#their Japanese production is so underrated!

[momomikan]

2024.11.30 Dlite 대성 BIGBANG Dance Medley - Gara Gara Go, Lies, Monster etc - D's IS ME Encore

[firstkanaphans]

GMMTV 2025 Tier List

Thanks to @rythyme for the template. You can make your own here.

Overall, I was very pleased with this year’s line-up. I think it’s the most solid line-up we’ve seen from GMMTV, possibly ever, and the people complaining about it are simply never going to be satisfied by anything GMMTV does. 

A break-down of my S and A tiers can be found below the cut:

Ticket to Heaven (S): I was raised in a Southern Baptist church which, for those unfamiliar with the different sects of Christianity in America, is basically a cult. I have a lot of unprocessed and unhealed religious trauma that still fucks me up to this day, but for some reason, I gravitate towards shows like this that show gay characters overcoming the struggles I’m still fighting. I’m very excited for this one and I think it’s perfectly cast. It’s giving me ITSAY meets Your Name Engraved Herein vibes and will probably make me cry, but I’m not mad about it.

Girl Rules (S): Toxic Yuri? Yes, please! To be quite honest, I’ve never been a huge MilkLove fan, but this trailer totally changed my mind. I think I just haven’t vibed with the characters they’ve played in the past because Love in this??? Oh my god. She’s going to kill me. All of the girls were hot and horny. What more could you ask for?

Dare You to Death (S): Listen. Do y’all remember that Amazon show Panic? I was obsessed with it for no obvious reason because I’m pretty sure it wasn’t even gay, but this is giving me that and I literally cannot wait. I also adore that they’ve finally let JoongDunk switch up their roles so that Joong is the one that actually gets to emote this time because boy does he look pretty when he smiles. 

Cat for Cash (A): Oh my god it’s so soft 😭 The found family feels are getting to me. I think it’s very obvious from this trailer that they only have concepts of a script right now, but I have high hopes that this could be something really special. P’Au was the director of MSP which is one of my favorite BLs of all time. He’s been stuck doing Japanese adaptations this year, which I don’t think he likes or excels at, but I’m excited to see him tackle an original script in the genre he’s most comfortable with. He’s P’Aof’s protege and their styles are very similar. 

Love You Teacher (A): This is my “hear me out” of the day. Age regression isn’t a trope I’m familiar with and I do have some reservations, but boy did this trailer make me feel things. If this was just a basic amnesia plot, it would probably be S tier for me. I think it was perfectly cast and I’m willing to reserve judgment until I see the finished product. P’Dome of Peaceful Property fame is directing, so I’m expecting that same brand of “romcom” where it’s actually not a romcom at all and instead makes you cry every single episode.

Only Friends: Dream On (A): I was going to put this in B tier, but EarthMix fucking on stage in an empty theater bumped this up to an A for me. I fully expect to enjoy this version of Only Friends more than the original because the original stressed me the fuck out. This time, I have no skin in the game and can just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Melody of Secrets (A): I’ve watched this trailer like four times and I still have no clue what’s happening, but I like the vibes. ForceBook proved in Peaceful Property that they can take on a serious script and I’ve always felt that Book especially is highly underrated as an actor. I’m excited to see them branch out and try something different.

Tagging a few people whose tier lists I would love to see, but feel free to ignore: @doublel27, @mbjw, @wangxianinventedromance, @elliebirdwrites, @khaopybara, @moonkhao, @boozles, @scrumptiousstuffs

And everyone else please feel free to participate and tag me in yours as well!

[nintendroid]

Happy belated birthday to the Nintendo 64, released in North America on September 29th making it 28 years old!

No other console I've owned gives me the nostalgia bug like the N64. I have so many stories of the adventures I had with it I could almost write a book. Maybe someday I will, but for right now let's talk about how you can celebrate Nintendo's most unappreciated console. We'll look at some modern software, some underappreciated games you should play and some cool N64 oddities. (NOTE: None of the items mentioned are sponsored. I just really dig the products)

Essential Hardware:

Brawler 64 Controller!

Available wired or wireless, the Brawler is for players who want to play the N64 with a more modern controller. I bought one some years back and have been nothing but satisfied with it. Check out my original review here. Shop here.

The Everdrive 64!

A cartridge capable of storing every N64 game EVER! Not just official games either, but fan-made game mods too! An absolute must if you're hardcore into N64 gaming. It should be noted, there are cheaper alternatives out there, but the rumor is that they can fry your console. KRIKzz-brand Everdrive's are known for their quality and for my money I want something that's not going to ruin my hardware. Check out my original review here. Shop here.

Underrated Games: Even with such a short library, there are good N64 games that don't have the Nintendo or Rare label on them. These aren't all of them, but here's a few that pop up in my mind when I think of the topic of underappreciated N64 games. Yes, some of these are ports but the N64 ports are the way I experienced them and I still prefer the N64 versions.

Duke Nukem: Zero Hour

In my opinion, the best sequel to Duke 3D. Don't let the 3rd-person perspective deter you, this is an authentic Duke Nukem game. Go through time shooting zombies, aliens, Jack the Ripper and send those alien scum packing. Duke's sense of humor is present, even under Nintendo's famous censorship guidelines.

Road Rash 64

A motorcycle racing game where you clobber the other racers with pipes, crowbars and plungers while avoiding the cops. It's so awesome and features one of the greatest songs Sugar Ray ever put out.

40 Winks

It was cancelled at 99% complete in the N64's heyday but publishing company Piko Interactive bought the rights and gave it an official release in 2019. While not what I would call a "classic" It's still a fun game to play over a weekend. As mentioned in my original review, it reminds me of a 3D adaptation of Nightmare on Elmstreet for NES.

007 - The World Is Not Enough

While not quite known as it's big brother, TWINE is a fun FPS Bond game in its own right. Eurocom (who developed Duke Nukem Zero Hour and 40 Winks!) knew they wasn't going to top Rare's iconic Goldeneye, but they did their best and it shows. The one advantage TWINE has over Goldeneye is multiplayer bots so you can play multiplayer because you don't have friends willing to come over because you're a 35-year-old father of two with a mortgage and 9-to-5.

Mods: The modding scene on the N64 is opening up and as a result we're getting some quality titles that extends the life of our favorite system. The one's mentioned here can be played on your actual N64 with the assistance of an Everdrive.

Smash Remix

Everyone collectively loves the original Super Smash Bros, but we can all agree it's pretty barebones in terms of content. Smash Remix fixed that with tons of new N64-era appropriate character additions, new levels, gameplay modes, music, costume changes and MORE. Phenomenal mod if you're a Smash 64 fan.

Shotgun Mario

Its Super Mario 64 but he has a shotgun. Fun for a laugh but adds a fun new mechanic to a classic. No more hoppin-and-boppin, Mario is here to dispense justice!

AKI-engine Wrestling Game Mods

I know most of you reading this aren't wrestling fans but the N64 had some iconic wrestling games thanks to Japanese studio AKI. Fans have been making mods for the AKI-developed titles like WWF No Mercy, Virtual Pro Wrestling 64, WCW vs NWO World Tour ect for years. It's hard to choose just one and each game has a wealth of characters, new arenas, match stipulations, create a wrestler options and much more.

Weirdo N64 Products: Any other time I would have 100 things to list but this is all I could find in the short time I have.

N64 Shirt!

Yes this bad boy is official. What other officially licensed shirt has Fox McCloud and a stormtrooper on it? In modern times, your best luck of finding something like this would be in a midwestern flea market.

Bill Goldberg Memory Card!

WCW legend Bill Goldberg had a memory card for some reason. I'm not complaining because it's awesome. Nothing I would love more than looking down after losing races in Diddy Kong to see big Bill yelling at me, motivating me to be a champion.

In conclusion: The N64 is a flawed but legendary console - it's popular but underrated, widely-known but intimate. My wishlist for the future is more awesome game mods of well known titles AND lesser known titles (let's fix Superman 64 or Carmageddon!). If you read this far, I hope this got you in the mood to play some N64.

[newspropaganda]

My Thoughts On MangaKamen and his YGO videos

When Literacy and Mainstream Media are not low enough

Here’s my opinion on MangaKamen and why he’s wrong about Yu-Gi-Oh!. He’s just another American fan blinded by idiocy.

MangaKamen is either lazy, doesn’t understand Yu-Gi-Oh!, or just pretends to. He comes off with this fake comedy gimmick that doesn’t appeal to me. His videos on Yu-Gi-Oh! girls are mostly biased and off-topic, giving us zero meaningful details. Instead, he just ruins the representation of the female characters. News flash: Yu-Gi-Oh! girls are great, but they’re rarely handled well by good creators like myself.

He mostly praises DM and GX, but when it comes to 5D’s, he goes off-topic, tearing down Crow and Jack. His so-called "essays" on why 5D’s failed are ridiculous—he’s just too stubborn to admit that 5D’s is far superior to DM and GX. He simply can’t accept that fact. Yet when he makes videos on Persona or Metal Gear, people get critical, but his Yu-Gi-Oh! content is a mess.

He sticks to mainstream garbage like your typical American, obsessed with his country's degeneracy. This is just another reason why he can’t be trusted with Yu-Gi-Oh! videos. He’s all about quantity over quality, more focused on literacy than being an actual critic.For example, in his 5D’s videos about the girls and the two main male characters, MangaKamen keeps doing the same thing—showing how incompetent he is at his job. He doesn’t understand Yu-Gi-Oh! at all. 5D's only had production issues during Season 1 when Tomioka was in charge, but he refuses to acknowledge that because he can’t be logical. The issues with Yu-Gi-Oh! girls stem from Japanese societal rules about women in anime and real life.

What really misses the mark with this guy is that he’s clueless. He should have said something like, “Even if 5D's is often the butt of production jokes, it’s not that bad compared to what people say. GX and DM had worse production issues than 5D’s or any of the later shows.” But no, he completely ignores that and acts like a jackass. He’s not insightful or literate—he’s just trying to be a smartass, mixing a Nostalgia Critic style with woke, feminist opinions.

He is clearly stupid and doesn’t understand logic or anything at all.

But here’s the deal! No one respects 5D's because of the fandom and its bullshit. If you offend the fandom or call out their garbage, you get blocked for being "nasty" and not politically correct. The hypocrisy is real—they get upset at anyone who doesn’t support DM or GX, but it’s perfectly fine for them to trash 5D's. The fandom just doesn’t give 5D’s a chance anymore. News flash: 5D’s was always the best of Yu-Gi-Oh!, not those first two shows!

But wait, why is 5D’s so underrated now compared to 13 years ago when it was a masterpiece of perfection and mainstream success? It’s because Konami went off the rails, promoting Duel Monsters Gen 1 support since 2015. And you all just obey Konami like typical Americans blinded by nostalgia!

And if he talks about OCG Stories, he’s just going to crap on it like he did with 5D’s during its tough times. We’re all sick of people like him—bastards who just repeat and copy other people’s thoughts, openly telling their fans something "failed." Failed? What?! OCG Stories is going strong, with its 4th volume just being released!

If he makes a video on it, he’ll just be feeding the beast. I’m not going to care since I’m not invested in this asshole’s opinions.

This is the same problem with YGO Everything, Noajenks, and other mainstream Yu-Gi-Oh! fans who only support GX and DM because their minds are stuck on the same old, tired topics. That’s exactly why I don’t support anyone in the Yu-Gi-Oh! fandom, including the people I just mentioned. It’s all about reused topics and a lack of originality.

Do you know why the Pokémon fandom is more popular than Yu-Gi-Oh!? It’s not because the card game is less complicated or because of the anime. It’s because Pokémon fans are passionate and more humanized than the Yu-Gi-Oh! fandom. The Yu-Gi-Oh! fandom is constantly divided by problems they refuse to accept, and it’s just stupid.

The Yu-Gi-Oh! fandom is split on multiple topics:

The anime being bad during DM because of the adaptation.

The manga being bad at times.

The card game and the Rush Era.

They go off-topic, get sensitive about everything they hate, and can’t handle even mentioning anything about Yu-Gi-Oh!.

MangaKamen should have existed 10 years ago—he would have been better back then because now his content is more off-topic than on-topic.

You really want to know what’s wrong with the Yu-Gi-Oh! community? It’s the internet—Twitter and YouTube—which makes it too complicated to deal with.

Does MangaKamen even have solid points anymore? No, he doesn’t. He’s clearly just doing it for clout and virtue-signaling. At least I respect his editor and his buddies—they’re more critical than he is.

But do you really want to know why the Yu-Gi-Oh! fandom in America is so bad? It’s because they’re all the same when it comes to nostalgia. 5D’s got no respect after 2011 and slowly became a problem for them to consume. You can blame the political chaos in America for that crap. The real-life card game is super complicated, and MangaKamen uses that to trash the show. He’s even admitted that he prefers the game over the anime.

He also keeps using the dub version to annoy people, even though most fans don’t care which version they watch.

Also I noticed that, despite his popularity, it seems that every person that I've asked so far either never heard of him or doesn't watch his videos. And for someone who sticked in your brain as much as MangaKamen, it would be pretty interesting to talk about him.

American Yu-Gi-Oh fans are both vocal and hypocritical on anything. They only respect DM because of nostalgia and not out of sheer love. And to be fair, Yu-Gi-Oh! fans are mostly upset for no real reason—just like people getting upset at Donald Trump for "reasons." It’s like they have Trump Derangement Syndrome or something. And to be fair, Yu-Gi-Oh! fans seem to suffer from something like Yu-Gi-Oh! Derangement Syndrome, or maybe Konami Derangement Syndrome or even 4Kids Derangement Syndrome—where they just get irrationally upset about anything related to the series, like people do with Trump like how Mark Ruffalo is aways woke on Trump since 2016.

To conclude this statement. MangaKamen is a woke american femminsit.

[kneelbeforeclefairy]

@bestnoncannonship and I are continuing our Sherlock Holmes obsession..and we just finished the most underrated Sherlock adaptation, Miss Sherlock. It's a Japanese production set in modern day Tokyo with Sherlock, Watson and Moriarty all played by women. Yuko Takeuchi has fast become one of my favorite Sherlocks, next to the incredible Jeremy Brett. And one of my favorite things about her is she always seems to be eating something that looks delicious. There's seriously so much food in this show, it makes you hungry.

So we celebrated finishing the show by taking a late night trip to H Mart and making a Miss Sherlock inspired Japanese dinner. We had a very Sherlock Futaba approved chocolate roll cake for dessert but we made way too much food and were stuffed, so guess we'll have to eat it tonight! Anyway, if you haven't seen this show get on it! This fandom needs a revival and more love.

[pochqmqri]

A few months ago, my copy of the "Limited Edition" Samurai Flamenco Complete Series Collection shipped from the UK, a release by Anime Limited.

As they are a UK-based anime distributor, their Blu-Ray discs are region locked to region code "B," which encompasses Europe. As such, I have a Blu-Ray player that is modified to be region-free, playing discs from anywhere in the world. I recommend buying one from this site, as you can get the best deals here.

Going over the product, despite the fact that it's labeled "Limited Edition," the release is pretty bare bones. It was also initially released back in October of 2021, and still remains available to purchase two years later.

Like most of Anime Limited's Collector's Editions, the release comes in a rigid slipcase illustrated with official artwork. The 22-episode anime is contained across 4 discs, evenly divided into two disc cases. Each case has a reversible slipcover illustrated with characters on both sides.

So let's talk about the contents of the discs. Although it doesn't say on the official website, there are three ways to watch the anime on this release: the French dub, the original Japanese with French subs, and the original Japanese with English subs (subtitles are the same as streaming, no subbed OPs/EDs/insert songs). These are a nice variety of options, but it would have been nice for a few more accessibility options for those who want it, such as the French dub having (dub-accurate) subtitles, and subtitles for those who are deaf or blind, as included with Anime Limited's release of "Looking for Magical Doremi" that I purchased earlier last year. There are a few extras on the discs, but those are just noncredit/blank versions of both opening and both ending themes.

Regarding the visuals, it should be noted that, when Samurai Flamenco aired on TV, it looked quite rough animation-wise. For the home media release in Japan, they made significant touchups here and there in each episode. From what I recall, the version that used to stream on Crunchyroll (before they removed it) was the original broadcast, while the one that streams/ed(?) on Funimation has the corrections. As there were quite a lot of corrections, I will link this post that does a in-depth look episode-by-episode of what changed between the two versions. Going back to Anime Limited's release, based on what I have seen and compared, I can safely say that this release uses the corrected footage, which I think most people can say is quite the plus.

I also want to clarify that this release does not contain any of the extras included with the Japanese home media release, such as the character drama CDs, soundtrack CDs, etc. All you're getting is a slipcase, the discs themselves, and creditless OPs and EDs. That's it.

To wrap it all up, despite the fact that this is a bare bones release, it is still a serviceable way to watch Samurai Flamenco. The anime has been taken off streaming services in the past few years, Netflix and Crunchyroll specifically, and as Manglobe went bankrupt years ago, the anime's future on streaming is bleak and uncertain. Anime Limited managed to secure a home release deal with Manglobe before they went under, so I've heard. Therefore, I definitely recommend owning a physical way to watch this underrated gem. Even so, Anime Limited has noted on their website that, as a limited edition release, they only have a limited number of stock, and once that runs out, they are not sure if they'll restock. So while it's been around for two years now, who can say for sure if it'll be around for any longer. On their website, it currently sells for £35 (approx $44.50 USD), but last year, Anime Limited held two sales that included this release, where in one sale, it went for as low as £8.33 (approx $10.50 USD). So, I also recommend you wait until their end-of-year holiday sale, I think it'll still be around then.

Anime Limited does ship internationally, but I want to warn you that there is a hefty international shipping charge attached. As I live in the US, it costs £25 (approx $32 USD), but I imagine that to more distant countries, it will cost a lot more.

[margridarnauds]

hi so since one of your other asks drew our attention to there actually being a Death Note musical, please tell us about it?

DEATH NOTE MUSICAL MY BELOVED.

Honestly, in my opinion, one of Frank Wildhorn's most solid works, and a wonderful distillation of the original. (It focuses on the rivalry between L and Light, so the second half isn't adapted, but that gives the opportunity to dig into individual character arcs.)

It's had productions in Japan and Korea and, recently, had a limited concert run in London. Some of my favorite songs in English (though I think that almost every song is a banger) are When Love Comes (Rems love song for Misa -- yes, Rem Canon Queer), Stalemate (Trio between Light, L, and Misa), The Way Things Are (L solo ).

Also the trailer for the Korean production.

And for the most recent Korean production, just because I think everyone needs to see what the KMusical scene is capable of doing with projections so we can tell Broadway to stop being so damned lazy.

Also this might be the whole Japanese production with subs. (On the record, I've never been an Urai Kenji fan, but Teppei Koike is putting his whole Teppussy in the role of L; he really EMBODIES the role and brings a physicality in a way I've never seen anyone do in any other production and is massively underrated imo.)

[saiyukiitaliaandinternational]

Month of Saiyuki (day 15)

Who is your favourite character in Saiyuki and why?

Him, the evil, bastard, genius crow/raven:

How can't you hate love him? On a more serious note he is one of few Anime/Manga villain that gives me genuine uncanny, dreadful feeling of despair and fear on a subtle level I rarely experienced if not in lovecraftian horror products. And the fight against Genjo proved what I felt...

I never thought that an apparently demented-looking mad scientist could hide such horrific power (Mutenkyo) and nature, he's a fine specimen when it comes to psychopathy or psychopathic traits mixed with narcissistic ones. Excellent individual to study and analyse, the concept he brings even from a Buddhist perspective is captivating, albeit he fully deserve the nickname "heretical" because of his embracing of Nihilism (one of the two extremes to avoid according to Buddhism), misuse of Mutenkyo (I hardly believe previous Sanzos of Mutenkyo lineage ever used the sutra the way he uses), the way he obtained the Sutra and other wicked visions of life. Considering that he's based on Usou Zenji (Crow’s Nest Zen Priest) the Ch'an Master who teaches Heart Sutra to Sanzang, his sutra might be, conceptually speaking, linked to Heart Sutra, my most favourite Mahayana sutra of all, so this makes Mutenkyo extremely interesting.

And it's extremely interesting how Ukoku reverses the deep meaning of both the fictional sutra and possible, real-life sutra in a more mundane and horrifying way that nullify everything and everyone. I still have to understand what truly happens to the victim that gets erased by the sutra's power because if it means the sutra erases the victim from existence as if they were never born, never remembered, this means (always in a Buddhist perspective) that even the Buddha nature present in every sentient being (in Buddhism a sentient being is a being that possesses a mind, sem chen in Tibetan) gets erased and with it the possibility potentially to transcend the conditions of saṃsāra and attain Buddhahood. If it's so, then it's enough to make a Bodhisattva shit bricks...

A very underrated villain, in my opinion, in the cosmos of Japanese fictional villain and more broadly in the villain scenario.

[glassprism]

there is a big difference in acting styles between eastern and western people, especially in tv. Is there the same difference in theater?

So I may be the wrong person to ask this, because as a Chinese-American who straddles both the "east" and the "west" and who watches movies and the occasional TV show from both sides, I don't see much difference at all! At least in terms of emotional affect, I get the same whether I'm watching "eastern" or "western" media, and maybe that's just my brain being split between them, but yeah, that's all I can tell you lol. (Unless you're thinking of, like, Chinese soap operas or k-dramas or something? Because yeah those I don't watch and for all I know the acting is different there, but I imagine the genre plays as much a factor there as anything else.)

As for theater, I think my knowledge is pretty spotty and is centered almost entirely on East Asian theater (Japan, Korea, China), and even then there are large gaps. Like, I'm pretty familiar with Korean musicals, I've watched quite a few different shows from there (and they're excellent! Korean musical theatre is really underrated outside of, you know, Korean musical theatre fans). With Japan I'm mainly confined to a few select shows and companies, which I think skews my perceptions (let me tell you, Takarazuka can be really different from the rest of Japanese musical theatre). And with China the only thing I've seen is their production of Phantom (I'm not counting the World Tours that have gone there, to me that's "western" musicals taking a visit to the east). So take whatever I say next with a pretty big grain of salt.

For Korean musical theatre, I honestly don't find much if any difference in their acting styles. Watching their versions of Phantom, Elisabeth, Wicked, and so on, it affects me just as much emotionally as any other production I've watched; if there are any differences, I find it's usually because of an individual actor, not because of some culture-wide trend.

For Japanese musical theatre, I think they do tend to go for a more restrained, subtle form of acting, and a lot of them do come off more reserved, but I can also think of a number of exceptions. Also, since my main expertise is Phantom, it's difficult for me to make generalizations because, if you don't know, the Japanese production uses pre-recorded orchestrations anytime the production plays outside Tokyo (and Yokohama in 2017), and that forces an actor to work within a very rigid structure in order to stay in time with the music. And then on Takarazuka's end, they have a certain aesthetic and style of their own that the actresses have to adhere too. So it's hard for me to make sweeping statements because there's always that thought in the back of my head: "Okay, is it a culture thing or is it because the music is pre-recorded? Is it a culture thing or is it just Takarazuka being Takarazuka?"

For Chinese musical theatre, I've only watched their version of Phantom. And the videos all look like this. I'm not ungrateful, mind you, I'm just pointing out that it's hard for me to say anything about anyone's acting because they all look like white dots on my screen.

[m1ckeyb3rry]

LMAOOO I’m about to rewrite and entire parody for aiku I’ll send it in once I complete it it’s funny it’s like the reversed croagunk trope instead of cockblocking it’s helping him rizz girls up

SHSHSH goodra underrated goat I do love its vibes sm legible and snores collecting dust in the basement LMAOO after that one convo about the moon/space manshine shenanigans it’s disappeared forever but I can imagine nagi sending snorlax out only for it to continue lying down taking up like half the field and whenever he tries to get it to move it just swats him with its arm and send him flying by accident LMAO

AHAHA Rin being so desperate he goes to Shidou (wait the Karasu beef full circling to that second lead idea we talked about way back when)

LMAO “not unproblematic” tullia catching strays but Karasu holding a mini grudge for having his baby birds electrocuted like they ran into a telephone pole because of lanturn is so funny

Wait yk a combo I think is funny yarou because it also means bitch/bastard in japanese LMFAOOO wait but shoyoi is kinda cute too the way barasu sounds has me cackling though LMAO bayosagi love triangle wait this could be a kdrama on its own

LMFAO lowk makes me wonder if Karasu refrains from fowl products because he’s like “those are my children…” but FR full circle development where he’s confident enough and thinks it’s ok to be mediocre ehdhsjshsj

LMAOO you should give him that fit in a goofy crack spinoff side episode he would totally wear it (imagine they have a musical number with the phineas and ferb dance style too)

Reo calling bachira banged freak and raichi shark teeth LMAOO truly teenage boy activities kurona also catching strays everyone calls him a midget too ok but two sides of the spectrum both equally as attractive barous cluelessness imagine he just goes “your hands are tiny” and instinctively does that finger bend thing over your fingers (im so bad at explaining i hope ykwim) while Karasu KNOWS and just has a shit eating smirk on his face maybe there is something about guys who style his hair up like that

I didn’t even consider that they didn’t exist oops but WAIT THAT MAKES THE IDEA GO HARDER I’m not crying bruh imagine reader goes to the safari zone and is like wait I thought beautifly didn’t exist here?? Is yayoi doing some pet project and then big reveal

LMAOOOO I lowk love when memes have the “running faster than chigiri” aspect it’s so funny like the bllk equivalent of running faster than sonic the hedgehog but SHSH NO PRESSURE im just happy to receive whatever you come across don’t feel obligated to look for one specifically LOL

NO FR because like what you want me to add a period?? Nuh uh I don’t enjoy those vibes which is why I also default to just using “…” too LMAO

AHAHAHA ok so maybe i do need to use proper punctuation when explaining stuff my b I definitely used a run on sentence when I explained that part so I’ll make it less confusing next time LMAOO that’s so funny thigh that would actually be really embarrassing if that WERE the case though

Wait I’m loving the drama of this Isagis last straw Karasu comforting mc (CRYING THE BROTHER THAT STEPPED UP) I fw this Isagi so hard the conflict and character complexities >>>>> and the added love triangle yayoi originally leaning towards Barou not Isagi BRUTAL I love it

Otoya being spike is so funny bro getting demoted but actually seeing how everything is so interconnected is really interesting since we’re like metavisioning looking at a universe you created imagine life being this interesting but anyways I’m not about to get into an existential crisis rn

The way you’re converting readers (me) and yourself is so funny HAHAHA

IT DOESNT MATTER IF I MEMORIZE THE ENTIRE DEX (not gonna happen) but wait i just realized what this means CONGRATS ON 1K!!!!! Not you saying “idk it might be awhile still since it fluctuates” literally one day ago LMAO but here’s to more miraverse shenanigans!!!! DONT WORRY DADDYS HOME SHSHSHS but THANK YOUUU I just saw the event so I’m running rn let’s see who I get inspo for LOL

- Karasu anon

PLEASE DO SEND IT IN OMG an aiku parody would be insane…i love how no matter the au/verse aiku somehow makes his way into infecting it w crack LMAOAAO he’s lowkey the face of the miraverse (in a diff way than nagi and karasu)

nagi’s goodra is so CUTE tbh honestly it’s one of his best pokémon too considering it’s a pseudo legendary (wait now that i’m thinking abt it so many of the characters EXCEPT reader have pseudo legendaries 😭😭😭…like chigiri has a dragonite, nagi has a goodra, hiori has a metagross, karasu has a garchomp, and noel noa has an aggron…meanwhile reader’s rocking w galvantula LMAOAOA) PLEASE nagi finally meets his match w his snorlax he asks reo if that’s what it’s like dealing with him and reo’s just like “yes 😐” omg wait potential ova that’s just nagi attempting to train his snorlax ⁉️

HAHA YESS this is the au i was referencing when i mentioned rin as a second lead!! i’ve had it cooking for a while but yes since nagi’s the main lead and karasu’s the bestie w weird tension (i’m realizing this is a format i utilize often) rin has 0 way of winning like it genuinely hurts him to know that reader would rather go for a) lazy dumbass genius or b) cocky rude weird hair over him LMAOAOAO that’s why in the smau reader calls him “poor kid” she’s not here for that bfb dating younger men era 🤫 nagi’s like a couple months older than her and karasu’s a year older than her she is NOT abt to go for baby rin (especially considering there’s a whole subplot with sae that’s again meant to subvert the reverse harem vibe while also still having lots of love interests)

wait this just reminded me that isagi is canonically older than nagi and both nagi AND isagi are older than reo KDBCJSKS

LMAOO no because given how much we’ve talked abt tullia bullying otoya it’s impossible to call her UNPROBLEMATIC (not that otoya doesn’t deserve it ofc) but for the most part she’s pretty chill it’s like specifically otoya who she messes with 😓 PLEASE IT’S LITERALLY KARASU’S OWN FAULT TOO if i had a nickel for every time karasu got cocky and challenged someone he was wildly unprepared to face w his team of baby birds i’d have two nickels which isn’t a lot but it means bro needs to be STOPPED 😭 it’s a good thing he gets garchomp later on i think garchomp will be 99% of karasu’s impulse control as well as his main battler

YAROU ACTUALLY IS SO FUNNY especially because both of them are kind of uhhh kind of bitchy (especially to isagi) but agreed shoyoi is kinda cute sounding!! bayosagi love triangle…i have many thoughts about it that i will get to TRUST but agreed it’s giving kdrama

see i feel like the mediocre thing relates to his end of the world comment in the egoist bible too so it’s like in character yk?? like now he’s SEEN the end of the world (almost) what with team x and their nonsense, almost witnessed all of his friends die (if reader hadn’t sent nagi back to help save everyone they would’ve been overwhelmed because karasu’s garchomp is legit the only one left) and nearly died himself, and i feel like that makes him realize ykw why should i gaf abt being mediocre or not mediocre??? him realizing that as long as he’s happy nobody else’s expectations matter to him…lowkey this DOES mean that fwtkac reader doesn’t really fit because he’s too happy post epilogue to care about a rival but actually wait yk what would be cute imagine reader’s like a pokémon nurse who comes out to do check ups on the daycare pokémon and make sure everything is looking alright but karasu ends up falling in love with her so for a solid while he just makes up illness and injuries to call her out for like “oh my lucario hurt his paw” and she comes out and lucario is just standing there like “😐” obviously not injured and she’s like ???? but eventually she ends up liking karasu back and then he asks her out and it’s all cute and adorable (pursuit reader is just glad he’s finally getting married because she’s been making fun of him for being the last one to settle down for ages…“how did otoya AND aiku end up in happy relationships before you???” “I DON’T KNOW”)

REO DOES NOT CAREEE HE’LL VIOLATE ANYONE i love villainous team v reo he’s so so funny and his crashouts are legendary 😩 PLS YES THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS THINKING like barou has no idea that you’re flirting so he’s super serious about it and he’s like “wow your hands ARE very small 👍” and does the finger thing (ik what you’re talking abt) but karasu starts messing with you because he knows you’re trying to rizz him up (he’s already rizzed up obviously i think if a girl flirted w him he’d fold in 0.2 seconds) but he’s so funny about it and it def culminates in him lacing his fingers through yours and using it as an excuse to hold your hand (he definitely calls you mediocre for having small hands as a joke though HAHAHA)

NO THAT’S WHAT I’M SAYING LIKE IT MAKES IT 10X BETTER one thing about hiori he is going to LOVE his love interests like there’s something distinct abt the way i imagine hiori as the male lead he’s on a completely different level than the others…the closest in terms of emotions is probably nagi but with nagi a grand declaration of love is just him getting out of bed and like. cooking breakfast or smth 😭 so the scale isn’t quite the same…but hiori always goes all out in my mind like i’ve never imagined him being normal about someone he genuinely loves he always does insane shit like building a house or importing an entire species of pokémon instead of just being like “hey i like you” the way karasu (eventually) would JFJFJSSJ wait speaking of which your request for the event hehehe miscommunication/misunderstandings w hiori…i’m considering some things (i feel like that trope generally implies humor but it’s hiori he doesn’t give crack vibes to me…he’s like nagi i can only write him seriously unless he’s just a side character but trust i will cook smth up and it will be good)

PURSUIT ISAGI IS SM FUN I LOVE HIS CHARACTERIZATION because honestly he definitely thinks that he should be stepping into barou’s role as his best friend but he has zero idea how to do so meanwhile karasu does it so naturally (in this au i fucked w everyone’s ages so isagi and barou are a couple years older than karasu and are the same age as yayoi if i didn’t say that already) which is just another punch in yoichi “inferiority complex” isagi’s gut…eventually he does end up being kind of a cool older cousin/sibling to reader but it takes him a lot of effort to get to that point 😕 and for the love triangle i was lowkey think that yayoi would actually have originally liked isagi but isagi never pursued her (given that he thought she liked barou) so he kinda pushed her towards barou and she ended up falling INSANELY in love w barou (who wouldn’t) but that way the possible eventual yayosagi isn’t just her settling it’s her being like look i always liked you and maybe i still might but i have a lot of trauma from barou’s abandonment/death and isagi’s like yo me too let’s just be friends again and see where things go KDFHSKJDSMJDJS i lowkey love them as a trio and the relationships/duos within that trio honestly this is a version of isagi i would actually enjoy writing (ofc i’d have to braid in more of his canon characterization but this is a fun foundation to me)

OTOYA JUST GIVES SUCH SPIKE ENERGY i feel like based on vibes/lore alone, tullia is fluttershy, karasu is applejack, chigiri is rainbow dash, reo is rarity, otoya is spike, nagi is pinkie pie but like the opposite?? like he’s also incredibly random and insanely lucky with stuff but he’s super lazy instead of super energetic, and reader is twilight sparkle (not just because she’s the protagonist LMAOO)

HAHAHA BRO THANK YOUUU IT’S VERY UNREAL but AHH hiori inspo?? cheating on karasu i see /j 😭 it’s okay two of the twelve so far are karasu reqs…the way i only have four spots left and ZERO people have requested for nagi i think people don’t even realize how much i love him despite him being all over my blog because i never get reqs or anything for him 😩 or maybe it’s that everybody hates nagi atm so nobody wants me to write for him 😓💔 THAT’S OKAY THOUGH NAGI GETS PURSUIT SO WHO’S REALLY WINNING ⁉️

[hermioneismyrealname]

Ok everyone.

Let's put some chronic internet buffoons in their place, shall we?

Let's first talk about the OG thai bl. Love sick. I was there. Let's talk about the one that got thai bl some traction. Love by chance. I was there. How about the one that put thai bl on the map, tharntype. I was there. Now KinnPorsche. The one that got global attraction from (mostly) everyone. Here still.

Before Asian bl, I was here for hannibal, supernatural and fucking merlin since day 1. Yuri on ice, been waiting for that movie for how many years now? And don't get me started on banana fish, given or all the bl manhwa, manhua and Manga. Call me fujoshi? Yeah aight but I'm here for the gl series (give me more) and the well written straight shit too.

The difference between the two kinds of media I present to you is deliberate fan service and fan acknowledgment.

If I were to categorize shows like merlin or Teen Wolf, I would put it as unfortunate writing. Supernatural and hannibal were not really a romance focused genre. Considering how early game these shows were, I wasn't surprised with the ending of all 4 of these series. Which is why good omens, heartstopper, young royals, and our flag means death is refreshing. These four bring a genre where LIFE is portrayed with romance being the center of it. They don't always give a happy ending. They have a realistic ending. I cannot always say the same for asian dramas.

In the early days of Asian bl, Thai especially, it focused on plot, actual plot, not hot guys who look great, but great actors. A good example is SOTUS and Until We Meet Again. A recent addition that I can add is Your Name Engraved Herein. It was also about getting society comfortable with LGBTQ+. Also, it tackled the ridiculous education system and challenged it. Up for some football anyone? This used to be a art form of portrayal and storytelling. Taiwanese drama has maintained a good story plot throughout most of it productions but it is a shame that it goes underrated most of the time.

Now, I observe the market for bl. I do blame KinnPorsche of this, but if I were to truly put a pin in it, I would stab it at tharntype. The thai entertainment industry is going to suffer. The primary reason for the inevitable doom is the unfortunate marketing ploy the actors have to do off-screen. Take tharntype, an unfortunately perfect example. While mame (previously) never re-used the actors in her universe, post tharntype, mew and gulf were expected to act again together. Why? The off-screen fan-service. Behind the scenes show actors being comfortable at their workplace. On stage in front of screaming, fans is just another act. If they did love each other, they wouldn't flaunt it as they did. Even now, there are wanjaai still thinking gulf is mew's affianced. It took mew to personally address the fans' ridiculous behavior and yet, here we are; bubbles mourning and the... I can't remember the ohmnannon fan base. I saw the panic when saint wouldnt be with perth again, and then when saint wouldn't be with zew. HAHAHAHA. Remember pretty recently when Freen's privacy was invaded and fans felt betrayed? pathetic.

Just thinking about it makes me laugh because even the japanese actors have their boundaries. Take Keita Machida for example. Not only did he get featured in Alice in Borderland, but he is also married. There was some backlash but not as much as Cha Seo Won from Unintentional Love Story and definitely not as much as any Thai BL actor. These are talented actors who are capable of so much. Take Fluke Natouch. He is a wonderful actor and is trying not limit himself to a ship/pairing/couple. Talk to me when you have seen Red Wine in the Dark Night. Imagine what the industry could truly be if markets wouldn't limit them.

If however, this is about the comfort of the actor, then FINE! But don't condemn them when they suddenly aren't paired up with each other again. For this, I put forward PremBoun (yes i just did that), NetJames and TutorYim. I will not mention FortPeat or BossNoeul because I can see all four of them going independent and succeeding whilst maintaining a brilliant friendship. Peat and Noeul especially. Cant wait for that to rock people's boat.

Need I remind these people that THEY ARE ACTORS! NOT DOLLS OR PUPPETS! Heck need I remind the public of the 227 scandal?

As fans, shouldn't we support the actor for acting? Not the ship for putting on smiles?

Now I sip my tea as I watch the ships. Actually, my eyes aren't on the ships; they are watching the idiots who can't take nuance and are chronically online. I watch them cry when their ships sink as me and my fellow veterans relax on our sundeck enjoying our teas, coffee and martinis with those tiny little umbrellas. Been through this all before and this whole manifesto was completely useless because nothing is going to change. Looking at the idiots in Macau for Bible's recent fanmeet.

*lifts my half empty teacup* Perhaps I am just @absolutebl but more chaotic and less diplomatic. Do I care about how many shippers this hurt? Considering some of their bullshit behavior, I'm gonna say how it is. I've been dealing with death threats since 2012 and the threats of chemical castration from my own government, I cant seem to fucking care. Cheers to chaos.

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

Oh looky, I just watched something that all the cool folks are into. Or, were into?

THE AMAZING DIGITAL CIRCUS...

It's been out for two months now, so I'm - as usual - late to the party.

Kind of like a barfed up '90s utopian scholastic hodgepodge purgatory with an ominous and grim underbelly, probably an indictment of capitalism making one's desires unattainable and one's subsequent pursuit of such desires a one-way ticket to insanity... Or maybe not. The characters are instantly likeable and cool, and work off of each other so well. The variety in design, even within the characters themselves... just so neat- It's also lowkey funny. "Gloink" is such a late '90s kids show/game word for something.

As someone who grew up in the late '90s/early '00s, this was right up my alley. My immediate thoughts were basically... This is a lot like colorful (and sometimes educational) PC games of the era, wacky textbook covers, things like I SPY, and a Dreamcast-exclusive game called PEN PEN TRIICELON. One of creator Gooseworx's influences on the project was a CGI Japanese children's show called POPEE THE PERFORMER. In some ways, POPEE does kinda fit into this wild and varied aesthetic that was so prevalent in a pre-9/11 era.

I particularly appreciated its veering towards a dream-like... Maybe, trance? Almost? I love it when animated media, and most media in general, takes on a sort of irreality, and can sometimes be ambiguous as to what's happening and what isn't. Particularly this scene towards the end where protagonist Pomni is running through endless sterile rooms, until briefly coming across a boxy late '90s PC. The void, too... Visceral flashbacks to being at my Compaq in, like, 2000-01... Playing a game where there was nothing beyond the environment I was in. Just endless sky and nothingness. That kind of thing always brought an eerieness to that era's games, to me. Hey, that's why the "Lethal Omen" game from GEMINI HOME ENTERTAINMENT really worked for me.

This sort of unsettling spin on past, and possibly outdated aesthetics, has arguably been done to death. Especially after the explosion in analog horror and FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S, but I'm quite impressed with AMAZING DIGITAL CIRCUS' more digital yet-still-vintage take on this sort of thing. Wait... Stuff from 2000 being vintage? That's a dreadful thought... It's also cool to see more productions embrace how early CGI can be unnerving for some, too. An underrated aspect of early features and shorts, for sure. This married a lot of that, and I appreciated it for doing so.

[jojoa3p]

The Crusade

Brief History

Before the 2012 David Production anime, there was another adaptation of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure done in 1993 by Studio A.P.P.P. (Another Push Pin Planning). It was 6 episodes long and adapted the Stardust Crusaders Battle in Egypt arc. In 2000, Studio A.P.P.P. adapted the beginning of Stardust Crusaders. These were 7 episodes long. All 13 episodes had a half an hour run time. In 2007. Studio A.P.P.P. released a film adapting the first part of JoJo, Phantom Blood. According to viewer testimonies, the film was roughly 90 minutes long and ran for 3 months in various cinemas. After that, it was never seen again. All that exists now are the 16-minute workprint, 2004 teaser, 2 trailers, and various promotional materials. 

What I’m doing on this blog

I simply want to bring attention to the JoJo OVAs as they were a brilliant piece of media and criminally underrated. I also want to provide content for fellow fans and provide resources to be able to watch them. In addition, I want to bring attention to the Phantom Blood movie so there could eventually be some sort of full release. I will be doing all this by

creating my own original content (in the form of clips, text posts, homegrown shitposts, and more if I ever gain new skills)

reblogging content from other creators (art, gifs, and shitposts)

providing information

advertising other’s works (outside of Tumblr)

and more (if I think of more)

Even if I go dormant at least my resources will be archived :) (I am a university student so I may be slow)

Disclamer: I am not affiliated with anyone I post about. I do not own any website I advertise. I only want to share what I have learnt.

Where can I watch the OVAs? (EDIT: 16/03/2023 Notelu’s restoration is down)

There are two places I go to to watch the OVAs. Notelu’s restorations on Internet Archive and aniwave. Do not watch the ones on YouTube as the quality is less than ideal (to say the least). We mean stretched footage and overly saturated colours, and in some cases bad audio delay.

https://archive.org/details/JJBAOVA Notelu’s version contains files for the English, Japanese, French, and Italian dubs as well as colour corrections (check out her channel for the comparisons).

https://aniwave.to/watch/jojos-bizarre-adventure-2000.4v2m/ep-1

https://aniwave.to/watch/jojos-bizarre-adventure.4xy7/ep-1 Alternatively you can watch it on aniwave. However, the highest video quality is 480p while Notelu’s is 1080p. And again, Notelu has done colour corrections which enhances the viewing experience.

Stand alone list for sharing purposes 

How can I learn about the movie?

The trustworthy sources of information regarding Phantom Blood (2007) are the Phantom Blood Archive website, the new JoJo wiki, and the Phantom Blood Archive discord server (valid link provided).

https://www.phantombloodarchive.org/

https://jojowiki.com/Phantom_Blood_(film)

https://discord.com/invite/Cx9sCs9

Commons Misconceptions

To learn about what is false about Phantom Blood (2007) click here.

Important

Do not contact the people behind the Phantom Blood movie. They will not answer you and we already have people working on this.

Do not ask me for the Phantom Blood Archive discord link. While I am a member I am unsure if I am allowed to share it (the link expires in 7 days anyway). If you want to join you can find a link online. I have made sure to check. EDIT 20/03/24: Link added still keeping this incase I have to remove it for any reason

Do not unnecessarily contact the people searching for the film. They are busy people. phantombloodarchive.org has a contact feature, if you have something to contribute or have a question that is a good place to go. Please be mindful when using this. 

OVA fans, do not bash any anime fans. They have the right to enjoy the anime and it benefits no one to attack them. Do not force them to watch the OVAs either.

Anime fans, please do not bash the OVA fans. We are only a small group and just want to show that it exists and has massive shitpost (and shipping) potential.

If you want to learn about me as a person click here

[dappersautismcreature]

Ooh any video essay recommendations? No pressure

anonnn anonn do you know what you've startedddddd O___O

ok so, one of my most favorite most amazing interests is youtube commentary and video essays(i made a categorization spreadsheet of video essay/commentary channels). hopefully you arent asking for horror-based video essays because i do not watch those. my favorite video essays are hours long deep dives into wonderful media, or philosophical discussions. (not to be pretentious, im not saying one is better than the other)

so.. heres my number one reccs:

when i made that post i was watching Harry Potter by Shaun on YT<< really good breakdown of the many things societally iffy about the books, JKs writing, and JKs ideals its great check it out :3

literally anything by Ladyknightthebrave she is an amazing and lowkey underrated master of video essays about shows and movies. some of my all time favorites are her cowboy bebop video essay << goes in depth about the music aspect of the show as well as the creator, themes in the show, and overall messages. Her most recent one about Andor is also amazing, her analysis of its politics is very very pleasant and well constructed. Overall i just love her style my gods. She covers a lot of holocaust media as she is jewish, but she handles social issues so carefully>> talked about ann australian show and included a section on aboriginal rep, consulted Latine people for Andor analysis, fully worked to pronounce the japanese names when discussing the production of cowboy bebop, instead of joking about it or just ignoring it, has consulted many holocaust experts for a few of her videos, includes quotes from poetry, books about political theory and philosophy etc etc. please just check her outt

[stuff-diary]

Top 20 K-pop songs in 2024 (Part 1, 20-11)

Another year has come to an end, so it's time to begin with my yearly rankings. This time I've been pretty strict with myself, even if it means leaving out some great stuff. For starters, I've only included one song per artist. And I've also excluded all English/Japanese/Etc. releases, meaning that all songs on this ranking have at least one verse in Korean. Anyway, let's get started with the first half:

20. Heya by IVE

I love this chorus so much, and I was pretty surprised when the song didn't become as huge as their previous comebacks, cause it's one of my favorite releases by them.

19. Magnetic by ILLIT

I was so obsessed with this debut when it came out, and the only reason it's not higher on the list is that I listened to it way too much. That beat is incredible.

18. Sweat by ZB1

IMHO the best song they've ever released. Great combination of sexy, refreshing and summery vibes. I really hope they do more stuff like this.

17. Cosmic by Red Velvet

Heavenly vocals, dreamy chorus and fantastic instrumental. On top of that, the Midsommar homage makes for one of the best MVs of the year.

16. One Spark by Twice

There's something about this song that makes me so emotional, and I don't even know how to explain it. It kinda feels like receiving a warm hug right when you need it.

15. Honestly by RIIZE

I had a hard time picking between this and Impossible, but this ranked higher on my Spotify wrapped list. The lavish, melodramatic production brings the best out of their vocals.

14. hey! hey! by TWS

I have a thing for songs that sound like a sports anime OP, specially when they have this melancholic vibe to them, like in this case. Their best release so far.

13. Badder Love by EVNNE

Quite possibly the most underrated K-pop song of the year. Haven't seen anyone talking about it's unforgettable chorus, combined with a summery vibe that feels surprisingly emotional.

12. Supersonic by Fromis_9

Their releases are always top-quality and it was high time they got a proper hit. I hope they stay together after Pledis, cause we need more bops like this.

11. So Let's Go See The Stars by Boynextdoor

Am I the only one that feels like this could have been in a High School Musical-type movie? I think that musical-ish vibe is exactly why I love it so much.

Come back tomorrow for the top 10!

[themanyworldsofus]

My Seiyuu DR

Time to introduce my main DR! I'd go so far as to call it our favorite as well, though it's probably tied with headspace. We've never seen any other shifters with the same idea, so it's definitely a very underrated DR. If you want to be convinced, just watch the video under the cut and try to tell me it doesn't look like fun.

With that, you might've figured out what this DR is about, but just in case, seiyuu is a Japanese voice actor. This means voice acting in anime, but there's a lot that goes into the work, such as stage shows, radio programs, commercials, etc. Lots of the programs they participate in also involve a variety of fun games and gimmicks, which become even more chaotic when you consider everyone's personalities mixed in.

As for my DR self, my name is Fukuda Noboru (福田登). When I first arrive there, it's 2008 and I'm 24 years old. I have a full list of roles I have an interest in playing if anyone's curious to see it, but here are some of my most well-known ones:

Grell Sutcliff from Black Butler

Todoroki Shouto from My Hero Academia

Edogawa Ranpo from Bungou Stray Dogs

Kaido Shun from Saiki-K

I scripted that I become best friends with Okamoto Nobuhiko after a few major shared roles, and that I have a younger brother named Takashi, who also works in the industry but with instrumental production. I don't have an s/o scripted; it can still happen but I don't have anyone specific in mind. One of the traits I'm known for is always wearing pink and/or cutesy outfits like these:

So yeah that's it for now, this was just meant to be a quick introduction. We'd love to receive asks about this DR so we can go into more detail, and if we've managed to convince someone to shift there that's even better >:3