#this was the best part of vol 5 just them being so casual

[lastofthe20thcenturygirls]

maomao:

also maomao: don't worry and just marry consort lishu, jinshi-sama. i am even ignoring that basen and lishu were giving heart eyes to each other. just go ahead and marry her it's cool :)

[theydontknowaboutusimagines]

Sunflower - Harry Styles AU Series (Volume 8)

The year is 1977 and it’s officially summertime. Y/N is spending it with her family at the Malibu Breeze Hotel, where she meets, aspiring musician, Harry Styles. The two clash in the beginning, but soon realize they may just need each other in the end. Find out just how life changing one summer can be in Sunflower, a Harry Styles AU.  Here is part 8of Sunflower. Hope you enjoy it! 

Vol. 1 Vol. 2   Vol. 3  Vol. 4 Vol. 5 Vol. 6 Vol. 7 

I stood there, mouth agape, as I watched the random woman press her lips against Harry’s. He quickly pushed her away from him, but it didn’t matter. I needed to get out of there. I had gotten my answer on what I was to Harry and just who he was. I turned on my heel heading out the backdoor not bothering to hear or see what might transpire between those two. I didn’t care.

At least that’s what I kept telling myself. The problem was I did care. I cared a hell of a lot, but I shouldn’t. He never once acted nice to me or acted as if he had feelings for me. Yeah, we shared a kiss, but it’s not like it meant anything. At least, not to him, so it seems. By the time, I made it out to the parking lot of the venue, the air was colder than when I had first arrived.

A rainstorm had blown in, leaving the asphalt dark, wet, and slippery. I had a bit of a long walk back to the hotel and instantly regretted not bringing a sweater. I sighed knowing I better get moving and made my way down the highway.

About a half a mile down the road, I see my first set of headlights shining from behind me. My heartbeat quickened a bit hoping that one, the driver of the car didn’t hit me, and two, they didn’t snatch me off the side of the road either. My last thought triggered my legs to move a little quicker and curse myself for not trying to get a ride with Sarah and Mitch.

I could hear the faint sound of music coming from the oncoming car as they began to slow down. I gulped gripping onto my guitar case, ready to use as a weapon if need be. I highly doubted it would do much of anything, but I’m sure it would buy me some time.

“Y/N!” I heard from inside the car.

I stopped in my tracks, knowing exactly who the voice belonged to.

“I don’t need a ride, Harry,” I told him, not bothering to look in his direction.

“Just get in the fucking car, Y/N,” he said. “You can’t be walking by yourself this late at night.”

“I’m a big girl,” I mumbled.

“Yet, you ran out the door when you saw another chick kiss me instead of confronting me about it?” He asked, raising his eyebrow.

“It’s not like we’re together. We kissed once. You don’t have to answer to me,” I said, turning to face him. “I left because it’s getting late and I need to get back.”

Technically, that last part was not a lie, but it definitely wasn’t the reason why I left so suddenly. Damn him for knowing.

“Look, you’ve got two options,” he sighed. “Either get in the car and I’ll take you back to the hotel myself or I’m gonna follow you the entire way there.”

Rolling my eyes, I reach over opening the door and getting in. I put my guitar in the backseat and looked out the window. Harry puts the car in park.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Before I take you back, we’re going to talk about what happened,” He said.

“I already told you there’s nothing to talk about,” I shrugged.

“So, that’s it, huh?” He asked. “Our kiss meant nothing? You telling me you had feelings for me, was just what? A lie?”

“Fuck you! Why am I being treated like I did something wrong?” I asked.

“So, you admit it. Her kissing me does bother you,” he said.

“Yeah, it does, but it’s fine really. I get it. You’re not a one woman guy. You fuck around with girls all the time beacuse they throw themselves at you, just like I did,” I said. “But I was stupid because I’m going to fuck you. I’m not that type of girl.”

Harry shook his head, “You’re wrong. I’m not gonna lie and say I haven’t fucked myself around, because I have. But it’s not because I’m not a one woman guy. I want that. I want what Mitch and Sarah have, but for some fucking reason I can’t. Because any chick who has ever liked me, likes me for what they think I can give them or that they can brag they’ve fucked me.”

“Then what was that tonight? Huh?” I asked.

“She’s someone from the past. She means nothing,” he answered.

“And me?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“I-I don’t know,” he whispered. “I can’t-I can’t explain what I feel when I’m around you.”

A smile tugs at my lips, “I know what you mean.”

“I uh, I know we just met and we haven’t exactly been on the best of terms, but…” he started before placing his hand next to mine. “I want to figure out whatever this is… between us… I mean as long as you want to…”

My heart flutters at his words. I’m not sure what I should say to his statement, there’s probably a million reasons why I should turn it down, but what if there’s a million and one on why I should say yes. Instead of taking the advice of my head, I listen to my heart.

“Okay, let’s do this,” I smiled, placing my hand over his.

**

The next day I woke up with a smile on my face remembering the night before. This was something I noticed I was doing quite a lot lately. Between playing music with the band and spending time with Harry, I was the happiness I had ever been, at least that I can remember.

It had been a while since I spent some time at the pool, so I decided to grab a book and make my way there. Marianne was still sleeping when I left and I’m sure my parents were still doing their own thing. As I made my way down to the pool, someone grabbed my arm, pulling me into a small hallway.

Just as I opened my mouth in protest, I saw green eyes looking into mine.

“What are you doing?” I laughed.

“I’m on break so…” he said innocently.

“So, you thought it was best to pull me into a hallway?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Only so I could do this,” he whispered, taking my face into his hands and pressing a light kiss against my lips.

Smiling into the kiss, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, leaning my body into his. This kiss was definitely a lot more tamed than our kiss just a few hours ago when he dropped me off at the hotel. I could have easily ended up in his backseat, but I could tell he didn’t want to pressure me.

“How long’s your break?” I asked in between kisses.

“I’ve got like two minutes left,” he said, pulling me closer to him. “Which leads me to my question.”

“And that is?” I asked.

“Wanna hang out later?” He asked. “I get off at four. I can run back to my place, change, and meet you around 5?”

“You asking me out on a date, Styles?” I asked, playing with the collar of his shirt.

“Depends… you sayin’ yes?” He asked.

“What about rehearsal?” I asked.

“We’d be back before then,” he said.

“Hm.. I guess I can swing it,” I told him.

He smirked pressing one last kiss, “Far out! I’ll see you then.”

**

Later that afternoon, I got ready for my date with Harry. I had no clue what we were going to do or what a date with Harry actually entailed. I knew Harry wasn’t exactly fancy, so I went with casual. Flared jeans and a cropped ruffle top. I clipped my hair back and put just a bit of makeup on before grabbing my purse and heading down to where Harry told me to meet him.

I only had to wait about five minutes before he pulled up next to me. I smiled hopping into his car, leaning over to kiss him before I even shut the door behind me.

“You look beautiful,” he smiled.

“Thank you,” I blushed.

He smiled turning up the radio and driving away. We drove down the coast in silence nothing but the sound of the radio and the wind blowing through the open windows. But the silence was far from awkward, we were content, just being together. That’s what’s so weird about being with him, as long as I was around him, it didn’t matter what we were doing.

After about a half hour of driving, he pulls over on the side of the road.

“We’re here,” he smiled.

I raised an eyebrow, “And where is here exactly?”

He laughed, “I brought food. I thought we could have a little picnic dinner. I know it isn’t much.. I know it’s not a boat-”

“Hey, it’s perfect,” I smiled squeezing his hand.

He smiled reaching in the backseat for the basket of food before getting out of the car. I smiled following him and jumping onto the hood of the car as we looked out towards the beach.

He hands me a couple of sandwiches and a bottle of coke.

“Thank you,” I smiled, taking off the plastic wrap and taking a bite.

“Oh, I uh… I meant to ask you about this last night, but we had another conversation,” I said. “But I noticed you were talking with a guy after the show last night. You seemed pretty stoked about whatever he had to say.”

“You saw that huh?” He asked. “That’s actually what I was going to talk about during rehearsals tonight.”

“You gonna make me wait me out?” I asked.

“I should,” he laughed.

“Buuut you’re not right?” I smirked

“I can’t exactly say no to you,” he said. “Anyway, he’s a manager at a record label. He said we had potential and he’ll be in touch about bringing in some of his team to hear us at a show in a few weeks.”

“You’re kidding?” I gasped. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“That we have a chance at a real record label, yeah?” He nodded.

“No fucking way,” I smiled. “This is amazing. Wait- why aren’t you more excited about this?”

“Because I don’t want to get my hopes up,” he said. “This is our first real opportunity and it doesn’t feel real.”

I sighed scooting closer to him, “Well, you can be a little excited about it.”

He sighed looking down, “I don’t wanna fail, Y/N. This… making music… It's been my dream since as long as I can remember. I fucking hate working at The Malibu Breeze…but I know if I don’t make it soon, I’ll be stuck there or in some suit for the rest of life. If this doesn’t work-”

I put my hands on his face, making him look at me, “We’re gonna do this. You, me, the band, we’ve got this.”

Harry pressed his lips against mine, bringing me closer to him, as the sun began to set behind us.

[synvamp]

HAPPY PLACE 3

I am living in fanfiction forever now. Come to a happy place - Vol 7 Ep 5… a little after <3

Slow burn, lots of flirting and fluff.

(Part One HERE)

Title: Healing

Fair Game – Part Three / 4? More?

Rating: M

---xxx---

  Qrow had no intention of going to the training room to meet Clover. His mind was firmly in bed, in the dark, contemplating the void. His body opened the training room door and stepped through.

  Damn it.

  “You came,” Clover grinned, Kingfisher slung casually over one shoulder.

  “No shit,” Qrow said, not mentally prepared for this at all, “So, what did you have in mind?” he asked warily from the door.

  “Best of three.”

  “Really? You want to fight me?” Qrow said, sceptical.

  “I want to kick your ass,” Clover winked.

  One eyebrow slowly rose and then Qrow finally smiled. He put one hand on Harbinger and felt the comfort of the cold steel in his palm, “Well, bring it on,” he said.

  After a few rounds, the world seemed like a better place. Qrow knew he was a good fighter but it was always nice to have a little confirmation. He enjoyed using his body so much. The comfort of sweat and steel, warming his muscles and making him feel like he was in control again.

  Clover’s moves were so graceful and fluid but he lacked the instinctual reflexes that took a fighter from good to near-psychic. In a lot more than three matches, Qrow wouldn’t have lost at all if it wasn’t for Harbinger slipping at just the wrong time and leaving him open to being trussed up like a damn turkey.

  He struggled against the line as Clover unravelled him, “Finally, one to me,” he grinned, sticking out a hand to help Qrow to his feet.

  “I can’t even tell if it’s my bad luck or your good luck,” Qrow sighed, accepting the hand and standing.   

  “Well…” Clover looked at him as if was weighing up his next comment, “It’s like the General assigning me to you in the first place. Your bad luck IS my good luck.”

  Qrow felt relaxed, all the anger worked out of his system. He tried to be annoyed at the reference to Jimmy but instead, he smiled.

  “So, you still on babysitting duty tomorrow then?”

  “Yep,” Clover smiled, “So you’ll just have to look at my gorgeous visage a little longer.”

  “Just my luck,” Qrow replied.

---xxx---

Qrow woke up late, his body feeling sore but strong after the work out the night before. He had a two minute shower, threw his clothes on and headed to the briefing without breakfast.

  At first he thought that Clover hadn’t noticed him skulking in late but he looked up from his scroll just as Qrow sat down.

  “Ah Qrow, you’re here,” he said, a little smile playing on his lips, “Not too sore after last night?”

Jaune spat his coffee all over Marrow, who sighed, “Dude. Gross.”

  Qrow just about fell off his chair, “SPARRING WE WERE SPARRING THANKS CLOVER I’M FINE,” he growled.

  Clover had a little moment at the front of the room. Vulnerable Qrow – adorable. Cocky Qrow – flirtastic. Fighting Qrow – impossibly hot. But angry Qrow – just… wow.

  He’s SO cute when he’s angry…

  Somehow Clover managed to make it through all the team assignments for the day without staring at Qrow for too long. It was hard but he was a highly trained professional, after all.

  And then there he was, at the very last team assignment, “And I’ll..”

  “Be with Qrow, right?” Yang asked, suppressing a smile.

  “Lucky guess,” Clover grinned.

  “Not really,” she replied.

  “Ok then, let’s move out!” Clover shouted.

  After everyone had left, Clover was left with just his little thunder cloud. Qrow looked at him, those perfect red eyes smouldering, “Thank you for that. What I really need in life is my nieces gossiping about my sex life.”

  “I assure you that the thought that my comment could be misinterpreted never entered my mind,” Clover said, furiously trying to keep a straight face.

  Qrow’s eyes widened just a little, “You did it on purpose!”

  Clover leaned over him, “So what if I did?”

  “Are you trying to annoy me?”

  “Maybe a little,” Clover grinned.

  Qrow noticed just how close the other man was to him… just how his muscles moved underneath the criminally thin Specialist uniform… how he smelled…

  “Uh… Why did you pick this mission?” Qrow asked, awkwardly.

  “Time to talk,” Clover said, looking at him with those stupidly green eyes.

  “All you do is talk,” Qrow managed, fighting the urge to lift his arms and pull the man even closer… just a little taste wouldn’t hurt…

  ���All you do is brood and look gorgeous but you don’t hear me making a big deal about it,” Clover smiled.

  A shiver ran down Qrow’s spine and formed a warm puddle in his stomach. Say something oh for the love of ass say something! “Uh, you’re kinda making a big deal about it.”

  “I’m really not,” Clover grinned, “I’m a dramatic guy. If I was making a big deal about it, the whole of Atlas would know.”

  Qrow looked past the perfectly defined shoulder muscles to see Yang waving at him frantically from the end of the corridor, making thumbs up gestures. At least that’s what he hoped they were.

  “Yeah, I’m pretty sure that they know,” Qrow sighed, “You should probably stop though.”

  Clover felt his chest contract. This was it. This was the moment that Qrow told him that he wasn’t interested. This was the moment where he got the bitter sweet joy of watching Qrow walk away.

  He tried to ask why but the words just wouldn’t come. All he could see was the top of Qrow’s head as he tucked his chin down, avoiding eye contact. This is it. This is it.

  Why the hell did I try to rile him up? I’ve got it all wrong!

  Finally, Qrow spoke, his chin buried in his chest, “My semblance. Don’t underestimate it… we saw in the dust mines that you’re not immune. I get that you’re Mr Confidence and all but two weeks with me would really knock that out of you.”

  “Please…” Clover whispered, he didn’t know what to say… his whole heart felt like it was going to climb up his throat and suffocate him… it has to be right… Qrow looked at him, his gorgeous red eyes were wide.

  This is not helping…

  “Please… don’t say that. Don’t bury everything you’ve done like it doesn’t matter. What you’ve done for those kids, what you’ve done for this country… You’re so skilled. You’re so important to them… to all of us. You are so much more than just a semblance, Qrow. Don’t ever forget what you’ve done… who you are.”

  Qrow just looked at him open mouthed with those wide, perfect OH GODS WHY IS HE SO BEAUTIFUL eyes.

  Finally, he turned away, “Yeah, yeah. Just warning you.”

  “Very considerate,” Clover said, he reached out a hand… he wanted to lift Qrow’s chin… look again into those pained and beautiful eyes, “So… two weeks?”

  “What?” Qrow asked.

  “Two weeks. You said two weeks would change my mind. Do you want a bet?”

  Qrow smiled nervously and shook his head, “You’d just use your semblance.”

  Clover leaned in, his lips close enough to puff warm air on Qrow’s ear, “I will use everything.”

  Qrow turned, their faces so close their lips were nearly touching, “You’re kind of intense, you know that?”

  “Do you like it?”

  “I… think I do,” Qrow said, his gaze lingering on Clover’s lips.

  “So…” Clover tried so hard not to lean further… not to press his lips against Qrow’s… “Deal?”

  “And if I say no?”

  “You know I’ll just hang around anyway…”

  Qrow smiled, “Well you’re doomed either way then, I guess.”

  Clover finally gave in. He lifted his calloused hand and cupped that gorgeous alabaster cheek, lifting Qrow’s chin, he kissed his lips. At first he was hesitant, gentle, then he felt Qrow’s lips closing on his own, returning the kiss. He held Qrow closer, wrapping him up in an embrace, clasping his slim waist and feeling the heat of his body as they pressed together.

  Down the corridor, Yang gave herself a high five.

  Finally, they parted, dazed… breathless.

  Doomed, thought Qrow, I am absolutely doomed.

  ---xxx---

Part Four

[happymetalgirl]

Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind

Apart from the finally realizing release of Tool’s exasperatingly long-teased fifth album next month and arguably Rammstein’s ten-year-awaited self-titled album, Slipknot’s We Are Not Your Kind is and was always going to be 2019′s biggest metal release, and since its release its chart success has fulfilled that prophecy.

 Every new Slipknot release is quite the momentous and fixating occasion for the metal community, both for fans of the band their detractors, and part of these new releases feeling like such a big occasion is because they don’t come often. Despite the band blowing up in no modest sense of the phrase at the turn of the millennium with the one-two punches of their iconic self-titled debut and its successor, Iowa, the band have only released four more albums (including this one) in the nearly two decades since their sophomore album in 2001. And despite the motifs of brotherhood the band make a notable part of their image, the tight-knittedness among the nine of them there always seems to be some kind of inner tension or circumstantial tumult surrounding the band and these releases that results in hiatuses and hold-ups that result in these long push-backs.

The band took a hiatus right after Iowa’s draining touring cycle and volatile recording process that nearly prevented them from getting their first Grammy with 2004′s Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses), after which they took another hiatus before the tense and disjointed recording of 2008′s All Hope Is Gone, which the band have since cited in hindsight as a low-point of moral for them. Bassist Paul Gray’s death after the album’s touring cycle understandably put the band’s future in doubt and, along with the departure of longtime and beloved drummer Joey Jordison, contributed to the six-year gap between All Hope Is Gone and .5: The Gray Chapter (this album’s predecessor), which I consider their best work since Iowa. And Remember when Jim Root said he didn’t want the next Slipknot album to take a long-ass time... back in 2015? Yet, here we are, nearly five years after album number five with album number six. And yet, Slipknot consistently remains one of metal’s most recognized figureheads and biggest touring acts. I mean, fucking Slayer opened for them the first time I saw them live.

As much as we can take their presence for granted at this point, Slipknot’s unprecedented ascent from the desolation of Iowa to worldwide stardom and maintenance of it with a lot of “despite” along the way is certainly spectacularly intriguing. And the band’s sustained high profile could be owed as much to the band’s magnificent balancing act of raw, death-flavored nu metal and anthemic alternative metal as it is to frontman Corey Taylor’s notorious charisma with the metal press and his ability to draw headlines and speak so widely and mostly eloquently to and for the metal community. Like if this genre had to elect a president for some reason and candidates had to campaign for it like any other presidency, Corey Taylor would easily be the most poised to demagogue his way into office, with Loudwire Fox-News-ing behind him the whole way there, and that hypothetical scenario is the only time I will liken Corey Taylor to Donald Trump because I know the former really does not like the latter. But again, Slipknot’s career has been an impressive balancing act of infectious melodies and tasty grooves with unbridled visceral aggression that unites both casual and deeply invested metal fans and that a lot of other bands see as the optimum career model in this day and age (often citing Slipknot as the last big metal band to get hugely culturally relevant outside metal). So with the twenty-year mark of the debut of heavy metal’s arguably last big figure, how does that band’s sixth record contribute to the preservation of their relevance?

Like just about every Slipknot album before it, We Are Not Your Kind came with its own contextual tempest, this time being percussionist Chris Fehn’s suing of the rest of the band for financial injustices just a week and a half after the album’s announcement and swift subsequent dismissal from the band, leaving only six of the nine members that recorded the band’s first four albums. As much as the band’s proclamations of camaraderie in the face of one internal conflict after another might seem unfounded, internal disputes and line-up metamorphoses are a common reality of most bands, and it’s not surprising that the nine members in a band twice the size of the average band in the genre get sick of each other and fall out in some way. They can’t all be Rammstein, but even that marriage has had its rough patches despite never suffering a line-up change. But the falling out with Chris Fehn is not like your usual “creative differences” or “time for a new chapter”. The allegations of unethical financial misconduct by his former bandmates of his lawsuit are seriously heavy and potentially quite damaging to Slipknot’s and that hypothetical metal president’s reputation. Yet it has been relatively quiet since Fehn’s departure, the potential juiciness of which would be undoubtedly squeezed by any surrounding press, which has led to a lot of speculation about the band perhaps trying to resolve this with Fehn quietly and diplomatically and about his yet-unidentified replacement perhaps not being a replacement at all. And I bring this up because of “All out Life”, the single that was released in late 2018 from which this album’s title is derived that I did not place on my year-end best songs list last year because it sure seemed like it was intended to be on an album. Despite being a truly ripping riff-fest featuring the album’s title as a lyric, “All out Life” was curiously left off the final track listing of We Are Not Your Kind, which led to speculations of it being left off for legal reasons in the face of this pending lawsuit (being that Fehn was featured on the track). Yet, the song made it onto the Japanese release of the album as a bonus track at the end, which leads me to explain how I’m going to be assessing this album. “All out Life” is a great, identifiably Slipknot track and the album is better with it, and while it’s not the most official part of the album, I’m listening to the album with it every time, and I’m including it as part of the album for all assessment purposes. It’s a song the feels like it was intended to be more of an opening statement right after a signature Slipknot intro track, and its sudden finish feels a little weird at the end of the album, but it works in its own way as a more abrupt closer more effectively than “Solway Firth” does as a not-so-grand finale. So, yeah, for the good of this album, I’m taking its differently-titled-not-included title track into account.

Okay! Wow! That’s a lot of context; let’s have a peaceful, uneventful album roll-out next time guys, even though I’m sure the seventh album being due to be released (by extrapolation of the pattern of its predecessors’ releases) during the Kanye presidency will inevitably come with some more gaffs, laughs, and way-too-long preambles, maybe stick it out for one more album, Clown, for me, so I don’t have to write another history paper. (Good God what am I going to do next month with Tool’s new album) OKAY! Enough! On to the fucking musical content of Slipknot’s sixth album.

Like I said, I really loved this album’s predecessor, .5: The Gray Chapter; the band were dialed in both compositionally and performatively all throughout the measuredly varied track listing, and the production was spot-on, with Corey sounding assertive and with Mick Thompson’s and Jim Root’s guitar tone to fucking die for. We Are Not Your Kind is a different story. It’s not a stylistically or procedurally radical departure or anything, and much of the production carries over from their last album. But there’s a certain twist to the band’s otherwise enrapturing X factor that feels like they’re trying to do something unnatural for them. And a lot of it stems from the odd bits of widely noted experimentation among the longer-on-average tracks across this album compared to previous albums. It’s not that the band haven’t incorporated diversions into industrial or eerie ambient tension-building territory in the past, but albums past have incorporated these non-exclusively-metal features in cohesive ways that contribute supportively to the albums’ flow, whereas here, the flow of certain songs and certain sections of the album feel disjointed as a result. Also contributing to the weird flow of the album is the distinct era-mimicking of certain songs (quite possibly unintentionally). The album’s opening song after the “Insert Coin” intro track (which might unfortunately be the most meager and least effective hype-building intro track of the band’s six albums) and lead single, “Unsainted”, feels quite like it’s 2019′s “Sulfur”, with the similarly alternating gruff alt. metal verses and soaring cleans on the melodic choruses and the bridge slowdown. Like “Sulfur”, I find the primary melody sufficiently anthemic, and even though I wish the band did more with the choir supplementation that kicks the melody off, I quite like the song. But then there are stylistically schizophrenic trajectory and flow disruptions not too long after, like the distinctly Vol. 3-type groove-banger, “Nero Forte”, whose pair of headbang-inducing nu metal beat and falsetto melody and the battle snare drum march at the bridge akin to “The Blister Exists” are certain calling cards to the band’s third album. Fans seem to have taken quite a liking to this song in particular, and I like the delicious nu metal riffage at the core of it, but I feel like the song is a bit repetitive as it goes on and still needs to do a little more across its run time to feel as fulfilling as it should be. I’m sure it’ll get the crowds moving though, and I sure appreciate that.

The album even presents even full-on callbacks to the fast-paced visceral vitriol of Iowa on “Red Flag” and the industrial nu metal creepiness of the debut on “Birth of the Cruel”. The pensive acoustic strumming and seething melodic guitar work of the interestingly emotionally progressive “A Liar’s Funeral” also feels somewhat lifted from the dynamic of the band’s previous album (which makes for a pretty bright highlight in my eyes). “Orphan” and “Not Long for This World” revel in the same thick, crunchy guitar tone, metallic percussion, loud-soft dynamics, emotive guitar melodies, and elevating chorus vocal melodies that made songs like “Nomadic”, “Sarcatrophe”, and “The One That Kills the Least” on The Gray Chapter so integral to its consistency, and “Critical Darling” feels like it pairs Iowa-reminiscent violent alternative metal verses with a Vol. 3-esque melodic chorus. Again, I quite like these songs. And on their own they are mostly well-composed and all fine and dandy, and I’m certainly not knocking Slipknot for sounding like themselves, but together the songs run like a compilation album with some rarities and scrapped tracks from the vault tossed in the mix as well. But getting past the weird flow of the album is not too high of a hurdle to clear, and once cleared, the album really is a confident, appetizing, and satiating exhibition of Slipknot’s time-tested talents that have put them at the level they are at.

The album has been noted as palpably experimental in comparison to previous efforts, which occurs in the album’s dark, muggy corners interspersed around the usual verse-chorus-verse-chorus structures at the foundation of the album: the ambient experimental bits that take the form of codas like the end of “Critical Darling” or interlude tracks like reverbed xylophone plinking of “What’s Next” and the incantation of “Death Because of Death”.

Despite its cliché title, the album’s most perplexing exercise of experimentation comes on the drawn-out, experimental, atmospheric melancholy of the song “My Pain”; it serves as a breather of sorts on kind of a take-it-or-leave-it basis. And the song “Spiders” I’m not really a fan of either; the repetitiveness of its harmonized chorus clashing with the intended spook of the song gets old kind of fast, which is too bad because I quite like the industrial sampling, the eerie piano plinking, and the weirdly effects-driven guitar solo around it. But honestly, that’s the lowest the album goes for me, and there are still positives to be taken from those songs, which is a testament to the band’s work on this record.

This album honestly took some time to grow on me after my first experiences with its weird flow left me perplexed. But once I got past the flow and familiar with the album enough to be able to focus more distinctly on the individual tracks, I was able to see it as a comprehensive display of the band’s full arsenal of abilities, a balancing act of Slipknot’s long-running balancing acts that still manages to make room for surprises (that the band might be able to expand upon in the future as they continue to carefully develop their sound) without sacrificing compositional or stylistic/aesthetic integrity. Again, the flow on this album is quite unlike any other Slipknot album, but it’s hardly enough to spoil the strong compositions from end to end. Despite my and many others’ high expectations for this album (and perhaps its high susceptibility to disappointment), I was pleasantly surprised with We Are Not Your Kind; and I think the band will be able to look back on this album positively in the years to come. Evidently, we should probably just let Slipknot take their time on the next one too because this one was worth the wait. And I know it’s probably the basic bitch thing to do to praise a Slipknot album like all the other mainstream metal critics probably are, but I can genuinely see why, and I’m not gonna slag an album just because its creators are extremely popular and it looks good for underground karma points. It’s apparently fun for jaded metal fans to shit on Slipknot for not playing 280 bpm blast beats or for using clean vocal melodies and emotive acoustic sections like a bunch of pussies, which is laughable. I mean if you don’t like what Slipknot strive for and it’s not your cup of tea, that’s chill, but if you’re talking shit because you think you’re special for liking a lesser known death metal band that plays faster and think Slipknot is shit because they aren’t doing what you want by not playing like your favorite techdeath band, that’s so tired, narrow-sighted, and embarrassing not just to you, but to the aforementioned chill people you embarrass by extension. If liking a Slipknot album like Loudwire and Metal Hammer probably do makes me a basic bitch, then buy me a pumpkin spice latte next month and send me a crop top with “live laugh love” on it in the form of a black metal logo.

Despite/10

[engekihaikyuu]

Hyper Projection Engeki Haikyuu - The Strongest Team

Stage Grand Prix Vol. 5 Interview with Kosaka Ryoutarou and Miura Kairi

Full interview translation under the Read More! Please do not repost this translation, and please do not repost my scans.

The two of you have been playing Tsukishima Kei and Yamaguchi Tadashi for three years now, but what were your impressions of each other when you first met?

Kairi: Actually, the very first time we met, I didn’t have a very good impression of him at all (laughs).  At the auditions, I thought, wow there’s a crazy noisy* guy here. That turned out to be Ryoutarou. Then at our introductory meeting, when it had been a while since we’d last met, I thought, “Uwahh, this guy’s Tsukishima!”  And I was a little worried actually as to whether or not he could play him and play him well (laughs).  

Ryoutarou: Well, at the place where we had auditions, I saw someone I knew so I was just talking to him was all!  Since my acquaintance was auditioning for Yamaguchi too, I had said to him, “It’d be nice if we could both be cast.”  But when I saw Kairi’s acting, I had a hunch like, “It’ll be this guy for sure.”  He was the only one that had this totally different atmosphere to him, because he was bright while being ordinary.

Kairi: Really?  I was actually really nervous though... (laughs).

Ryoutarou: Well I didn’t get that feeling at all!  That’s why when I saw you again at the introductory meeting, I thought to myself, “I knew it.”

*Funnily enough, the word Kairi uses to describe Ryoutarou from auditions is うるさい (urusai), the same word Tsukki always uses with Yamaguchi to tell him to shut up or to say that he’s being too loud.

Do you remember if there was anything in particular that helped close the distance between the two of you?

Kairi: I think it was when we happened to be going home together? We were talking about all sorts of things, and I realized that we actually had a lot of things in common.

Ryoutarou: Yeah yeah!  We’re the same age, born in the same place.  And on top of that, in our school years, we did the same extracurricular activities.  I remember when we just instinctively high-fived each other on the roadside (laughs).

Kairi: It was then that we suddenly felt like kindred spirits.  In one go, my impression of him had changed to a good one (laughs).  

Is that what happened?  Well from meeting each other to now three years later, how do you feel about each other now?

Ryoutarou: Kairi might seem like he’s easygoing, but he’s actually really serious and diligent.  He’s like that with his acting too, and I think he’s a deeply passionate person.  

Kairi: What I think is great about Ryoutarou is, he’s so casual with everyone he meets.  I think it’s amazing that he can always say what he thinks to anyone regardless of their experience or their age compared to his.  ...I’m kind of embarrassed now (laughs).

Ryoutarou: Also, Kairi gets along with everyone really quickly, and that’s great.  It’s easy for the senpai to like him too.  It must be nice to have such a likable* face.  Since I have a tendency to be seen as cheeky on a first impression, I’m jealous!

Kairi: Well if you’re gonna say that, then I’m jealous of Ryoutarou’s height (laughs).  

*The particular word Ryoutarou uses to describe Kairi’s face means a face that inspires others to like him.  It has connotations of being charming, attractive, polite, and entertaining.  

Talking with you this much, I can really feel how well the two of you get along.  Incidentally, when you muster up the full force of everyone in Karasuno, what’s that atmosphere like?

Kairi: It feels exactly like you’re in a school club. Usually we’re really unruly, but we get serious when we need to!  When we switch on, it’s like the atmosphere changes completely.  We’re good friends but we’re also all rivals, so it’s not just fun, there’s a good sense of competition too.  

Ryoutarou: Our leader is definitely Kenta-kun.  Since the two of us are the youngest, in the beginning he was constantly guiding us along, but now we’ve gotten to the point where we can even argue with our senpai too.  

Where do the two of you stand when compared with the other Karasuno cast members?

Kairi: Ryoutarou’s gradually become the clown, I think (laughs). I’m the opposite, I’m more the one that watches over everyone from a little ways away.  

Ryoutarou: It’s true, you do watch over us!  But when it’s just the two of us, you’re assertive almost like you’re taking charge, so why?  

Kairi: Because at rehearsals we have a mass of clowns (laughs). You’re the main one, but everyone’s always trying to get a laugh out of everyone else!

A mass of clowns (laughs).  Miura-san, does Kosaka-san try to make you laugh too?

Kairi: I was sitting in front of the mirror, and Ryoutarou came up behind me and suddenly stripped (laughs).  Then he started posing like a bodybuilder!  Even though he’s so lanky (laughs).  That was pretty hilarious.

Ryoutarou: I remember that (laughs).  But Kairi too, even though he’s always so cool before we go up on-stage, patting my shoulder and going, “Let’s break a leg,” the second we get on-stage he becomes all, “Tsukki, Tsukki!” and I think that’s pretty funny.

Kairi: But that’s the part I have to play so there’s no helping that!  Don’t lump that in the same category as your nonsense (laughs).  

With the upcoming tour, “The Strongest Team,” we turn toward the graduation of the Karasuno cast.  Would you please tell us how you feel about that, frankly speaking?

Kairi: Generally speaking, I’m sad.  Especially for me and Ryoutarou both, Engeki Haikyuu is our first full-scale play.  This production is my starting point and my home.  When I think that I’ll be losing a place I’ve always been able to return to... But honestly, it still hasn’t really sunk in.

Ryoutarou: Right now we’re switched over all our emotions to focusing on the play, but when I first heard about our graduation, I honestly couldn’t really believe it... I can’t really imagine how I’ll be once the tour actually ends, but I think that Kairi and I will both cry a lot.  

Kairi: Of course we’ll cry!  But in actuality, I wonder how it’ll turn out...?

Ryoutarou: But, anyway right now, let’s think about how we need to see “The Strongest Team” through to the end!  

Kairi: Ryoutarou, that was a nice answer!

Engeki Haikyuu is a very precious place for the both of you. To the two of you, what sort of presence is Suga Kenta, who’s served as the cast leader for these three years?

Kairi: When I first heard, “Suga Kenta will be auditioning,” I had a lot of mixed feelings.  I mean, I had no experience acting, I was basically the same as an amateur, but my competition was the famous Suga Kenta?  I’m definitely no match for him, and it was almost frustrating... But when I actually saw Kenta-kun’s acting, those feelings just sort of flew away.  Because he just towered over the rest of us.  And then when I first met him at the introductory meeting, Kenta-kun was unbelievably modest.  Even though I’m younger, he used formal speech when greeting me.  When I look back, it’s because Kenta-kun was our cast leader that I could come to love the Karasuno High Volleyball Team as much as I do now.

Ryoutarou: For me, I absolutely just love Kenta-kun.  We’re like family, I basically want to live with him, that’s how much.  He was someone I’d always admired, so when it was decided that we’d be co-stars, I was crazy happy.  With him as our leader, I could trust in him completely.  How can I say it, he’s someone with an overwhelming presence.  Before the curtain goes up, we always huddle everyone together in a circle, but whenever I hear Kenta-kun’s words, I feel like I gain more confidence, and I can feel that improvement on stage.  

Suga-san really is a grand figure, isn’t he?  Can you tell us about a time when you’ve gone out somewhere with everyone in Karasuno?

Kairi: After rehearsals we go out to eat a lot. Actually when it come to Karasuno, we don’t actually talk that much about the play at rehearsals.  Rather than discussing it, first we just try moving around and acting it out.  So after we all get a feel for a scene, we usually compare and adjust things over dinner.

Ryoutarou: Yeah, yeah.  Our “Karasuno Parties” are where we really strengthen our relationships and our solidarity.  We get pretty fired up talking about the play, but it’s also just fun messing around and laughing together with everyone!

I can just picture what it’s like when everyone gets fired up! Have you ever gone out together for fun just the two of you?

Kairi: Now that you mention it, I don’t think I’ve actually gone out with just Ryoutarou before!

Ryoutarou: We’re basically always together during rehearsals, so I think we’ve never made the effort to go out together just the two of us.  But maybe sometime during “The Strongest Team” we’ll go out together for a drink!

Kairi: That’s a good idea, I’m looking forward to it!

And lastly, with regard to the new show, please give us some of your enthusiasm for “The Strongest Team!”

Kairi: Engeki Haikyuu is the show that was my origin as an actor.  Although I’m sad about our upcoming graduation, as the culmination of the past three years, we’re definitely going to make an interesting show.  Please come see us!

Ryoutarou: Starting with “Summer of Evolution,” and adding “Start of the Giant,” Tsukishima and Yamaguchi have matured in their own ways, and the relationship between them has changed little by little too.  That’s why “The Strongest Team,” should be a very special production for Kairi and myself.  I want tons of people to come see our majestic figures on-stage!  

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Ryoutarou’s Photo Page

What’s something about yourself where you can say, “I’m the best!” I don’t really have anything I can really boast about but... I’ve never lost to anyone when it comes to the length of my legs.  I have the decisive lead when compared to the other Karasuno cast (laughs).  And I’ve tried comparing with other tall cast members on other teams, but I’ve always won!  

What’s something that a fellow Engeki Haikyuu cast member has said to you that’s left a lasting impression? It was when our cast leader Suga Kenta said to me, “Ryoutarou, it’s ok to tell us more and more what you’re thinking.” It was like he gave me a big push. At that moment, I felt like I came to understand my role and my place within Karasuno.  

A memory from the regional tours? When it’s time for the regional tours, everyone always looks forward to going out to eat.  It really does have a training camp atmosphere.  We give it our all for every prefecture, of course, but for me the Miyagi tours have left an impression.  It’s like the audience’s expectations of us are especially high. So there’s relief when we can get decent applause from them.  

A message to your past self when it was announced you’d be cast for the first production: It’s really great, isn’t it?! Congratulations ♡

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Kairi’s Photo Page

What’s something about yourself where you can say, “I’m the best!” I’m really positive, so even if I’m depressed, I’ll forget about it after I get a good night’s rest.  On the whole, I’m pretty strong mentally.  The only time I let it drag on was when I had an unrequited love in middle school (laughs).  At Engeki Haikyuu rehearsals, I may be the type to watch over everyone else’s silliness, but really, I’m the type that doesn’t let it get to me even when I slip and fall in front of other people!

What’s something that a fellow Engeki Haikyuu cast member has said to you that’s left a lasting impression? Back during the first show, as a total beginner as an actor, I was honestly cowering.  When I did, the Kageyama Tobio from back then, Kimura Tatsunari said this to me: “On-stage, it doesn’t matter how old you are or what career experience you’ve had.”  It was thanks to those words that I could always stand on-stage, so I remember it even now.

A memory from the regional tours? When it comes to our regional tours, the atmosphere of the audience changes a little with each place we go, and that’s fun. But our tours in the home of Haikyuu, in Miyagi prefecture, were always very special.  There’s pressure, and I always get unnecessarily more nervous there. But the audience always received us so warmly, so it was a joy.  

A message to your past self when it was announced you’d be cast for the first production: To the Miura Kairi of three years ago: You were really happy, weren’t you? But stop fist pumping in front of the station!! (laughs)

———

Translated by @nimbus-cloud Please do not repost my translations or scans!!!

If you appreciate the work I do for this blog and want to support my translation efforts, please consider donating a ko-fi! (x)

If you’d like to purchase this magazine issue, it’s available on Amazon JP (x) 

[iohourtime]

Think Note Vol #60: HAPPY

Myojo 03.2018

(Translated from scans by MoMozzz32 on weibo.  The photos are also from her account.  Please let me know if there are any errors.)

I can say with confidence. Work is indeed very enjoyable.

In the past 5 years, he was able to speak honestly at all times.  Looking back at the whole run of the series, what he felt once again is that he is happiest when he’s at work.

----------

This month, the series has reached the 5 year milestone. Relative to JUMP’s debut 10 years ago, this series had been with me for half that time and I feel very sentimental about it.  In the first volume*, I said “I want to tell you the parts of my life that’s outside of being an idol”, and this stance has not changed even now. At that time, I wanted to show people what Yamada Ryosuke is like as a person without flowery language, and this is still something I want to do.

* Link to the first volume of Think Note

For 17 years, Kimura Takuya-san’s series was published on the last page of [each issue of] Myojo.  Just hearing about this feels special, and it is an honour [for me] to take over the column.  To be honest, I have wondered “aren’t there others who are more qualified for this?” According to the editor of Myojo, although Kamenashi (Kazuya)-kun had been interested in taking over this series, he also said he could accept Yamada [as the successor].  While Kamenashi-kun will sometimes take me out for a meal, we do not talk too often.  However, when we did eat together, he once told me warmly, “you are representing Johnny’s next generation.”  I am very thankful for these words. I think a senpai who can casually said this to a kouhai has a very cool heart.  Although I have met Kimura-san once before, I did not have a proper conversation with him.  Even though I have taken over Kimura-san’s column for 5 years, somewhere in my heart, I still feel that I was not able to get to the essence of the series… If I have a chance to see him, I will ask him for a lot of advice.  Such as “how did you get them to go overseas for the photo shoot for this column” (laughs).

Right now, we are in the middle of the 3 dome tour. Whichever venue I go to, I feel very lucky to be able to have the live concert there. Of course, I’m not saying that larger venues are better, and there are things you can only do in arenas. However, when I am standing on the stage of the dome, I can see so many more fans in the audience.  So when I think about all these people who are only came here for our live concert, I can’t help remembering the road we traveled to get to this point, and my heart is naturally filled with gratitude.

Other things [I am working on] include filming of the drama, recording of regular variety programs, and music program appearances… I am currently busy every day with these wonderful activities, so I cherish the off time after each concert at the various tour stops.  After 3 hours of singing and dancing at full force on stage, I go back to my hotel room to concentrate on resting my body… or, more honestly, I ended up falling asleep (laughs). After the Nagoya concert, I went to bed at 11pm and slept till 11am the next morning.  Thanks to the long nap, I was well rested and ready to face the 2nd day.

Today, the drama filming finished earlier than expected, so I went to the store to pick up the knit I reserved earlier. After picking up my clothes, I had a fresh juice at a store and just sat there for 5 minutes. It’s been a while since I just sit there and not think about anything and I thought, wasn’t that great?  That said, when I am working, I am the most fulfilled. I can say that without a doubt. When I am not working, I become really useless.  Ideally, there should be 1 day of rest! 6 days of work, 1 day to catch up on sleep… that will be the best pace for me.

“I am very happy right now.  When you are happy, don’t you smile?  And when you smile, you feel happy~!! So everyone, smile!” - Ryosuke

Bonus: Selected Photos from Previous Think Note Volumes

[recentanimenews]

Bookshelf Briefs 8/6/19

Dr. STONE, Vol. 6 | By Riichiro Inagaki and Boichi | Viz Media – So it turns out that the current non-turned-to-stone population are all descended from Senku’s dad and the rest of the crew of the space shuttle, which is honestly more about Byakuya’s faith in his son to eventually save the day even if it takes hundreds of years. Back in the present, Tsukasa and the followers that he’s amassed are planning to invade the village and destroy what Senku has accomplished, but little do they know that Senku has the power of RIDICULOUS SHONEN SCIENCE on his side. The best thing about this volume is that we’re starting to see the non-Senku cast actually come up with inventions—the water wheel revelation was great, and Senku knows it. Dumb fun, masquerading as smart fun. – Sean Gaffney

Farewell, My Dear Cramer, Vol. 1 | By Naoshi Arakawa | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – Midori Soshizaki and Sumire Suo played girls’ soccer for different teams in middle school, but Soshizaki is so taken with Suo’s play that she volunteers to go to whichever high school Suo chooses. Suo, accustomed to being the only one really trying on her team, feels kinship with another girl on a lousy team, and so she and Soshizaki both end up at Warabi Seinan, whereupon a couple of other talented players show up along with a new coach, since the current one sees no future in girls’ soccer and isn’t interested in doing his job. This was a pleasant start to a series, but the soccer action isn’t as easy to follow as in other titles I’ve read, and it quickly veers away from the two leads to focus on another teammate. I’ll definitely keep reading, though! – Michelle Smith

Love in Focus, Vol. 3 | By Yoko Nogiri | Kodansha Comics – I had forgotten that this was a series that ended in three volumes, but I would have remembered anyway given the rapidity with which Kei and Mako get together and just as quickly break up. “Let’s date first and fall in love later” rarely works in shoujo manga, especially when you’re the blond, who almost always loses out to the brunet. That happens here as well, as dating Kei does help Mako realize her feelings—for Mitsuru. That said, though the plot beats were very predictable, I thought Mako and Mitsuru’s dialogue was sweet and pure in a shoujo sort of way, and I also liked how the “stalker” plot was resolved. As with the author’s previous series, this was decent but not good enough for long-term. – Sean Gaffney

My Hero Academia, Vol. 20 | By Kohei Horikoshi | VIZ Media – I’m sorry to say that I just can’t muster up much interest for Gentle Criminal and La Brava, the villain and his acolyte who get in Midoriya’s way when he’s trying to get back to campus in time for class 1A’s performance at the school festival. Once their fight is finally over, though, it’s time for the feels. The focus on Jiro here is pretty brief, but oh so welcome, and that two-page spread of her smiling so radiantly while performing is incredible. And then, just a few pages later, there’s Mirio who is suddenly moved to tears because Eri, the girl he sacrificed so much to save, is having the time of her life. I love Mirio and Eri together, and I also love Aizawa rushing to be with Todoroki when his dad, now the number-one hero, is injured on live TV. Plus, there’s Hawks! This volume has much goodness. – Michelle Smith

My Hero Academia: Smash!!, Vol. 1 | By Kohei Horikoshi and Hirofumi Neda | VIZ Media – I’m not really a gag manga sort of person, so I didn’t expect much from My Hero Academia: Smash!!. But despite the warning from creator (and Horikoshi assistant) Hirofumi Neda that it was going to be crude, I actually thought it was quite fun! It follows along with the early events of the main story, up until the first attack by the League of Villains. Often, familiar scenes are subverted in some way, like All Might’s “you can be a hero” moment turning into a sales pitch for vitamins, but sometimes they’re expounded upon in genuinely intriguing ways, like showing how Yaoyorozu used her quirk in the fitness tests Aizawa devised. (I also liked that her classmates now prefer Yaoyorozu brand erasers.) Also, I think one panel features a tiny puking Jesus. To my surprise, I’m looking forward to volume two! – Michelle Smith

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, Vol. 5 | By Hideyuki Furuhashi and Betten Court | Viz Media – This volume definitely felt like the fifth book in a four-book series, a constant danger when something gets really popular. Knuckleduster’s plot is resolved, and so he very pointedly, with one or two exceptions, withdraws from the series. Instead we see Pop Step and the Crawler trying to be vigilantes on their own and rapidly coming to a realization, which is underscored by licensed heroes yelling at them—they’re not powerful enough to do much more than get in the way. That said, I did enjoy seeing Midnight in her “casual” clothes, and the kid singers were very cute. A series that has turned a corner but not yet hit the next long straightaway. – Sean Gaffney

My Next Life As a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!, Vol. 1 | By Satoru Yamaguchi and Nami Hidaka | Seven Seas – The manga adaptation of one of my favorite recent light novels didn’t have to go very far to impress me, just adapt the novel as well as it could. There’s obviously stuff that’s cut to fit (Katarina’s parents’ relationship gets a one-panel explanation), but it handles introducing the main cast well, and cuts the “alternate POV” parts which would have made the manga repetitive. Best of all is the prose short story at the end, seeing Katarina having a nightmare about the villainess her otome game self is supposed to be, and the bad choices that she makes which our Katarina can’t stop her from despite yelling inside her head. Definitely get this if you like the novels. – Sean Gaffney

The Quintessential Quintuplets, Vol. 4 | By Negi Haruba | Kodansha Comics – This is moving at a galloping pace for a romantic comedy, especially one with quintuplet heroines. There’s the bad—Ichika pursuing her dream would mean leaving school, which would mean Futaro losing tutoring money—and there’s the worse—various people getting bad, bad colds due to the weather and circumstance, which leads to a mass search for Itsuki and a bedside vigil for Futaro, whose cold of course turns out to be the worst of all. We also get another flash forward reminding us that he does eventually marry one of them, but continuing to not tell us who. Don’t expect that to be resolved till the final page of the series. For fans of harem comedy/dramas. – Sean Gaffney

Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts, Vol. 6 | By Yu Tomofuji | Yen Press – Anubis has finally given in and allowed a trial period for Sariphi to be Queen Consort. Unfortunately, we then see the problems that this causes, which is that the majority of the populace still isn’t ready for a human girl as the Queen. Fortunately, Sariphi is made of pretty stern stuff, and even when she’s down there are folks who can cheer her up. This allows her to resolve the fractured relationship between a mother and daughter, as well as give Amit the courage to give a token to her beloved Jor, even though as a soldier he may not be able to return that love. Honestly, this does continue to remind me a lot of Fruits Basket, but that’s not especially a bad thing. – Sean Gaffney

Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san, Vol. 1 | By Honda | Yen Press – My first exposure to Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san was through its anime adaptation. I’ve not actually watched the show, but I’ve seen enough screencaps of the titular skeleton dramatically reacting to a wide range of customer service exchanges to reasonably expect that I would love the original series. And, after reading the first volume of the manga, I can definitively say that I absolutely do. To a large extent the manga is autobiographical, based on Honda’s experiences as a clerk in the manga department of a large Tokyo bookstore. It provides entertaining insights into the life of a bookseller, showing the challenges presented by customers, publishing schedules, corporate management, and just trying to keep the shelves appropriately stocked. This could be rather dry as a subject, but in Honda’s hands the portrayal of bookselling is delightfully humorous, intense, and over-the-top in a way that is both engaging and still incredibly honest. – Ash Brown

Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san, Vol. 1 | By Honda | Yen Press – I’ve seen the first few episodes of the Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san anime and this is going to be one of those rare occasions where I have to admit that I kind of like the anime more than the manga. Certainly, Honda-sensei depicts the bookstore (specifically its manga department) as a place way more hectic than I ever anticipated, but that frenetic energy (and the kookiness of his often-foreign customers) just translates better to the animated medium, I think. That said, this volume has a lot to recommend it, particularly if you want a glimpse of what Japanese booksellers think of the global readership manga has obtained. Read it, but maybe watch it, too. – Michelle Smith

Waiting for Spring, Vol. 11 | By Anashin | Kodansha Comics – I’d long been wanting more basketball in Waiting for Spring, and I finally got my wish in this volume. The latest tournament has begun, and if the Seiryo boys want to repeal the no-dating rule, they have to win. They make to the finals league, where they’re up against Aya’s team, Hojo, and though Seiryo ends up losing, there’s still hope due to the structure of the tournament. Aya realizes his kind of love expected Mitsuki to never grow or change whereas her love for Asakura inspires her to try new things and set goals for herself, so he seemingly steps aside though he does talk about returning (he’s apparently moving back to American) once she’s grown up. Anyway, this is a cute series that I like a lot and though I don’t expect many surprises from its final two volumes, I nonetheless look forward to reading them. – Michelle Smith

By: Ash Brown

[putschki1969]

All about Hikaru’s Otaku Activities Vol.1

The first edition of Hikaru’s monthly webseries has just been published! Be sure to check it out!

In this column Kalafina’s Hikaru talks about all the things she likes in a geeky fashion and with lots of passion. The first edition contains a self-introduction and Hikaru explains the reasons for her “Otaku Activities”

To all newcomers and everyone who knows me from the past, my first column has finally been published, I would really like you to read it casually without any pressure! Waahh….even while I am saying this I will have to admit that I am the one who feels most pressured at the moment *laughs* After all, it’s the first time in my entire life that I am writing a column…! When I first heard I would get to do this column, I was told, “we want you to make this a place where you can talk casually about the things you love, no formalities or anything.” I accepted the offer without hesitation so now I would like to try my very best to share the things I love. Please don’t be too hard on me!

Since this is the very first feature I think a self-introduction is in order. I am a singer and this year I have celebrated my 10th Anniversary as part of a vocal unit called Kalafina. I passed an audition to sing the theme songs for all seven movies of the theatrical version of “Kara no Kyoukai”. After that we got to sing many more theme songs for various anime works as well as for the NHK TV program “Rekishi Hiwa Historia”. Up until now I got to sing so many different songs, I got to meet many great people, our encounter with SPICE was also very exciting. They wrote amazing live reports for us, they followed us backstage and got to experience a side of us which we had never shown before, we got the chance to take part in “Songful Days”, an event sponsored by SPICE. With that kind of warm and comfortable relationship I feel like I can freely write this column.

Since all of my readers might end up being confused about certain things in the future I think it’s best to also share some private information about myself… *laughs*

I was born on July 2nd 1987 in Toyama Prefecture, back in 2009 I moved to Tokyo together with my family in order to pursue my activities as part of Kalafina. In my life I am supported by my hard working mother and my younger sister who shares my hobbies. My hobbies are reading, watching TV and films, doing puzzles and sleeping. I am an indoor person all the way.

The first manga I ever owned was a monthly shōjo manga magazine (hereinafter referred to as monthly magazine) called “Nakayoshi”. Then I also got the monthly magazine “RIBON”, during my earlier years of primary school I also got to read the monthly magazine “Ciao” at my friend’s house. Then from my higher grades of primary school onwards I started to buy separate volumes and these days nothing gives me more happiness than to feel the weight of a paperbag filled with dozens of new manga volumes.

The first animes I really liked in my childhood days were “My Neighbor Totoro” – I had completely worn out my video tape – and an English learning show by Disney called “Minnie Mouse is singing the ABC song for us ♪” I have been a big fan of anime ever since the old days but my love became stronger ever since I moved to Toyko and these days I tend to watch around 40 works every season.

The first gaming console I ever used was the “Super Nintendo”. I also played games on the Play Station, Gameboy and the Nintendo DS, I currently have more than 10 gaming apps on my mobile phone. In recent years I have also been going to a lot of collab cafés and stage plays of my favourite works.

I only just started to write and already it’s all about my otaku activities *laughs*. On that note I would like to mention that when it comes to books I am not just a fan of manga but of all kinds of literature such as short novels. When it comes to TV and films I am not just into anime, I also like variety shows, love stories, action, suspense and lots of western tv shows (mostly procedural crime dramas).

In the past I have often been asked, “among all those things, why is it that you feel the strongest emotional impact when it comes to manga and anime?” In short my reply is always, “it is my way of escaping from reality so I am able to actually face reality.”

Manga, anime, games, for me they provide a fantasy world filled with ideals and dreams. Step by step they will take you to another world. In there you will find brightly sparkling elements, a warm and fluffy sense of healing, before you know it you will have tears running down your cheeks and once in a while you will feel great emotional pain deep within your heart *bitter smile*.

This way I have been able to experience many different things. I am living quite the ordinary life so I get to experience things the real me wouldn’t do…for example, there’s a world where I am actually doing sports! Since it is all a fantasy I can use magic and psychic powers, it is possible to talk with all kinds of animals. In these works there are worlds where you can see sceneries which you could have never imagined in the real world.

Also, the characters living in these worlds carry so many ideals and dreams, their words and actions are powerful and provide hope, they give me the strength to face the struggles of the real world. By experiencing a wonderful piece of work you can get inspired and find the strength to face all your challenges. They help me revalidate the things I want to do, what needs to be done in order to achieve those things, they give me the motivation to reach my goals. Through these works I want to experience the best as well as the worst things. I feel like this is the most important thing. In this column I would like to talk about the things that are important to me.

This is a bit sudden but did you know that during this anime season you can enjoy a lot of nostalgic works on TV? “Lupin the Third Part 5“, “Legend of the Galactic Heroes - Die Neue These “, “GeGeGe no Kitarō Vol.6”, “Captain Tsubasa”, “Card Captor Sakura Clear Card Arc”, “Soul Hunter” and many more.

When you watch them you can fully experience the charms of these works which so many people have been enamored with in the past. To feel the warmth and excitement from the early days again, it is great. That feeling of being fully immersed also seems to come back. I wonder if the power and beauty of these works will touch my heart again. While once again experiencing the sparkle of these works which I had enjoyed back in the day, I feel like I am falling in love with them all over again. Also, I feel like many people are getting to know these nostalgic works for the very first time, there seems to be a growing interest in works from the past.

As a big CLAMP lover I have been watching “Card Captor Sakura Clear Card Arc” ever since the last season when it first started to air, simultaneously I have been reading the manga. “Card Captor Sakura” is a story about a girl that comes across magical cards and receives magical powers. The main character Sakura Kinomoto-chan (hereinafter referred to as Sakura-chan) encounters magical cards during her fourth grade of primary school. All in all there are 53 cards such as “water”, “fire”, “wind”, “thunder”, “ground”, “light” and “darkness”. Sakura-chan struggles to bring them to life and consequently control them. She is a very cute, kind-hearted and courageous girl! She has to face various difficulties. Through her words and actions I feel incredibly empowered. I don’t even know how many times I have been comforted by her encouraging words, “it’s gonna be absolutely fine!”

And then there are all these inspiring quotes by Sakura-chan’s best friend Tomoyo Daidouji (hereinafter referred to as Tomoyo-chan). “Seeing a beloved person being happy gives me utmost happiness”, “Whatever good thoughts may be hidden within your heart, if you don't put them into words, none of it will ever be acknowledged by others.” These are the quotes I always keep in mind during important times. Tomoyo-chan may have a gentle nature but she is a very though girl with a strong will. She is my favourite character!

This is the story of Sakura-chan & Co. Time has passed and they are all junior high school students now. The cards which need to be collected have turned transparent, many new things are happening. There are new cards. Lots of mysterious characters. I will continue to loyally watch Sakura-chan’s adventures!

That’s it for today. Thank you for sticking around till the very end. I’d be happy if you checked out my next edition.

Well, until next time!

Hikaru

[mikumanogi-blog]

20217-03-29 “When you wish upon a star” Kubo Shiori Blog #9

At night I slept with the curtain open about 10 centimeters, when I woke up I was able tell from the amount of light how long I slept. When you wake up to twinkling lights you know that day is going to be a good day.

Hello everyone, thank you for your continuous hard work. I’m Kubo Shiori, it’s a pleasure to meet you!

My make up is different from the usual!! It has a little bit of a mature feel to it～

Well, it’s been a while since I wrote last! Today’s blog is going to be long but please come with me on this journey (´･_･`)

Nogizaka46’s 17th single is now on sale! I wonder if you’ve watched my individual PV yet…? Here’s something I’m only going to tell to those that watched it “First off, let’s pretend to film it like it was practice” and so after the briefing sessions for my ‘Principle’ practice was over we shot it in the same outfit.

Yes, just like that that’s what we used.  I was shocked, but even being able to use my stage outfit for the shoot made me happy!!! Thank you so much Koroyasu Yusuke. Please check out everyone else’s PVs too!! They have singing, acting, blushing.

 I’m going to talk about something that’s been bothering me recently. I love yogurt and if I don’t have any in the fridge I can’t settle down. Lately, I have been enjoying crushed soybeans with my yogurt. Everyone please give it a try!!! I can’t hold back my appetite~

 After that, watching sports has become a part of my daily routine. Watching Koshien (Japanese high school baseball championship), watching soccer, it’s so cool watching people do their best. I believe I also need to do my best. The more I watch the braver I become.

 Oh yeah! Speaking of which I took a two person selfie!!! Here you go!

Ayatii and me!

Because Ayatii was sleeping I took the picture, I’m really happy with the way it turned out. Ayatii looks adorable here.

 Moving on to today’s Q&A !!!

·         What is something you do every day without fail?

Everyday, without fail, I eat delicious food and read magazines. More recently I’ve doing things using a pen and paper.

 ·         What sport do you watch the most?

Honestly, I watch a bit of everything! During the Olympics I watch almost all of it!! But the sports I watch the most are probably baseball, soccer and volleyball. By the way, I’m an expert at watching all sports.

 ·         What’s something you want to do in the spring?

I want to walk along the riverbank, while enjoying the cherry blossoms. I want to feel spring through the music I listen too. Does anyone have any recommendations for spring songs? I suddenly want to listen to ‘Harujion ga sakukoro’, it’s the embodiment of spring.

Today is Fukagawa Mai’s birthday. Happy birthday!! One of the unforgettable moments I had at the 5th Year Anniversary Birthday Live was being able to sing ‘tsuyogaru tsubomi’ and ‘Harujion ga sakukoro’.

 ·         If your mind goes blank during a handshake, do you have a set phrase prepared?

Hmm~…(´･_･`)。。。

How about…do you want to rock, paper, scissors? If I win you need to come again, If I lose, we keep doing it till I win, if it’s a draw then let’s discuss what to do! In other words…something along those lines

(´･_･`) (I apologize for sounding condescending)

I’m going to end the Q&A here for this blog! As always…I’m a little bit sorry…

 The other day I had the opportunity to observe the Tokyo Girl’s Collection. The Nogizaka senior members and all the models were shining so brightly upon that stage. I thought to myself, I want to be like that one day… and in order for me to be like that I need to have an extraordinary work ethic. From that day onward I started working on various things. I keep chanting to myself “If you say it’s impossible it will be, but if you don’t then what is possible is defined by you.”

 Next, on the previous blog I wrote about the fact that I had a ‘enjoyable photoshoot’ and so I’ll talk about that here and now. Other than the time I was picked for the special award during the final audition my first solo gravure photoshoot was for Young Jump. Thank you very much. I am truly overjoyed…I faced this photoshoot knowing that I couldn’t let this chance go to waste and after seeing the final product I was on the verge of tears. I’m delighted, I really hope that everyone can see it. There are shot of me with my casual facial expressions, having fun and even a mature version of me.  I want to show off to everyone the different aspects of myself.

After we finished the shoot the cameraman, the hairstylist, the make up artist, the manager, the staff and everybody else said “That was really good!!!” It made me delighted to hear everyone involved say things like that. Only a little bit more and I’ll start to like photoshoots. I would love to hear everyone’s thoughts and opinions about the shoot so please check it out!

One thing that has annoyed me was the burn that I talked about in a previous blog. Truthfully speaking, I am a deplorable person for not being able to attend photoshoots in my best possible condition, even though I knew I needed to. (My burn has healed now though!) I am very grateful to have been given an opportunity to do this photoshoot.

 I’ll upload some behind the scenes pictures on my next blog! Hurry up and be tomorrow already! It would be great if everyone picked up a copy. Even though I’ve grown just a teensy bit please continue to watch over me. One more time…Please keep an eye on me!!!! I’ll be in your care!

 I have some announcements to make.

(currently on sale)

3.15 EX Taishu (EX大衆2017年4月号)

3.21 Overture san

3.24 B.L.T san (B.L.T 2017年5月号乃木坂版)

3.27 weekly playboy san

 (Coming soon)

3.30 Weekly young jump (通巻1819号)

-> It’s a solo photo shoot! Comes out tomorrow! Center gravure.

3.31 BUBKA san (ブブカ2017年5月号)

4.8 UTB+san (2017年5月号 UTB+ 37)

4.10 Marquee san (MARQUEE Vol. 120)

4.21 Flash Special san (Flash スペシャルグラビア BEST GW号 2017年5月 30日号)

4.22 Brody san (ブロディ　2017年6月号)

I’ll be in your care.

 I am so grateful for being able to be in so many magazines. (´･_･`)

To be able to give everyone more content I’m going to hang in there are do my very best, I’ll work so hard that the words ‘do your best’ won’t even be able to express how hard I’m working.

Floooofffyyyyy〜

This picture is in my usual clothes. I don’t have a lot of clothes and so I mix and match however at the handshake events I’ll be wearing my normal clothes, I’m excited but also nervous (´･_･`) I should answer everyone’s clothing requestions, so please send me more requests!!

 That’s right! The handshake event isn’t far off now 〜

April first is the National handshake event in Osaka. I’ll be waiting in lane number 21. I’ll be paired with Mukai Hazuki! I dare say this is going to be a fun lane 〜!! I’m really looking forward to it! Everyone let’s have fun!

 Speaking of the handshake event, you’re welcome to leave comments in the comments section like “My name is ___ I’ll be going on ___date during ___time slot!” I’ll be in your care (´･_･`)

 In the previous blog I received a lot of comments, thank you very much. While reading the comments I noticed that somebody wrote “Because this is only one blog out of dozen I don’t know what to write in the comments!” Reading this comment made me happy and I thought to myself “I’m in the same boat as everyone else”. On top of that for this one blog I think very hard about what’s enjoyable and what I want to tell everyone. I’m honestly overjoyed, thank very much.

Another comment I saw was “I’m sorry for the late comment”. Please don’t worry about it, it’s not a problem, I’m thankful that you wrote to me.  (´･_･`) I read all of the comments. I also receive comments saying things like “I just finished my shift” Thank you so much for commenting on my blog while being so tired from work. (´･_･`)

There have also been comments where people have said “I’m sorry for the long comment” You write a lot too! You’re just like me! LOL

I’m so delighted that you took time out of your day to write me a long comment… Every single comment, regardless of length, you spend your time and energy to write to me. That makes every comment important and that’s why I make sure to read them all. Thank you so very much.

(I just accidently did a second Q&A)

I’m sorry for writing another long blog (´･_･`)

Ahhhh once I finished writing this, there will be a gap before my next blog… I’m always like this. The first thing I say right after entering a place such as an amusement park is, “I don’t want to go hoooome 〜” Not being able to enjoy the time I had is one of my faults (´･_･`)

Even though there is a gap between blogs, I have decided that I’ll use that time to write a blog that readers can read over and over without getting bored of it.

Alright! I am really looking forward to meeting everyone! I’ll be in your care!

 I’ll write again soon.

 Kubo Shiori

 There is no significance in doing something just once, but there is significance in doing something repeatedly. Unfortunately, that’s the hardest thing to do. That’s why we need to go out there and just do it. There’s no way we can stop here. One more time, just…one… more… but even still I can’t end it after just once more time, I need to keep going. Just wait and see.

[toddlazarski]

Last Suppers Vol. 3

Shepherd Express

“I see that the world is upside down,

seems that my pockets were filled up with gold.”

— Tom Waits

My grandmother never allowed pizza delivery. Pizza—yes, most definitely, frequently, likely for a medically inadvisable percentage of grandma-house meals, but only if you took her keys, locked the door behind you, drove the Malibu—tape deck stacked with “Electric Ladyland,” for just such necessary excursions—across town and schlepped the steaming box back yourself, again locking the door behind you. I’m not sure if it was an abject fear of delivery personnel, something nefarious laying in an unknown driver lurking, even if said lurking was only out of pepperoni remittance and tip hope. Maybe it was the tip itself, an avoidance of sorts. Or it could have been the disclosing of her address. Maybe she was in trouble with the law. Maybe all, or a combination, or something else, all rolled together into one of those nebulous anxiety yarn balls one comes to know and generally acknowledge and accept when hungry and negotiating with a late-80’s grandmother. So I’d never really ask, would shrug with mild annoyance, take the keys, and let her pay with a crisp twenty-dollar-bill, because in hindsight, I’m not nearly as thoughtful as I’d like to believe. 

Similarly, this is probably how I don’t know much, anything really, about the Great Depression. Grandma was born in 1925, which, according to Wikipedia, means she spent much of her childhood in said epoch of forlorn-toned black-and-white photos of destitute pea pickers in California. She would have been a good source, I suppose, for all the wonder I’ve put on, of late, the d-word, in both proper noun form and the more loose, casual way it’s been thrown about. “I think he’s depressed” has become a standard line. Friends talking about other friends, co-workers talking about spouses, somebody talking about me, maybe. But over the past eight weeks I’ve heard it at least a handful of times, accepted it, took it with brow-furrowed, middling resiliency, as if it were part of a bad but expected forecast. As if, yes, “might have to shovel tomorrow.” Or like a thing meant for small-talk chewing and grumbling, as in, “I’m not sure about that first round pick.” When Kai Ryssdal comes floating in on the kitchen radio I switch the channel before the capital form of the word comes up. I usually have to hurry.    

I should have asked her, I suppose, in hindsight, it being one of those many things we all only now realize we should have always asked, said, paid attention to, thought about, considered. Before the world turned sideways, began coughing, lost sense of taste and smell, and we all woke up with our furniture seemingly turned to face the wall. Before she died. It might have been especially helpful since of late I’ve found the same pizza delivery paranoia creeping in. Though of all the faults I blame on genetics, this is hardly one—it can’t be Adult Onset Delivery Dread, it came far too fast. And I still don’t understand it fully: do I fear the boxes, or the bringer? Or do I fear the bringer's perception of me, sitting in my ivory tower, looking down on the help, or not looking at all, just expecting them to, yes, drop the sustenance on my luxuriant, sanitary doorstep? And then be gone, faceless servant. Or is it maybe that I don’t want to infect them? Did he or she think of that? Should I go out and tell them? Or maybe just put up a sign on the closed door: It’s Not You, It’s Me. Should I try at some levity, one of these days, maybe attempt a recreation of the “keep the change you filthy animal” scene from “Home Alone”? But, of course, nobody takes cash anymore, so it wouldn’t work.   

Whatever the approach, the newfound anxiety has been robbing a righteous, innocent joy of late. The sweet echo of a doorbell, startling, even as you sit with perked ear and open Ring app, leaning a bit with anticipation. It might be right now, this second, or in 35 minutes. Or, what if they never show? You make the call and are transported to Dr. Seuss’ Waiting Place. Patience and perspective needing to be fought for amidst the mad sea of slack-jawed seekers. A 90’s Civic with bad brakes and problematic bumper stickers, a goateed driver with questionable politics often the only thing to bring you back to the moment, offering deliverance, unveiling the places you will go, the tastes you will have, the boom bands you will hear and the balloon-high heights you will see. “Should you turn left or right, or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?” At this point of rescue, like no other in life, it matters only that you know how to find your way to the door, can manage not to trip carrying a box back to the coffee table. 

Whether or not grandma was right, or had a reason, or had an outstanding warrant, and whether or not we’ll all get over our cardboard fear and food conveyance dread and Clorox addiction and the balance of common sense versus Medium articles versus FDA guidelines versus something somebody in the office Slack channel said, it still has to be done. And at the very least she was right, like all grandmas seem right, about the most important thing being the bringing of comfort. Or the going and getting of comfort. So, my car or there’s, these are the best current bets for said pizza procuring solace. 

5. Ned’s

Through the years, through my decade-and-a-half of Milwaukee life, through an adulthood of being judge and jury and general jerk about pizza, I’ve never really cared much for Ned’s, or the “Milwaukee-style” pie it so well seems to epitomize. I’ve always found the crust too thin, crackly, unfilling, the special’s seem over-topped, the entire thing often feels a bit under-cooked, the cheese a tad too slidey, the sauce slightly over sweet. Quarantine week two though was weekend-ed with my wife and her friends sharing Ned’s, collectively, each with their own pie, over a happy hour Zoom meeting. It was such an innovative act of community, togetherness, pizzaing, that I was softened toward epiphany. And then later, as I greedily, guiltily, drunkenly mawed microwaved leftover squares after she had gone to bed, I finally disabused myself of all lofty notions as if I were a Dickens character. Ned’s is old-school, since ‘69, simple comfort of hometown iconicism. The pizza itself too has an undeniable tang, a distinct crumbly soul, a sausage-y quotidian satisfaction level akin to a High Life bottle and the Brewers on a daytime bar corner TV. At a time the Brewers are good. Most importantly: it is the pizza of my wife’s youth. There are few things tastier than nostalgia, and nothing more comforting. And so Ned’s always has a place in the heart, in our home, in our refrigerator, especially when she orders too much and goes to bed too early.   

4. Rosati’s

The five years I spent in suburban Chicago, coming of age and hitting my pizza peak, happened to coincide with adolescence and the accompanying boundless, obscene appetites. A standard chicken or egg scenario. This is maybe why I keep coming to defend Rosati’s, our locally-owned franchise location’s sometime inconsistency, and why I keep going back, here, and to all Chicago-bred ilk. There is the personal sway of the one that got away, the one that taught me to be a man, of the person you’d go out of town to a 10-year-reunion just to get a glimpse of and awkward drink with. But there is also no objective argument to the fact Rosati’s aspires to, and often achieves, the ideal of Chicago tavern-style: rolled dough, thin, square cut wedges of well-cooked crunch, trademarked by a cornmeal dust bottom and oregano and fennel-y finish. The cheese often looks like the color of approaching-autumn, the crust like it was two minutes from being burnt. Equally crispy and chewy, the toppings are half-buried under a winter blanket of mozz like endless hidden prizes. But maybe it’s just personal. And really a takeout here is akin to reliving high school’s zenith. If I really want to go down that Springsteen route, like the part in the song where he sees his ol’ baseball playing bud, and they go back in and have a few drinks, I get a pie and an Italian beef. Glory Days.    

3. Transfer

Of the 30 or so times I’ve eaten at Transfer, I’d say 29 of them I’ve eschewed all normal pies, disregarded all pasta or apps, ignored the menu or anything the waiter was saying or what anyone else at the table might want, really, in tunnel-vision favor of the simply named, boldly furnished Garlic Lovers. It is a special of aromatic, crushed bulb bombardment, almost stunt-like in essence, that somehow holds together. Sturdy enough to steer with one hand, the pleasantly dusty and charred bottom still has a doughy, Southern Italian-leaning chewiness. The decadent top is garlic sauce svelty, with pepperoni and sausage and cheese chunkily clattering together, as delightful black air bubbles adorn the edges, indicating artisanal-ness, craft pizza lineage, a really hot oven. But you don’t need to read too deep, or too far past the pizza’s name—overall this is an oily, pungent affront to subtlety and fresh breath. But garlic, they say—-and what are we but the collection of what they’s we believe?—is a natural antimicrobial agent. And we’re all six feet apart anyways. Actually, after four slices, I’m wondering if Fauci and the lot of health-advising acronyms are really right: is six enough?  

2. Tenuta’s

A recent takeout phone call to Tenuta’s, where I ordered my usual—Diavola, no pineapple—was met with this:

“You can’t do that, the pineapple makes the diavola.” 

“Oh. I, uh, disagree.”

“You know what, let’s not do this right now.”

Tenuta’s is that kind of place. The shaded Clement Ave brick corner spot of pasta and pizza and cozy classiness and classy coziness is the type of place Tony might take a goomah one night and Carmela the next. Tenuta’s To Go continues the tradition from a Howard Avenue counter-only outpost, more conducive to our house-car-back-to-bottle-of-sanitizer cycle of now. But from either there is a standard gamut of specials and absurd glut of crust offerings: thin, virgin, deep, stuffed, some house pies come in triangles, some in imperfect squares. It’s like one of those Strengths Finder personality tests of endless combinations new employers make you take to find out precisely which type of pot-stirrer you will become. I always default to a pepperoni and giardiniera and cream cheese thin, a square-cut beaut, indicating the recessive gassy guy-from-Chicago trait. Balanced, zesty, spicy, creamy, it is everything I hope for on the precious, too few pizza nights of existence. But there are similar satisfaction points up and down the board: the basil-y freshness of a margherita, an olive oil sauce holding ham and pepperoni and garlic on the house special, a mis-order even found me enjoying the pleasant carb overload of a “virgin” crust, redolent of pan pizza or something from Detroit. You’d think they might specialize, defer somehow to the simpler ways of the old country. It’s almost too much, like life—the options, the anxieties, the distractions, the food narcotics necessary for real world-dimming, dulling. But you settle in, eventually, you know your order, come to know yourself and the shape of your DIY haircut-framed mug in the mirror, the spirit within said order. And, soon, with time and gut-work, then you know the voice on the other end of the line, and, even in quarantine, the gravy of a Sunday gathering can be part and parcel and pepperoni with a little good natured jabbing, some convivial ball-busting that hides, that hints at, care and love.    

1. Fixture

Even if you believe, rightly, that there are no guilty pleasures in life, there can still often be times of feeling like you are cheating a bit, calorically. Like, say, when enjoying Taco Bell sober, or scarfing Totino’s pizza rolls well into your 30’s, or driving through a Wendy’s and eating in your car, by yourself, removed from any identifiable meal time, just doing it because dammit and because you can. Sometimes you might know that notion, back behind the base lizard brain, of just feeling bad about existing as a stereotypical fat American. Ordering cream cheese—so rich, so creamy—atop a well made pizza feels this way, and yet, the “Great Lakes Distillery”—extra sauce, pepperoni, cream cheese wedges—keeps calling me back. Or at least keeps picking up when I call. 

And there they are: creamy black-speckled corpuscles of gooey cheese comfort, squishing softly, almost a bit curdy, marshmallow-y, stretching, existing in that perfect cheese nirvana state of half-melt. They are model contrasts to the salty oven char on the liberal toss of near-burnt pepperoni. Beneath a vibrant, herbaceous marinara mixes with well-ratioed mozz, the kind of top where you can’t fully tell if the sauce or cheese were put on first, as they gel together, taking turns, like pass-first teammates that make deep championship runs, that reign supreme on a top-five pizza list. The crust seemingly has an application of anti-flop finish, good hold that is toothy and strong without getting in the way. So it’s a bit Chicago, afterall, and also a bit that they just seem to use higher quality ingredients than so many old school joints, the places phoning it in, doing it the way it’s always been done, forgetting what we all too prominently remember now: that tomorrow is no guarantee. But they are also big on the homemade hot honey siding offer, a move straight out of Greenpoint, or whatever is the new Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Honey should have no place on pizza. Or so I think, for ⅞’s of every first piece. But, actually, wait another bite—sure it does. Let’s all not think about it right now. It is honey, it has creeping zing finish, and that different flavor profile quality that makes life and another endless day of dread, a day no different than yesterday, worth it. So, for now, anyways, let’s dip our crusts bits endlessly until we’re beyond stuffed. 

When they throw open the French takeout windows, even despite the masks, despite the fact my paranoia makes me insist on paying ahead of time over the phone to limit contact, despite the fact that this makes me need to call back and get their Venmo so I can send more money to fix my non-existent tip, Fixture’s pickup window really has been a lifeline of sorts since mid-March. Whether it’s the pizza or the wings or the chicken parm sandwich, it’s a satisfying reminder that there is some delicious humanity still pulsing on quiet 2nd Street. On all of our graveyard-quiet streets. And next week, maybe, for sure, pizza delivery, like normal, can return to our house. “Be brave,” all the books I read to my daughter seem to teach, implicitly or otherwise, they echo back at me in the sound of my own voice. And one day we will. Or else, we won’t. And maybe, years from now, when she’s old enough to grown-up talk and have thoughts and observations and real life queries, when she’s old enough for these loathsome days to be the old days, she’ll ask why we always have to go pick up the pizza. And I’ll just gaze distantly out the window like grandma might have, had I wondered, or like a character in a Tom Waits or John Prine song. Or, better, she won’t ask, will just chalk it up to the personality scars of an old, damaged man, and then we’ll be able to focus only on the pizza.

[synvamp]

HAPPY PLACE 4

So apparently now I’ve found my happy place (Vol 7 Ep 5), I’m never going to leave.

Slow burn, lots of flirting and fluff - adorable Clover, birb Qrow. HEAL ME

(Part One HERE)

Title: Healing

Fair Game – Part Four / 5? More?

Rating: M

---xxx---

  Qrow lay in bed in the dark. It was nearly like sleeping.

  He thought about the last few days. His missions with Clover. The looks Clover gave him, the reassuring hand that just found his shoulder, lifted his chin, clasped his waist…

  He could tell Clover had been trying to take it slow… give him a little time after the kiss.

  Hope he didn’t take that ‘intense’ comment too seriously. Why do I have to have such a smart mouth!? Qrow grinned in the dark. Ok, not going to regret being a smart ass. There has to be a line, right?

  His mouth kept him safe. It kept people at a distance. No one really knew when he was serious so he could say what he was really thinking and they’d shrug it off. It was just another weapon in his personal arsenal – another way to keep people he cared about as far away as possible.

  Two weeks.

  There was no way Clover would survive. In the two days since that amazing kiss he’d been nearly buried in rubble twice, thrown off a building, caught in a grim stampede and nearly hit by lightning. Actual lightning.

  Qrow turned over and buried his face in his pillow again. All he could think about was the feeling of Clover’s lips. The firm kiss still lingered, he could almost feel those calloused fingers stroke down his face and lift his chin…

  Still sexually frustrated.

  Would sleeping with him make it worse? If he follows me around like a love sick puppy (Qrow smiled a little too hard in the dark) then won’t he be doomed anyway? Would giving the both of them a tiny hint of relief really be such a bad thing?

  I could certainly use some damn sleep, he thought, pressing his hard-on into the sheets and sighing.

  In a fit of frustration he leapt off the bed, throwing the covers everywhere. That’s it. I’m getting up. This is bullshit.

  He looked over at the clock. It was four-thirty. Must have drifted off for a little at least…

  Only four hours until the briefing. Only four hours until I see him again.

  It felt like a long time.

  Qrow flicked a light switch and scowled into the bright light. He threw on some shoes and left his room. He wore sweats and a t-shirt to bed so he didn’t even have to get dressed. Just walk. Find a rhythm in your steps. Walk and keep walking.

  It was a good way to keep the demons at bay. He just let the rhythm of his body take him. He went around the corridors, sometimes hearing a faint snoring from someone’s quarters. It was weirdly comforting after everything that had happened, the sound of other people, relaxed… fast asleep.

  He found himself in the mess hall before long, empty metal tables gleaming in the moonlight which streamed through the window.

  He turned his heels to go and a voice floated out of the darkness, “Can’t sleep?”

  Clover.

  Qrow hesitated on the threshold. He considered just walking away. Probably better to get as far away from the guy as possible before he spontaneously combusts…

  But he didn’t. He just stood there. Clover walked out of a shadow beside the window, he approached slowly and sat on a table a few metres away.

  Still giving me space. Why does he have to be so damn considerate?

  “Didn’t think you were the skulking in the shadows type,” Qrow drawled, trying to make light of the situation. His chest felt like it was going to implode as the light hit Clover’s face just so…

  “I have a dark streak,” Clover smiled.

  “Oh yeah?” Qrow felt a smile tugging at his lips. Clover. Dark. What a heap.

  “Yeah. I like horror movies and I dress up every year for Halloween,” he nodded like this was absolutely conclusive.

  Qrow shook his head, “I can’t even tell if you’re serious.”

  Clover opened his mouth in mock-offense, “I’m always serious! I’m super, super serious!”

  Qrow just laughed. How can this guy make me feel so relaxed!? It’s five am!

  But as soon as his heart began to lift he felt it all come crashing down. Clover’s face was so open, so welcoming, so GODDAMNED HAPPY.

  I can’t do this to him. I can’t inflict this… me… on him. On his life.

  “Well, enjoy the darkness then I guess…” he said, as he turned away.

  He could hear Clover stand up behind him, “Qrow… wait…”

  He hesitated, one foot over the threshold.

  This is selfish. This is selfish. Don’t punish him for being so good.

He felt the hand on his shoulder.

  Don’t do it to him, Qrow. You’re enough of an asshole already.

  “Watch it,” he said, “I’m pretty sure if you touch me for long enough the whole of Atlas will fall out of the sky.”

  “Hasn’t happened yet,” Clover’s voice was soft behind him.

  “Yeah right,” Qrow turned, guilt and self-loathing making him surly, “you’ve survived two days of being near me. Lucky, lucky you. Hopefully next time there’s a storm you don’t stand a foot to the left, hey? Hopefully next time there’s some grim on the loose, you don’t lose your footing at the top of a high building, hey!? And we can only damn PRAY that ne..”

  “Stop it!” Clover’s eyes burned with an intensity Qrow hadn’t seen before.

  They both were startled into silence.

  Finally, Clover let his hand drop from Qrow’s shoulder. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said.

  Qrow looked at him and felt a flicker in his chest. Something more than sexual frustration, more than lust.

  Oh no… I can’t do this.

  Qrow pushed the feeling deep into his stomach. That’s it. I’m done.

  He turned and Clover’s hand grabbed his elbow. Qrow looked down, a full on war raging in his chest. Don’t you want to live you cocky idiot!?

  “You don’t get it! What do I have to do to get rid of you!?” his voice was raised but in his heart, he just felt empty.

  Clover smiled down at him, his eyes bright and his cheeks kissed with the first hint of a blush. He didn’t let go.

  “If you stop shouting, that might help.”

  What do I do��!? Do I tear my arm away? Kiss him? Fall on his perfect muscled chest and just fucking cry!?

  From somewhere inside his smart mouth came to his rescue, “You like me shouting?” it said.

  Clover looked at him with those perfect turquoise eyes, “Yes. I really like you shouting.”

  Qrow smiled in spite of himself, “You’re a weird guy.”

  Clover finally let go of his elbow but his eyes still searched Qrow’s face with worrying intensity, “It’s been said.” He gave a wry smile in return.

  Qrow hesitated, it would be so easy to just lean forwards… just put his head on Clover’s chest and let him kiss all the pain away. “Persistent fucker, aren’t you?” he said.

  “Yeah…” Clover shook his head, looking suddenly embarrassed, “I know I come on a bit strong… I’m sorry. I want you to know that I’m here for you in… all the ways but I don’t actually want to hound you to the ends of the earth… so… if you don’t want to take it any further… you can just let me know. I’m a professional. I won’t make it a big deal.”

  Clover looked at the ground like it was the most interesting thing he’d ever seen. Yes, here is my heart, please, step on it.

  “Further?” Qrow squeaked, regretting it instantly.

  “Yes,” Clover told the floor.

  “Like…?” Qrow said. No, stop this! I’m leaving, remember!?

  Clover looked up, his eyes twinkling, “Like when a man and a man like each other very mu..”

  Qrow spluttered, trying to cough and laugh at the same time, “Ok. Yes. Thanks. I am a little bit old for the birds and the bees if you don’t mind.”

They looked at each other for a minute, Qrow memorising this moment. Memorising his face. It never did to let these moments pass when joy was fleeting and always, always gone too soon.

  Finally, he spoke, “And what’s with all the sass recently? I thought that was my schtick.”

  Clover grinned, sheepish, “I thought you might like it. You seem to get sick of the tin soldier trope.”

  “I… do like it,” Qrow breathed, leaning in almost imperceptibly. He could feel the warmth of Clover’s chest. Feel where his hand had rested on his shoulder… all the delicious thoughts that had swirled around in his mind for hours just came pouring out… he looked into Clover’s eyes.

  Now or never, asshole.

  “What about you?” Qrow asked, his voice breathy, barely a whisper.

  “What about me?” Clover asked, his eyes fixed on Qrow’s lips.

  “Are you the dinner and a movie type?” Qrow asked. He stopped breathing.

  “You paying?” Clover sassed.

  “Just stop ok. It’s weirding me out.”

  Clover laughed, “I don’t know, I’m starting to like it.”

  “Ok, I’ll pay! You really know how to make a guy feel special, you know that?” Qrow scowled, faking mad.

  Clover looked at his dark, brooding face with a look that bordered on catatonic.

  “You are so hopeless,” Qrow laughed.

  “Only with you,” Clover breathed.

  Fuck it.

  Qrow lifted his hands around Clover’s neck and pulled him into a kiss. He felt those rough hands close around his waist and pull them together. After that there was just lips, then strong arms picking him up and carrying him down the corridor.

  “Put me down!”

  “No,” Clover said as he marched back to his quarters with his prize.

  Oh well, I tried, Qrow thought as he melted into the warm chest and tried not to think about what he was going to do to the arrogant asshole as soon as the door had closed.

  ---xxx---

  “So…” Yang asked, keeping it casual, “Where are you going?”

  “Dinner. It’s dinner time. I’m going to dinner,” Qrow said, not meeting her eyes.

  “With… Clover?”

  Qrow turned sharply, glowering into her cool violet gaze, “Yes. He bet me that my misfortune couldn’t ruin everything if he was around.”

  “And the best way to test that is dinner?”

  “Yesssss.”

  “And that’s why you spent 2 hours getting ready…”

  “Haven’t you got someone else to annoy?” Qrow asked, hoping his hair was still ok.

  “Not really…” she grinned. “OK WELL I have to go,” Qrow said, scuttling out of that hell hole as fast as he could move.

---xxx---

  Clover sat at the table, gazing out into the cold winter sky. Qrow was late but only a little. And for the first time, Clover wasn’t worried. Last night was… OH GODS IT WAS AMAZING HOW DO YOU EVEN MOVE YOUR BODY LIKE THAT UGH…

  Yeah ok. It was good, he laughed at himself nervously and covered his hard-on with a serviette. What a man.

  The window was open just a crack to balance the heat from the blazing fire. As Clover gazed out across the swirling snowflakes, thinking about ass, a little black bird hopped through the window and onto the table.

  “Awww look at you,” Clover said softly, “Hey there little guy…” he laughed as he realised what type of bird it was. “Oh no! I think we’ve got our wires crossed; I’ve just fallen in love with a totally different crow! And if he sees us like this, who knows what might happen,” he smiled and broke a bread roll in half, putting half on the table in front of the little bird, “but here… aww I can’t be mad at you. Maybe we can have a little thing on the side… my Qrow can be a bit snarky and you are just SO CUTE!”

  The little bird hopped onto the other seat and looked at him, head slightly tilted and little red eyes glittering.

  In an instant Clover was looking into a completely different pair of glittering red eyes as the blush to end all blushes surged onto his face.

  “I’m not cute,” Qrow said pointedly, “but thanks for the roll.”

  Clover blinked. The blush deepened, “SO CUTE,” he squeaked.

  “Oh my god, stop it now,” Qrow grinned.

  After a little time, Clover regained the power of speech, “Well, I see that my humiliation is finally complete.”

  “It has been for quite a while, I’m afraid.”

  “Why must I fall for gorgeous, mouthy bad boys!? I’m a smooth guy!”

  “I don’t know,” Qrow shrugged, just enjoying the moment.

  “Well…. Uh…” Clover buried his head in the menu.

  Qrow mulled over what he’d just heard. I mean, it wasn’t a heart to heart… Clover was just dribbling crap at what he thought was a cute bird. It didn’t mean anything.

  …I’ve just fallen in love with a totally different crow…

  His heart surged in his chest as he looked across the table at this, sexy confident guy… his ears were still bright pink.

  He’s fucking adorable.

  This is not ok.

  As he stared, Clover’s eyes flicked up. He grinned like a total idiot then looked away.

  UGH, Qrow’s whole body groaned.

  DOOMED.

  ---xxx---

Part Five

[pebblesandjamjam]

JAM’s Top 8 for 2017

I retired the concept of publication years in 2016 and that tradition holds this year.  When you meet a book matters more than when the book met the world. You’re a certain sort of person when the text comes into your life and if you read it at a different time, you’d likely see it in a different way. What’s more: there’s just too much in the world for me to focus on what was published when–so this list represents the best of what I experienced in 2017, independent of its publication date. It represents me, my year, where I started, and where I ended. Hope you enjoy the ride.

8. Jackass // Scarlet Beriko (2015, tr. 2017)

Scarlet Beriko is one of the best cartoonists in the game and their chosen field is: BL. Lucky, I think. I have always admired their variety and control of line weight, wielding it carefully to allow the tone to turn on a dime. (Their comics, including this one, are hilarious.) But with Jackass in particular,I think what I admire most is how much affection each character--even the secondary ones, the nameless ones--seems to show.

The main pairing is two high school students and best friends, Keisuke and Masayuki. Their relationship ends up in a strangely sexual place when Keisuke accidentally puts on his older sister’s pantyhose--and Masayuki discovers a kink he never knew he had. The comic is impressive enough in that the accidental putting on of pantyhose is actually believable in context, but the true mastery is how protective the boys and their friends are of one another. A secondary romance is built between Keisuke’s childhood friend, Katsumi, and the school doctor, but even this romance is less about the two characters and more a vehicle for emphasizing Keisuke and Katsumi’s friendship--which is a relief, as I generally frown upon even fictional student-teacher relationships for reasons that should be obvious. All of these boys (and, notably, Keisuke’s sister) love each other, take care of each other, treat each other preciously--the way I wish all the precious men in my life would treat each other.

The major flaw of the book comes with the character Miyoshi, another student. Even he becomes part of the flow of affection, but the character uses the word ‘queer’ pejoratively quite a few times, which is to be understood as a sort of defense mechanism given the completion of his arc--but of course, does not undo the violence of either the nature of the word’s use or its larger participation in queerphobic narratives. I very much enjoy the deep love this book shows, which is why it’s frustrating (to say that absolute least) to see it casually undermined by queerphobic language and themes.

It was one of the best books I read this year, but that enjoyment was tempered by the sharpness of that experience. If you do decide to enjoy the book yourself: please do so carefully.

7. Mix-Plate // Emily Forster (2017)

BL brought me other gifts this year, but this time from a surprising source: the West. In 2017, seven Western cartoonists put together Boy, I Love You: a BL comics anthology, a work collecting pieces inspired by and celebrating the genre. The anthology itself was enjoyable on the whole, but Emily Forster’s piece, “Mix-Plate”, was an impressive standout.

Not unlike Jackass, affection looms large throughout the story, though this one is much more familial. Jordan is a teenager whose parents don’t quite support him as they should. One day, he meets another boy named Eli who has a different relationship with his family. Jordan eats with Eli’s family on the beach several times and the family’s affection for one another is arguably the true primary relationship of the story.

The imbuing of culture and setting is also key to the story. Though it is never said directly, the comic is ostensibly set in Hawaii given Eli’s family uses Pidgin with significant frequency. This element may be the part that I liked most of all--if anything because I don’t get to read many comics that invoke elements of Hawaiian culture and daily life by cartoonists from Hawaii. The authenticity shines through as much, if not, moreso, than the romance itself.

The comic feels warm and, ultimately, welcoming. Just as a love story should.

6. Akira, vol 1 // Katsuhiro Otomo (1982, re-translated 2017)

I’ve read volume 1 of Akira three times in my life, across about five years. I’ve seen the film several times. And now, I think, Otomo and I are beginning to understand one another. Part of it is certainly that this go round I’ve been reading editions with higher production quality and significantly better translations--but I think I needed to sit with the book for a few (or several) years before it began to resonate.

Finally, after Time Number Three, I understood Kaneda’s cool, Kaneda’s foolishness, and the quiet implication of Kaneda’s tragedy--maybe because they’re all the epitome of youth, or perhaps more accurately, the epitome of lacking control. Ultimately, Akira is really a story about attempts at either control or the illusion of control. What’s cool about Kaneda is that he gets thrown into the center of a government conspiracy and simply rolls with the punches. He’s cool; he’s in control. But what’s foolish about him is even the thought that he’s in control, that he knows it all, that he’s got it figured out. You can’t have one without the other. And the tragedy is what robs him of the control in the first place, what seems to control him, what he has to settle for instead of control--which are things Otomo carefully intimates but never says outright, because..well, tragedy, isn’t cool. Kaneda is at the edge of everything because his youth and his edge are all he has. And you roll with it, just as he does, not just because that edge is cool but because you too are lacking control. You too want to roar in defiance, to make someone or something remember you, even if you can’t. It took some time, but, I got there.

I’m glad I did.

5. Navigating Trauma // Shan Murphy (2017)

Navigating Trauma is a 2017 mood if I’ve ever seen one. I saw it go by on Twitter and was immediately staggered. I looked it several times that day. I’ve looked at it several times since. It depicts the feelings with immediately recognizable truth and honesty. It lets you know where you’ve been. It lets you know where you’ll eventually be. Though this is my first time coming across their work, Murphy’s work here is reminiscent of Tove Jansson’s Moomin strips--in both style and tone, I think. There’s a sweetness and a sharpness. Something gentle that will not lie to you about the difficult portions of life. But also something that will comfort you through them. A fantastic piece.

4. Stages of Rot // Linnea Sterte (2017)

I’ve been thinking for a while about how to describe what’s good about Stages of Rot and I keep coming back to the notion of it representing the quietest, stillest, and most undisturbed parts of my heart. It’s the art, mainly. The narrative relies much less on words and much more on “vibe,” as my friend and colleague Shea Hennum is wont to put it. The story doesn’t even matter to me, all that much. I have trouble keeping it together, though the description on the back helps:

“An alien desert comes to life around the body of a dying whale. Animals, insects and ancient peoples scramble for her remains and make their homes among her bones, struggling through a millenia-long process of decay.”

As I said, though, it’s the art. The lines and colors are both, at once, soft but definitive. Any more words would ruin it because it’s the feeling--the feeling of being in tune with something across time and space. A kind of purpose and significance to the movements of the earth, and you. It’s something holy. A pure experience.

3. Shinobeba Koi // Yukue Moegi (2014)

Well, it’s BL again. Sorry, not sorry. And even worse, it’s a title that hasn’t been translated to English (yet). I know, I know, but I’m even less sorry than I was previously. I’m speaking it into the universe such that some intrepid young licenser will come across this post and think, yes, today I will, because honestly, I’ve read this comic about 6 times this year and I am moved each time.

Shinobeba Koi is a two-volume comic that is actually a spin-off from a different comic, Nirameba Koi. It follows the older brother of the main character from Nirameba, but that doesn’t matter because Shinobeba is entirely enjoyable without that context (and is a definitively superior comic.) It tells the tale of a long love between Tora (the older brother) and Tetsuya. The story starts when they’re older, working at a hair salon together, but readers learn that they knew each other from before, when the two were teenagers. Tetsuya was 18, the leader of a bike gang and Tora, 16, admired him deeply, desperate to join his gang.

The depth of their feelings is apparent and holds throughout the narrative, gently but firmly. There are a number of opportunities for Moegi to overdo it, but she never does. The story is always told with restraint and deep sensitivity, which is particularly fitting against the setting of an extremely masculine bike gang. I’m continually swept away by the gentleness and the certainty of affection between the two leads, even at troublesome intersections. I love a story of a long, patient love--perhaps because patient love is the sort that I feel that I need--so this one is among my very favorite.

2. On A Sunbeam // Tillie Walden (2016-7)

I almost put On A Sunbeam on last year’s list, but it hadn’t finished yet, and I have been burned by the floppy endings of too many otherwise brilliant works to make similar mistakes again. With that in mind, I should note how I felt reading the end of this comic.

It had been finished for a few weeks, but I was already three or four chapters behind--and I was also a bit depressed. I wasn’t interested in much, couldn’t do much, didn’t want to do much beyond feeling bad about not being able to do or wanting to do much. My friend Mark suggested that I read the final chapters of the comic, in hopes of improving my mood, but I told him I didn’t want to, since the weight of those final chapters possibly being bad (or worse, middling) seemed like too much additional sadness. And then I would never know if the comic was bad or if I was bad. And that too seemed too much.

So I waited. I waited for a day that I felt, at a minimum, okay, and then I read it. And, of course, once I did, I was ready to spin-kick the sun out of the sky. (I say that a lot for things I like, because it’s the only thing that really adequately describes how it feels when I experience something I love, so you may have heard me use the phrase before.)

I could write about the sheer industriousness of Walden’s work on this webcomic--she was putting out 20-30 pages...a week, never mind a month--or I could write about it in context of how much I love her other work, but really, I just want to say that On A Sunbeam is chockful of artfully restrained and fine feelings--of love, of fury, of warmth.

It’s a space comic that, in one timeline, follows Mia, a girl working as a part of a ship’s crew that restores various buildings for money, but then also follows her at a different time, when she’s at a new boarding school after some troubles at her old one. The work emphasizes the forced closeness of spaceships in the vast distances of space, how crews live together and become families. Use of space and architecture are probably my favorite things about Walden’s comics and On A Sunbeam is no exception. My experience of the comic was always relief, gratefulness, and joy at having such quality work available to me on a regular basis.

It’s going to be published in print in 2018, if webcomics aren’t your thing. I hope it brings you as much relief, gratitude, and joy as it brought me.

1. Finder, vol 1 // Carla Speed McNeill (1997-present, collected in 2011)

Finder is a miracle comic, I think. It behaves as though it’s real, which a lot of fictional works strive for, but rarely actually achieve. I was immediately engrossed after the first few pages and the huge library volumes collected by Dark Horse in 2011 are massive--664 pages, precisely. But it’s likely the casualness of it all, the evidence of the world building without explanation, and the compelling character (protagonist is the wrong word, in the context of Finder) we have in Jaeger, an Ascian sin-eater. If you haven’t read Finder, you don’t know what either of those words mean, but that’s fine, don’t worry--whatever I tell you about it won’t be as good as if you just pick up the book and let McNeill tell you herself. Or, I don’t know, let Finder tell you itself, as it almost seems to function on its own.

That’s part of it too. McNeill’s work is impressive such that the seams, the hand of the creator is almost, oddly, invisible (even though it could in no way happen without her, dare I say, genius.) There are many comics that I can imagine working on myself, even several of the ones by the greats (I admit, audaciously) but Finder is its own separate, brilliant thing that I could never either conceive of or create, even knowing about it after the fact.

I imagine I’m frustrating you because you’ve arrived at #1 and I haven’t even told you what the comic is about but, to be honest, I don’t know! I can’t say. Anything I’d say would be incomplete and a disservice to an undefinable truth. I can tell you that some of it is about Jaeger, but much of it isn’t. My favorite parts are about him, but there’s plenty I love that’s hardly related.

It’s a comic I can’t define with all my words and critical prowess, can’t create with all of my imagination and sense of structure, but absolutely love. It’s a world. It’s several. It’s a life, a series of lives.

And how on earth could I adequately tell you about that?

[kalico-to-the-letter]

REVIEW: RWBY – Vol. 5, Ch. 2: “DREAD IN THE AIR”

People taking L’s left, right, and centre. Even when they think they’re taking W’s. Good Lord.

Welcome to my review of the 2nd Chapter of the 5th Volume, entitled, “Dread in the Air”.

This week gave us: a long-silent character finally speaking, a video game, a douchebag, and a couple of Oh Dears.

Spoilers lurking below!

In “Dread in the Air”, RWBY does its best to flex its dramatic muscle – elevate the stakes, pay off choices with serious consequences, and draw its audience back to focusing on the plot. Which is welcome – just last week I wrote that the somewhat shallow plot machinations of the premiere were brushed over by strong character work. Here, we have very much the opposite situation, where we’re being told that we’ve gotta pay some attention to all this overarching stuff. No, you can’t just spend the entire episode shipping the scene partners in your head.

Rather than a repeat of last week’s chessboard movements, here we have one of the most wholly significant episodes in quite a while. Think about it: due to the direction of Volume 4, no single episode in that run was this determined to shake up the box, so this is perhaps the most eventful and game-changing episode since the Volume 3 finale.

What makes the movements of this episode work is the clarity being brought to the antagonist storylines. For the most part, dealings with the antagonists have mostly involved a lot of smoke and mirrors, and then some action scenes. Or a lot of heavy, heavy exposition which, I’ll be honest, goes over my head more often than not. Very few occasions have given us reason to be totally invested in following these characters, because how can you be made to care when information crucial to understanding them is being withheld for so long?

I guess the answer is to either state your goals and plans clearly so that the audience can make a connection between them and the protagonists, or kill some important people. Hell, why not both?

Salem wants Raven’s clan to understand the benefits of cooperation as far as the Spring Maiden is concerned, so she tasks her cronies with going to find Raven. Cinder wants revenge on Ruby. Adam wants total control of White Fang operations, so he stages an obvious but still brutal and swift coup against Sienna Khan. Salem also wants Adam under her wing, so Hazel is parlaying with him. Raven just wants to do bandit shit, so of course she kidnaps Weiss.

See? Clear storylines for our antagonists, not weighed down by mystical exposition or geopolitical meanderings.

Because we’re spending a lot of time with the antagonists in this episode, the tone is made clear from. We’re not supposed to daintily observe from afar and expect a light gag at the end of each scene – here, we’re supposed to furrow our collective brow and curse at the dastardly plans of the villains, and this tone is consistent throughout the episode – with a particular exception, but we’ll get to that.

And if we come away from this episode wanting to see the antagonists take an L of their own, then the storytelling has done its job, and this did the job for me. I want to see Adam and his smug face get served, just like I did at the end of Volume 3. I want to see Salem and her smug face get served, even though I know there’s a longer game going on with her story.

And just like last season, I’m still intrigued to see follow Cinder’s story. I won’t deny that she is the most interesting antagonist in the show, and has become so ever since her presence was scaled back, and she was relegated to recovering from what Ruby did to her. There are myriad directions for her now, which is fantastic rehabilitation for a character I called one of the worst parts of Volume 2. If they can see fit to build the same foundations for another antagonist or two, that would be good planning for the future of the show – the more you do for any character, the more room you create for their future stories. Antagonists can become protagonists, and vice versa, and provide all sorts of wonderful grey shades, all on the back of creating the wildcard element that I feel exists with Cinder these days.

No such thing can be done for Adam – not anytime soon, certainly. And we must preface by saying that Sienna Khan was certainly not a preacher of peace, but she was willing to be pragmatic, and I very much respected what I learned of her beliefs during her brief appearance. It was enough for me to write “Oh dear, please don’t kill her” in my notes when Adam’s coup became apparent. Very quickly and efficiently, they built the stakes, and made me invested in a character I’d known for all of three minutes. That investment is helped when Adam’s the one to give her the ultimate L, but still, that’s damn good work, right there. And seeing Adam’s smug posture on the throne makes you fear the ramifications of such a big power play. There may even be a direct consequence for Blake next week – we’ll see.

But speaking of consequences, one must wonder what might have happened, had Weiss and Pilot Dude answered that mayday last week. Sliding doors, I guess. And the end result from what actually happened is more interesting anyway.

Weiss gets a lot of time this week, and presents, in essence, a thoroughly exciting story, executed with cool factor in mind. Seeing Weiss standing in the cargo bay of the ship, sending Dust attacks and summonings at a horde of giant Grimm wasps, is genuinely cool. It plays like a video game, too. Everything about this scene would have looked at home in Gravity Rush or Nier (and if you haven’t played those games, I will pray for your heretic souls), from the action itself, to the dialogue, to the music and the filming.

And she gets the W by being a boss and using her boss abilities, but even then, it’s not a perfect ending, because one crash landing later, and everything is messed up. suddenly Raven Branwen is stomping on your head.

Hey, we can see where the first climax of the season is coming – there’s gonna be a big party at Yang’s mom’s place, and a bunch of interesting people are going to be there. Let’s see, there’s Weiss. There’s Yang’s mom, of course. Cinder doesn’t do RSVPs, but we’re thinking she’ll be there too. Maybe Ruby’s crew as well, once they get the hint that the cool kids were lying about when the party was going to happen. And maybe even Yang, if she continues on her inexplicable journey to find her mom.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though. Just when you think you’re saved, here comes Yang’s mom, stomping on your head and looking to end your whole career.

Additional observations:

- Cinder’s first line since the Volume 3 finale: “Shut. Up.” Brilliant.

- First L of the episode goes to Lionheart, speaking out of turn to Salem. Oh, you silly man.

- Pilot Dude takes a massive L for ignoring the mayday in last week’s episode. Has it cost him his life? We’ll have to wait and see (not that it’s the most crucial question to emerge from Weiss’s story this week – though it certainly results in a L for Weiss, too, after she’d put in so much of that work).

- For all we’ve seen of Raven and have heard of her, she’s still an unknown quantity. All we really know is that she’s unpleasant, but I’m curious to learn more about her.

- I used to worry whether or not bleak episodes like this would turn casual watchers off. I’ve come to stop caring about that. I think the show has too, for a long time now, and it’s been better off for it. It’s telling stories without compromising for unnecessary laughs.

- For now, it seems we’re returning to the Game of Thrones pacing approach from Volume 4, picking and choosing the individual stories shown weekly. But already, the difference in how eventful those stories are is apparent.

GRADE: A-

Final thoughts: “Dread in the Air” does a fine job of making the viewer care about the storylines and ambitions of RWBY’s oft-neglected antagonists, whilst enacting a significant and game-changing move sure to cause mayhem. It will take more work than this to prove that the show can be trusted with its antagonists and the delivery of necessary exposition, but this is a strong start to establishing that. Weiss’s story goes a long way to setting up future developments, whilst providing a solid 10 on the cool scale. – Kallie

[kwamiwayzz]

citttrrruuuussssss

I don’t see enough of the meta when it comes to citrus so I decided to ask myself these questions after copying and pasting them from another blog cause why not >.> 

And I may be low key still trying to ignore my responsibilities

–

Main ship <3 Yuzu x Mei (i dont even think they have an actual ship name) 

I’m gonna cut it at a certain point cause I realized how much I was rambling 

• When or if I started shipping it:

Ah...surprisingly I didn’t start shipping these two until a few months ago. I’ve been following the manga since the day it came out and I’ve always liked them but I never actively “shipped” them or anything. Even though I went all “YeSSSSS” when they started dating in chapter 16, I was still just more of a casual fan.

There are a few reasons I can think of to why I was drawn into shipping them (finally...) was that I somewhat got back into yuri over the summer after watching a clip from Fate Kaleid.......*cough* anyway...and started going back on dynasty-scans to see what kinds of new yuris have been made huehuehue. Long story short I shortly got back into MadoHomu and Yuzu x Mei, and saw the latter ship as the “less angsty” version and went on from there 

The other reason I got super into them was that the latest few chapters, and remembering chapter 24, was that I really started to notice how Mei became less cold and closed-off from Yuzu. And seeing her blush and be all nervous around her was just..... <3 <3 <3~~~~~~

Oh and this one comic by smxmuffinpeddling made me laugh (and still makes me laugh) so it spiraled from there. They are a blessing to Citrus. 

• My thoughts:

I tend to gravitate towards ships that have that dark/light dynamic. I’m cliche and I have a weakness for ships that have the aloof dark haired girl who’s usually looked up to or very popular fall in love with the ditzy, but kind and optimistic light haired girl and vice versa (see: Chikane/Himeko, MadoHomu, Diakko {to an extent}) Not exactly opposites attract, but I found their interactions funny when they initially hated each other and whenever I read the manga in retrospect in my head I’m all, “honey you two have no idea” 

i like ships where i can see a little of myself in both characters 

• What makes me happy about them:

I understand that the pseudo-incest thing can turn some people off from the pairing but in this story I feel like it’s justified enough that pretty much the whole fandom is cool with it. Yuzu and Mei didn’t grow up together nor are they blood related, but taking the “they’re not related by blood” justification out of the way while the kiss that Mei stole from Yuzu is what led to Yuzu developing feelings for her step-sister, Yuzu already started showing some sort of attraction in chapter 1 when Mei hugged her to just to get her cellphone. So, kiss or no kiss, Yuzu probably would’ve developed a crush on Mei regardless. As for Mei, the step-sister thing forced the seemingly-opposite girls to interact and it’s what led to Yuzu finding out all these things about Mei and help her with her issues. So, I think the fact that Yuzu would go great lengths for her is what would lead her to falling for her.

I really like how Yuzu doesn’t give up on Mei despite Mei always having to push her step-sister away. As much as I love Yuzu and do relate with her on a spiritual level, I do relate with Mei a lot (despite some friends saying I’m more like Yuzu lol). Anyone else who would try to get close with Mei would either get tired of her for being so closed-off and eventually just give up on her. I like the fact that Yuzu does see a lot of the good in Mei that she can’t see in herself. The whole dynamic of the closed-off, pessimistic, sometimes brooding person with the open, optimistic, never-gives-up person is a common dynamic I’ve seen everywhere and I happen to be one of those people that really do like it (at least if done right to an extent or I relate on a certain level) and also reminds me of sasuke and naruto despite never shipping that *cough* but anyway...

Plus, I remember smxmuffinpeddling mentioning this in the tags of one of their fics, but I really do like how both of them put in a lot of work to make their relationship work. Yeah, sure it seemed like Yuzu was doing all the work in the beginning, but as soon as Mei began to open up and trust Yuzu more, she does try to put in genuine effort in maintaining their relationship (using Yuzu’s notebook as a perfect date template, when she talked with Yuzu in chapter 24 that their relationship has nothing to do with other people’s opinions, asked Harumi for advice on how to start a conversation with Yuzu in the vol. 7 extra, being open to Yuzu’s offer of the one kiss a day thing, and i wish to see many more things~)

• What makes me sad about them:

Need I explain...

*Sigh* as much I love these two, I just want them to interact more with words. Like have more casual conversations. It could be the mundane things or about any problems or issues they could be having. I live for healthy communication, and I feel like Yuzu and Mei are still working up to that.

• Things done in art/fic that annoys me:

So...finding actual fan content of these two, let alone for Citrus in general is like treading through the Sahara fucking Desert 

I haven’t really found anything concrete in art/fic that annoy me...yet but the most I’ll say is making both of them unreasonably OOC. This fandom is pretty small despite citrus apparently being a super popular yuri manga (I really didn’t know that until recently) so OOCness isn’t too much of a problem. I used to be heavily into the Frozen fandom so of course when you have a larger fandom you’re going to have a crap ton of fan interpretations and lots of AUs that either don’t fit or drive the characters being written about to be OOC.

• Things I look for in art/fic:

Lots of fluff cause we don’t get enough of it in the manga TT_TT 

If it’s just them talking or having a date or something mundane that allows them to get to know each other more then sign me the fuck up. I like seeing fics that go into Mei’s perspective and I’m also a huge fan of content that really showcases the support they have for one another because feels~

In fact here’s some fics I’ve read that show some of this stuff I’ve mentioned: 

citrus schtuffs by angel0wonder (literally anything written by smx/angel0wonder bless them)

 Citrus - A Compilation by mikotyzini

The Adventures of Mei and Yuzu by mikotyzini 

Citrus: Fantasies by epitomeodisaster (i literally don’t remember if i read this one but so far it has what i mentioned earlier)

Sweet and Sour by Cynical-Banshee (words cannot describe how much I love the writing style and characterization of Mei and Yuzu in this fic, it has almost everything I’m looking for that the manga doesn’t have enough of...and chapter 5...*dies*) 

that’s all i can think of for now, but despite low numbers of content most of the stuff ive come across so far is pretty good 

• Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: 

For Yuzu, I wanna say Harumin only because they’re best friends and she’s always got Yuzu’s back and stuff and I know some people in the fandom already highkey ship them...however (yeah I’m gonna be one of those people ^^;), in the story I feel like it would be a bit cheap having Harumi secretly have feelings/fall for her best friend because while I was used to the yuri cliches when I first read the manga, I personally feel like the story is already far in Yuzu and Mei’s relationship that adding more unnecessary third party drama would kinda be tiresome to me. That’s not saying I’m not open to it. If Saburouta does something new or different with the whole “best friend is in love with main protagonist” cliche that I’ve seen in other yuri like Strawberry Panic, then I wouldn’t mind reading it. 

For Mei...this is gonna sound like a weird answer, but I’d probably go with Matsuri. Part of the reason just being that they do kinda share some similarities together (being alone most of their life, sometimes clinging to the one person they feel like they can trust a.k.a Yuzu), but I’m also bad at explaining shit so I’ll probably just leave it at that :P 

• My happily ever after for them:

THEY HAVE A KID (i think i came up with a concept for them having a son in my head but i never drew it...yet) 

and they live in a cozy apartment together. Mei being self-conscious about her parenting skills and Yuzu always reassuring her that she’ll be fine and she’ll support her in everything she’s having trouble with if Mei has no fucking clue how to show love and affection to a child, let alone her own. The girl already took awhile trying open up and show her love to Yuzu, so this would be a challenge lol 

Yuzu trying to reassure their kid that while his mother is pretty stubborn and has a hard time expressing her feelings, she loves them both very much <3~

• What is their favorite non-sexual activity?: 

TALKING/COMMUNICATION (wait that’s my favourite lol) 

I’m assuming that once they’re deep in their relationship, just sitting down and talking about the mundane things whether it’s about their day or ranting about whatever, would be something they would find relaxing. In the end, they’re still learning more about each other (and I fucking love that) 

oh and trying new things with each other. Yuzu would be the one dragging Mei to try out something they’ve never done before (I can’t think of any right now), Mei would probably be super competitive when it comes to getting the skill down in whatever they’re doing but of course Yuzu would tell her she doesn’t need to get so worked up and should just let loose and have fun

[recentanimenews]

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Anima, Vol. 5

By Ikuto Yamashita. Released in Japan as “Shin Seiki Evangelion Anima” by Kadokawa Shoten, serialized in the magazine Dengeki Hobby. Released in North America by Seven Seas. Translated by Michael Rachmat. Adapted by Peter Adrian Behravesh.

And so the light novel series that was written for a magazine dedicated to the selling of plastic models and toys ends the only way that it honestly could: with 250 more pages that show off just how great these Eva battles would look if you put the models together. If you love looking at Evas and imagining them fighting each other, it’s a terrific book. If you do not – and I am counting myself here – it’s a letdown. My expectations were not all that high… indeed, they mostly just involved hoping that we were done with thousands of people turning to salt. (I was wrong, alas.) And there are actual plot and character moments here. But the character moments aren’t enough, the plot is sometimes bad, and the ending merely stops, when it cries out for an epilogue of some sort. Sorry, kids, who knows what happens next, but it will be in a world where giant robots don’t fight, so who cares?

We pick up right where we left off, as everyone’s trying to figure out a way to save the day despite Shinji having .83 seconds to go till Third Impact. Mari is desperately searching for a pack of SOME sort, even if it’s not her original, and does not really give two figs about anyone else. Hikari is possessed by evil. Kaji, also possessed by evil, is being smug in Misato’s direction. The Reis are finally sharing minds again, but that may not be a good thing. The only sensible ones seem to be Asuka and Toji, and unfortunately both of them lose their sense of self as the book goes on. How many apocalypses can Earth go through before it finally gives up the ghost? Can Shinji stop it all? And will we get the weirdest Biblical imagery ever?

The best parts of the book were when it was so over the top I had to laugh out loud. Kensuke and (a now unposessed) Hikari manage to survive certain death by hiding under the Shroud of Turin, a line tossed off so casually it’s brilliant. The way that Shinji, now dead, ends up coming back is so grotesque and awful that my jaw dropped, and to be fair Asuka thinks the exact same thing I did: ew. At the same time, the reappearance of some seemingly dead characters right at the end, and reaction to same, falls absolutely flat, mostly as everything is too chaotic to stay on them for even a moment. Likewise, two characters no longer being evil is barely even given weight because, as I said, apocalypse uber alles. The book keeps such a frenetic pace throughout that you can’t enjoy anything, and then when armageddon is finally avoided (somewhat), it simply stops. The end.

That said, I hear the movies weren’t really satisfying to some viewers either, and the manga (probably my favorite version) also had its issues. Evangelion may simply be too messy a story to have a decent ending for. And these books did have some pretty cool fights. If you want another version of what happens, and aren’t really invested in any one character, this is a series to read. Sadly, my overall reaction to the series ends up being a shrug.

By: Sean Gaffney

[anthonianrhapsody-blog]

And the Best MCU Film is...

by Captain

Admit it. When the leaked footage of the Avengers: Infinity War trailer came out, you did one of four things:

1. Weep like a baby when Peter said “I’m sorry” to Tony; 2. Scream your lungs out when Steve (beard and all) came out; 3. Let out a big “oooohhhh” when Thanos hurled down that planet; 4. All of the above

As a crossover of 10 years’ worth of cinematic storylines, this mega-event of a movie is unprecedented. Before Infinity War drops next May (which is just 7 months away, but it SURE feels like an eternity away), let’s tackle a question that will trigger debates, challenge friendships, and even put marriages (!) to the test.

What is the best film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Before you blast this blog away with a Jericho missile (hats off to you if you got that reference), the writer would like to set a few parameters.

First, I’ll make it a top 5 list for better chances of acknowledging your favorite. Okay? Y’all happy?

Second, this article will cover only the first 16 MCU films—that is, the ones that have already been released at the time that this article has been published. Unfortunately, I have no Ancient One-like powers to look into the future. My list might very well be obliterated by upcoming flicks like Thor: Ragnarok and Black Panther (watch out for the reviews! ☺). Also, I won’t be factoring in TV and Netflix content like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Defenders series. Different medium, different criteria.

Lastly, and speaking of criteria, allow me to declare my standards for film quality. (Feel free to argue with my rubrics in the comments section, but this is my list, so tough luck.) My biggest considerations are plot and characterization. As in, how good is the story that unfolds in the film? How developed are the character arcs and motivations, and why should I care about them? I also care about effectiveness of acting, visual spectacle, quality of shots and editing, and impact of auditory effects.

With that out of the way...

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Captain America: Civil War (epic airport scene vs. wildly impossible coincidences); Avengers: Age of Ultron (messy in places, but it’s just a special thing when Avengers assemble); the first Thor film (an underrated movie...shout-out to Tom and Kenneth)

Raise your right hand if you knew who Star-Lord and Gamora were three years ago. Raise your left hand if you were also aware that they were not in the original Guardians line-up in the comics. No hands raised? Then you’re just like the thousands of moviegoers who were pleasantly surprised by this franchise in 2014. With the careful handling of director James Gunn, this movie featuring C-list Marvel heroes captured the hearts of comic book die-hards and casual MCU fans alike. Guardians’ strongest suit is its comedy—Rocket Racoon’s unstoppable mouth, Drax the Destroyer’s dry humor (made special by wrestler-turned-actor Dave Bautista), and Peter Quill’s dancing-out-of-nowhere in the movie’s climax. And of course...I am Groot, ‘nuff said.

Throw in the brilliance of the film’s color palette and the soundtrack known as “Awesome Mix Vol. 1,” and you could say that it’s hard to find fault with this flick. But I do have (gasp!) a minor gripe. The film’s third act is all about the Guardians protecting the planet of Xandar from Ronan the Accuser, who wields the might of the destructive Power Stone. Problem is, the Xandarians weren’t given quite enough screen time. Every time I watch the film, I think to myself, “Who are these guys?” Sure, there are images of Xandarian families and children scurrying for their lives, but I just wish the development of these ‘sympathetic’ figures had been better.

That, frankly, is my only problem with an otherwise colorful, highly lovable film. As you’ll see, the next film did not commit the Xandar mistake.

#4: ANT-MAN (2015)

“So I’m at this art museum with my cousin Ignacio, right? And there was this, like, abstract impressionism exhibit. But you know me, I’m more like a Neo-Cubist kind of guy...”

Impossible as it sounds, these lines managed to make people laugh. Thanks, Michael Peña! Just like Guardians, the 2015 flick Ant-Man proved that Marvel Studios can do comedy effectively. Beyond its penchant for humor—as well as its dazzling array of museum-worthy visual effects—Ant-Man also got story-telling right. Any human being can relate to Scott Lang’s quest for redemption after his three-year prison sentence. The film tugs at your heartstrings every time Scott interacts with his daughter Cassie. And the film makes you hold your breath during the climax, when Scott sacrifices himself to save Cassie from the villain Yellowjacket. (Spoiler: Scott survived.)

Yellowjacket, however, is a testament to the widely discussed “MCU villain problem.” For all the wonderful heroes that Marvel Studios has brought to life, there is also a legion of antagonists that the MCU films have failed to maximize. In Ant-Man, Darren Cross is a rather menacing jerk (thanks to a great performance by actor Corey Stoll). But his screen time as Ant-Man’s evil counterpart could have been fleshed out and extended. As it was, Yellowjacket became just another dispensable villain to join the likes of Ultron, Ronan the Accuser, and Malekith.

But Ant-Man still succeeds because it makes you care greatly about Scott and Cassie. And it is precisely because of this that this film is ranked above Guardians. When you compare the two films, it’s easier to care for a human father and his innocent little daughter than an entire planet of unknown, unfamiliar beings.

#3: SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (2017)

I have to be honest: the subtitle did not work out for me at first. When Marvel and Sony announced that they would be sharing Spidey’s film rights (hallelujah), I was hoping for a comic book-inspired title. Like Sensational Spider-Man or Peter Parker: Spider-Man. I know that the term “Homecoming” has several connotations (such as the Spider-Man character being welcomed back to the fold of Marvel Studios), but it just isn’t fierce enough for a superhero film.

Trust me, that’s about as much I’ll complain about this movie. Because everything else was...amazing.

To begin with, Tom Holland is the perfect actor for the title role. He brought a more youthful vibe to the Peter Parker persona than Tobey Maguire. And he embodied a more light-hearted, wittier Spider-Man than Andrew Garfield. As remarkable as young Mr. Holland’s performance was, the film’s showstopper was veteran actor Michael Keaton. Finally, a well-rounded villain! Keaton brought emotional depth to the role of Adrian Toomes/Vulture, who is effectively portrayed as a blue-collar worker wronged by society’s elite. The rest of the crew is just as outstanding. Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark/Iron Man) is used in just enough doses as the hero’s mentor. Jacob Batalon is hilarious as Ned, the techie best friend; while Zendaya is quirky as the mysterious Michelle persona (eventually revealed to be...wait for it...MJ).

Distinguishing itself as a teen movie, Homecoming is a refreshing selection among the grittier grown-ups of the MCU. Take your pick of adolescent drama: Peter’s fixations on his crush, the thrills and frills of weekend parties, the suspense of inter-school competitions. Indeed, this film offers a new flavor among the political thrillers and world-ending catastrophes of Captain America and Thor. The plot keeps you on the edge of your seats from beginning to end (though the climactic battle could have been more, um, climactic). Even the mid-credits scene keeps you fascinated in what happens next (hello, Sinister Six).

This is how good Homecoming is: up until earlier this year, I had a different top 5 list. Captain America: Civil War was on it. When Homecoming came out, Spider-Man swung all the way into my top 3. Tom Holland and co. were so good that there are only two films that they did not displace in my nerdy Marvel heart.

#2: AVENGERS (2012)

Assemble.

This might be more of a sentimental pick—I know that several critics would have Guardians at this spot—but I’m listening to my nerdy heart. In Avengers, several effective elements come together. The best part, of course, is the unprecedented, seamless merging of characters and plot lines. Marvel heroes from a 3-year period of films come together to protect humanity from intergalactic threats. If you faithfully watched the solo Marvel films before viewing Avengers, you were duly rewarded with a satisfying conclusion to Phase 1. If you watched Avengers in isolation, you would still be captivated with the colorful adventure of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

And oh boy, how the sparks fly! Even before a single fist landed on a Chitauri cheekbone, the in-fighting among the heroes was fun to watch. The verbal showdown between Cap and Iron Man was fascinating—enough to get everyone excited for a possible Civil War (which happened). Thor vs. Hulk and Thor vs. Tony were exciting heavyweight fights, and the mind-controlled exploits of Hawkeye (who eventually turned into a protagonist) added an extra layer of conflict.

Speaking of conflict, the plot’s intensity keeps the audience hooked from start to finish. The film opens with a car-blowing, Tesseract-grabbing heist perpetuated by Loki, the best MCU villain to date. The action sequences that follow—which include the forest duel and the Helicarrier fiasco—are visual stunners. The climactic Battle of New York is made even more hearstopping when the Avengers have to deal with the alien invasion and the nuclear missile out of nowhere. By the time Mr. Stark wakes up after his heroic sacrifice (with Hulk’s thunderous voice as the alarm clock), the viewer smiles ear-to-ear, satisfied that the good guys prevailed.

We haven’t even touched on the excellent cast—from Downey to Evans, Hiddleston to Ruffalo—as well as the fantastic effects and brilliant musical score. My only nitpick would be the slowing down of the film’s pace during certain expository parts. Perhaps Natasha’s conversation with Dr. Banner could have been just a tad shorter. Other than this, though, I am satisfied with Joss Whedon’s work to the point of considering Avengers a top-of-the-mountain film.

But not the top film.

#1: CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (2014)

I will argue all day, any day with anyone who disagrees.

The second Captain America installment is second to none in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, The Winter Soldier is the MCU’s standard-bearer for film quality.

Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of this film is its realistic approach. All the elements of The Winter Soldier make you believe that a “super soldier”—the stuff of comic book lore—can actually trade fists and save lives in a true-to-life episode of political espionage. Chris Evans gives justice to a highly conflicted Cap, who finds his classic American ideals challenged by 21st century US military “values.”

The action sequences are exquisite. The moment you see Cap deliver a spinning heel kick to a pirate (hello, Georges St-Pierre!), you know it’s going to be special. My favorite scene in the entire film was the elevator scene, in which Steve fights about a dozen Hydra henchmen by himself...and wins. The final act of the film is packed with suspense as Cap attempts to deactivate Hydra’s three Helicarriers designed for mass eliminations. But standing in his way—literally, they stood face-to-face on a very narrow passage—is the Winter Soldier, who is revealed to be Steve’s best friend Bucky. Cheesy as it may have been, the line “I’m with you till the end of the line” was a nice touch to the Cap/Steve vs. Winter Soldier/Bucky plotline.

Comrade Barnes may have been the cybernetically-enhanced villain, but Alexander Pierce was a great antagonist as well in the role of the slimy, intelligent bureaucrat. Robert Redford (God bless his kindred soul) proved in this film that he can out-act any performer that Hollywood has to offer. Memorable performances also came from Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Scarlett Johannson as Black Widow, and Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson.

As garnish, the Russo brothers added touches of humor and cleverness. Like the running joke of Steve telling Sam “I’m on your left,” or the subtle graveyard reference to Samuel L. Jackson’s role in the cult classic Pulp Fiction, or Steve’s list of pop culture items (Star Wars and Star Trek, anyone?). Indeed, Messieurs Joe and Anthony deserved the call to direct Civil War and the Infinity films.

I can only hope that Infinity War and its sequel (Gauntlet, perhaps?) will live up to their gargantuan hype. But don’t get me wrong: I am highly confident because the directors proved how excellent an MCU film can be when they made Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Dear readers, what’s your top 5 list? Do you agree or disagree with the list presented above? Let us know in the comments below!