#theme: transience

[wordsmusicandstories]

Gilgamesh, the King Who Wanted to Defeat Death

Exactly one hundred and seventy years ago, on 1 October 1853, among the ruins of the ancient library of Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria, at Nineveh, Hormuzd Rassam discovered the “Epic of Gilgamesh”, a poem from ancient Mesopotamia that is often regarded as the earliest surviving great work of literature.Like many other artefacts, the text is the result of a series of episodes present both in…

[hoanangmua]

Song: Moonlit Cherry Blossoms Game: Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monster Coliseum

[aromanticasterisms]

leveling up charlotte's friendship and adding her to the autism pile. and also the "cryo's ideal is probably Truth" pile

[finalgirlsamwinchester]

see liking supernatural is a curse.....because here's a pop horror show exploring generational family trauma and the consequences of social isolation, transience, poverty and the cycles of violence through a fantastical lens. how abuse of power is inherently baked into the foundations of the nuclear family, and how familial abuse is systemic rather than an anomaly. and as vehicles to carry these themes, we have two complex characters providing relatable and messy portraits of what being raised under a cocktail of adverse childhood experiences does to people. yeah sometimes it's poorly written; sometimes it delivers these narratives in incredibly clumsy ways, sometimes it frames them in markedly horrifying ways. but overall it's a rich source for analysis and personal reflection. it's actually an exceptional piece of media in the landscape of 'family horror'.

but watch out! 90% of the fandom is stubbornly determined to either ignore or whitewash any complexity found within the show. anything deemed too unpleasant, unpalatable, or beyond their understanding will be glossed over. if it doesn't fit neatly into their socially conservative worldview, it will be sanitised beyond recognition. they will use fictional characters as proxies to uncritically spout dominant cultural narratives around abuse victims. they will express the very same values systems that exclude and marginalise survivors of familial violence in the real world.

[hephaestiions]

author reclist: wolfpants

over the last few months, i've been devouring @wolfpants' works. ever since reading pages of you in two days, their rendering of harry, draco and a vast array of incredibly compelling side characters have irrevocably hooked me.

wolf is an author in enthralling motion. their fics often feature places, temporalities and contexts far removed from where canon holds & leaves us, while simultaneously being tenderly familiar, like coming home. wolf's sense of & grasp over setting leaves me breathless and dumbstruck. their different spatialities inform & infuse character in admirable ways, at various levels of craft, enjoyment and inspiration. this fandom knows and loves the draco and harry they give us, but we delight in discovering new dimensions & aspects of these characters. it's always done brilliantly believably, especially in the framework of the worlds they construct— a breath of fresh air in a forest where the trees still know your name.

wolf's works also demonstrate, sometimes explicitly, sometimes implicitly, a really significant political sensibility. most of their fics are set against backdrops tight with political tension bleeding into the characters' circumstances and interpersonal dynamics. whether through a spectrality haunting the narrative or the crucial central diegetic thread, wolf's works are layered, interrogating and collapsing delineations among private, public and political, between history and contemporaneity and between narrative and commentary.

in the interests of length & theme of this list, i've specifically selected some fics that, for me, showcase wolf's mastery & playfulness with setting, understood as deviations in place, time and universe. the broader recommendation is, of course, to check out everything wolf has ever written!

nightcall (E, 1k) ft. a long distance phone call

On a top secret Unspeakable misson, Harry calls Draco from a remote phone booth on the Isle of Skye.

a stunning portrait of desire, longing and familiarity that uses distance as a device to intensify every element. it's unbelievable how much character & context 1k words of (mostly) smut can pack in. the slivers of backstory demand your investment, inform the dynamic in crucial ways and set up some delicious stakes and tension. and some absolutely fantastic dirty talk. see also: @getawayfox's gorgeous art for this fic!

long haul (E, 8.6k) ft. plane rides, mile high club, nyc

The last person Harry expects to run into on a long haul flight to New York City is Draco Malfoy.

the way wolf writes movement— between places, between people— strokes its way up your spine, warms you, walks with you. draco and harry, buoyed in the air, let preconceived notions fall away, to be replaced by startlingly rapid and exquisite intimacy. the liminal settings, specifically, allow mature, open-minded, desirous characterisation & some of the most glorious, soft, tender sex to fall into like a warm bed.

look for me in the sun (M, 8.7k) ft. americana, roadtrip/on-the-run vibes

Harry and Draco are on the run in America after a mysterious string of werewolf-like attacks in the Muggle community causes the Ministry to impose new and harsh anti-werewolf legislation.

atmospheric writing dialled up to eleven, like the smell of ozone in the air before a thunderstorm. the sense of limbo— transience, out of place and time, the complication of home— that afflicts the circumstances of draco & harry here is heart-wrenching. a taut rumination on otherness in a variety of ways, rendered through some of the most tense and subtle writing i've encountered.

under giant mountains (E, 33.7k) ft. norwegian dragon reserves & rampant escapist tendencies

Harry doesn't know where he's going. Everyone else has their life paths figured out; he doesn't even know where his map is. Who'd have thought Draco Malfoy bathing in a Norwegian forest would be the guidepost Harry needed?

opens with harry, stuck in the same place for far too long, and draco, avoiding fixity like the plague. this fic looks at both stagnation and escapism as iterations of each other & treats them with the gentlest empathy. the norwegian dragon reserve setting, whose visuality wolf's writing captures beautifully, becomes the canvas to explore both. desire, here, was simultaneously so evident from the outset and took its time to build— longing tinged every interaction & payoff, in the form of a sequence of some of the most emotionally fraught sex scenes i've ever read, was that much sweeter.

romp and circumstance (E, 35k) ft. a historical au set in the 1800s, regency era england

Since the war, Harry Potter has gone from Saviour to Scoundrel—not that he’s complaining. With a schedule full of gorgeous men, alcohol, and late nights, why would he want to change? Enter Draco Malfoy: beautiful, sharp, and completely untouchable. When Draco comes to Harry with a proposition to help him attract an engagement, Harry’s up for it—after all, how hard can it be not falling for his former nemesis? Very hard, apparently.

the very first wolf fic i read, in a brief little fandom interlude back in 2022. i remember thinking, then, what an author, i'm really missing out these days. one of my favourite post-war harry characterisations— raucous, promiscuous, messy and at heart, a hopeless romantic. also one of my favourite draco characterisations— pristine, a little uptight, cool and distant and untouchable, except what he really wants is to be unbuttoned, messed up. the transforming sentiments of their relationship were so compelling, the build of harry's feelings was perfectly achey and tender and this draco was a complex, nuanced, frightfully sexy version that i just couldn't turn away from.

pages of you (E, 101k) ft. a 1980s non-magical au

Summer, 1980. Harry is floating between university and becoming a Real Certified Adult. He's not ready. He really isn't. In a desperate attempt to have the Best Last Summer ever, he takes a casual job at his godfather's bookshop in London, starts an illicit pen pal affair with a wordy posh boy that he's catching feelings for, all while dealing with the son of Sirius's business rival, one Draco Malfoy, insufferable know-it-all extraordinaire.

gosh, what a fic. sensitive and sprawling, this work brings the spatialities of london, sirius and remus' queer comfort of a bookshop and harry's room at the residence halls to pulsing, colourful, splendid life. i can still close my eyes and imagine the spaces this fic occurs in, how important they are to the push and pull, ups and downs of the dynamic between harry and draco. a coming-of-age/sexual awakening & exploration story, summer romance and queer political fiction rolled into one, this is a fic that's hard to summarise and easy to obsess over. perfect characterisations, writing that burrows into your soul and a plot that unfolds with the slow and steady depth of gentle lake.

and lastly, a fic that's on my tbr:

terrible people (E, 52.7k) ft. cruises, beach holidays and more of @getawayfox's masterpieces

What happens when Harry and Draco end up on the same Muggle gay cruise? They certainly didn't plan for it to happen (but their friends might have). They're stuck with each other for a week, they might as well make the most of it, right?

in conclusion: vivid, descriptive, immersive storytelling from an author who understands the intricacies of different narrative elements and leverages them masterfully. can't wait to read the works i haven't, and for everything wolf writes in the future!

[frostfires-blog]

Sousou no Frieren Hanakotoba Analysis

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-> 1) Blue-Moon Weed [蒼月草│Sō gessō]

The Blue-Moon Weed (Sō gesso │ 蒼月草) is a blue, fictitious flower in the universe of Sousou no Frieren endemic to Himmel's hometown. The flower can be described as having blue anthers, yellow filaments as well as five petals that range from deeper blue at the tips to lighter blue in the centre. Although the Blue-Moon Weed is fictional, it appears to be inspired by real-life plants—namely Baby Blue Eyes and the Asiatic Daylily.

During episode 2, Frieren cleans a statue of Himmel the hero, afterwards a local herbalist proposes planting some flowers around the statue to brighten the area. This causes Frieren to recall how Himmel once told her his favourite flowers were Blue-Moon Weeds. This motivates her to search for these flowers over the next six months, despite these plants not being sighted for decades. After much frustration on Fern's part, the two eventually discover a small meadow of Blue-Moon Weed flowers atop an abandoned watchtower. This allows Frieren to use her spell to decorate the area around the statue with these flowers.  During this incident, we learn that Frieren’s penchant for collecting odd spells partly stems from Himmel expressing his appreciation for them—particularly the flower bed-making spell which is currently her favourite. Although Frieren couldn’t grant Himmel’s desire to show her Blue-Moon Weed flowers before his death, she was still somewhat able to fulfil this desire by finding the flowers and planting them around his statue as a tribute. Her willingness to devote half a year towards finding the flower showcases her remarkable dedication and nuanced sentimentality.

-> 1,2) Baby Blue Eyes (Nemophila sp.)

The most apparent inspiration for the Blue-Moon Weed is likely Baby Blue Eyes (Nemophila sp.). Although the leaves of the Blue-Moon Weed have an elongated shape, the shape and method of attachment differ from those of Nemophila—the shape and colour of the flowers are very similar to Nemophila. Baby Blue Eyes flowers are known as Rurikarakusa (ルリカラクサ) in Japan. In hanakotoba, Nemophila symbolises success everywhere, daintiness and forgiveness. In Western floriography, they represent victory, tenderness, sensitivity, harmony and trust. These symbolic connotations are closely linked with Himmel’s personality and accomplishments. Nemophila also represent the transient nature of beauty and life, encouraging us to treasure every moment and appreciate simplicity—which is a core theme in the series and is a lesson that Frieren is slowly learning throughout her journey.

The scientific name for Baby Blue Eyes, Nemophila, is derived from Greek and roughly translates to "loves small woodlands". This is derived from Nemophila's tendency to grow around the margins of woodlands. In a way, this is reminiscent of Himmel and Frieren's first encounter in the forest when the former became lost. After pointing him in the right direction, Frieren casts the flower bed-making spell leaving a lasting impact on Himmel. Specifically, it is hinted that Himmel sought Frieren out to be the party's magician since that event was the first time he perceived magic as being beautiful.

-> 1,2) Asiatic Dayflower (Commelina communis)

Another possible inspiration for the Blue-Moon Weed is the Asiatic Dayflower (Commelina communis). In Japan, this plant is known as tsuyukusa (露草) meaning "dew grass“. However, in ancient times it was called tsukikusa (月草) meaning “moon grass” which is similar to the name of Blue-Moon Weed. Although the two plants both possess blue-coloured flowers and similar leaf shapes; how the leaves attach to the stem differs, as does the shape of the flowers. In hanakotoba, the Asiatic Dayflower symbolises nostalgic relationships, secret love, transience and changes of heart in love. In Western floriography, they symbolise harmony, growth, prosperity and abundance. These symbolic associations—particularly those of nostalgic relationships, growth and changes of the heart in love—resonate heavily with Frieren’s relationship with Himmel. While the flower’s symbolism of secret love and transience resonates with Himmel’s feelings towards Frieren.

-> 2) Mirrored Lotus [鏡蓮華│Kagami renge]

The Mirror Lotus (Kagami renge │鏡蓮華) is a fictitious flower in the universe of Sousou no Frieren. However, its name suggests it is based on a real lotus (Nelumbo nucifera). Furthermore, the shape of the flower on Fern's bracelet is quite similar to that of a real lotus, which lends credence to this notion. In episode 14, it is noted that the silver bracelet Stark bought Fern for her birthday features a Mirror Lotus design. As Frieren studies the bracelet, she realises it has the same design as a ring she received from Himmel in the past. Sein then reveals that the Mirror Lotus symbolises eternal love.

Although Fern, Stark, and Frieren were unaware of the flower's symbolism, Himmel's interest in flowers suggests he recognised the meaning behind the ring he bought for Frieren—despite her assumption otherwise. As Frieren recalls receiving the ring, we see that after she selected it randomly Himmel was struck into silence and stared at it with a pensive expression. He then knelt before Frieren and placed it on the fourth finger of her left hand. This event, resembling a marriage proposal, reinforces the impression that he understood the significance of the flower. Furthermore, Himmel never married anyone else, alluding to the fact that Himmel must have pledged his eternal affection to Frieren through this ring. The significance of Himmel gifting Frieren a ring that symbolises "eternal love," as well as the multiple sculptures he had constructed around the world serve as a reminder of his existence. They serve as proof that his love for her transcends time and continues to accompany her on her journey.

Although Fern’s bracelet Fern and Frieren’s ring both have a mirrored lotus motif, the designs of the flowers differ in shape. The mirror lotus flower on Frieren’s ring is in bud state while the flower Fern's bracelet is in full bloom. This distinction references the difference between the two pairs’ relationships. While it is inferred that Himmel knew about the flower’s meaning, Frieren wasn't aware and only discovered it after his death. Himmel's romantic feelings for Frieren are still unknown to her, corresponding to the flower's bud shape on the ring, as their relationship remains frozen, unable to fully blossom due to the distance between them caused by their differing lifespans and Frieren's unintentional obliviousness. However, Fern and Stark discover the flower's significance together almost immediately after buying the bracelet. Although Fern, like Stark, was unaware of the mirror lotus' symbolism when she accepted the bracelet, she continued to wear it after learning about it and was enraged by Stark's proposal that she replace it with another design. If Fern hadn't had any romantic feelings for Stark, she would have been reluctant to wear the bracelet after this revelation. This, in conjunction with the flower's full bloom design on her bracelet, suggests that the pair will become mutually conscious of each other's romantic feelings and eventually end up together.

-> 2,1) Sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)

In Japan, lotuses are called ren (蓮) or hasu (はす) and symbolise eloquence, sacredness, detached love as well as a pure heart in hanakotoba. Its symbolism of a pure heart is derived from how the lotus blooms into a noble and pure flower despite rising from muddy water. This symbolic connotation resonates with Himmel’s character, particularly his remarkable accomplishments despite his humble background. Lotuses are also globally associated with purity, rebirth, transformation and enlightenment. The lotus’s symbolic representation of enlightenment and transformation resonates with Frieren’s journey to learn and understand humans better to alleviate her regret of not getting to know Himmel better. In Asia, two lotus flowers blossoming from a single stem represent a desire for harmony and a shared heart. While in Western floriography, lotuses represent grace and estranged love. This sharp contrast between the lotus’ romantic symbolism in Asia and the West correlates with the difference in dynamic between the series’ main two pairings and their narrative conclusions. Additionally, despite Himmel’s feelings remaining unknown to Frieren, due to her leaving after their 10-year journey (i.e. estranged love), she shows a desire to understand him (i.e. a desire for a shared heart) after his death.

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╰➤ Other anime & donghua hanakotoba posts

[A/N: It'll probably be a while until I make another one of these posts—but if anyone has any requests feel free to send them. Also, lmk what other kinds of posts I should do in the meantime? Lastly, if you liked this post, check out my other hanakotoba analysis posts✿]

[stirringwinds]

are there certain visual themes or imagery you yourself particularly associate with yao as an artist or writer? i'm trying to visualize the nations better...

hmmm, interesting question. i like incorporating nature imagery into the hetalias, especially old nations like yao. there's something mythical and compelling about the sense of age and vastness that evokes. these are some (non-exhaustive) thoughts i've had:

a. i always associate yao with rivers and water; the Yellow River in particular, which is often seen as the "cradle" of Chinese civilisation (but of course, there's also the Yangtze, and the Pearl River too). rivers are life-giving but also untameable, powerful and dangerous—the Yellow River's fertile silt birthed agriculture and civilisation, but its destructive floods have claimed uncounted lives over the millennia of Chinese history. and...that's kind of how yao is, as a nation and an empire, towards others of their kind. the source of cultural and artistic innovations, but also death. water can be fluid, life-giving and nurturing, but also as treacherous as a torrential flood sweeping everything away, no?

like the Yellow River's relationship with humanity, yao's impact on world history feels to me like this duality of life and death; peace and warfare; mentor, empire, conqueror... it's like, yao's been a teacher to many others but...i don't think their predominant image of him is as a warm and nurturing figure. maybe more so with his own people, but less so with other nations. being the old warlord he is, he'd say certain things very matter-of-factly (especially to yong-soo and kiku), about how power is the only language their kind universally understands, or about history being written by the victors (when we consider how the only surviving written sources about certain periods of asian history are only chinese ones...), inasmuch he'd talk about the importance of confucian virtue, integrity and humility on other occasions.

b. for obvious reasons; dragons—they and rivers both have that overlapping association of being serpentine, powerful and untameable. in contrast to how european dragons often took on villainous roles and were harbingers of disaster, it's important to note chinese dragons usually have far more positive cultural connotations. they symbolise prosperity, fortune and are guardians; often associated with power over water (so again; Yao and rivers and water.) many dragons are associated with a particular river or sea. they're also believed to have powers over the weather and were often prayed to. after all, the capriciousness of the rains ruled people's lives so much through natural disasters or made a difference between a bountiful harvest and a famine. so, i think at various points in history his people might also have understood him as a literal dragon (spirit/deity) walking around in a human guise. dragons are also a visual staple of chinese culture, from statues to jewellery. at the same time: while they're auspicious symbols—dragons can of course have aggressive and far less benign connotations if we consider how they became symbols of the emperor—and thus chinese imperial power and dominion over others. he evokes majesty, but also dread from that perspective.

c. plum blossoms: much like the sakura in japanese culture, plum blossoms are one beloved motif you'll see showing up in chinese art and literature throughout history. they're elegant and ethereal, also a symbol of both transience and renewal in a way, i'd say—their blossoms wither and die, but they come back each year. there's also that saying about how without a bitter cold, you won't have the sweet fragrance of plum blossoms, because they start blooming in winter. that's...very yao to me. china, as an idea, makes me think of a lot of elegant and refined traditional culture (like poetry or paintings) which plum blossoms recall—but i also think of humbler themes—the simpler idea of someone and something who is enduring, adaptable and resilient. who endures the harshest weather time and time again until spring arrives, the way my (peasant) ancestors probably did, carving their way through all the hardships of chinese history. yao might appear refined in an indulgent, wealthy way when he's dressed in his finest silk hanfu or a smart western suit in the modern day—but if you shake his hand, his palms are always callused and you can just see the weight (and hard-won experience) of centuries in his gaze.

[illegaltruffle]

Under The Same Starry Sky

for my guild's March theme, Transience :]

[pixiesempire]

I really like the theory that the winners of each season of the Life SMP help to create the theme for next one, but I've always thought that it makes more sense for the Runner Ups to create this instead. I don't know if anyone has published this yet, but here's my own thoughts <3

Hear me out!!!!

The truth of the games are that there are no winners, not really. And the watchers would know this and use it to their advantage. Instead of using the winners they would use the person in second place as there is no true reward for winning the games.

First Case: Third Life-Last Life, GoodTimesWithScar. The man who saw his own lives slipping away as fast as he could count them. The guy who fell to his lack of care and acted as though he had a million lives left to live. He would've won if he had more chances, which is exactly why he chose to give everyone more chances at living. To be granted more lives, and he of all people to receive the highest amount.

Second Case: Last Life-Double Life, RenDog. The man who bound his life to serve LDShadowlady, whose own life fell to Scott who won through the strength of his alliance with Pearl. RenDog saw how his own alliance crumbled through the whims of BigB and Cleo, how he would've devoted himself to Lizzie if she hadn't turned red. So he created the shtick of Double Life to keep alliances strong and loyal. To ensure that even as reds, you're not alone. For everyone to have a chance, the act of a truly honorable man.

Third Case: Double Life-Limited Life, Scott, the man who defeated The Scarlet Pearl. She was left alone and desolate, and something wicked this way came from the reminder of her witchy brilliance. That nobody could trust anyone, not truly; she was Scott’s soul bound, and they rejected each other. He created Limited Life so in this new world where the reward for killing others is so sweet, you are forever reminded of your own transience. Watch your time, he commands, and keep track. Watch the sands of your hourglass fall and fall and fall and show everybody who you become between life and death. Show whether the reminder changes you. Never forget that killing someone is a reward and to ally with somebody you are devoting your life to them: as you are reminded constantly, death is imminent and it will show your true colours.

Fourth Case: Limited Life-Secret Life, ImpulseSV. The runner up of Third Life and Limited Life and in both universes, betrayed. He refuses to allow himself to truly trust another again. As a reminder of his pain, he says keep your secrets, or there will be punishment and failure. To win is to trust yourself and not to reveal your true ambitions. For the man with strong alliances and a powerful sense of loyalty, the reminder is necessary. You can never truly trust anyone. Not really. Not after the sting of their betrayal is felt for all of life to come, he will never let his trust to be flawed again. And the best way to know this is to never trust at all.

The argument can be made that they forget their own contribution to the games before they start. The only thing to watch for now is what Pearl will command to create the next season...

[nicholaskyleedwards]

Fragments of Absence

A crescent shape cut from smoke,

neither whole nor shadow,

a faint mirage shrouded in mourning.

lines etched, curling, incomplete,

tendrils of lost moments

searching for form.

What strength,

What wall of silence

kept me distant

from the sharp outline of absence?

Night fell like a slow tide,

cradling fragments of what was taken.

two trembling cries,

a flicker against the cold expanse.

The harvest of sorrow spins,

threads unravel into voids.

glass splits,

and memories scatter

like quicksilver across a trembling hand.

Themes: Loss, grief, incompleteness, transience.

Tone: Melancholic, reflective, sorrowful. The poem conveys the experience of mourning, unable to hold onto the memories and emotions that feel just out of reach.

[galleryofart]

L'Umana Fragilità (Human Fragility)

Artist: Salvator Rosa (Italian, 1615–1673)

Date: First half of 17th century

Medium: Oil on canvas

Collection: The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, England

Human Fragility

In 1655 a devastating plague swept Naples. Salvator Rosa's son, Rosalvo, his brother, his sister, her husband and five of their children, all died. The transience of human life was a recurring theme in seventeenth-century painting and thought, but for Rosa, in the year he made this painting, the subject had a tragic immediacy. A letter to his friend Ricciardi makes clear the effect this multiple bereavement had upon him: 'This time heaven has struck me in such a way that shows me that all human remedies are useless and the least pain I feel is when I tell you that I weep as I write.'

One can imagine him weeping as he painted L'Umana Fragilità.

Despite its universal, eternal theme – the frailty of human life – this is an intensely personal painting. The tired-looking, strangely passive seated woman is a portrait of Lucrezia, Salvator's mistress and the mother of Rosalvo. The child, his wrist clasped by Death, represents the artist's dead son. The ring of pale roses around the mother's head is probably an allusion to the family name. Salvator's own initials appear at the very bottom of the canvas, on the blade of the knife, a death symbol, the ruthless steel that has severed his family from him.

[its-tea-time-darling]

is the mole interest renaissance the time we can finally talk about the 5 minute 34 seconds long scene in goncharov that’s just a shot of a mole digging around the earth?

because honest to god i am TIRED of that scene getting brushed over just bcuz there’s none of our favorite repressed homosexuals in it. like can you IMAGINE the guts it took to pack a scene like that into a mafia movie??

and honestly at the time people picked up on the themes that scene was really hammering home—the fact that we all return to the earth after our deaths, no matter how good or vile of a life we lead was so indulgently shown by having that mole plow through the dirt of those 13 fresh graves on the naples russian cemetery.

and it doesn’t matter that we don’t know who lies in those graves. what matters is the transience of human life in the wake of nature—incorporated stunningly by that one, lonely

mole.

retelling of the mole scene on ao3

[blorboscran]

松田＆萩原のパチパチ爆弾ケーキ/Matsuda ＆Hagiwara’s Crackling Bomb Cake (translation unofficial)

was a dessert available at Detective Conan Cafe from April 1st to June 26th 2022, depending on the location, for 1760 yen including tax. Themed after the deaths of the characters, the bomb shaped cake capitalized on the popularity of the (particularly) cop-centric spin off and also promoted the franchise’s 25th mainline movie.

The chocolate cake—served on a slab—included icing “wires” and a variety of textures, with what seems to have been popping candy and blood-red dried raspberries. It also included faux-sakura representing the transience of the characters' lives, if not Hagiwara’s nationalism.

While Matsuda & Hagiwara’s Crackling Bomb Cake was the only dish of its kind on the BLOOM OF POLICE menu, the POLICE’S CAFETERIA menu represented the pair with a conceptually similar entrée, a bakudandon (literally “bomb-bowl”). As both menus ran concurrently, a dedicated customer could have a morbidly explosive two course meal.

[pmamtraveller]

OLD COQUETTE | c. 1637 | by BERNARDO STROZZI

The painting shows an old woman, who is probably a courtesan or a mistress— she adorns herself with jewelry and make-up. This is the kind of subject matter that is typical in the vanitas, a genre that portrays the fleetingness of earthly pleasures and the inescapable death.

This composition features a close-up view of the woman's face and upper body as well. It's hard to ignore the emphasis on her ornate jewelry and makeup. Despite her age, she retains a sense of coquettishness, all of which implies a desire to hold onto her youthfulness. 

Symbolism is a key element in this piece, with the woman's aged face and the presence of a mirror serving as reminders of the transience nature of beauty and the inevitability of aging and death.

The contrast between the woman's aged face and the vibrant colors of her attire and her surrounding element emphasize the theme of impermanence,—highlighting hugely the contrast between youth and aging.

Strozzi's composition creates a very dramatic sense of depth surrounding the central figure, accomplished by the use of light and shadow. The woman's stare directly engages the viewer and invites them to reflect and ponder the deeper meaning of the painting.

[brielledoesastrology]

Asteroid Makoto Shinkai (55222) in your astrology natal chart

By : Brielledoesastrology (tumblr)

“Have we...met before, somewhere else?"

asteroid "Makoto Shinkai" code number : 55222

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Makoto Shinkai is a renowned Japanese filmmaker known for his work in the field of anime and animated films.

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He gained international recognition for his visually stunning and emotionally resonant films that often explore themes of love, distance, and human connections.

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Shinkai is often praised for his attention to detail, beautifully rendered backgrounds, and ability to evoke a sense of melancholy in his storytelling.

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One of Shinkai's most famous works is the film "Your Name" (Kimi no Na wa), released in 2016. It became a massive commercial success both in Japan and worldwide, earning critical acclaim for its stunning animation, compelling story, and emotional depth. The film follows the story of two teenagers who mysteriously swap bodies and eventually develop a connection that transcends time and space.

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Some of Shinkai's other notable works include "5 Centimeters per Second" (2007), which portrays a tale of long-distance love and the passage of time, and "Weathering with You" (2019), a film about a boy who encounters a girl with the ability to control the weather.

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Shinkai's films often incorporate elements of fantasy and science fiction while exploring human relationships and the impact of time and distance on personal connections.

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Makoto Shinkai's distinct visual style and ability to tell deeply emotional stories have made him a prominent figure in the anime industry, and he is widely regarded as one of the most talented and influential anime directors of his generation.

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Makoto Shinkai's art style is characterized by its breathtaking visuals, attention to detail, and emphasis on capturing the beauty of natural landscapes.

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His films often feature meticulously drawn and painted backgrounds that showcase realistic and stunning scenery, ranging from sprawling cityscapes to serene rural landscapes. Shinkai pays great attention to atmospheric effects, such as light, shadow, and weather, which contribute to the overall mood and tone of his works.

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Shinkai's style tends to be more grounded and less exaggerated compared to some other anime styles. His characters often have a realistic appearance, with subtle facial expressions that convey complex emotions.

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Shinkai focuses on capturing the nuances of human emotions, particularly the feelings of longing, yearning, and the bittersweet nature of love and relationships.

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Color plays an essential role in Shinkai's art style. He often employs vibrant and vivid colors to create visually striking scenes, especially during key emotional moments.

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The use of contrasting colors and lighting techniques helps to evoke a sense of atmosphere and depth in his compositions.

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Shinkai's art style combines technical excellence with an ability to convey powerful emotions through visuals. His attention to detail, stunning backgrounds, and skillful use of color contribute to the distinctive and visually captivating nature of his films.

(source : chat gpt)

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In astrology the asteroid "Makoto shinkai" (55222) could represent : where you have great talent in your art works or story telling, where your art work or story telling have emotional depth, where your artwork or story has really amazing visual beauty, where your art work or story telling have reflection on transience, where your art work or story telling is very inspirational, where your art work or story telling is greatly admired or loved by a lot of people, where you prefer to make your art works or story telling more to the realistic side

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⚠️ Warning : i consider this asteroid as prominent and brings the most effect if it conjuncts ur personal planets (sun,moon,venus,mercury,mars) and if it conjuncts ur personal points (ac,dc,ic,mc), i use 0 - 2.5 orbs (for conjunctions). For sextile, trine, opposite and square aspects to asteroids i usually use 0 - 2 orbs. Yes tight conjunctions of planet / personal points to asteroids tends to give the most effect, but other aspects (sextile,trine,square,opposite, etc) still exist, even they produce effects. If it doesn't aspect any of your planets or personal points, check the house placement of the asteroid, maybe some stuff/topics relating to this asteroid could affect some topics/stuff relating to the house placement . ⚠️