#the dark horse english translation made some... INTERESTING choices

[fatesdeepdive]

Entry 1: Anticipation

Introduction

What is your most anticipated game? Not the upcoming game that you’re excited about, the game that, more than any other, made you count down the days until its release. No game has ever made me as excited for its release like Fire Emblem Fates did.

Fire Emblem Fates was first announced in January 2015. Back when that trailer was first released, I was still obsessively playing through Fire Emblem Awakening, the game Fire Emblem Fates was meant to be a successor for. The trailer hooked me and I eagerly waited for more information on this bold new entry into the Fire Emblem series. The trailer showed a battle between two armies, a monster destroying a castle, a woman dancing, and a duel between two swordsmen. Between these clips, the trailer showed a return of Awakening’s gameplay, the addictive gameplay that’d taken away hundreds of hours of my free time. This trailer told us nothing, leaving me eager to learn more about this new story.

As the months went on, it was announced that Fates would tell the story of two kingdoms at war. More interestingly, the player would be given the opportunity to choose which kingdom to support, adding a layer of moral ambiguity and complexity to the story. I loved this concept and had no doubts it would be executed perfectly. The game released in June 2015 in Japan, but American fans had to wait until January of the next year to play it.

I bought the game as soon as it came out.

And I loved it. I played through all three routes half a dozen times each. For about six months, Fire Emblem Fates was the main game I played.

I haven’t played Fates in four and a half years. I don’t know why I went from spending multiple hours each day playing it to dropping it and never going back. I’ve played Awakening about once a year since then, but I haven’t gone back to Fates for some reason.

Since its release, Fates has gained a certain...reputation among the Fire Emblem fanbase. Put bluntly, it’s widely considered to be the worst Fire Emblem game. And, to be honest...I can kinda see why. Looking back, the game’s writing was filled to the brim with problems. But still, I can’t bring myself to hate the game like other Fire Emblem fans. I still remember asking my mom to preorder it for my Christmas present when I was fifteen. I still remember devoting hours of my life to this game.

So, I’m left with this quandary. Who should I trust? Other fans, or the memories of my youth? Is Fates really as bad as people say? Well, I kinda want to figure that out for myself. And I think the only way to figure this out is to obsessively play the game.

Over the next few months, I’m going to do a deep dive through Fire Emblem Fates and post my thoughts on this blog. I’m going to go through every chapter, every support conversation, every part of this game to answer the question: is Fire Emblem Fates a good game?

Opening Cutscene

Booting up my copy of Birthright for the first time in years, I’m greeted with an opening cutscene containing much of the footage from the trailer. It’s worth noting that the two armies from the trailer have very different aesthetics, one being heavily influenced by feudal Japan and one being heavily influenced by medieval Europe. The transition from the battle to the woman dancing is done by zooming out, revealing that this battle is actually taking place inside a painting. I actually really like this, it shows that the hostilities that this game is centered on have been going on for a long time.

Another thing to note: the song the dancing woman is singing has been translated into English. I’ll be going through the Lost in Thoughts All Alone’s lyrics and analyzing them when they appear in the actual story. The dance scene leads into circling shots of two families; judging from their different styles and fancy clothing, they are presumably related to the two kingdoms at war. The eastern family has a red and white color scheme, while the western one has a black and purple color scheme.

After that, the camera pans into a deep chasm until it arrives in a land of floating castles and islands, which looks interesting. Next, the opening cutscene shows the dancer in a lake, being choked by a large dragon-like creature. As the creature pushes her further underwater, its scales turn into light and fade away, turning into a humanoid form. Finally, the trailer shows the two swordsmen clashing as the dancer freaks out, setting her up as being an in-between that doesn’t want this conflict to grow. Her necklace flies off as she panics and lands in a pool of dark blue water, bringing us to the main menu.

The opening cutscene, like the trailer, hooked me in and made me excited to play this game. Even though I know that the game is going to bungle the story beats it sets up, I’m still excited to dive right it.

While staring at the dark title screen, which features only the quiet sound of waves for background noise, I get a strange hint of nostalgia. It’s a weird type of nostalgia, though. When I replied Awakening last fall, it felt familiar and comforting. Coming back to Fates, it doesn’t feel familiar. I recognize it, and it’s nostalgic, but it isn’t comforting. It’s like nostalgia for something I’ve forgotten, if that makes sense.

Character Creation

Jumping in, I am presented with three settings each for two types of difficulty. Normal/Hard/Lunatic control the strength of enemies, while Phoenix/Casual/Classic determine whether or not units come back to life. I’ll be checking out the other difficulties in a later entry, but for now, I create a Normal/Casual save file. Yes, it’s taking the easy path. But I barely remember this game and am playing it on a deadline, I don’t have the time to restart every level multiple times.

Next comes the character creator. We’re shown the player Avatar standing at the bottom of a lake and given the ability to customize gender, build, hairstyle, hair decoration (if a girl), hair color, face, scars, and voice. None of the options look bad, but the fact that it’s just choosing from a set list of faces is a bit disappointing. Understandable, considering the fact that these assets are drawn in, but that just raises the question of why there needed to be customization in the first place.

A few oddities about the character creator: hairstyles are sorted on two axis chart of Stylish/Simple vs Wild/Slick for boys and Long/Short vs Cute/Wild for girls. I don’t have time to go into each hairstyle, some are better than the canon versions, some are absolutely ridiculous, some are just boring. The short build is the canon design for Male Corrin while the tall build is canon for Female Corrin. This is probably for the best, because Short Girl Corrin looks like she’s eight. Finally, while both choices have three voice choices, two of Male Corrin’s choices are played by Cam Clarke (Corrin’s other male voice is Yuri Lowenthal, while Female Corrin’s voices are performed by Danielle Judovits, Marcella Lentz-Pope, and Stephanie Lemelin). Later games featuring Corrin stick with Clarke and Lentz-Pope.

I flip a coin and end up deciding on Female Corrin. I go with the generic design, because I really don’t care enough to customize her. Speaking of design, Corrin’s design is a mixed bag. Regardless of player choice, Corrin always wears the same outfit: a grey, black, and white suit of armor with a blue cape. Corrin’s generic hair color is also grey, but like a pinkish grey. I do appreciate Corrin being associated with grey, gold, and blue, making them visually appear to be between worlds, but I personally think the armor looks too complicated, looking more like a striped suit than actual armor. I also don’t get why it has a neck cuff.

Also, Corrin is barefoot. Always. This does give Corrin a sort of animalistic appearance, but that design element isn’t present anywhere else in Corrin’s design. Fire Emblem Awakening was kinda infamous for the fact that none of its characters had feet on their models and I get the vague feeling this game is overcompensating.

Next, we get to the details that actually matter. Name (I went with Corrin, because it’s the canon name and I don’t relate to this character at all), Birthday, Boon, Bane, and Talent. Boon and Bane determine stat growths, but they are labeled by personality traits instead of the actual stars, which is both more immersive and slightly annoying. I made Corrin Quick and Unlucky. Talent determines what Classes are available to you. I didn’t care, so I spun it randomly. It landed on Mercenary.

Prologue: The Ties that Bind

Now that we have our character created, let’s start the game. The game starts with the dancer singing Lost in Thoughts All Alone at the shore of a lake before walking into the lake and sinking below the waves. The song continues as she goes underwater, which means she must be amazing at ventriloquism. As she goes deeper underwater, ruins start to appear, floating in the water. The dancer swims into a bright light and disappears.

Smash cut to the Western prince riding on a horse, commanding an army as they charge into battle. The Eastern prince charges through his army, wielding a sword surrounded by lightning. The anime cutscenes in this game are beautifully animated and incredibly cool to watch. The Eastern prince introduces himself as Ryoma of Hoshido and challenges the Western prince, Xander of Nohr, to a duel. Xander accepts and charges into battle, wielding a sword surrounded by shadowy purple fog. The two clash as the cutscene ends.

We then see Corrin and a Hoshidan Pegasus Rider named Hinoka fighting an enemy, This fight is rendered as an actual game cutscene. Side note, the fact that this scripted battle features Hinoka guarding an attack for Corrin is a great way to foreshadow that mechanic. Hinoka mentions that Corrin looks distracted and reassures her, pointing out that all of Corrin’s siblings are here.

The game then moves onto introducing basic mechanics. If you move your cursor away and look at the other units on the battlefield, you’ll notice that all of them have unique names and designs. Fire Emblem Fates shows both armies off to you during the prologue, which is really interesting. Still, it must be noted that the Nohrian Units are marked as enemies and the Hoshidan Units are marked as allies. This isn’t super important now, but keep it in mind.

Between turns, Ryoma asks Xander why he’s invading and mentions a cowardly attack. Xander tells him to surrender and the two fight some more, both doing decent damage. The camera pans over to Xander’s siblings. The youngest of them, Elise, mentions that, due to a bridge collapse, they can’t get over to Corrin. Her older sister, Camilla, tells her not to worry, because their royal blood allows them to manipulate dragon veins. Camilla moves over to the river and a fireball flies out of her, striking the river and evaporating it. The third of Xander’s siblings, Leo, tells Elise to stay back as they attack the Hoshidans. The Hoshidan royals remark that Camilla’s use of a dragon vein means she’s royalty and the Hoshidan prince Tamuki smirks, saying that he’s always wanted to use a Nohrian royal as target practice.

The two armies of named characters start fighting and a Nohrian general named Hans shows up with an army of reinforcements. He then refers to his own army as cannon fodder and says king Garon sent him to kill them all, because he’s very obviously an evil person. A Hoshidan general shows up and we get some more tutorials as Corrin and Takumi beat up a single redshirt. And then the level just ends.

Corrin and the Hoshidan royals run up to the bridge to help out Ryoma. Xander calls out to Corrin, happy to have found her alive and well. He beckons her to come back to her family, which angers Ryoma, who shouts that Corrin is his sister. Xander counters, saying that Corrin is HIS sister. The other royals argue over which family owns Corrin and Hinoka states that the Nohrians kidnapped her. Xander points out that the Nohrians raised Corrin since she was a child and are her real family. As the two families fight over Corrin, the screen fades to white and we hear voices yelling for Corrin to wake up.

The prologue features some good teaching of mechanics, some bad teaching of mechanics, and an introduction to the game’s plot. It introduces two countries at war and Corrin, a bridge between the two that is caught up in this war. I just have one question.

What even is this chapter? It isn’t in media res, the actual point in the game this chapter is playing off of happens differently. The fact that it cuts to Corrin waking up implies that it’s a premonition of the future, but Corrin can’t see the future in other parts of the game. At least, I don’t remember that ever happening. Sure, this chapter introduces the plot, but it does it in such a confusing way.

Awakening did something similar to this, admittedly, but Awakening is a game about time travel. That scene happened, just in a different timeline. Awakening’s use of media res both set up the plot and helped foreshadow the game’s main twist.

Also, the Hoshidans are allies and the Nohrians are enemies. In a game about a morally grey conflict between two sides made up of real, suffering people, it’s not great to start out by calling one of them evil.

These two traits, aping Awakening without knowing why it worked and failing to be a morally grey story, are going to become much more apparent as the game goes on...

[yeniayofnymeria]

A Song of Ice and Fire "Champions" (Theory)

Hello everone, i want to share my own theory about long night and it's champions. It’s about Arya and Dany.

First, I'm sorry for my poor English, i helped from google translate, hope you can understand what i mean.

Introduction

The legend of the Long Night and AA has been discussed many times, but I want to approach it from a different topic. As you know, there are two fundamental forces in the universe of asoiaf, and we are reading the war of these two forces; ice and fire.

Power representing the ice side; It's called the Great Other. He is the god of death, of terror, of night. The Spirit of Ice.

Power representing the fire side; It's called R'hllor. He is the god of light, of life, of fire.

"...The war has been waged since time began, and before it is done, all men must choose where they will stand. On one side is R'hllor, the Lord of Light, the Heart of Fire, the God of Flame and Shadow. Against him stands the Great Other whose name may not be spoken, the Lord of Darkness, the Soul of Ice, the God of Night and Terror. Ours is not a choice between Baratheon and Lannister, between Greyjoy and Stark. It is death we choose, or life. Darkness, or light." Melisandre

And this...

"The way the world is made. The truth is all around you, plain to behold. The night is dark and full of terrors, the day bright and beautiful and full of hope. One is black, the other white. There is ice and there is fire. Hate and love. Bitter and sweet. Male and female. Pain and pleasure. Winter and summer. Evil and good." She took a step toward him. "Death and life. Everywhere, opposites. Everywhere, the war." Melisandre 

Of cource from Melisandre's perspective "Great Other... dead... is pure evil" But if we could ask it to ice side, they will said same thing for fire side, yeah? So do not mind the words of good and evil. Just focus the sides... I always say "the war between ice and fire" is like same as Stark and Lannister war. We saw both sides did bad things(Arya POVs), and both sides had good reason for battle. Who can say Starks are pure good but Lannisters are pure evil? I'm a Stark fan and i cannot say this.

So let's return our battle. Ice side wants eternal winter and fire side wants eternal summer. Well, i can say both of this are not good something, this is not a balance. Imagine living in the heat of desert or cold waether of north pole. Just one season, nothing more. Wildings live in north and they doesn't want to live there because life is so hard in there.

Prophecies

And I know, AA sound like a hero but who knows this? Really, we should trust the prophecises? I do not think so.

GRRM: " Prophecies are, you know, a double edge sword. You have to handle them very carefully; I mean, they can add depth and interest to a book, but you don’t want to be too literal or too easy... "

and Marwyn

"Born amidst salt and smoke, beneath a bleeding star. I know the prophecy." Marwyn turned his head and spat a gob of red phlegm onto the floor. "Not that I would trust it. Gorghan of Old Ghis once wrote that a prophecy is like a treacherous woman. She takes your member in her mouth, and you moan with the pleasure of it and think, how sweet, how fine, how good this is . . . and then her teeth snap shut and your moans turn to screams. That is the nature of prophecy, said Gorghan. Prophecy will bite your prick off every time." He chewed a bit. "Still . . ."

and Tyrion

"Prophecy is like a half-trained mule," he complained to Jorah Mormont. "It looks as though it might be useful, but the moment you trust in it, it kicks you in the head."

So guys, do not trust prophecy so much. :)

It doesn't mean AA is evil, forget evil word or good, ok? Both sides want to win this war this why they need a campion, and this champions are hero for their sides, that's all. Yeah but not for everyone, special not for common folk. You know, always common folk gets hurt in somebody's war.

Also AA prophecy comes from Asshai, a hero, a savior... That place so close to Yi Ti, Dawn Empire. Who caused the Long Night? Blood Stone Emperor. The Long Night was a punishmed for them(Dawn people and their emperor)which it was sent by Night's Lion. Some kind of revenge(ice is revenge). Who was Night's Lion? God of Night, God of Dead! So this why AA is against to ice, Great Other(Night's Lion).

But at Westeros, there is no AA or savior, a hero against Great Other... Yeah, there is a Last Hero, true but his story and mission are little different from aa's story.

According to Asshai, AA finished the Long Night but according to North, Last Hero found Childiren of Forest and get put together them and Night's Watch and First Men and fought against Others and won somehow.

The Champions

Actually, I want to focus on this word. R’hllor's warrior is also known as the “champion"

In the ASOIAF universe, in battles, sometimes there are champions both sides. They fight each other for win, In this way, sometimes armies do not have to fight... You need a champion if you want a trial by combat at Westeros. Of course, the other side has a champion too. Of your champion wins, you survive.

In summary, if there is a champion, it has to be valid for both sides.

Champions of Ice and Fire

Is there champion of ice? Well at least, we know Melisandre think so.

But beyond the Wall, the enemy grows stronger, and should he win the dawn will never come again. She wondered if it had been his face that she had seen, staring out at her from the flames. No. Surely not. His visage would be more frightening than that, cold and black and too terrible for any man to gaze upon and live. The wooden man she had glimpsed, though, and the boy with the wolf's face … they were his servants, surely … his champions, as Stannis was hers.

We might think that the ice side will have a champion. Like fire side.

Well we assume fire side's champion is Dany. Yeah, some people thinks Jon is AA but AA must be full fire but he is ice and fire by his parents. Dany suits more than him and looks she fulfilled the prophecy.

Also i belive Jon is a balance; he is ice and fire; dark and light; dead and life. First Dawn Emperor was son of Maiden of Light(fire) and Night's Lion(ice) and in his reign there was wealth and peace. Why? Because he was half ice, half fire; half light, half night; half dead, hald life... He was balance. If you realize Jon also dead now and when he comes back he will literally be dead and life, a ghost, neither literally dead nor alive, but both. There is a darkness inside him (especially after resurrection) and also there is light. I belive you got it. :)

So ok, Jon is balance... Dany is AA... then who is Ice's champion?

R'hllor's champion was full fire. Great Other's champion must be full ice? A Stark. A First Men, Daughter of North. Someone who smells death. Someone serving the god of death. Arya Stark.

She says the names of the people she wants to die in her prayer. Death accepts it. Why is that? Because she is messenger of dead, champion of Great Other.

Women are in a strong position in this book. Usually we are used to seeing men in the foreground in everything. That's why we're waiting for the hero or anything like that to turn out to be men. But not in this book. 5000 years ago, The Others's leader(or something like that) was a women; Night's Queen. We do not know what was it but she had a plan and used for this a NW member, Lord Commander, probably a Stark. Night's King.

If AA ise Dany, then it makes sense that Great Other's champion is a woman. It would be fun to watch two women's war. Dragon Queen and Wolf Queen, ice and fire. Also Arya's skills for what? Just for kill her list? No! He is one of the big five of GRRM. Like the other four, she should have a big impact on this war.

“If a twelve-year old has to conquer the world, then so be it.”

I believe FM is connected Great Other. God of Dead is Great Other. And Arya with them. Jaqen was around Arya and lead her to FM. Why? Too young to be FM. The Kind Man said her training would take years. But she's only been there for a few months, but she took a face. They taught her. They know exactly what she wants, but they keep her with them. They're giving her an accelerated course.

Ghost of High Heart saw what was inside her and her future

The dwarf woman studied her with dim red eyes. "I see you," she whispered. "I see you, wolf child. Blood child. I thought it was the lord who smelled of death . . ." She began to sob, her little body shaking. "You are cruel to come to my hill, cruel. I gorged on grief at Summerhall, I need none of yours. Begone from here, dark heart. Begone!"

Arya hears some whisper. Sounds like someone's talking to him.

Calm as still water, a small voice whispered in her ear. Arya was so startled she almost dropped her bundle. She looked around wildly, but there was no one in the stable but her, and the horses, and the dead men. Quiet as a shadow, she heard. Was it her own voice, or Syrio's? She could not tell, yet somehow it calmed her fears.

And this.

"But there is no pack," she whispered to the weirwood. Bran and Rickon were dead, the Lannisters had Sansa, Jon had gone to the Wall. "I'm not even me now, I'm Nan." "You are Arya of Winterfell, daughter of the north. You told me you could be strong. You have the wolf blood in you." “Wolf blood,” Arya now remembered.

So what do you think?

[lucentshadow]

Favourite stories

Or more like stories i still think about even thought it was years since i read/watched them. I made this list to kind of make myself think what i actually like about them. If you have any recommendations based on this list feel free to let me know. Here is just a list, more under the cut. 

Psycho Pass

The Bartimaeus trilogy

Les Miserables

Brave new world

Démon súhlasu

Powers

Books by Jane Austen

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron

Megamind

Martin Eden

My youth romantic comedy is wrong as I expected

Disclaimer: I just want to point out some stuff i personally liked about these stories. This is by no means a complete assessment of them, i know there’s more in them then i absorbed the last time i watched or read them.

Psycho Pass

In Japan Sibyl system judges people based on their crime coefficient – the likelyhood of them commiting a crime and being dangerous to other people. Those with high crime coeficient but no criminal history are called latent criminals and they are taken away from society and put into rehabilitation centers, which mostly means they’ll never get back out. Some latent criminals can under strict conditions leave the center and help in police investigation as Enforcers – hunting dogs for Inspectors.

There’s a lot i like about this series. The setting is interesting, the villain has kind of an interesting point, and then there are characters. Characters in this series are in my opinion not examined and developed as they could be, except for a few. That being said, Ginoza Nobuchika is one of my all time favourite characters. As an inspector, he wants to do what‘s right and believes Sibyl is the only right way to do that. So he strictly keeps in line, even tries to despise people closest to him who became enforcers, because if Sibyl is right, then they were in the wrong . Stuff happens of course and whole his character development is wonderful, but i won’t spoil anything more. And then there’s Akane. A role model. I love how Akane can think about crimes without ever affecting her crime coefficient (which is something that sent a few people to the enforfcers camp) and that’s because in the end her ultimate motive is to protect people and the law. 

The Bartimaeus trilogy  by Jonathan Stroud

The government of Britain consists of magicians – caste of people with knowledge to summon and control demons, who then have to obey them. With their powers, magicians control the rest of the population, keeping them away from education and true source of their power. We follow three main characters – Nathaniel „John Mandrake“, sold by his parents to become a magician and to believe magicians are what keeps the country safe,  working his way up the power ladder to become part of the British government, djinni Bartimaeus, summoned by Nathaniel, and determined to make Nathaniels life as miserable and troublesome as he can while he is forced to obey him, and Kitty Jones, a commoner, determined to tear down magicians rule.

If you ever thought that it was unrealistic how wizards in Harry Potter decided to hide from Muggles instead of taking control over the world, than i present you with Bartimaeus, where privileged caste of magicians controls commoners by power gained by exploitation of demons.

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

So, i only watched two movies and read about 250 pages from the book, but let me tell you, Jean Valjean is one my favourite characters ever. I love what kind of a person he becomes even after everything he’s been through. I still have to read the whole book, though.

Brave new world by Aldous Huxley

People are born in the factory, they are conditioned to enjoy their life in a prescribed way, to fulfil every pleasure, to eradicate every negative feeling by drugs, and then to die and be recycled. People are conditioned to like the way they will lead their lives. So what is a meaning of life then? Is the meaning of life to find happiness? To be entertained? What if we get that and we are always etertained, we are always happy. What then? And what do we need to sacrifice to get that?

Démon súhlasu („Demon of consensus“ or „Demon of agreement“) by Dominik Tatarka

Written in 1963 in communistic Czechoslovakia, this short story talks about a difference between a public and private consensus and how there is a discord between these two when a person becomes a pawn. I don‘t think there is an english translation of this book, but thanks to the style of the writing I’m afraid about a half of the quality would be lost in translation anyway. But here is my rough translation of a short quote i like:

A pawn is a man, who in the name of his conviction agrees to be promoted to a position, for which he‘s not enough.  A pawn is a role that a man plays, only plays, terribly plays. A pawn is a role, in which a man plays, that nothing is his fault, that over there higher up are the officials, who instead of him think, speak, plan, for him they decide, for him they take responsibility.

A pawn used to believe in his conviction, now he doesn‘t even believe.

A pawn can this way think,to be a righteous man, who got of the path only because of a general change.

A pawn is a beast, a pawn is a dangerous man, class enemy.

Powers by Ursula K. Le Guin

Main character grows up as a slave, but for a long time he doesn‘t see it as something that wrong, he doesn‘t rebel, and he even kind of advocates for it being that way. Family who owns him gives him education and he‘s growing up with children of the Family, playing games as if they were on the same side. There is a particular part of this story i think about from time to time. After stuff happens, he looses interest in the world and he‘s not in his actions, none of what he‘s doing has any meaning for him, everything he does is automatic and he let‘s the world decide his next course in life. And i can feel that.

  Books by Jane Austen

I remember i read Pride and prejudice in the first year of high school when i started reading classics. To be honest, i did not really understand it, just some kind of story about love i guess. I picked it up a few years later and found a witty ironic narrator talking about a women from a social class, who can‘t work because they don’t have to and that way work is considered beneath them, and any exertion is considered unnecessary attention-seeking and is looked down upon. If there’s not much to inherit and you can‘t live of your work, the only way to secure a living is to get married well.

  Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron

Okay, so, the main character is a horse. And he‘s the strongest willed horse alive. This story is basically the world trying to break him, and i have to tell you, i love seeing him disapoint . There is no need for a character development, Spirit is already perfect at the beginning, he knows his place in the world, cares about his herd and all he wants is to be with them and to be free. To be honest, the animals not talking is a great choice here. There‘s a line from one of the songs that i remember from time to time: If you loose yourself, your courage soon will follow. So be strong tonight, remember who you are.

  Megamind

Megamind‘s whole life was dedicated to defeating Metroman and to rule Metrocity, altough because of Metroman mostly he just end’s up in jail. But finally one day (thanks to an accident) he beats the superhero and becomes the most powerful person in the city. That‘s about ten minutes in the movie. However, as days go by he comes to the conclusion that his life without Metroman, his nemesis, lacks meaning. So he devises a plan to create himself a new superhero to fight. Superhero burnout, how our surroundings influence if we become good or evil, power not corrupting people just giving them a way to show who they‘ve always been, and more.

  Martin Eden by Jack London

Poor sailor saves a life of a man from higher society. When he meets the man‘s sister, he falls in love with her and starts educating himself to get to her level. And so the story of hypocrisy, shallowness and social injustice begins. As much as i’m still frustrated about the ending, the story itself still comes to my mind from time to time, but i have to reread it someday because i read it only once and it was a very long time ago, so i know there was a ton of themes and content that flew over my head at that time.

My youth romantic comedy is wrong as i expected by Wataru Watari

This has a certain similarities to Catcher in the rye, mostly in style. Main character Hachiman Hikigaya is an unpopular high scholler without friends but with massive defence mechanisms to help him deal with his life. Great inner monologues.      

 Honorable mentions: Gattaca, Interstellar, Dark knight, Truman show, Brothers Karamazov, Coco, Brother bear, Matrix, Hamlet, Mucha do about nothing, Aoharu x kikanjuu(no seriously, this is hilarious), King of Attolia, Epos of Gilgamesh, Into the wild, Back to the future, stories by Božena Slančíková Timrava, Mulan, Fate/Zero

[sebastianshaw]

Rando Munday ramblings! For new followers, on Munday sometimes I just post a bunch of personal stuff I normally wouldn’t. Not usually anything intimately personal, more like random thoughts and news that just isn’t relevant to the blog in any way, not related to X-Men or RP or writing in general, etc. ....there’s a lot of Hannibal today, sorry, I’m rewatching it.

- I definitely wanna have a pair of critters named Hannibal and Hasdrubal at some point, maybe if there's a third I'd name him Hamilcar. I know everyone will think I named them after Hannibal Lector but actually these are really common names from Ancient Carthage. Like if you look at Carthagian history and records, everyone is Hannibal, Hasdrubal, or Hamilcar, it's like John, James, and Jim. I'd prefer the pair, though, since Hannibal and Hasdrubal were a pair of brothers and famous historical figures, so it would feel much more like a "set" that way (whereas they did not have a brother called Hamilcar) - Speaking of Hannibal Lector, I knew he was based on a real person, but I did not realize that person was a gay Mexican man. That’s...an interesting example of gay history, for sure. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, Thomas Harris (the writer of the books that the films and later the TV series were based on) based Hannibal on a surgeon he met while interviewing an inmate at prison for another novel. This surgeon was so intelligent and charismatic that Harris implicitly assumed that he was a doctor in the employ of the prison. Nope---the doctor was an inmate himself. Harris was so shaken by the encounter that it inspired him to create Hannibal Lector, who, in contrast to the typical media portrayals of serial killers as uncontrolled lunatic slashers like Michael Myers or Leatherface, is a charming, culture, charismatic intellectual. To protect the man’s identity, Harris called him “Dr. Salazar” in interviews, so that was always how I knew him. I just now learned not only was his real name Alfredo Balli Trevino, but his victim was Jesus Castillo Rangel, his male lover. Harris describes him as a small, lithe man with dark red hair and, unsurprisingly, “a certain elegance about him”. Though Trevino was given the death penalty for his crimes, his sentence was commuted to 20 years and he was released in either 1980 or 1981. He died in in 2009 when he was 81 years old. He reportedly spent the last years of his life helping the poor and elderly, and he expressed deep regret for his “dark past”---which I suppose makes sense, since his crime was that he killed a lover in a fit of rage during an argument, whereas Hannibal simply killed people in cold blood whom he had no attachment to because he liked eating them (something Trevino never did) and to punish them for rudeness. - I’ve decided to stop buying silk, unless it's from a thrift store and thus my money won't go to supporting sericulture. Ahimsa silk isn't an option either, the bugs aren't technically killed but they're not treated well either. I know it might seem weird to eat meat and wear leather and yet not want to purchase something that hurt moths and larva, but...I have to eat meat for medical reasons, and my leather purchases is limited to boots that I then keep for YEARS AND YEARS so it's very sparing. There's really no such thing as a cruelty-free diet or lifestyle, whether that cruelty is suffered by animals or by other humans, but I can still make choices that at least lesson some small aspect of harm. I need to eat meat, I don't need real silk. ...Haven only wears bamboo silk for this reason and when this came up with Shaw, he absolutely thought she was fucking with him, like even SHE can’t be THIS insane, NO ONE ACTUALLY CARES ABOUT BUGS WTF - The books nearest to me right now are “Women Who Run With The Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype ” by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Romantic Period, “X-Men: The Legacy Quest Trilogy” by Steve Lyons, two  horror anthologies, the script for “M. Butterfly” by David Henry Hwang, “The Spanish Riding School of Vienna: Tour of America 2005″ book I got from when I went to see the Lippizanner horses perform, and a big beautiful leatherbound English translation of “The Flowers of Evil” by Charles Baudelaire. This is...this is a summary of my whole personality, sans rodents. Also god I need to clean my room. - Something I've noticed is that many sci-fi horror films that do the whole "science went too far against nature!!!" thing....don't actually have the problem result from the lack of ethics involved or because the scientists did something "unnatural", it happens because they didn't follow basic safety precautions, lab protocol, common sense, etc. "Splice" for instance, is a really good example---the problem isn't that they made a part-human hybrid, that's not why shit goes wrong, shit goes wrong because the two scientists act like idiots, adopt the creation as a child, hide it in their barn instead of a sterile controlled environment, and then one of them HAS SEX WITH IT. Or in "The Fly" the problem isn't that Brundle invented a teleporter, it's that he tested it ON HIMSELF while he was ALL ALONE. Even in "Jurassic Park" the issue is less that dinosaurs are breeding and more the result of a disgruntled worker who was given way too much power over being able to run things, and thus shut them down when he wants to. So many "science gone wrong!" movies end up not really being condemnations of science itself, so much as depicting scientists as utter dumbasses. Which, on the one hand, I do like, because I dislike the notion of condemning scientific progress just because it seems icky or creepy or "goes against nature" (so do vaccines, I still like those!) But on the other hand, the movies don't FRAME it as "this is the result of failure to practice science safely and sensibly" they frame it as "they should never have attempted such an unnatural thing and this disaster is punishment for a moral sin" even though the issue doesn't happen because what the scientists did was "wrong" it happens because they do something DUMB. - Bringing it back to Hannibal, I reached the episode where Margot Verger first appears, and if I have one big disappointment about the Hannibal series, it's Margot. In the books, she's a huge butch lesbian, literally and figuratively. In the TV series, she's a pretty femme fashionista like all the other women, and she fucks Will in order to get pregnant. At the time this came out in 2013, I tried to be all resigned and fair-minded about this. I was like "ok, well, they didn't want to be offensive with a stereotype, and I guess that's fair, I guess not hurting people matters more to me than getting the horseback-riding bulldyke hearthrob of my high school years on-screen at last" but you know what? No. Firstly, butch lesbians deserve representation too. How many have you ever seen onscreen, let alone in a mainstream media production? Sure, it's a stereotype, but it's not an inherently negative one, they just get treated that way in media because society sees it that way. But the way to handle butch lesbians and femme gay men and so on isn't to erase them from the screen, it's to start writing them as human beings and not caricatures or jokes or monsters. Margot is a fleshed-out human being, she's nuanced and twisted and hurt like everyone else in this series, she would be PERFECT for that. She wouldn't be just a butch lesbian, she'd be a CHARACTER who just also happens to be a butch lesbian. I don't really think she was changed to avoid "hurting" lesbians, I think she was changed because the director, gay man or not, clearly has a way he wants the women in his series to look (they're all fashion plates, all have long hair, all very sophisticated, etc) and book Margot didn't fit his aesthetic, his design if you will. Because god forbid we just make her a DAPPER dyke, right? Back to having sex with Will, which most certainly did NOT happen in the books...that's not bad itself in a VACUUM, fucking men to get a baby is something real-life lesbians do, I had a friend in college who was actually conceived that way, but like...no media exists in a vacuum, and there is very little depiction of lesbians in media that doesn't feature them fucking men for SOME reason or another. They want a baby, or they start the story with a boyfriend, or they're actually bisexual, or they're even raped, but there's always SOME reason we have to watch a guy fucking them and it's frankly distressing. Like, remember Irene Adler in BBC's Sherlock? It's a pattern. And I'm not saying lesbians who have had a sexual past with men, or who were the victims of sexual violence by men, don't deserve representation, I would never say that, those are very common experiences, I'm not saying "gold stars only", I'm saying that there is a strong pattern in media where it seems almost obligatory that a lesbian has to have sex with or be attracted to men at some point, while comparatively the opposite case, where a lesbian is depicted as exclusively and only attracted to and "with" other women, is seldom there. And it's just kind of a kick in the nads for me, as I think it was for a lot of other lesbians, butch or not, that a gay director took an opportunity like Margot Verger and turned her into just another attractive lipstick lesbian that is okay with having sex with the male protagonist as a treat tee hee (Spoiler: She does end up with Alana though, which I appreciate)

[archtroop]

So for you. What other fandoms are you in? When, how and why wincest?😁😍😎

Oh my, gird your loins, this is gonna be a long confession. 

LIFE:

I little background (This is all very relevant, because it had direct affect on whatever choices I would make, stuff I might like and my own personal evolution as a human, leading me to where I am today - including my on-the-side fandom life, which are a huge part of me).

Female, only child - I was born in 1990 in Soviet Russia/Russia (it’s a murky year for definitions) in the farthest eastern piece of land on the globe that still constitutes as Asia, a place where they learn Japanese as a second language instead of English. I’m Jewish on my mother’s side, my father is not. Our small family migrated to Israel in 1996. I was enrolled in a religious school, for the first two years of my education. Religious orthodox little girls are bitches. I suffered. I was 6, and a 100% language barrier. Then I was enrolled in a state-religious school for 4 years. Made my first 2-3 friends. One of them is my forever best like-a-sister-to-me friend since then. Still, it screwed with my head just enough - having a secular background and family and religious preaching at school fucks you up real good. By this time I had an actual artificially ensued phobia of males. Boy, man, horse. If it had a dick I was opting out in the opposite direction. It was also a very violent time, hits and punches, teeth and nails. Got suspended once, this other girl in my class broke a guy’s teeth, ended in a juvenile institute for girls.  

The next 6 years (12-18 years old) I spent in a secular boarding school, which, in Israel, are inherently patriotic in nature. These years were my most definitive and had the greatest influence on my preferences. Had my real-life heterosexual-life partner thing going for me, and the plan wast to graduate and move together. Never panned out.  18-20 - served my two mandatory 2 years (as a phlebotomist, of all things). This was when I eventually snapped and began actually maturing. By that time I still had zero interest i the opposite sex (or the same sex for the matter). At 19.6 y/o met my future husband and the future father of our now 2.6 y/o girl, began my B.Arch (took me almost a decade to finish because of pregnancy and financials). As of now, I am an Architect in practice, I work in a small but a very affluent in work firm/office. Waiting for my diploma to be issued.

So, I am trilingual (Russian. Hebrew, English), married+1, architect, artist on a hiatus, I have zero fear of needles and blood, love to read, love to interpret, love to translate. I also failed the Kinsey Scale Test twice. Until very recently in my life I couldn’t pick up on sexual innuendo at all, couldn’t identify if I was hit on, too.  Today I like sex just fine, but it’s not a prime need of mine, which lead to me and my (very sexual in nature) significant other to agree on an open relationship. 100/100 would recommend. 

FANDOM:

TV was a friend. I was 7-8 y/o when Pokemon hit the little screen in Israel. For technical reasons, I couldn’t watch the first episode. So I refused to watch the next ones too, until I’ll catch the first one on the saturday reruns. This marks my first exhibit of obsessiveness towards a franchise/media.  But Pokemon was for cool kids, and for boys, so I can’t enjoy it (unfortunately this is going to be a recurring theme). I absorbed Hebrew quickly, and found myself spending time in the library. TV, library, pencils and paper were all I cared for. I was about 10 when girls at school, who had access (early 2000′) were giggling about something called Sailor Moon. But they were the very cool kids. Can’t have that at all. I read Interview With a Vampire when I was 11-12. I then flipped the book and realized there was apparently a movie, too. It will be years until I’ll have the chance to watch it. I switched from teen books to adults fantasy and horror at that time. I remembering giggling through R.L. Stein’s stuff. It was like candy to me. I would read whatever I could find. I didn’t listen to music. Music is for the cool kids, and I am not allowed. There was no music at home, too.

About that time, I found Flowers In The Attic and drank it up. The things that lurk in school libraries. I was engrossed in the darkness, the horror. The pain and angst and the, well, horror. It was beautiful. Then came Dragon Lance, and I fell for the Caramon & Raistlin story. Fantasy, dragons, and two brothers against ll odds, the warrior and the mage, who are forever bound, and when they die, they join each other in the river of souls. I loved it to bits.  I couldn’t survive through Tolkien. loved The Hobbit, but 30 pages into the third book and he was still describing a forest - so I ditched it. Harry Potter was huge to me, I drank it up. But Harry Potter was for cool kids, so I couldn’t really talk about it. And then when I was 13-14 y/o a friend introduced me to manga. It was 2003-04, the Internet was becoming  prominent feature of life. My first manga was Gravitation. Of all things. But manga and anime is for really cool girls, I can’t have that. But now I had Internet access. 

That’s when I encountered Angel Sanctuary, and Kaori Yuki’s work. Gothic Lolita, Visual Kei. I’v found my niche. No one of the cool kids had any idea about those pretty things, I could hold them and have them for myself. It became one of my greatest inspirations. I read tons of manga online, combing the web for scanlation groups. Anime, too. I became very good at finding stuff. Like, real good. I even have two Angel Sanctuary fanart pieces.

Did you notice a theme already? I haven’t until very recently.

In 2005-6 (I can’t recall for sure) Israeli AXN release a promo of Supernatural. I recognized that “very good actor whose character(s) I really liked from Dark Angel”. It as all true but also I was THAT aloof about physical human beauty  and attraction. But I was interrupted watching the Pilot and begrudgingly decided to follow upon it on a saturday rerun, Guess what, I got interrupted again. And it was ON, TV be damned. I hit the Google, and piracy was it. I watched Supernatural with reverence. It was entirely MINE. I opened an account on  fan-wikia Supernatural site, which I lost and forgot about that was my first ever fandom-related interaction. By that time I also had a DeviantART page, which I kinda left as a storage unit as life took its course.  Basically, in August 2020 I will hit 30, which would mean Supernatural officially was by my side half of my life. 

I had no idea what shipping was, though. Until Teen Wolf, funny enough.  Teen Wolf was my first ship experience. I didn’t read fanfic until then. Sterek somehow managed to pull me in that world. It’s that palpable on screen. So I joined tumblr. It took me time to get accustomed to all this, because even fandom is for cool kids but OH I AM ANONYMOUS.

And I gradually became more aware. Of pretty much everything. With Supernatural keeping me alive through my degree studies, prompting my sexuality to emerge (it is still a fucked up sexuality. But it’s a start.). Worked through issues with Supernatural on my back-burner all the time. 

Then Supernatural hit 10 seasons. And I had to celebrate, and it was my first and only (so far) Supernatural fanart. I began reading fanfic. But so much of it wasn’t what I was looking for. So after some contemplation, I decided to try and write my own (EasyRush). And that was it for me, I essentially drowned in it, the wincest. Now that is had a name. As of today, it has become this thing that I can dig into to find me some solace after a hard day. 

I can’t even say that there was a specific scene. Or a why. It’s just IS. Like the John-finds-out fics: A gradual dawning realization. Looking back, it’s all the elements of whatever I consumed merged and acted out by very talented and compelling actors. 

It has the setting of Flowers In The Attic, the mythology of Angel Sanctuary and the charm of Dragon Lance, turned up to eleven. It’s Gothic Urban Fantasy, gritty and beautiful (I miss classic Supernatural aesthetic BADLY) and is a survivor.

On retrospect I begin to pinpoint moments that have subconsciously lead me to it. There was never any other option.

Wincest is never for the cool kids. It’s for people like me.

P.S.: I think there might be a part two. I need to go. This was a great walk down memory lane, it’s not even half of it.

[manlyronpa]

Ranting about Dark Horse DR Manga localizations.

Man, whoever the fuck translated the Nagito manga for Dark Horse sure did get a lot of liberties. Not to say the entire volumes were bad, but there was a quite a few stand out lines that just made no sense or felt like they were made up on the spot? Not like I can actually effectively read Japanese myself, but there were times I found the translation/localization “questionable”. The most stand out being that for some reason Monokuma comes off as having a heavier southern accent than I remember, Teruteru’s meltdown turning into nothing but gibberish rather than talking in a Cajun accent and even having him say “Derpity Derp Derp” at some point(which may have happened in the game? DR2 is not a game I revisit to be honest.) and Mahiru telling Teruteru to stop shipping Nagito and Hajime in the middle of the class trial. From reading Dark Horse’s Danganronpa: The Animation manga, it was clear they were quite careful with how everything was localized. Since the manga adaption was made for the Anime, they actually went through the trouble of reaching out to Funimation for their localizations and the like. Yet it’s weird because in the Animation everyone is called “Super High School Level” but in the manga they are “Ultimates” like in the game. So you’ve got this weird blend of both localizaitons blending in the Animation manga, which I’ve pointed out before. Looking at the credits, everyone is more or less the same. The translator is the same, the editor is the same, so I’m gonna just guess that because of the first adaption having ties to Funimation, it came off a little better? Maybe it’s just me though. As for the actual manga themselves, I still only have the first 2 volumes of the initial “Animation” manga. I’ve no real drive to get the other 2 because I don’t feel they’ll cover anything particularly interesting like the first two did for me. The art by Takashi Tsukimi though is pretty dang good, especially the covers which nearly mimic the game’s CG style, so I may legit pick up 3 and 4 for the nice covers alone. The Nagito manga, however, leaves much to be desired. Despite the big sell of it being that it’s DR2′s events from Nagito’s perspective, not much interesting happens that we don’t already know already from the game itself. It’s actually kinda boring just how straight it adapts the game or condenses stuff, to the point that even Nagito’s personal monologues add fucking nothing to make it interesting. Kyousuke Suga’s art is also not something I’d consider good. Nagito himself is literally a walking stick at times in certain panels and all the girls have increased “proportions” which is derivative at best really. Other than that, the mangaka does a lot of same face throughout the manga, in particular one with Hajime/Nagito making a very sleep looking face when something dumb/funny happens. It was amusing the first time, but after like the 5th time I saw it, it was whatever. Overall, the official manga localizations are good, but I am confused as to the choices of manga they are doing. The next two manga are pretty much confirmed to be the Famitsu DRAE manga and Famitsu DR2 manga. If they were going to do famitsu manga localizations, I’m wondering why they didn’t just do DR1′s famitsu manga instead of the animation’s? Maybe the cost to get publishing rights were cheaper so the risk of it failing would be less of a loss? Also I don’t really understand why they would go with the Famitsu DR2 manga. I get that it’s similar to the famitsu DR1 manga where it has a fair balance of Hajime’s POV and then giving culprits/victims their own little chapters, but as it stands right now, the manga is incomplete and there doesn’t seem to be any plans for that to be changed? The author has left it in hiatus for like 3-4 years now, so even if they do go for it, it will never get done. I feel it would’ve been a better or more interesting choice to just go with the Zetsubou Carnival manga or hell, even the Chiaki manga. I’d be angry since I would be beaten to getting it into english, but it’s still more exciting than the famitsu DR2 manga.

[keywestlou]

PENCE LAYING LOW IN INDIANA.....FEARS FOR HIS LIFE

Yesterday on Morning Joe, Joe Scarborough said Mike Pence was “in fear for his life…..he was laying low in Indiana.” All because of Trump’s actions leading up to and on January 6.

Scarborough blamed Trump for putting the former Vice President “on the hit list.”

A shame from my perspective also. Pence could not have been a more loyal Vice President. From Trump’s perspective, Pence wavered at the end. From mine, he did his job in interpreting the Constitution properly.

Some came to kill Pence and Pelosi on January 6. Others decided to during Trump’s rally under the white tent before.

Trump put Pence behind the eight ball. Before and at the rally in suggesting Pence had the power to invalidate the election. Trump told everyone at the rally: Pence “did not have the courage to do it.”

Trump’s rabble rousers were ready. They had heard the words of their Master. As they proceeded to the Capitol, they chanted “hang Mike Pence.”

It has been reported 2 police officers died by suicide following what occurred at the Capitol. One a Capitol police officer. The other a member of the MDP.

The Department of Homeland Security issued a “national terrorist bulletin” yesterday. The bulletin indicated there was a “lingering potential” for “violence.” From persons motivated by anti-government sentiment following Biden’s election.

The Department suggested the January 6 riot emboldened extremists and set the stage for additional attacks.

Amazing how many Republicans have jumped ship since the election. It was reported yesterday 30,000 Republicans changed their registration to another party.

The number is probably higher. Sufficient data is not available. Only a handful of states report voter registration and information about voters switching parties on a weekly basis.

Some things in life are carried a step too far. One is the removal of statues of persons who had ties to slavery in the past and public buildings named after those considered to have had black animosity.

San Francisco joined the group supporting name removal yesterday. The San Francisco School Board had a resolution under consideration for 3 months. Forty four schools involved.

The Board approved a resolution calling for removing names that honored historical figures with direct or broad ties to slavery, oppression, racism or the “subjugation” of human beings.

Some of the names on the list included George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Father Junipero Serra, Paul Revere, Francis Scott Key, and Dianne Feinstein.

A step too far.

Yes, Washington owned slaves. Everyone did back then. It was a form of wealth. People forget how Washington made it possible for our country to be born, the cold winter he spent at Valley Forge, and his crossing the Delaware in the middle of a freezing Christmas Eve to defeat the Hussein troops.

Without Lincoln, the black race might still be where they were 150 some odd years ago. He is honored. Referred to by Americans as the Great Emancipator. On a personal level, he was shot in the back of the head and died for the good he achieved as a result of the Civil War.

Would the colonists have won the Revolutionary War had Paul Revere not galloped through the night shouting: “To arms, to arms, the British are coming.” The Revolution might never have gotten beyond Concord and Lexington.

Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner.

Dianne Feinstein is a today woman. What did she do to blacks?

San Francisco is a gay community. Overwhelmingly. Why not require San Francisco to tear down the statues of any persons who were anti-gay at any time in any fashion? Also, those public buildings that were named after anti-gay persons.

Another great inquiry in the Citizens’ Voice: “If the City gets 100 vaccine doses, what portion of that goes to second doses?”

Key West continues to receive acclimation as being a popular place to vacation.

The 2021 Travelers Choice Award for Destinations listed Key West fifth. Behind New York, Maui, Las Vegas and New Orleans.

Miami appears to have fallen behind after many years at or near the top. It is now listed #18.

DAY 3…..Greece The First Time

Posted on May 30, 2012 by Key West Lou

I cannot believe I have been in Novara only three days. It seems like a lifetime. Especially in view of my experiences.

Earthquakes still in the news big time here. Much destruction to Northern Italy.

I reported being in two earthquakes yesterday. Turns out it was three. Maybe five. Three hours after publication, I felt another one. I was sitting at the computer at that time also. I did not consider it of any consequence. After all, I had been involved in two already that day. Last night while watching television, it was reported that Novara had suffered two more quakes around eight in the evening. I never felt them.

Many dead. Significant damage. Sad. The people of Novara spoke of the earthquakes much yesterday. It was like being in Key West following a hurricane.

Speaking of hurricanes, I was thinking yesterday whether a earthquake or hurricane was worse. One is short and the other prolonged. Both cause significant loss of life and damage. They ended up equal in my mind. Better that both not occur, however.

Earthquakes are not common to this region. So I have been told. The word on the news is that whatever problem there is in the San Francisco area exists now in northern Italy. A shelf or whatever and it is moving. Italian news describes it as a mountain rising to the surface. The scientists have predicted at least 70 more earthquakes over time as a result. We shall see.

Lisa got Skype yesterday. We skyped for the first time in the morning Lisa time. The grandkids had already left for school. Corey joined in. It was exciting to see them both. I hope I get to speak with Robert and Ally soon.

Around 5, I decided to take a walk. I rambled up and down the streets of the historic centre of Novara. It was a high knowing that most buildings were a thousand years old. The first floor the best quality shops. Top floors great apartments. By the way, people live in apartments here. Homes are considered too expensive. I do not understand. Most of the apartments go for $1 million dollars plus.

My walk led me to discover the Piazzetta Delle Erbe. Piazzetta means little piazza. I am learning.

In English the Piazzetta is the Little Square of Herbs. Back when, probably a thousand years ago, growers and merchants came from all over Europe and Asia to buy and sell herbs at this market.

Close by, I made another discovery. The Broletto. I do not know what the term means. It was the place where the first market in all of Italy was established in medieval times. Everything and anything sold. It helped the Novara area at the time to gain financial independence

The best was yet to come. The Partigiani. It is at the Piazza Dei Martiri. Partigiani means partisans. The Piazza translates to the Plaza of Martyrs.

I learned the story of this special place while sitting at an outside cafe having a drink and watching the world go by. Two gentleman at the next table engaged me in conversation. They spoke English. Americans are revered here. I am being treated with kindness and respect because I am an American. It was not unusual for them to engage me in conversation. They started the conversation with…..American?

Novara was occupied by the Nazis during World War II. Some of the locals were not pleased.They became partisans. Guerrilla types working as the underground. Five were captured. They were placed against a brick wall and shot by the Nazis. In full view of the citizens of Novara.

After the war a small monument was placed near where they were killed. A tree was also planted. It still stands today. The tree. By itself against a large red brick wall. Bullet holes could be seen in the wall.

It dawned on me that the medieval thousand year old buildings I have been speaking about were in good shape. I asked were they not destroyed during World War II? Bombs, artillery and tank fire. No, I was told.There was never any fighting or bombing or what have you in and to Novara. The Nazis walked out and the Americans walked in. The people of Novara were very lucky. Other communities in the area, such as Milan, sustained significant damage.

My walk took me past many fine stores. I was particularly impressed with the shops featuring apparel for women. The most beautiful clothes I have ever seen! Absolutely magnificent! Bright, shiny and smart for summer wearing. The thought struck me it would have been nice to have a woman to take into the stores and buy a new wardrobe for.

Remember the 124 steps I spoke of yesterday. There are not 124. I counted them again yesterday. At a time when I was not suffering from jet lag and a bad stomach. There are 68. Still a lot of steps for this old man!

The effects of jet lag are still with me. I went to bed at nine last night. Did not sleep one minute. Finally got up at 5:30 in the morning to start this blog. I will pay for the no sleep later in the day.

Never got to Milan yesterday to view the Last Supper. The trains were out of commission because of the earthquake.

I cannot let this experience pass. At the dinner party three nights ago, one of the meats was a dark one. Deep purple. Sliced thin. Every one was going crazy over it. They loved it! A bit of lemon and they ate away!

I had a few pieces. Did not particularly like it. Other guests were surprised I did not.

Yesterday similar meat was served to me for lunch. I again was not crazy about it. I asked what is this? It was horse meat! Horse meat is legal in Italy. There are specialty butcher shops that sell horse meat. And lest I forget, donkey also. That was it. No more for me! I explained that horse meat was not legal in the United States for human consumption. My fellow diners were shocked.

The big deal today is for me to go to the bank. I have no euros. Only American money. The exchange process should be interesting. Is cash or a credit card required? Can both be used?

Stephanie Kaple is one of the loves of my life. She lives in Key West. She is known as the Island Shoe Girl. She only wears expensive shoes with high high heels. Looks good in them!

Stephanie now plays bocce. She joined the same bocce league I play in. She wears heels while playing. Not wise from my perspective. But that is Stephanie!

She writes a blog as I do. A recent one was interesting and funny. Take a look at it if you have the time. A short read. www.islandshoegirl.com.

That is all for today folks! Sorry for the length but there is much to share regarding my trip. Tomorrow I leave for Athens to start the Greece phase of this trip. Athens, Santorini, Mykinos and some deserted island. Five weeks will be spent in Greece. Then back to Italy for a while. Portofino and Morocco under consideration for the scheduled end of my trip. If I return. I am enjoying everything so much I might stay.

Enjoy your day!

PENCE LAYING LOW IN INDIANA…..FEARS FOR HIS LIFE was originally published on Key West Lou

[pendragonfics]

Royaltui in Mel, a Dagr

Paring: Legolas Greenleaf/Reader

Tags: female reader, set during/within The Lord of The Rings books/movies and includes things mentioned from The Hobbit, canon compliant but also canon divergent, elves, blood and violence, war, battle couple, denial of feelings, sharing a bed, BAMF Gimli, angst, fluff, kissing.

Summary: While the nine who are the Fellowship of the Ring go to destroy Sauron's hold on Middle Earth, a skilled elven warrior, the daughter of the Lord and Lady of Lothlórien follows in suit and secrecy to maintain the company's success. She may also catch feelings, she won't face them until the battle has come to an end...or they hit her over the head.

Notes: I made the title from a Tolkien translator fansite, since I’m unable to write/speak Elvish. Anyways. It translates in English to ‘Royalty in Love, and War’. 

Word Count: 2,688

Current Date: 2017-08-30

The path was long, and the journey, often dangerous, but still, you lived. It was something that elves did best, you believed, living; they often lived longer than other species, preserving cultures within their words and tomes hidden away in the forests they lived within. As the daughter of the Lord of Lothlórien, you had been raised from a young age to be a defender of the forest, for elf kind, but when you had heard that this training was for none, you partially went into a sort of despair.

Lord Elrond knew of your abilities; you could fell many spiders with the stroke of your sword, adept at the arts of defence, acrobatics as well as the other things females destined to become royalty one day were supposed to. You were known as Princess __________, but being the leader of the guard of the Golden Wood, you preferred to be just __________; titles could wait until there was a throne under your foot and a gilded crown upon your head. He knew of your abilities, yes, but still, word told that he chose the aid of a Man from Gondor instead of you, and decreed that nine would take the ring to Mordor, and only nine.

The despair was short lived, as the night the word had reached you, you had packed yourself a traveling kit, the gear to sleep upon, to eat, to fight with, and told your father what you were doing. You did not tell him there was any choice in the matter on his part, because he knew that already. Your mother was Galadriel, and she was the wisest, and the most headstrong of elves there were. Thus, you departed for your mission; to watch over the fellowship of the ring, to keep them safe from wraiths and harm.

But the day you woke late, harm fell upon the group you swore to yourself to protect. You arrived too late, and stood upon the hill, and watched the man Boromir as he fell, arrows deep within his chest. You lost your breath, tears biting upon your eyes. But they did not hinder your sight, as you quickly drew your twin swords, and fought off the oncoming Orc attack. Because of your fight there that day, the two Hobbits made away that day, and the son of King Thranduil and the Man, heir to Gondor, and a Dwarf were about to depart when you ran upon the shore.

“Do not leave me behind!” you screamed, waving your sword.

The light glinted, glaring into the light eyes of the elven prince, and with his hands at the oars, stilled the boat. You ran out across the shallow waters, your pack bouncing, swords held high until you were to your neck in the water, and made it to the boat.

You were treading water, swimming, but still, the Man did not lend a hand to help you up. He looked at you with a dark, furrowed brow, lips set. “Who are you, and what are your intentions?”

“Get me out of the water!” you cried out, “My Lembas bread is going to be ruined!”

The elven man shifted, and reaching out, gave you a hand into the boat. You were soaked to the bone indeed, and dripping much water into the boat. Your hair plastered to your face, hood down, the males in the boat looked at you in a strange way.  

“You’re an elf,” the Dwarf eyed your ears, and scratched at his beard, wary.

“Yes, I am.” You reply, “My name is __________,” you introduce.

“You’re a woman,” the Man commented, near incredulous.

“She’s the Princess of Lothlórien,” the elvish prince stated, “Forgive us–,”

You shake your head, water droplets flying from your face. “Enough with all the titles. Yes, I’m the princess, and yes, that makes me female, but we all know you saved me because of my rations. I brought plenty to share.” You eye the elf, and nodding, add, “I have followed the fellowship for quite some time, keeping an eye for all of your safety.”

The dwarfish man grunted. “Didn’t do a very good job, now, did you?”

You nod. “I admit, yes, I failed today. But it does not mean I shall fail every day, or perhaps, tomorrow. I, __________, pledge to aid you all in the quest to destroy the ring and bring balance and peace to Middle Earth.”

The Man made a noise, perhaps a good one, since his lips were turned up. “That is pleasant to hear. I am Aragorn –,”

The elf blinked, “Son of Arathorn, called Elessar the Elfstone, Dunadan. He is the heir of Isildur Elendil's son, of Gondor,” he announced. Beside him, Aragorn looked a little miffed that the glory of saying his name was taken, and sat silent.

The Dwarf adjusted his axe, “I’m Gimli.”

You frowned, “Son of Glóin? I heard of fantastic things that the company of Thorin did, on the Lonely Mountain,” you beam. “My mother advised much of what Gandalf the Grey was to do. A pity I was too young,” You glance to the elf, and add, “But you were there, weren’t you, princeling?”

The blonde elf turned his face to the oars, nodding. There were words upon his tongue, but at that moment, they did not come forth. Choosing not to pursue the topic, you turned to silence, and began sorting out rations to share with your present company.

---

You cut down many Wargs that day. Your words shared the day you met the trio in the boat, when you had admitted flaws; the oath had come true again. While you had cut down many Orcs, you had not cut down enough, as when you turned to Aragorn, as the battle was ending, he was nowhere to be seen. Believed dead, and your honour once again besmirched, you did all you could for the humans (and Legolas Gimli), you rode with.

You stayed behind to ride alongside with them, silently mourning the Man whose life had been lost. You had lived for many a century, and most of them, in ignorance of the beauty of life, and the importance of living for the day. But these days, while on the ride toward the ever-looming battle that would end the misery and treachery upon Middle Earth, you found yourself learning to love each day. Every sunset. Every glance shared –

Though yes, you had been sharing a tent to sleep, and many a horse when horses were sparse, you were not infatuated with the elf. Perhaps intrigued. Interested romantically? No. You thought him a good soldier, a fantastic shot, a handsome face – you closed your eyes, face burning with the evidence of your thoughts, and kept them to yourself for the ride to Helm’s Deep.

But with no food, and little sleep, you found yourself suiting up once more in your armour, and not alone. Legolas stood in the corner, counting his arrows, fixing the flint upon the shaft. His light eyes lifted from his work to you as you entered, a little smile falling upon his soft lips too.

“The world of Men and Orc need to know the importance of sleep,” you tell him with a sigh, strapping your arm guards on. “We Elves would never fight when it didn’t suit us. At least, I wouldn’t.”

He gave a chuckle at that. “You would get along with my father, I think.”

There was a shout from beyond the room, and Legolas looked back to his bow. You turned to see, and instead of the faces of warriors you knew not the names of, you saw the face of Aragorn. You must have been pale with shock, as he too gave a chuckle, and ruffled your hair as he passed through the threshold to the armoury. “I’m not dead, and we won’t be either as the night ends.”

You gave a breathy sort of laugh at that. “How convincing. I suppose we shall all know when the morning comes, won’t we?”

Legolas nodded.

Morning came, but not before you were up to your shoulders in filth, rainwater, and blood. You weren’t sure if it were the blood of Man, or Orc, or perhaps, even your own. It was red, and thick, and stuck, and stunk. But it came onto not easily; every blow took effort, every head that rolled brought sweat to your brow. Beside you, Legolas fought valiantly, seemingly never to run out of ammunition from his quiver, and Gimli fought bravely as ever, his sarcastic wit never failing to bring a smile to your lips despite the bloodshed.

He had saved your life perhaps many a time that night; when you had almost slipped on an Orc corpse, to collapse into the clutches of the enemy. When you were focusing on the kill ahead of you, to not notice a sneak attack behind. You had saved his too, there was no doubt about that – when his arrows were not enough, you would strike for the kill, and you stayed not too far from his back, working hard. If Gimli saw anything strange the fast-paced action of Elves in battle, he did not say a word about it, only to do his best to survive the night.

And when morning came, oh, when it broke overhead like a blessing from the Ilúvatar, you felt the tiredness from your soul come spilling out over your skin, your bones, and exhausted, found a place to sleep, but only to be woken hours later by an unfamiliar face who ordered you to bathe, and change from the filthy armour you wore.

That evening, you saw Legolas once again. He addressed you by name, and not rank – which makes you feel a wave of relief wash over you – and looks tired too, his hair flat, eyes almost hollow. From what you have heard of the Woodland Realm in Mirkwood, the elf before you most probably miss his home, his life, his place.

All the war and bloodlust of Men would drive anyone crazy, much less a royal blooded elf. You supposed you were one of those too. You spent so much of your time wanting to not use your title, you had almost forgotten your roots.

“You fought well,” he tells you.

You stand there, taking his words in, wondering why you feel a pang of disappointment at those three words uttered from his mouth. You fought well. Perhaps you had hoped he would have said another three words, or something else entirely, or asked if you had seen his kit to sharpen the arrows he could salvage.

You blink. “Than-thank you, Prince Legolas,” you stammer, turning away. You look to where your sleeping kit had gone to, and eyeing it in the corner, make to use it. “I –,”

“Prince?” He repeats, incredulous despite his apparent exhausted appearance. “You never call me that, __________, is something wrong?”

You shake your head once, lowering yourself to your roll-out bed, you see him still standing where he was minutes before. You are all tucked up in your bed roll, and he’s still staring. “Is something wrong?” You repeat his words.

Legolas shakes his head. “Someone’s taken my sleeping kit.”

You know what he’s inferring. He may not be the worst of all the male elves out there – and you’ve met some of those kinds before – and he might not be the most clued-up as to what sharing a bed roll is. But, you’ve shared tents, and there isn’t much difference in this, except you’ll be closer. You feel your neck grow warm at the thought, but don’t mention it.

“Get in,” you grumble, shifting to allow room for another elf in the sleeping kit, “And blow out that candle before you get in. I’m going to get nine hours of sleep, or else.”

Legolas blows the candle out as asked, and folds himself beside you in the bed roll. It’s warmer, with two bodies, and you do not face him, otherwise you’d be too close, close enough to see in the dark even without the light of the stars and moon to reveal. His breath is warm on your neck, and as your eyes grow heavy with the tiredness of the previous night’s fight, he clears his throat.

“What will you do when this is over?” He asks you.

Your eyes open, brain turned back on. You’re wide awake now, and slowly, you turn to face Legolas. “I’ll return to the forest where my mother and father rule,” you tell him. “I’ll age another five hundred years, and then I’ll be married off to another kingdom like I’ve always been told I will. I’ll have children, and then those children will have children –,”

He shakes his head. “What will you do?” He asks you, reiterating a single word.

You had to pause. “I’ll…I don’t know.” You breathe. “What – what will you do, Princeling?”

You can almost hear his eyes roll. “I’m just Legolas. I’ll return to the forest, to my friends. When I left, Tauriel is was in mourning, and my father at the helm of a growing colony for both Mankind and Elves alike.” He took a breath, and added, “I will return to the forest where my father rules, protect the place I live, and be married off to another kingdom –,”

“I get it.” You interrupt, and let out a sort of laugh, add, turning away from him, “now, this is goodnight. I need to sleep, or else I’ll be grumpy tomorrow.”

---

As crown was placed upon the brow of Aragorn, you felt a weight fall from your shoulders. It was the same weight you had placed there when you had snuck out from your home in the forest, added upon every day since, and heavy in the later days as the whole of Middle Earth were hoping two Hobbits could cast a ring into the depths of Mount Doom to its death. You stood there, wearing clothes borrowed from the wardrobes of the women of Gondor, standing beside Legolas and Gimli to watch the ceremony.

“Any more thought of what you will do, now it’s over?” He asks you, barely glancing away from Aragorn’s crowning glory, and Arwen’s ethereal beauty.

You nudge him, smirking. “It’s over now, isn’t it?” You ask him in jest. But it is over. There is no more duty toward the fellowship. You’re a free elf once again.

He nods. “Yes.”

You sigh. “I’ve see so much of the world, I don’t want to go back to that life I used to live.” You confess, glancing to see the blonde prince’s reaction. But he’s already looking to you, gazing deep into your eyes, lips apart. “What?”

He smiles at that, even if your words aren’t eloquent anymore with all the life spent with the language of Men spoken around you. “I thought you knew already…I think I’ve decided I want to be married now.” The words hit hard. But why does it bother you? “As soon as she says yes.”

You raise your eyebrows. “Have you asked her?” You wonder.

He nods. “Just then.” It takes a moment, and then you realise what Legolas means by those select words. All at once, your stupid heart and all the mixed feelings and the confusion you have felt for so long reaches your heartbeat, stilling it for a moment beneath your breast. You’re breathless as he adds to his statement, “I’ve loved you since the battle we fought Wargs…but maybe when I first saw you, in the boat.”

“We all know that you saved me because of my Lembas.” You laugh at that, unsure where the breath comes from to do so, “…I’m such an idiot.”

He shakes his head. “Not to me,” Legolas whispers.

While all the eyes are on Aragorn and Arwen, and the ceremony of the century, his eyes are on you, and yours upon his, and slowly, cupping your cheeks, he lifts your lips to his, and as the crowds applaud the new King of Gondor, you share a kiss.

[moonlitoutpost]

A Year of Games - 2017

It’s a new year! So why not get in on the action and recount the year previous, the last 12 moon cycles, just like everyone else with a top of the top’s list. They’re a fun way to catch up on things and stuff that may have slipped through the cracks, a shorthand, basically just cheating off your friend’s answers before a test. But there is no test, and we didn’t study either.

Having recently read through some great lists ourselves, we thought we’d write our own! Below are a few of our favorite games that we have played in 2017. These choices are unique in that they are not limited to the calendar year, more of things that we played during it :)

1. Summon Nights 5

Summon Nights 5 is a beautiful mix of bewitching artwork, endearing story, and sharp gameplay. An addicting brew of a finely sculpted battle system and lackadaisical leisure. For us, it was our dark horse of the year, an unexpected upsetter in the roster of contenders. A last minute entry, bought/purchase on a whim, that went on to rise it’s way to the top, as our game of the year.

Right out of its lush packaging, its mysterious and decked out box held our stare long before we officially put the cartridge in. And somehow after this, we were instantly hooked! The game initially was released in 2013 yet thanks to this english translation, we were able to enjoy the adventure in its full glory. It’s always our pleasure to encounter a sleeper hit that seems to have almost criminally gone under the radar. Most likely by happenstance, the graphics reminded us of a really sharp DreamCast game, and that only makes us like it even more ;)

Though the game’s scope isn’t massive, what is in view, is satisfying and rather comes off as quite focused. The amount of systems that they have given you to play with are so rewarding and joyfully exhausting when you really get a handle on them. Slyly unfolding an intricate depth when it comes to the combat, and conducted by a brilliant understanding of pacing.

If it were a candy: Summon Nights would be a rich nuggety strategic RPG, wrapped in the light airyness of a visual novel. A charming game from top to bottom, we can’t wait to play more in this series!

2. Asura’s Wrath

A game that offers no moderation, no holds barred, takes no prisoners, and leaves nothin’ on the table. Asura’s Wrath deals in grander rather than subtlety. It’s not often that a game’s vibe can be considered timeless, but strangely enough Asuras Wrath by all account balances that idea of strange classical timelessness and pull no punches insanity.  Every passing moment in it was just a new trip to revel in, as we blissfully savored every second.

It’s one of those oddities that you could say is by definition less than a ‘game’, but more than a movie.  It’s an experience worth having. A power nouveau of uninhabited ideas, truly one in a million.

3. Fortnite

If PUBG is the hard-R inescapable action flick of the summer, then Fortnite is the Saturday-morning cartoon spinoff complete with its own tie-in sugar-soaked cereal and line of action figures: some assembly required!

It’s fast, it’s frantic, it’s flashy, it’s vibrant! Mad-dash blitzing our way to surviving 98 other players has been a theme for us this year. While many multi-player games left victories ringing hollow, in Fortnite, the highs have never felt higher! Every moment has its own risks and rewards, with juuuust the right amount of luck sprinkled on top. Bang! Your team suddenly clashes head to head with another. You’re well stocked, but you could be better off. Shots are fired. Your team walks away from the fight - but just barely. Your emerging status to win has now been cut severely. It’s these calculated risks that makes the game more exciting! If you take them, you could come out worse for wear. But with a similar roll of the dice…you could come out king. And that has the potential to be in every fight, with the lasting effects rippling through the rest of the match.

We don’t know if we’ve felt like anything like this in any other multiplayer game. That’s what we like about it, and that’s where the best moments come from. from the hijinks of playing together and with friends, and the moments where it comes down to the wire, clawing your way to win an extreme underdog victory: it’s just a great flow!

Every match of Fortnite gives you the prospect to come away with a story. For many games it is often promised but rarely accomplished. However this is one that actually feels like it.

4. Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Heartbreak

The Gameboy is one of our most beloved systems, home to many of our all-time favorite games. Within its unassuming enclosure, there are many unique treasures and exciting surprises. This game is definitely one of them. If you are already familiar with the Hamtaro universe, you’ll recognize the perfect mix of adventure and adorability. If not though, get ready to embark on a game that is expressive, immersive and above all, heartwarming!

In this low-key adventure game you get to experience the world as the pint-size of a hamster. There’s a particular feeling it offers. Something about being shrunk down, tiny, a miniature evergladen, roaming through a world of macro amalgamations. You might say there’s an air of nearby secrets, or a peaceful openness, and this game lends to that atmosphere with a beautifully rendered playground of pixels. And like any fun adventure game, surprises are hidden behind every corner, making you want to poke and prod at everything in the world.

The pastel color palette is really pleasing and the art style is loose and free. Everything has so many different expressions and reactions to things, it really brings out the character, and goes a long way in tying the experience together. The animated Hamtaro show translates really well to the game, we found that like ‘wow, they captured it perfectly!’ Everything from the vibe to the design, is like you’re dropped into an episode of the anime itself!

In a world where so many recent visual novels and adventures games come with choices that hold the balance of life and death on the line, sometimes it’s nice to stop and smell the roses *hiff hiff*

No hamster will remember your choice..and that’s nice!

5. Persona 5

A long-awaited sequel to one our favorite JRPGS, Persona 5 improves on everything when it comes to the mechanics and the style of its predecessor. From the killer score to the fleshed-out battle system, a lot of it feels just grand! Each change that was introduced seemed to galvanize the strengths of previous work. It often feels like a combination of many smart changes and improvements, such as but not limited to: more meaningful fights, memorable dungeons/dungeon themes, more realized stealth mechanics, a more robust velvet room, increased save points, the addition of Momentos, more locations to visit, more interesting side quests, and more recreational activities than you have time in a day. The boss fights were super creative, leaps and bounds above what they had already laid out in 4. Dungeons feel like places, no longer just randomized tile sets of pre-fab pieces, making progressing through feel more significant.

For as many good things as we have to say about it, the experience is not without flaw. While it comes out hot at the gate, a long-winded pacing only serves to fatigue its excellence and only lessens the verocity of the latter half of the game. Going hand in hand with this, while it comes down to personal preference, both the story and characters, minus a few standouts, didn’t resonate with us as nearly as much as their Persona 4 counterparts. These two things combined made the final stretch in this feel more laborious and really made us wonder if dropping a dungeon or 20 hours would have made for a tighter experience. There is an art form to knowing when to end something. While it might be more evolutionary than revolutionary, Persona 5 is still one of the best RPG’s we’ve played in recent memory. It’s almost a compliment to say how hard it is to top yourself and how big an act Persona 4 is to follow. :)

Special Shoutouts:

1. Pocket Camp: We never played New Leaf, We Never Got to be mayor, we never got to design our own town, and we never got the 3DS. But we’re absolutely infatuated with Animal Crossing. This latest addition to the series is definitely an enjoyable one. It’s a little less full-featured, but you still get to interact with a motley crew of cute animals, and make that perfect decorating vision, and that’s just enough of a hit to stave off the encroaching cold grip of death before losing consciousness. It may not see like a big deal to people who cut their teeth in New Leaf, but for those who have missed their home away from home, Pocket Camp gave us just enough of a familiar taste of milk and honey, without the rule of a tyrannical higher power lording over you with monetary conflict..oh wait a minute…

2. HQ: Late last year we learned about a novel little app that changed our schedule completely. Twice a day we found ourselves dropping everything we did to pull out our phone in an attempt to win fabulous cash prizes. Whether it was calling live streams to halt, sneaking glances at it during work, or loosing track of time in public. Assembling the crew, nearby friends, anyone who would listen, in a huddle trying to remember what the progenitor of the Oreo was. (it’s the Hydrox cookie by the way).

HQ is the realization of a dream most people have, of being a contestant on a game show, all while being strangely futuristic. It’s more than an app, it’s a fun social drip of spontaneity.

3. Paragon: the game we spent the single most time with this year, We were interested in it more from an academic point than anything, and that eventually progressed into kind of liking it. We’ve played it a lot, and have had some pretty crazy moments, including a surprising amount of meeting new people while playing it. Even going as far as stumbling into seeing ourselves in someone else’s gameplay footage! :) It’s been the best year in our opinion for released heroes, and there have been many improvements both big and small. A lot of design choices still require smoothing out, but we feel it’s come a long way since then.

Due to very recent events, its days have now become numbered. Rumors had been swirling in the under realm for the past few weeks, and its future was pulled into question. Now with this latest announcement, the final nails have been put in the coffin. It’s sad to see a game with such promise pulled before the broadstokes really got all the details. A bit abrupt, though if you were literate it wouldn’t be hard to make out the writing on the walls. While it didn’t cast as towering a shadow as its contemporaries, its unique presence in the world of MOBAS will surely be missed.

This is actually the third time we’ve come back and written this last paragraph specifically. As news of Paragon’s decaying state were raised, we came back to re-amend it, each iteration getting a little more bleak, up until posting it today, having moments ago, with a tinge of morose irony, just finished filling out a refund form. So now that the final word has been given, now we’re here: as opposed to looking forward, we’re instead forced to look back.

New beginnings and new ends, the textbook definition of a new year

[ramajmedia]

Handmaid’s Tale: 10 Hidden Details About The Costumes You Didn’t Notice

Every element of the television series The Handmaid's Tale is top-notch. The writing is fantastic, the character development is amazing, the acting skills are unparalleled, and the production value is some of the best that television has ever seen. The Handmaid's Tale is visually stunning, and the intricate details in the production of the show leaves a never-ending amount of Easter eggs to discover and explore.

RELATED: The Handmaid’s Tale: 9 Times June Was The Biggest Badass

One of the most visually compelling and impressive aspects of The Handmaid's Tale is easily it's costume designs. The costume designers for the show have to create unique looks for a veritable army of cast members and extras, but there are a lot of subtle details that go into the designs that make them all seem unique and well thought out. There are almost too many details to even appreciate on the first, fifth, or tenth watch, but here are 10 details of The Handmaid's Tale's costume designs that you probably didn't notice.

10 Some Of The Clothes Are From Before

The costumes on The Handmaid's Tale look unlike anything that anyone would see in their day to day life in America today. However, looks can be deceiving. One of the major pros of Gilead is supposed to be their environmental friendliness, which means that a lot of the clothing that is seen on the show is meant to be re-purposed or recycled from clothing that existed in the pre-Gilead era. And when it comes to that there are even pieces of clothing that haven't been retrofitted in the Gilead style at all, so long as they match with the color dress code then Gilead will let its citizens wear it.

9 June's Sweatshirt Is A Holdover From The Past

One of the most distinct costume pieces in the entire series has got to be June's red sweatshirt. It's a piece that is featured in a lot of different scenes and seems to be of particular importance to June. And it seems that way because it is.

RELATED: The Handmaid's Tale: 10 Things That Only Make Sense If You Read The Book

Gilead has a pretty strict dress code for people like handmaids, wives, or commanders, but when the handmaids were first conscripted into their slavery they were given the option to choose one red garment to keep that existed from before. June's choice was her red sweatshirt, and it seems like it's meant to denote a level of comfort and ease for June.

8 Red Means Blood

A lot of thought and consideration went into creating The Handmaid's Tale, both the book and the television show, so every detail tends to have some meaning and weight behind it. That's certainly the case when it comes to the vibrant red uniform of the handmaids. The handmaid red color seems to have a bit of a double meaning, in the eyes of Gilead it's meant to symbolize the fact that handmaids are literally the lifeblood of their society and are the ones ensuring their survival, but in the eyes of the handmaids it obviously symbolizes their own bloodshed and war with Gilead... and of course, it is the color of the literal menstrual blood that shows that these women are fertile.

7 The Color Coding Was Outlined In The Books

The stark and vibrant colors that are worn by every aspect of Gilead's society makes for a very striking visual in the TV series The Handmaid's Tale, but it's not a creation of the TV series itself. In Margaret Atwood's original book there were already divisions based on class and those divisions were denoted by the colors that each individual person wore. The television series has rearranged some of Margaret Atwood's original color-coding assignments and there are obviously more creative nuances and interpretations of the original text to make for a more visually stunning picture, but the bulk of the idea has remained the same in the translation from book to screen.

6 But Adjusted For The TV Show

The fundamentals of the Gilead color coding has remained the same for the TV series, but there are some notable differences too. In the books, the wives are assigned blue clothing at all times, but in the series it's more of a teal or a bluish-green color.

RELATED: D&D Character Alignments Of The Handmaid's Tale's Cast

In the books, the Marthas are supposed to wear green, but in the series their clothes look more gray than anything. And the econopeople in the books are supposed to wear multicolored clothing as a way of signaling their multiple roles in their own home, but in the show, their clothes look like a drab gray color.

5 The Bonnets Are A Big Production Problem

The bonnets that the handmaids are forced to wear in Gilead, colloquially called wings, are a very interesting image with some sound reasoning behind it. They're meant to act essentially like blinders would on a horse, it's supposed to shield the handmaids from view and prevent them from seeing what's around them as well. But the bonnets themselves have apparently been a bit of an annoyance to the production. Getting a good angle on the actors when 75% of their face is being intentionally obscured is no easy feat, and the actors often times have trouble hearing or seeing one another as well.

4 The Aunt's Uniforms Have Some Real-Life Inspirations

In the book The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood explains that Aunts are always to wear brown, but details about their actual outfits are few and far between. That gave the costume designers for the TV series a lot of room to play with, and play they did. When they were designing the costumes for the Aunts they drew inspiration from a few specific ideas, the first being an almost monk-like religious look to their costumes, and the second being the color of early 20th century English military uniforms. And it seems like the intention behind the designs reads very well, as the Aunts certainly look pious and severe.

3 Wife Clothing Still Denotes Class

Although every class within Gilead has their fashions pretty severely restricted, it's clear from the series that the wives have the most freedom to play, even if the differences are barely perceptible.

RELATED: The 10 Best Music Moments On The Handmaid's Tale

The wives are constantly outfitted in their recognizable teal color and their clothing is free of any embellishments or artistic variations, but the structure and seam detailing on the garments demonstrates their superiority over the rest of society. Many of the wives are seen wearing distinct styles with different silhouettes, and the construction of their garments simply takes more time and effort, which goes to show their high status.

2 Marthas Fade Into The Background

Although Marthas are tasked with doing most of the work to support the households of Gilead's upper class, they're clearly meant to get their work done in the background and essentially make the lives of the upper class more comfortable without being seen or heard. And that is very clear when it comes to their costume design as well. In the books, the Marthas were supposed to wear green, but the bland gray of their clothing in the series forces them to almost literally fade into the background. Ironically, it seems like their invisibility is what made them the most dangerous too, they could do something like sneaking out dozens of Gilead's children simply because no one was looking at them.

1 Darkness Denotes Power

When it comes to most of the male characters and even many of the female characters, the darker the clothing is the more powerful the character is. It's actually the easiest to see this trend when there are many wives together, because the variations of darkness and light are the easiest to spot. But the same holds true for the Commanders, the darker the clothing is the more powerful they are. That also seems to say a lot about Nick as a character, because despite the fact that he was only recently promoted to Commander he is always in all black, and as one of Gilead's Eyes he is presumably a very powerful member of Gilead's government.

NEXT: The Handmaid's Tale: 10 Times Serena Joy Waterford Was The Worst Person On Earth

source https://screenrant.com/handmaids-tale-costume-details-trivia/

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Bookshelf Briefs 10/18/19

Bakemonogatari, Vol. 1 | By NISIOISIN and Oh!great | Vertical Comics – For years there wasn’t a Bakemonogatari manga. It’s not clear why; perhaps Nisioisin didn’t like the format, perhaps the iconic SHAFT anime made it a hard act to follow. In any case, getting Oh!great to draw the story was an inspired choice—the ridiculous over-the-topness that grew tiresome in Air Gear and Tenjho Tenge fits in perfectly with Araragi’s fevered fantasies and Senjogahara’s verbal lacerations. This first volume takes us almost to the end of Hitagi Crab—indeed, it cuts off right near the end, awkwardly so. Still, for anyone who gets overwhelmed by the novel’s verbiage, this is a great purchase. There’s even a bit of added content, though only a bit. – Sean Gaffney

If I Could Reach You, Vol. 1 | By tMnR | Kodansha Comics – Teenage love can be dumb, but not always. Sometimes people are well aware that the feelings they have are never going to be requited, but that does not actually stop the feelings from being there anyway. It’s especially troubling for Uta, the girl that she’s fallen for and her childhood friend. Unfortunately, her brother was also Kaoru’s childhood friend, and they’re now married. Uta is living there due to circumstances, and must continue going to school and living her life while falling deeper and deeper into her passions. I must admit I found her school life a bit more interesting than the home life. Still, this manages to be a potboiler but not in a Citrus way, which is good. – Sean Gaffney

Komi Can’t Communicate, Vol. 3 | By Tomohito Oda | VIZ Media – After a second volume where I had to make it a full review so I could rant, this one settles down quite a bit. Yamai is still around but far less, and the emphasis is firmly on Komi trying to make progress. She does—in fact, her goal of “100 friends” is up to eleven by the end. We also get a better idea of her home life, and it turns out that both Komi and her brother take after their father, while the mother is a total chatterbox. As with the first two books, the best moments in the volume are more heartwarming than funny. Komi at the pool, where her accidental trip and fall means she has to sit by the side, leading to her castigating herself till Tadano steps in. There’s also a lovely festival at the end. Cute as heck. – Sean Gaffney

Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles, Vol. 1 | By Naru Narumi | Dark Horse – The back cover promises “a fun food manga that will show you around the authentic ramen culture of everyday Japan,” and on that, Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles delivers. I doubt I’ll be able to retain any of the information imparted, but it was interesting, all the same. Ramen-obsessed Koizumi is fine, but I’m less fond of Yu Osawa, the girl who’s desperate to become friends with Koizumi. Watching her friends become friendly with Koizumi—by demonstrating an affinity for ramen rather than interest in her—eventually drives Yu to the point of flailing on the ground and crying, “Why won’t you be friendly with meeeee?” It’s very unappealing. She does start to win Koizumi over by the end of the volume, though, which I guess is good for her. I’m not sure I’ll be back for volume two. Maybe. – Michelle Smith

My Hero Academia: School Briefs, Vol. 3 | By Kohei Horikoshi and Anri Yoshi | VIZ Media – Set just before and after the U.A. students have moved into the dorms, the third volume of My Hero Academia: School Briefs has a recurring motif wherein Hatsume Mei’s inventions cause trouble, including a fun chapter where the kids, on edge from telling ghost stories in Tokoyami’s room, hear a strange buzzing sound that Aizawa begrudgingly comes to investigate. My favorite stories, though, are the a-day-in-the-life entries told from the points of view of Ida (who worries he has ostracized his classmates by being too strict) and Kuwai (Koji’s pet bunny, whose inner narrative turns out to be surprisingly and delightfully erudite). I especially liked that both stories showed Bakugo in a good light, including a moment in Ida’s story where Bakugo prevents a surprise from being spoiled and one in Kuwai’s where he checks on the bunny to make sure it’s okay after it briefly escaped Koji’s room. I’m really glad we’re getting these stories! – Michelle Smith

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, Vol. 6 | By Hideyuki Furuhashi and Betten Court | VIZ Media – This takes place a number of yeas before the main series, so we can’t really get cameos from 1-A. But we can see the teachers, some of whom aren’t teaching yet. This volume gives us a lot of Eraser, who ends up dealing with Koichi against his better judgment. Meanwhile, Koichi is doing the sort of quirk experimentation that 1-A requires in its students, and finds new uses for his quirk. This really does have in its background plot the idea that someone who fails (or in this case misses) an exam is not a terrible person, but society may treat them that way. And, yes, there’s still quirk drugs going around, this time lading to infiltrating a mixer, with the help of Midnight. Good times. – Sean Gaffney

Natsume’s Book of Friends, Vol. 23 | By Yuki Midorikawa | VIZ Media – It looks as if this is now a yearly series, but that makes each new volume a rewarding experience. This one has two main storylines. In the first, the boys of Natsume’s class get involved in a school’s urban legend about a painting, which may or nay not be supernatural in origin. Then, Natsume and Natori end up visiting a seemingly abandoned house that in reality is being maintained by Matoba and his people, and requires a certain ritual to go well. That said, nothing goes perfectly with Natsume around. Again, the big reason to read this is the natural empathy Natsume has to nearly everyone around him. He is absolutely a good boy—a cinnamon roll, in fact. – Sean Gaffney

Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu, Vol. 4 | By Natsuya Semikawa and Virginia Nitouhei | Udon Entertainment – I like the way that the semi-regular cast show up over and over, sometimes because they’re plot-relevant, and sometimes just to eat more of their favorite food. One of our lothario knights ends up having a food discussion with a woman who is clearly a noble, only he doesn’t really get this. A lady knight shows up looking for the enemy that she fell in love with years ago… only to find the waitress of the izakaya (the blonde, not Shinobu or the little girl) is his wife. Meanwhile, Nobuyuki may be getting closer to Shinobu, but it’s pretty clear food is more important to both of them. Still makes me hungry, but good stuff. – Sean Gaffney

The Poe Clan, Vol. 1 | By Moto Hagio | Fantagraphics – It’s always cause for celebration when more of Hagio’s work is released in translation, doubly so when that work is the highly influential shoujo classic The Poe Clan. Originally published in the 1970s, the series’ focus is on a family of vampirnellas and their interactions with humans, particularly how they prey upon them to sustain their own lives or to initiate them as members into their immortal clan. The first English-language volume from Fantagraphics, released as a beautiful hardcover omnibus, collects six chapters of Hagio’s epic. Though the chapters are all related to one another, the story isn’t presented chronologically and instead shifts between time periods as well as characters. But tying everything together is the presence and spectre of Edgar—a young man whose mortal and immortal life are both tragic. Delectably dark and dramatic, I’m looking forward to the final volume of The Poe Clan a great deal. – Ash Brown

Sacrifical Princess and the King of Beasts, Vol. 7 | By Yu Tomofuji | Yen Press – Sariphi is making friends and influencing people, but her royal fiancé is never far away. She needs to show that she can handle things on her own, so is sent to a nation to essentially bring greetings from the King. Things get complicated, though, because her bodyguard accompanying her is a hyena, and they’re treated as untrustworthy and evil. It doesn’t help that, in order to make himself look good, he deliberately puts her in danger so that he can save the day. But of course Sariphi can see the good within him. She may need to double down on that, though, as the cliffhanger implies he’s about to be framed. An underrated shoujo series. – Sean Gaffney

By: Ash Brown

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Poetry - Second Research

After the suggestions from Reddit, my close friend (who studies English and Creative Writing) and others, I took a selection of books out of the library to get a better idea for the scope of peoples work and to find some poetry that would be applicable for the final film. I didn’t want the pieces to be too long, looking at a reading time of 2 minuets roughly to keep the pieces concise. 

This was the final selection. A collection of William Blake’s poetry, a collection of John Donne, Charles Bukowski’s The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over The Hills, Oscar Wilde’s biographic/ letter De Profundis and a collection of Philip Larkin. 

Oscar Wilde - De Produndis

The Wilde book was more personal interest but after reading the first few pages I thought I could possibly take passages from it to be read. I have previously read The Picture Of Dorian Grey which was a huge inspiration to me during first year. I thought this would be interesting concept (to me at least) almost book ending my university career with Wilde. 

The book deals a lot with Wilde’s depression whilst inside prison and the way in which his depression manifests itself both internally and externally. It was interesting to see comparisons to my own dealing with depression, especially the way in which (although greatly appreciated and needed) he ended up pushing his friends away even when he needed them the most. So reading this I kept passages in mind that could be applicable but again, read it more of a personal thing rather than thinking “this is definitely what I want in my film.”

John Donne and William Blake

The work of John Donne and William Blake was very hard for me to read. content wise it was very applicable and resonant but it was very dark. The poems rarely if ever seemed to offer a way out, or any idea of hope. Obviously, this isn’t the message that I want to give for the entirety of my work. It made reading the poems very somber and reflective, which in a certain way is good but I would feel very conscious after reading because of it’s seemingly hopeless content. This would however work for the more hopeless state/ perspective of the narrative. 

Holy Sonnets: Death, be not proud

BY

JOHN DONNE

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;

For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow

Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.

From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,

Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,

And soonest our best men with thee do go,

Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.

Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,

And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,

And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well

And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?

One short sleep past, we wake eternally

And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die. 

The other thing that turned me off of these writers is there use of more archaic language. Not being the most adept poetry reader in the world with only a little knowledge on form and technique, it made it even harder for me to grasp the ideas and point of the work. It’s also a stylistic choice that I think became evident when reading more and more was that I didn’t necessarily want to much of an archaic language within my work. I wanted the work to feel relevant and contemporary. It may have been a nice juxtaposition between the quite contemporary filming style that I’m after with the poetry but I think the piece will be more accessible without this language barrier.  

Phillip Larkin 

I previously mentioned the work of Phillip Larkin, in particular his poem Aubade which still sticks out to me. Especially the last line:

“Postmen like doctors go from house to house.“

This is the type of ‘everyman’ position I want the reader/ audience to get into. The fact that everyone (I believe) will experience depression, real depression, at some point in their life. The idea is to not fear it but to get help and learn from it. His work features a lot of aspects that resonate as being large contributors to my own illness, most especially the fear of death. 

Is a reminder of the strength and pain   Of being young; that it can’t come again,   But is for others undiminished somewhere.

This is the last stanza of hid poem ‘Sad Steps’ which was another that stood out to me especially when thinking of this idea of fearing death. This last stanza encapsulates a lot of the angst for me thinking about mortality. The idea that as the time passes by we will never get to experience those moments ever again. Never again will I be 21 and 314 days old, or whatever. One of the stand out qualities for me with his work is the use of visual imagery to bring the audience into the life of the narrator. For example, from Aubade, “In time the curtain-edges will grow light. “ congruous up a very familiar image of staring into the distance at night, slowly noticing the sun rising from behind the curtains. This is then bookended in the last stanza:

“Slowly light strengthens, and the room takes shape.   It stands plain as a wardrobe, what we know,”

With these two together we start to understand that the “light” may be a metaphor for the depression, fading and growing. 

Charles Bukowski

Bluebird - Charles Bukowski 

there's a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out but I'm too tough for him, I say, stay in there, I'm not going to let anybody see you. there's a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out but I pour whiskey on him and inhale cigarette smoke and the whores and the bartenders and the grocery clerks never know that he's in there. there's a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out but I'm too tough for him, I say, stay down, do you want to mess me up? you want to screw up the works? you want to blow my book sales in Europe? there's a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out but I'm too clever, I only let him out at night sometimes when everybody's asleep. I say, I know that you're there, so don't be sad. then I put him back, but he's singing a little in there, I haven't quite let him die and we sleep together like that with our secret pact and it's nice enough to make a man weep, but I don't weep, do you? 

Bluebird was the first poem by Bukowski that was recommended to me through Reddit. It’s quite a literal depiction of depression with potent imagery to visualise the feeling of having something trapped inside of you which ends up being this battle between the host and the disease. It’s this imagery that really stuck with me, not only in terms of it’s relation to my illness but also purely in it’s use poetically. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsc3ItAKSLc

This is an animation piece that helps depict this poem visually that Monika Umba created this for a university project back in 2009. It’s nice to see how people translate written work into visual. With the animation, it definitely suggests hope, the visuals help sell this idea that a front can be put on.

I started reading through the poems in his book The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over The Hills and I kept stumbling upon works that resonated with me hugely. The more I read the more i knew I had to include something of Bukowski’s. This got me thinking, as the film is from the perspective of one man and the three states he experiences, why wouldn’t the poetry be another one persons perspective of depression too? This worked out well on both counts because I had not had much success finding long enough poetry / poetry that reflected the different states from the other writers. As I said with Dunn’s stuff, it was all a little too bleak and hopeless for the ideas I wanted to show. On the contrary, Bukowski seamed to write about every aspect of the illness from the moments of victory to the absolute lows of wanting not to exist. 

After a few days reading over and back over the 12/13 poems that made my short list, I finally settled on 6 to go forward. I chose 6 so that each perspective has 2 options. This allows me some room for change depending on the reading and how they fit visually. Maybe one poem will work better when read in conjunction with the film than the other. 

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CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2016: #100 – #76

Think the holidays are over? Think again! Because today marks the start of the most joyous season of all — CBR’s annual Top 100!

Each year, we take a thoughtful look at the comic book industry’s abundance of offerings and poll the passionate, thoughtful and always-opinionated CBR staff for their rankings of the top comics of the year. Every publisher putting out new comics material in English, regardless of genre or format, is fair game; each individual list is then factored in (all thanks to the power of mathematics and the magic of spreadsheets) to determine the overall Top 100 that will be unveiled on CBR over the course of this week.

2016 was another big year for the Top 100, once again with more than 40 contributors to the list and more than 200 comics nominated. That’s resulted in a typically diverse and sometimes unpredictable field: world-famous superheroes alongside creator-owned works; major publishers sharing space with indie favorites. Of course, even with 100 spots, no list can be an exhaustive collection of every noteworthy piece of work in a year, but the end result of the CBR Top 100 is a wide selection of eclectic comics and graphic novels worthy of attention.

Today, we start unveiling the list with entries No. 100 to 76, with the countdown continuing each day this week. Here’s the schedule, mark your calendars accordingly (all times Eastern): Tuesday, 1/3, 3 p.m.: Top 75-51; Wednesday, 1/4, 3 p.m.: Top 50-26; Thursday, 1/5, 9 a.m.: Top 25-11; Thursday, 1/5, 3 p.m.: Top 10; Friday, 1/6, 9 a.m.: Master list.

Start perusing the list below, and if you feel so moved, take to Twitter and (politely) discuss your thoughts using the hashtag #CBRTop100. While you’re here, feel free revisit our Top 100 lists from previous years:

CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2015

CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2014

CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2013

CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2012

CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2011

CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2010

CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2009

CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2008

CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2016: 100 -> 76 | 75 -> 51 | 50 -> 26 | 25 -> 11 | 10 -> 1

100. Empress

Written by Mark Millar

Art by Stuart Immonen

Publisher: Marvel/Icon

“Empress” is another sci-fi story reminiscent of Star Wars. It’s got the “Long Ago” part down pat, as it’s set 65 million years ago, only instead of in a “Galaxy Far, Far Away,” the seven-issue miniseries begins on Earth. King Morax is the head of an interstellar empire. Life in this empire is what you would expect it to be like if DC Comics’ Mongul had ever managed to take over the universe. As a result, the empress of the empire plans on leaving her psychotic husband before he turns his psychotically sadistic gaze onto her or their children. With the help of a Poe Dameron-type, she takes her kids and flees deep into space. With the story focusing on their escape, trying to stay ahead of the empire that’s out to kill them, and dealing with rebellious teens, “Empress” reads a heck of a lot like “The Incredibles” meets “Star Wars” and comes highly recommended if you like either franchise.

— CBR List Editor Brian Patry

99. Prophet: Earth War

Written by Brandon Graham, Simon Roy

Art by Giannis Milonogiannis, Simon Roy, Ron Ackins, Grim Wilkins, Brandon Graham, Jenna Trost

Publisher: Image Comics

Brandon Graham and Simon Roy’s millennia-spanning continuation of Rob Liefeld’s space barbarian character wrapped up in a most enjoyable fashion. Most of the series’s huge stable of artists returned for a final battle for the fate of the cosmos that was equal parts Jack Kirby, Frank Herbert and “Fist of the North Star.”

— CBR Contributing Writer Tom Baker

98. The Ukrainian and Russian Notebooks

Written & Illustrated by Igort

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

This book was originally published as two volumes where Igort traveled to the region, and tells stories about the people he meets and the stories he overhears as he investigates the 1932 Holodomor, where the Soviet government caused the deaths of millions of Ukrainians, and the more recent murder of a Russian journalist who was critical of Vladimir Putin.

— CBR Staff Writer Alex Dueben

97. Tetris

Written & Illustrated by Box Brown

Publisher: First Second Books

Box Brown shows the incomparable power of strong narratives, in the way that he takes a topic (the creation of the video game “Tetris”) that you wouldn’t necessarily think would be an interesting one and infuses it with such fascinating characters and insights that you discover an unhidden area in your brain that, you know what, is apparently super-interested in “Tetris.”

— CBR Staff Writer Brian Cronin

96. Black

Written by Kwanza Osajyefo

Art by Tim Smith III, Jamal Yaseem Igle, Steven Walker

Publisher: Black Mask Studios

Kwanza Osafjeyo’s story resonates deeply because of how it addresses the sociopolitical state of America when it comes to the issues of Black Americans and their concerns over equality. Given the state of turmoil brought on by police shootings, this book, with bold covers by Khary Randolph, came at a time where the country was engaged in a heated elections race and took a bold stance by creating a world where Black people gained superpowers in a time where people feared and hated them. It felt like Black Lives Matter speaking through the comics medium, making manifestos and not statements — big, controversial but necessary ones that the world needs to hear. An indictment of how people of color are treated and a call to rally for justice.

— CBR Contributing Writer Renaldo Matadeen

95. Paul Up North

Written & Illustrated by Michel Rabagliati

Publisher: Conundrum Press

Michel Rabagliati is a master cartoonist who evokes an entire world in his detailed, but not fussy, drawings. His latest Paul book, translated by Helge Dascher, chronicles an ill-fated hitchhiking trip made by teenage Paul (based loosely on Rabagliati himself) and a friend; it’s funny and touching and beautifully told.

— CBR Staff Writer Brigid Alverson

94. Lucifer

Written by Holly Black

Art by Lee Garbett, Stephanie Hans, Marco Rudy

Publisher: DC/Vertigo

Reminiscent of Mike Carey’s “Lucifer” in all the best of ways, while also becoming something entirely new and different for our favorite fallen angel. Holly Black was the perfect choice for breathing life back into this bit of comics mythology, and with the help of Lee Garbett and Antonio Fabela, this fresh take on Lucifer is infinitely complex and rewarding. This comic has given us so many gifts, including but not limited to giving Raphael a human boyfriend and a lot of strategically placed angel nudity. These creators clearly know what the people want!

— CBR Contributing Writer Heather Knight

93. Spell on Wheels

Written by Kath Leth

Art by Megan Levens

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

“I’ve compared the book to ‘Buffy’ and ‘Charmed’ for a number of reasons,” Kate Leth told CBR in a September interview on “Spell on Wheels.” “One of them being that they are joyful. Even when things get dark and scary, these kinds of stories are about magic, which is an incredible, brilliant thing. I wanted that to shine through in the art, and Megan and [colorist] Marissa [Louise] have done it better than I could’ve hoped for.”

92. Ghosts

Written & Illustrated by Raina Telgemeier

Publisher: Scholastic

Raina Telgemeier’s latest graphic novel, “Ghosts,” merges the fantastical dead (ghosts coming out during the Day of the Dead) with a very real specter: a family where the younger daughter, Maya, has cystic fibrosis. It would be easy for Telgemeier to use the fantasy elements of her novel to provide some sort of special cure, but what we get instead is a very adult, realistic approach to having a family member with a terminal condition, while still being accessible to younger readers. Her art brings the northern California coastal town to life in an inviting manner even as it’s filled with restless spirits, and the writing is heartfelt but never sappy. “Ghosts” might be marketed to younger readers, but this is a book that truly all ages will enjoy.

— CBR Staff Writer Greg McElhatton

91. The Fade Out

Written by Ed Brubaker

Art by Sean Phillips

Publisher: Image Comics

The year 2016 saw a number of creators working on projects that served as ideal expressions of their particular creative powers, none more so than this ultimate hard-edged crime noir tale set at the height of Hollywood’s so-called Golden Era. Writer Ed Brubaker and artist Sean Phillips have traveled pitch-black roads like this together before, but never so stylishly.

— CBR Staff Writer Scott Huver

90. Detective Comics

Written by James Tynion IV

Art by Eddy Barrows, Alvaro Martinez, Al Barrionuevo, Andy MacDonald, Carmen Carnero

Publisher: DC Comics

This is the definitive Batman team-up book. James Tynion IV, Eddy Barrows & the rest of the creative team have taken supporting cast members like Batwoman, Red Robin, Spoiler and Cassandra Cain and propelled them to starring roles.

— CBR Contributing Writer Tim Adams

89. Jonesy

Written by Sam Humphries

Art by Caitlin Rose Boyle

Publisher: BOOM! Studios/BOOM! Box

Flat out, “Jonesy” is the funniest all-ages comic out there. In an era where we’re seeing more great, original comics for kids since the heyday of Dell, Humphries and Boyle’s ferret-obsessed, love-doctoring outsider outpaces the competition for sheer entertainment value. Like a 21st Century Little LuLu, only with wilder colors.

— CBR Staff Writer Kiel Phegley

88. Hellboy in Hell

Written & Illustrated by Mike Mignola

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

What happens when it’s time to turn out the lights? This happened fictionally and in the real world thanks to “Hellboy in Hell” this year, as Mike Mignola brought Hellboy’s story to a conclusion. Hellboy’s time in the underworld drew to a close as all of his enemies were defeated and he brought an end to Hell itself. Mignola’s depictions of a burnt-out, cold, abandoned realm were chilling, and it was hard to keep from feeling a little emotional as Hellboy — and Mignola himself — prepared to move on. If only all long-running series could end in such an elegant manner, maybe the idea of a conclusion wouldn’t be so scary in the serial side of comic books.

— CBR Staff Writer Greg McElhatton

87. Plutona

Written & Illustrated by Jeff Lemire & Emi Lenox

Publisher: Image Comics

A new twist on a coming of age story similar to Stand By Me, except with superheroes — sort of. This comic took me by surprise twice; first because I hadn’t been expecting it to be a superhero book and then second because I hadn’t been expecting it to actually end up being a book about a group of kids finding a dead body in the woods, and everything that happens after. Jeff Lemire, Emi Lenox and Jordie Bellaire weave together a compelling story about adolescence, friendship, and secrecy, with an ending to the first story arc that was positively haunting and left me wanting more.

— CBR Contributing Writer Heather Knight

86. No Mercy

Written by Alex de Campi

Art by Carla Speed McNeil

Publisher: Image Comics

DeCampi and McNeil’s tale of rich pre-college kids getting out of their depth on a charity service trip in central America really does live up to its name. This is a series about survival and horror is equal measure. For me, its standout story of the year came in issue #9, a tale of identity and family that draws heavily on the real-life stories of abuse at various “residential treatment centers” in America and beyond.

— CBR Contributing Writer Rob Cave

85. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur

Written by Amy Reeder & Brandon Montclare

Art by Natacha Bustos, Marco Failla, Leonard Kirk, Ray-Anthony Height

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Surprisingly thoughtful, “Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur” skillfully blends Marvel’s comedic sensibility with contemporary issues in a fun and thrilling all-ages title. Lunella’s journey is still beginning, but she may prove to be an essential Marvel character in the years ahead.

— CBR Contributing Writer Erik Amaya

84. East of West

Written by Jonathan Hickman

Art by Nick Dragotta

Publisher: Image Comics

While it’s easy to get swept up in its dystopian-future setting (complete with an alternate history of the United States) and political and religious machinations, “East of West” is at its core a very human story, which is perhaps most evident when it focuses on the inhuman, whether that’s the personifications of Death, War, Famine and Conquest, or young Babylon, the son of Death who’s been raised from infancy to become the Beast of the Apocalypse. Written by Jonathan Hickman and illustrated by Nick Dragotta, each issue of “East of West” is filled with horror and wonder, providing an almost-irresistible treat for fans of sci-fi and Westerns.

— CBR Editor Kevin Melrose

83. Copra

Written & Illustrated by Michel Fiffe

Publisher: Copra Press

What began as a homage to the classic John Ostrander-written “Suicide Squad” run has evolved into something quite singular and unlike anything else in mainstream superhero comics. Fiffe evokes the style and art of a number of great artists, like Miller, Steranko, and Ditko, while adding his own unique touch of minimalist colors, intense action and an ever-changing story, elevating the project from tribute into something truly special that should not be missed under any circumstance.

— CBR Contributing Writer Sean Fischer

82. Big Kids

Written & Illustrated by Michael DeForge

Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly

“Adventure Time” designer by day, endlessly innovative cartoonist by night, Michael DeForge’s latest from Drawn & Quarterly was a wonderful, empathetic fable about heightened states of consciousness and the messiness relationships. And tree people. There were also tree people.

— CBR Contributing Writer Tom Baker

81. Karnak

Written by Warren Ellis

Art by Gerardo Zaffino, Antonio Fuso, Roland Boschi

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Even though this title has only had five issues — four in 2016 — it still stood out in Marvel’s ongoing focus on the Inhumans. With this only one more issue scheduled to be released in early February and Karnak slated to co-star in the new “Secret Warriors” ongoing series, don’t forget Marvel’s brilliant reimagining of the Inhuman who can sense the flaw in all things.

— CBR Contributing Writer Adam Barnhardt

80. Snotgirl

Written by Bryan Lee O’Malley

Art by Leslie Hung

Publisher: Image Comics

I never knew how much I cared about the misadventures of the professional vanity class until Bryan Lee O’Malley and Leslie Hung showed me. Lottie Person is insufferable and magnetic, making her pretty much a perfect avatar for the internet writ large. She’s reactive and petty, but still, somehow, worth it. I’m rooting for her, possibly because I know folks of her type are not likely to go away, so if she can prove herself to be worthy of doing some good in the world, maybe there’s hope for us all. And even barring that, if you can’t have hope, try a healthy dose of vapid, vacuous distraction.

— CBR Staff Writer Brendan McGuirk

79. Han Solo

Written by Marjorie Liu

Art by Mark Brooks

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Marjorie Liu catches the very essence of the swaggering nerfherder in just five short issues in a perfect exploration of the character. Christ, I need more.

— CBR Contributing Writer Leia Calderon

78. Romulus

Written by Bryan Edward Hill

Art by Nelson Blake II

Publisher: Image/Top Cow

Nelson Blake II can draw like nobody’s business. That’s no surprise. Bryan Edward Hill, however, comes from the screenwriting and TV writing world like a force of nature, and together they put together a secret society story that other books like it wish they could keep up with. Keeping a tight focus on a small cast, this series is intimate and shocking, intricate and kinetic. A super enjoyable series from people who are firing on all cylinders.

— CBR Staff Writer Hannibal Tabu

77. Secret Wars #9

Written by Jonathan Hickman

Art by Esad Ribic

Publisher: Marvel Comics

“Secret Wars” #9 by Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic was not only the perfect cap to Marvel’s best event book in recent memory, it was also one of the finest Fantastic Four stories of all time. Starting with a cosmic-level battle between an Infinity Gauntlet-empowered Black Panther and a God-Doom, and culminating in a very human conflict between Reed Richards and Victor von Doom (which, in turn, led to the rebirth of the Marvel Universe, proper), this issue, which was released (admittedly late) towards the start of 2016, was as perfect as an event tie-in can be, and a litmus test for how to stick the landing on a multiple year-spanning story.

— CBR List Editor Steven E. Paugh

76. Lumberjanes

Written by Kat Leyh, Shannon Watters

Art by Carey Pietsch, Ayme Sotuyo, Carolyn Nowak

Publisher: BOOM! Studios/BOOM! Box

Consistently fun and still the gold standard for all-ages titles. The characters continue to pop as its world becomes larger and more layered.

— CBR Contributing Writer Erik Amaya

Check back with CBR on Tuesday for more of the Top 100!

The post CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2016: #100 – #76 appeared first on CBR.com.

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Off the Shelf: Still kicking

MICHELLE: Melinda, after we finish this one we will have done as many columns in 2019 as we did for the entirety of 2015-2018! Go us!

MELINDA: *laughs weakly* Yes… “go us.” Um. Wow. When you put it that way, we sound terribly unimpressive.

MICHELLE: Well, the alternative would’ve been to let it disappear, so I think we deserve a bit of credit for resuscitating it! Anyhow, I expect that you’ve been reading some manga!

MELINDA: I suppose you’re right! WE ARE BASICALLY GODS.

…

Okay, maybe not. But yes, I have indeed been reading some manga, or at least rereading, which is to say that I took some time this week to look at the new omnibus edition of CLAMP’s four-volume manga, Wish, originally published in Kadokawa Shoten’s Mystery DX, adapted into English in the early 2000s by TOKYOPOP, and resurrected just a few weeks ago by Dark Horse Comics, with their usual omnibus treatment—larger trim size, very nice-looking print, and a somewhat refreshed translation.

For those who missed Wish the first time around, it’s the story of an angel, Kohaku, who has been sent to Earth to find Hisui, one of the four “Master Angels” (why they don’t just say “Archangel” is a mystery to me, but maybe there’s something I don’t get), who disappeared from Heaven after a visit to the bridge between Heaven and Hell. During their mission, Kohaku—who appears human-sized during the day but reverts to tiny cherub form at night—is rescued from an attacking crow by Shuichiro, a local human doctor. Complications ensue when it turns out that Hisui actually defected to Earth in order to be with Kokuyo, the actual son of Satan, with whom they have fallen in love. Meanwhile, Kohaku becomes confused by their own growing feelings for Shuichiro.

There’s a whole lot packed into this short series, including more angels and demons, time travel, reincarnation, messenger rabbits, cats (some of whom are actually demons), and a tree fairy, but generally speaking it’s all just incredibly CLAMP from start to finish, and if you’re into that, you know what I mean. Someone even sacrifices an eye. This thing honestly couldn’t get any CLAMPier. It’s not my favorite of their series—I could live very happily never reading another manga about angels for the rest of my life—but as most CLAMP fans will know, the big deal about this edition is the translation, which is certainly what caught my attention.

In CLAMP’s original vision, there is no gender in Heaven or Hell, but in early 2000s publishing, it was unthinkable to convey that in English, especially when it came to the angels, who, in Japanese, referred to themselves with genderless pronouns. This led to a decision to choose genders for each of the angels, based on heteronormative standards regarding appearance and romantic entanglement, outraging some fans but satisfying style guides. Fast forward to 2019, when publishing has finally recalled that singular “they” is a thing, and our angels are genderless at last.

I’ve already mentioned that Wish is far from my favorite of CLAMP’s work, so I wasn’t especially eager to reread it, but I was surprised to note just how much more enjoyment I got out of it this time around. As someone who identifies as nonbinary, I realize this may be of greater importance to me than most, but whatever CLAMP’s intention really was when they filled their comic with genderless angels, it feels like representation, and for something originally published in the 1990s, that is kind of a big deal. Freeing the angels from gender expectations breathed new life into them for me, made the story richer, and opened up its universe to the notion that love and attraction might be based on something other than a person’s gender expression or whatever reproductive organs they happen to possess. These are not novel ideas for many of us, but with all the hand-wringing over this series back in 2002, it feels revolutionary. Mostly, though, what I’m struck with as I read this edition, is how easy it would have been to publish it exactly as it is now, then. The sentences are not awkward. There is nothing that feels labored or unnatural in this translation. How has it actually taken publishing this long to figure that out?

MICHELLE: It’s been a long time since I read Wish, and it was also not my favorite, but I definitely feel a greater spark of interest when I imagine a translation that represents the angels as genderless! It makes me want to shake TOKYOPOP and demand, “Would that have been so hard?!?!” (They had other similar issues back in the day, too, and not just with genderless protagonists. I distinctly remember a character in GetBackers being assigned feminine pronouns when, in fact, he is very much a dude and if anyone had actually bothered to learn anything about the series they were translating, they would’ve known that. SIGH.) I can totally see how it would make the whole story richer as a result.

MELINDA: Yeah, nobody could be more surprised than I am to be describing Wish as “rich” in anything other than CLAMP’s beautiful, swirly artwork, but I genuinely enjoyed rereading it, and I’d even recommend it, at least to fans of shoujo manga, and particularly to other enbies. It’s an unusual treasure of representation for the time period. And messenger bunnies! Who doesn’t love messenger bunnies?

There is one jarring panel in the first volume, where one of the demons seems to misgender Kohaku as “she,” but I don’t know if that was an editorial oversight (that’s how it’s translated in TOKYOPOP’s version, too) or if it was actually written that way in Japanese. But in over 800 pages, that one panel wasn’t significant enough to mar my enjoyment overall.

So what did you read this week, Michelle?

MICHELLE: Maybe that demon was intentionally being a jerk.

I checked out the first volume of Hitorijime My Hero by Memeco Arii, one of the first boys’ love manga published in print by Kodansha Comics. (They did release a handful of others digitally in 2018.)

As a kid, Masahiro Setagawa hated tokusatsu shows because he knew that, no matter how miserable his life was, no hero would come to save him. But when he fell in with a group of delinquents in middle school and became their gofer, a hero did come in the form of Kousuke Ohshiba, the so-called “bear killer,” who defeated the thugs and ended up with Setagawa as his new underling. Setagawa befriended Ohshiba’s younger brother, Kensuke, and as the manga begins, some time has passed. He’s dealing with the fact that Kensuke is now in a relationship with another boy named Asaya Hasekura and that Kousuke is a teacher at their high school.

Almost immediately, Kousuke is confronting Setagawa about the feelings he believes Setagawa has for him, saying, “Even if you feel that way I won’t be able to return those feelings.” Setagawa is too dumbstruck to deny it, and then Kousuke (an adult) keeps sending him (a teenager) mixed signals, like suddenly smooching him or calling him “the guy I like.” It turns out that Kousuke is basically trying to make Setagawa realize he is gay. This eventually works. And then they do it. Eyeroll.

Because this series is a spinoff from an earlier series, we’re just kind of thrown into a confusing timeline and a mix of characters without a lot of context. I’ve seen the first couple of episodes of the anime, and they handle all of this material far more clearly. The manga does a little to show why Setagawa likes Kousuke—he’s strong, smart, and capable—but none at all to show why Kousuke likes Setagawa, aside from one page where he talks about how his devotion helped him retain his humanity or something. Really, it’s all pretty disappointing so far. I know it’s a popular series, so I’m hoping it gets better.

MELINDA: I can’t help but roll my eyes along with you. This basically sounds like a collection of my least favorite BL tropes, though maybe (hopefully??) at least without the younger, smaller guy wincing in pain and horror every time they have sex? Please tell me it at least doesn’t have that. Though maybe it doesn’t matter. I know the student/teacher thing is a common trope too, but I really hate it, especially when it’s the main romantic plot line. I know it’s a popular series, but I honestly can’t imagine reading it by choice.

MICHELLE: To its credit, it absolutely does not have that. It’s fully a fade-to-black scenario with some evidence afterwards that Setagawa enjoyed himself tremendously. As for the student-teacher thing, this is a slightly different variation in which the two people concerned knew each other for years before Setagawa came to the school where Kousuke teaches, so the power imbalance between them is not so much that Kousuke is in an official position of authority but that Setagawa has kind of idolized him.

MELINDA: Either way, I’m guessing it’s not for me. I’ll wait to hear what you think of future volumes before taking the risk.

MICHELLE: Okay. I can handle at least one more. Speaking of Kodansha’s advances into the realm of print BL, would you care to do the summary honors for our mutual read this time?

MELINDA: Sure!

This week, we both read the first volume of the much-anticipated series 10 Dance, by Inouesatoh, also from Kodansha Comics, as Michelle mentioned above.

The story involves two ballroom dancers with similar names—Shinya Sugiki, who is an international champion in Standard Ballroom, and Shinya Suzuki, who is the Japanese national champion in Latin Dance. Their relationship with each other is both admiring and rivalrous, and when Sugiki asks Suzuki and his partner to train with with him (and his partner) for the 10-Dance Competition (combining the 5 Standard and 5 Latin dances), Suzuki finds it impossible to refuse.

Over the course of the first volume, the four dancers train together—the men in particular working to be able to lead in each other’s specialty—and that’s literally all that happens in the story, but as we watch the two of them butt heads (and other things) throughout the training, it’s honestly just riveting. This story is all about personality and relationships, and certainly we’re expecting some steamy romance between the two male leads down the line, but even in this preliminary volume, where nothing overtly romantic happens, there’s so much interpersonal entanglement to enjoy.

The two men couldn’t be more different. Suzuki, who grew up in Cuba, has been dancing with his partner since childhood, while Sugiki changes partners constantly, never quite settling in with anyone. Suzuki’s strength is showing passion on the floor, while Sugiki’s is the elegance of his form. And though things are slowly heating up a bit, I honestly believe I would be happy just watching them dance together as I learn new details about Standard and Latin ballroom rules, pretty much forever. It’s that entertaining.

MICHELLE: I enjoyed it tremendously! From the start, the cover art reminded me of est em, and the content within does, too. With est em, I was always struck by the way her characters would talk while engaged in intimate acts, and although Sugiki and Suzuki aren’t having sex, they’re still engaged in physical activity—indeed, they’ve been dancing until dawn together for months—that puts them in close proximity, gettin’ sweaty, maintaining eye contact, et cetera. And they’re talking throughout, gradually becoming closer and revealing details about their personal lives in the process. I love the slow development of their relationship and how this, in turn, makes small moments so pivotal. The one that stands out is when Sugiki has gone to London to defend a championship title. When he succeeds, it’s Suzuki that he calls, and when this reserved man actually smiles when being told “Hurry up and come home,” it has such impact! Of course, they go right back to butting heads after that.

MELINDA: I agree on est em, though I’d go even further and say it feels like an est em/Fumi Yoshinaga hybrid, with the additional warmth of their observations about each other’s habits and idiosyncrasies and the scene where they dance together at a restaurant, because trying to make points about dance while sitting at the table just isn’t working. It’s got all of est em’s sexiness and suave, along with Yoshinaga’s warm goofiness, and the underlying elegance of both.

MICHELLE: “Warm goofiness” is a great way to describe the scene where Sugiki, frustrated by Suzuki’s attempts to lead the waltz, gets Suzuki to adopt the woman’s role and proceeds to very thoroughly make him feel like a princess. “I feel like I could pop out a dozen babies for you right now!” And you’re absolutely right about elegance, too; these dance scenes are drawn so beautifully.

If you’ll forgive somewhat of a non-sequitur, although I don’t know the kanji used for Sugiki and Suzuki’s given names (and, indeed, it might not even be the same), one definition for “shinya” has a meaning that’s very applicable to the story. Check it out.

MELINDA: I believe I read somewhere that the kanji for each of their names is slightly different from the other, but I’m tickled by that meaning all the same. It certainly is appropriate!

Bottom line, I can’t wait to read more of this series, and I’m thrilled that Kodansha brought it over for us!

MICHELLE: I enthusiastically concur!

Thanks for joining us for another installment of Off the Shelf! The winner of last column’s giveaway is Joseph Miller! Joseph, send over an email or drop a message to Melinda on Twitter to collect!

By: Melinda Beasi

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Anime NYC 2018, Day Two

Yesterday was light to nonexistent. The same for tomorrow. But today? We had ALL THE THINGS! Starting off with the joint Kodansha and Vertical panel, which was in a nice big panel room and there was no line. A good start!

Ben Applegate was there from Kodansha and Tomo Tran from Vertical. They talked about all the giveaways they had at the booth, with Summer Wars stickers, After the Rain music download cards, Devils’ Line stuff, Pop Team Epic “shitty merchandise” (nicely done), and some of the Monogatari art exhibit being available to look at. Vertical then announced a new artbook from VOFAN, the artist for the Monogatari Series novels. This is actually a collection of his non-commercial art, so it should be far more intriguing than just another collection of stuff you’ve seen before in a larger size. It’s coming in Fall 2019.

Kodansha ran through some of their titles currently being released, including the Sailor Moon Eternal Edition, and mentioned the Sailor Moon musical is coming to NYC and DC. They then got on to new titles, though one is a collected edition: Princess Jellyfish is getting a Complete Box Set! Given at one point they weren’t sure they’d even finish the series, this is terrific news. Tales of Berseria is a three-volume series from Ichijinsha’s Comic REX, and is a fantasy title based off of a video game – I think it has an anime as well.

Fate/Grand Order gets its first manga adaptation license with the mortalis stella series, a 2-volume manga that is also Ichijinsha, from their Comic Zero Sum. I believe this stars Mash. Lastly, Kodansha is doing a new Cardcaptor Sakura edition with all the bells and whistles – hardcover, some new covers, new translation – the whole nine yards. I was a bit surprised by this, given it wasn’t too long ago that Dark Horse had re-released the series, but I’ve heard this will be worth the repurchase.

There were also two new digital announcements, coming out the first and second week of December, respectively. Red Riding Hood’s Wolf Apprentice (Akazukin no Ookami Deshi) is a Betsushonen title with Little Red Riding Hood as a beast hunter, and it’s supposed to be amusing. And on a more ridiculous note, we have Crocodile Baron, a Weekly Morning title that is three volumes long. Kodansha emphasized that the synopsis was irrelevant because there was a crocodile in a top hat on the cover. They’re not wrong.

After this there was Q&A, but I had to leave right away to get to the debut panel for Denpa Books, run by Ed Chavez (ex-Vertical) and Jacob Gray (ex-Fakku). They had special guests at the panel, though they quickly had to leave, so weren’t the focus – Range Murata, character designer for Last Exile and others, whose futurelog artbook is out next month and has ALL the bells and whistles – seriously, I could not believe how tricked out this artbook is. Hiroyuki Asada is known here for Tegami Bachi, but is putting out a more experimental title via Denpa, PEZ.

Most of the titles talked about have been mentioned before in some way or another. I was most interested in Invitation from a Crab and Maiden Railways, both of which seem to come from Hakusensha’s Rakuen Le Paradis, as well as Dining with the Emiya Family, for Fate/Stay Night fans who know what the most important thing in the Fate franchise is – FOOD.

The new titles included Super Dimensional Love Gun, a Shintaro Kago title that Fakku had previously released, but this is a nicer edition. It contains the usual Shintaro Kago warnings – if you aren’t a fan of his, you’ll likely be grossed out. Heavenly Delusion (Tengoku Daimakyou) is a brand new seinen series running in Kodansha’s Afternoon, and Denpa managed to license it before the first volume was even out in Japan. They’re super excited for it – it’s post-apocalyptic slice of life, a popular genre lately. The creator may be better known for SoreMachi. The last Denpa title was Pleasure and Corruption (Tsumi to Kai), from Square Enix’s Young Gangan. Honestly, it feels more like a Fakku title than a Denpa title, but it’s being sold to those who liked the sort of dark sexuality of Flowers of Evil. Expect BDSM themes.

After eating lunch, I had a choice: I could go to Viz, or go to Vertical’s Katanagatari panel. I chose the latter (sorry, Viz, I always seem to miss you at these events). Vertical’s panel had the translator, Sam Bett, who walked through some of the things they’re doing with the title – the footnotes, which are half gag and half serious, as well as the hardcover omnibus editions. Given its author, you can imagine how much sword wordplay and how many sword puns there are. Most of the audience has already seen the anime, but Sam was quick to note that even given the novels are short (each is approximately 100 pages in English, meaning the omnibus is 300), there is a lot the anime had to adapt or leave out.

Even leaving aside that it was Nisioisin, translating it could be difficult – these are not “light” novels, and there’s lots of obscure or archaic Japanese terms that need adapting. He also explained why he used “mutant blades” rather than “deviant blades” – he felt the latter made them sound more evil than they really should be seen. It takes him longer to do Nisio’s translation than other titles, but not a LOT longer – about 20% longer, on average. He said even a Japanese reader might find themselves reaching for a dictionary to look up words with this one.

Despite not being at the Viz panel, I will be looking at their announcements anyway, at least the manga ones. My Hero Academia SMASH! is a 5-volume comedy series that ran in Shonen Jump +, and is, as you might have guessed, a wacky 4-koma take on the popular series. This license was obvious, but I am quite pleased nevertheless. Komi Can’t Communicate (Komi-san wa Komyushou Desu) was a very popular license announcement, being a Shonen Sunday title with a lot of buzz. Komi is the cool, aloof beauty according to the school, but in reality, she’s just bad at communication.

Beastars is a Weekly Shonen Champion title (nice to see Akita Shoten stuff out over here in a (mostly) post-Tokyopop world), and it’s an award winning manga about anthropomorphic high school students. It’s 11+ volumes, and looks dark but cool. Lastly, Haikasoru has a new sci-fi novel announcement with Automatic Eve, that seems to be a steampunk title.

I was lurking waiting for Yen Press, so I checked out the GKids panel. They’re a group that puts out a lot of the “anime movie” series we’ve seen recently, the most recent varieties being Mirai and Fireworks: Shall We See It from the Side or the Bottom?. They’re also now in charge of the Ghibli line, with nice handsome DVD/Blu-Ray releases of those titles. They are clearly cery excited about getting these releases into theaters, and the trailers for the movies looked exciting and fun – I particularly liked the Miyazaki documentary.

My last panel of the day was Yen Press, but they also announced the most titles – easily. The panel room filled up rapidly, being near standing room only 15 minutes before, but I think everyone who wanted to get in was able to. Announcing for Yen were Kurt Haessler and Tania Biswas, as well as Carl, Ivan, and Anna, who sadly remained last name-less. Unlike all the other panels I went to, Yen knew it had a pile to announce, so did not do a run-through of any recent releases – through they did have some poster giveaways, including Psycome, much to my surprise.

We began with the novel of Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki. Yen had previously released the manga, but they now have the novel adaptation of this popular movie. (Anna spoiled a death when describing the plot, which Kurt mercilessly mocked her for.) Whenever Our Eyes Meet is a yuri anthology a la Eclair, but this time the protagonists are all adult women, for those who are tired of the usual high school girls. Speaking of yuri, we also have Killing Me!, a one-volume title from Comic Cune about two high school girls who are a vampire and a vampire hunter. It looks very much like a “yuri for guys” series.

Also one volume is Little Miss P (Seiri-chan), an Enterbrain series about an anthropomorphic period. As in menstruation period. The audience was taken aback, but Yen clearly really enjoyed talking about this one, and think it will be great fun. Last Round Arthurs: Scum Arthur and Heretic Merlin is a brand new fantasy title – brand new in Japan too, so there’s not much info about it. The author did Akashic Records of Bastard Magical Instructor, the artist does Index. It seems to be about an Arthurian tournament, and is two volumes to date.

On a darker note, they have both the novel and the manga for Torture Princess (Isekai Goumon Hime), whose artist has also done Black Bullet. It’s a Media Factory title and is apparently quite violent, about a man who is reincarnated in an artificial body and the demon hunter who wants his help. The German subtitle is Fremd Torturchen, and the manga runs on Kadokawa’s Comic Walker site. We also get an Enterbrain light novel called The Dirty Way to Destroy the Goddess’ Hero (Megami no Yuusha wo Taosu Gesu na Houhou). No, not that kind of dirty. The demon lord just wants to eat tasty food, but heroes keep trying to kill them. So… they summon their own hero.

Back to manga with The Monster and the Beast (Bakemono to Kedamono), a BL title from Asuka Ciel, about a nice monster and a nasty older man, and their budding relationship. Yuri Life is another yuri title, this one taken from Pixiv artist Kurikurihime, and also features two women in their late twenties, not late teens. It’s very sliec-of-yuri life. For fans of Beasts of Abigaile, we have a title from the same creator. Kaiju Girl Caramelizer (Otome Monster Caramelize) runs in my old nemesis, Comic Alive (pauses to shake fist at sky), but looks good anyway, and is about a girl who has an affliction that when she gets upset, her body parts “monsterize”.

More light novels with Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki (Jaku Chara Tomozaki-kun), a Shogakukan title (in other words, expect print-only for this one) about a loser gamer guy who thinks the world is awful, and a winning gamer girl who shows him the “cheats” to help him succeed at life. It gets points for not being a fantasy title, I’ll say that. The artist is also pretty fly. (I’m so sorry.) Back to manga for God Shining Moonlight Howling Moon (Mahou Shoujo Flaming Star), by the creators of Trinity Seven and High School of the Dead. Given that combo, you know there will be breasts a plenty. It also runs in Bessatsu Dragon Age, which sort of clinches that, and is about a Magical Girl called upon to save the Earth… but is she one of the good guys?

The last one is another light novel, The Hero Is Overpowered But Overly Cautious (Kono Yuusha ga Ore Tueee Kuse ni Shinchou Sugiru), a fairly recent Kadokawa series. A fantasy world is in desperate straits. They need a hero. They get a really strong one… but he’s far too wary, never wanting to attack unless he knows he can win. What makes this interesting is that the book is from the POV of the goddess who summoned him, and she has to find a way to make him do what needs to be done. It’s five volumes in Japan. After that came Q&A, but honestly, let’s just move along now.

And with that, I wrapped up my second and busiest day of Anime NYC. Again, I was pretty happy. The staff was nice and knowledgeable, the crowds were large but reasonable, and I got to see everything I wanted. Tomorrow I have no panels I want to see, so will take in Artist’s Alley, and may also scope out the AMV contest.

By: Sean Gaffney