#not the best quality but too cute of a panel to skip

[shysheeperz]

[offbrandmercyplates]

Birthday fic from Yours the Author!

Ms. Emmibee: is me birthday day.

Me: *Tumbling down a flight of stairs, breaking a comical amount of theater vases that are made to be broken* HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

So yes! It’s Ms. Emmibee’s birthday, so we all know what that means! Presents and (cookie) cake! It’s not possible to send real cookie cake through the internet, though, but a present is a present!

I had actually planned this one out vaguely after the last update. It made sense that we wouldn’t get a lot of time in Temmie Village, since the plot must go on, but I figured most people would appreciate some cute Temmie and Emmibee action. I wrote this all out today. I don’t know if I quite captured the magic of Tem Village, but I like to think there’s a little bit of it here. I’ll let you decide for yourself. See you at the bottom!

What Could it Mean?

“Emmi, I kindly ask—and by ‘kindly’, I mean ‘in a way that won’t cause a scene’—that you stop vibrating so intensely.”

“But it’s Temmie Village, Dr. Gaster! I can’t not be excited!”

“The Temmies are excitable enough without you encouraging them. I’d rather not deal with any more hyperactivity than necessary.”

“Hyperactive or actively hyper?”

“…What?”

“What?”

“…Strange woman.”

“I know. But isn’t that why you like me?” “No more questions. Let’s just—”

“HOI!!!!” Dr. Gaster sighed for ten whole seconds as Emmibee gasped at her first in-person look at a Temmie. She bounced on the toes of her rubber rain boots as the little monster skipped over to them.

She was just as cute as she was in the game, but even smaller; probably no bigger than a munchkin cat. Her quadrupedal body was covered in short, soft white fur, two pairs of ears, a little mane of black hair, and a deep sky-blue shirt over the top half of her body.

Smiling giddily, Emmi pointed at her while grinning at the skeleton companion. “Undoubtedly, a Temmie.”

“Undoubtedly,” Dr. Gaster agreed. “Can we please—”

“HOI!!!” Another Temmie popped up.

“Behold, a Temmie,” Emmi bowed to the newcomer.

“I am aware. Can we—”

Another Temmie trotted over. “Could it be a Temmie?” Emmi wondered.

“Actually, I’m Bob. Nice to meet you,” Bob said. Emmi let out a high-pitched noise.

Dr. Gaster sighed again. “I’m going to the Tem Shop. Can I trust you won’t leave the village?” Emmi was currently chanting “hoi” with the growing group of Temmies. “…I suppose I can.” He made his way to the shop.

One of the Temmies suddenly wiggled her tail the way a cat does before it pounces and leapt up into Emmi’s arms. Emmi extended her arms to catch the Temmie, but a thought suddenly occurred to her: aren’t humans allergic to Temmies? The Temmie landed in her arms, and she instinctively adjusted herself for maximum comfort for the carrier and the carry-ee. Oh wait; I’m a monster now, she remembered. Does that still count? The Temmie she was holding vibrated gently in her arms, and the other Temmies and Bob crowded around her feet, looking a few seconds away from swarming her in a pile of cute. Guess it does.

As much as she would have loved to be swarmed in a pile of cute, Emmi didn’t know when she’d get a chance to explore Temmie Village like this again. Carefully wading through the tiny monsters, she began to look around the small cavern.

True to the game, the walls, ceiling, and floor were made of dark blue stone, but unlike the game, the air was cool and damp and seemed to somehow cast a shiny quality to the stone, if she looked at just the right angle and level of light. There wasn’t any quirky music playing in the background, but the air thrummed—no, vibrated—with an energy that could only be explained by the mysterious power of Temmie.

She took some time to say HOI to each Temmie she passed, admired the rich history of Tem and the statue of Tem, returned the compliments of an adamant Temmie (awawawa! bee lady… such a… cute!!!) and exchanged parenting tips with the parent of a special hardboiled egg (tem and bee… pROUD pARENTS!!!). Emmi considered saying hello to the owner of the Tem Shop, but one peek into the room revealed an irate Dr. Gaster trying to explain why he wouldn’t accept Tem flakes in exchange for all of the items he was selling. It would probably be best to leave him be.

That was when she spotted it: the dancing mushroom, swaying their arms to an invisible tune. Hugging the Temmie she was still holding tighter to her chest, she strode up to the mushroom, swaying her hips and bopping her head to the beat. She giggled and sang with them, “Mushroom dance, mushroom dance… what could it mean?”

The mushroom raised their cap to peer up at her, eyes narrow. “Failure is terrifying,” they said, “but not nearly as terrifying as success.”

The world suddenly stopped; not like a record scratch. It was more like if the planet had stopped spinning, but everyone wasn’t flung off into space. All of the cold and none of the water in the room seemed to cling to Emmi, getting under her raincoat, under her skin, coating her SOUL in an icy sheet. Her breath caught in her throat, her vision tunneled, and there was an intense feeling of being watched…

“Emmi?” The mushroom lowered their cap and went back to swaying. The Temmie in her arms hopped down, her face following a moment after. Emmi looked up to see Dr. Gaster putting something into the pocket of his lab coat and gesturing for her to follow him. “Time to go.”

Emmi’s legs felt a bit weird, like they had almost but not quite fallen asleep, and they were trying to remember how to work. The cold feeling lingered, though not as strongly as it had before Dr. Gaster brought her back to reality. She stumbled backwards, trying not to fall over as she stared at the mushroom again. They weren’t looking at her, preoccupied with their dance. The sudden shift in the mood had left her disoriented and a bit overwhelmed. What that mushroom said… it was way too on the nose for her liking. Had it not been for Dr. Gaster, she would have stood there for the rest of time as she tried to make sense of how that mushroom knew…

She would be grateful to the doctor for saving her from herself, even if he never found out.

“Coming…” she replied, taking one last look at the mushroom before steadily following Dr. Gaster out of Temmie Village.

***

It’s probably a good thing Emmibee didn’t go to the Temmie in the wall. She definitely didn’t need a double dose of the feeling of being watched. Poor Emmi. How did that mushroom know?

“Hyperactive or actively hyper” was a play on the joke “working hard or hardly working”. I was originally going to put a fourth wall breaking joke in that part of the story, but it occurred to me that Dr. Gaster wouldn’t let that go so easily.

Emmi identifying the Temmies (hey, that rhymed!) is a reference to the snow poffs of Snowdin. You all probably already know this, but interacting with every snow poff will tell you that, indeed, you are interacting with a snow poff.

Temmies have a rich history. What is that history? It’s rich. That’s all you need to know, and all you’ll ever find out, probably.

Emmi is going to be a parent sometime soon (skelebaby boys!), so it’d be a good idea to get parenting tips from an experienced parent, even if that parent’s child is a hardboiled egg. Every bit helps!

The scene with the mushroom is what really inspired me to write this. Visually, the shading in that penultimate panel was stunning. I wanted to translate what it looked like Emmibee was feeling into words. What did she see? What did she feel, physically and emotionally? These are questions I have to know the answers to as an author, and if they’re not written already, I’ll write down my own interpretations.

Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO EMMIBEE! One year older, bolder, and wiser! Despite everything, I hope this is a good one for you. I mean it. I’ll be posting this to FFN and AO3, if you’re okay with that. Looking forward to more of your content, be it a full comic page or a textpost gushing about a cute kitten gif. Until then! ~~~ AAAAAAAAAA THANK YOU SO MUCH????? I really really loved doing this scene and you did it justice absolutely PERFECTLY. Emmi’s excitement about experiencing the Underground knows no bounds!! (Also, her dancing along with the mushroom is EXACTLY what I was imagining)

I’m really happy you enjoyed the page! It feels kind of filler-y to me, but it really is important to both the narrative and tone of the story. More pages will be coming soon I promise!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE BIRTHDAY WISHES

Feel free to post this on your FF and AO3 accounts! 

THANK YOU AGAIN AAAAAAAAAAAA

[duongnguyenposts-blog]

Interview on Animedia part 1

Thank to Mirai send the translation of this interview for me.

=======================

TERAMOTO YUKIYO INTERVIEW

• < Tell us about the experience you most enjoyed in the production of the Kaitou Joker anime series. >

• Teramoto: The production was a fun experience and with a pleasant atmosphere, but the realization of episode 20 of the series, "Traveling Jokers" is impressive special. Because in the original manga, Takahashi Hideyasu-sensei made it to tribute the anime series "Giant Robo". But Akihiko Yamashita, who is in charge of episode 20 (storyboard), was once the character designer and animation director of "Giant Robo". It's like a parody of his own work and it was very funny.

• < Hãy kể cho chúng tôi về trải nghiệm mà bạn thích nhất khi sản xuất bộ anime Kaitou Joker. >

• Teramoto: Việc sản xuất là một trải nghiệm thú vị và với một bầu không khí vui vẻ, nhưng việc thực hiện tập 20 của loạt phim, "Traveling Jokers" là đặc biệt nhất. Bởi vì trong manga gốc, Takahashi Hideyasu-sensei đã dùng nó để vinh danh bộ anime "Giant Robo". Thế nhưng Akihiko Yamashita, người phụ trách tập 20 lại từng là nhà thiết kế nhân vật và đạo diễn hình ảnh của "Giant Robo". Nó giống như parody lại công việc của chính ông và điều đó rất buồn cười.

Corocoro Online Interview Part 1/2 Translation. ( correct me if you see there is any wrong translated )

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

---First of all, please introduce yourself.

Director Teramoto Yukiyo (Teramoto): My name is Teramoto, who was the director of the anime "Kaitou Joker". Nice to meet you today, Is it already two years since the broadcast ended?

Shimogasa Miho (Shimogasa): I am Character Design & Chief Animation Director, Shimogasa. Because I have been working on many jobs related to Joker, so I do not feel like time has passed.

Aihara Miki (Aihara): Fan of Kaitou Joker, Aihara. It embarrassed to say that the first time I saw Joker's anime was in its last broadcast year. I started watching him from the chapter with a boy in a wheelchair (Hayami Kyotaro) called "Countdown of Television" (Episode 33) in Kids Station, and I was shocked saying: "Who is that great anime guy?" A From that moment on, I became addicted and saw the entire season on Amazon. All the guys that appear are great!

Teramoto: Thank you very much. I'm so happy.

-----Shimogasa-san. How was it when you first heard about this series?

Shimogasa: I did not know "Kaitou Joker" at that time, so I immediately read the original manga. Because the original manga was so funny, I guess i can make it with confidence. Since the original design is very unique and very good, I made use the original design of Takahashi Hideyasu-sensei and added a taste for Anime to construction. When you remove the back cover of the Comic cover, it is full of material, and it is fun to find out important information written on the panel of Manga.

Teramoto: Again, since Anime is not a stop picture but it has to be moved, at the beginning there was a voice: "There are too many dialogue" from the scene where the picture is drawn, it seemed to be very difficult. However, as we continue, the scene side is also attracted to the work and the number of fans increases, and conversely comes from over there as "Please let me draw!" Everyone drew with love.

Aihara: I feel that. While watching anime

Teramoto: Even now, I'm really excited to think about that. By the way, there were also Animators who liked to participate in Takahashi-sensei's autograph session.

―― What kind of relationship did Takahashi sensei involved in?

Teramoto: Takahashi sensei was a generous one, he let me do it freely. Of course, the original is very interesting, but if you consult something like "Is it okay for me to do something here?", he say "It's OK". I really appreciate it as a creator, and if he want us do what he think "I want to do this", the tension on that time will rise. That is why there is a part that everybody making so much.

―― Surely, there seems to be a part that OK was done by love was also communicated to Takahashi sensei.

Teramoto: That's right. Because I already put plenty of respect and love in my works!

―― As a viewer of anime, how did you feel when seeing this?

Aihara: Because the quality characters is the root, anime has a very good tempo, I thought that the scenes shifts from one to the next is amazing.

Teramoto: Thank you!

Aihara: It is good enough with a lot of fun in 30 minutes .

Teramoto: Actually it not fit to say this. I'm very sorry because sometimes i cut ED

Aihara：It was . When making anime without ED, it will be tough as it will be about 90 seconds to make more animation. But it does not sacrifice the story and still having prioritized the quality of the work……it amazing. And the last story of Season 4 is memorable. Actually the characters and directing were cool and the contents were filled with fully crammed. Teramoto-san was in charge of parts other than the director, didn't you?

Teramoto: That's true. While doing the storyboard and directing, I remember I made a lot of effort to say "Oh, I will not make it in time, but I do not want to drop the quality"

Aihara: It was a very good time！

――There are so many female fans, what are your thoughts about that?

Teramoto: After reading the original manga, I thought about the fans and asked them around. Then, you know that there are female fans, I see. So while conscious of the part of female fans like: "I love Joker like this", I also made it so that everyone will be pleased by not to kill the quality of shounen manga (manga for boys). In addition, Shimogasa-san's illustration are so cute, i think that female fans received it

―― Tell me your favorite character, Shimogasa-san?

Shimogasa: I love all characters !! I love everyone !!!! I can't choose...

Aihara: Everyone is cool and nice, isn't it?

Shimogasa: What is pleasing to draw is bad expression of each character. Ah There was also a "Professor Clover's blonde wave" idea i wanted to draw.

Aihara: By the way, did President D (the leader of the mysterious organization "Devil Fang") of the anime original character were all launched from the design? Originally I was surprised that a fat boy / Dump appeared as a messy beauty

Teramoto: Although I ordered to make it beautiful, when I actually got the first rough (President D) from Shimogasa-san , I was surprised like: "Wow !?, I do not think that he will be beautiful like this

Shimogasa: Four patterns were drawn while just leaving aftertastes of Dump on the eyes and clothes. It is the shape that I chose one of them. In fact, I wanted to include the characteristic that the teeth of Dump were missing, but indeed it went too far. But I thought I wanted to add freckles that were attached at the time Dump appear, I can't see it in an important scene of President D.

Teramoto: You can see it when he cry.

Shimogasa: Yeah, when he crying

Aihara: Great rare information, i see.

Shimogasa: Ah, I think that the best scene of Dump is a scene that he says "You are the only one i talking to..." If I thought that director would realize that director would dare to say: "I want to let that crying face do with President D, by all means" and did it as it was.

Teramoto: Of course

Aihara: The scene he cry was really cute!！

――Who is Aihara sensei 's favorite character?

Aihara: It is Joker-san. I also like Phoenix (* Kaitou use flames, aiming at God Beast Hosshi and Joker), but after all Joker is coolest. He jumped down from the top at the OP and he is really cool looking at the bags and mantle. About the OP, I tend to skip it just when I see it at once, but I couldn't do this

Shimogasa: I also wanted to be like that.

Aihara: Each time, the notice letter changes, Isn't it? (※ At the opening, the contents of the announcement appearing on the way changed every time).

Teramoto: That was fun with who are working, didn't it?

Aihara: It was truly a wonderful production when the speech are included at that time. It is also cool to go to the climax part of song once more.

Teramoto: There used to be "Blue Comet SPT Layzner" anime, Digest-style dialogue of each story appear in the middle of opening. It is interesting and I like that directing. There is a part that got a hint from "Layzner"

Aihara: Oh! Layzner, I see.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Trước hết, xin giới thiệu về bản thân.

Đạo diễn Teramoto Yukiyo (Teramoto): Tên tôi là Teramoto, người từng là đạo diễn của anime "Kaitou Joker", chương trình phát sóng đã kết thúc từ 2 năm trước. Rất vui được gặp bạn hôm nay.

Shimogasa Miho (Shimogasa): Tôi là Thiết kế nhân vật & Chỉ đạo trưởng hoạt họa, Shimogasa. Bởi vì tôi đã làm việc trên nhiều công việc liên quan đến Joker, vì vậy tôi không cảm thấy như thời gian đã trôi qua.

Aihara Miki (Aihara): Tôi. Aihara, là một fan hâm mộ của Kaitou Joker. Thật xấu hổ khi nói rằng lần đầu tiên tôi xem anime Kaitou Joker là vào năm phát sóng cuối cùng của nó. Tôi bắt đầu xem nó từ tập có một cậu bé ngồi xe lăn (Hayami Kyotaro) tên là "Countdown Television" (Tập 33) trên kênh Kids Station, và tôi đã bị sốc và thốt lên: "Anh chàng anime tuyệt vời đó là ai?". Từ lúc đó, tôi trở nên nghiện và xem toàn bộ các tập trên Amazon. Tất cả những chàng trai đã xuất hiện đều rất tuyệt!

Teramoto: Cảm ơn bạn. Tôi rất vui khi nghe điều đó.

---- Shimogasa-san. Cảm nhận đầu tiên của cô khi nghe về series này

Shimogasa: Lúc đó tôi chưa biết gì về Kaitou Joker, vậy nên tôi lập tức tìm đọc manga gốc. Bởi vì manga gốc rất thú vị nên tôi rất tự tin để làm nó. Từ khi nhân vật trong manga gốc của Takahashi Hideyasu-sensei có design rất tốt và độc đáo, tôi đã dùng design gốc rồi thêm hương vị Anime để chỉnh sửa. Khi bạn gỡ bìa sau của quyển truyện, nó có đầy đủ nguyên liệu ở đó. Thật vui khi tìm thấy những thông tin quan trọng được viết trên c��c trang truyện.

Teramoto: Một lần nữa, Anime vốn không phải là một hình ảnh đứng yên mà là những hình ảnh động, lúc đầu có tiếng phàn nàn về một phân đoạn khá nhiều thoại được vẽ ra, nó trông có vẻ rất khó thực hiện. Tuy nhiên khi tiếp tục, bên phía thực hiện các phân đoạn đó cũng bị thu hút bởi tác phẩm và lượng người hâm mộ cũng đã tăng lên. Không chỉ không còn những lời phàn nàn mà ngược lại phía chúng tôi vang lên những tiếng nói như: "Xin để tôi thực hiện nó". Mọi người đã làm bằng tình yêu của mình như thế đấy.

Aihara: tôi cũng cảm nhận được điều đó khi xem Anime này.

Teramoto: Ngay cả lúc này, tôi thực sự rất phấn khích khi nghĩ về điều đó. Nhân tiện, cũng có những Animator thích tham gia vào buổi ký tặng của tác giả Takahashi.

----- Mối quan hệ với tác giả Takahashi như thế nào

Teramoto: Takahashi sensei là một người rộng lượng, ông ấy để tôi làm mọi thứ một cách tự do. Tất nhiên, Manga gốc rất thú vị, nhưng nếu bạn tham khảo ý kiến gì đó như "Tôi có thể sữa đổi một chút ở đây không?", Ông sẽ nói "Ok Không sao cả". Tôi thực sự đánh giá cao điều đó như một người sáng tạo, và nếu ông ấy muốn chúng tôi làm những gì ông ấy nghĩ "Tôi muốn làm cái này", sự căng thẳng tại thời điểm đó sẽ tăng lên. Đó là lý do tại sao có một số đoạn mà mọi người đã làm nhiều lần.

----- Chắc chắn, có một đoạn OK đó đã được thực hiện bằng tình yêu đã truyền đạt đến Takahashi sensei.

Teramoto: Đúng thế. Bởi vì tôi đã dành rất nhiều sự tôn trọng và tình yêu trong các tác phẩm của mình!

---- Như một người xem anime, bạn cảm thấy thế nào khi xem nó?

Aihara: Anime có nhịp điệu rất tốt bởi vì nó có cốt lõi là những nhân vật chất lượng, tôi cảm thấy những cảnh chuyển từ người này sang người khác là rất tuyệt vời.

Teramoto: Rất cám ơn bạn.

Aihara: Nó hội tụ đủ những cái hay và thú vị trong 30 phút

Teramoto: Thật sự thì không phù hợp khi nói chuyện này ở đây. Rất xin lỗi vì một vài lần phải cắt bỏ ED.

Aihara: Đúng là thế. Khi làm anime mà không có ED, sẽ rất khó khăn vì phải tốn khoảng 90 giây để làm thêm nhiều đoạn hoạt hình. Nhưng nó không lãng phí nội dung và vẫn đảm bảo cho chất lượng tác phẩm... ��iều đó thật tuyệt vời. Và câu chuyện cuối cùng của Phần 4 thật đáng nhớ. Trên thực tế các nhân vật và đạo diễn rất tuyệt dù đã nhồi nhét khá nhiều câu chuyện. Teramoto-san cũng phụ trách các bộ phận khác ngoài đạo diễn phải không?

Teramoto: Đúng vậy. Trong khi thực hiện bảng phân cảnh và đạo diễn, tôi nhớ rằng tôi đã nỗ lực rất nhiều và nói "Ôi, mình sẽ không kịp mất, nhưng mình không muốn làm giảm chất lượng".

Aihara: Đó là khoảng thời gian rất vui nhỉ.

---- Kaitou Joker có rất nhiều fan nữ, bạn nghĩ gì về điều đó?

Teramoto: Sau khi đọc truyện tranh gốc, tôi nghĩ về người hâm mộ và hỏi họ xung quanh. Sau đó, tôi biết rằng có những fan nữ ở đây. Vì vậy, trong khi ý thức về một phần của các fan nữ như: "Tôi thích Joker như thế này", tôi cũng đã làm cho mọi người sẽ hài lòng khi không giết chết bản chất của shounen manga (manga dành nam giới). Ngoài ra, hình minh họa của Shimogasa-san rất dễ thương, tôi nghĩ rằng các fan nữ đã nhận được nó.

---- Nói cho tôi biết nhân vật yêu thích của bạn đi Shimogasa-san?

Shimogasa: Tôi yêu tất cả các nhân vật !! Tôi yêu mọi người !!!! Tôi không thể chọn ...

Aihara: Mọi người đều tuyệt, phải không?

Shimogasa: Điều làm tôi vui khi vẽ là biểu hiện xấu của mỗi nhân vật. À Ngoài ra còn có một ý tưởng mà tôi muốn vẽ nữa, đó là Giáo sư Clover với mái tóc vàng gợn sóng.

Aihara: Nhân tiện, phải chăng Chủ tịch D (thủ lĩnh của tổ chức bí ẩn "Devil Fang") nhân vật gốc của anime đã được đưa ra từ bản thiết kế? Ban đầu tôi rất ngạc nhiên khi một cậu bé mập / Dump xuất hiện như một người đẹp trai nhưng bừa bộn.

Teramoto: Mặc dù tôi đã bảo là làm cho đẹp, nhưng khi tôi thực sự có được bản phác họa đầu tiên (Chủ tịch D) từ Shimogasa-san, tôi đã rất sốc : "Ôi!?, Mình không nghĩ cậu ấy sẽ đẹp như vậy"

Shimogasa: Đó là hình dạng mà tôi đã chọn một trong số 4 mẫu đã được vẽ khi chỉ để lại đặc điểm của Dump trên mắt và quần áo. Trên thực tế, tôi muốn bao gồm đặc điểm là răng của Dump bị mất, nhưng thực sự nó đã đi quá xa. Nhưng tôi nghĩ tôi muốn thêm tàn nhang vào thời điểm Dump xuất hiện, tôi đã không thấy nó trong một cảnh quan trọng của Chủ tịch D.

Teramoto: Bạn có thể nhìn thấy nó khi cậu ấy khóc.

Shimogasa: Vâng, khi cậu ấy khóc

Aihara: Một thông tin tuyệt vời.

Shimogasa: À, tôi nghĩ rằng cảnh hay nhất của Dump là cảnh cậu khóc và nói "Cậu là người duy nhất mà tôi nói chuyện cùng..." tôi nghĩ nếu đạo diễn nhận ra và đạo diễn sẽ nói: "Tôi muốn để khuôn mặt khóc đó làm với Tổng thống D bằng mọi giá ".

Teramoto: Tất nhiên rồi

Aihara: Cảnh cậu ấy khóc thật dễ thương !！

----- Nhân vật yêu thích của Aihara là ai?

Aihara: Đó là Joker-san. Tôi cũng thích Phoenix (* Kaitou dùng lửa, nhắm vào thần thú Hosshi và Joker), nhưng sau tất cả, Joker vẫn là cool nhất. Cậu ấy nhảy xuống từ đỉnh tháp trong OP và cậu ấy thực sự rất cool với cái áo choàng. Về OP, tôi có xu hướng bỏ qua OP ngay sau khi đã xem một lần, nhưng tôi không thể làm thế với OP này.

Shimogasa: Tôi cũng thế.

Aihara: Thư thông báo thay đổi theo từng t��p phải không? (※ Thư thông báo xuất hiện lúc mở đầu OP và thường thay đổi theo mỗi tập).

Teramoto: Đó là niềm vui với những người thực hiện phải không?

Aihara: Đoạn đọc thư thông báo được đưa ra tại thời điểm đó rồi đến phần cao trào của bài hát một lần nữa đều thật tuyệt.

Teramoto: Nó đã từng có trong anime "Blue Comet SPT Layzner", đoạn hội thoại theo Digest-style của mỗi tập xuất hiện ở giữa OP. Nó là thú vị và tôi thích cách chỉ đạo thực hiện nó. Có một phần có gợi ý từ "Layzner"

Aihara: Ồ! Layzner, ra là vậy!

Interview Online part 2

Will continue translate vol 15 chapter 1 part 2

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

――So, what is Teramoto 's favorite character?

Teramoto: I like Silver Heart because I like a father. Every time, it seemed hard to think of the explanation corner, but everyone in the scenario writer enjoyed it and joined the plan, the scenario meeting was very exciting

Aihara: If I thought Silver Heart's explanation would come, I was surprised to feel like "Eh? This time Spade came!"

Teramoto: It was fun to get a different person occasionally

Aihara: Really very fine

Teramoto: Also, as a character may not be popular, but I like Mr. Kaneari

Aihara: That sounds good! It is surprising that beautiful secretary Kaneko was turned into as a super strong Commando Satsuko.

Teromoto: Actually, when I started making anime, Commando Satsuko was not in the original manga. In such circumstances, I gave Mr. Kaneari a original anime character called Kaneko. Then, that intense character (Commando Satsuko) comes out suddenly in the Manga, and will marry Kaneari. I am already surprised. What should I do about Kaneko's position? So, Commando Satsuko appeared from Kaneko with a hardship measure.

Aihara: No, but it's wonderful

Teramoto: Rather, Takahashi sensei who forgave that is wonderful.

――After all, did Takahashi sensei put out OK soon?

Teramoto: He told me "it was interesting, is not it?"

Aihara: That's great

Teromoto: His heart is too wide, right?

Shimogasa: On the other hand, Takahashi-sensei sometimes reimports elements of Anime back in Manga.

Teromoto: Oh yeah. Sky Joker's design

Shimogasa: I was surprised at the manga that time.

Aihara: Was the original Sky Joker originally a different design?

Teromoto: That's right. However, Takahashi-sensei liked the design of the Anime very much. During the serialization, the former airship was destroyed grandly and the same design as anime started from the next month. ( *Original Sky Joker was destroyed in Dracula arc vol. 19 )

Aihara: Sensei has good looking

Teramoto: I was surprised when see myself in the original manga. "I am with anime!"

Teramoto: Joker really is cute when he said can not live if there are no Hachi around. With other stories, in Traveling Joker he was really cool.

Aihara: I understand. A story about Joker and Shadow time-travel back to Edo period. It was similar to the movie version

Teramoto: I kept a close eye when making it

Shimogasa: I also like "Traveling · Jokers". Boiled Carey is delicious...

Teramoto: Also, "Idol · Stage" was also interesting. Stupid stories are still fun.

Shimogasa: After all the last episode.

Teramoto: It was pleasant that everyone was happy at the end.

Aihara: It really wonderful

―― So, what scenes are you into?

Aihara: There are lots ... ... The scene that Phoenix is becoming a black pita pita suit after he is caught is cool

Shimogasa: That scene, do you feel excited?

Aihara: Well, I do not know if I can tell you, but ... it's so erotic

Shimogasa: When I saw the scenario or the story, there was a scene where Phoenix (masks and some costumes) is off and I was really happy when I decided to draw the settings there.

Teramoto: Yeah, that scene is really good

Shimogasa: I really like to apply it based on the basic settings. I have clothed a new costume, but I like removing things and peeling already already. I also like such things like putting a jacket on my shoulder, on the way I am wearing it, only a shirt, and removing a tie. I always have a chance to draw it.

Teramoto: The character of Joker has a low degree of exposure, so it is sexy even if you take off a little.

Aihara: That's right! I will be excited

Shimogasa: Incidentally, I wanted to draw the appearance of Spade who took off his coat ... ... There was not much chance.

――The voice acting team was also luxurious

Teramoto: I thought that the voice of a boy was in charge of a female voice actor, but when I was auditioning for Joker role, I heard the voice of Ayumu Murase and felt "This is this person!" . The staffs around me also decided "Murase-san is not good" and decided. By the way, Hiroki Shimono who is the role of Spade is decided by not being covered with voice of Murase and not being covered with voice tone, so that it is better to know that it is Spade just by listening to the voice.

Aihara: Wow, that was right.

Teramoto: If it's another role ..... There is a very good image about Hachi and I decided to say "I would like to ask Yumiko Kobayashi-san".

Aihara: You were nominated.

Teramoto: I appreciate it.

Aihara: It is perfect

Teramoto: Miyuki Sawashiro who is a role of Queen started at the beginning but the schedule did not suit at first, but since it was empty by accident It seems that she did.

Shimogasa: It is really gorgeous.

Teromoto: Misaki Kuno, the role of Roko has come to receive an audition with other characters, but when I heard her voice "This is Roko-chan, isn't it?" So I hurriedly asked her to play Roko in the original line. Then the people around the staff became "Oh, it's Roko," and the role was decided as it was.

Aihara: Great. That's how it is decided.

――Do you have any stories you would like to work on if you can afford to animate it?

Teromoto: Of course there are still a lot of interesting stories I would like to animate it If I have the opportunity. Because I told that Blue-ray version appears in the first place but it did not come out at all, I thought that I had no chance at all and I was giving up already. Then I am really pleased that it will finally be released

Aihara: Moreover, the benefits will increase by the number of reservations!

Teramoto: The cover illustration of the box is also cool. Please let me put such a lot of characters.

―― Finally, in releasing the Blue-ray · DVD that was decided to be released this time, I would like a word from everyone to the fans.

Teramoto: It's a bit of a thing to say by myself, but I think that it's an Anime that makes me happy when I watch it. It was a happy feeling when we were making it, and it was a work that all the creators truly loved. I think that enjoyment will be conveyed to everyone who will surely see. It is a work that makes me absolutely fun and happy, so I'm happy if you can watch and enjoy it again and again.

Shimogasa: I think that it is a work that you can really enjoy as animation. Nowadays there are quarrel that many works do not allow ruin characters, but Kaitou Joker has freely drawn wide and wide. Works that can be done like that are very pleasant, from the animation. I want you to enjoy the movement and directing of characters unique to anime.

Aihara: Oh, Er, I'm a bird? Well, a bit comfortable comment ... .... Anyway the animation did not ruin, it is really cool. As Shimogasa-san say it animation very good, so i want to tell at people who are looking by a glance like "This just like Anime for kids". No, It is different. Kaitou Joker is so amazing. A good adult is really hooked and goes hooked. So your kids, of course, People of parent generation also want it. I will also watch it from now on.

――Thank you very much！

[cutiecrates]

Cutie Reviews: Kawaii Box May 19

Before I begin I have an announcement: later/tomorrow I plan to post a sort of... glossaryish post that will be about ALL the boxes I subscribe to :D Because earlier today it occurred to me, I never really talk about the brands themselves anymore unless they have some update or if I complain in my reviews. I thought this type of post would be nice for anyone who just wanted to learn more about a specific box to see if they would be interested in it. I will also be including my own opinions on the box as a whole, pros and cons, how the box has changed, etc.

So if you like things like that, then make sure you come back soon!

Until then, we’re gonna focus on this:

Word of the month: Tanjyoubi - Birthday

Disney Princess Dress-Up Puffy Stickers

Our first item is a set of Disney Princess Ariel/Little Mermaid stickers. Covered to the brim with stickers, this sheet has multiple outfits, accessories/props, and deco bits to have fun with the sticker doll and then-some!

Besides Ariel, there are other Disney Princess and I’ve even seen they added a really cute Minnie mouse one on Blippo.com. Those in this set each cost $3.90.

I was really torn between all 3 dresses, the turquoise one was a classic for Ariel, and I love how the pink one reminded me of Aurora, but I actually settled for the purple one because I though it looked really pretty on her. Then I chose the shell purse and matching decoration/accessory and a light pink sash to add more to her dress, what do you think?

While on the subject, which dress would you have chose for her? Or would you have given her a different colored dress entirely?

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

It’s really simple, but it’s also pretty fun and cute, I love dress-up stickers because of how creative you can be. I mentioned this before but I really want to start a scrapbook or photobook and fill it entirely with dress-ups~

The stickers puffiness is nice and soft, and I like how these don’t feel finished. So I could go back to it a few days later and swap out her purse and hair piece to make her classier with a sun hat. Or I could give her the turquoise dress if I wanted. 

Sanrio Ziptop Bag Set

Next up is this pack of adorable Pompompurin zipper bags. You get 6 in total, including 3 Small 70mm x100mm, and 3 Medium 160mm x 190mm. Each set offers different designs, and besides Pompompurin (who I couldn’t find on blippo btw) there was also the other basic characters like my Melody, Gudetama, Little Twin Star. Each set costs $5.90.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

I think these are really cute, and practical :D according to the back of the package you could put all sorts of things in these, and I like that both sets are zip-locks. These would be a perfect gift for any Pompompurin fan.

Kawaii Dreams File

This is the monthly Exclusive item, a file folder featuring a variety of kawaii designs and items you can find on the Kawaii Box box and booklet, with the inside panel being white and pink to match the box’s color scheme. It’s kinda small-medium, about the size of the booklet that comes in each box, and it’s a little flimsy, but for most part it feels durable and sturdy.

You can buy this off of Blippo for $2.90.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥  

I usually don’t look forward to getting these files in the boxes because as cute as they are, they’re always big and bent. This one fits in the box with no problem, so I feel like even though you would need to fold certain things into it, it’s more practical. I also like how despite how colorful and busy it looks, it doesn’t feel too-busy.

Soft Jell Rainbow Gel Pen Set

I loved gel pens growing up x3 my friends and I loved to draw on our things and each other during class (but only when we weren’t actually doing anything important <3< I wasn’t a model student but I didn’t get into trouble either), and I remember just admiring the massive rainbow collection my friend had; she must have had at least 100!

My collection was much smaller and modest though, I only had a few glittery metallic ones and a couple multicolored pastels. So for someone who used to love these, getting a whole pretty set like this just made my day~

It’s also pretty rare for us to get a whole set of anything in the boxes. If you’ve seen my prior reviews (or check out the items on blippo) its usually just one separate of your choosing. This set costs $6.90.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

The colors are vibrant and really pretty, as you can see I did decorate the box with them which in hindsight might not have been the best thing to do, but they still worked once the ink got flowing. They’re juicy and are capable of long lines, writing, dots, coloring.

My only complaint is that both blues (or I suppose you could say one is indigo? Turquoise?) look almost exactly alike. It’s the same in the actual pens, but there’s still a noticeable difference until you go to use them both, so I wish they would have darkened or lightened one of them to make the difference more noticeable.

Cute Animal Friend Masking Tape & Nekoni Cherry Blossoms Badge

For our next items, I got bunnies for both ♥

 First is an adorable pastel bunny washi tape that consists of a kawaii bunny doing some silly actions. I would have taken out a piece to show the design, but when I unraveled a long, long amount of it I saw no end to the pattern >3< like it kept going, there was no repeat bunnies. Each bunny was cuter, or sillier than the last.

There are several varieties you could get, and you can guy them in sets of 4 for $5.90 on Blippo.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Well besides being very cute and silly to look at, I like how this doesn’t seem to be repetitive like most tapes. I’m sure it starts repeating somewhere but for now, I just think it would be cute to use them individually as little emoji icons, like for notes or letters or something.

-----

From the brand Nekoni are these adorable pastel badges with cherry blossom designs, ranging from animals, a human girl, scenery, and adorable foods. Each badge costs $1.90.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

It’s very cute, but there isn’t really much I can say about a badge other than the fact it seems to be fine quality. There was no problems with it or anything to complain about.

Cute Stationery Buddy

This probably would have been better suited for a school theme- but you also use stuff like this to decorate :P so, our next item is an adorable, soft but firm plush themed after various stationery items. There are 7 in total, each with a ball chain and costing $4.90.

I really hope I’m not the only person, but when I saw this (and even now) I think of a snail; it’s a roll of tape! I was so surprised initially but now that I’ve had it for a while I’ve been seeing it more.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Again, I find myself with little to say. It’s really cute though, and the quality is nice, there’s no obvious flaws or issues.

Yogurt Jelly Hair Clip Set

In comparison to stationery, we always get sets of hair clips so I’m happy about that :3 I love their kawaii hair clips and accessories, they’re usually always one of my most favorite items~

Anyway, this set is themed after yogurt jelly and features a small translucent clip attached to a clear, colorful, glittery yogurt jelly attached to it, each with labels, a colorful lid, and a tiny lotte written in the corner. These come in several cute color schemes, each set costs $2.90.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

As I’ve been saying this entire review, these are very cute. They’re also well made, in that the pieces don’t feel loose or flimsy, which has been in a problem with one or two past-sets I’ve gotten, but you can easily fix that with some good glue. I was also very happy to get a very pink set, but you couldn’t go wrong with any of them in my opinion!

DIY Fruity Doodle Pen & Flower Candy

Our last item is this cute little fruity doodle set. Technically I don’t consider this to be a DIY considering you’re just spreading gel on the gummies, but it’s very cute and I really wanted to try it. I started seeing it like a year or two ago?

It’s available on Blippo for $3.50.

As you can see, I got tons of yellow gummies, along with a single pink, and two blues. The gel is supposed to be sour, but it’s actually very light- it reminds me a lot of strawberry jello/gelatin. The gummies are individually flavored, and this is what I thought:

Yellow - might be apricot? It tastes a lot like the apricot jelly filling in the mochi I buy from the mall.

Blue - my favorite, tastes like blue raspberry.

Pink - no flavor I could pick up, just sweetness.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

As I said, I’m not sure this is entirely a DIY so I didn’t make a separate post on it. All you do is apply the jelly, which I thought actually tasted the best out of everything in the set, but it was very tasty and cute overall, I just wish the colors/flavors of the flowers were more varied.

♥ Cutie Ranking ♥

Content -  5 out of 5: I’m not sure they were all my absolute favorite or anything, but I did genuinely like everything we got this month. I found no quality issues or problems, plenty of variety in both the types of items, and for each item. A very practical and fun box. Some items were fairly pricey though, and I’m not sure if I agreed with some of those. Also, we got one item less than usual, which I assume has something to do with the price?

Theme -  ????? out of 5: I found this Happy Birthday theme to be extremely open and up for interpretation, so I had I’m not sure how I feel about how they did on it. On one hand I could say “yes, these are items you could use for gifts or decoration for a birthday“, but on another I’d say “sakura badges and yogurt hair clips don’t make me think of a birthday.”

Total Rank: 8.5 out of 10 Cuties. I liked the items, and I can see why they chose the theme they did, but because of how open it is, I’m not sure how my feelings are towards it. The items worked great and I would recommend mostly all of them. I’m not sure this is my favorite box though...

(I’m sorry but I ended up skipping the last part of this review, I was fine this entire time but towards the end things got really busy in the house and I’m not feeling well at the time. I would have went to lay down but my laptop has been weird lately and I didn’t want to risk losing the work T^T sorry if you were looking forward to that part.)

[silasgrout70-blog]

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[deltaengineering]

Summer Anime 2018 Part 1: Nurupo

I feel bad for calling last season weak now, since that turned out okay, what with Megalobox, Hinamatsuri and Rokuhoudou (the best show you didn’t watch). Maybe this is a lesson to not be so negative, but all the positivity in the world can’t make this season look good. To balance it out, I’ll be bringing along some hot opinions from people getting paid to see the bright side this time.

P.S. Part 2 is here.

Island

What: A very Frontwing version of When They Cry, apparently. Awesome McCooldude wakes up on an island full of pliant girls and/or dark secrets.

✅  looks alright

❌ story is tryhard mystery nonsense based on convenient amnesia, very unlikely to deliver

❌❌ an absolutely terrible cast of generic VN characters, enjoy your common route hijinks with them

❌❌ Frontwing being Frontwing, please see picture.

ANN sez: “This episode accomplishes the two things that it absolutely must for the series to have a chance of succeeding: it makes the main trio of girls endearing enough and layers on some intriguing mysteries.”

Hanebad!

What: Some girls take badminton very seriously. Somewhere between genocide and extinction level event seriously.

✅  well animated and directed

✅  there appears to be more to the characters than nothing at all, so the overbearing presence of the drama llama might actually pay off

❌ has a tendency to wallow in ostentatious KyoAni-style presentational kitsch

❌ speaking of which, making the cast of Euphonium look like a bunch of carefree slackers by comparison is not a good thing

ANN sez: “From the lush colors of their school's flowers to the alienating saturation and long shots of their gym hallways, every mood HANEBADO strives for is captured perfectly through its visual storytelling, and solidified through fundamentally sturdy dialogue and plotting.”

Senjuushi

What: Touken Ranbu with firearms.

❌ This is a cute boys doing cute things anime set against a backdrop of global thermonuclear war and combining the ultra seriousness of ufotable TR with the slice of life tone of Doga Kobo TR makes for a very, let’s say, “uneven” experience. 

❌�� Unsurprisingly, it has the production values of neither of the above and looks like crap instead.

❌❌ The localized title is “The Thousand Musketeers” and given the reckless pace in which it introduces pointless characters, it might actually hit that number in 12 episodes.

❌❌ Mobile game character designs must be stopped, for fuck’s sake

ANN sez: “The story itself has some promise, especially if you're a fan of antique guns.“

Shichisei no Subaru

What: VRMMO light novel garbage about MMO newtypes.

❌ High tier light novel tropes like “u die in the game u die 4 real”, grade schooler magical girlfriends and demigod abilities

❌ Yes, the characters start as grade schoolers and then there’s a timeskip where they become high schoolers. They don’t change at all, which is either cutting commentary on arrested development or an indication of how good this show’s writing is.

❌ Ideas like permadeath in an MMO and giving good players a stake in the game company are hilariously stupid even by this genre’s standards.

❌ You’ve seen this exact cast of characters before, likely in better shows.

❌❌ There’s really no single egregiously bad aspect, but the stank of mediocrity is so overwhelming as to deserve a double minus all of its own.

ANN sez: “This episode banks heavily on the appeal of its mysteries, but those mysteries actually are pretty appealing, and I ultimately respect this episode's choice to introduce so much of its world and characters before getting to the real conceit.”

Banana Fish

What: A well regarded classic manga about New York’s seedy gang underbelly of drugs and violence. And BL.

✅ ✅   Looks good. Like actually, legitimately good. Animation, character design, directing, this show is quality.

❌ Updating the setting to contemporary times seems like a not so great idea since everything about this is deeply steeped in the mid-80s gang violence and drugs panic, no matter how many smartphones get used.

♎ The pacing is ultra fast. While I will admit that I’ll take that over a snoozefest (especially in a seasonal rundown), if this wants to be a legitimate high tier anime it needs to let the atmosphere breathe more. 24 episodes isn’t much for a 19-volume manga.

❌ I’ve praised MAPPA for promising first episodes before, and then I got the likes of Yuri on Ice and Virgin Soul out of it. This is not an anime original so it will be harder to fuck up, but life finds a way - especially given the need for condensing the story as noted above.

❌ Ultimately, just being a classy production with proven writing isn’t the be-all-end-all; quality aside, I still have to like what it does, and I’m not sure what amounts to a homoerotic 80s crime B-thriller is exactly in my wheelhouse.

✅ What else are you gonna watch this season?

ANN sez: “The one negative I can foresee is that one character is portrayed as a fairly stereotypical gay sexual predator, and this story pitches itself consistently as a seedier exploration of its boys' love subject matter, so it's reasonable to expect these kinds of details going forward.”

Yume Oukoku to Nemureru 100-nin no Ouji-sama

What: Girls get their wish-fulfilment isekai nonsense too, it’s just a pretty pointless definition when you can just say “basic otome harem” instead. But sure, nondescript girl wakes up in fantasy dream universe where she has a magical trait that makes a large number of princes desire her. Call it what you like.

♎ Successfully avoids the most obnoxious otome harem and isekai tropes, but that just makes it even more bland

❌ lots of exposition about an universe that is hardly complicated and transparently an excuse anyway

❌ Main character is agreeable but exceptionally boring

❌ The princes are all generically princely and very little else

❌❌ combine that with sluggish pacing and this might be the most boring show so far, which is not an easy feat

ANN sez: “There were also some neat details here and there that I particularly appreciated, like the fact that our heroine is actually a working adult, as well as the idea that rather than being “trapped in a new world” she's in truth been returned to her home.”

Back Street Girls

What: A trio of yakuza thugs get a forced sex change because their boss wants to be an idol producer. It’s funny, laugh.

❌ This is not the warm, fuzzy trans acceptance anime you’ve been looking for, to put it mildly. I am not easily offended, but it would have to be pretty darn good to outrun this premise. Yeah, about that...

❌❌ runs its one joke (idols are not supposed to be thugs, like, at all!) into the ground before it exceeds a 3-minute short runtime; is actually 24 minutes long anyway. Hope you really like that joke.

❌❌ the execution of said joke is the pits of anime comedy, nothing but reaction faces and shouting

❌❌ production values are basically non-existent, at most you can say that they took the time to color in those manga panels

❌ learning that Chiaki Kon is directing this pile is just sad, put THAT in your auteur pipe and smoke it.

ANN sez: Nothing, since western licensors mysteriously chose to skip this one. Really a shame because I was looking forward to the outrage.

Isekai Maou to Shoukan Shoujo no Dorei Majutsu

What: It has “Isekai” and “Maou” in the title so what do you fucking think. What it doesn’t tell you is that it’s also about an MMO, for the full LN shitter nuclear triad.

❌❌ It’s about a loser otaku who gets trapped in his MMO wherein he has the mostest hax, complete with complementary slave pettan catgirl and slave oppai elf

❌❌ This is meant to be funny because he’s too much of a dweeb to put his penis where his mouth is.

❌ Technically better executed than Death March or Isekai Smartphone, so it gets one single minus for effort.

ANN sez: “The idea that Takuma is so insecure about talking to other people that he can only comfortably speak in the voice of his demon lord character is ingenious in a dramatic sense and endearing in a personal one, while Takuma's clear understanding of his personal failings makes him far more sympathetic than the genre's usual snarky protagonists.”

Satsuriku no Tenshi

What: Early teen girl checks herself into Silent Hill General Hospital for grief counselling.

✅  Atmosphere works reasonably well; it’s creepy where it needs to be, which is everywhere and all the time.

❌ The girl is a nonfactor blob and the tough guy she gets paired up with is an annoying chuuni edgelord (it is called 𝔄𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔩𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔇𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔥 after all), which is not promising for the long run

❌ So obviously based on a run-of-the-mill spoopy RPGmaker freeware game you can practically see the floor tiles.

❌❌ 24 solid minutes of Getting Cornered By A Rape Metaphor quickly goes from unsettling to incredibly tedious.

❌❌ There’s really nowhere for this to go, given how unoriginal everything is; at best it’s going to be “it was all a dream”, at worst “everyone was dead all along, please feel sad now”.

ANN sez: “The design of the facility is one of those fanciful every-level-is-a-different-setting worlds, but the artistic effort strongly pushes the creepiness factor with a design aesthetic that suggests age, decay, and neglect.“

Harukana Receive

What: Girls play beach volleyball in scenic Okinawa, some light sports drama seems to be on the horizon.

✅  Looks just good enough

✅  Girls are just cute and likeable enough

❌ the sports aspect is weak; maybe I’m just spoiled on Emiya-san’s incredible beach volleyball scene right now, but even when not compared to a top tier studio ostentatiously flaunting the budget of their fucking cooking short the match here isn’t very compelling.

♎ where Hanebad has a bad case of the cereals, this may have the opposite problem of being too cotton candy to be worth it

✅  “good enough” is not a ringing endorsement, but counts for something when being just okay will net you a third or possibly second place of the season.

ANN sez: “This is, of course, all just conjecture right now. ”

Chio-chan no Tsuugakuro

What: We took Nichijou and replaced the surrealism with video game references and the production values with donkey dung. Let’s see if delta notices!

❌❌ Production values are not optional when you want to be Nichijou; it being astoundingly over the top and imbued with impeccable timing is a (or even the) main part of Nichijou’s appeal. Without them you’re left with basic reactionface manzai over awkward situations, the king of comedy.

❌❌ Suffice it to say, this show is 100% trying to be funny, while also 100% not succeeding at being funny.

❌Asscreed is a more original tentpole to rotate your first episode around than the usual Dragon Quest, but not by much.

♎ neurotic nerd main character that is little more than a bundle of social anxieties will be #relatable to anime professionals, observe:

ANN sez: “Chio's overthinking in this situation is both hilarious and painfully true-to-life, with her furious strategizing coming across as both absurd and very familiar to anyone who's not comfortable in conversation.”

Planet With

Wat: Appears to be a tokusatsu/crypto-mecha show aimed at the younger set, with the gimmick being that our protagonist is (initially?) on the side of the villains(?).

✅  Pretty wacky, actually. It definitely doesn’t neatly fit in your square notions of what an anime is, man (unless you’ve watched FLCL).

❌ It seems very uncertain whether the wackiness is in service of anything. It might be To Be Heroine, or it might just be Heybot with fewer fart jokes.

♎ Furthermore, it wants to be intriguing and sort of is, but merely being intriguing is not that hard - you just make no sense and hope for the best. This has the not making sense part down, do you feel lucky?

❌ tries to build up characters by immediately going for the sad flashbacks, which I never like, especially if the rest of the show is eIDLIVE-level nonsense.

❌ Looks mostly fiiiiiine, but is also full of subpar CG

ANN sez: “So if the heroes are fighting against someone who just wants peace, then what does that make them? And more importantly, if they find out that the bears aren't evil, will they stop?”

Hataraku Saibou

What: A cutesy educational comedy about the workings of a human body.

✅  Well made, characters are cute, topic is interesting.

❌ Educational aspect can get in the way; I’m not suddenly giving heavy exposition a pass just because it’s trying to teach me something, especially if it’s things I basically already know.

♎ Will have to show if it can keep coming up with good scenarios. The lung infection in episode 1 was alright and so will probably be the skin cut in the preview, but beyond that I’m not sure what’s left for red and white blood cells to do. I’m not expecting a show with this tone to tackle things like retroviruses, if you know what I mean.

♎ An actual storyline seems like too much to expect, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but not a positive either.

✅  Doesn’t rock my socks off but is an easily watchable show with a fine idea and high production values, which again is hard to say no to right now.

ANN sez: “But since it culminates in one of my favorite scenes from the manga, visualizing sneezing as shooting a torpedo out your nose, I can forgive the random gendering of cells.”

Ongaku Shoujo

What: DEEN are getting in on the idol mobile game anime biz too.

✅  The main character’s gimmick is that apart from being A Honk, she can’t sing for shit; this is moderately funny.

❌ It might have counted for more if that hadn’t come out seconds before the episode ended. Even if it isn’t a momentous twist, it was more of a point of interest than the incredibly bland leadup to it had.

❌  Yeah, “Ongaku Shoujo” is an entirely indicative name of how generic this show is: Music + girls, indeed. I assume “Idols” was taken.

❌ I’m still not sure what the ideal cast size of a show like this is, but 12 idols is Idolmaster turf and as such too many. They have personalities? I think?

❌ a very small handful of cuts aside, woeful production quality; I know picking on DEEN is 2ez but this is not their finest work. Animation snobs can feel proud that there’s no CG dancing here, for the rest of us it’s an object lesson on why CG is the lesser of two evils.

✅  Tumbling SR cards in the ED (which is probably actually the OP) made me laugh; this show can’t even afford URs.

❌❌ Overall, just another idol show. Large cast plus presence of a P-san marks it as Im@s-type – but if you're in the market for an Idolmaster clone with bad looks, I would recommend Wake Up Girls instead because that’s at least pretty real at points.

ANN sez: They’re out for the weekend, ask again later. I suspect it’s nothing funny.

[stopforamoment]

Part Three: Admit (Series 20, Part 3 of 5)

Series Twenty: Cracked (Five Parts) Part Three: Admit (Series 20, Part 3 of 5) My masterlist is at the end of my bio.

Book: The Royal Romance (After Book Three) Pairing: Bastien Lykel x OC Rinda Parks Word Count: 1,208   Rating: M for Language

Author’s Note: Obligatory disclaimer that Pixelberry Studios owns the TRR characters and my pocketbook with those darn diamond scenes. OFC with all of her quirks is all mine. My apologies if Tumblr or I do something stupid when I try to post this. The keep reading link shows up on my laptop but not my phone. Ugh. Thank you @asherella-is-a-dork-3 and @bobasheebaby for always being my sounding board! Thank you @cora-nova @silviasutton1989  ​ @riseandshinelittleblossom​ for being my thirsty Bastien friends and for still being a part of the journey! Series Summary: This is a little transition to give some more background on Rinda’s unhealthy methods of coping with relationship cracks. It’s also meant to help give Rinda a push in the right direction with her healing process (remember, she lies and says she’s fine, but she holds onto things), and the next few series will go more in-depth with that.

Chapter Summary: Nadia calls Rinda out on her manipulative testing people bullshit.

Part Three: Admit

“Nadia, how was the rest of the conference?”

Nadia chuckled. “Can you imagine that shit? Having us come in for three hours of the guest note speaker’s droning, boring panel presentation options, and feedback focus groups that could easily be done with an online survey. Ridiculous. When I got up I decided I wanted a Bloody Mary more than I wanted to spend another moment in that fucking conference room. So I had a little chat with Siri about the best Bloody Marys in town, and here we are. But why aren’t you there?” She grinned at Bastien. “I knew Rinda would blow it off to sleep in, but I thought you’d be there for sure. I bet you were the child who was too afraid to skip school or get into trouble.” She leaned closer, a devilish gleam in her eyes. “Or were you the child who was too clever to get caught?” Bastien grinned but said nothing. . . . . .

“Rinda, I have to make a confession. I don’t know what you and Bastien were fighting about, but I have to say that I’m probably Team Bastien.” Rinda shook her head. “Way to lead in with that one. And now that we’re discussing it, what the hell? You’ve known me for over 10 years but you’ve only known Bastien a couple days?” “Exactly. I know you. Which means that I know how hard it must have been to let someone into your life after Jameson died. I know how you always used your wedding ring as a way to protect yourself, but you aren’t wearing a ring right now. Bastien told me that you don’t want to be wearing a ring for the second anniversary, which means you’re trying to be independent and Bastien is supportive of that. But it also means it was a really big fucking deal when you took off Jameson’s ring, and you didn’t take it off until you met Bastien. I don’t need to know him that well because I know you. And I trust your judgement.” Nadia kept her voice low, knowing Rinda would shut down if she raised it. “But I also know that you’re an absolute bitch when you’re pissed, and I don’t want you to fuck up what you have with him.” Bastien looked at Nadia in shock. He wasn’t expecting her to take his side like that. “Nadia, thank you. But I really did fuck up yesterday. I did something cruel that hurt Rinda and she forgave me, but there is so much I need to do to win her trust again. And she deserves all the time she needs.” He turned to Rinda. “And I understand if you are never able to fully get over it, and if things are never the same.” Rinda shook her head. “I don’t want that. I don’t ever want that—where something is so bad that it hangs over us.” Nadia held Rinda’s hands. “But you do it anyways. You don’t want your parents’ disaster of a marriage, yet you fall back to that behavior when you can’t handle a situation.” Rinda’s body was trembling, knowing Nadia was right, but she was also shaking her head. “When you say something. Do something. Even when it’s an accident. It can’t be taken back. It causes a crack in the relationship, and that crack just gets bigger until the whole thing shatters.” “Tria, that’s how the light gets in.” Rinda’s face paled and Nadia stopped mid-drink, staring at Bastien. “What did you just say?” Bastien blushed. “I’m sorry. It’s part of a song by Leonard Cohen:

Ring the bells that still can ring forget your perfect offering there is a crack in everything that's how the light gets in.”

Nadia leaned back and shook her head. “You live a charmed life that’s full of bullshit, Rinda. I can’t believe there is a god who panders to your serendipity miracle delusions as much as yours does.” Bastien was thoroughly confused, so he said nothing. Nadia turned to him. “Rinda’s tests. She has these stupid tests, as if the fate of a relationship or anything meaningful in life can be based on the answer to a test. If the cute police officer opens the door for me at the post office, he’s the one. If he calls me while I’m doing the walk of shame the next morning, he’s the one.” Nadia sighed. “And of course, Jameson passed every fucking one of those little tests. I know those tests tie in with qualities you’re looking for in a person, but no one can pass every stupid test like that. I’m sorry, Rinda. My Flying Spaghetti Monster was never that obvious with me and Kathleen. You can’t use these tests as signs from god or to make major decisions. What was your test for Bastien? Did he pass?” Rinda winced. “He needed to show me that he was willing to cherish and respect me again. I needed him to ask if he could cuddle with me, and he did ask.” Rinda was turning scarlet, realizing how stupid that sounded when she said it out loud. She didn’t even need to see Nadia’s look of utter disbelief to her or Nadia’s apologetic head shake to Bastien. She looked back at Rinda and twirled her finger next to her temple to signal that she thought Rinda was cuckoo crazy.

“And if he wouldn’t have asked?” Rinda shrugged. “I don’t know. I would have felt sad that he didn’t know what I needed from him to make it better.” “Because he’s not a mind reader? And if he failed the test would mean you needed to punish one of the most important people in your life? Or walk away from him? Rinda, would you ever do that to Henry?” “No, never” Rinda hissed. “Then don’t do it to the man who loves the two of you more than anything else in this world. And don’t do it to yourself.” She lowered her voice, but Bastien could still hear her. “Don’t punish yourself for falling in love again. I’m sure you were waiting for some sign from Jameson before you were able to take off your wedding ring. It must have happened. And Bastien fucking adores you. You’re getting a second chance at love, Rinda. Don’t fuck this up.” Now she looked at Bastien. “I expect you to call me if she pulls this bullshit again. Whatever you did to hurt her, she has no right making you pass those stupid tests she creates in her head.” Nadia shook her head and laughed. “You’re really fucking unbelievable, Parks. You almost make me believe in god.” She nodded toward Bastien. “I assume Bastien had no clue you like that quotation just because you’re obsessed with Louise Penny novels?” She recited the next verse. We asked for signs The signs were sent The birth betrayed The marriage spent Yeah the widowhood Of every government Signs for all to see

“Did you get the signs you needed, Rinda? Or do you still want more?” Rinda had been thoroughly scolded and she hung her head in shame, shaking her head. She didn’t need more. She was a very contrite Tria.

[ahhhsami]

Spoilers:

Here are my reactions and favorite parts of Turf Wars Part 2. Spoilers under the cut. Spoilers are in the notes too, so don’t click those if you haven’t read it.

It’s in sequential order of the comic:

1. Tenzin accepting Korra and being happy for her. 2. Happy to see a little Kainora as she saves him. :D 3. Bolin is too precious for this world. 4. I like that Lin doesn’t react about Korrasami, but Bolin’s handwriting. 5. Bending Bros are in full force in this comic. 6. Raiko’s still an ass, but at least Wenyan got what he deserved from Korra. 7. It’s officially canon that Asami and Zhu Li are the best together. 8. Raiko calling out Korra’s vacation to turn the people against her. Like damn you held nothing back man. Korra looking at his finger was pretty awesome, lol. 9. Asami and Tenzin standing up for her. Like yes. 10. ZHU LI FOR PRESIDENT!! 11. Asami waving to President Moon... I think my heart skipped a beat. 12. The little touches in the next scene. Like Asami’s hand on Korra’s leg, the close proximity, their fingers lightly touching. Good stuff.  13. Bolin narrating. Like really, too pure for this world. Also Mako sweating when thinking about his exes dating, lol. 14. Bolin turning out to be the bad cop, while Mako’s the good cop. Adorbs. 15. Asami’s always so self aware. Like she’s already reaching for her glove before she even knows what’s happening. 16. Jargala Omo... that is all that needs to be said. 17. That panel with Asami holding the electric glove up, dayum girl. 18. I really like the character design of all the Creeping Crystal members. 19. Zhen makes valid points, but he’s a dick. He gets even worse as the plot unfolds. He is the worst. -_- 20. Did not expect the tentacle arm, but coooooooolllllll. Once again TLOK comes through with a cool villain. 21. Lin doing the earthbending sensor move. It’s so cool every time. 22. Mako risking himself once again to save others. He’s so selfless and has grown so much as a character from Book 1. 23. I didn’t actually see the twist of Wonyong Keum being kidnapped. I truly thought he was working with Tokuga, but obviously not anymore. 24. Korra calling Asami her girlfriend... and her girlfriend being so happy to see her. My heart just got two times bigger. 25. Korra instantly closing the space once Asami tells her about the Creeping Crystals and their visit.  26. Korra was so cute being all protective, but I also love that Asami is confident in her own skills and knows that she doesn’t always need Korra to protect her. Sometimes she just needs her girlfriend. 27. Korra admitting how much she cares for Asami. <3 <3 <3 28. And once again the little touches. Asami’s such a tactile person. 29. Sounds perfect :) 30. Varrick being Varrick, lol. I love the dynamic between him and Zhu Li. Also the fact that he was 1000% in support of his wife. True love my friends. 31. Korra dressed up for her date. And the fact that she instantly knew something was wrong when Asami was late. :*( 32. Bending Bros in full support of Korra, even to the extent of following her blindly. That’s true friendship. 33. Korra likes to kick down doors. It’s her thing. 34. Using the crystals as weapons, well done. Quite aesthetically pleasing. 35. Jargala just being cool once again. I like her so much. 36. Got a nice film noir vibe from the panel when the light is only on Korra’s face when their in the police vehicle again. I dug it. 37. I like that they brought back Kuvira’s weapons. Nice tie in with Book 4. 38. Korra’s utter surprise on her face when she sees Tokuga and her attempts to try to talk him down first. She wouldn’t have done that in the past. She would have gone straight in to fight. 39. I like that Tokuga still uses a hook sword in his normal arm. It’s one of my favorite weapons. 40. The panels when Korra figures out that Tokuga took Asami. My good. Now that hit me in the feels. First the fear and then the intense anger. Wow. 41. AVATAR STATE! 42. Holy shit... guess who’s back. Fucking Zhen and he’s holding a firedagger to Asami’s neck. Yeah, I hate that dude.  43. Korra blaming herself. Like no, poor baby. Don’t do that to yourself. 44. Knowing that I have to wait until June now... not cool. 45. The story was so much better and this is what I’d wanted and had expected from Part 1. Part 1 was definitely for the fans, but Part 2. Now that was some quality stuff for everyone.

[trixystix]

Fakiru Week 2017 Day 1: Silver

So, for Fakiru week this year, I’m doing a 7-part modern Pride and Prejudice AU I’ve been thinking about for some time now.  :3 I hope you’ll enjoy, and I’m sorry that each of these chapters are late :x

Also, this is all self-indulgent so like.  I’m sorry :x

Ahiru and her sisters weren't born with silver spoons in their mouths.

On the contrary, life with the Featherbottoms was more like giant ice cream scoopers, aprons stained with crepe batter, and a limit to only two free samples per customer because running a parlor was expensive business.

... Ahiru thought it rather silly to limit them to two samples each, since barely anyone ever came in anymore.

Their little ice cream and crepe parlor sat on the eastern end of a dismally failing outdoor mall.  Most stores sat empty.  Other lots housed some random boutiques and the occasional rug store bound to be out of there by the next quarter.  Ahiru swore she saw tumbleweed brush past the glass paneled doors at least once a week.

Her parents, well-meaning and ridiculous as they were, insisted that their big break was coming---that Rue's balletic talent ("her one redeeming quality!" they'd say, much to Ahiru's chagrin) would carry them off into comfort and riches eventually, and persisted with keeping this little shop going as long as possible (if only so they wouldn't lose the apartment).  Not without cutting corners, though: they swapped out fresh strawberries for preserves, removed avocado from all their savory crepes, convinced Ahiru to make smaller scoops per order, and other such minor details that soon coalesced into one giant mess of a business.

"Rue!!" came the shrill sing-song of their mother's squawking, "Let your sisters handle the shop today!  You must keep to your lessons!  I've heard from your instructors that you've been focusing far less lately!"

Rue frowned impatiently, stubbornly pulling her thick hair into a tight bun.  "Ahiru will be left alone here."

"I can handle it!" Ahiru said brightly from her spot in front of the display glass, wiping at the window above the bins of ice cream.  Though her parents saw Rue's dancing as a way out of their struggles, Ahiru knew that her older sister genuinely felt her happiest in her pointe shoes.  "I don't think it's gonna get busy!  And Pique and Lilie are coming in this afternoon, that's what they said!"

Rue gave Ahiru a withering stare.  

Ahiru's expression wilted.  "O-Okay, so they're not coming in.  But still, it'll be okay, won't it?  I know how everything is done!"

"Heavens, no!" Mrs. Featherbottom gasped, utterly scandalized, "The whole place would fall to pieces, and we'd be left with absolutely nothing!  We'll be forced onto the streets: beggars!  Spinsters!"

Ahiru blinked owlishly.  "Spinsters?"

"Spinsters!"

"Oh."  Was Ahiru really that bad with the store upkeep?

Rue turned her nose up, her lips pursing, and to their mother, she might've looked haughty.  But Ahiru caught the subtle slump in Rue's poised shoulders.  "Mother, I'll stay here until Pique or Lilie comes to relieve me.  I'll make up the lessons on my next day off."

"Well, be sure that one of those two comes here soon!  The darlings---they work so hard and have such hefty schedules!  But we must balance our priorities, after all!  And Rue, you cannot have your talents go to waste!"

Rue took her spot at the crepe station while Ahiru sampled the strawberry flavor.  Minutes passed.  No customers, as expected.

So, Ahiru bumped the volume on the speakers and skidded across the tile floor, a mop her guitar and an ice cream scooper as a microphone.  Rue gave her that same, tiny smile, the one that said, "you're so silly, I love you, little sister," and rose to the tips of her non-slip shoes to twirl into a dance behind the counter.

Working wasn't always that bad.

Overcast weather over an outdoor mall always promised slow days.  They simply got used to the lack of customers in the fall.  Crisp, cloudy, and cool, this was the quiet season (or at least, quieter than usual).

These moments were rather nice, despite the fact that their days in this business were numbered if things kept on as they were.

Ahiru tried to appreciate it all for what it was.

Then, on one such gloomy day, the door opened over the lull of humming freezers and retail music.  And Ahiru would've swooned at their new customer if she wasn't distracted by the way Rue shyly glanced away and tucked a loose strand of hair over her ear.

He was lovely, with warm, golden eyes and hair of pearl---the sort of face that would make Pique and Lilie run in screeching.  And his smile was sweet and genuine.  Ahiru's own customer-service grin came quite easy to her in his presence.

Rue didn't even look him in the eye.  Ahiru took note of this.

"Hello!  I didn't know there was an ice cream place here!"

"Hi there!  Um, would you like a free sample, sir?" Ahiru offered, waving from behind the glass and hopping up onto the step stool so she could see him clearly.  He dressed smartly---so different from anyone else in these suburbs.  A nice tweed jacket, a crisp, white button-up ...

He shook his head politely.  "No, but thank you very much for the offer.  It's rather chilly, actually.  Do you happen to serve coffee?"

"Yes, of course!"

"I'd like one please.  Oh!"  He spotted the menu on the back wall.  "And crepes!  I love crepes!"

Rue shifted, keeping her expression hidden.  Ahiru's smile grew mischievous.  "Aaaah, of course!  Go ahead and order with Rue over there!  She makes really, really good ones!  I'll get your coffee!"

"Thank you so much."

Forced to greet him now, Rue kept her expression carefully controlled, an even, pleasant smile for a customer.  But Ahiru, ever-so-attentive to her older sister's habits, caught the way she gripped her apron.

The man's eyes widened, and he paused in his step, his lips parting in awe at the sight of Rue.

Ahiru giddily went about making a fresh brew, biting her lip and trying not to listen in as Rue and this new gentleman made pleasantries.

"Do you have any recommendations, Miss Rue?"

"Would you like something savory, perhaps lunch, sir?  Or something sweet?"

"... I'd very much like something sweet."

"Hm.  Then may I suggest the strawberries and nutella?"

"That sounds delightful."

Okay, maybe Ahiru was reading way too much into it.  But ... this was super cute.  

As the young man intentionally carried on conversation while Rue set to making his crepe, the door swung open once more, causing Ahiru to almost spill the contents of the paper cup in her hands.

"Dammit, Autor, the numbers aren't adding up!  We pay you for a reason, don't we?!"

The deep, frustrated timbre drowned out the sweet discussion occurring on the other side of the parlor.  He spat the words into his phone, his free hand shoved deep into the pocket of his slacks.  His blazer and shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, a tie undone and hanging loose from his collar.  With sharp, green eyes and rich, dark skin, Ahiru would've found him stupidly attractive.

You know.  If not for the way his lips curled into a snarl and how he barked into his phone like it was the nastiest thing in the world.  Ahiru didn't bother to hide her frown.

"Well, fix it!"  He glanced up from his phone only to look in the other man's direction.

The sweet, good, much-nicer-and-altogether-better person gave him a sheepish smile and a shrug.

He rolled his eyes.  "Look, Autor, I'll call you back, and when I do, you've better have ironed out everything we just discussed."  He pulled his phone from his ear and tapped it with an impatient thumb.  "Mytho, what are you---"

"They have crepes, Fakir!  I haven't had a crepe in so long!"

"Are you seriously---"

"They have coffee, too."

"Fakir" frowned, noticing the way "Mytho" leaned in and smiled with gentle affection toward the woman making his crepe.  Without passing Ahiru a single glance, he scoffed and sat at the table next to the window.  "Coffee, then.  Black.  Fresh-brewed.  I don't want leftovers."

Ahiru's jaw dropped.  Well.  Well.  WELL!

As Fakir tapped and scrolled angrily at his phone, Mytho cleared his throat and leaned toward Rue again.  "I'm so sorry.  He's not usually like this.  He's just having a rather stressful day."

"So I see," Rue muttered in reply, spreading nutella along the crepe's surface.

Meanwhile, Ahiru grit her teeth.  Fine.  Fine.  Fresh-brewed, just for Mr. Cranky-Pants.  He would have the best coffee in the world.  It would be the most delicious, most delectable, best shot of caffeine he'd ever have in his life, and probably go on to keep being a jerk and how in the world were these two people even acquainted?

She passed Mytho his coffee first with a smile---which he returned with a quiet thanks and an apology.  Then, she placed the other coffee---THE BEST COFFEE EVER---onto the counter.

"Your coffee's ready."

He kept on tapping at his phone.

"Um.  Sir?"

He scowled and scrolled.

"Siiiir?"

Still nothing.

"AHEM."

When he refused to acknowledge even that, she grabbed the best coffee ever and stomped around the counter toward his table.  She pointedly placed it down right in between his face and that poor, abused phone screen.  "Your coffee's ready, sir!  Black, freshly brewed, super delicious, and the best ever!  Sugar and cream are at the counter!"

He scowled and finally looked up at her.  "Hey, watch it---"

Her lips pursed as he paused.  His brow unfurrowed just slightly, the tenseness in his jaw loosening.

Her cheeks heated and she gulped.

Then, she shook her head and stalked off back around the counter with a huff.  Okay, so he had a staring problem, too.  She'd had some lousy customers before, but this guy really took the cake!

"Miss Ahiru," Mytho said, walking toward the register with coffee in one hand and crepe box in the other, a skip in his step and a twinkle in his eye.  "Rue tells me you've been in business here for many years.  How do you like it?  How's the area?  Thinking of renting one of these empty stores."

Ahiru prepared to reply with enthusiasm, but that Fakir butted in.  "You've seen it already, Mytho.  This place is dead.  Numbers are dropping constantly."

"Ahem!"  Ahiru rang him up with perky jubilance, her grin wide.  "I like it here!  It's nice and quiet and we get to meet nice people who walk their dogs, and we have a Halloween store that shows up every year and a tree-lighting ceremony during holidays!  So, with a little imagination, it's a great place!  Numbers aren’t everything!”

She dared to look around Mytho to throw a triumphant grin in that Fakir's direction.

... She was mildly surprised to see that he wasn't scowling.

"Well, that's good to hear!"  Mytho paid without further incident, before stepping toward the crepe station.  "Miss Rue ... thank you for your time.  I'll ... I'd like to try other crepes again soon!"

She smiled a little, polite and even.  "We look forward to it."

As he took his leave, Ahiru called out to Fakir, her grin super-duper wide.  "And yours is 2.50 plus tax!"

He stood and approached the register.

Hoo boy.

Okay, he was tall.

She readied herself for some kind of mean spirited comment or grumpy complaint, but all he did was hand her a ten before following Mytho out the door.

The sisters were left in silence.

Until Ahiru spoke, shaking off that weird warmth that filled her cheeks under that Fakir's piercing gaze.  "Ugh.  If he ever comes in again, I'm gonna kick his butt."

"Please do.  Looks like he left you a big tip, though," Rue countered.

"I don't want his dumb tip!  Did you see the way he spoke to Mytho?  And, and, and me, and the person on the phone!  Hmph, I wish that stupid silver spoon in his mouth stopped him from talking!"

"How could anyone like Mytho be in business with someone like that?"

At this, Ahiru felt her mood lighten.

"... Mytho was really nice, huh, Rue?"

"... Oh, stop it."

Mytho nibbled delightedly at his crepe, but sighed as he glanced up and down the pathetic halls of the outdoor mall.  "... You're right, though.  This area ... isn't all that promising when you look at it now.  Other than that delightful ice cream place."

Fakir rolled his eyes.

But numbers aren't everything.

Tumbleweed brushed against the toe of his polished shoe and he kicked at it.

And after another moment, he looked up, fighting the urge to follow his friend's gaze back to the parlor a small distance away.  With a little imagination ...

"... No.  There's potential here.  I see it."

[alarmclockshop]

How to Upgrade Your Morning Alarm Clock Experience on Your Phone

Many of you probably get up every day with the help of an alarm on your smartphone. But are you using your phone’s alarm to its full potential, or settling for the standard default ringtone at a certain time and leaving it at that? These are the tricks, the apps, and the gadgets that can upgrade your wake-up experience. The Clock app on Android The Clock app that comes with Android recently added support for Google Assistant routines, so you can turn on your smart lights or get a morning briefing at the same time that your alarm goes off. When you’ve set an alarm under the Alarm tab, tap Google Assistant Routine in the panel underneath. You can get a report on the weather, the news, or your schedule. You can also take your phone out of silent mode or do something with any smart lights, plugs, or thermostats you’ve hooked up to Google Assistant. On top of that you can play the news, a podcast, or an audiobook by selecting an option under the And then play heading (tap the cog icons on the right to configure these features further).

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If you want to wake up to music, tap the alarm sound on the main Alarm screen. The options to wake up to YouTube Music (if you’re a premium subscriber) or Spotify (whether you’re a premium subscriber or not) were recently added to the Clock app, so you should see them alongside the usual selection of ringtones. If you want to wake up to a specific song or audio clip without the aid of Spotify or YouTube Music, you need to create your own custom alarm sound. To take more control over your alarms on Android, tap the menu button (three dots, top left) on the Alarm screen then choose Settings. The subsequent list of options lets you set how long alarms ring as well as their volume, how long the default snooze period is, and the function of the volume buttons on your phone. (They can be used to dismiss or snooze alarms, or change alarm volume). Tap Gradually increase volume to do just that: If you don’t want to wake the rest of your household with an alarm but do want to make sure you get out of bed, set the initial alarm volume to a low level, then set the volume to ramp up over a period of between 5 and 60 seconds. The Clock app on iOS Adding alarms on the Alarm tab of the Clock app for iOS is straightforward enough, but there are a few tricks and features you might have missed. Firstly, you can toggle the Snooze option off for when you really need to get out of bed immediately. There’s also the option to name each of your alarms via the Label field. The only purpose this serves is to help you distinguish between alarms—e.g., weekend wake-up calls and reminders to take medication—but the option is there if you need it. Tap on the Sound button and you get a host of options, including the ringtones that come with iOS, ringtones you can buy from iTunes, and songs you’ve got synced to your phone from iTunes or available from Apple Music (tap Pick a song to make your pick). Follow this guide if you want to make some custom ringtones. If you want a more subtle wake-up call in the morning, you can turn on vibration as well as or instead of an audible alarm. If that’s your preferred method of waking up, you can choose from the list of options iOS gives you, or even create a custom vibration by tapping on the screen (select Create New Vibration to do this). To control the volume of alarms on iOS, tap Sounds & Haptics from the Settings app in iOS. Drag the Ringer and alerts slider to change the default alarm volume, and turn the Change with Buttons toggle switch on if you want to be able to adjust it as it’s ringing with the volume buttons. Get familiar with the Bedtime feature now available in iOS as well. (It’s a separate tab in the iOS Clock app.) It takes you through the process of setting a morning alarm, but will also remind you when it’s time for bed based on how much sleep you want to get as well as track how well you’re sticking to your goals over time. Third-party alarm apps You’ve got a wealth of options to pick from when it comes to third-party alarm apps, and it seems like more are being added all the time. If you’re struggling to get out of bed, these apps can force you to, for example, complete a math challenge or some other task to silence the ringing. Several of these apps will attempt to wake you up at a time that fits in with your body’s natural circadian rhythms. In theory, that makes for an easier time actually getting out of bed. Sleep Cycle for Android and iOS, is one of the best in the business, and it’s free to get started. With this one, you can customize your wake-up window, analyze your sleeping patterns over time (based on the sounds you make during your slumber), and get nudged into wakefulness during a light period of sleep. Sleep As Android for Android is another excellent app that combines sleep tracking with smart alarms, but as the name suggests, it isn’t available for iOS. It sits on your mattress to judge how well you’re sleeping and can wake you at a time that fits your periods of light sleep. It also comes with a selection of natural sounds to use as an alarm. The app is free to use, but extra features can be unlocked with a one-off $4 payment. For iPhone users, the freemium Pillow for iOS is similar to Sleep As Android. Either place your phone near your pillow (see the link?) or connect it to an Apple Watch, and the app measures the quality of your sleep and picks the optimal time to wake you up (within a specific time window you’ve already configured). It also comes with a choice of ambient and natural sounds to wake you up more gradually. The freemium Alarmy for Android and iOS has been helping people get out of bed for years and remains one of our favorites. It comes with a whole host of challenges for silencing your alarm, from taking a photo of something like your bathroom faucet to solving a math problem. The idea is that by the time you’ve managed to switch the alarm off, you’re well and truly awake. You can also get weather and news updates through Alarmy as well. Also worth a mention here is AlarmMon for Android and iOS. The freemium app stands out for the way it makes waking up fun (or at least tries to): There’s a choice of mini-games to help rouse you from your slumber more efficiently, a selection of weird-but-cute sounds to wake you with different audio each day, and even ways to log your patterns of waking up over time. Carrot Alarm for iOS will set you back $3, but for your money you get a talking alarm clock that’s a little different from the norm. In addition to having a lot of attitude, the app comes with a choice of options for shutting off the alarm, including shakes, swipes, and pinches. The alarms themselves can be a mixture of custom dialog and music, and the app actually gets angry with you if you hit the snooze button too many times. Last but not least, Alarm Clock For Heavy Sleepers for Android is a freemium alarm clock app that’s well summed up by its name. In its attempts to drag you out of bed, the app can combine multiple alarms and challenge you with math puzzles. It has some other neat tricks too, like the ability to disable alarms on public holidays or to set alarms based on your location (so you don’t get woken up too early on vacation). Adding another device Another way to upgrade your morning wake-up experience is to get something else working alongside your phone to get you out of bed. A dock like the $70 iHome Bluetooth Alarm Clock will wirelessly charge up your iPhone overnight, tell you the time, and add some extra volume to those alarm sounds. There aren’t too many brilliant alarm clock dock options for smartphones these days, but another one we like is the $60 Dpnao Charging Docks Station: It works with all recent iPhone models, and it too will charge up your phone while you sleep in addition to making sure the alarms are loud enough to get you out of bed. And the advantage of having a dock that’s not right by your bedside is that you do actually have to get up to turn the alarm off. Whether or not you want to invest in a separate dock device, if you’re struggling to wake up in the mornings, try putting your phone on the other side of the room (or even in another room entirely). With so many shapes and sizes to cater for, there aren’t as many docks for Android devices as there are for iPhones. One we have spotted is the $28 Philips AJT3300 device that brings with it several useful features. Some of those include keeping the time on display, playing music (or alarm sounds) over Bluetooth, and charging your phone. Indeed, you don’t necessarily need to buy a dock to give the alarm audio some extra oomph. You could just connect your phone to a Bluetooth speaker before you go to bed and set the volume accordingly. (But maybe give this a few trial runs in the daytime to make sure it’s not going to wake up the entire neighborhood.) Don’t forget you can get a variety of smart lights as well now to work in tandem with your phone (you could control them with Google Assistant when an alarm goes off, as we mentioned at the start). The $99 Casper Glow, for example, can gently dim at bedtime and gently brighten in the mornings to ease you into the day more naturally.

Read the full article

[saotome-michi]

Top 10 Manhwa of 2016-17

I used to rarely read manhwa, maybe just one or two a year, but then I discovered Lezhin and Spottoon - online platforms that host Korean webcomics with English translations available. The first few chapters are usually free but after that you have to pay to read, which actually appeals to me because I like being able to support writers and artists. And even if you find the prices unaffordable, reading the free chapters still helps because you’re increasing the view count and their popularity. The only complaint I have is that the quality of the translations can differ greatly between series, especially on Spottoon. Sometimes it’s pretty good and sometimes it’s really bad. 

Anyway, I’ve read so many manhwa this past year that I thought it’d be nice to make a manhwa rec list! Except for a few exceptions, I tried to only recommend series that have a good number of chapters out or that are already completed. These are my personal top 10. Enjoy!

10. Reversi (양극의 소년) by Eun Song

In the year 2016, a never before seen virus decimates 20% of the world population. Moreover, survivors of this virus either transform into man-eating creatures called “worms” or into super-humans with tremendous physical abilities called “heteros”. Over the years, heteros start the ISO, an agency that protects people from worms. Haru, our protagonist, is a young hetero who wants to join the ISO, but it may not be that easy or straightforward…

Once in a while I find a scifi-action comic that manages to capture my interest, despite me being rather tired of the genre as a whole. This manhwa is on this list more for its potential than anything else- there are only 37 chapters out and the story’s still in its beginning stages, but I think there’s a lot of good material that, in the right hands, can make for a really interesting and entertaining story.

Despite the impression the synopsis may give you, the story starts out in a peaceful privileged high school setting and you don’t get to the nerve-wracking parts until around chapter 25. But the beginning achieves its purpose. It sets the scene with its conflicts: the segregation of those infected with the virus and those uninfected, the mixed treatment of heteros, and the still-existing class privilege. It also sets up the main characters; impulsive but sincere Haru and his best friend, level-headed and determined Leo; the other heteros in their school year; and members of the ISO. We don’t know much about them, but again they’re intriguing and the rest can come later. It’ll probably take another 30 chapters or so before we can see whether this manhwa fulfills its potential or not, but take this as a heads up - this one just might be a winner. At the very least, the beginning’s pretty engaging. And with clean art that’s easy on the eyes, it’s definitely no chore to scroll through.

Warning: Blood, death, murder, violence, body horror 

Available on: Lezhin (first 24 chapters are free). Not on scanlation sites yet. 

9. The House Cat (상상고양이) by Kim Kyoung 

(Also known as: The Imaginary Cat, Cat’s Imagination) 

Cat lovers rejoice! Here’s another comic for you to read for your daily dose of cat shenanigans. “The House Cat” looks at Webcomic Artist Jong Hyun and his cat Bok-Gil (Jill in the english translation) - or as Jill would tell you, Cat Jil and her human who she allows to live with her. Like so, the comic presents their different viewpoints of their life together, with Hyun’s viewpoint on the left in red and Jill’s viewpoint on the right in green. The intersection between their viewpoints is cleverly done and will often leave you smiling one way or another. Cat owners will probably find many of their interactions familiar. On the other hand if you’re like me, you’ll start realizing that you are basically Jill and should’ve been born as a house cat instead of as a human. All in all, “The House Cat” is a pleasure to read and certainly not a bad way to pass the time. 

Warning: Alcohol mention, brief depiction of pet abuse and neglect 

Available on : Spottoon (first 4 chapters free). Was adapted into a kdrama called “The Imaginary Cat” 

8. Peak (피크) by Hong Sung-Soo and Lim Gang-Hyuk 

If “mountain rescue manhwa” stirs any interest in you, this may be the manhwa for you. “Peak” centers around Ryu Yeon-Seong, who’s been stationed on Mt. Bukhan to be a Rescue Ranger for his military service, along with four other men. The story follows his experiences as he learns what being a rescue ranger entails.

I initially didn’t have high expectations for this manhwa, but the realistic and suspenseful storytelling ended up impressing me. I always like it when manhwa go into the specifics of the particular subject they’re covering and “Peak” does that extensively - from what’s covered in training exercises to the challenges of navigating throughout the mountain in subpar weather to how to conduct oneself when administering first aid to fatal injuries. And except for a few brief respites, the pace is remarkably fast from start to finish, emulating the break-neck speed the rangers have to move to save lives. It would not be an exaggeration to say that I’m constantly sitting at the edge of my seat when reading this manhwa. The rescue missions themselves are no joke; from an accident in the middle of the pouring rain to a helicopter crash, this manhwa is constantly upping the stakes. 

Personally, the art isn’t my favorite but it excels in two areas: conveying the physical exertion of being a ranger and the harshness of the mountain landscape. And when the story is all about survival, that’s really all that matters. 

Warnings: Blood, fatal injuries, death, murder 

Available on: Spottoon (First 30 chapters are free). 92 Chapters can be found on mangago. 

7. The Sock Monster (양말도깨비) by Manmulsang

(Also known as: Socks Goblin)  

Is it too much if I said “The Sock Monster” would rock your socks off? Ehehe :P

But actually, this is possibly the cutest manhwa I’ve ever read. From the art, which resembles something you’d find in a children’s storybook with its crayon lines and oil pastel backgrounds, to the story itself, a young girl making her way in a wintery town, “The Sock Monster” radiates a quirky fairytale sort of charm. It’s slow to start but when it finds its rhythm, it strolls off, as our plucky protagonist, Park Sujin, learns the ropes at BigFoot Bank, finds the Sock Monster living in her room, and befriends Mr. Lara, her cat-man neighbor whose dream is to explore the deep ocean. Despite its lighthearted tone, the manhwa ends up covering some surprisingly heavy topics from the tension between Big Foots and Humans to animal experimentation (in a world where animals are more like humans). But it does so in a tender sort of way, never losing heart or the hint of wisdom that comes with classical storytelling. 

What the manhwa excels at especially is taking advantage of its fantasy world to sculpt all sorts of interesting plotlines for the characters. There is no limit to the creativity displayed. If children’s books and fairytales appeal to you, then you’ll probably appreciate the charm of “The Sock Monster”. Who knows, it might just become your favorite bedtime read. And you’ll probably end up cooing over how cute the sock monsters are. 

Warning: Child neglect and abuse, animal cruelty, death 

Available on: Spottoon (first 19 chapters are free) 

6. Myojin Tales (묘진전) by Jelly Bean 

A smallpox goddess steals an eye from a celestial god to help her sightless baby. A young boy wonders why his father doesn’t love him. A girl who’s lived a miserable life curses her capturer with her last breath. The celestial god, the father, the capturer - all of these titles refer to the same being: Myojin, a god who has been sentenced to forever live among humans as punishment for his crimes, forbidden to ever return to his former post as a zodiac deity. This is a compilation of the stories surrounding him and the people whose lives he’s touched. 

This manhwa caught my attention with its art alone. Each panel is meticulously rendered in a style resembling traditional ink paintings, fitting for a story drawn from Korean mythology. Although the style is usually semi-realistic, like the panel above, when it comes to frightening and visceral scenes it leans towards abstraction. There is one particular chapter near the beginning that I could not read with the lights turned off. However, the story itself is also fascinating and from beginning to end, it reads like a folktale told from centuries ago. 

Let’s get this out of the way - Myojin is not a likable person in any aspect really. But he, like everyone else, is both victim and perpetrator of unfair systems, and has the capability for both good and evil. Therein itself lies the core of this manhwa and “Myojin Tales” is ultimately a story of recognition and redemption, where there is no moral absolutes, but only the choices one makes in certain circumstances. If you’re a fan of mangas like Mushishi, this could be your next favorite. 

Warning: child neglect, abuse, body horror, blood, murder, death 

Available on: Spottoon. Normally only the first 10 chapters are free, but this week (March 18, 2017) the first 17 are all free! 

5. Hwaja (화자) by Hong Jac-Ga 

At 9 years old, Ryu explores “the Haunted House” in his neighborhood and meets Hwaja, a girl who looks a few years older than him. Hwaja never leaves the haunted house, except to sit on the rooftop, and spends most of her time drawing. Visitors, she says, have to bring her something, like food. Eventually, Ryu introduces his best friend Jay to Hwaja. She doesn’t seem like a ghost, but there is something is strange about her and the house… 

At 19 years old, Ryu, who moved away and hasn’t been in the neighborhood for years, is struck with the news of Jay’s death. His last text message from him reads, “Don’t ever come back.” But Ryu does come back and sees Hwaja again… 

As you can infer from the synopsis, there’s a 10 year time skip in the manhwa. Personally I didn’t find myself that interested in “Hwaja” until after the time skip (in Ch. 8), where the art style changes and things get a lot more intriguing. The art goes from crisp line-art colored in bright blues and greens to blocks of color in murky purples, browns, and blues, conveying the suspicion and suspense as Jay learns more and more about the truth behind Hwaja’s existence. The story ended up going places that I didn’t expect it to go and the ending was surprisingly heartfelt and touching. If you like ghost stories or just stories about the interaction between the supernatural and humans, give “Hwaja” a go. 

Warning: Violence, child abuse, sexual abuse, rape, murder, kidnapping, death 

Available on: Tapastic (Only the prologue is free). It can be found complete on scanlation sites on mangago. But if you end up liking it, support the author! 

4. Hongdo (홍도) by snowy owl 

In a world of shamans, gods, ghosts and other mystical creatures, the illegitimate son of a prominent general, Hong-do Lee grows up to be a powerful exorcist. When he decides to abandon his job, he becomes the target of bounty hunters and stumbles upon a plot that threatens his life and the fate of the world.

So begins Hongdo, a swashbuckling fantasy adventure that has gorgeous art and gives me Fullmetal Alchemist vibes if only because Hong-do is incredibly similar to Edward Elric, minus the insecurities about his height. That’s not to say that Hong-do is an Edward copy; he’s clearly his own unique character, but the style of humor is similar and the situations he gets into resembles the beginning of FMA, where Ed and Alphonse traveled around Amestris looking for strange happenings possibly caused by a Philosopher’s Stone- only in Hong-do’s case, he’s looking for a mysterious man named Crow. What for? Well, you have to read it to find out. 

But although elements of the story are reminiscent of FMA, the exorcist practices and the setting that make up the backbone of the story is clearly based on Ancient Korean and Chinese mythology and history. Architecture, clothing, the gods and spirits, all are richly and beautifully illustrated. I have at least a dozen screenshots saved in my phone and my current iphone lock screen is a panel from Hongdo. The worldbuilding is fascinating to say the least and the story just gets more and more interesting as you go along. In short, don’t miss this gem of a manhwa. 

Warning: Violence, murder, some body horror-ish stuff 

Available on: Spottoon (first 9 chapters are free). Chapter 1-34 are on mangapark. 

3. Dark Heaven (다크 헤븐) by JUNS 

In the US, same-sex marriage has been legalized but racist and homophobic hate crimes still regularly occur. Connor is Korean-American, and together with his friend and lover Simon, they have a band called “Dark Heaven”. But things can’t stay this good forever. Fast-forward to the future and the band has split up. Simon is pursuing a solo career and Connor’s working as a writer in a news agency. What went wrong and can they be together again? 

This manhwa pushes all of my buttons, so it’s no surprise that it’s on this list even though I’m only 15 chapters in. I mean, come on, a Korean-American protagonist? Check. Angsty Band Premise? Check. True love between two boys who care about each other so much, they find life lonely without having the other by their side? Check. And to top all of that, really good art? Check. Check. Check.

I think what’s so refreshing about this manhwa is that it looks at racism and homophobia and actually does a good job going about it. When Connor finds himself in love with Simon, he not only faces opposition from the outside, but also from the inside. Internalized racism and homophobia can be a bitch and the author does a good job depicting that with Connor’s struggles. And the love that Connor and Simon have for each other is just so touching, you can only fervently hope that they find their way back to each other again.  

Warning: Homophobia, racism, racist and homophobic slurs, hate crimes, prostitution, child abuse, violence 

Available on: Lezhin (first chapter is free). Scanlation sites only have up to chapter 5-6 I think. 

2. Annarasumanara (안나라수마나라) by Ha Il-Kwon

Yoon Ah-ee struggles to keep her and her little sister fed, clothed, and sheltered, but that’s easier said than done, especially with her father’s debts weighing down on her shoulders. Her only hope is to keep her grades up so that she can go to a good college and then get a good job and become a good adult. But when she meets a mysterious magician in the abandoned amusement park, she’s reminded of her childhood dream to learn magic… 

This has been on my “to read” list for years, but I’ve finally read it and I can only hit myself on the head for not reading it sooner. Annarasumanara is a story for those who have had that moment when, verging at the brink of adulthood, you’ve wondered “what is happiness”? Will going on this road that everyone has predetermined for me, “study hard, go to a good college, get a good job,” make me happy? 

What happens if that’s not what I want? 

The art here is unique to say the least. The author goes for a mixed media approach of combining drawings with photographs, which is not uncommon in Korean webcomics. What is uncommon is for it to be done well, creating stark, unforgettable imagery that, at times, blurs the lines between reality and construed reality. Which is exactly what this manhwa needs; after all it’s a story about finding real magic in what seems like a miserable reality. 

Warning: Suicide Attempt, Violence, Sexual Harassment, Blood

Available on: Line Webtoon (All chapters are free!)

 1. Vengeance (벤전스) by Aji

Have you ever really wanted a noir mystery about a female police detective trying to solve the case of her girlfriend’s murder? I did, I just didn’t know that I did until I started reading this and then I thanked the gods above for delivering my unconscious wishes.  

Hyun Seol-ah is an experienced police officer who’s known for her cool head and rational approach in dangerous situations - but all that cool headedness goes flying out the window when she arrives at a murder scene and realizes that the victim is her girlfriend, Hwan Hara. From then on, she is focused on only one thing: finding the monster who killed her and then exacting revenge.

I know what you’re thinking… another sad lesbian story? Yes, it’s sad, but the relationship between Seol-ah and Hara is depicted so profoundly, you can feel how much Seol-ah loved Hara and how much Hara loved her in return. As Seol-ah chases down the murderer, we see flashback after flashback of their relationships, from the fights to the cuddles to the declarations of love. What makes this even more heartbreaking is that their relationship was a secret, and so Seol-ah must solve Hara’s murder while hiding that they were lovers.

But also, the art is fantastic. I could go on and on about it, but I think the panel above speaks for itself. Solid blocks of color used to great dramatic effect that mimics the atmosphere of noir films. Seriously, do not let this pass you by.

Warning: Murder, blood, body horror, homophobia

Available at: Lezhin (first chapter is free). You can also read the whole thing on mangago and then buy some chapters later on Lezhin to support the author. 

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Bookshelf Briefs 9/17/18

The Ancient Magus’ Bride, Vol. 9 | By Kore Yamazaki | Seven Seas – I read the first eight volumes of The Ancient Magus’ Bride back-to-back, so it was a little weird reading this one on its own. We pick up with Chise having made a deal with Josef that ultimately involves each getting to see the other’s painful past. She eventually must agree that he’s suffered even more than she has, though this doesn’t give him an excuse for hurting people. I’m not sure if her message of understanding really got through to him, but it was pretty neat that, although Elias was prepared to do something terrible to save her, Chise essentially saved herself. Perhaps a bit too neatly, everything more or less resets in time for the next phase of the story—the “college arc”—which begins next volume. I’m looking forward to it! – Michelle Smith

A Centaur’s Life, Vol. 15 | By Kei Murayama | Seven Seas – Last time we had a lot of war and very little of the main cast; this time the main cast are more heavily involved, but only because the war comes to them. Honestly, if anything, the series gets even more bizarre, something I thought impossible, mostly thanks to the snake people and their “world in a bubble” reality generator, which makes me wonder how much of what we’ve seen has been in one of those. As for Hime, though the cover may make this look like a final volume, it isn’t—but she is almost killed by terrorists, who go after the little triplet girls as well. A Centaur’s Life has found the line between cute (and sometimes perverse) monster girls and anti-war otakudom, and is proud to step back and over over that line. – Sean Gaffney

Hatsu*Haru, Vol. 2 | By Shizuki Fujisawa | Yen Press -The concept of the playboy high school guy who ends up knowing nothing about what real love feels like is not a new plot in the slightest, but the author does a very good job of keeping us interested despite that. Kai’s attempts to force a kiss on Riko get him in deep trouble for almost half the volume, and justifiably so. But Kai is genuinely trying to understand Hiro, and understand why she continues to be in love with another man even though she knows he is with someone else and can’t reciprocate it. The series gets a bit more cliche when it moves to the other main characters—honestly, the Buddhist guy/Shinto girl pair made me groan at how cliched it was. Do we need to pair the spares already? Still, overall good. – Sean Gaffney

Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon Four-Panel Comic: Odd Days of Goddess | By Masaya Takamura and Fujino Omori | Yen Press – The second volume of this 4-koma parody series is not as good as the first. Honestly, it has to be said: seeing Hestia and Lilly getting jealous over Bell is not really why fans over here read the series, and since it’s exaggerated in a parody, that makes it more annoying. This second volume came out around when Sword Oratoria was taking off, so the second half focuses far more on Lefiya and company, but the humorous tone is still the same. Oddly, the best parts of the volume are when it briefly turns serious, or at least sweet, showing off Bell and Hestia’s pure and innocent kind-of love. If you like the series, this may make you smile. – Sean Gaffney

Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, Vol. 4 | By Aka Akasaka | Viz Media – I suspect I may love this a bit more than other manga bloggers do, but oh well. I love it. Shirogane’s sister is on the cover, and she does come to visit the student council room, though she’s on her best behavior. And there are a few classic Chika moments. But for the most part this volume is dominated by Kaguya and Shirogane and their desperate attempts to get the other to confess first so they can just GO OUT ALREADY. This includes pretending to be cold, which goes disastrously on both sides, and Kaguya then CATCHING a cold, which leads to an actual crisis when Shirogane can’t control his teenage hormones and Kaguya thinks he went too far… or not far enough. I can’t stop laughing when I read this. – Sean Gaffney

The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window, Vol. 5 | By Tomoko Yamashita | SuBLime Manga (digital only) – I wasn’t exactly lulled into a false sense of security by the episodic first half of this volume, given the pervasive ominous feeling that always lingers on the fringes of this series, but I was still taken by surprise when some pivotal things suddenly happen in the back half, including Hanzawa having a run-in with Erika and readers suddenly learning some very major and disturbing truths about Rihito’s past that both render him more sympathetic as a character and provide further evidence that he’s likely a very dangerous person for Mikado to be hanging around with. I love this series so much, from the spare yet expressive art to the creepy cases to the leads and their complicated relationship. What it reminds me of the most is Tokyo Babylon, so if that’s your jam, please read this series! – Michelle Smith

Queen’s Quality, Vol. 5 | By Kyousuke Motomi | Viz Media – This volume of Queen’s Quality felt more like a shonen series, filled with dramatic battles, swords, and flashbacks of dead childhood friends in the best One Piece tradition. Fumi is getting closer to becoming a true queen, and succeeds in at least moving from the Black Queen to the Dark Grey Queen this time around (would she sing the Seven Seas of Rhye?), but she has to figure out a way to work with white as well, and it’s implied that she has to recover all her memories to do so. Meanwhile, Kyutaro is having trouble dealing with how much he’s in love with her, and even her very presence can relax and heal him. This new arc involving a spring break training trip will have trouble topping the excitement of the arc that ended here. – Sean Gaffney

Skip Beat!, Vol. 41 | By Yoshiki Nakamura | VIZ Media- Kyoko’s audition for a ninja role in a samurai drama continues, and the majority of this volume can be summed up as, “She proceeds to be very badass.” Some of what happens to make her stand out was a calculated move on Yashiro’s part, but the fact is that she has prepared more than any of the other candidates, and even the fact that she’s a “talento” with LME instead of an official actress doesn’t seem like it’ll hurt her much. I love the way Nakamura-sensei depicts Kyoko when she’s in character, and her ninja persona is very cool indeed. I’d be super happy to see some serious stardom start to come her way, especially with Yashiro as her manager. The final couple of pages hint for some movement on the romance front, too. I still love this series very, very much! – Michelle Smith

Slum Wolf | By Tadao Tsuge | New York Review Comics – Although it’s the first volume by a Japanese creator to be published by New York Review Comics, Slum Wolf is the second major collection of Tadao Tsuge’s work to have been translated into English. (Trash Market was released a few years ago by Drawn & Quarterly.) Slum Wolf brings together nine of Tsuge’s short manga originally published between 1969 an 1978, most of which first appeared in the influential alternative manga magazine Garo. In addition to an autobiographical article by Tsuge, an essay by the volume’s editor and translator Ryan Holmberg which provides additional historical context for the manga is also included. The stories themselves have autobiographical influences as well. Filled with vagrants, punks, hoodlums, and other tough guys living in the shadow of the Second World War and the American occupation that followed, the short vignettes in Slum Wolf share a similar atmosphere and mood, themes, and even a few recurring characters. – Ash Brown

By: Ash Brown