freelance a couple years later. In 1979 he saw Galaxy Express 999, and got to witness the insane 'liquid fire' effects of Kanada, and he instantly became a devotee - soon enough getting a chance to work with Kanada directly.

And by the early 80s Nakamura was definitely making a name, already working in animation direction and solo-animating entire episodes of Gold Lightan for Tatsunoko. The next couple of years he'd end up working on Nausicaa, Macross DYRL and the with Rintaro [AN53, 134] on Genma Taisen. By now he was specialising hard in effects (not unlike Anno!), and his work had become terrifyingly elaborate, look at this building collapsing into every single element or the clothes coming to the life under the power of a psychic. His work also inspired another incredibly significant animator to enter the industry - Kōji Morimoto, future cofounder of Studio 4°C - and they ended up working together on Genma Taisen.

Meanwhile on Nausicaa, Morimoto handled some of its most memorable scenes like the opening sequence where Nausicaa is pursued by the giant Ohmu. Once again you see his fascination with effects and debris, like the shot where the Ohmu explodes out of the forest, sending stalks flying in every directions. In Macross DYRL he animated the scenes of the gravity flipping sideways and a street's worth of stuff tumbling down all at once, elaborating on a scene by Itano from the TV show.

In short, if there's lots of bits of stuff flying around in a mid-80s movie, there's a good chance that Nakamura was involved somehow.

Such a focus made him a perfect fit for the 'realist school' developing in the late 80s - whyat you might loosely call the Otomo circle. You see his work on both Manie-Manie/Neo Tokyo and Robot Carnival, and naturally enough he ended up part of the team for Akira. Given what he'd already accomplished, could he somehow step it up another notch? You bet.

Going by sakugabooru comments, Nakamura's role in Akira was mainly related to two things: explosions, and animation direction. Considering how iconic the explosions in Akira are, and how challenging it was to animate Otomo's very solid and 3D designs... the success of the film depended a lot on Nakamura's insane drawing skills. Further, he was a kind of 'teacher' to the rest of the staff, such as Morimoto. But this was apparently the 'limit' for Nakamura, and after Akira he turned from creating animation for others.

And this point marks a major stylistic turn in Nakamura's work. Starting with the World Masterpiece Theatre adaptation of Peter Pan, on which he worked as character designer, he adopted a highly stripped-down, simplified style. With all the Akira goodwill, he was able to pull in many of the new stars of the 'realist' school, from Okiura to Ohira. But his work became a lot less flashy, focusing more on a Disney-like approach where it's about creating a consistent sense of life rather than individual flashy sequences.

The Hakkenden [AN 122] was one of his first chances to experiment with the new style as a director, with Episode 4 really kicking off the series' trend of completely redesigning the characters according to the sensibilities of each director. He also worked on the kinda obscure but gorgeous realist-school film Junkers Come Here [AN 118] as his own film debut, Catnapped!, progressed.

So Catnapped! This is a weird movie. Many people see a Disney influence in its style, and it definitely broke the 90s trend with a younger target audience - but Disney could never make a movie filled with as much imaginative strange shit as this one. Watzky points out how much Otomo influence there is in the direction - dense environments and elaborate multiplane shots, in contrast to simple character designs which afford a lot of movement. These designs allow great animators like Okiura [AN139] (who animated most of the finale) to really go to town. There's a great para in Watzky's article on the different directions taken by the 'realist' animators.

Catnapped is a pretty short film at less that 80 minutes, a revel of visual imagination; Nakamura's next film A Tree of Palme is just as distinctive but in a different direction. It's another take on the Pinocchio story [c.f. AN138], but a very 'dark, metaphysical' one, with its biggest inspirations apparently being French - Moebius and René Laloux [AN71, 93], with Mutsuo Koseki coming up with art direction capable of comparing to Laloux. The three year megaproject pulled in animator legends from across the board - Inoue, Ohashi, Ando, Masuo, Matsutake, Umetsu! (Count how many directed part of Robot Carnival).

The character designs of Palme look simple in stills, but once you see them in motion, they're anything but - incredibly volumetric and full of life and movement.

In the 2000s and 2010s, Nakamura ended up working with Colorido and 4C a lot (naturally enough given the connection with Morimoto!), increasingly making effective use of CG in his projects. This led up to The Portrait Studio (写真館 Shashinkan) (c.f. AniObsessive) in 2015 - an almost solo short film, with Nakamura writing, storyboarding, designing characters and doing all the key animation, which is a kind of slice through Japanese history through the lens of a photographer who just wants to figure out a way to get his client to smile.

Much like Palme, The Portrait Studio combines simple character designs (in a stylised picture-book look) with very precise, realist animation on 2s and 1s to lend them a sense of density and 'existence'. Moreover, unlike most anime, it uses the raw pencils as finished lines instead of redrawing them clean on a computer. The style might call to mind Otomo's Cannon Fodder, and in fact the two films share a colour designer. 3D is integrated with an unusual degree of skill and subtlety. It makes for a fascinating combination, a very memorable and impactful film for all its apparent simplicity.

So, that's our focus for tonight! We'll be watching Catnapped!, A Tree of Palme and The Portrait Studio, and getting to find out what the deal is with Nakamura - one of the Very Important Guys in the history of anime, influential on so many of my faves... but all too often overlooked by people who aren't like, huge animation nerds.

If that sounds fun, come join me at twitch.tv/canmom - going live in just a minute! I've been wanting to do Nakamura for ages, and today I finally found energy for a writeup. See you there~

[ultfreakme]

Jay, Jon, and Anger: Meta on emotional expression and how it's defined by who you are.

Had a really fun discussion on the Supertruth server about JayJon, Superfam, and their relationship with anger. So kind of summarizing it all here.

If you've noticed during SOKE(and pretty much every Jon appearance during/after the SOKE era), Jon is rarely afraid to show his vulnerabilities. He cries, he seeks comfort, and he is kind of bad at hiding his fear and sadness. Meanwhile, Jay is rarely emotional. You can count on one hand how many times Jay has shown emotional vulnerability.

But what Jon has refused to show, and what Jay often shows with an amount of honesty, is anger. As my friend @bonitacita said; they're two side of the same coin, hiding the things the other shows.

Jon Kent: Anger is inhumanity

Jon rarely lets himself feel anger. He gets impulsive, he gets close to it, but he never lets it linger. He doesn't even allow himself to be fully angry with his internal thoughts, always attaching caveats and forcing himself to slow down.

This is because Jon, first and foremost, is afraid of his powers and what he is. This has existed during his childhood and follows him till now, his fear and confusion about what he is and his place in the universe is what prompted him to take the trip with Jor-El. You can see the panic he feels when he's out of control in SOKE, and the tight leash he has on his powers. Jon's specialty isn't just lightning, it's precision. It's always been the strength he earned and honed for himself.

Jon's fear of himself stems from former experience, where he has been seen as a threat, a weapon, or just an abomination by others (Damian, Savior Tim, Manchester Black, Eradicator). Kryptonians are powerful, they can flip the world if they want to, but Jon is emphasized as a worse threat than the others because of his half-human and half-kryptonian biology. Even among the Kryptonians, he's a bit of a freak. His powers are potentially greater than Clark's and he has been constantly told he is going to blow one day, or he will be used by others like a weapon if he isn't careful enough(Manchester Black, and now Waller).

Jon inspires fear by merely existing. It was a thing he had to tackle with constantly in SOKE, framed as dangerous and a rogue agent. This perception only gets worse with things like the Blue Earth movement. It's been hammered into him over and over again that he is 1) extremely powerful 2) dangerous 3)capable of inspiring great fear.

Hell he's even seen a future where he loses control and just blows up Metropolis.

Jon has also witnessed first-hand, painfully, what an angry 'Superman' can make people feel because most of his formative years was ruled by this guy:

He also saw injustice!Clark, who let his personal emotions guide the way he did his superman-work and it led to INJUSTICE.

Anger= BAD. He suppresses his anger so much, it manifests as another freaking power. Right after these panels, Jon says "I feel it raging inside me, feel it taking hold, something I've been holding back"- And THIS is when the lightning comes out and he shouts out against Ultraman. This is Jon's biggest show of his rage (so far).

But in most instances, he pushes it down, that's his norm. He lets himself show his vulnerabilities because there is no danger attached to sadness or fear the way it is for anger. Tears are allowed because it's not going to make anyone fear him and he is given freedom to express there. But anger? Anger, he must control as tightly as his powers, no matter the cost because he cannot, and will not be the monster people keep wanting for him to be.

Jay Nakamura: Anger is power

Jay has never shown his emotions in a completely open manner. He always wears a mask to hide his vulnerabilities, using witty quips and sarcasm to get by. But most of all, he is angry. It's this silent, persistent anger he wields through the aforementioned sarcasm and dry humor.

He's jaded. Gamorra is a country that's been colonized for a large part of its history and he is one teenager against an international dictator and now, the US government. He comes off as a little callous, rude. His reporting on Bendix is often very pointed and sharp. He didn't really find a need to hope, the Superman brand of it, until Jon.

Jay is angry, but unlike Jon, his anger means nothing to others.

He doesn't have the power to take on his oppressors on his own, and he is very aware of this. Jay's plights, and the plights of his people, are simply not taken seriously on their own because without the power to back it up, Jay's rage cannot impact them.

This also becomes important because Jay's powers are honestly nothing to scoff at. He IS powerful in a way, he can stand his grounds against a kryptonian if he tried. But he is also a Gamorran, a guy from a country that's been exploited and controlled. Due to his identity as a Gamorran citizen, he will be looked down upon, questioned, labelled 'terrorist'. The world is primed to look down on him because of colonization, so the lack of acknowledgement of his struggles, his emotions and the power his anger can hold against people like Bendix and Waller, makes people dismiss Jay as a threat.

Jay does not have the inhibitions Jon does wrt power.

He's willing to get his hands a little dirty(he never admitted to exactly what he did with The Revolutionaries, but it was 100% shady, and he does not plan on apologizing for it). His anger is seen most prominently in SOKE when he's talking to Jon here:

This is one of the few times we see Jay's cool smirk change into genuine emotion, into anger. Unlike Jon, he lets it be and uses it as a tool in creating The Truth. He uses it to convince Jon and also point out that Jon's overstepping Gamorrans by taking charge on a struggle that wasn't his to take control on.

Additionally, Jay has NEVER shed a single goddamn tear on-page. Jon has cried like 5 times but Jay? Nope. This is because while anger isn't even acknowledged when it comes from the oppressed speaking out against their mistreatment and discrimination, sadness and tears and showcase of vulnerability is an immediate weakness. It's something to exploit.

Jay's already the underdog, he cannot afford to be weak. He can't have vulnerabilities because if he dares show them, it will be used against him. Bendix did this by using Sara, now Waller is doing it again by killing Sara and threatening Jon to get Jay(and vice versa tbh). Anything other than cool stoicism and control is an opening for others to attack.

He'll allow for people to think of him as a threat, an asshole perhaps, a snarky bastard, because at least there is power in being seen as dangerous. The funniest part is people like Bendix or Luthor dismiss Jay's anger- Bendix didn't even realize his regime was being toppled by Jay until the final few issues. His anger IS powerful all on its own, but unacknowledged until a person with privilege like Jon comes in(he's white, he's Superman's son, he's considered an American citizen). Jay set up all the dominoes, Jon just gave a push.

The meaning of anger

Anger means different things for different people. For Jon it is decidedly bad, for Jay it is helpful, and the meaning of it is defined, in the end, by who you are and what you choose to do with it.

We can see why Jon and Jay use it in the ways they do over here, kinda succinctly summarized by Clark and Lobo:

Clark has been raised to see anger as an ineffective form of expressing anything. He doesn't manage it, or deal with it. He pushes it down the way Jon does. It simmers on the surface for Clark, but he does not feel anything positive about experiencing it. Meanwhile Lobo, a Czarnian who lbr, has been treated poorly because he is Czarnian, says anger is something you should face. It's two people, without their worlds, discussing what anger means to them. One who has belonging, who fits into the perfect model of human privilege and currently has a proper support system and community. The other, a solo rider in space who looks and acts in ways considered crass, who does not have the support that Clark does.

It's considered irrational if you express anything with screaming and anger. Any argument you put forth is dismissed because anger from the marginalized like POC, the queer community, etc., is seen as 'tantrums'. These emotions are not considered valid. But when anger comes from a place of power and privilege, it is taken seriously. Which is why people like Clark and Jon think of anger as a bad thing, while it comes from a need to control their power, it is also a matter of privilege. Their distress is taken seriously.

Meanwhile Jay was raging and shouting to the world for YEARS, but Bendix took notice only when Jon angrily barged into his office. Jay's genuine distress was not taken seriously because he isn't privileged enough, He has to present Gamorra's situation with an objective calm. Hell even he does so, even if he does everything to climb into some level of power, he gets dismissed the second his identity is seen

To conclude:

For Jon, anger is what's going to make people see him as a monster. The world watches him with anticipation, always a little scared he's gonna lose control. He will suppress it, come what may.

For Jay, anger is one of the few things keeping him going. It means nothing to the people who look down on him, so who the fuck cares if he feels it? He'll use it.

[transread]

Shortly Q&A Transread What makes Aria Nakamura: Transgender Superhero a must-read for anyone seeking inspiration and empowerment?

Heroism Redefined: Aria Nakamura proves that true strength comes from embracing your authentic self.

Journey of Self-Discovery: A superhero's quest for acceptance, identity, and love mirrors the challenges we all face.

Mentorship and Wisdom: Luna Guardian teaches that vulnerability is a powerful form of strength.

Challenging Norms: Aria’s story redefines traditional superhero tropes, celebrating compassion and resilience over battle.

Universal Inspiration: A tale of hope, unity, and courage that resonates with both transgender individuals and allies.

[myalit]

Blog Post #4

How does social construction affect us in our lives today? 

Social construction is a concept or category that has socially and culturally got a meaning. Such as race, gender, and culture. Social constructions are made through what our society has considered to be normal and average. This doesn’t mean that it is right or fair it is more as just norms in our society. Examples that are really important to me are body image standards in social media and having trendy items or doing trendy things makes you better than others. 

How does the topic of race in the media affect our everyday lives?

Race is brought up in the media in so many different ways and forms. Most of the topics I see involving race are negative or offensive. We have set a norm in our society that saying racially ignorant things online behind a screen is okay or more tolerable than saying it in real life. In my opinion I feel that it should all be treated the same. Just because something is being said behind a screen doesn’t mean it isn’t as bad. Our generation has become very laidback with a lot of things and this is one of them that I do not like. It should not be normalized to be racially ignorant.

How does the “yellowfaced cyborg” show us gender and racial issues represented in the video game?

“Yellowfaced Cyborg” promotes everything that it shouldn’t. It displays stereotypes that are hurtful, racial ignorance, and disrespect towards women. In the game the character that is completely degrading towards japanese people and culture. This game is violent and does not display appropriate behaviors we should be displaying to the younger generations. It is obvious what type of game this is categorized for and who they are targeting to play it. Why as a society do we allow this?

What is an example of coverntess in our lives?

In my personal opinion I feel like I see lots of examples daily of covertness in our society. To give and example, Someone assuming a person is “more dangerous” than other because of their race and or gender. Unfortunately this is a common thing in our society and will keep continuing on for generations this thought process and action are passed down and learned behaviors. We don’t just get these thoughts on our own it is from society and our culture. It really saddens me that this is the unfortunate truth because everyone should be seen as equal in all aspects. 

Kolko, B. E., Nakamura, L., & Rodman, G. B. (2013). Race in Cyberspace: An Introduction. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203949696 

Ow, J. A. (2003). The Revenge of the Yellow Faced Cyborg Terminator. 

[friendsfan04]

Blog Post #4

Why do people relate cyberspace to culture, and what is the purpose of this in terms of race?

Cyberspace is related to culture because when looking at the article, “Race in Cyberspace: An Introduction,” we see how the authors begin by mentioning social constructs and how that pertains to the discussion of race. Once we see that distinction, we can apply that to the internet today, or as they call it, “cyberspace.” Cyberspace allows people to connect on various platforms, potentially leading to discussions regarding race and cultural backgrounds. These discussions can get heated depending on the environment and the people, but as much as we think race and culture don’t show up in online spaces, they definitely do. 

2. Why do people continue to play games that mimic genocide, murder, rape, etc.? What makes it so “fun”?

Younger generations, such as Millennials and Gen Z, are known for playing all kinds of video games and connecting with friends through these gaming platforms so they can go on adventures together and fight crime. However, some of these games that highlight concepts such as murder and violence have been proven to affect the people who play them. But these gamers just think they’re playing a friendly game of Valorant or Call of Duty with their friends, and it’s not a big deal. What they don’t realize is that people sometimes take these games too seriously and spend countless hours each day playing games like this. At that point, it’s no longer a “friendly competition”; it becomes sort of an obsession. Gamers will get obsessed with getting the highest score or the most “kills” or whatever the point of the game may be, which is very unhealthy. 

3. Why has this behavior of playing violent video games carried on to new generations? 

This behavior has carried on to younger generations because they see older generations playing these games and think this behavior is acceptable. So, younger kids will somehow get their hands on games that are 18+ and become obsessed with playing them, which creates a big problem. These kids are being taught that these actions are acceptable and that it’s ok to play games that are 18+ when they’re 16 because they question what could be so bad about this one little game. 

4. How does social construction affect our daily lives?

Social construction is how certain categories in our society are created, ranging from race, gender, culture, religion etc. These social constructs are created through norms that are seen throughout everyday life and what people deem as “acceptable.” Some examples of social constructs can be beauty standards in terms of social media or the idea that having lots of money means you get everything you want. 

5. Where do we see examples of covertness in today’s society?

Covertness is seen in countless places when looking at our society. An example that was brought up in class was when people of color or people of a certain race go to a restaurant and aren’t served in a timely manner. This example shows that people of “acceptable” races are taken care of more efficiently and that these other people “won’t mind.” Another example could be legacy admissions for college. Legacy students get top priority when it comes to admissions, and it doesn’t give other students who have worked just as hard, or maybe even harder, a fighting chance.

Kolko, B. E., Nakamura, L., & Rodman, G. B. (2013). Race in Cyberspace: An Introduction. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203949696 

Ow, J. A. (2003). The Revenge of the Yellow Faced Cyborg Terminator. 

[fishfingersandjellybabies]

angst idea: in a world of soulmates where your soulmate's mark appears when your soulmate touches you, few actually have the chance to find their soulmate, as Jon got older first his mark never appeared so he decides to move on to another and starts dating Jay Nakamura, unfortunately years later his soulmate mark appears precisely after Damian touches him

Gawd and imagine it’s like, the eve of Jon and Jay’s wedding or something when it happens. And all of Jon’s old thoughts and crushes and feelings for Damian resurface and he realizes that his soulmate was right there all ALONG and his gut always told him but he was following society norms and now he’s settling for another and Damian is ALONE and will probably stay so out of misplaced loyalty to JON and uuuuugh everything is beautifully awful.

[fallensxvior]

This blog honestly is such an insult to a real world religion currently practiced by real living people. If you wouldn't make a Prophit Mohammed RP blog then why is a Jesus Christ rp blog ok?

Let me get this straight, Me portraying Yeshua Bin Yosep, or 'Jesus Christ' as the Romans called him, as a selfless, caring humanitarian revolutionary who believes in trying to help people before he ever raises a hand in condemnation..

is an insult?

Hikaru Nakamura, Neil Gaiman, Anne Rice, Johnny Cash, Naiomi Alderman. J.M. Coetzee, Colm Toibin, Nikos Kazantzakis, Norm Mailer- all writers who wrote fictionalized depictions of Christ and were heralded for their creativity and fresh takes on modern religion. What I am doing is no different from them. I have watched Christians write stories about MY Gods all my life, and those depictions have always either been bastardizations or straight up lies. At least I portray Jesus as a decent person.

Don't get me wrong. If people are actually made uncomfortable and upset my by works here on this blog, I take no offense to you blocking me, or unfollowing. But I am not going to stop telling my story just because you don't like it. As an ex-christian trying to heal myself, this muse is important to me.

If an ex-muslim decided to write an rp blog based on Mohammed as a way to experiment with writing and work through religious trauma, I would encourage it. That's their story to tell, and this is mine.

Have a nice day.

[june-way]

Silver The Hedgehog

Silver the Hedgehog is a fictional character in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. He is an anthropomorphic hedgehog hailing from two hundred years into the future where his role is to protect his time by changing the catastrophes of the past, thus preventing the ruining of his era. For his mission, Silver makes use of his psychokinesis, an ability from his time that is considered the norm which allows him to move objects with the power of his mind.

Silver is a kindhearted and well-meaning individual, driven by a strong sense of justice to right the wrongs of the past to uphold peace, though he is somewhat naive and immature. Despite the monumental tasks he may have on hand, he is an optimist and will do whatever is required to protect the world.

Silver's creation was inspired by Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) early development stages, where the development team was making huge levels with multiple paths through them. With a new physics engine giving a lot of depth to the game experience, they decided they wanted to include a new character with unique abilities for an alternate way to play through the levels. This lead to Silver being given his psychokinetic powers. Early drafts describe Silver as having "special powers" of unknown origin drawn from the Chaos Emeralds, but this was rejected in the final game. Shiro Maekawa based Silver's character on Future Trunks from the Dragon Ball series.

According to the Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection interview with Sega developer Shun Nakamura, Silver's abilities were originally designed for a different action game with the character not meant to make an appearance. During the development of Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) in 2005, another action game Sonic Team developed, yet later canceled, named Fifth Phantom Saga featured core gameplay mechanics that focuses on the use of abilities similar to Silver's. Wanting to incorporate features emphasizing Silver's abilities, the team sought to give the character new attributes that no other Sonic characters had. The design team developed over fifty different concepts for the character before reaching his final look, where early sketches included a hedgehog-like animal wearing a futuristic headset and markings on its hair. When the team first started and had no idea what direction to follow, someone came up with the idea of a character with Sonic's scarf-like hair, but in more volume. From this idea, the team pursued the idea for a mink named "Venice" named after Venice in Italy, the place Soleanna is based on. However, the developers ultimately decided against this, fearing a mink would not blend in with the rest of the characters. After much discussion, the team finalized Silver as a hedgehog.

The next thing to do was choosing the color of the character. Orange was originally used for his fur for exploration, but they soon moved away from that in favor of a white-gray fur. While developing the character models and textures, they focused on using the hardware to develop the textures rather than just using simple white-gray, which led to Silver's color and name.

Silver is a very light gray (almost white) anthropomorphic hedgehog with white fur on his chest surrounding his neck with gold eyes and tan skin. He has two large spines at the back of his head, while at the front of his forehead there are five distinct spines flared up and back, the two final ones covering up most of his ears.

For attire, he wears white gloves with cyan circles with lines sticking out of the bottom leading to his golden bracelets accented in cyan. The tops of his boots are of a similar fashion with a red gem set in gold. The rest of his boots are navy blue, white and cyan.

Silver is best described as having "a strong sense of justice" and it is this personality trait that motivates him to head back into the past to correct the future. He believes in standing up for those who can't stand up for themselves. This led him to accept Blaze when everybody else was teasing her for her pyrokinetic abilities. When he pursues an enemy, he does so with a relentless determination. He makes alliances and rivalries very easily and takes people's word without question; this makes him easily tricked by others. According to his character profile in Sonic Generations, he is an optimist (though as stated by himself in Sonic Forces, while an optimist, he is also a realist).

Although seemingly serious on the outside, an interview states that Silver is young and somewhat immature. Blaze comments on this several times and describes him as naïve and insecure when he is alone. Owing to his naivety, Silver also has no idea of how to engage in more informal conversations with others; when Sonic tried trash talking with Silver during Dodon Pa's Grand Prix, the latter took many of Sonic's statements so literally that Sonic noted that he took all the fun out of such banter. Silver is also a regular sweetheart, always ready to protect those in need and lend a helping hand. He generally keeps a positive attitude and never gives up hope, no matter how objectively hopeless the situation.

Silver wears his heart on his sleeve. He feels anger and joy intensely and loudly, but his sadness is silent and hardly, if ever, marked by tears. He lets his rage control him and cheerfully remarks on the things that make him happy, but hardly says a word in his sadness, though it is visible to everyone. However, though he may feel sad, he never gives in to despair, always looking for a solution the right way. His determination and little regard for pain can make him a very frightening opponent.

Silver is very courageous and brave, willing to fearlessly sacrifice himself for another in a heartbeat. Utterly unflinching in the face of danger, he is courageous almost to the point of foolishness and is the focus on snuffing out evil with little regard for his own safety.

Despite Silver's naivete and general lack of critical thinking, he is not outright slow-witted. Even Eggman Nega called him perceptive, and Silver was the first to see through his otherwise perfect disguise. With little information to draw upon, he lets his intuition guide him, but as a relatively isolated person, he has little understanding of interpersonal relations or the subtle tools of manipulators.

He apparently has a competitive streak and gets a little snotty and a prickly attitude in the heat of the moment, as seen in Sonic Rivals 2; when you play as him and pass your rival, he'll say, "I'm better." or if you win a race or battle, he says, "Who's the best?" In Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity, when you win a race he says, "I am not to be trifled with!" and in Sonic Free Riders he sneers "'LATER!'" upon cruising past a fellow competitor. In Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), he generally refers to the Iblis monsters and Eggman's robots as "trash," and typically congratulates himself with a smug tone upon dispatching a roomful of them.

When meeting anyone that gets in his way, particularly in Sonic Rivals and Sonic Rivals 2, Silver can be very short-tempered and bossy towards anyone that's not explicitly helping him in his mission, sometimes even becoming directly hostile and start a fight on a bad choice of words.

When Silver is not focused on his current mission or does not have a task at hand, however, he is very friendly, helpful, and a good companion to have around.

Silver's main power is his psychokinesis, the ability to manipulate the environment around him with the power of his mind. Silver is a definite master of this skill, being able to telekinetically grab and move up to several objects many times his own size and weight as both a single- or collective mass, his most impressive feat being his Meteor Smash attack where he forms a compressed ball of objects over twenty times his own size and could potentially weigh a net total of several tons. However, it is unknown how much he can grab at once. Silver can also use his psychokinesis on himself to enable him to not only hover but also fly at speeds rivaling Sonic's. Also, his psychokinesis doubles as a force field, as seen in Sonic Forces when he used this ability to fight a powerful being like Infinite to a brief standstill. Granted, Silver did get overpowered by Infinite, but he still hit him with enough force to make him drop a Phantom Ruby prototype.

Silver's psychokinesis is a powerful force of its own. With it, he can exert enough pressure to bend half a meter thick steel bars, crush robots with a single grab, and immobilize others' movements completely. When repelling objects with his psychokinesis, Silver can throw them with enough force and speed to crush metal, fly tremendous distances, and even stun enormous monsters such as Iblis. Additionally, Silver can also use his psychokinesis to grab onto certain non-solid objects, such as fireballs and certain types of energy blasts.

Silver can also use his psychokinesis to project pure psychic energies that he can manipulate into energy-based attacks, such as sharp blades, pulses to strike his targets at all ranges, and an even burst of energy that can paralyze his targets.

Besides the offense, Silver can apply his psychokinesis for his other abilities. He can use it for the ability of ESP, giving him extra-sensory perception that allows him limited telepathy, but so far only enough to induce limited vertigo in others. He can also use it to teleport himself over short distances instantaneously by warping space.

While not shown during his introduction, Silver is capable of moving at super speeds which are an innate talent that members of the hedgehog species possess. As seen in Sonic Rivals and Sonic Rivals 2, Silver is capable running at speeds comparable to Sonic and Shadow's, without wearing down. Also, as another example, he is also seen on the loops within Crisis City from Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), able to maintain his running speed without falling, like Shadow was seen if done in a similar manner when finishing the first stage of Crisis City.

Silver has incredible physical durability and endurance as seen in the console/PC version of Sonic Generations, where he withstood several hits from Sonic's Homing Attack, slid along the ground for long distances without harm, and even managed to survive being buried under what could be worth several tons of debris.

Silver has proven himself to be very acrobatic and agile, being able to jump and move gracefully through midair, both with and without the aid of his psychokinesis, and can grind on rails at high speed to match up to various character's, such as Sonic and Shadow while wearing combat boots, of an exception to stay in a single pose, which his skills are nigh-incomplete, as a testament to his balance and agility. He also has lightning-fast reflexes and senses, being able to mimic and cope with approximately even Sonic and Shadow's movements. Additionally, he can do amazing feats as well, such as picking up objects while moving through midair at high velocity, catch bullets with his psychokinesis, or causing any monster he comes into, to be suspended, in anyway combining his impressive accuracy with his psychokinesis, he is able to throw enemies and heavy objects at the same speed as the projectiles, without his arms getting tired. Silver also possesses above average physical strength, capable of pushing things several times bigger and heavier than himself.

Silver has demonstrated the ability to harness the power of the Chaos Emeralds to empower himself or even perform Chaos Powers. So far, the only Chaos Power he has been able to perform is Chaos Control, which lets him warp time and space, sealing anybody along with him into another dimension that he can choose. However, this was mentioned by Blaze the Cat, at the end of Silver's Story from Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), and he can empower himself by enhancing his own abilities, or to an additional extent, give him unlimited Psychic Energies for his psychic attacks.

Silver is one of the most powerful and profound fighters in the series, as he can fight on par with the most battle-experiences individuals in the series. He has been hinted to hold about the same power as Shadow the Hedgehog, and in Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) he was able to fight Shadow to a stalemate and almost brought Sonic to the brink of death, though Sonic was being careless during their fight in the latter case.

In combat, Silver relies heavily on his psychokinesis and using the environment to his advantage. Unlike most other characters who utilize close combat, Silver focuses on long-range attacks. When fighting, Silver constantly keeps his distance from the enemy, as he needs a moment to concentrate for an attack, which will leave him vulnerable. If an opponent does get too close, however, he can grab them with his psychokinesis and throw them away.

Silver's main method of attack is picking up objects around him with his psychokinesis and hurtle them at his opponents. Occasionally, he can also rearrange these objects into colossal conglomerated shapes as more effective means of attacking, such as giant balls to bowl over opponents and train-sized battering rams. If projectiles are shot at him, Silver can grab them in his psychokinesis and throw them back at the opponent, effectively allowing him to turn his opponents' power against them.

When times call for it, Silver is capable of going on the offensive with hand-to-hand combat, as seen in his battle with Shadow in Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), and in Sonic Rivals and Sonic Rivals 2 where he would attack enemies with physical strikes. However, his proficiency with this type of combat is unclear, as he has only demonstrated a limited range of punches and Spin Attack maneuvers. He seems unskilled, given his reckless, telegraphed, and easily blocked charges at Shadow during their fight, and it may be that Silver will only use physical combat as a desperate last resort.

Most of Silver's signature techniques and moves revolve around the use of his psychokinesis, which has a broad range of applications. His most of his offensive attacks involving using the objects around him as projectiles and discharging psychokinetic energies.

Silver's most used technique is his Psychokinesis, which lets him pick up objects around him for him to manipulate, and bend and move objects. His Levitate technique, which he uses to make himself airborne, increases his speed and movement abilities to levels matching those of the fastest and most agile characters in the series. Also, his Teleport Dash allows him to dash small distances at light speed.

With his Grab All technique, Silver can grab and manipulate everything around him or objects that come too close to him, and send them flying at his enemies. To throw objects with greater force while they are in his psychokinetic grab, Silver can use his Hold Smash and Psycho Smash to charge up his psychic energies and use them to throw objects at high velocities. Also, in Sonic Generations, Silver can perform a powerful attack called Meteor Smash,where he gathers a large ball of surrounding objects and launches it, after which it rolls along the ground, crushing anything in its path.

By channeling and manipulating his psychic energies, Silver can perform unique energy-based attacks, like his Psycho Shock and Psycho Smash that let him charge pulses of energy that can paralyze opponents and machinery, and with his Psychic Knife,Silver can form and throw a sharp and deadly blade of energy at the enemy. He can also perform his ESP move, which sends out a wave that attacks the minds of others, leaving them disorientated and confused.

In Sonic Rivals and Sonic Rivals 2, Silver is shown to utilize the Spin Attack where he curls tightly into a concussive ball while in locomotion to damage, mow down, or burrow through obstacles and foes. With the Spin Jump he attacks foes by landing on them, with the Spin Dash he curls up and shoots forward at high speed to break barriers or mow down enemies, and with the Homing Attack he homes in on an enemy to attack.

As seen during Dodon Pa's Grand Prix, Silver has excellent skills when it comes to driving and racing in racecars like the Lightron.

By using all seven Chaos Emeralds, Silver can enter a Super State, transforming him into Super Silver. In this state, all of Silver's abilities far surpasses his normal ones, including his psychokinesis which has been greatly amplified. He is as well able to fly without his psychokinesis and is nearly invulnerable. However, this transformation consumes a lot of energy and requires Rings to be maintained.

By harnessing different variants of Hyper-go-on from Wisps, Silver can use specific Color Powers to transform into a certain form, such as a drill, a laser or even a planet, each one possessing its own unique abilities. So far, Silver has been able to transform into the Cyan Laser, Yellow Drill and Indigo Asteroid. However, these transformations require a steady supply of Hyper-go-on to be maintained.

Silver will lose his focus when using psychokinesis if he is caught off guard or hit by a surprise attack.

If he overuses his psychokinesis, Silver can become extremely fatigued, and will need Rings to regain his energy.

Silver's relationships are Blaze the Cat, Sonic the Hedgehog, Espio the Chameleon, Charmy Bee, Vector the Crocodile, Knuckles the Echidna, Marine the Raccoon, Cream the Rabbit, Shadow the Hedgehog, E-123 Omega, Rouge the Bat, Amy Rose and Miles "Tails" Prower.

Silver's Enemies are Eggman, Iblis, Solaris, Mephiles the Dark, Eggman Nega, Ifrit, Zavok, Chaos,Metal Sonic and Infinite the Jackal.

[stevenakamura]

HP OMEN x T1 Creative Direction - Steve Nakamura

In the game world, you’re not defined by how you look. You’re defined by how you play.

TROUBLEMAKER (Gumayusi)

One who often gets into risky situations. 

One who creates difficulty for others. 

One who expresses a view that differs from the norm.

[tokyolens]

Summer Nights in Tokyo…

[chengemao]

Academic Blog 2

Semiotics and Contemporary Narratives

In Siant's class we saw a film,the film Ultraman: Rising offers a fresh and thought-provoking perspective on the iconic Ultraman franchise. Departing from traditional heroic narratives that emphasize clear-cut distinctions between good and evil, the film delves into themes of vulnerability, societal expectations, and family structures. Through a semiotic lens—the study of signs and symbols—Ultraman: Rising presents a rich tapestry of symbols that challenge conventional representations, encouraging viewers to reflect on deeper meanings and evolving cultural norms. This blog expands on the analysis of Ultraman: Rising by examining additional contemporary narratives that use semiotics to redefine traditional archetypes and explore complex themes.

One of the film’s most striking elements is its portrayal of a single father raising a child—a depiction that stands out in Japanese popular culture. Traditionally, media often portrays fathers as distant or secondary caregivers, while mothers are depicted as the primary nurturers. By centering the story on a single father, Ultraman: Rising disrupts these norms and invites viewers to reconsider societal expectations of masculinity and fatherhood.

From a semiotic perspective, this choice is significant. The father’s role in the story can be interpreted as a symbol of shifting family dynamics and evolving understandings of masculinity. It challenges the traditional archetype of the stoic, invulnerable hero, instead presenting a protagonist who embodies emotional vulnerability and active caregiving. This redefinition not only humanizes the hero but also reflects broader societal changes, where traditional gender roles are increasingly being questioned and reimagined. As Nakamura (2019) argues, contemporary media is increasingly challenging traditional gender roles, offering more nuanced representations of masculinity and fatherhood that align with modern societal values.

Another intriguing aspect of the film is its portrayal of monsters. In traditional Ultraman narratives, monsters are depicted as destructive and terrifying symbols of chaos, serving as clear antagonists that the hero must defeat. However, in Ultraman: Rising, the monsters are portrayed as fragile, almost infant-like beings. This shift challenges the established paradigm where monsters embody threats that must be eradicated.

Disney’s Encanto uses magical realism to explore themes of family, identity, and societal expectations. The film’s central symbol, the magical house (Casita), represents the family’s collective identity and the pressures they face to maintain their roles within the community. Each family member’s unique gift serves as a metaphor for their individual struggles and contributions. For example, Luisa’s super strength symbolizes the burden of responsibility, while Mirabel’s lack of a gift highlights the importance of self-worth beyond external validation. Through these symbols, Encanto critiques traditional family dynamics and celebrates individuality and resilience.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse redefines the superhero archetype by introducing Miles Morales, a biracial teenager, as the new Spider-Man. The film uses visual symbolism, such as the graffiti-inspired art style, to reflect Miles’ cultural background and personal journey. The multiverse concept serves as a metaphor for the diversity of human experiences, challenging the notion that heroism is confined to a single identity. By embracing multiple versions of Spider-Man, the film emphasizes that anyone can be a hero, regardless of their background or circumstances.

Semiotics and Broader Implications

The deliberate choices in contemporary narratives reveal how semiotics can deepen our understanding of media. Symbols are not fixed; they evolve, reflecting changes in societal norms and values. This realization has broader implications for storytelling across genres. For instance, the choice of a girl as the protagonist rather than a boy prompts similar reflections on gender representation in media. Such decisions are rarely arbitrary; they signal shifting cultural paradigms and encourage audiences to question long-held assumptions.

By challenging traditional archetypes, the film encourages a more nuanced understanding of morality, family, and identity. This approach not only enriches the storytelling but also resonates with contemporary audiences who seek more inclusive and reflective media. As Jenkins (2018) highlights, media that challenges traditional narratives and embraces diversity can foster greater empathy and understanding among audiences, making it a powerful tool for social change.

As a game design student, they made me think practically about how I can apply similar approaches to my own projects.Ultraman: Rising and other contemporary narratives demonstrate the power of semiotics in reinterpreting iconic stories and symbols. By challenging traditional archetypes and exploring themes of vulnerability, family, and morality, these works offer fresh perspectives that resonate with modern audiences. Their redefinition of heroism, monstrosity, and identity not only enriches storytelling but also reflects broader societal changes, encouraging viewers to question and rethink long-held assumptions.

As creators in the digital media landscape, we have the opportunity and responsibility to use symbols and narratives to challenge stereotypes, promote inclusivity, and reflect the complexities of human experience. These examples serve as compelling evidence of how semiotics can transform storytelling, offering valuable lessons for game designers, filmmakers, and storytellers alike.

Reference

Jenkins, H. (2018) Participatory culture in a networked era: A conversation on youth, learning, commerce, and politics. Cambridge: Polity Press[Accessed 16 February, 2025]. Murray, J.H. (2017) Hamlet on the holodeck: The future of narrative in cyberspace. Updated edn. New York: MIT Press[Accessed 14 Feburary, 2025]. Nakamura, I. (2019) ‘Redefining masculinity in Japanese media: A semiotic analysis of fatherhood in contemporary film’, Asian Journal of Communication, 29(5), pp. 412–428[Accessed 16 February, 2025]. Shaw, A. (2019) Gaming at the edge: Sexuality and gender at the margins of gamer culture. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press[Accessed 16 February, 2025].

[setsuyakurotaki]

[Music Concept]

•Placing something in a different environment

•Dissonance and Resonance

• Unexpected Encounters

Music Title - Dépaysement

Compose - Sound Design / Setsuya KUROTAKI

TAAKK Autumn-Winter 2025 Runway Show in Paris

Date : Jan 26th 2025

Venue : BRIDGE

Creative Director : Takuya Morikawa

Styling : Mariaelena Morelli Casting :

WhiteCasting (Shotview)

Show Director : Takashiro Saito (KuRoKo Inc.)

Compose - Sound Design : Setsuya Kurotaki

Hair & Make-Up : Teruaki Shinjo (Shiseido)

Lighting : Michinari Marui (Toio)

Production Lead : Kazuna Miyata (KuRoKo Inc.)

Production : Julien Lacroix / TWOTWENTY

Fashion Assistant : Helena Napoli / Chloe Dumesny

Filmed by : Toyohiro Nakamura

Photo : Ko Tsuchiya ——————————————————————————

Themed : The Collective Invention When I was little, I joined my father at the factories of one of his inventions. He spoke proudly of the robot he had created. “In order to create newness, one must own the reversal of ideas.” When I was little, the book of René Magritte’s works my mother owned - The subdued yet photorealistic works that existed within an odd world - The unique words which brought union to these strange pieces - I was awestruck by the poetry that described their worlds. These memories are the origins of my own creations. To doubt the norms and shine light on that which was previously hidden. To release, from the confines of what is expected. To look upon material and process with intrigue In order to revisit from multiple perspectives. In order to break through the confines of fashion, And create new fabrics and honed designs, For the whole of the world. Leopard pattern and denim, wool and herring bone all fuse together as one. Fur grows out of wool tweed and cotton. A souvenir jacket into a tailored jacket, and a T-shirt into a riders jacket all as one transformation. Witnessing two fabrics, two pieces of fashion fuse together May seem like a transformation or perhaps an echoing of one another. Here exists a tremendous affinity. This visual paradox which may indeed find foots in dépaysement, Will unbound us from the chains that bind our imaginations. They are sure to also speak to us - That thread, fabric, folding, manufacturing, dyeing, and embroidery - Though all of these exists in the now - Many have forlorn the possibilities within.

[festabloominc]

LE SSERAFIM: The New Generation of K-Pop Trailblazers

LE SSERAFIM is a groundbreaking South Korean girl group making waves in the K-pop industry with their bold concepts, incredible talent, and empowering message. The group, formed under Source Music (a subsidiary of HYBE Corporation), debuted in May 2022 and has quickly gained global recognition for their dynamic performances, self-assured style, and unique storytelling.

The Meaning Behind the Name

The name LE SSERAFIM is an anagram of the phrase “I’m Fearless”. This reflects the group’s confident and fearless attitude toward challenges, embodying their desire to break boundaries and redefine norms in the K-pop world.

Meet the Members

LE SSERAFIM consists of five talented members, each bringing their unique charm and strengths to the group:

Sakura Miyawaki

Role: Vocalist, Dancer

Background: A former member of IZ*ONE and a seasoned performer with a huge fanbase in Japan and Korea.

Special Trait: Graceful stage presence and captivating visuals.

Kim Chaewon

Role: Leader, Vocalist

Background: Also a former member of IZ*ONE, known for her vocal prowess and leadership skills.

Special Trait: Strong vocals and a warm personality.

Huh Yunjin

Role: Vocalist

Background: A Korean-American trainee with a background in classical music.

Special Trait: Soulful vocals and vibrant energy.

Kazuha Nakamura

Role: Vocalist, Dancer

Background: A former professional ballerina from Japan, bringing elegance and athleticism to the group.

Special Trait: Stunning stage charisma and dance skills.

Hong Eunchae

Role: Maknae (Youngest Member), Dancer

Background: The fresh talent of the group, radiating youthful energy and charm.

Special Trait: Playful personality and dynamic dancing.

Musical Style and Concept

LE SSERAFIM is celebrated for their fearless approach to music and performance. Their songs blend catchy melodies with messages of empowerment, individuality, and resilience. Their concepts often challenge traditional stereotypes, encouraging fans to embrace their true selves and face challenges head-on.

Notable Releases

"FEARLESS" (2022):

The debut track, a bold anthem about overcoming adversity and pursuing dreams without hesitation.

Key Lyrics: “What you lookin’ at?” – a defiant statement of confidence.

The track showcases a minimalist yet impactful sound, emphasizing their strong vocals and choreography.

"ANTIFRAGILE" (2022):

A reggaeton-inspired track that highlights resilience and strength.

The song's empowering lyrics resonated with fans, cementing the group's identity as fearless performers.

"UNFORGIVEN" (2023):

Featuring a Western-inspired vibe, this track conveys themes of breaking free from societal norms and expectations.

Why LE SSERAFIM Stands Out

Empowering Image: LE SSERAFIM sets themselves apart by focusing on themes of independence and courage, appealing to a global audience.

Multicultural Influence: With members from Korea, Japan, and the United States, the group embodies a diverse cultural perspective.

Sophisticated Aesthetics: Their visuals, styling, and music videos exude elegance and a modern edge.

Dynamic Performances: Known for their sharp choreography and synchronized dancing, the group consistently delivers mesmerizing live performances.

Global Success and Recognition

Despite their recent debut, LE SSERAFIM has achieved incredible milestones:

Chart Success: Their tracks have topped Korean charts and appeared on international platforms like Spotify and Billboard.

Music Show Wins: They’ve earned multiple awards on South Korean music shows for their hit songs.

Brand Ambassadorships: The group has become fashion and beauty icons, collaborating with luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton and Chaumet.

Connection with Fans

LE SSERAFIM calls their fandom "FEARNOT", representing the mutual trust and support between the group and their fans. The name also ties into the group’s "fearless" identity, emphasizing the shared journey of overcoming challenges together.

Looking Ahead

LE SSERAFIM has already made a lasting impression on the K-pop industry, and their journey has just begun. With their bold messages, exceptional talent, and global appeal, the group is poised to continue breaking barriers and setting trends in the music world.

Whether you’re drawn to their empowering lyrics, captivating performances, or unique visuals, LE SSERAFIM invites everyone to embrace a fearless mindset and join them on their inspiring journey.

[bihlasfan]

NORM NAKAMURA 'TOKYO LENS' GIVES A GLIMPSE INTO HIS COOL LIFE IN JAPAN!