#sugo 3 hours

[temporarilyunstable]

it's a monster of a ppp essay

Finally writing about this film I’ve pretty much obsessed over for months! Hopefully I can put some order into this but in case I ramble you have been warned lol. Spoilers will be discussed. 

I first saw this film in Japan on opening day— prior to that I tried to gather as much information as I could via JP tweets and impressions, especially those of the pre-golden week screening on April 29, then adding more info as soon as spoilers were lifted to increase my understanding. And now a couple of months later, I finally have full context, but really happy that most of the information I got was accurate, and the only details that I had to clear up were related to the more complex elements of the plot, plus the ever-important talk-no-jutsus (tnj) in the film. 

If I were to give this film a score, it’s a 9/10. Prior to this, my fave iteration was case 3, being the ever-economic-just-over-an-hour-but-does-everything-right entry to the series. Maybe it’s my Akane bias but PPP just knocked that one right out of the park. The animation was great (I am not well-versed in this so you won’t hear me talk about it much), even if wonky Arata took me out despite the emotion in the scene. Voice acting, no one does it better than the JP actors, I will not be convinced otherwise. It’s my preference and frankly if you’ve never watched this in sub I do think you missed out. The music was TOP-TIER. I’ve not stopped listening to this OST ever since it came out, blessdt Ennio-Morricone-esque Is this your choice, Akane Tsunemori? track #27 CD2?!!?!??! *INHALE* 

I can’t actually use technical film critic jargon here so in short, I LOVE this film so much. 

A bit of background info from the recent interviews Director Shiotani participated during the roundtables/live stages in JP - the “switching” of the timelines were at the behest of the producers (Fuji TV), including the introduction of new characters, in order to continue the story indefinitely from a TV perspective (link). It was a ballsy move, and in hindsight it paid off, but not without its pitfalls which I will touch on later. PP3/FI was developed during PPSS, and PPP was developed during PP3/FI, so you can imagine the difficulty of making sure the creative team have crossed their t’s and dotted their i’s. That being said, apart from telling the story it wishes to tell, the purpose of this film was to tie the past to the present, and I think that they did it very well. 

My thoughts are still evolving, but interestingly enough, most of my impressions haven’t changed. So I’ll talk about some elements of the plot that interest me, then I’ll go to specific characters, and ofc I’ll talk about the ship (not the Grootslang 😉).

There’s a clear three-parts to this film: up to Saiga’s death, up to Atsushi’s death, and Akane’s career death (if it is to be said, so it is lol). Each part had their pros and cons, but it’s quite a feat managing to squeeze all the information in. There was no dull moment for me.

I think the deaths here (especially of the characters we were supposed to care about)— the manner and speed in which they perished, and at a certain point in the film, all for nothing— were part of the point.

Before I watched this with subs I actually thought that it would be more difficult to understand, but I have to say that the nolan-esque expositions were well executed and nicely placed, for example the talk about possession between Kogami and Shion was a good prep for the audience for when we actually get to hear about how it works from Akira. Also a great way to show both Kogami’s detective skills that have not dulled the slightest, and his and Shion’s closeness(?/familiarity? Call it what you want). Another example is the Mika-team essentially telling the audience what’s about to happen prior to us seeing Sugo get things done in the sky (also I forgot he was just flying a drone and was out of harm’s way ehehe). I would say that the hardest parts to piece together have to do with the elements related to PP3, including the involvement of Bifrost. I’ll touch on this later.  

I’ve talked about Saiga’s death to my friends way before the first trailer ever released. Him not being present in PP3 was the biggest clue, and not that I wanted it to happen, but it was necessary to raise the stakes and make it personal. As a fic writer, admittedly I’ve never been happier to be right 😅. His scenes with Akane and Kogami at the beginning of the film were standouts. I particularly love how Saiga and Akane are so at ease with having a simple conversation— they’re talking about work but he could so easily talk about his doubts regarding Atsushi, for example. I love how he’s the same with Kogami, how he clearly states his allegiance to Akane, and ofc reminding Kogami to apologize (and something else I picked up that I will discuss later). 

I can say that despite the initial ridiculousness of the Divider/possession, the way it was explained was quite convincing to me compared to how they brushed over how Arata’s mentalist skills worked in PP3. Also, there’s kind soul from the JP fandom who attempted to explain how it could probably work irl (link). It’s creepy, if you think about it, and well-documented too. Have a read if you’re interested. 

Action scenes, definitely a strong suit of this film - you just know they can’t help themselves sometimes LOL. Kogami v Akira is definitely the best one (RIP Kogami’s balls hihi), and I’ve said this before but they definitely have perfected Kogami’s animation when it comes to fighting, and he is always the most flawlessly animated, however I think they did Gino really well here too. There’s this other really wonky one where Sugo falls down the escalator and it just looks like he’s a solid object and not a human body asdlfkjaskldfj. Honestly I finally understood the critique that the Sugo drone scenes were definitely way too long (I didn’t notice this bec it was hella entertaining when you don’t have subs plus it was super fun if you watch it in 4dx/mx4d).

Really dropped the ball on the Stronskaya Papers imo. I think, for something that was meant to be so important, the exposition regarding its use was really a lazy excuse. “SEAUn essentially proved its value” ain’t gonna cut it. If this is something so important people choose to kill/die for, then the implications of it should have been shown to the audience, not told. 

I only noticed after the third subbed rewatch, but to me, everyone is being measured against Akane in this film. I will elaborate later.

Sibyl as an AI

Finally, the little complication about using the term "AI" when describing the Sibyl System. When the first impressions of this came out, there were a LOT of dissatisfied JP fans. Until it was described as such in the film, since the system constitutes actual human brains, then the interpretation is that it is human. I’m not sure if this was a general interpretation btw, but since this is the first time the term “AI” was used to describe Sibyl, ofc it rubbed people the wrong way, especially bec it feels like the whole concept of Sibyl was retconned. 

I somewhat agreed with this interpretation— I had always considered the Sibyl System as an independent character in this series, who was meant to be impartial but somehow acts/reacts as a human would— and it's not hard to think so, when you look at the way the system has acted and evolved throughout the show. At times, the system is shown to be curious, greedy, and even cruel. I am ofc talking about them as a whole and not their androids (Kasei, Misako, Chuan Han, Hosorogi, even the dude in Case 2, etc)— individual brains act as human with a CA constitution (so still slightly different from a normal human), that’s clearly shown in the series.

When I read about this through interviews of Director Shiotani, I didn’t quite get the full context as it was used in the film. My initial interpretation was that the system was human, but the mechanisms that make it work (the claws swapping brains supposedly without human intervention, the city/country-wide whole network/surveillance system, the immediate reaction to process a Dominator’s request, etc) were powered by AI. I thought that they used the term AI to update the terminology, since this technology is quickly becoming commonplace irl. Now I've seen PPP with subs and thought a bit more about it, I still somehow think this is the case but also, all things considered, the term AI also makes sense. 

Bear with me as I try to break it down. The Sibyl System is a system that is bound by its raison d'être: the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people (very important: not all). To achieve this, it has taken over control of the lives of its citizens via the Psycho- Pass, a quantified measure of mental states/psychological tendencies and aptitudes— a supposedly objective measure. This includes law enforcement, as the system is able to predict an individual’s tendency to commit crime. We also know that the Sibyl system has auxiliary functions, like planning citizens’ lives or recommending the best option for the individual’s happiness, matchmaking, art/cultural/historical/religious control. Its role is very simple: assign the best possible job that one is most capable of (essentially eliminating non-productivity as a society), and through psycho-pass measurements, maintain/execute (criminal) law and order under the PSB. It can be implied that other non-criminal laws can’t be divorced from Sibyl, since its functions make all these possible within the confines of what Sibyl constitutes as “right” (and is implied,) based on the rule of law. Sorta like a chicken and egg situation, but the law, being at the base of it all. Sibyl came into legal force - it is, first and foremost, lawful.

Applying that to the definition of AI, we could say that at its inception, the law would be Sibyl’s code/algorithm, prior research (be it criminal/non-criminal data/aptitude/psychology/physio etc etc) and eventually its actual application is its data set, and the use of human brains as its processing mechanism. If we review how the system has "acted" so far, it's all consistent with the fulfillment of their purpose, EVEN if exceptions, limitations and anomalies exist. 

A key concept that has been repeated in the show’s run is Sibyl’s “evolution”, which coincides with the same concept of AI “developing/learning automatically”. If I still have your attention, you will probably know that the main driver of Sibyl’s evolution has always been Akane, be it directly (S1, PP movie, PPP), or indirectly (PP2, PP3). This has been introduced from the start, with Sibyl itself acknowledging its imperfection, but insisting on the need to maintain its perceived perception in the interests of a peaceful society. 

What makes it a bit contentious is the fact that the individual brains ARE very obviously still human - so I think that the “the Sibyl System is an AI” really feels off somehow, or at least conceptually feels like it should have been carefully defined rather than left up for interpretation, given what we’ve seen in the series thus far. In any case, here are some references to help you think about it and make your own interpretation.

World Affairs (OffiPro)

Genesis 1-2

Genesis 3-4

Characters - I’m just gonna put this disclaimer, basically if I quote something from the film please just understand that it’s mostly paraphrased. 

Akira

Definitely one of my favorite additions to this massive cast. Not the first one to say it but what a shame (he’s so sexy UwU). He’s probably less complex of a character than Atsushi (oh we’ll get to him), since his motivations are not “heavy” enough for me to believe such a sacrifice. He volunteered to be a double agent, burned his face to prevent identification, took on the mental (physical, actually) load of the chips in his brain and for what? For the greater good? Where did we see that anywhere? It is implied that as an immigrant he’s had his fair share of exposure to wars/conflict - we all know this was the same case with characters like Kei and Maiko, for example, but if we’re simply relying on the context of this film, I got the impression that he was merely doing it for his brother. 

Things I love:

Dropping the machine gun post shootout with Kogami, signaling that he has no intention to go that far (gonna talk about the other side of this coin in a bit)

RECITING THE GREAT ASO on top of that holo cliff *chills* 

In the JP version, his very VERY noticeable voice change when he surrendered to Kogami and Gino

His “please take care of Kei” never fails to make my heart ache T-T AKIRAAAAAAAAAAA

Atsushi (& a bit of Yabuki)

One of the best characters in this film (who no one will invite in their wedding— oh the irony lol). I think that a good baseline from watching PP3/FI really helps appreciate him, though I didn’t actually care much if not for Niki making me notice in PP3 that there are conflicting accounts about him (a malicious one c/ o Obata in her testimony, vs Arata’s POV of him as a good and loving father), plus the more I learned about the complexities of Bifrost the more I got interested in him, too. Atsushi is clearly a morally grey character, and in this film it both comes out of his mouth (as a form of admittance in his speech), and shows in his actions. His speech: "The right choice can be wrong in a different time, that’s because righteousness is relative, but the truth is absolute. What we need is the truth, the means to accept that truth and choose the path where no one gets hurt." is clearly directed at only four people in that room. The speech also served as an admission of his guilt— and once again, the theme “he did what he had to/someone had to do it”.  

There’s a line during his interview with Akane where she says “you don’t make mistakes. Everything you do puts you a step further in your career, as if you’re following a path laid out before you.” When she seems to have hit the right line of questioning, he was clearly about to confess, but alas, it was not to be. I remember reading an interview where Director Shiotani said “he doesn’t get to have it easy” and you know what, ok fine. 

Atsushi and Yabuki’s approach is, in a nutshell, big picture thinking, the end justifies the means. They make difficult decisions, get things done and can’t avoid people from getting hurt. This is also driven home by Yabuki’s words to Frede “ideals are not enough to bring about change”. (He also said something good about needing that kind of power to exact justice and being prepared for the infamy that would result - help me if you remember this was my takeaway from it). To me, they both represent the kind of people who are about to become obsolete in Sibyl society IF it is heading towards the path people like Akane and eventually, Arata, are aiming for (put a pin on that). 

We know that he was a Bifrost Inspector, and interestingly enough, it seems that Yabuki is too since they’re communicating via the terminal we saw Kei use. As is on trend for anything related to Bifrost, you do not see the hands of these guys getting dirty despite all the dirty work they actually do. That said, Akira, Milcia and most likely Saiga, are probably foxes.

Things I love:

I think that he and Tonami, while they must have believed there was no other way at the time, acknowledged that there was no excuse, and as a result are inspired (or in Tonami’s case, persuaded though begrudgingly) to trust the newer generation to do it better than they could. I feel like Atsushi already knew his time was coming the moment the deaths of those he had personal ties with started piling at his door. 

His conversation with Kasei/Sibyl: “we’ve been watching you for a while”, implying Sibyl being complicit in all the dirty work he’s had to do. “Do you believe in the potential of humans?” and the response “of course. this is the reason why we exist” — really rubs the god/religious themes here, handing him the gun that will take his life as their parting gift, as if to say “this is your judgment”. I’m gonna touch on this again with Akane. 

I’m not the first person to say this but with the exception of Yabuki, who was killed, at the end, Milcia, Akira and Atsushi’s acts were extreme, and I’m just not gonna gloss over this, cowardly. Choosing to die instead of living. Choosing to be absent instead of being present (in his brother’s life, in her daughter’s life). Atsushi preached it to his son (“do not dive without a lifeline”) but not only failed to act on his teachings but continued his approach. You could say it was the only choice at the moment, but all their previous choices led them there, and it’s even worse that they got someone else involved and killed, even if that wasn’t their intention. 

HOWEVER, and this is going to be brought up again: someone has to do it, and therein lies the nuance in the other main character in PPP we’ll talk about later.

Saiga

I don’t really have much to add except they made him especially handsome in this film… 😳 And ofc I love that he picked up the lack of people in the building, he really said you can’t hide anything from my keen observation skillz. I loved that he was pretty chill about it too, maybe he was trying to cool down his favorite student 🤗

Things I love:

Akane visited him at 23:41 in the evening, I am assuming on that same day (it’s the time stamp on his laptop, also confirmed by Director Shiotani). I guess the concept of after office hours does not exist bec it looks like they left for Dejima immediately after. 

“People aspire for comfort and find themselves unable to escape it, like me” and Akane immediately saying that’s not the case 🥹

Coffee on the lips. Leaning back on the couch. The toast and the chuckle RIP

“She’s not a saint/bodhisattva”: I’ve understood this to mean that she WILL enforce Kogami if it comes down to, hence he better apologize to her while he can. 

His very meme-able criticism of Kogami before they got on the elevator 

“Well, that was crazy!”

HIM BEING PEAK HANDSOME WHEN HE HAD A KNIFE ON HIS THROAT LIKE?!?! 

The desperation and VERY obvious there is no other way here when Akane’s whole body is about to fall just trying to hang onto him

That they muted Akane’s scream when he fell

That she went straight down to him without so much as looking back at the fighting still happening

That she fixed his body 😭

I’m really gonna miss him. I always used to hc that Akane and Kogami would have a moment with him at some point in the future, calling back to their visit to his house in s1 but alas… we can’t have everything we want, huh? 

Tonami

AHHHH old man, old man. 

My favorite part about Tonami is that they clearly improved on making sure they don’t paint him as an evil guy. They tried to do this with Garcia, but frankly the novel did a better job at making him look more nuanced than the movie did— and that’s saying a lot since like I said, I love case 3. This is probably because they had the benefit of time, of course, and we’re gonna touch on this again later, they spend less time making Kogami look good (i mean, not physically) in this film. 

They were very economic with how they portrayed his character, too. With just that one scene of him and the kid, you immediately empathize and are forced to listen to what he’s actually saying. My favorite scenes of any iteration is the “reckoning”/tnj that Akane has towards the end, basically summarizing the thesis of the story, and the questions it poses to the audience. This film is probably the best at presenting the most nuanced argument of the series so far between two sides. Very simple, very straightforward, and the movie’s prior scenes have done the legwork for the viewer to connect the points each is trying to make, like neat little puzzle pieces that make you go oh.

Things I love:

“Don’t forget you were the ones who made me this way.” (mic drop).

Akio Otsuka’s voice acting, especially when Akane was crawling to grab the Dominator. THE FRUSTRATION IS REAL.

This was pretty much confirmed and I’ll touch on it again later: he was not going to kill Akane (link) . I thought this was up for debate at first, but actually after seeing the subbed version I am convinced this was actually not up for debate due to the following:

It was him talking to Kai when he killed Milcia, he asked “You killed her?” and said “You messed up, Kai” 

We do not actually see him kill unless there is a purpose. Killing the SAD guys to get to Milcia, killing the SAD guys to get to Saiga. He revived Bokamoso because he needed to get the papers (wasn’t convinced that Saiga really didn’t have it, as already established by Saiga a few scenes prior), and was biding their time when he engaged with Frede & Gino after Kai confirmed the papers were not there, probably waiting for Kai to finish with Kogami (“time is up”). Decided the ops team (Ko, Gino, Frede) needed to die after they were exposed and the safety of the General and Raphael were put in jeopardy. 

He shot Akane in the same place he shot Kogami a few scenes prior— this is also why I do not believe this is random, but rather just a means to incapacitate them while he needed to do what he needed to do: possess Kai bec he now knows where the General is and needed him out of there, (unclear whether he knew at the time that Kai had the papers but likely he did since he referred to the memory chip during his first meeting with Akane), and have Akane not bother him while he possesses the peacebreakers in battle).

Shooting Akane again, not fatally wounding her.  

Akane’s line “why don’t you just kill me?”. Like, really, why didn’t he? The link above sheds some light on the creator’s vision on this and it’s delicious, lol. IMO, if he had wanted her dead they’d not have even talked. Very simple.

This is not to justify his actions btw, in fact, Akane even called him out “the same wars you helped perpetrate”, and her lichrally saying “I promise to expose the truth about the peacebreakers, but this doesn’t excuse what you’ve done”. Madame Justice said YOU WILL BE JUDGED BY THE POWER VESTED IN ME AS AN INSPECTOR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUREAU ETC ETC  

He cares about Kai/Akira (the line to Atsushi “so Kai is your pawn, too?” at the helipad, and his concern about the divider overloading and his reaction that Kai is choosing to die). He clearly cares about the peacebreakers, too. Nuance, man. Delicious. 

“You can’t stop what you started here” CHILLS. Definitely reminds me of Kamui’s tnj in S2.

Frede

I have a soft spot for her. She’s clearly more loyal to Yabuki & the MFA than to Saiga, and, judging by her character we’ve seen so far, she’s taking after Yabuki as well 😉

The reason why? #21 in Director Shiotani’s Q&A space last June 15 (link).

So pretty when she was conflicted about not telling Saiga/Kogami about le grand  ̶f̶a̶i̶l̶  plan

I like how she calls Yabuki “boss” 🥹

Fave scene when Kogami calls her out for lying to Saiga LOL, I just love that he can just do that and that she doesn’t even bat an eye, I like that about them. 

Gino

He’s not my fave, but I’ve grown a bit soft on him here I have to admit. Love that they gave his devotion to Akane more context, and that this whole system of trust between them (and the rest of Div 1) is shown. 

He is right, it’s his ego talking (the boat convo). Akane didn’t and isn’t staying/tied to the CID bec of them (Ko & Gino) jeez man. It’s not about YOU. LMFAOOoOOOOooo 

Little Ginomika moment, I loved that. Speaking of…

Mika

“This is no time to be playing politician” sis— did anyone ever tell you that you have an aptitude for it? The whole plan about selling them out if they all die so she could save their asses, then actually coming to their aid when it truly mattered? Does your fave ever?!?!?! 

While she’s probably the one who has one of the best charadevs in the show, I fear a little that she’s starting to become a gag character, ALTHOUGH i’m arguing that she’s clearly still a writer’s fave with the way they give her critical hero moments when it counts (the whole rock star raid at heaven’s leap in PP3, then this “I got it covered” in PPP). I think Mika best displays the balance required to stay (sane) in this job. She’s able to take on what she needs to, and accomplish the role she’s set out to play, and at the end of the day she probably goes home and has a boba, binges netflix and has a good night’s sleep. 

I dunno where I read this - but there are main characters, and there are main side characters. This is Gino and Mika’s fate in the grander story, with their arcs pretty much over since Case 1.  

Finally, the good stuff. If this ain’t much of an overly long essay already.

Kogami

Before I go off, my experience is as follows:

When the first trailer of PPP came out, his words “I have no regrets” were so jarring to me. I didn’t quite understand how that was supposed to add up to the Kogami in my head, the hopeful man who was ready to come home at the end of Case 3, and the guy who said sorry at the end of PPFI. This led me to find some answers by machine translating the PP3/FI novels, and the case 3 novel. 

In a nutshell, I had thought that the ending of case 3 meant that he was going to turn a new leaf and fight for the same justice Akane was (in short, no killing). Guess what? I forgot that he did kill Jackdaw in PPFI, and the novel pretty much confirmed his actions and thoughts around it (aka, he was really going to kill the guy— I mean, he came into the scene guns blazing, you know? AND I FORGOT ABOUT IT (I call this my akane-tinted glasses 😉).

Another line in Akane’s monologue that cemented my reinterpretation of Kogami, and I was immediately reminded of this passage when Akane sadly spoke to him right after he shot Tonami: 

“Believing in the meaning of the stars was something only she herself held, and it was as if she was being told that the stars were just stars by the others she believed to be her comrades. When she began to consider that perhaps it was not the incomprehensible others who were truly isolated, but rather herself, true loneliness arrived. The moment of being cast into the sea of true loneliness, without even the stars or the sound of waves.” (the stars here was implied to be either law, or justice)

It’s been confirmed by Ryo Yoshigami that Akane’s monologues in the PP3/FI novels were written with the plot of PPP in mind— so you all know, this was intentional. The novels really helped me take a step back and assess what I was really looking at as a character, and Kogami’s role in the overall story. I thought he was someone who was on his way to change, I was wrong. I thought that his values have aligned with Akane, again, wrong. Now I know what some of yall are gonna say, that you didn’t misinterpret him. Sure, this statement isn’t for you then. BUT don’t lie to me, those who DID. 🤪

As for the rest, go read and form your own opinion  (PP3 Novels)

Kogami’s sense of justice

As a main character of the series, Kogami’s journey has been up and down, but one thing that’s consistent about him, in the simplest terms: his justice is personal. Whether it’s one of revenge, which he had closed the door on post case 3, his inability to turn away from injustice, and in PPP, his acceptance and taking responsibility of what he stands for, and what he can do. 

In the beginning of Case 3, he was making an effort to avoid killing— even using it as a condition for cooperating with Kinrei on the raid in the train station. This was during a time when he was clearly at a loss of what to do, still swimming in his regrets and just letting himself go in whichever direction life takes him. Come the end of Case 3, we see his hopeful decision to return, and, in PPP, clearly stated during his convo on the boat, his reasons. He did not come back to die, but to help people. This is essentially an explanation of his choice and lack of regret that he failed to explain properly to Akane, but if it wasn’t clear yet, this is also where the lines have been drawn between the two protagonists, interestingly enough, since the beginning of the series. Akane’s sense of justice is directly tied to the law, whereas Kogami’s does not (and, I think a moot point to argue now, will never). 

He does what he does because it’s what he can do. The difference between Kogami S1 and Kogami PPP/PP3 is that he’s found a purpose/place that aligns with his sense of justice. He owns it, and takes full responsibility for it. It’s a facet of growth, though probably not in a direction that would bode well for him if he fails to look from above, as was Saiga's last words to Akane. I can take this apart in a few ways, firstly, and especially towards his “belief” in Akane, he’s a hypocrite (LOL). Says one thing, does another. Wanting to be judged after the fact is like, are you kidding me, man? Right in front of the blood of someone she just tnj’d “you will be judged according to the law”?!?!?!!

Let's take a break, I’ll throw him a bone.

He simply cannot turn away from injustice and would rather get his hands dirty than allow others to get away with their crimes

This is a great callback to his time with Garcia “you hesitated, and now someone’s dead.” See? Charadev. (I’m being sarcastic). It must suck for him that though he didn’t hesitate, Saiga is still dead. 

To me, he’s started walking forwards post case 3, and while he still regrets everything he did before that, he’s left that behind to fulfill a new purpose in his life

In this scene specifically, he would rather kill than have Akane be killed.

Very personal, very short-sighted, very impulsive, reactive sense of justice. That he agreed with what Tonami had said, for all that talk of his belief in Akane, he’s a funny  ̶l̶i̶t̶t̶l̶e̶ guy, isn’t he? 

I’ve always argued that if his aim was that good (and again, Tenzing commented on this, he CAN shoot to disarm someone), then why didn’t he? Kogami in PPP, in every scene, operates on a shoot to kill. I’m no longer here to apologize for the guy, even if he did, three years too late. I think that it helped me come to terms with their differences, and this is fundamental. Don’t get me wrong, I still like his character, maybe even more now that we’ve learned quite a few things about his… shortcomings (lol), but I’m not gonna make excuses for him in the same way he doesn’t make excuses for himself. He chose. He still chooses to. Cool motive, still murder. 

Where this will lead him, it’s been alluded to in the film. Tonami is what a misguided Kogami could become, and even Saiga clearly reminded him of it. That’s a matter for his future, but know that this movie is sowing seeds the creators may decide to reap someday.  

Things I love :

He got his balls kicked!!! Love that for him 🤣

Used to complain about how lousy his shirt looked is in pp3 and whoooaa he took the jacket off and I'm sweating

WET HAIR

TACTICAL GEAR

The PP OST and the dominator UI, before he takes his first shot *chills*

Despite all my beef about him, I still really do love the guy. Now I just dunk on him every chance I get, it's fun. And ofc, I still have a tiny bit of hope about his future, and I’ll be holding him to that standard, otherwise yeah, he can die in a ditch (or if we’re going there, he can die whilst leading an uprising to destroy Sibyl) 😉 

Akane

So when I said earlier that everyone is being measured against Akane, I really meant it. She had taken a back seat since the PPSS films, and in PP3/FI the whole mystery surrounding her imprisonment was an invisible hand driving many elements of the show. PPP is HER film, and as a character, her continued relevance to the series' thesis cannot be discounted.

“The law doesn’t protect people. People protect the law.”

If Kogami was consistent about his sense of justice, she is even more so. What makes her leagues above him is that she’s driving change, and change DOES happen in the manner that does not allow her to break her principles… that is, until the end of PPP 😉. I’m not going to elaborate on her sense of justice, it’s pretty straightforward even if the series likes to throw stones at it as if following it is the hardest thing in the world. What makes Akane stand out is that it's actually not hard. Look, ask yourself whether it’s easier to kill another human being or not— I’m not talking about exceptional circumstances, but even then, I think you know the answer— there’s a moral and ethical basis here that she shares with a great number of people. Killing is wrong, it’s against the law to take another life. To me, the point of each iteration is to keep stacking odds against her through characters, each with their own complexities and nuance that the audience is made to empathize with and contrasted to her sense of justice, resulting in making it look like her principles are ideal and impossible to achieve, when actually, they're not. 

One of my favorite lines of the film, when Tonami says to Akane, “these are the facts that lie in the shadow of the peace that you enjoy”. Let’s be real. Akane is privileged. She’s not had to fire a gun to defend herself in a war torn land— but the argument against this is the same argument for it— it’s because she doesn’t have to. Kogami is back in Japan, it stands to reason that he must adhere to its laws, because despite his experiences abroad, he is not and will never be above the law. 

I’m gonna touch on something I already discussed on twitter, because there’s a difference between the way Kogami has killed, versus the way Gino and Sugo have. 

As far as the series has shown, the following are Sibyl-sanctioned “killing”, the last one specifically relates to PPP:

As judged by the Dominator (LE/DD)

In cases of national defense/during the execution of duties as members of the NDF

In cases of self-defense in the course of an official operation

It stands to reason that just because they are sanctioned does not save the person from their hue deteriorating, because that part is directly related to a person’s view of guilt. Throughout the show, the audience is constantly reminded that the act of (indirectly) killing does not necessarily impact one's hue (e.g. the PP of the person who manufactured the gun is not the same as the person who fired it, the whole premise of the foxes in PP3, etc), hence the "guilt" associated with the act falls on the person who does it, which may result in a higher cc. A person is able to absolve themselves precisely bec they know they're doing it within the confines of the law, but this doesn’t always follow (e.g. Sugo’s hue deteriorating in Case 2). There's a good example of this in action during Akane's operation in PPP, when Tonami issues the order to kill, and the team, who had been disarming/arresting everyone a few minutes before, was left with no choice but to defend themselves, often resulting in a kill.

While the Peacebreakers were able to hand over this guilt to Tonami via the Divider, Gino and Sugo could not. At the start of the film, they only used the guns when the Dominator was not functioning. The difference with their actions in the last third of the film is they participated in an unsanctioned operation with Akane, have killed as a result and are now likely above regulation. Had no idea the words “once the hounds have thrown away their collars, public safety will never tame them again” also served as foreshadowing as this is probably why Sugo and Gino were requested for transfer to the SAD. And if you’ve been paying attention, you’ll notice that Gino actually gets the job done with fewer bullets than Kogami does. Kogami, from the start, comes into the scene, kills all his enemies on sight without hesitation. This is a huge difference, and this is what Akane is trying to keep him from defaulting to. Violence to fight violence was not the answer, but they clearly do not align on this. It’s a perspective thing. 😉 

So why did she do what she did? 

In principle, she made herself an anomaly, directly challenging the decision to repeal the law, by committing a crime in public while not having her PP deteriorate. In short, she pretty much broke the law to protect the law. So how did she objectively know that her plan would work? 

I had a few discussions on twitter surrounding this, and frankly the “she knows she’s doing the right thing, not for herself but for the greater good” doesn’t cut it for me, nor does the premise of “leap of faith”. To do this, she HAD to have known with certainty that her hue would not deteriorate because if the dominator suddenly activates for her, then it was a pointless act, and more importantly, she was fully aware (as stated in the PP3 novels) that she was committing a crime. 

There are cases to be made of course, the first being she knew that Kasei is merely an android and that Akane avoided shooting the brain (effectively keeping Kasei alive), but that still doesn’t establish the fact that Akane does not absolve herself of the act, and again, that she needed to objectively know this would work. This is theory time, but the only thing I can think about are two specific things, one in the film, one not. 

Defying Sibyl orders to enact her own operation in the Kuril Islands - this is directly disobeying Sibyl, using her Chief Inspector authority to assign temporary roles to Kogami and Frede so they could participate, loading the Stronskaya Docs to her Dominator and giving it to the General, all these, unsanctioned and should have at least raised her PP. My guess is, in the aftermath, she noticed that it had not, despite the scale and the effort and potential losses had things gone wrong, and decided that was enough to go ahead with the “answer” she found for herself.

She had to have procured a gun. This was not in the film - but procuring the gun establishes her intent/motive, and should have also raised her PP - my guess is it did not. This would have been sufficient, but you can imagine, until the point of carrying the gun to the venue (probably hidden inside her hat), the fact that she wasn’t flagged basically made it certain her plan would not fail.

In the June 25 roundtable (link) , Director Shiotani wished that if he had 3 more minutes to add, he would have added a scene right after Atsushi’s death where the men in the roundtable ultimately decided to proceed with the abolition of the law. In hindsight, I think adding this scene would have been better, because it takes away room for interpretation that Akane was actually in a desperate situation, and not just frustrated at the close of the case. In the movie, this was supplemented by Kogami’s line “what Tonami said is probably going to come true, the law will likely be abolished.” Not as desperate, if you ask me. 

Deviants

The difference between Akane and Atsushi is that, Atsushi, in his capacity as a double agent and methodology as a Bifrost inspector, is like a puppet master holding the strings, indirectly enabling change and leaving mere traces of his impact while others either take full credit (or fall) from it, whereas Akane pushes change by directly challenging Sibyl head-on. We have yet to clarify Atsushi’s motivations in rising the ranks of Bifrost (he was alluded to be on the way to being a congressman or that he had the talents for it), and the fact that he’s played double agent for so long with his methods steadily growing shady over time just goes to show that there was clearly a better way (and he ofc acknowledges it). 

In the same way a CA can only be recognized by Sibyl by committing crimes OR if a Dominator was wrongly pointed at them, Sibyl becomes aware of these deviants (I’m gonna call them that) the moment they start defying Sibyl while being able to keep their hues clear. Perhaps Atsushi would be an imperfect version of a deviant, Akane the better one, and Arata probably the ideal despite being CA, sort of like Genesis 3-4’s Makami Sou. It would be interesting if Akane becomes APA, let’s see (read the Genesis links above 🙂). 

“Do you believe in the potential of humans?”

Post-op Akane was forcibly promoted to Atsushi’s role (iirc, a Department Head of Statistics in the Ministry of Welfare c/ o Steohsama's translation). I think it can be read two ways: one, in the context of the recently closed case, to get her fully out of the way and busy with other, bigger stuff that she was already dipping her toes in prior to Atsushi’s death (referred to during their convo, about her not “making a fuss”). Two, that she really did have the aptitude to be someone like Atsushi— only that her methods would clearly be different. Now that she’s back in the CID, there’s obviously a question of Akane’s future as a statutory enforcer (fun fact, the creators pretty much confirmed that it’s just a name for someone judged according to the law but whose PP did not deteriorate / someone who was appointed as an enforcer whose PP is below regulation ( link / link ). If Hinakawa will be promoted to an Analyst, then there’s a spot open for her in Division 1, assuming she’ll be playing detective. While I think this is likely to happen, I think it’s a boring outcome for her. Like Atsushi, I want her to move up in the world, especially if the world is gearing towards Sibyl going public. It’s going to be interesting what role she’ll play in the future, especially because, as Niki had so nicely put, “she can’t do this alone”. 

Oh, Koaka. 

Objectively, I no longer think the ship is romantic in canon. I’m gonna copy-paste some thoughts I already shared at length in discord and edit parts of it, but if you’ve seen me the last few months, this isn’t new.  

This is nitpicking, because I'm a writer and facts like they don't know each other, not really (they spent not more than 100 days in s1, maybe a few days in PPP) are things that are at the back of my mind always. I have yet to see Kogami and Akane treat each other more than the pedestals they put each other on (arguable for Akane but I think this is also why she keeps getting disappointed that their sense of justice doesn't align).

This divide between their sense of justice is their biggest flaw as a potential couple, and one that is too fundamental. I do not see compromise here, especially after the events of PPP. If Kogami were to gear towards a positive change, then there’s hope, but I leave very little room for that now. I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing, either. I see it as a potential stance that the show is trying to make. “You murdered someone, you can’t go back.” If he had been heading towards change it should have been on the way for a while, not a “possibility” that he keeps failing to live up to. Getting over this hopeful assumption took me a while, but I think that it also helped me appreciate the wider story being told. 

That being said, I think that romance in stories is important and I would like to see the writing team go there, not just from a shipping perspective but from a storytelling/amping up stakes perspective. In PPP I felt how Gino was much, much closer to Akane, and I didn't see this previously. In the past he was more like a controlling dad esp in s2, undermining Akane's POV, improved a bit in the pp movie though he still felt a bit on the overprotective i know better than you side (nicely resolved in ppp where we see a piece of his mind btw)— there's a whole lot of trust there. With Kogami and Akane, while they cleared the air after the infirmary scene, once again I saw that trust shaken when he shot Tonami. 

These characters are depicted as human beings, and I think that entails grounding. While meaningful connections can be made through short moments (destiny, if you will), relationships built over time like literally and not let's have a nice moment in a film i'll see you next movie kind of thing, is something that, to me, means more. That said, Kogami was separated for a long time and it's lichrally impossible, but they're in the same place now. Where does that lead them? This is where part of my hope lies, small as it may be. Granted, this is not that kind of show and I'm fully aware of that, which is also why I'm happy to get what we get and that artists/fic writers are there to fill those gaps.

I still ship them but a lot less— I find it funny because even before PPP, I was always looking for more (I'm greedy haha!). I always saw the PPFI scene as just the beginning of their relationship— I wasn't convinced that scene was enough, despite the romantic undertones. And let me tell you the betrayal I felt when I found out the reason why they did the whole back to back thing in PP0308 was because... IT WAS AWKWARD FOR HIM TO CROUCH DOWN THE LITTLE WINDOW OF HER CELL and not the little romantic shit I had going on in my head— I just ( ╯°□°)╯ ┻━━┻

I went through the five stages of grief but at the same time it's not as bad since it's not like I didn't think that way from the start (it's just me being anal about it all, really. Because I would end up writing whatever I wanted anyway and canon didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things).

I do like their dynamic now given the recent developments, Kogami especially being particularly unskilled in the romance department just makes it all the more funny (I'm not capable of writing him that way though so I guess all my fics are ooc now 🤣). If they don't develop past the Arguably Platonic™️  way they treat each other then I won't be surprised if I stop creating for the ship, likely bec it will no longer satisfy my enjoyment of it.

Final Thoughts

I think it’s pretty much confirmed we’re getting more, it’s just a matter of when (can’t believe I’m staying here forever, huh?). Director Shiotani wishes that he will be making PP in the next 30 years, gotta love him for that. 

As the series progresses, there was a clear tonal shift and hopeful direction it seems to be heading towards. To me this is partially because in a practical sense, this benefits the prolonging of the show (which we already know is true), but in a thematic sense, destroying Sibyl means the end of the series overall. No Psycho Pass without the Psycho Pass. And to this I give credit where it’s due. This is not the kind of progress you’ll see if Urobuchi is still in the writer’s room, and frankly, the complexity and depth of the show ever since he left has pretty much taken off in great strides. I had wished they were heading towards a natural conclusion (Sibyl going public) and leave it alone for a decade before they pick it up again, but I guess the producers have other plans. After all, they don’t have any other IP that has withstood the test of time, is ahead of its time and continued to remain relevant as time went on. While not perfect, this is an amazing feat of a series, and this movie is a stellar addition to it. 

They’ve got a dilemma of course, because until now it seems they went with a serialized format (with a definite ending) versus an episodic one (criminal of the week). By choosing to expand the world and explore other facets of society, all the while connecting the threads in an overarching plot, they have to complete the “passing of the torch" before going back to an episodic format, which means they MUST give the new kids their time of day,̶ a̶n̶d̶ ̶e̶x̶c̶u̶s̶e̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶a̶s̶s̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶a̶ ̶s̶e̶c̶,̶ ̶b̶u̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶y̶ ̶h̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶c̶o̶m̶p̶l̶e̶t̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶l̶i̶n̶k̶s̶ ̶b̶y̶ ̶e̶x̶p̶l̶a̶i̶n̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶w̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶h̶e̶l̶l̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶d̶e̶a̶l̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶S̶h̶i̶z̶u̶k̶a̶. Shifting the timelines allowed them to usher in the new cast, but now they’re marketing the legacy cast and have to contend with their obvious popularity compared to the new, fully knowing that the legacy cast is returning to the back seat once we kick things off again. This is a problem that can be solved if a spinoff is decided for SAD, because at least a chunky (huehue) part of the cast will be cordoned off doing their business in Dejima, while the CID with its usual players can stay where they are. I think if you’ve been following Director Shiotani though, this is not happening without him in the driver’s seat, so it’s like… if they’re smart he will delegate this task to someone he trusts and we’ll get both a main and a spinoff, then a converging point somewhere in the form of a movie. 🎶Psycho-pass forever!🎶 (to the tune of Emilia Clarke "best season ever" GOT S8 interview, iykyk). 

Finally, I’m just gonna say that I love Akane so much, I’m glad she got the spotlight on her in this film. To be able to experience this film is unforgettable, I’m so grateful that it was possible for me. I’m training myself to expect she’ll take a step back next time I see her, but more than anything, I hope to see her happiness fulfilled, no matter what that entails. Once more, I just can’t thank these creators enough. They’ve made a series and a world I’m obsessed with, makes me think and makes me evaluate its implications in real life, makes me create!!!!! I’m so happy that they continue to believe in the stories they want to tell. I hope they are all healthy and resting now (until the next one, eheh!)

I’ve talked way too much and it’s really just because I want this out of my plate so I can start writing my fics now lololol. If you made it this far, thanks for reading! Always happy to discuss! 

[tact-and-impulse]

Shinkane Week 2024 Day 3

@shinkaneweek, it's the last part of this AU! (For now, at least.) I'm glad readers have enjoyed it as much as I've loved writing it, and I have more surprises in store for the rest of the week! 💖

Prompt: Time

Akane still remembered when she last saw the Bloodhound. He had ripped off his mask, frustrated that the Ghost, the elusive Makishima, was sowing chaos unchecked. She held the elevator door, utilizing the best of her cultivated persuasion. She wasn’t so eloquent then, her words clumsy but earnest enough.

“Kougami-san, will you always be a hero?”

“Ah.” But he had averted his gaze.

***

The attack was timed with the celebration’s climax. Akira had been taken into custody only an hour before, and although Kei was nearly brought to tears and Arata beamed, the man’s blank expression had concerned the rest of them. He was kept under close watch, or so they thought, when a certain man offered to guard his cell. The omniglot Yabuki was an admin now, but he had worked overseas in the past. It explained the footage of his pistol shot on Akira, who responded in kind with a hidden blade.

Headquarters was locked down too late to prevent Akira’s escape, or for anyone to resuscitate Yabuki. Emergency use of Dominators was granted to the Bureau combat division. Akane sternly delivered the orders. “We capture Akira Ignatov alive. This is a priority.”

They moved up the floors, Ginoza leading the way. Some of the shortcuts that had been used were sealed off, and as he forced them onto slight detours, he warned. “The implant has to be removed from Akira, or he’ll be judged as he is now.”

“I agree. Karanomori-san, did the scan identify where it is?”

“Oh, you’re not going to like this.” Through the comm’s display screen, she made a construct, lighting up the temporal lobe. Behind her, Hinakawa frantically shook his head.

It wasn’t promising, and they reached the door to the roof just as the fireworks boomed. They were met with a hail of bullets from brainwashed thralls. Mika’s aura bloomed to shield the group, but her power had a finite limit against gunfire. Sugo lobbied psychic bolts in retaliation, and Kunizuka rolled her sound grenades, the concussive blasts stunning some of the enemies.

Akane took aim with the Dominator. Low Crime Coefficients, as expected. Until there was a lull in the assault, close combat wasn’t possible. And to her disbelief, time was up. A higher-ranking combatant cracked a rifle end against Akira. He was brought to his knees, the gun pointed at his head.

Electricity sparked, disassembling the artillery. Two figures rose from the darkness, illuminated by a brilliant pyrotechnic flare. While the man in black had controlled strikes perfectly familiar to Akane, the woman in olive green became stronger and faster with each opponent taken down.

Akane and the others joined the fray. The Dominators had remained intact, powered by psychic energy. And when she heard the call for a little help, it only confirmed her notion of who else was present. Saiga was pulled up by his dangling rope, and the technopath pressed his fingers to Akira’s bloodied hairline, disabling the implant.

When the last had fallen to a kick from Ginoza and the final chip was rendered inert by Saiga, the two factions warily regarded each other. Mika seethed. “What are you doing here, you mercenaries?”

Hanashiro shrugged, unfazed. “We’ve been tasked with bringing this youngster back. A classified assignment, I’m sure you understand.”

“Even if he wasn’t in control, he’s responsible for a death.” Sugo replied.

“And there’ll be countless more, if we don’t leave with him.” Saiga regretfully said. Was that why he had come out of retirement?

Akane stepped forward. “No one is so valuable that they cannot answer to the law.”

However, Kougami blocked her path. He loomed over her, his eyes glimmering under the mask. Hazily, she wondered; if she opened their bond now, what thoughts would flood in? Barely above a whisper, he reminded her. “Not while Sybil exists.”

Her breath caught. And in that second of hesitation, they made their move.

“Take care, Kei.” Akira offered a bitter grin, then jumped off the building. Hanashiro followed, Saiga unceremoniously dragged along.

Kei futilely sprinted after, Arata grabbing his waist. Mika, burning like a sunset, gave a cry and lassoed both of them. “No, you don’t!”

The city lights wavered, Hanashiro’s blond hair fluttering as she climbed into an invisible stealth aircraft. Saiga was glimpsed within, opening a medical kit for a pained Akira. Then, who was the pilot?

Kougami launched his grappling hook, and despite the looks that he received from her and Ginoza, he was stoic. “The General is out there. It’s not the end.” Then, he flew through the air, to another escape. Akane watched him disappear, unsatisfied as ever.

“He always does this.” Ginoza protested. “Damn him, he hasn’t changed and it’ll be the same story all over.”

“Maybe. But until the next time…” She echoed. Holding her head high, she turned to face her Bureau, the city stretching behind them. “Our work hasn’t finished yet. First, let’s take these people into custody. Next, determine who’s still trapped in lockdown…”

***

Akane’s hands nervously smoothed over her skirt, the girlish design of her cherry-colored outfit. She’d have to get used to it, along with the name of Lady Justice. The Bureau had welcomed her into their ranks, and she hoped she wouldn’t disappoint them. Although the group was treated with equal measures of subdued respect and trepidation, she was ecstatic to learn of her acceptance.

Her first day was disastrous, witnessing a psionic fight up close. Crackling energy, words spat like curses, effort and strain to win a battle of the minds. And then, she succumbed to a telepath’s classic temptation, controlling the behavior of someone else. She was certain the Bloodhound would reprimand her, his handsome face severe and foreboding. But instead, Kougami had smiled. He said he had faith in her.

From that moment on, Akane knew she wouldn’t regret being a hero.

[thewritetofreespeech]

May I request a Teppei Sugo x girlfriend one shot?

Teppei and his girlfriend have been together for some years. He is still a latent criminal but he works for the Ministry, his rights are different from the one’s of a normal citizen. His girlfriend knows that he would like a family even if he doesn’t know if he can due to his status.

Teppei has recently returned from a difficult mission and he is walking with his girlfriend at the beach. She is strange and she seems nervous so he gets worry that something is wrong. But then she asks him to marry her in a sweet way, without a ring but still cutely.

She knows that the future with him is not clear due to his status but she wants him to be her husband, now and always.

Thank you so much <3

The sea air felt nice. It had been years since Teppei had been to a beach. Not since Nago. But before that he had always liked the beach as a kid and then young man. Playing in the waves. Walking in the sand. He thought this would be a nice break, since he got back, but it seemed [Y/N] wasn’t enjoying it. “Everything alright?”

[Y/N] blinked out of her thoughts and looked over at him. “Hm? Oh, yes. Fine.” Teppei wasn’t convinced.

Lately she had been acting odd. Jumpy and distant. At first he thought it was just a fluke but the longer it went on, the more Teppei was sure what was coming. She wanted to break up.

He could understand why. Being attached to a man who was doomed, a man on borrowed time just so long as he was useful to the System, must be daunting. He was constantly gone on missions, so he couldn’t give her the attention or support she deserved. It was a surprise to him that their relationship lasted this long. Teppei was sure she would have found someone better by now.

“Do you want to head back? It’ll be dark soon anyway, and we can make it back to the city pretty easy at this hour.”

“In a minute.” [Y/N] stepped in front of Teppei. Looking into his eyes. “We’ve been together for a while, haven’t we?” Oh no. It was happening now.

“And, I know it hasn’t been the easiest. What with your job and everything.”

 Did this really have to happen right now? They still had a long drive back ahead of them.

“But, this time apart with your latest mission has given me time to think. Think about our future.”

This was going to be the most awkward car ride ever. Or maybe she had another ride planned. Just waiting in the bushes for him to get dumped.

“And I’ve come to a decision on where I want my future to be. So, I thought I would ask,” Teppei was knocked out of his mental reeling when [Y/N] knelt down in front of him, “Teppei Sugo, will you marry me?”

His brain went to a complete halt. This was so far from what he expected to happen that it took him a while to catch up. “I…don’t know if I can get married. Legally.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

There were a lot of things Teppei couldn’t do anymore. Be out in public. Own a home. Own a car. He had to get special permission to come here, and that was the least of his rights that were stripped.

But if there was a chance, any chance, that that might change with the changes they were making to the System. What his job was opening up for him. Teppei was going to take it. “Yes.” He told them. Grinning wild now as he pulled [Y/N] to her feet. “A thousand times yes.”

They kiss joyfully as the sun sank into the waves. They would have to head back soon. Though he was given permission, Teppei still had a curfew. But that didn’t matter right now. Right now, was just for them, and the future. That was all that mattered.

[girlintheredapron]

Join me for dinner: Monday

Hello friends! Today husband and I are making:

Fusilli con Sugo di Agnello

Pasta with a lamb sauce/ragu

Ingredients:

Approximately 2 cups tomato sauce (we used an entire bottle of tomato passata)

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion finely minced

1 carrot diced (confession: we didn’t use this. I’m sorry Nonna. We mean no offense)

2 tablespoons minced parsley (they say flat leaf. I used what the store had available)

1 bay leaf (we used two)

1.5 pounds very lean lamb from the shoulder (we used lamb shoulder chops cut into bit sized portions)

IF YOU CANT FIND LAMB YOU CAN USE CHICKEN

3/4 cup dry white wine (if wine is not an option I recommend broth. Preferably beef in this case)

Salt and pepper to taste

4 quarts water

1-1.5 tablespoon salt

1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 tablespoons grated pecorino cheese

In a large pot, preferably clay pot or enamel pot, heat up the olive oil. Add the onion and carrots and saute until soft and translucent. Add the parsley and bay leaf. Make a well in the middle and add the meat. Once browned, add in the white wine and crank up the heat to evaporate it to almost nothing. Add in the tomato’s sauce, cut the heat to low and simmer for about and hour to 90 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook your pasta al dente. Toss it in sauce. Serve it up and top with cheese

Enjoy

Pics:

Husband!

Sauce after the white wine was added

Gotta let her simmer for another 50 minutes

Messed up in the middle. Added a bit of water because it was looking a little low. Forgot about the pasta water that’s added when the noodles are mixed in. 😬

Mixing in the pasta. Smells delicious

Family platter

My plate before I added a small child’s worth of cheese

Thoughts:

Delicious of course. Would probably do the following for next time:

Use a premade marinara sauce like RAOs. I didn’t Zhoosh it up enough and I’m taking an alka seltzer as I type this out

Either try the chicken next time or marinade the lamb in a red wine vinegar marinade. The lamb sold over here is definitely gamey and that flavor still crept through all the way to the end

Trust the dang process and don’t play god with the water

[criticaldesign-turbo]

Conceptual Sample - Furniture

“The Cia-Chair designed for plants first and humans second” by Alice Hultqvist, Emelie Sjöberg and Linnea Nilsson

https://www.yankodesign.com/2024/03/21/this-chair-allows-plants-to-grow-on-it-and-puts-nature-before-human-needs/

Critical Planet-Centric Design: The Chia-Chair prioritizes plant life over human comfort, symbolizing a shift towards respecting nature. The idea is to let the plants be the main users of the chair, and humans are just visitors. The designers emphasize that humans should approach it with respect, recognizing that it’s a living thing. They acknowledged that throughout the last century, humans have prioritized their needs at the expense of nature and wildlife, leading to severe consequences. The Chia-Chair, therefore, serves as a symbolic gesture, aiming to redress the balance by placing the plant at the forefront and demanding reciprocity from its human users.

2. “Aufstehhilfen” der Wiener Linien

Hostile Design: In general “hostile design” refers to objects in public spaces that tend to disadvantage specific vulnerable groups. It refers to the design of objects in public spaces that, through their design, materials, or composition, enable certain actions while preventing others. What's unique about them is that there doesn't necessarily need to be a direct sanction; rather, the nature of the objects or space dictates how we can or cannot act. For example, Wienerlinien has a metal bracket in the middle of the benches, which leads to preventing someone from lying there and eventually sleeping. 3. “DRM chair” by Les Sugos

Th DRM chair is a piece of furniture that self-destructs after 8 uses. After eight people sat on it, a lick of smoke starts to come from the joints. The joints then melt down and the chair falls into a pile of parts, The DRM chair was created over the course of 48 hours for a global project called “The Deconstruction”. The Deconstruction is described as "a game about re-thinking the world as we know it, taking it apart, making a few adjustments, then putting it back together a little awesome-er." Teams participate by thinking up and building projects in a short time frame. I find it quite interesting to think about how it would be that Furniture only has a limited amount of uses.

4. “The Uncomfortable” by Katerina Kamprani 

A collection of everyday objects that have been intentionally redesigned to be impractical. The works intend to challenge assumptions about the functionality and purpose of common objects, and to encourage us to rethink our relationship with the world around us. Its not really furniture but I count in the same category of like everyday objects, like furniture is.

5. “Disposture chair” by Jessica Ross, Emily Wallace and Cathrynn Healy

The curved sections of the chair make it impossible for users to find a comfortable seating position, whether sitting on the chair, or resting on the floor and leaning against it. The team researched the long-term impact of prolonged periods of sitting, often experienced by office workers, but initially struggled to find a solution.

"In experimenting with different bodily angles and shapes we found it difficult to come up with the 'perfect' sitting angle," Ross said. After coming to the conclusion that "there is no such thing as a comfortable chair", the team decided to create a seat that would be deliberately awkward for people to sit in. "By forcing the user into this 'C slump' right from the moment they sit down allows the user to recognize how uncomfortable and damaging it can be to the body," Ross explained. I like the approach of critically rethinking and making people aware of sitting too much, like we all do, based on jobs etc.

[viper-motorsports]

Claiming pole position after a rain soaked qualifying for the 2021 Sugo Super Taikyu 3 Hours, the N°31 Lexus RC F GT3 managed a fifth place finish for apr Racing.

[vilcade]

vilcade.exe has stopped responding

[dayuwritings]

Paraiba Tourmaline Sacrifices (Part 3)

Rating: Young Adult/YA

Fandom: Psycho Pass

Relationship: Ginoza Nobuchika/Shimotsuki Mika

Characters: Ginoza Nobuchika, Shimotsuki Mika, Frederica Hanashiro, Kei Mikhail Ignatov, Shindo Arata, Kougami Shinya, Sugo Teppei

Language: English

Part: 1, 2

________________________________________________________

It’s been almost one hour and Shimotsuki can’t bring herself to sleep. Why the hell he invites her here anyway? She questions herself. They really don’t even have a deep talk, and the room has been dead quiet since their last conversation. If Ginoza treats her as a colleague, at least they can talk about their respective job. But all she did was taking a bath and had a dinner. Refuse to immerse too deep into her thoughts, Shimotsuki gets up from his bed and walks towards the living room where Dime is now far into its dreamland. She turns on her device and begins to search about Hidaka Corporation. The corporation has a lot of subsidiaries which focused in media production, virtual game, fashion, and jewelry. It was found that the members from the black market smuggling their products through Hidaka Jewelry’s subsidiary. Through their annual reports for the past three years, these black market’s products aren’t included within the reports. Which means, either they didn’t use any of Hidaka’s product as disguise or the report has been manipulated. No other employees except the suspect of Ranuvitha’s murderer show any odd change in their crime coefficient numbers. But of course, the suspect cannot work by himself.

“Wait, didn’t Ginoza-san mentioned that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the data of Japanese citizens who works under Hidaka Corporation and connected with the black market?” she murmurs. Then why their crime coefficient shows a fine numbers?

“I need to contact inspector Kei and Arata about this…” she says as she calls upon both Inspector Kei and Arata.

“Inspector Kei and Inspector Arata-“

“We knew you will call us, Chief” Arata says, the screen shows his face and Inspector Kei driving beside him.

“Then I presume you already know what to do?”

“Yes. We’ve rechieved the data from Kogami-san. Now we are going to Akeichi Suzunohara house for interrogation with our enforcers” he answers.

“Do you think he will open the door to you at this hour?” Shimotsuki sighs, she’s preventing herself from yelling.

“He will. Because me and Kei actually got this” Arata shows an old-fashioned mobile phone.

“What is that?”

“As you can see, Chief. It’s an old phone made from outside Japan. It’s not registered within this country, we’ve asked Karanomori-san about this too. Though, we don’t know exactly which country produced it. But definitely not Japan-“

“Okay, okay. What did you found there?”

“His last message with the suspect” Kei answers and Arata continue to smirk,

“Oh by the way, we actually send a message to him telling that we found his phone without informing that we are from MWPSB”

“Good- wait, NO! what are you guys plotting!-“ her call gets forced off. No wonder he’s very confident that they will meet him at this hour.

“Those two are very energetic don’t you think, kanshikan?”

“What are you doing?” she asks him. She feels quite bad for waking him up from his sleep.

“Hiding such a thing like that from The Ministry of Foreign Affairs when we asked for the evidences from MWPSB. Quite cunning, aren’t they?” he says with a scoff while walking towards her.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has nothing to do with Akeichi Suzunohara” she snaps and glares at Ginoza at the same time.

“Debatable” he answers with a chuckle.

“But you seem not trusting them enough” he adds.

“I am confident enough with my men and their capabilities”

“Even the enforcers?”

“I can make sure of that” she smiles confidently.

“You have changed, kanshikan…” Ginoza says, almost inaudible.

“I told you to not call me that!”

“Then,” he pauses and continue, “Shimotsuki…”. Hearing her name coming from him makes her cheeks red, she doesn’t know what to reply. Ginoza sees her awkward face and let out a laugh. He takes more steps forwards, and sit beside her. Shimotsuki stays frozen.

“Thank you for staying tonight. Shimotsuki” he whispers on her right ear while snuggling his face onto her neck.

“Wha-“ Shimotsuki tries to protest , but Ginoza quickly shuts her by kissing her neck gently and letting out another chuckle.

“Let’s stay like this till morning rather than being separated, shall we?” he whispers. And Shimotsuki getting even more confused with their relationship.

To be continue

(Note: I’m very sorry for taking so long for the third chapter! I’ll now try to update every week. Thank you for your understanding)

[kallikrein]

I'm too shy to show myself but I'm glad I gave you some motivation. Don't force yourself to be more active your content is worth waiting for <3

NONNIEEEEE SHOW YOURSELF OR I WILL HIRE AN INTERNET TECHIE THINGY BCOS I LITERALLY CRIED FOR A GOOD HALF HOUR CUZ YOU ATTACKED MY HEART IN A REALLY TEAR-JERKING WAY OMG /j LYMSKJSKSJS (ask sugo she’ll tell you i’m being a crybaby rn) PLS I SHED A TEAR FOR REAL ?!?!?! i’m such a wimp i tell ya

i wanna post my unpublished drafts but whenever i ~proofread~ it, it seems ‘wth is this this is so ewww’ lmgkdksks but my ideas are a real banger in my head lmao i’m really so sorry for being inactive ;-;

[koteshimi]

How to make Genovese pasta/ Fusilli. ジェノベーゼ パスタの作り方

It takes time to make but it's easy and delicious. Healthy with lots of vegetables and red meat. ·Genovese recipe /Sugo alla genovese One carrot. One piece of celery. About 5 onions (1kg) 50g bacon About 650g of beef lean 100cc white wine salt Parmigiano I recommend Penne rigate or Fusilli for pasta. ·procedure Cut the vegetables into pieces. Cover the vegetables and meat and cook over low heat for 3 hours. Cook for 1 hour without lid. Combine with pasta. 

日本だとジェノベーゼはバジルで緑のスパゲッティ だけど、もともとはこの茶色の肉タイプ。 genovese（ジェノベーゼ）で検索して（世界的視野でみると）今回の肉タイプがたくさん出てくる。 作るために時間はかかるけど簡単で美味しい。 たくさんの野菜と赤身肉でヘルシー。 ・レシピ ニンジン１本。 セロリ１枚。 玉ねぎ約５個（１Kg） ベーコン５０g 牛肉約６５０g 赤身 白ワイン100cc 塩 パルミジャーノ

[robin97]

Tagged by @ryanglitter thank youuu!!! :D

21 Questions

Nicknames: Robin! in school they used to call me Burri or Burats or Lally or Lauretta 

Zodiac Sign: Pisces

Height: 5′1′’ - 5′2′’ idk

Hogwarts House: Hufflepuff 

Last thing you Googled: “Danny The Street” from Doom Patrol

Favorite Musicians: Hozier, Hayley Kiyoko, Naaz, Imagine Dragons, Panic! At The Disco, P!nk, Queen, Rihanna, Shawn Mendes, Tove Lo, Bea Miller, Halsey, Alessia Cara, Avicii, Fall Out Boy and others...

Song stuck in your head: I don’t think I have one right now?

Following now: 136

Followers? tumbr says it’s 534 but it’s actually around 200 something something

Do you get asks? nope

Amount of sleep? during the week from 3 to 6 hours during the weekend I’ll sleep 10 hours XD

Lucky number(s): 7, 14, 20

What I’m wearing: im in my jammies!! just an over sized light blue and pink shirt

Dream job: omg a few days ago I was assigned to do this thing outside my regular job and it was fantastic! basically all I had to do was apply stickers!! they would give me a box full of like candle making stuff?? and I just had to close it and seal it shut with a sticker!! the best job! zero stress!! zero brain activity!! 10/10 would do it forever!! the only downside was that i couldn’t sit down but all in all it was great!!!

Dream Trip: Australia to see my best friend @water-whisp or Sardinia or Maldives too!!!

Favorite food: im such a picky eater aauughh I mostly eat pasta like my fave dish is tagliolini al sugo then of course pizza, anything that has chocolate in it, chicken nuggets, lasagna...

Instruments: Last instrument I’ve played was a flute in middle school

Languages: Italian, English and a bit of Spanish

Favorite Songs: Right now it‘s Panic! At The Disco - High Hopes

Random Fact: I just came back from some shopping and i bought another tacky shirt with like palm trees patterns on it and im so happy!!!

Aesthetic: pastel colors, biting nails, summer evenings, succulent plants, soft shirts, loud music, fairy lights, videogames, messy hair, hot choco, jeans jackets, combat boots, chapstick, walking into a comic book store, patterned socks, blooming trees 

Imma tag @wanderlustingdreamer @flockofwilddooses @fancyglitch @verypurplepenguins and everyone else who wants to do this!!

[italianistasty]

🇮🇹 𝓘𝓵 𝓻𝓪𝓰𝓾' 𝓭𝓲 𝓼𝓬𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓸𝓷𝓪 𝓭𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓪 𝓭𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓲𝓬𝓪 Un appuntamento al quale è difficile rinunciare, la lenta preparazione del sugo, 3 ore circa, garantisce un risultato eccezionale. Ed è quel tipo di sugo le cui controparti preparate e pronte difficilmente riescono ad emulare. Si parte da un soffritto di sedano, carota, cipolla, per poi aggiungere della fine salsa di pomodoro biologica, un tritato di alta qualità ed un buon bicchiere di vino bianco. L'ultimo ingrediente del ragù è la 𝓟𝓪𝔃𝓲𝓮𝓷𝔃𝓪 😊 🇬🇧 𝓢𝓾𝓷𝓭𝓪𝔂'𝓼 𝓼𝓬𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓸𝓷𝓪 𝓻𝓪𝓰𝓾 It's the kind of appointment I can hardly give up on, the slow preparation of the sauce, 3 hours approximately, grants always an excellent result. And it's the kind of sauce which is impossible to emulate with premade sauces. You start with celery, onions and carrots soffritto, then you add a fine quality, organic tomato sauce, and some high quality grounded beef with a good glass of white wine. The last ingredients for ragù is 𝓟𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓮 😊 . . . . . . . #pasta #pastalover #pastalovers #primipiatti #ricette #pastaaddict #ricetta #cucinaitaliana #cucinare #pranzo #pranzoitaliano #cucina #cibo #ciboitaliano #ricettadelgiorno #cuoco #caserta #piattitipiciregionali #passionecucina #napolifoodporn #piattiitaliani #ragu #rigatoni #pastarummo #sugo #italianistasty #italianfood #foodlover (presso Rome, Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsVaVS7jF2G/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=p1y6khph0tru

[keticonte]

Pizzette fritte 🍕più grandi da farcire con gli affettati!🔥 🇺🇸👇🏻

🇮🇹INGREDIENTI:

• Farina 00 per pizza 500 gr

•acqua 300 ml

• lievito di birra secco 5 gr

• sale 10 gr

•olio evo 10 gr

•zucchero 5 gr

Per guarnire:

•pelati 500 gr

•aglio 1 spicchio

•parmigiano

•basilico

•sale

PROCEDIMENTO:

• mescolate la farina con lo zucchero ed il lievito in un contenitore di vetro o di legno

• aggiungete a filo l’acqua e l’olio e infine il sale

•impastate per circa 10 minuti fino ad ottenere un panetto liscio ed omogeneo

• lasciate lievitare fino al raddoppio 3-4 ore a temperatura ambiente

• dividete l’impasto in 12 pezzi( 60 gr l’uno)

• formate delle pizzette rotonde dal diametro di 20 cm ricoprite e lasciate riposare mentre preparato il sugo (se le volete con il sugo)

• in una padella rosolate l’aglio con un filo d’olio, aggiungete i pelati lasciate cuocere per 15 -20 minuti

• rimuovete l’aglio e salate

• friggete le pizze nell’olio ben caldo

• asciugate bene con la carta assorbente

• guarnite con il sugo, il parmigiano e il basilico oppure con gli affettati

🇺🇸 Fried pizzas 🍕 larger to fill with cold cuts! 🔥

INGREDIENTS:

• 00 flour for pizza 500 gr

• water 300 ml

• dry brewer's yeast 5 gr

• salt 10 gr

• extra virgin olive oil 10 gr

• sugar 5 gr

To garnish:

• peeled tomatoes 500 gr

• 1 clove garlic

• parmesan

•basil

•salt

METHOD:

• mix the flour with the sugar and the yeast in a glass or wooden container

• add the water and oil and finally the salt

• knead for about 10 minutes until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough

• let it rise until doubled 3-4 hours at room temperature

• divide the dough into 12 pieces (60 g each)

• make round pizzas with a diameter of 20 cm, cover and leave to rest while preparing the sauce (if you want them with the sauce)

• in a pan, sauté the garlic with a drizzle of oil, add the peeled tomatoes and cook for 15-20 minutes

• remove the garlic and add salt

• fry the pizzas in hot oil

• dry well with absorbent paper

• garnish with the sauce, parmesan and basil or with cold cuts

[viper-motorsports]

D’Station Racing hopes to continue their early dominance as they get their N°777 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 familiar with Sportsland Sugo JP for the second round of the 2021 Super Taikyu series.

[orbemnews]

The Italian town where they eat 500-year-old meals (CNN) — The signs of the Renaissance are everywhere in Italy. Grand piazzas and palazzos. Metal-spiked doors. Looming archways. And, of course, all that ever-present art in the churches and galleries. But in one city, you also get a taste of the Renaissance every time you enter a restaurant. Ferrara, in the northern region of Emilia Romagna, was once home to the Estense court, or House of Este, which ruled the city from the 13th to the 18th centuries. The court, on the bank of the River Po, was one of the most formidable cultural powers during the Renaissance. Writers including Boiardo, Ariosto and Torquato Tasso were employed by the court, and artists such as Bellini, Mantegna and Piero della Francesco worked for the Este family in their domineering, moat-surrounded castle in the center of town. Their works have survived the centuries — but so have those of Cristoforo di Messisbugo, the court’s master of ceremonies and steward. Messisbugo was one of two celebrity chefs of the Renaissance, and his prowess with multicourse banquets to impress visiting heads of state and fill the bellies of the Este great and good, led to him writing one of the world’s earliest cookbooks. His tome, “Banchetti, composizioni di vivande e apparecchio generale” (“Banquets, Recipes and Table-laying”) was published in 1549, a year after he died. In it, as well as sample dinner menus and drinks pairings, he lists 300 recipes. And it’s thanks to Messisbugo that that, nearly five centuries later, the Ferraresi are still eating the Estes’ favorite meals. Because while every town in Italy has its signature dishes, Ferrara’s are straight from the cookbook of that 16th-century court. Yes, these dishes are real Salama da sugo, a centuries-old sausage and mash. Archivo Fotografico Provincia di Ferrara First things first. To enjoy Ferrara’s best known dishes, you don’t want to visit in summer. And you’ll want an elasticated waistband — because the signature food here is heavy. The city’s best known dishes are pasticcio — effectively a pie filled with macaroni cheese, meat ragu, and bechamel sauce — salama da sugo, a centuries-old kind of sausage and mash, and cappellacci di zucca, pumpkin-stuffed pasta. Each, though, has a twist. Pasticcio’s pie crust is sweet — yes, a meat pie in sweet pastry — while salama da sugo is a kilo-heavy salami that’s soaked in water for several days and then boiled for 10 hours to soften it into a spicy, spreadable meat that’s then served on mashed potato. Meanwhile, that super-sweet pumpkin pasta is usually slathered with meat ragu on top. All date back to the Renaissance. In fact, salama da sugo was said to be the favorite dish of Lucrezia Borgia — yes, that Lucrezia Borgia — who came to Ferrara in 1502 when she married the Duke, Alfonso d’Este. In fact, her famously long, blonde, curly locks are said to be the inspiration for another of Ferrara’s famous foods: the coppia, a spiraling, four-horned bread roll, like two croissants welded together. It was supposedly created by Messisbugo for a banquet in honor of Lucrezia. Sergio Perdonati is at work by 3 a.m. each morning to bake around 1,000 coppie per day, such is his devotion to the bread. “I think it’s one of the best breads in the world,” he says proudly. His grandfather, Otello, started the family bakery, Panificio Perdonati, 90 years ago — Sergio’s sourdough starter is Otello’s original, which has survived the bakery’s bombing in the Second World War, and two property moves. All the rolls are formed by hand and the dough is made using vintage mixing machines. Today, they’ve branched out into the sweet stuff — including panpepato, a cake also dating back to the Renaissance, made with chunks of almonds and orange peel, and covered in dark chocolate. Think Renaissance cocktail flairers Cappellacci di zucca — pumpkin-stuffed pasta. Archivo Fotografico Provincia di Ferrara People have always come to Ferrara to eat. “For sure, other courts had banquets, but Ferrara was particularly well known for them,” says Dr Federica Caneparo, a historian at the University of Chicago specializing in the culture of the Italian Renaissance. “It was especially refined, and food and banquets were a demonstration of power in front of their guests, some of whom would be ambassadors from other courts.” Italian courts had a raft of foodie professions, including the “scalco” (like Messisbugo, the supervisor), the “bottigliere” (an ancient sommelier) and the “trinciante” — the “carver”, who would put on a show for the entire table by carving meat or vegetables held in the air on a giant fork (think of a Renaissance cocktail flairer, only with knives and sides of beef instead of bottles). “They were trusted people close to the Duke,” says Caneparo. “Usually gentiluomini [nobles] by birth, or by merit. The scalco was responsible for organizing banquets and, on ordinary days, the household. The trinciante also had to be a trusted person — after all, he was right next to the master of the house with all those big knives.” Ferrara’s banquets were so famous, in fact, that poet Ludovico Ariosto included a description of one in his epic work “Orlando Furioso,” she says. And no wonder — she says that they were “spectacular, with music, dance, theater, and sculptures made of sugar or ice. They’d start with a play, or music, or both, and then they’d prepare the table.” And forget our single-figure tasting menus — these banquets could have well over 100 courses. Mac and cheese with a sugary twist Pasticcio is a pie filled with macaroni cheese, meat ragu, and bechamel sauce. Archivo Fotografico Provincia di Ferrara With so much food to choose from you can be sure that the dishes to have made it into modern Ferrarese cooking are the classics. At the modern Ca’ d’Frara restaurant, guests sit on hip mustard-colored chairs and cream banquettes to eat these centuries-old dishes. And those used to molecular cuisine might find Renaissance gastronomy equally boundary-pushing. “You often find this sweet-savory combination in the Estense cuisine — it’s unique,” says chef Elia Benvenuti. His pasticcio is an intriguing mix of a dense, meaty mac and cheese, wrapped in a cookie-sweet crust. You approach it with trepidation — how can this ever taste good? — but, somehow, it works. The sweet crust even seems to cut through the richness of the white ragu and bechamel sauce. “They’re symbols of the city — part of our DNA,” says chef of the traditional dishes. “I think Lucrezia [Borgia] would be happy,” adds his maître d’ wife, Barbara. Sweetening up the savory Sweet dishes include panpepato, a cake made with chunks of almonds and orange peel, and covered in dark chocolate Archivo Fotografico Provincia di Ferrara A few minutes’ walk away, locals are spilling into Ristorante Raccano, in a 15th-century cloister. Some are here for meat cooked in the oh-so-21st-century Josper oven — what owner Laura Cavicchio describes as “one of the most technically advanced grilling machines.” But others? They’re here for Lucrezia’s beloved salama da sugo. This is normally one of Ferrara’s more savory dishes — the salama is so heavily spiced, it hardly needs sugar. But Cavicchio and her children, Gabriella and Luca Montanari, like to take it right back to its Este roots by serving it with fried custard. The salama — made with different cuts of the pig including neck, belly, liver and tongue, with neck fat binding it all together — is seasoned with spices including cloves, cinnamon, red wine and Ferrara’s ubiquitous spice, nutmeg. It’s then aged in a pork casing for around a year, soaked in water for three days to soften it up, and then boiled for up to 10 hours. By that point, it’s as soft as jam, and chef Luca scoops it out, sprinkles it on top of potato mash, and adds mostarda (like a sweet chutney), plus the crowning glory: a cube of fried custard. “This isn’t a reinterpretation — in the old recipes, you find it served with custard,” says Cavicchio, who’s combed through Renaissance recipes and history books to make it authentic. Alongside modern dishes, they also serve “Crostino alla Messisbugo” — chicken liver and sauteed herbs pate, smeared on toasted bread. It’s another hit from the great man’s recipe book. Meanwhile, their cappellacci di zucca — handrolled pasta pillows, like oversized tortellini, filled with sweet pumpkin and nutmeg — come drenched in meat ragu and topped with parmesan cheese. Again, it’s a combination that shouldn’t work, but does. Alone, the cappellacci are offputtingly sweet to 21st-century tastes. Douse them with meat and cheese, though, and it slices through the sweetness, while amping up the taste of the sauce. Ferrrara was ruled by the powerful House of Este from the 13th to 18th centuries. Shutterstock The Estes’ signature “agrodolce” (sweet-savory) flavor was a conservation method, says Cavicchio. “People had vinegar, wine and salt. Marco Polo used it.” And although at the restaurant they use modern techniques, including that Josper oven, they want to keep the tastes as similar as possible to their heritage. “Over the years I’ve acquired a way of interpreting a recipe — I change the cooking techniques and some of the ingredients, but you need to know the product to do that,” says Cavicchio. Born just over the border in Veneto, where agrodolce flavors are also fundamental, she reads as many books about the Estes’ food habits as she can and experiments to keep the final product as authentic as possible. “Messisbugo was studious,” she says. “He invented recipes with the ingredients he had and the methods available to him. He didn’t have a fridge, so he used vinegar, wine and sugar. We’re much luckier, but I think he’d still appreciate what we do. For us, [the heritage] is a richness.” The modern day foodie courtiers Ferrara’s local bread is supposedly inspired by Lucrezia Borgia’s hair. Archivo Fotografico Provincia di Ferrara Like everywhere in Italy, restaurants and food heritage are important to the locals. Over at Da Noemi — a restaurant named after his grandmother, who opened up by herself in 1956 — 23-year-old Giovanni Matteucci has a hobby unlike many people his age. He buys antique copies of Ferrarese history and recipe books. “Sweetness was synonymous with the food of the rich,” he explains. “They used lots of spices and sugar to show off their wealth.” Even recipes for glammed-up egg yolk, and lasagne, had sugar and cinnamon on top, he says. And although he says it isn’t proven that Lucrezia Borgia really did love salama da sugo above all else, we do know that she adored apples — from the shopping list she compiled for her country estate. “She ordered loads of apples and different varieties,” he says. “It’s also said that she liked garlic.” At Da Noemi, Giovanni and his mom, Maria Cristina Borgazzi, run the kitchen. Brother Luca, meanwhile, is the maître d — the modern equivalent of Messisbugo. In fact, Luca takes his role as master of ceremonies so seriously that he’s decided that their reduced pandemic seating plan will stay forever. “We can pay more attention to the client this way,” he says. Speak to anyone in Ferrara, and they’ll wax lyrical about their pride in their food heritage. Yet, although Italians flock to the city to eat cappellacci, pasticcio, salama da sugo and coppie, the dishes have never really conquered the rest of Italy, as other regional dishes like pizza or tortellini have. Not that the Ferraresi care. “Ferrara is beautiful because of the Este family, and it’s the same for their dishes,” says Giovanni Matteucci. “People come to Ferrara for this, and we have to protect it. “Italy is based on its history. We don’t have Silicon Valley — this is our richness.” And, of course, their sweetness. Eating like Renaissance courtiers, here, is the most modern thing they can do. Source link Orbem News #500yearold #eat #Italian #meals #Town

[littlemissjrgd]

12/30/2020: Dazzling December

Before 2020 ends, I think it is appropriate to have a look back on the year that has gone by. 2020has been a beautiful year.

2020 Movies

•    Kingmaker

•    Ang Sugo

•    Judy Garland

•    Good Boys

•    Ford VS Ferrari

•    Ready or Not

•    To All the Boys I Loved Before 2

•    Miss Americana

•    Cuddle Weather

•    The 2 Popes

•    Irishman

•    One of Us

•    Coffee and Kareem

•    Love Wedding Repeat

•    Good Old-Fashioned Orgy

•    Bombshell

•    A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

•    Jojo Rabbit

•    Dangerous Lies

•    The Half of It

•    Becoming

•    Have a Good Trip

•    Like a Boss

•    The Rhythm Section

•    Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia

•    Paterson

•    Banana Split

•    Work it

•    Down to Earth

•    The Sleepover

•    Scott Peterson

•    Drunk Parents

•    MILF

•    Unpregnant

•    The Wayback

•    Woodstock

•    Wild Wild Country

•    Holidate

•    Midnight at the Magnolia

•    Dolly Parton

•    Glitter

•    Witches

•    Love Guaranteed

•    Blackpink

•    Saqqara Tomb

•    Clouds

•    Excuse Me, I love you

•    Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Session

•    A California Christmas

•    El Camino Christmas

•    Let them All Talk

•    Seriously Single

•    Coastal Elites

•    Palm Springs

•    Death to 2020

2020 Series

•    Killer Inside:Aaron Hernandez

•    Crash Landing on You

•    Sex Education

•    Modern Love

•    Grace and Frankie

•    Schitt’s Creek

•    Don’t F*** with Cats

•    Falling for a Killer

•    Living with Myself

•    Pandemic

•    100 Humans

•    Locke and Key

•    Altered Carbon

•    Inside Bill’s Brain: Decoding Bill Gates

•    How to Fix a Drug Scandal?

•    Tidying up with Marie Kondo

•    Unorthodox

•    Dead to Me

•    Waco

•    Never Have I Ever

•    Tiger King

•    Trial by Media

•    Hoarders

•    Mandalorian

•    The King

•    Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story

•    Everyday Heroes

•    Wild Wild Country

•    The Bieber’s on Watch

•    Nurses who Kill

•    The Business of Drugs

•    Jodi Arias

•    Leah Remini: Scientology and Aftermath

•    The Vow

•    World’s Most Wanted

•    Immigration Nation

•    Expecting Amy

•    Love Life

•    Unwell

•    Connected: The Hidden Science of Everything

•    Girls Incarcerated

•    Inside World’s Toughest Prisons

•    I am a Killer

•    I’ll be Gone in the Dark

•    Cobra Kai

•    The Umbrella Academy

•    Woke

•    Raised by Wolves

•    Love Craft County

•    The Queen’s Gambit

•    Schitt’s Creek

•    Conspiracies

•    Unbelievable

•    Grand Army

•    Amanda Knox

•    Cold Case Files

•    Dream Home Makeover

•    The 3 Deaths of Marisela Escobedo

•    Get Organized: The Home Edit

•    World’s Most Wanted

•    Innocence Files

•    Dr. Pimple Popper

•    The Mess You Leave Behind

•    Love and Anrchy

•    Room 2806: The Accusation

•    High Score

•    Home for Christmas

•    Alice in Borderland

•    The Flight Attendant

•    The Undoing

•    I May Destroy You

•    Nora from Queen

•    Chrisley Knows Best

•    Pen15

•    Selena + Chef

•    Selena: The Series

•    Dream Home Makeover

•    I May Destroy You

2020 Songs

•    Levitation – Dua Lipa

•    Positions- Arianna Grande

•    34 + 35 – Arianna Grande

•    You - Lany

•    Cowboy in LA – Lany

•    Heart Won’t Let Me – Lany

•    If This is the Last Time – Lany

•    I Still Talk to Jesus- Lany

•    Paper- Lany

•    Good Guys- Lany

•    Sharing You- Lany

•    Bad News- Lany

•    When You’re Drunk – Lany

•    Anything 4 U- Lany

•    Sad - Lany

•    What I Wish One Person Would Say to Me aka Happy for You - Lany

•    Nobody Else - Lany

2020 Adventures

•    Las Vegas Pre Lockdown

•    Vasquez Rocks

•    Ortega Falls

2020 Concerts/Events

•    I Heart Radio’s Living Room Concert

•    Krissy and Erika

•    Anne Marie

•    Oprah and Alicia Live

•    Ang Huling El Bimbo

•    Cats

•    I Heart Radio Live with Sam Smith

•    Julie Ann San Jose’s Birthday Benefit

•    Chito Miranda

•    Ebe Dancel, Bulllet Dumas and Johnoy Danao’s Earth Hour Jam

•    Regine Velasquez’s Birthday Benefit

•     Taylor Swift’s City of Lovers

•    ABS CBN’s Pantawid ng Pag-ibig: At Home Together Concert

•    Live Concert in the Doghouse with Matt and Dave

•    Dua Lipa at Late Late Show

2020 Podcasts

•    To Live and Die in LA 

•    Chrisley Confessions 

•    Adulting with Joyce Pring

•    Coffee Confessions

•    Behind Relationship Goals

•    Somebody

•    Broken: Jeffrey Epstein

•    Truth and Lies: Jeffrey Epstein 

•    Dirty John

•    Pain Killer

•    The Piketon Massacre 

2020 Fitness

•    Yoga with Adrienne

•    Planet Fitness FB Page

 •    Gold’s Gym Secret FB Group

 •    Pop Sugar Fitness

•    Mr. Helio Faria

•    Les Mills Tribe

2020 Books/Audiobooks/E-books

•    The Girl with a Lower Back Tattoo- Amy Schumer

•    Open Book – Jessica Simpson

•    One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest- Ken Kelsey

•    The Last Story of Mina Lee- Nancy Jooyoun Kim

•    Luster - Raven Leilani

•    The Giver of Stars- Jojo Moyes

•    Much Loved- Mark Nixon

•    I’ll be Gone in the Dark- Michelle McNamara

•    Midnight Sun- Stephenie Meyer

•    Becoming- Michelle Obama

•    Little Fires Everywhere- Celeste Ng

•    The Life- Changing Magic of Tidying Up – Marie Kondo

 •    Becoming- Michelle Obama