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latveriansnailmail · 3 years ago

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Favorite Movies as of 2021

Subject to updating because surely I’ve missed a few. This is not supposed to be a list of meritorious films but rather just a list of movies I genuinely enjoy. It runs from Shakespeare to Bill & Ted with heavy doses of 80s fantasy, superhero schlock, and pretty much anything with Kurt Russell in it. Enjoy.

1- Harvey No contest, my favorite of all time.

2- Big Trouble in Little China It’s always a great joy to introduce a new viewer to this film.

3- Flash Gordon (1980) In which they totally lean into the camp and low budget.

4- The Thing I watch this annually upon the first major snowfall.

5- Titus (Taymor) One winter break Titus would be on one of the movie channels each day when I woke up, so I watched it daily for a month and it didn’t get old.

6- Death to Smoochy “Are you alright?” “I’m a little fucked up in general so it’s hard to gauge.”

7- Blade Runner (The Final Cut) So there’s this dude Deckard and he hunts robots but it turns out HE’S a robot, oh so very clever, little film

8- Tombstone I recently learned that Kurt Russell directed this film in all but name.

9- The Dark Crystal Immersive fantasy, though I’m sure it appears plain, drab, and simple now after the Netflix prequel.

10- Somewhere in Time I’m a romantic, I guess. Thus all the John Carpenter movies.

11- Grosse Pointe Blank So good, I used to think I liked John Cusack.

12- The Producers (musical) You heard me. Wilder and Mostel were great but the musical version had decades to mill over and expand the premise.

13- To Be or Not To Be (Brooks) Surprisingly suspenseful.

14- The 13th Warrior Saw it again recently and it holds up. Horror, only it happens to viking warriors who would rather chop the horror down than run.

15- The Mighty Thor I mean, Black Panther is objectively the best of the lot but subjectively this is my personal favorite superhero flick. I must have seen it a half a dozen times at least.

16- Lost Boys A billion Chinese can’t be wrong.

17- Die Hard A Christmas tradition. As a postman, it’s cathartic for me to watch Christmas get blown up a little before all the hugging and sentiment.

18- The Blues Brothers Deadpan hilarity cut with performances by legends of blues and soul.

19- The Sting The best heist film. It keeps you guessing until the very end and no twist feels arbitrary or leaves a hole.

20- Interview with the Vampire Fun fact, I looked like Pitt’s Louis when I was a young man in the goth scene.

21- Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure “Be excellent to each other!” “Party on, dudes!” *air guitar*

22- The Seventh Seal See? This list has its high points.

23- Revolutionary Girl Utena Note: Read the entire manga, watch the entire anime series, and read Adolescence of Utena BEFORE watching this or you’ll be left confused. Dazzled but confused.

24- The Nightmare Before Christmas So good I got the tarot deck.

25- The Last Unicorn It’s still a damn shame they never made that live action remake. Christopher Lee was set to reprise King Haggard.

26- Chasing Amy Honestly changed my life.

27- Excalibur It’s weird though how they’re always in armor. Wedding? Armor. Dinner? Armor. Deathbed? Armor.

28- Ginger Snaps A cut above any other werewolf movie I’ve seen.

29- Top Secret! My sense of humor distilled.

30- Clash of the Titans (Harryhousen) Yeah it’s dry but then there’s the monsters.

31- Monty Python’s the Meaning of Life People are not wearing enough hats.

32- Shadow of the Vampire Nosferatu nearly made this list but it’s hard to pinpoint a definitive cut. Try instead this film about the making of Nosferatu with an actual vampire as the vampire.

33- Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust Look, we as a culture had the unfortunate experience of Twilight. This is the same premise but actually good.

34- The Last Supper This film challenged and changed me as a young man more so than any other work of art.

35- The Princess Bride The perfect film, but I’ve seen it so much it’s down at 35 now.

36- Blazing Saddles What can I as a white guy say? Just watch the movie.

37- Streets of Fire Always suspicious to me how Final Fight premiered within a year of this movie.

38- Gremlins More Christmas havok. Yum?

39- The Beastmaster Forgotten and underappreciated.

40- Ladyhawke A thing of beauty.

41- Willow C’mon. It’s Willow. I have nothing to justify here.

42- Speed Racer I know you heard it’s bad but hear me out: it is the strongest narrative I’ve ever seen on film and it’s exactly the way you played with your toy cars when you were little.

43- Angelheart You’re supposed to know that de Niro is Lucifer. The rest is mystery and the final reveal set up a trope that’s been done into the ground nowadays.

44- The Hunger More atmosphere than plot, but hey, vampire Bowie!

45- Zoolander My partner’s favorite.

46- Faust (Murnau) You will be shocked to see what was possible to achieve in film in 1926.

47- A Muppet Christmas Carol but a cut that includes the fiance’s song This finishes out my traditional Christmas films.

48- Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Y’know, I’ve got two Branagh films on here and neither are what you would expect given his catalog. The other one’s Thor for crying out loud.

49- Highlander I noticed in recent editions of Vampire: the Masquerade that it’s still possible in that game to hide a katana in a trenchcoat. This movie is why.

50- The Name of the Rose One of only a few instances where I prefer the film to the book. That book loooooong.

51- Robocop (1987) Of all the damn science fiction, why must we be in Robocop?

52- The Prophecy Now we’re getting into films I demoted since the last time I updated this list. This film’s a slow burn unless you get turned up for angels and Christopher Walken like I do.

53- The Warriors Would be higher if the opening wasn’t so slow.

54- Legend Tim Curry kills it as Darkness.

55- Black Panther Objectively the best superhero movie and the Academy backs me on that one.

56- Wonder Woman I do wish they’d trot out Vandal Savage as a Wonder Woman villain.

57- Captain America: The Winter Soldier Just rewatched this one earlier! It is heavily marked by the height of the War on Terror.

58- Blade The ancestor of all modern superhero movies and a solid vampire flick to boot.

59- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Nostalgic for me? Maybe, but I hold that this is the first comic film worth a damn because they stuck with the comics when they wrote it.

60- Captain America: the First Avenger This movie is a real test of character. If someone doesn’t like Cap it’s because they think goodness is unrealistic.

61- Four Rooms Really just rooms 3 and 4.

62- Reservoir Dogs Hey, two Tim Roth films in a row!

63- Event Horizon Do you see?

64- What Dreams May Come Kind of an emotional ringer, especially after William’s death.

65- Monty Python and the Holy Grail Have I watched it into the ground? Yes. Is it still hilarious? Yes, and it gets funnier the more you study Arthurian myth.

66- Pulp Fiction I’m kinda over this now.

67- The Crow People who liked the comic passionately disagree with me but I still like this one.

68- Akira Still.

69- Ghost in the Shell Still, though the farther you get from 13 the less titties you need in your art.

70- Beetlejuice Why not? Let's just tack this on there.

Honorable Mentions:

Fight Club A suburb film but one I grew out of, as should everyone. If you meet a man who’s passionate about Fight Club, run!

American Psycho Ditto. I grew out of this but it’s still excellent.

What’s Eating Gilbert Grape A horrible caricature of my brother’s life. I don’t get along with my brother any more.

Rocky Horror Picture Show Not actually a good film if you watch it straight with no commentary. Still, it’s a cornerstone of queer culture.

Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 Of all the superhero films, this is the one that resonated with me the most. I was in a weird place at the time. It still resonates with me now because I’m a foster dad.

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fairy-writes · 4 years ago

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FairyTailWzard’s New Annual tradition!

2020’s Top 10 List Part One!

So here’s a list that no one asked for of the top 10 anime series I watched this year. I wanted to put this in no particular order but I figured I might as well. I’ll also be doing my top 10 fanfics from this year and my top 10 books I read this year so stay tuned for parts 2 and 3!

10.) RWBY

Uuuggghhh I really didn’t wanna put this on here… but I really didn’t watch much this year so I had to I guess :(((

I’m really not liking this right now… if my blog wasn’t sort of popular because of my rwby oneshots I’d consider just dropping the anime all together….

(I’m seriously debating on whether to watch the new season or not)

Honestly, the only thing bringing me back is my unhealthy love for Ozpin, Torchwick, and Ironwood.

Honestly, I’d give this show about a 3 or 4/10…

I used to love it so much but I think the quality of writing is going down and the show is trying to be too many things at once that I’m just losing interest.

9.) My Hero Academia

Why is this so low you may ask? Well, cause I think my main hype coming from this is the manga.

Yes I love the show, the animation studio is freaking amazing and the quality of animation never ceases to amaze me. But I love the manga a bit more.

This will probably jump up in rating around season 5 or 6 but for right now I’ll leave it in the 9th spot :)

8.) Sirius the Jaeger

Oh my GOSH, I want a second season so bad. One of my favorite OC’s I’ve ever made was for this anime (it’s Idris Tana btw) and I actually commissioned artwork for her recently and it’s SO PRETTY.

Anyway getting off-topic, the animation of this show and again with the dark and grittiness of it is what drew me in.

Actually, my late grandma and also my great aunt tagged me in a Facebook post with the trailer when it first came out cause they saw vampires and thought I would like it and that's what got me into this show in the first place.

So thank you grandma and auntie!

But I absolutely adore the soundtrack, the mix of orchestral pieces mixed with the more electro-kinda-vibes is my life (seriously go listen to “The Beginning of the Hunting” it changed my life, as an orchestra and cello geek it made my heart so happy)

7.) Tokyo Ghoul season 1-3

Ok, I’m currently reading the manga after I’ve seen the anime and lemme tell you I wish they didn’t censor the anime so much.

I can’t even find an uncensored version anymore and it makes me so upset.

The darkness and goriness of the manga is what appealed to me in the first place (yes I get weird looks for it, no I will not change my mind)

Kaneki is my CHILD and he CANNOT do any wrong. I don’t care who you are I love him

6.) Ajin: Demi-Human

Uuuggghhh to be honest the anime is kinda meh but my love for the manga is so great I am legally obligated to put this here.

Don’t get me wrong, the animation and soundtrack for this show is phenomenal and I think they got Satou down pat.

But they did dumb down and cut out a lot of interesting scenes. Scenes like how Satou takes down some of his opponents (which I can see why... many American viewers would most likely get offended by it… you manga readers know what scene i mean)

Nagai Kei turns into a bit of a whiny character instead of the smart but exasperated teenager I know and love in the manga is the anime version of Kei going to bite off his own fingers in order to climb a wall into a military base?? Definitely not. Would manga-Kei do that? Well, he already did… so... yes..,

Nakano Kou is still kind of funny but he is so much more fascinating in the manga (his backstory breaks my heart).

5.) Bungou Stray Dogs

Another new one that I was actually recommended by my friend @bright-like-the-sun-00 :) I ended up watching it originally in dub but then went back and rewatched it in sub because I love my children so much.

Chuuya is my bean and I love my OC that I created Charlie Dickens :)

(if you guys could go read her story I’d be eternally grateful).

Anyway!

This show has a fantastic cast in both Japanese and English and the music score is one of my favorites. The characters are so wonderfully hilarious and interesting and fhajxbqbaka I love this show okay??

4.) Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

I actually put this off for YEARS because my oldest step-brother kept saying I should watch it. At this point, I was refusing out of spite cause I’m petty like that. But I finally started watching and-

HOLY-

GUYS

I have never gotten so attached to a character (cough cough Giyuu) so quickly.

I have been listening to Gurenge and Kamado Tanjiro no Uta on repeat for literal weeks now and I still grin like an idiot when listening to them. I also have a potential OC/crossover coming out soon sooooo…. stay tuned??

I also broke my sister cause I showed her a post that said national donut day and had a picture of Rengoku on it… I didn’t understand it until she explained it to me and now I cackle every time I think about it.

3.) Jujutsu Kaisen

@plusultranerd got me into this blame her for the future spamming of your dashboards

GUYS GOJO SATORU IS MY LIFE NO QUESTIONS ASKED

He could literally murder me and I’d thank him. He is the prettiest anime character I have EVER SEEN and I love him so much.

Anyway anime. The show got my attention from the get-go. Itadori is such a fun main character and Megumi is me cause you know dogs.

I think I saw an ad for it and since I have Crunchyroll I figured why not and fell in love with it

AND THE ENDING SONG

BEST ENDING EVER YOU CANNOT CHANGE MY MIND

I put it on sometimes so me and my sister just start jamming out to it and we get the stupidest looks and it is amazing

2.) Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Another anime that I will rewatch over and over again until literally the end of time. Also, another series that I’ve already read/or am reading the manga.

Alphonse Eric is my cinnamon roll you can pry him from my cold dead hands.

I have cold hands and no heart by holy heck my BOY

I actually am buying the special edition hardback manga covers that are coming out and I LOVE THEM

THEY ARE SO PRETTY

Am I talking about the characters or the manga?

My answer is yes

Anyway, all of the characters in this are so wonderfully complex and have motivations and i fall in love with 99% of the characters (except for Shou Tucker, I even like Father actually)

1.) Death Parade

This has got to be one of my top favorite anime of ALL TIME.

I rewatched it early this year and this is one of the very few anime that will get me to cry and this makes me cry every freaking time.

The music is stunning, the animation is magnificent.

For being based on an animated short film, this has such potential for a second season and such a complex storyline was packed into 12 episodes.

I will forever recommend this anime to literally anyone who is looking for something new to watch.

I’m also noticing I have a thing for white-haired male anime characters with really pretty eyes….. Kaneki… Gojo… Decim...

Honorable mentions!

Darker than Black

I didn’t rewatch the whole thing this year but this anime is literally my life. Hei is such a bean and I love him.

Hunter x Hunter

Another anime i didn't rewatch completely but still adore :) I heard they’re continuing it and I’m excited for the dark continent arc!

Dororo

Technically i watched this late 2019 but whatever; I do what I want. The animation was absolutely gorgeous and I loved the gritty darkness of it. Mio will forever be my favorite character; you cannot change my mind. Some parts I did find a bit boring but overall I’d rate this a solid 6/10!

The Devil is a Part-Timer!

I rewatched parts of it and not the whole thing, I also have the first two volumes of the light novels and I forget how funny it is until I actually watch it. It has me laughing every time and never fails to put a smile on my face :)

#jujutsu kaisen #death parade #the devil is a part timer #demon slayer #dororo #hunter x hunter #darker than black #tokyo ghoul #fullmetal alchemist #fullmetal alchemist brotherhood #bungou stray dogs #ajin demi human #my hero academia #rwby #sirius the jaeger

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mcneelamusic · 4 years ago

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Traditional Irish Music on St Patrick’s Day 2021

This St. Patrick’s Day may not be the one we were expecting, but every cloud has a silver lining. In this new era of online events, every St. Patrick’s Day event is now a global one!

In the absence of live parades and live music performances, we’ve instead rounded up our pick of traditional Irish music events happening online this March 17th.

Such is the popularity of our national holiday, both at home in Ireland and around the globe, the events now spill over into the days preceding and following, St. Patrick’s Day itself. So we’re spoiled for choice!

And remember, these events can be accessed from anywhere in the world, making this the most accessible global celebration St. Patrick’s Day has ever seen! Just be sure to check what time zone events are streaming in (though most online performances can be accessed for about a week after they first air).

Let’s get started shall we?

Contents [hide]

RTÉ Virtual St Patrick’s Day Parade

Ireland – St Patrick’s Festival TV

Ireland – Tradfest

UK – London St. Patrick’s Day Festival

USA – Forty Shades of Green

Global Celtic Punk

Barróg Lá Fhéile Phádraig

Kíla

Abair – The West’s Awake

The Cobblestone Sessions

Remembering The Dubliners

RTÉ Virtual St Patrick’s Day Parade

Unfortunately Ireland’s national St Patrick’s Day Parade which is held in Dublin annually won’t be going ahead this year.

Sadly, a similar fate has befallen the world’s biggest and brightest celebrations including the parades in London, Boston, Chicago, Sydney and Toronto, to name but a few. (The New York parade is yet to confirm whether or not it’s cancelled, but it’s unlikely that any large scale event will take place.)

RTÉ, Ireland’s national broadcaster, has fully prepared for this eventuality however, so this year the parade is going virtual.

Have you always wanted to march in the official St. Patrick’s Day Parade? Well, now’s your chance! This year, distance is no obstacle.

People all over the world are invited to join the celebration by sharing a video of your home-parade with the world on your preferred social media, using the hashtag #RTEVirtualParade.

So why not pick up your instrument, head outside and get creative? I’d love to see your McNeela Instruments in action, celebrating this special day with us from every part of the globe! You might even get yourself featured on national TV (or international as the case may be)!

Ireland – St Patrick’s Festival TV

The St. Patrick’s Day parade isn’t the only event to move online this year. Ireland’s St. Patrick’s Festival has organised six days and nights of events, running from March 12th – 17th.

These events will be broadcast on a special platform, St. Patrick’s Festival TV (SPFTV) which can be accessed from anywhere in the world.

While we cannot gather on the streets for the St. Patrick’s Festival Parade this March 17th, we are reimagining how we bring to life the heart and soul of the national Parade, through spectacle, marching bands, pageantry and ceremony, inviting our audiences to participate virtually and enjoy safely from their homes until we can come together again. – St. Patrick’s Festival

St. Patrick’s Festival TV will stream live, globally, from the festival’s official website and you can rewatch any of the events until March 21st. With a brilliant mix of music, song, dance, poetry and more, there’s plenty to choose from and definitely something to keep everyone entertained. Here are some of my top picks:

Barróg Lá Fhéile Phádraig

Barróg Lá Fhéile Phádraig translates as a St. Patrick’s Day hug. Who wouldn’t want one of those? Barróg is the closing event of the whole festival. A traditional Irish music extravaganza pre-recorded at the legendary Whelan’s venue in Dublin.

Featuring in this brilliant lineup is none other than my dear friend, bodhrán legend Rónán Ó Snodaigh! Though, for this event he’s put down the bodhrán and will instead be highlighting his songwriting skills as part of his new musical project with Myles O’Reilly.

The pair will be joined on the night by a host of other talented musicians – the best of the best – including Lisa O’Neill, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Cormac Begley, Doireann and Siún Glackin and Mohammad Syfkhan.

You can catch Barróg on SPF TV at 8pm GMT on Wednesday 17th March or watch it back in your own time, at your leisure.

Either way, make sure not to miss out! Check out the trailer below:

Kíla

Speaking of Rónán Ó Snodaigh, his legendary supergroup Kíla are also gracing SPF TV with a pre-recorded live performance!

I highly recommend this for anyone in need of a dance. Kíla’s electrifying music will have your toes tapping in no time. Before you know it you’ll be moving and shaking in a euphoric state as their contagious energy takes control.

So tune in at 9pm GMT on Friday 12th March and shake off those lockdown blues!

To see what I’m on about, check out this video of on of their live performances in Wicklow a few years ago:

Abair – The West’s Awake

The West’s Awake is one of of Ireland’s most famous rebel songs. So it will come as no surprise to learn that this particular performance is based on the theme of revolution.

For anyone with and interest in traditional Irish singing and the songs and poetry of Ireland, The West’s Awake is a St. Patrick’s festival event not to be missed.

The West’s Awake features a beautiful collaboration of poetry and traditional singing on the theme of revolution with Donegal poet Annemarie Ní Churreáin and traditional Irish sean nós singer Nell Ní Chróinín. Nell is the granddaughter of Elizabeth ‘Bess’ Cronin one of the most iconic and historically significant sean nós singers to ever grace the shores of the Emerald Isle. have a listen to her phenomenal voice:

This event will be streamed at 9pm GMT on Monday 15th March.Presented at Richmond Barracks, by Dublin historian Donal Fallon, this is an exploration of the richness and beauty of the Irish singing and storytelling oral traditions. It guarantees to offer a fascinating insight into Ireland’s revolutionary history and the wealth of rebel songs that exist within traditional Irish music.The Cobblestone Sessions

The Cobblestone pub in Smithfield in the heart of Dublin city is an institution of the Dublin Irish music scene.

Synonymous with the best of traditional Irish music, song and dance, this small pub is most often found full to the brim with the best of Ireland’s musicians, bursting at its seems with music. I’ve spent many a great night there – pints and tunes flowing.

If you’ve never been, you’re missing out. A visit to The Cobblestone should be top of anyone’s list when visiting the fair city of Dublin! It’s a spot that’s sorely missed by traditional Irish musicians all over the city and I’m sure we’re all longing for the day we can return.

Until then, The Cobblestone has recorded a brilliant set of Irish music performances to tide us over. So if like me you’re missing your St. Patrick’s Day fix of live tunes, tune into The Cobblestone Sessions for a little taster.

Presented by fiddle player Doireann Glackin, the lineup includes some of the Dublin’s finest musicians, singers and dancers: The Rowsome Family, The McBride Family, Michelle O’Brien, Sean O’Broin and Mary Beth Taylor.

Of course no lineup for The Cobblestone would be complete without The Mulligans themselves! (The Cobblestone is owned by Tom Mulligan himself.) Here’s just two of them – Tadhg and Sárán – in action:

These intimate sessions take place at varying times and dates throughout the festival so it’s probably best to check in on the timetable yourself on the St. Patrick’s Festival official website.

Ireland – Tradfest

Another institution of Irish Music that has moved online this year is the festival formerly known as Temple Bar Tradfest. However it’s now known simply as the shorter, snappier Tradfest.

Tradfest is also streaming a series of performances to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, however, unlike SPF TV, these are paid, ticketed events. The ticket prices won’t break the bank though.

Tickets cost around €5 per event and they don’t just give you access to the livestream. Perforamcnes will be available to ticketholders to watch on demand for 7 days after the release time & date.

So which event is worth paying for? Well, all of them. With a lineup featuring the legendary Frankie Gavin and rising concertina starEdel Fox, as well as Dervish, Altan, Hothouse Flowers, and Mairéad and Tríona Ni Dhomhnaill, how could you go wrong?

One performance really stands out to me however: Phelim & The Drew House Band Remember Ronnie and The Dubliners

Remembering The Dubliners

Phelim Drew will be joined by Anto Drennan on guitar, Bernard Kavanagh on bass and Myles Drennan on drums in a night of song, story, and reminiscing, inspired by the Dubliners.

If the name Phelim Drew sounds familiar, it should. Phelim’s father was the legendary Ronnie Drew of The Dubliners. This exploration of his father’s music promises to be something truly special.

Growing up I was always struck by the electricity generated by a concert given by The Dubliners. Looking back, I can see clearly that the group was exceptional not only because of the individual strength of the performers but that combined they were a force of nature.

That energy and excitement coupled with the unbridled joy of a Dubliner’s audience made for a night’s entertainment that felt more like a party in full swing where the hosts and guests were in perfect harmony. – Phelim Drew

A talented actor in his own right, Phelim has in more recent years begun to explore his father’s music more fully, developing a newfound sense of admiration and appreciation.

This truly special, personal musical exploration will be broadcast from the stunning Newbridge House in North County Dublin at 8pm GMT on Saturday 20th March.

I highly recommend tuning in as a post-St. Patrick’s Day celebration!

UK – London St. Patrick’s Day Festival

St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in London would usually rival our own back home in Ireland and this year is no exception.

Yes, they’ve moved online too (are you noticing a trend) but that won’t stop the London Irish Centre from providing some brilliant entertainment on the day.

They’re yet to announce many of the details, but here’s what know so far.

The London Irish Centre will stream a special St. Patrick’s Day event to celebrate the very best of Irish culture and community in London. The event is free and will be broadcast on the LIC’s website and social media.

The stream starts at 4pm GMT on March 17th with three hours of storytelling, music, song and dance, exploring and celebrating Irish culture and heritage.

Based on the theme London Le Chéile (or London Together) the event strives to capture the spirit of collaboration, creativity and community shown by the Irish in London during these challenging times.

From 7pm the event goes fully live with presenter Angela Scanlon, who will host conversations with a host of Irish names including Imelda May.

The event will also feature a tribute to Irish frontline workers, greetings from the Mayor of London and Irish Ambassador, and a unique broadcast from Trafalgar Square, where the festival would usually take place.

USA – Forty Shades of Green

Nowhere in the world celebrates St. Patrick’s Day like the US. Even as a proud Irishman, I’m willing to concede that one.

I’m definitely going to miss seeing the elaborate US celebrations in all their glory – the parades, the pageantry. It’s always so wonderful to see people celebrating their Irish heritage with such unbridled enthusiasm.

So what will we do this year in place of the iconic parades and thronged pavements?

Well, the Embassy of Ireland in Washington is planning an event, aptly titled Forty Shades of Green (yes, like the Johny Cash song).

With a lineup featuring Rosanne Cash, Eimear Noone, We Banjo 3, Kíla, Jerron ‘‘Blind Boy’’ Paxton, Patrick Dexter and the Arturo O’Farrill Quartet, it’s definitely the most prominent Irish embassy event taking place. The event will be broadcast for free on www.ireland.ie/usa at 7.30PM EST on Wednesday 17 March. If you’d like a reminder, you can register in advance using Eventbrite. Now, don’t worry if the website above isn’t working for you just yet. It won’t go live until a few days before the event. It’s a handy domain to know though, because it’s the one every Irish embassy in the world will be using to host their St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

So, wherever you are in the world, you can simply add your country’s name to the URL and away you go. Though it might be worth checking in with your local embassy first to see what time they go live! (You could make a day of it – see if you can attend every official event around the world.)

So whether you’re in the USA or Malawi (where you might hear yet another song by Rónán Ó Snodaigh) your local embassy has your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations sorted!

Global Celtic Punk

For those looking for something a little less traditional, two of America’s favourite Celtic punk bands, Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly are both offering online performances for St. Patrick’s Day. Flogging Molly will livestream their performance from Whelan’s in Dublin at 7pm GMT, while Dropkick Murphys will be streaming from their local Boston area at 7pm EST on Wednesday 17th March so there’s nothing stopping you from releasing your inner punk and catching both shows!

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professorpalmarosa · 7 years ago

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Oh My Goth, Girl! Get a Grip! (Ebony Darkness Dementia Raven Way - My Immortal)

It’s October, meaning people are thinking about Halloween. With Halloween come vampires, witches, ghosts, ghouls, zombies, scary movies, and (in my case) my annual rewatching of one of my guiltiest pleasures: the Youtube animated version of My Immortal.

My Immortal (reputedly “the worst fan-fiction ever written”) by Tara Gillespie is the story of Ebony Darkness Dementia Raven Way: a 17-year-old vampire girl who goes to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has an on-and-off-again romantic relationship with Draco Malfoy, and wages war against preps and posers in the Harry Potter universe...all while wearing the best things Hot Topic has to offer!

As somebody who has been writing fan-fiction for 18 years, this story brings back memories of my own bad high school (and middle school) writing, but also all the things I was into as a closet “goffik” kid in the mid-2000s.

All the Good Charlotte, My Chemical Romance, and Green Day references date the story and make it feel like a hilarious time capsule to roughly 2005-2007.

I was personally more of a Queensryche, Siouxie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, and Dalbello goth. We called the GC/MCR kids “bubble goths” because of all the bubblegumminess and of the music. When South Park later did a special on the difference between goths and "vampire” kids (The Ungroundable) my brain immediately went to this fan-fiction.

This (and Flowers in the Attic) are my two Halloween traditions. And now that I can make bath bombs, I knew I had to make one inspired by Ebony! It looks dark pink and two shades of purple, but don’t let it fool you! Once it hits the tub, you get red, black, and purple...until everything turns into a sea of nice-smelling darkness.

I tested one of these last week when a side crumbled. I couldn’t even see my limbs in the dark void.

I’m to understand that Tara (the author of My Immortal) has a Tumblr account and recently spoke up that she didn’t write that godawful Handbook for Mortals book. The likelihood of her seeing my little bath bomb blog is probably infinitesimal, especially since I’m currently only at 50 followers.

That said, in the off chance that Tara DOES see the bath bomb and wants it, I’ll happily make and mail her a batch free of charge. For all the giggles, nostalgia, and fun memories her story gave me over the years, I’d love to pay it forward a bit and do something nice for a fellow fic-writer!

So...what’s in Ebony’s bath bomb? I actually consulted two of my darling friends for this @girlnumber11 and @the-schwayest-batman-around.

Mike made plenty of MCR jokes and insisted the bomb so be “so goffik that the water turns ultra black.” I still have yet to create a Vantablack bath bomb, but I at least succeeded in something super dark.

Lauren was more helpful, as she’s a fellow essential oils nerd as well as a former “baby goth.” Both of our minds immediately went to Clove, because when we think of smoking goths, we think of clove cigarettes.

After that, I told her, “I also have Black Cherry and Black Tea fragrance oils. I’m contemplating those because they have “black” in the name.” That said, she reminded me that clove and cherry together ends up making stuff smell like a cough drop.

At the same time, though, we both remembered I have Blood Orange Essential Oil, and that’s something that partners perfectly with both tea and clove.

Black Tea Fragrance Oil

Brambleberry (the company behind the incredibly useful Soapqueen blog) has a slew of fragrance oils with scents you’d never imagine. They even have a leather smell!

The Black Tea fragrance smells exactly like a nice, fresh-brewed pot of orange pekoe black tea (i.e. what you can find iced in most American restaurants). I’ve mixed it with Bergamot Essential Oil several times to make Earl Grey bath bombs, and I’ll totally buy this fragrance again.

The smell is invigorating, lingers on your skin (and in your bathroom) longer than the essential oils do, and will be impossible to ignore (not that you’d want to) even before the bomb hits the tub.

Note: This is a fragrance oil, meaning at least part of the oil was artificially manufactured. If you have an allergy or experience headaches with commercially scented products (think Bath and Body Works), you will want to exercise caution with fragrance oils.

Some (like in my sister’s case, anything with artificial vanilla) may mess you up, while others (like Lily of the Valley, again, in her case) might not.

Clove Bud Essential Oil

Pros: Clove is used for fussy stomachs and makes it easier to cough up phlegm. It’s my go-to if I have a stuffy nose or a stopped-up throat. It’s also great for treating diarrhea, bad breath, hernias, nausea, vomiting, and gas.

You can also use it to soothe it as a counterirritant for pain, as well as mouth or throat inflammation. Some folks even mix it in lotion to help delay a man’s orgasm to ward off problems like premature ejaculation.

And it smells awesome! Clove’s one of my all-time favorites and not that expensive to find from a reputable source!

Cons: Repeated and prolonged usage of clove oil to the mouth or gums can increase sensitivity. It can also run the risk of damage to your skin, gums, or mucous membranes if you choose to abuse it.

If you plan on purchasing clove for your essential oil collection, make sure you are getting clove bud oil, not clove leaf oil. Several people have reported a heightened sensitivity and increased risk of reaction to clove leaf oil…and be forewarned: some of the sketchier vendors on Amazon sell it!

Due to the high eugenol content of this essential oil, Clove Essential Oil is toxic (and potentially fatal) to cats and dogs. If you plan to diffuse this, don’t trap your poor pet in the room with you!

Please avoid Clove Essential Oil if you are taking an antiplatelet or anticoagulant (medication that slows blood clotting) such as:

Aspirin

Clopidogrel (Plavix)

Diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, others)

Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others)

Naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others)

Dalteparin (Fragmin)

Enoxaparin (Lovenox)

Heparin

Warfarin (Coumadin)

Blood Orange Essential Oil

There’s a large and vast variety of orange essential oils out there, but most fall into two categories: those derived from the bitter orange (Neroli, Petitgrain, etc.), and those derived from the sweet orange (Sweet Orange, Tangerine, Mandarin, Blood Orange, etc.).

Out of the sweet orange oils I have, the Blood Orange has the strongest and juiciest scent. If you love oranges, Blood Orange is something you’ll want to get for yourself. It smells fantastic!

Pros: The peel of sweet orange varieties (which includes Blood Orange) can be used to increase your appetite, reduce phlegm in your nose and lungs, treat coughs and colds, calm down asthma, reduce intestinal gas, settle indigestion, treat kidney stones, lower cholesterol, regulate blood pressure, and reduce the risk of stroke.

Some research even indicates that Blood Orange Essential Oil can help with prostate cancer and cancerous breast sores.

One other super cool thing about Blood Orange is that it’s listed as an aphrodisiac oil. Spritz yourself with a little and have yourself a grand time!

Cons:

Due to its high limonene content, Blood Orange is not safe to diffuse around a cat. Your dog should be fine, but cats lack a liver enzyme that helps them break down this chemical. It can create a toxic buildup and make them very, very sick.

Although Blood Orange is perfectly safe for adults, do not use the essential oil with babies or children under the age of 6.

If you are taking any of the below medications, do not use this essential oil:

Celiprolol (Celicard)

Ivermectin

Pravastatin (Pravachol)

If you are taking any of the below medications, exercise caution when using this essential oil:

Quinolone antibiotics such as Ciprofloxacin (Cipro), Enoxacin (Penetrex), Gatifloxacin (Tequin), Levofloxacin (Levaquin), Lomefloxacin (Maxaquin), Moxifloxacin (Avelox), Norfloxacin (Noroxin), Ofloxacin (Floxin), and Trovafloxacin (Trovan).

Fenofenadine (Allegra)

Medications moved by pumps in cells (P-Glycoprotein substrates) such as Etoposide, Paclitaxel, Vinblastine, Vincristine, Vindesine, Ketoconazole, Itraconazole, Amprenavir, Indinavir, Nelfinavir, Saquinavir, Cimetidine, Ranitidine, Diltiazem, Verapamil, Corticosteroids, Erythromycin, Cisapride (Propulsid), Fexofenadine (Allegra), Cyclosporine, Loperamide (Imodium), Quinidine, and others.

#Oh My Goth Girl (Get a Grip)!#My Immortal #Ebony Darkness Dementia Raven Way #My Immortal Bath Bomb #Tara Gillespie #my stuff #DIY #Professor Palmarosa #professorpalmarosa #bath bomb

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recentanimenews · 6 years ago

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Crunchyroll Favorites 2018 Part One: Anime and Manga!

2018 was a wild ride for all of us, but at least we had a whole lot of great anime and manga to keep us entertained along the way! We laughed, we cried, we recoiled in horror, and we waited for the "ahh, you are motherf**ker?" moment in Pop Team Epic's anime that never actually came.

We recently talked about our favorite anime of the past season, and our most-anticipated anime of the coming season, so that brings us to now, to the now-annual tradition of Crunchyroll Favorites (can you believe we've been doing this for eight years?!), where CR's staff, editors, and writers share what stood out most to them over the entirety of 2018. The rules were simple: for Part One, only anime, manga, and related media that were released in 2018 (or received a Western release in 2018), or experienced a major milestone (like starting a new season or closing up a major arc).

There's a whole lot to look at in Part One--let's get started!

Nate Ming

Devilman Crybaby - Satisfying violence and a pulsing soundtrack headline this savage modern retelling of the Devilman legend--this is the kind of thing that got me into anime in the first place, and it felt great to be back.

Dragon Ball Super ending - Meanwhile, Dragon Ball Super wrapped up with an insane 3v1 fight to the finish in the Tournament of Power. Imagine a group of grown men sitting around screaming at the TV like excited children--because in that moment, with a gassed-out, shoulder-to-shoulder Goku and Freeza meeting Jiren head-on… we were again.

HINAMATSURI - MY SMARTPHONE!! I figured Hinamatsuri would just be this goofy domestic comedy about a beleaguered yakuza adopting a psychic child, but then it got real. Like, "why am I crying so much at Anzu's story" real. It's so good, and one I really need to rewatch.

March comes in like a lion - The beauty of March is that it's sad, and sometimes a downer, but never a miserable pity parade that constantly dumps on its characters. There's growth, and a light at the end of the tunnel--healing and catharsis that come after the worst parts of life. We're going to lose the people we love, and we're going to be treated like garbage by the people around us… but that's never the end of the story if you have people you love and trust by your side.

Shonen Jump - This is what I'd been dreaming of for years, but always felt too difficult to implement… until now. New chapters? Free every week. The massive back catalog, along with an updated list of currently-running titles? TWO DOLLARS A MONTH. This is madness, and it's never been a better time to see people reading classics like Dragon Ball for the first time ever.

Honorable Mentions: A Place Further Than the Universe, Asobi Asobase - workshop of fun -, Laid-Back Camp

Cayla Coats

Liz and the Blue Bird - Sound! Euphonium is one of my favorite series, and this film takes the franchise to new artistic heights. Director Naoko Yamada and composer Kensuke Ushio reunite and create something truly special together.

A Place Further Than the Universe - This wasn’t the best-directed, best-animated, or best-scored anime of the year, but the sum is greater than the parts in this case. A Place Further is by far my favorite broadcast anime of the year.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime - I love “another world” anime that focus on worldbuilding and characterization over action, but Slime has both in spades. Also, protagonist Rimuru is super OP, but they’re so likable that I don’t really care.

Violet Evergarden - There’s a lot I could say about this stunningly-produced show, but I’ll just note that toward the beginning of the first episode, Violet picks up an object using her mouth. While it seems like a weird character eccentricity at first, it’s later revealed that she has trouble using her new prosthetic hands. That’s a pretty good indication of how thoughtful the entire series is.

Dead Dead Demon’s Dedede Destruction - The newest series to be brought stateside from Goodnight Punpun author Inio Asano, Destruction is easily my favorite work from him to date. Taking the trademark eccentricity and attention to detail of his other titles, Destruction merges it with a much less grimdark tone that I find hugely refreshing.

Nicole Mejias

Golden Kamuy - It’s no secret that I love Golden Kamuy to bits! The unique characters got me hooked, and then everything else (the story, action, drama and comedy) reeled me in to keep anticipating each and every episode. When’s season 3?!

Pop Team Epic - Where were you when the anime gods blessed us with Pop Team Epic? It’s basically anime shitposting, and it’s absolutely GLORIOUS! Yeah, I’m gonna be thinking about Hellshake Yano for a very long time.

Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles - If you know me, you know I love my ramen. And this show was a testament to how amazing and delicious ramen is while presenting a different array of wonderful ramen you can find in Japan! Of course, after each episode, I was left with the overwhelming desire for ramen, which was hard to curb.

Banana Fish (manga reprints) - Once news of the reprints began spreading around, I knew it was time for me to actually experience the majesty of Banana Fish! I don’t know what I expected, but I was addicted, reading all the volumes so fast, and I had to know what was going to happen next, so I went from volume to volume until I reached the end… What a thrill! I can’t believe it took me this long to check this series out. I’m glad I did!

Pokemon marathon on Twitch - The second Twitch announced this marathon, I was SO ready for it! I watched the old Pokémon anime when I was a kid, and watching the marathon brought back a lot of fun memories. There were also a bunch of moments in the anime I didn’t remember at all, like that bizarre Kangaskhan episode… It was a fun time to relive the show with thousands of other fans on Twitch!

Daniel Dockery

Dr. Stone - This is the “Are you reading this? No? WELL YOU BETTER GET ON THAT” manga of the year, along with Promised Neverland. It’s so good and funny and I just love it.

“Mr. Osomatsu In Hell” - The second season of Mr. Osomatsu was more uneven than the first, but the season finale is a work of art. I really hope the movie is good, and that we get a Season 3.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind - I only got into JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure this year, and the more I watch it, the more I like it. It’s one of the few pieces of media that I’ve seen that is just as good as everyone made it out to be.

My Hero Academia: Two Heroes - No theater experience will ever top hearing an entire audience erupt into applause when All Might yelled “CAROLINA SMASH.”

That Time I Got Reincarnated As Yamcha - Poor Yamcha. His stock has dropped significantly since he went toe-to-toe with Goku in his first Dragon Ball appearance. Luckily, this manga knows that, and is more hilarious for it. Next I hope for “That Time I Got Reincarnated As That One Pterodactyl That Tried To Mess With Goku In Dragon Ball Chapter 1.”

Peter Fobian

A Place Further Than the Universe - A Place Further felt like it was going against the grain in many ways, as a character-driven drama without many of the usual anime trappings. It’s a damn near perfect show with an excellent story, tight character writing, and some truly brutal emotional beats delivered in novel and creative ways.

Planet With - Maybe some of the tightest storytelling I’ve ever seen, getting 24 episodes' worth of content finished in half that, at a pace that felt perfect. If you decide to check it out, be ready for two full narrative arcs and a ton of interesting character-based subplots all serving the overarching message of the value of compassion and forgiveness.

SSSS.GRIDMAN - It feels like I’m always waiting for the next TRIGGER anime that has the same bombastic energy as Gurren Lagann or Kill la Kill, but GRIDMAN proved they’re able to deliver a muted and thoughtful show as well. Amemiya penned a love letter to tokusatsu so reverent that even people like me can feel his passion. Some characters felt underutilized, but GRIDMAN was charming, mysterious, and stuck the landing.

Laid-Back Camp - I wish there were more anime like this: realizing a new episode of this anime was out became a weekly highlight. It’s chill, it’s funny, it’s educational, and it doesn’t pull any anime shenanigans. Just like the title says, you have absolutely nothing to worry about while watching this show.

HINAMATSURI - I remember seeing a promotion for this anime almost a year before it was released, showing Mao’s kung-fu sequence and thought: this would be a martial arts anime. Nothing could have prepared me for one of the single funniest anime I’ve ever seen. Hinamatsuri has some of the greatest comedic timing this year, and still managed to pack in beautifully-animated psychic fights and some ridiculously powerful emotional moments. I still have whiplash.

Ricky Soberano

Fairy Tail Final Season - This marks the end of this legendary shonen and inevitable Fairy Tail-induced tears well up with every episode that inches slowly to the end. It may look like a victory lap on the surface, but the show is answering every burning question, fueling a fire in hearts, and cementing every reason why it’ll be missed.

As Miss Beelzebub Likes It. - As someone who doesn’t go out of their way to look for cute anime, I was pleasantly surprised at myself and this show for the effect it had on my well-being. It was my guiltiest and fluffiest pleasure of the year and I enjoyed how light, adorably cute, and heartwarming it was.

Attack on Titan - I’ve been holding off on watching this for as long as I could and I definitely regret holding back on it. I will note: I did become vegan for a month after watching the first episode. Now I’m left screaming at the screen and dissecting every moment. With stakes as real as they could get, and consistent losing, I live for the small but progressing wins in the neverending battle for humanity.

Food Wars! The Third Plate - The tables have turned and a new set of rules have left our favorite food orgasm inducers to fight for their survival despite an entire system against them. The creations only got more mouth watering and frankly so did the more visible presence of Joichiro-san. In all seriousness, Hayama-san’s betrayal and Erina’s heightened courage in front of her father was enough to induce a lot of stress eating. Next stop: the final showdown.

Emily Bushman

Mo Dao Zu Shi - Technically a donghua (Chinese Animation), and not traditional Japanese anime, this is BY FAR one of my favorite shows of the year. There’s magic, it takes place in ancient China, and there’s lots of zombie slaying. The character designs are gorgeous, the pacing and action are exceptionally well done, and there’s juuuuuuust enough romantic tension to keep my blood warm.

Banana Fish - I didn’t catch this manga when I was younger, but my roommate told me I was missing out. We started watching the anime, which entranced me with cool character designs and excellent pacing. I got impatient and read the manga (which is just as good, if not better than the anime), and cried my eyes out at the ending.

Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai - I thought I was going to hate this, and instead ended up loving it. The dialogue is fast-paced, which keeps otherwise off-color jokes from souring, and instead transforms them into witticisms worthy of a chuckle. It is fun, heartwarming, and a little nostalgic, but does a wonderful job of transforming those perceived insurmountable imperfections into challenges worth overcoming.

A Place Further Than The Universe - Great characters, wonderful development, original story line, dramatic without being overwrought, an improbable scenario without being impossible. It made me cry big, fat tears (I was alone, in my apartment, it was kind of sad honestly), but I loved the salty-clean feeling of relief and forgiveness that came after I finished the show.

Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits - This is a great show that DID NOT get enough love. It was a bit of a guilty pleasure for me, but also great from a cooking blog perspective. Aoi, the main character, makes a lot of foods that are interesting and not pedantic. It’s definitely a slice of life, but has a main character that is steadfast in her determination to burn through the prejudice, anger, or sadness of those she meets through her cooking.

Noelle Ogawa

The Promised Neverland - I got into it this year and what an absolute treat! Having grown up on the slow pacing of the Big Three, this turned the Jump formulas all around. Excellent cast of characters, a condensed story, intrigue about the world, a constant wonder- this series had it all. Emma is the rare female shonen protagonist who is completely capable on her own terms, and every character is sharp. It’s worked its way to be one of my favorite Jump series, and I can’t wait for the anime.

Pop Team Epic - I genuinely looked forward to this every week. It’s so hard to describe how absolutely wild it is. It’s hard to describe what exactly Pop Team Epic is but it’s definitely some kind of an experience. Being able to catch all the many cultural references were always a fun game to play for every episode, as well as seeing what chaotic entities Popuko and Pipimi had to shove into our faces.

That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime - This caught me off guard because I really am not a fan of 99% of isekai. I’d passed this series off as silly because of the title but I was wrong. It’s still an isekai in its bones, but it combines having fun with having something to say- with a slime protag, of all things. I’m really excited to see more!

My Solo Exchange Diary - Nagata Kabi’s autobiographical work always cut me to the core. Her dealing with both depression and her seuxality with finding her place in the world really speaks to me. At the same time, it’s not a dismal story at all, but one that’s filled with hope. It’s about trying to find your way in the world and make do with what you have, and I think we can all relate to that.

Paul Chapman

Planet With - A series that squeezes 52 episodes' worth of story into a trim 12, Planet With is packed with honesty and heart. Few shows leave me with a feeling of hope for the future, but Planet With's relentless positivity and effortless heroism in the face of unspeakable tragedy speak to how fiction can embody the best aspects of humanity.

A Place Further than the Universe - Blurring the boundaries of the “cute girls doing cute things” subgenre, A Place Further than the Universe is a heartfelt (and sometimes heartbreaking) drama about coming to grips with loss while on a journey of self-discovery. Incidentally, any moe show that features the main cast becoming seasick barf-monsters for an entire episode is A+ material.

Umamusume: Pretty Derby - It's hard to imagine that a tie-in anime for an as-yet-unreleased smart phone game that's supposed to sell viewers on the glories of Japanese horse racing can also be so consistently entertaining and emotionally sincere, but that's just the sort of thing that makes Umamusume: Pretty Derby a dark horse candidate for pure viewing pleasure.

Cells at Work! - Equal parts hilarious and horrifying, Cells at Work! makes learning the basics of human biology fun, because it's nice to imagine that every individual part of my cellular anatomy is just as dorky, self-conscious, and occasionally inept as I am.

Pop Team Epic - Every so often, there comes a work of art that so overwhelms me with its beauty and its ugliness that it leaves a scar upon my soul. But enough about Devilman Crybaby, 2018 is also the year that gave us the inimitable, inscrutable anime adaptation of Bkub Okawa's Pop Team Epic, and no one's complaining (except you).

Nick Creamer

Liz and the Blue Bird - As an unlikely followup to a side story from Sound! Euphonium’s second season, Liz and the Blue Bird was basically guaranteed to have niche appeal. But even if you haven’t seen the show it’s spun off from, Liz is a stunning accomplishment in any right, a gorgeous expression of love composed by one of the greatest directors in anime. Beyond its overt beauty, Liz uses visuals and music to perfectly evoke the mental states of its heroines throughout, making it easy to get carried into their world. Liz is a perfect jewel of a film.

Violet Evergarden - This has certainly been a strong year for Kyoto Animation! Along with the stunning Liz, their full-length Evergarden took my breath away again and again, elevating a poignant melodrama with all the animated splendor and thoughtful visual storytelling you expect from this team. It feels like my favorite animation studio are somehow leveling up.

After the Rain - There are far too few dramas about actual adults facing realistic problems in anime, and After the Rain stands as a welcome and brilliantly executed counter to the trend. Equally sympathetic to its teenage heroine’s feelings of displacement and its middle-aged hero’s feelings of regret, After the Rain paints a thoughtful and sympathetic portrait of its melancholy leads from start to finish. More people need to check out this insightful and very pretty show!

Planet With - Satoshi Mizukami has long been one of my favorite mangaka, and so I was thrilled to see his work finally debuting on the small screen. The results don’t disappoint; Planet With is a wildly ambitious, creative, and emphatically humanist tale of interplanetary war, secret identities, and much else besides. Along with providing some of the most thoughtful human insights of the anime year, it’s probably also the only show this year to feature a space general in a giant cat suit.

March comes in like a lion - March has stood among the best anime dramas for three straight years now, and the conclusion of its second season was an absolute triumph. Having slowly and compassionately articulated Rei’s journey from depression to genuine self-love, the show was at last able to extend its focus outwards, and celebrate the journeys of all the people Rei has come to care for. From its vivid visual embellishments and keen psychological insight to its great empathy for all its characters, March was a wonderful experience this year, and a show I’ll dearly miss.

Wilhelm Donko

A Place Further Than the Universe - The heartfelt story about four girls’ spectacular journey to Antarctica is not only my personal anime of the year; it also managed to secure itself a spot among my all-time favorite shows. Add highly-likeable characters, a great soundtrack, as well as gorgeous visuals to an excellent story, and you have one of the most well-crafted anime in recent years.

Laid-Back Camp - Laid-Back Camp accomplished the feat of making camping out alone in the cold look extremely enticing. Its cozy atmosphere, light humor, and the simply gorgeous-to-look-at backgrounds always made me want to grab my tent, and head out to the great outdoors after each episode.

Harukana Receive - This was a perfect fit for this year’s summer anime season, getting us in the summer spirit with a whole season of nothing but beach volleyball in tropical Okinawa. On top of its vibrant visuals, the show also had a great upbeat soundtrack.

Kara Dennison

ZOMBIE LAND SAGA - The series’s vagueposting approach to publicity was as interesting as it was risky, but none of us could have been prepared for undead idols finding closure while Mamoru Miyano yells a lot. The back half of the series was especially good, touching on everything from personal identity to the spiral of depression. And in spite of all that heavy stuff mixed in, it brought me so much joy.

Lupin the 3rd Part 5 - I will always be a sucker for new Lupin, but there was something extra special about this season. Maybe it was the no-fear approach to action balanced out with the characters staying in-character, a dichotomy the franchise sometimes fumbles. Maybe it was just how deeply important the characters’ intelligence was, to the point of reminding us that Lupin is no mental slouch. Or maybe it was the callback filler episodes. At the moment, probably my favorite of the many Lupins.

Pop Team Epic - From a news standpoint, this series was a disaster to cover because we never knew the truth from the troll. Watching as a fan, and one with very little experience with the 4koma, was delightful. The cultural references were on point, and Norio Wakamoto made his way onto the cast list at least five episodes earlier than expected.

-----

And that's a wrap for Part One! Be sure to tune in at the same time tomorrow for Part Two, where we share our favorite VIDEO GAMES of 2018! If you're in the mood for more CR Favorites, here are the links to past years' features:

Crunchyroll Favorites 2017 Part One | Part Two | Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2016 Part One | Part Two | Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2015 Part One | Part Two | Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2014 Part One | Part Two | Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2013 Part One | Part Two | Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2012 Part One | Part Two | Part Three

Crunchyroll News' Best of 2011 Part One | Part Two

What were your favorite anime and manga of 2018? Remember, this is a FAVORITES list, not a BEST-OF list, so there are no wrong answers--sound off in the comments and share your favorites!

-----

Nate Ming is the Features Editor for Crunchyroll News and creator of the long-running Fanart Friday column. You can follow him on Twitter at @NateMing. His comic, Shaw City Strikers, launches January 15, 2019.

By: [email protected]

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

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newstfionline · 8 years ago

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Rich Chinese, Inspired by ‘Downton,’ Fuel Demand for Butlers

By Chris Buckley and Karoline Kan, NY Times, Jan. 14, 2017

CHENGDU, China--Mao once said that a revolution was not a dinner party. But with the communist revolution turning into opulent capitalism, China’s rich are now making sure the dinner party settings are immaculate and the wine is poured just right.

Inspired in part by the “Downton Abbey” television drama, the country’s once raw and raucous tycoons are aspiring to old-school decorum, fueling demand for the services of homegrown butlers trained in the ways of a British manor.

“What they would like to say to their friends is, ‘Look, I have a butler, an English-style butler in my home,’ to show how wealthy they are,” said Neal Yeh, a Chinese-born Briton living in Beijing, who for over a decade has helped train and find jobs for butlers.

“The country now with the biggest trend in butlers is China,” said Mr. Yeh, whose English accent would be at home on “Downton Abbey,” the television series about a blue blood family in England, which was avidly watched in China. “I dare say I have played a part in starting this trend.”

Butler training schools and agencies have been doing business in China for more than a decade, but the number of recruits has grown sharply in recent years, according to those in the business. Most are Chinese and many are women. The International Butler Academy China opened in 2014 here in Chengdu, a haze-covered city in southwest China, and offers a six-week boot camp on dinner service, managing homes and other minutiae of high living.

“The Chinese are vacationing more now than ever in history, and so they’re being exposed to the West more and more,” said Christopher Noble, an American trainer at the academy who previously ran bars in Cleveland. “But Chinese people see that, experience top-class personal service abroad, and they want to experience it here.”

A boom in butler service might seem incongruous as President Xi Jinping campaigns zealously against corruption and extravagance, and an economic slowdown undercuts lavish spending. But China’s rich continue amassing ever greater fortunes and want what they see as the trappings of respectable refinement. Even under Mr. Xi, butlers are finding growing work as symbols of good taste, according to people in the business.

“You read about an economic slowdown, but China’s wealth is still growing,” said Luo Jinhuan, who has worked as a butler in Shanghai and, most recently, Beijing, after learning the job in Holland. “Old money has passed from one generation to the next. But the new money doesn’t have the same quality. You need to help them improve.”

If butlers symbolize maturing Chinese capitalism, the somewhat awkward status they have here also reflects how the rich in China must play by different rules than the wealthy in many other countries.

It often comes down to a lack of trust. Wealth in China, where a cutthroat business culture is pervasive, comes with insecurity about being brought low by resentful employees, rivals, and officials, especially with the continuing crackdown against corruption. That wariness discourages many millionaires from hiring their own Jeeves to run their homes, people in the business said.

“Some of them discover that in reality they can’t trust an outsider to manage the household,” said Tang Yang, a marketing director at the butler academy. “They’re unwilling to have a butler who knows all the information about the family.”

Relatively few graduates of the academy end up as traditional household butlers. Instead, many work in high-end clubs, housing estates and executive floors, serving several clients at the same time--not with the same intimacy as a personal butler.

Promoters of butlers in China often point out that the country has its own tradition of high-end service, and the classical Chinese novel, “Dream of the Red Chamber,” features traditional butlers, called “guanjia,” or “domestic manager,” in Mandarin. But “Downton Abbey” helped rekindle a new romanticized interest in old-school service in China.

Many student butlers here said they had watched and rewatched the show as an instruction video on the self-effacing unflappability of domestic service.

“I only began to grasp this profession of butlers after watching ‘Downton Abbey,’” said Xu Shitao, a 34-year-old Beijing native studying at the Chengdu academy. “I think that in the future this profession will be quite popular and will have a market.”

But Ms. Xu and her classmates have found that, in reality, being a butler is strenuous work.

On a recent morning, they practiced for hours, learning to serve wine and water the proper way. Again and again, the class of eight clasped a wine bottle near its bottom and stepped forward in unison around a dinner table to dispense just enough wine to reach the widest part of a wine glass.

Not a drop was to splash the tablecloth or, heaven forbid, a guest.

“Stretch, pour, up, twist, back, wipe. Try to extend your arm,” Mr. Noble commanded, using his ever-present translator. “You want to be able to extend your arm as much as possible. You’re doing a ballet.”

Students also take classes on serving formal dinners, packing luggage, cleaning house and countless other details of managing life for the rich.

“You have to get the details right to do your job right,” said Yang Linjun, a 22-year-old student in the class. “Your arms get sore and your hands hurt, but this is a lifestyle.”

After they graduate, many hope to attach themselves to China’s growing number of superrich. In return, they may earn monthly wages of $2,800 or much higher as personal butlers, depending on experience and luck--more than for many service jobs.

By 2015, China had 400 billionaires and billionaire families, an increase of 65 from just a year earlier, according to Forbes’ annual list. The country’s richest 1 percent own about one-third of household wealth, a share similar to the concentration of wealth in America.

Manners can be rough in China, sometimes in a warm way, sometimes less so. But that has been changing as people grow richer, travel and live abroad, and bring back a demand for polished, attentive service.

“A decade ago, very few Chinese people stayed in five-star hotels,” said Yang Kaojun, a property manager with the Summit Group, which employs teams of trained butlers who are at the beck and call of residents. “But now many people have, and that’s given them some understanding of what good service is.”

As well as the Chengdu academy, the Sanda University, a private college in Shanghai, has incorporated butler training into its hospitality program. Many Chinese also learn how to be butlers in Europe. And Sara Vestin Rahmani, the founder of the Bespoke Bureau, a British company that finds domestic staff members for wealthy employers, said her company planned to open a school for butlers and domestic staff people in China this year.

The number of butlers in China is hard to determine. There may be hundreds or thousands, especially in Beijing, Shanghai and the prosperous south. Ms. Rahmani said that in 2007 her company found positions in China for 20 butlers; by 2015 that number had grown to 375, including 125 with families. Others reported similar growth.

“We are in actual fact exporting to China a trade which was once their own,” Ms. Rahmani said. “With communism, everything that was refined, unique and upper-class became a distant memory.”

But Chinese employers often treat butlers as expensive all-purpose flunkies who should be on call 24 hours a day. That violated the traditional idea of a butler as a respected manager of the household and above most menial tasks. Ms. Luo, the butler, said her work was far more hectic than she imagined. Her daily routine included overseeing the sauna, cinema, bowling alley and other rooms in a 32,000-square-foot home.

“I feel that when work starts, there’s no time at all to stop and rest,” she said. “It’s a lot harder than working in a hotel.”

#China #butlers in China #Downton Abbey #rich Chinese

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