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defdaily · 3 years

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KNIGHT Magazine March 2021 Issue featuring JAY B

Translated by defdaily

JAY B: Back to the starting point, to set off again

At first sight, Jay B does not seem to have the looks of a popular “Flower Boy”; he has single eyelids typical in Korean boys, and the corners of his eyes crescent up with warmth and pureness as he smiles, drawing people close to him. “Sexy”, “Steady”, “Introverted”，“Warm”，“Sharp” and “Domineering” are all words fans use to describe him. These seemingly unrelated characteristics come together in Jay B and sparks a charisma that is unique to him.

9 years on since debut, he is an all-rounder who sings, dances and composes and his vibrant abilities are obvious to all. However, the entertainment industry is a place that is never short of talent and worthy competitors. Being GOT7’s leader and facing the responsibilities and stress, he did not go down an easy path. Through the endurance, he figured out his own direction of growth and pace - one that is neither nervous or rushed but instead calm and steady. The start of 2021 ushered in the end of his artistic contract and signing new companies, but that did not affect his pace; he made a comeback with his members, writing songs and preparing for his solo album, continuing to do what he is good at, facing the odds calmly and confidently, “2021 to me is a brand new start; I will return to the starting point and start anew.”

Embracing the essence, upholding greatness

Looking through Jay B’s portfolio, he went through many profile changes in the early years. From being an aspiring B-boy, to debuting as an actor, as a boy group duo JJ Project, and 2 years later debuting as GOT7 leader. At every stage, he did his best in whatever he wanted to do. Grabbing every opportunity and going forward earnestly. For dance, he once gave up on his studies and joined a professional dance group very early on. After debuting as a leader, in order to shoulder the responsibilities, he reigned in on his youthful flippance and impetuousness and learned to be tolerant. Through several details, he is managing well. When appearing on variety shows as a group, he made efforts to ensure that every member had the chance to showcase their talents. Before showcases, he is obviously nervous himself but would never forget to remind the others to drink up. He even prioritized group activities over his own, concertedly rejecting solo activities arranged by the company. Till date, he is still the one with the least solo activities. “Instead of myself, it would be better for the other members to begin their solo activities first.”

He is clear-cut and is never trapped between choosing one thing over the other. As a trainee, he also experienced a rebellious phase where he wanted to give up. When he did not know what he wanted, he would follow his heart. He once wrote on SNS “Do whatever you want. If you really love something, then follow your heart and do it.” His motivation sets him on a simple path; start off with love, and put in all his effort into it, working hard to hand in his best submission. He assigned the name Def. to his solo writing, which holds the meaning of “the best, the greatest of all”. Years ago, he had said in a variety show, “When I grow a little older, I must become a truly cool celebrity, and a multi-talented artist.” At that time, when faced with many fresh opportunities, he eagerly leapt forward to try them out, to bloom from all corners. Later, interviewers asked him what his future plans are for the next 5 years, and he said, “Definitely to continue my music-related work, and if my body allows me to, I will continue dancing.” And now, his dreams have more definitively settled on the area of creative music composing, hence, when asked whether he would consider moving into acting again, he said, “Now I can’t fully embody and express a character, but I think I should learn and understand deeply before going into acting. Learning to have restraint and storing one’s potential will help with a better start.

I will open up my heart

Some say the creative must embrace change at all times and maintain a keenness for observation; similarly, Jay B’s awareness of the world is astute and meticulous. He observes life through film lenses, and reflects upon his own feelings in the process. “Through the photos I take, I discovered that my photos are people-centric, and I often am curious about what they are thinking, how they are feeling at that very moment.” The happiness and sorrows of people often differ from one another, but they always leave marks. He likes to record down his surroundings, the people around him and the banalities of everyday life, and incorporate them into his creative works. For example, when writing the song “Rainy”, he laid out photos that he took on a rainy day on the floor of his studio, began arranging and rearranging them, and pondering over the sequences. Thus led to the birth of a rainy love story.

Whether it is on stage or composing music, the ever-changing styles he expresses are undoubtedly based on thoughts and experiences in life. In addition to photography, reading books, watching movies and having conversations with people who have experienced life are all some ways in which he draws inspiration from. “In the future I would like to ponder over everything that I experience genuinely in my life, and describe my true thoughts and feelings. It may not necessarily have to be positive; sometimes it can also be a form of relief by expressing the negativity in a straightforward manner.”

Having been in the spotlight of the entertainment industry for many years, he is no stranger to receiving criticisms, yet he always digests it quietly. His warm, honest aura, along with his sensitivity and sympathetic nature, creates a juxtaposition in his personality. On the performing stage, he is cool and powerful, as if he has an unlimited source energy waiting to be released. In everyday life, the same Jay B he stores that energy and softens up, creating an entirely different image. He is used to treating others with kindness, and knows how to live as himself: “Instead of paying attention to the criticism and living like someone else, I would rather be myself and accept the criticism.” He loves life, and likes to play with his three cats. He remembers a funny incident, “One of my cats likes to lick the carpet, so there was one time I accidentally stepped on the carpet and almost fell.” Like many young folks, during his leisure time, he reads and sleeps to relieve stress. When his schedule is packed, he would take a stroll at the working site, sometimes taking photos and videos and sharing them along the way. He has his own world, but it is not locked up at all; it is wide open and welcome for everyone to visit. There was once where he read a word in a book that reminded him of b-boying, so he simply left the house and b-boyed along the streets, posting a clip of it on SNS. He thinks that the name that Chinese fans call themselves sounds nice, but he also likes calling everyone “best friend”. Realizing he might sound impolite, he carefully added that it does not mean he does not like the former, just like an old friend with no filter who says what they want but never fails to consider your feelings.

Tackling the unknown is full of delight

“Unknown challenges, to me, are very interesting. I find tackling new things to be a really great thing.” In this new year, with a new company and new plans, Lim Jaebeom has started on his journey of transformation. Taking on a path that he has to take alone, even though he may still be adapting to this new identity and role, “I am really alone now, it feels fascinating yet a little awkward.” He understands to cherish, and wishes to continue making even greater music for the group. He also looks forward dearly for his music to find a place of its own in the music sphere. Being faced with the challenges that await him, he is eager to create a world of his own. At a certain program where he was asked by his members, “Are you happy?”, he hesitated and replied: “I don’t know.” In fact, he is just like the music that he writes - it does not shock or excite but you will never get bored of it after repeated listens; the kind of music he pursues is not one with intricate formal design or various showy techniques, but one that expresses of real and honest emotions triggered by real and honest events.

As he faces the ebb and flow of the tide calmly and inches closer to his dreams with each step, he is still the young boy he was before, fiery passion in his gaze, sincerely embracing change, maturing and growing through it. Perhaps he might not know when his personal happiness will arrive, but he has never stopped looking for it. For his era is imminent.

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howwelldoyouknowyourmoon · 3 years

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A History Of God – The 4,000-year quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam

“I say that religion isn’t about believing things. It’s ethical alchemy. It’s about behaving in a way that changes you, that gives you intimations of holiness and sacredness.” — Karen Armstrong on Powells.com

book by Karen Armstrong (2004)

The idea of a single divine being – God, Yahweh, Allah – has existed for over 4,000 years. But the history of God is also the history of human struggle. While Judaism, Islam and Christianity proclaim the goodness of God, organised religion has too often been the catalyst for violence and ineradicable prejudice. In this fascinating, extensive and original account of the evolution of belief, Karen Armstrong examines Western society’s unerring fidelity to this idea of One God and the many conflicting convictions it engenders. A controversial, extraordinary story of worship and war, A History of God confronts the most fundamental fact – or fiction – of our lives.

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Review: Armstrong, a British journalist and former nun, guides us along one of the most elusive and fascinating quests of all time – the search for God. Like all beloved historians, Armstrong entertains us with deft storytelling, astounding research, and makes us feel a greater appreciation for the present because we better understand our past. Be warned: A History of God is not a tidy linear history. Rather, we learn that the definition of God is constantly being repeated, altered, discarded, and resurrected through the ages, responding to its followers’ practical concerns rather than to mystical mandates. Armstrong also shows us how Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have overlapped and influenced one another, gently challenging the secularist history of each of these religions. – Gail Hudson

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The Introduction to A History of God:

As a child, I had a number of strong religious beliefs but little faith in God. There is a distinction between belief in a set of propositions and a faith which enables us to put our trust in them. I believed implicitly in the existence of God; I also believed in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the efficacy of the sacraments, the prospect of eternal damnation and the objective reality of Purgatory. I cannot say, however, that my belief in these religious opinions about the nature of ultimate reality gave me much confidence that life here on earth was good or beneficent. The Roman Catholicism of my childhood was a rather frightening creed. James Joyce got it right in Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man: I listened to my share of hell-fire sermons. In fact Hell seemed a more potent reality than God, because it was something that I could grasp imaginatively. God, on the other hand, was a somewhat shadowy figure, defined in intellectual abstractions rather than images. When I was about eight years old, I had to memorise this catechism answer to the question, ‘What is God?’: ‘God is the Supreme Spirit, Who alone exists of Himself and is infinite in all perfections.’ Not surprisingly, it meant little to me and I am bound to say that it still leaves me cold. It has always seemed a singularly arid, pompous and arrogant definition. Since writing this book, however, I have come to believe that it is also incorrect.

As I grew up, I realised that there was more to religion than fear. I read the lives of the saints, the metaphysical poets, T. S. Eliot and some of the simpler writings of the mystics. I began to be moved by the beauty of the liturgy and, though God remained distant, I felt that it was possible to break through to him and that the vision would transfigure the whole of created reality. To do this I entered a religious order and, as a novice and a young nun, I learned a good deal more about the faith. I applied myself to apologetics, scripture, theology and church history. I delved into the history of the monastic life and embarked on a minute discussion of the Rule of my own order, which we had to learn by heart. Strangely enough, God figured very little in any of this. Attention seemed focused on secondary details and the more peripheral aspects of religion. I wrestled with myself in prayer, trying to force my mind to encounter God but he remained a stern taskmaster, who observed my every infringement of the Rule, or tantalisingly absent. The more I read about the raptures of the saints, the more of a failure I felt. I was unhappily aware that what little religious experience I had, had somehow been manufactured by myself as I worked upon my own feelings and imagination. Sometimes a sense of devotion was an aesthetic response to the beauty of the Gregorian chant and the liturgy. But nothing had actually happened to me from a source beyond myself. I never glimpsed the God described by the prophets and mystics. Jesus Christ, about whom we talked far more than about ‘God’, seemed a purely historical figure, inextricably embedded in late antiquity. I also began to have grave doubts about some of the doctrines of the Church. How could anybody possibly know for certain that the man Jesus had been God incarnate and what did such a belief mean? Did the New Testament really teach the elaborate – and highly contradictory – doctrine of the Trinity or was this, like so many other articles of the faith, a fabrication by theologians centuries after the death of Christ in Jerusalem?

Eventually, with regret, I left the religious life and once freed of the burden of failure and inadequacy, I felt my belief in God slip quietly away. He had never really impinged upon my life, though I had done my best to enable him to do so. Now that I no longer felt so guilty and anxious about him, he became too remote to be a reality. My interest in religion continued, however, and I made a number of television programmes about the early history of Christianity and the nature of the religious experience. The more I learned about the history of religion, the more my earlier misgivings were justified. The doctrines that I had accepted without question as a child were indeed man-made, constructed over a long period of time. Science seemed to have disposed of the Creator God and biblical scholars had proved that Jesus had never claimed to be divine. As an epileptic, I had flashes of vision that I knew to be a mere neurological defect: had the visions and raptures of the saints also been a mere mental quirk? Increasingly, God seemed an aberration, something that the human race had outgrown.

Despite my years as a nun, I do not believe that my experience of God is unusual. My ideas about God were formed in childhood and did not keep abreast of my growing knowledge in other disciplines. I had revised simplistic childhood views of Father Christmas; I had come to a more mature understanding of the complexities of the human predicament than had been possible in the kindergarten. Yet my early, confused ideas about God had not been modified or developed. People without my peculiarly religious background may also find that their notion of God was formed in infancy. Since those days, we have put away childish things and have discarded the God of our first years.

Yet my study of the history of religion has revealed that human beings are spiritual animals. Indeed, there is a case for arguing that Homo sapiens is also Homo religiosus. Men and women started to worship gods as soon as they became recognisably human; they created religions at the same time as they created works of art. This was not simply because they wanted to propitiate powerful forces but these early faiths expressed the wonder and mystery that seems always to have been an essential component of the human experience of this beautiful yet terrifying world. Like art, religion has been an attempt to find meaning and value in life, despite the suffering that flesh is heir to. Like any other human activity, religion can be abused but it seems to have been something that we have always done. It was not tacked on to a primordially secular nature by manipulative kings and priests but was natural to humanity. Indeed, our current secularism is an entirely new experiment, unprecedented in human history. We have yet to see how it will work. It is also true to say that our Western liberal humanism is not something that comes naturally to us; like an appreciation of art or poetry, it has to be cultivated. Humanism is itself a religion without God – not all religions, of course, are theistic. Our ethical secular ideal has its own disciplines of mind and heart and gives people the means of finding faith in the ultimate meaning of human life that were once provided by the more conventional religions.

When I began to research this history of the idea and experience of God in the three related monotheistic faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, I expected to find that God had simply been a projection of human needs and desires. I thought that ‘he’ would mirror the fears and yearnings of society at each stage of its development. My predictions were not entirely unjustified but I have been extremely surprised by some of my findings and I wish that I had learned all this thirty years ago, when I was starting out in the religious life. It would have saved me a great deal of anxiety to hear – from eminent monotheists in all three faiths – that instead of waiting for God to descend from on high, I should deliberately create a sense of him for myself. Other Rabbis, priests and Sufis would have taken me to task for assuming that God was – in any sense – a reality ‘out there’; they would have warned me not to expect to experience him as an objective fact that could be discovered by the ordinary rational process. They would have told me that in an important sense God was a product of the creative imagination, like the poetry and music that I found so inspiring. A few highly respected monotheists would have told me quietly and firmly that God did not really exist – and yet that ‘he’ was the most important reality in the world.

This book will not be a history of the ineffable reality of God itself, which is beyond time and change, but a history of the way men and women have perceived him from Abraham to the present day. The human idea of God has a history, since it has always meant something slightly different to each group of people who have used it at various points of time. The idea of God formed in one generation by one set of human beings could be meaningless in another. Indeed, the statement: ‘I believe in God’ has no objective meaning, as such, but like any other statement it only means something in context, when proclaimed by a particular community. Consequently there is not one unchanging idea contained in the word ‘God’ but the word contains a whole spectrum of meanings, some of which are contradictory or even mutually exclusive. Had the notion of God not had this flexibility, it would not have survived to become one of the great human ideas. When one conception of God has ceased to have meaning or relevance, it has been quietly discarded and replaced by a new theology. A fundamentalist would deny this, since fundamentalism is anti-historical: it believes that Abraham, Moses and the later prophets all experienced their God in exactly the same way as people do today. Yet if we look at our three religions, it becomes clear that there is no objective view of ‘God’: each generation has to create the image of God that works for them. The same is true of atheism. The statement ‘I do not believe in God’ has always meant something slightly different at each period of history. The people who have been dubbed ‘atheists’ over the years have always been denied a particular conception of the divine. Is the ‘God’ who is rejected by atheists today, the God of the patriarchs, the God of the prophets, the God of the philosophers, the God of the mystics or the God of the eighteenth-century deists? All these deities have been venerated as the God of the Bible and the Koran by Jews, Christians and Muslims at various points of their history. We shall see that they are very different from one another. Atheism has often been a transitional state: thus Jews, Christians and Muslims were all called ‘atheists’ by their pagan contemporaries because they had adopted a revolutionary notion of divinity and transcendence. Is modern atheism a similar denial of a God’ which is no longer adequate to the problems of our time?

Despite its other-worldliness, religion is highly pragmatic. We hall see that it is far more important for a particular idea of God to work than for it to be logically or scientifically sound. As soon as it ceases to be effective it will be changed – sometimes for something radically different. This did not disturb most monotheists before our own day because they were quite clear that their ideas about God were not sacrosanct but could only be provisional. They were man-made – they could be nothing else – and quite separate from the indescribable Reality they symbolised. Some developed quite audacious ways of emphasising this essential distinction. One medieval mystic went so far as to say that this ultimate Reality – mistakenly called ‘God’ – was not even mentioned in the Bible. Throughout history, men and women have experienced a dimension of the spirit that seems to transcend the mundane world. Indeed, it is an arresting characteristic of the human mind to be able to conceive concepts that go beyond it in this way. However we choose to interpret it, this human experience of transcendence has been a fact of life. Not everybody would regard it as divine: Buddhists, as we shall see, would deny that their visions and insights are derived from a supernatural source; they see them as natural to humanity. All the major religions, however, would agree that it is impossible to describe this transcendence in normal conceptual language. Monotheists have called this transcendence ‘God’ but they have hedged this around with important provisos. Jews, for example, are forbidden to pronounce the sacred Name of God and Muslims must not attempt to depict the divine in visual imagery. The discipline is a reminder that the reality that we call ‘God’ exceeds all human expression.

This will not be a history in the usual sense, since the idea of God has not evolved from one point and progressed in a linear fashion to a final conception. Scientific notions work like that but the ideas of art and religion do not. Just as there are only a given number of themes in love poetry, so too people have kept saying the same things about God over and over again. Indeed, we shall find a striking similarity in Jewish, Christian and Muslim ideas of the divine. Even though Jews and Muslims both find the Christian doctrines of the Trinity and Incarnation almost blasphemous, they have produced their own versions of these controversial theologies. Each expression of these universal themes is slightly different, however, showing the ingenuity and inventiveness of the human imagination as it struggles to express its sense of ‘God’.

Because this is such a big subject, I have deliberately confined myself to the One God worshipped by Jews, Christians and Muslims, though I have occasionally considered pagan, Hindu and Buddhist conceptions of ultimate reality to make a monotheistic point clearer. It seems that the idea of God is remarkably close to ideas in religions that developed quite independently. Whatever conclusions we reach about the reality of God, the history of this idea must tell us something important about the human mind and the nature of our aspiration. Despite the secular tenor of much Western society, the idea of God still affects the lives of millions of people. Recent surveys have shown that ninety-nine per cent of Americans say that they believe in God: the question is which ‘God’ of the many on offer do they subscribe to?

Theology often comes across as dull and abstract but the history of God has been passionate and intense. Unlike some other conceptions of the ultimate, it was originally attended by agonising struggle and stress. The prophets of Israel experienced their God as a physical pain that wrenched their every limb and filled them with rage and elation. The reality that they called God was often experienced by monotheists in a state of extremity: we shall read of mountain tops, darkness, desolation, crucifixion and terror. The Western experience of God seemed particularly traumatic. What was the reason for this inherent strain? Other monotheists spoke of light and transfiguration. They used very daring imagery to express the complexity of the reality they experienced, which went far beyond the orthodox theology. There has recently been a revived interest in mythology, which may indicate a widespread desire for a more imaginative expression of religious truth. The work of the late American scholar Joseph Campbell has become extremely popular: he has explored the perennial mythology of mankind, linking ancient myths with those still current in traditional societies, is often assumed that the three God-religions are devoid of mythology and poetic symbolism. Yet, although monotheists originally rejected the myths of their pagan neighbours, these often crept back into the faith at a later date. Mystics have seen God incarnated a woman, for example. Others reverently speak of God’s sexuality and have introduced a female element into the divine.

This brings me to a difficult point. Because this God began as a specifically male deity, monotheists have usually referred to it as ‘he’. In recent years, feminists have understandably objected to this. Since I shall be recording the thoughts and insights of people who called God ‘he’, I have used the conventional masculine terminology, except when ‘it’ has been more appropriate. Yet it is perhaps worth mentioning that the masculine tenor of God-talk is particularly problematic in English. In Hebrew, Arabic and French, however, grammatical gender gives theological discourse a sort of sexual counterpoint and dialectic, which provides a balance that is often lacking in English. Thus in Arabic al-Lah (the supreme name for God) is grammatically masculine, but the word for the divine and inscrutable essence of God – al-Dhat – is feminine.

All talk about God staggers under impossible difficulties. Yet monotheists have all been very positive about language at the same time as they have denied its capacity to express the transcendent reality. The God of Jews, Christians and Muslims is a God who – in some sense – speaks. His Word is crucial in all three faiths. The Word of God has shaped the history of our culture. We have to decide whether the word ‘God’ has any meaning for us today.

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Biography Karen Armstrong is the author of numerous other books on religious affairs –including A History of God, The Battle for God, Holy War, Islam, Buddha, and The Great Transformation – and two memoirs, Through the Narrow Gate and The Spiral Staircase. Her work has been translated into forty-five languages. She has addressed members of the U.S. Congress on three occasions; lectured to policy makers at the U.S. State Department; participated in the World Economic Forum in New York, Jordan, and Davos; addressed the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington and New York; is increasingly invited to speak in Muslim countries; and is now an ambassador for the UN Alliance of Civilizations. In February 2008 she was awarded the TED Prize and is currently working with TED on a major international project to launch and propagate a Charter for Compassion, created online by the general public and crafted by leading thinkers in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, to be signed in the fall of 2009 by a thousand religious and secular leaders. She lives in London.

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From Publishers Weekly This searching, profound comparative history of the three major monotheistic faiths fearlessly illuminates the sociopolitical ground in which religious ideas take root, blossom and mutate. Armstrong, a British broadcaster, commentator on religious affairs.., argues that Judaism, Christianity and Islam each developed the idea of a personal God, which has helped believers to mature as full human beings. Yet Armstrong also acknowledges that the idea of a personal God can be dangerous, encouraging us to judge, condemn and marginalize others. Recognizing this, each of the three monotheisms, in their different ways, developed a mystical tradition grounded in a realization that our human idea of God is merely a symbol of an ineffable reality. To Armstrong, modern, aggressively righteous fundamentalists of all three faiths represent “a retreat from God.” She views as inevitable a move away from the idea of a personal God who behaves like a larger version of ourselves, and welcomes the grouping of believers toward a notion of God that “works for us in the empirical age.”

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My wish: The Charter for Compassion – Karen Armstrong

Karen Armstrong TED Talk given in 2008

What God is, or isn’t, will continue to morph indefinitely unless…

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Richard Barlow:

‘The whole thing about the messiah is a human construct’

The Divine Principle: Questions to consider about Old Testament figures

How “God’s Day” was established on January 1, 1968

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Divine Principle – Parallels of History

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“… Many Koreans therefore have difficulty understanding and accepting religions that have only one god and emphasize an uncertain and unknowable afterlife rather than the here and now. In the Korean context of things, such religions are anti-life and do not really make sense…” LINK

#Karen Armstrong #God #monotheism

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thefairystales · 7 years

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Mashima Hiro long interview translation (part 3)

This long interview with Mashima Hiro is published in Magazine Pocket. The interview was carried out right after the storyboard for the final chapter was completed. The interviewer was Hashimoto, who had previously served as Mashima-sensei’s editor for 2.5 years. Mashima-sensei’s current editor was also present at the interview, and the responses labeled with “editor” are from him.

The interview is really long, and I have broken it up into 3 parts. Part 1 and part 2 have already been posted.

Translated by thefairystales | DO NOT EDIT OR REMOVE SOURCE Please credit by linking back when using. (usage rules)

On the plot

You don’t have meetings with your editors about the plot.

I always bring the storyboard for them to read. For Weekly Shonen Magazine, I believe the meetings with the editors are usually about preliminary stuff and what kind of storyboard will be drawn. However, my meetings with them have always been about the storyboard from the time of RAVE.

Why is that?

There are many manga artists who can’t work on the storyboard if they haven’t decided on the plot. However, it’s the opposite for me, and I can’t draw the storyboard if I have already decided on the plot. Freedom is lost. I dislike that, and made a request to my editors. “You can reject it as many times as you want if it isn’t interesting, but please let me go for our preparatory meetings with the storyboard.” Now that I think about it, I was a brazen greenhorn (laugh).

But Fairy Tail has become an interesting manga as a result of that.

There were many times where my storyboard was rejected at the beginning though. (laugh)

Is there anything that has changed from the time of RAVE to Fairy Tail?

I became more strongly aware of the reader’s existence. I used to only draw the things I wanted to, and thought that it would be good as long as there were readers who were happy with it. My editors helped me with that. “You might have wanted to draw this part of the story this way, but I think the readers would prefer this.”

What about now?

I’ve reached the point where I would think of wanting to please the readers before my editors said anything. However, I am ultimately a happy author, and I feel that the things I want to draw are not that far off from the things I feel the readers want to read. That’s why I have never drawn any manga where I thought “I’ll kill my ideas in order to draw something the readers would like to see”. Drawing manga is always fun.

On overseas trips

You have often gone on business trips.

I have been to many places both overseas and locally. I am thankful that the fans welcomed me each time.

You have done this many times within your crowded schedule.

It’s not that I love traveling. When I’m told that I had autograph sessions locally or events overseas, I go for them with the feeling of “I’ll go if that’s the case~”. There have been times where I had work that had yet to be completed, and I brought my manuscripts along to the hotel and drew in the hotel room alone. (laugh)

Translator’s note: In case anyone misunderstands, he means that he doesn’t love traveling, but he will travel when it’s for fan events.

That happened when we went on a business trip to Okinawa together.

That’s right. However, I enjoyed our business trip to Okinawa. There were also many people who came to the autograph session.

You were anxious the whole time. You wondered “will the fans come...” while having Soki soba for lunch. All the staff told you “the fans will definitely come!”, but you were the only one who went “is that so, I wonder if they’ll come”. (laugh)

I get anxious sometimes before autograph sessions! What if I head over to the venue just to see no one gathering there and I end up sitting on the chair alone. I’m thankful that such an autograph session has never happened before.

Of course. (laugh) Mashima-san, do you get recognized when you’re out?

I do occasionally. It’s just that I don’t appear on TV frequently like celebrities do, and thus I hardly get recognized. Someone recognized me when I went for a meal with the editor-in-chief.

They would know that it’s you by listening to your conversation. Since the conversation only revolves around Weekly Shonen Magazine.

On his workload

You have challenged many things during the serialization of Fairy Tail, such as publishing 3 chapters at a go for 2 consecutive weeks, 2 chapters concurrently for 4 weeks, publishing in 5 magazines, having 2 serializations ongoing at the same time, and so on. Is there anything else that you have left undone?

No, I can’t think of anything. I was given the opportunity to do various things. It was fun.

Where does that vitality come from?

I feel that I have to stand out. Manga artists must desire stand out more and more. Both in the magazine and outside the magazine as well. You can’t survive in this circle if you don’t do that, and thus I do my hardest to stand out. I want to do my best to stand out if I’m given the opportunity to do so in the future as well.

Even so, weren’t there times when work was tough?

If I had to say, it would be the time when I had rival serializations going on concurrently. I had accepted the offer to draw the manga for Monster Hunter Orage, and that was exactly when Fairy Tail was at the Battle of Fairy Tail arc. The amount of manuscripts I had to do increased rapidly. I had to draw many large monsters and weapons in the rival work. As for Fairy Tail, the characters I had to draw drastically increased, and on top of that, I had to draw many backgrounds for the battle that took place in town.

It sounds like a terrifying situation.

I thought that I would never do concurrent serializations again, but I ended up doing it once more with “FT ZERO”. However, it wasn’t that tough. There were few characters, and I was able to draw it as I pleased since it was about the world view of Fairy Tail.

What about releasing multiple chapters at once?

Something like that isn’t too difficult if you have a sufficient preparatory period. I don’t draw 2 chapter’s worth of material within a week, but rather systematically accumulated my drawings little by little. However, my editor said something at that time that made my heart hurt a little (laugh). “The editorial department has snatched away Mashima’s stock manuscript again!”

It can’t be helped, since about half of it is true. (laugh) You accumulate a separate set of drawings to be used when you go on your game breaks.

That’s right. After the release date of a game that I really like has been announced, I start making preparations for a week’s worth of manga stock. I also make sure that I announce it to my editor. “I’ll come over with 2 chapter’s worth of storyboards one day, and 2 chapter’s worth of manuscripts will be delivered at once.“

It’s amazing that you have no choice to take a break.

My editor understands it now, but when I first made the request that “I want to hand over a week’s worth of storyboard and manuscript in advance because I want to game”, he gave me a “eh?” expression. “Eh?” He asked in a really high-pitched voice for me to repeat myself.

Of course. He did not have such a concept.

However, he has accepted it as something natural now, that you should be able to fully enjoy games that you like.

On the future

What is the concept for your next work?

I’ve been thinking about it now and then, but I’d like to take a little break. My editor also told me to go for a thorough physical examination, and I’ve been telling myself that since I’ve been working even when I have a break these days.

Will you take a rest?

A complete rest... is impossible. There are various things to do even though the manga has ended. But still, just about everything changes if I don’t have to draw 20 pages per week. I’m thinking of taking things slowly for the first time in 11 years. I’m thinking of it, but...

But?

The editor-in-chief tells me “new serialization... as soon as possible...”. (laugh)

Like an incantation. (laugh)

That’s right. (laugh) However, talking about it seriously, hearing this makes me really happy, and I’ll do my best to draw an interesting manga for my next work. I’ll be really happy if you will support me in my next manga as well!

You’ve really worked hard these 11 years. Thank you very much!

Thank you as well. See you again someday, in the next work!

(END)

#fairy tail #mashima hiro #translation

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wellesleyunderground · 6 years

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A New Years Self-Love Re[v]olution

The start of a new year is often a time in which people reflect on the previous year but also make resolutions for the 365 days that lie ahead. Here WU editors and contributors reflect on where they are in terms of their own self-esteem and self care and state their personal intentions for 2018.

At this juncture, how do you feel about yourself (honestly)?

Proud. When I look back on 2017, I finally worked up the courage to do a lot of things I had been putting off for my entire life. None of it was easy and 2018 looks to be even harder, but still. I gave this year all I had. - Shloka Ananthanarayanan ‘08

Unhappy. I feel like there’s a lot of choices I wish I did or did not make and it’s for some reason easier to continue to examine those choices as the source of all that’s wrong and as a result beat myself as opposed to making a solid plan to course correct. Further, I’m at a point where those around me are settling down and while I am not looking to be coupled/married anytime soon (or perhaps ever), it’s hard not to feel lonely or that I am lacking. Not having a person who is consistently there for me to rely on, even a family member, makes me feel adrift which in turn makes me question my self-worth. -Anon ‘09

Finally feeling like I have direction. When I finished my MFA in 2014, I wasn’t sure how to go about structuring my life around my writing. I’ve had a bunch of different jobs the past three years, from nannying to teaching high school English full-time, and finally this fall I feel like I figured out what jobs allow me the most time/headspace to write. I also finally feel like I know exactly what steps I need to take next to complete my book project… now it’s just a matter of actually doing them in 2018. - E.B. Bartels ‘10

Frustrated. I’ve discovered some of my limits this year and have been trying to streamline my life and commit to less. But I feel professionally and personally frustrated. And it’s difficult to be okay with my life as it is because I experience extreme isolation and am not progressing professionally as I would like. The more I try different things and don’t give up trying to feel better, the more frustrated I feel. And it’s particularly exasperating because I can imagine other people looking at my life and judging how privileged and fortunate I am, which I realize is true at some level but doesn’t help in the daily struggle. -Anon ‘98

Hard to say one word, so I’m going with “Work in progress”. I’m happy with where I am with my work (both paid and unpaid) and feel like I am in a field that matches my passions and challenges me. But I’ve definitely hit a wall this year in terms of my capacity and it’s been hard figuring out how to set up systems to scale back without totally disengaging with my work, communities, and friends. - Fei ‘10

Overall, really good. I feel really thankful for many things that happened in 2017: I met a lot of really amazing, wonderful people; I traveled to many new countries (and even rode a camel!); I tried new foods… I also learned a lot about myself and grew as a person, which is especially important to me. I started a journey I’ve been thinking about for a long time—the journey to become a doctor—and while it’s a hard one, it makes me happy to know that, whatever comes ahead, I will try my hardest to be kind to myself throughout the process. -May Sifuentes ‘09

Unsure. I came into 2017 feeling like I knew what I wanted, what I stood for and where I was going. I feel none of those things anymore. Professionally, I felt like I had to learn to be more guarded, less compassionate, and less empathetic just to survive the environment I was in. But now that I left that place...I always wonder ‘am I just an asshole now?’ 2017 was a big financial adulting year and as I moved into the world from graduate school, I found myself pleasantly surprised that I too could figure things out (be it finding an apartment, building furniture, figuring out how the heck credit cards work, or international travel to somewhere I don’t speak the language). On paper, where I am currently is not bad by any stretch of the imagination-and for now, it’s comfy. But it’s also not where I want my final destination to be and I don’t want to get complacent and stuck. Figuring out how to get where I want to go is daunting. -Anon ‘15

What self-care related commitments did you keep in the last year that you feel particularly good about?

Talking to my friends and going out (even when I didn’t feel like it). My friends were the most important thing about 2017. They gave me great advice, a shoulder to cry on, and helped to celebrate my successes and brush aside my failures. Also, I stayed in more than I went out, and read hundreds of books and watched hundreds of movies and TV shows. And that was pretty damn great too. - Shloka Ananthanarayanan ‘08

Doing more dancing and practice of an art I’ve always wanted to commit more to. -Anon ‘98

I set up a tally system for myself for saying “no” to events/commitments (and rewarded myself when I finally got a whole weekend day without anything scheduled!) and found accountability buddies to keep on track. Making time for rest was hard, but I made sure to get at least one night at home a week. - Fei ‘10

Learning a new skill I wanted to learn for awhile. Also, giving value to my time because it makes it easier for me to prioritize what I really should be doing instead of doing things because I have to. -Anon ‘15

I have gotten better at saying no to things. For so long, I would always say yes to everything everyone asked of me, even if it was something I didn’t really want to do. I’ve gotten better at protecting my time, because I realized that if I don’t make time for my own writing/reading/alone time, I will never recharge and will always feel low-grade lousy about myself and my choices. - E.B. Bartels ‘10

I committed to exercising regularly for my physical and mental health. I started walking several times a week at lunch and going to Pilates classes two times a week. I love it, and it makes me feel so good! Carving out that time is hard with two young kids, but my husband has been really supportive. -Yael D Sherman ‘00

In an effort to avoid burnout in any one thing, I decided last January that I would feel successful if I had done at least one artistic, athletic, or adult thing each day. So I made a Google spreadsheet for each month, and it wound up being a little bullet journal of sorts. Sometimes at 11:30 I would notice I hadn’t done anything that day, so I would hurriedly write a thank-you note or crank out ten push-ups. But hey, all 365 days have at least something! -Jessica Sirizzotti ‘10

I feel especially good about never passing on an opportunity to try new foods, especially tacos, whenever there is a chance. I’m very glad my friends like food as much as I do. -May Sifuentes ‘09

What plans do you have to feel better about or treat yourself better in 2018?

Keep repeating to myself “one day at a time.” I spent all of 2017 stressing about the future (my future, the country’s future, the entire universe’s future). In 2018, I’m going to take each day as it comes and try to remember that things constantly change and evolve, so there’s no sense in pretending I can prepare for every eventuality. - Shloka Ananthanarayanan ‘08

Stop beating myself up so much, to try less hard and just accept myself. To focus more on my needs and my immediate family’s needs instead of depleting my limited resources by putting everyone else first. And to throw all the bad juju in the ocean. -Anon ‘98

I’ve been thinking a lot about self worth and internalizing that I am worthy of love. I don’t know how that will look just yet, but it will probably involve a lot of rereading Brene Brown. - Fei ‘10

“Follow the happy”- do things and be with people that make me happy and (try to) cut the rest out. My foray into adulthood has felt like spending lots of time doing things I don’t want to do around people I don’t actually want to be around. And from 9-5, I can’t really change things, that’s true. But outside of that, I do still have choices about what to do. -Anon ‘15

I want to say yes only to things that I really want to do, stop beating myself up for and feeling guilty about things that no one remembers or thinks about except for me, and try to make more realistic goals for myself. I often set myself up for failure by telling myself I am going to accomplish an unrealistic number of things on my daily to do list, and then, even if I get a bunch of stuff done, I still feel like a failure because I didn’t do everything on my list. I need to stop doing that. - E.B. Bartels ‘10

Let go of my “family peacekeeper” role, especially in non-family dynamics like work. Not everyone has to be friends, and I definitely don’t need to make everyone friends. Also, checklists to help manage ADD “oh no I’m forgetting something” panic. - Jessica Sirizzotti ‘10

I lobbied my mom to gift me a membership to Healthworks in Boston, so I’m super excited about working out as much as I can in 2018. I’ve always wondered if it’s physically possible for me to get a six-pack—because, while I love to work out and playing sports, I also love food, so I guess 2018 is the year we’ll find out. -May Sifuentes ‘09

Have personal goals for 2018 that you’d like to share? Send them to us at [email protected].

#self-care series #self care #self love #wellesley underground

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lisakellner · 4 years

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What do you do when art systems crumble?

When it’s time for a total overhaul

Important: If you are in a dire situation, click on this list of emergency resources.

What to do when art systems crumble:

We are in a time of upheaval. Galleries close, museums cut services, jobs are suspended or lost. The system we have been relying on for so long is coming apart at the seams.

I want to offer some real tools to help you move forward.

1. Feel What you’re feeling.

What ever you are experiencing right now is okay. Take the time to really feel the emotions going through you.

I had a great mentor that gave me some valuable advice. She told me that whenever she experienced something bad, she would stop what she’s doing and take fifteen solid minutes to really feel the emotions.

It’s important to acknowledge the impact this particular event is having on you in this moment.

Whatever you feel is the right feeling to have right now. Take the time and embrace it.

One effective tool is to acknowledge the feeling yet separate yourself from it.

Instead of saying, “I am angry and frustrated about xyz”, try this instead:

”I feel anger and frustration about xyz.” You can have the feelings without them completely overtaking who you are.

2. Get in the right Mindset.

When you are ready, ease yourself into a better mindset. What does that mean exactly? You can’t get out of this situation, if you have a defeatist attitude.

You have to be able to shift your thinking. New scenarios require new ways of problem solving.

Check out this blog post: Why the Right Mindset matters.

Each day, try to immerse yourself in a new activity. See whether this activity shifts your thinking, even if its for a few minutes. It takes time to change your mindset.

I recently went through my own personal journey of shifting my mindset. I wish I could tell you it took a day or even a few weeks. Like all good things, it took time. (In my case a couple years.) But the outcome is that this shift became permanent. And I am so grateful for that!

Just start on the journey of a new mindset for a new era; one that empowers you to achieve, not makes you reliant on systems outside of your control.

3. Believe (and Know) that you will get through this.

“You are what you believe yourself to be.”

— Paulo Coelho

Make sure your true belief system is in alignment with your actions and your thoughts.

It’s one thing to say I believe “abc”, but you also have to know it with every cell in your body. It has to become a part of you; impervious to outside influences.

Sounds simple, but not always so easy.

Use this time when all things around you are seemingly declining, to renew your belief system about yourself. Repeat until you know it innately:

You are perfectly capable of finding your way through anything.

You are successful and thriving.

Nothing can get in your way of your own success.

Once you understand that the biggest thing holding you back is your own set of beliefs, then - and only then - can you change them.

4. Diversify your income and your strategy

I have been through a recession (actually three) and have learned a thing or two along the way. The first one hit two months after I graduated college. As I watched everyone around me being laid off or fired, I spent each day waiting for the ball to drop.

I decided right then and there to never depend solely on one source of income.

Diversify your income AND your strategy.

Let’s talk strategy first.

As an artist in the time we are currently living in, I strongly suggest that you do not rely on one source for exhibiting and selling your work. Diversify. If you are completely dependent on galleries (one or more) to get your work seen and sold, then you are NOT diversified.

What happens when those galleries close or a pandemic forcibly shuts them down?

In the financial world, not being diversified is foolish - to say the least. An investor would not just invest in oil companies or soft drink companies. A smart investor would make sure their portfolio is well diversified.

A smart artist should do the same. Your investment of time, energy and money required to make your work should embolden you to never fully rely on one outlet for your success.

It’s time to come up with multiple streams for promoting, exhibiting and selling your work. Use this time to gear up and create a strategy that will once again place you on a firm foundation. Force yourself to think of innovative ways that maybe you haven’t considered before.

Take a look around. there are many artists already doing this. Start an online course or YouTube channel that you can monetize. Create a Patreon membership offering a service or product that is really valuable. Use Zoom to show you working in the studio and ask for a “Pay what You Want” donation. Create your own online exhibition or studio tour.

The point is stop relying on old systems to get you through this new landscape.

Okay, finances.

I have always felt that a secondary source of income is a must have, for everyone but especially for artists. Having that source of income not within the arts makes it a diversified income source.

You want to be recession proof.

Look around right now and assess what industries are actually thriving (or at least sustaining) during this time. I can think of a few.

All indicators point to a flourishing online economy - like it or not. Get yourself a foothold online so that you can profit from this already burgeoning system. The beauty of it is, you can be online and remain independent.

Another overlooked system is the most local one near you. What is working and what isn’t right now in your local landscape? How can you provide something that works here? No matter where you live, growing and providing food will always be in demand. Is there a way to use your creativity to profit from a local food system?

What about a passive income source? Write an eBook and sell it. Use your art in new ways to earn for you. Create an awesome t-shirt with your own distinctive style!

Passive income streams inside and outside of the arts are a viable source of secondary income.

Finally, keep your expenses low. (I’ll have more on this at a future date.)

Suffice it to say there are two things you can do immediately to reduce your expenses.

Eliminate ALL unnecessary monthly subscriptions.

Communicate honestly about your situation to those who you owe money to. This includes your landlord, credit card company, bank, etc. You would be surprised how many people, and businesses, are willing to work with you when you are genuine (and respectful) in your communication!

5. Be of service

I know. You’re thinking, how can I help others when I am suffering myself?

When times are tough and people come together, the world opens and the potential for opportunity is suddenly realized.

It’s important to get outside of yourself and help others.

When you do this, an interesting thing happens. You begin to problem solve for other people and it leads to new ways of thinking (mindset revamp) and new ways of doing.

Be being unselfish, you start to see things in a new light, finding ways around a problem that perhaps you hadn’t considered before. Then, you start applying these to your OWN life. Amazing!

I challenge you right now to use your art and your creative skills to find a way to serve your audience. When we help others we put into context our own problems and take on a larger perspective of how the world works. Always a useful tool.

6. Build your own thing

As old systems begin to crumble, the opportunity arises for you to create your own system. One that relies mostly on you and not on things out of your control.

A stand of trees in the woods depends on each other. Yet, each tree has to have a strong root system and trunk in order to survive the worst of storms.

Decide right now to rebuild your own foundation and be impervious to future crises.

Creating a strategy and building your won system is something I focus on in my One to One coaching sessions.

Begin with a website. If you already have one, do a total revamp and make sure that your website reflects the new you.

Start to create your own community. Don’t just commiserate with other artists about how bad things are.

Be a part of the change that needs to happen.

What is lacking right now? Be the solution for it. You are smart and you are creative. Use these skills to change the problem rather than just succumbing to it.

Take your power back.

7. Get the right kind of help

Reach outside of yourself for new information, new skills and new mentors.

There is plenty of information online that can help you through. Or you can find someone you trust to help you with a strategy for the future. This will pass and we will get through it. You decide how that is going to happen.

If you want to take this further, here’s how I can help you: The Artist Essentials One on One Method.

In Summary:

What to do when art systems crumble:

Feel what you’re feeling.

Get in the right mindset.

Believe and Know that you will get through this.

Diversify your income and your strategy.

Be of service.

Build your own thing.

Get the help you need. Sign up for personal, tailored advice with The Artist Essentials Services.

Did you enjoy reading this?

Interested in guest posting? Contact me here.

Personal Artist Services:

Join the Artist Essentials and get a free mini-lesson:

Promoting Artists:

Exhibition Opportunities:

#artist career advice #art career success #artist #art career planning #studio practice #strategies in the studio #how to be a successful artist

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recentanimenews · 4 years

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INTERVIEW: Voice Actress Yui Horie on Tackling English in Anime

We almost never see them but they are incredibly important for our enjoyment of watching anime. Japanese voice actors play a big part in making us laugh, cry and be emotionally invested in our favorite shows. Many of them have gathered a big fan following thanks to their amazing talent of breathing life into our favorite characters or being amazing singers who can fill giant concert halls all by themselves—and we were lucky enough to meet one in person for you!

Recently, we were fortunate enough to meet legendary voice actress Yui Horie who attended the German anime convention Connichi as a guest of honor. She was willing to sit down with our team and enlightened us about the world of Japanese voice acting and the differences in recording when contrasted to Western voice actors, gave us some insight into the creation of her virtual idol Miss Monochrome and, most importantly, told us how Japanese voice actors approach the pronunciation of English dialogue.

Can you describe Miss Monochrome for those who are not familiar with her?

Yui Horie: First of all, thanks to Crunchyroll for streaming Miss Monochrome. I actually designed Miss Monochrome myself. She was originally intended as an enemy for my concerts, but over time, she became an idol in her own right and later even an anime. I think “Virtual Idol” is the best term to describe her.

It’s been a couple of years since Miss Monochrome’s first appearance in 2012. What was the most exciting part of this journey, and what are your hopes for Miss Monochrome’s future?

Yui Horie: I never would have guessed that Miss Monochrome would become an anime! We’ve been together on the stage a couple times and I wondered what the audience would think of it. I was really happy to learn that they like it. I think that a new kind of idol emerged through this. Sure, there are a lot of virtual idols and VTubers nowadays, but back then they were rather uncommon. It’s almost like she really exists. Speaking of which, are VTubers popular in Germany, as well?

People at least know about them, but they aren’t really that popular yet. For example, we recently collaborated with her at Crunchyroll Expo and showed her first concert but her popularity is still growing.

Yui Horie: Well Miss Monochrome is no VTuber, so it’s a bit hard to describe what she is. I suppose the best way to understand it is just to watch a couple of her videos on YouTube.

youtube

Are there any details that go into the creation of a character like Miss Monochrome that people aren’t aware of? What challenges did you face along the way?

Yui Horie: Of course, the technical aspect is rather difficult. Maybe it’s not as hard as it used to be, considering that the technology evolved over the years but back then, it was still something new and innovative. Especially, we were particular about the character’s movement since then.

Regarding my own contributions? Well, I just sketched the design on a blank piece of paper and my colleagues took care of the rest. I didn’t really do anything difficult. But I know that a concert hall must meet certain requirements for us to perform there—so that we are able to set up the boards for the hologram—you know these see-through panels. And this of course limits where we can perform.

Music director: When we add more details to Miss Monochrome, the quality increases as well. But we always have to keep our actual goal in mind and there is a point where we have to stop when it comes to details because of the budget. Making that decision is not always easy.

Yui Horie: Miss Monochrome is real, after all! But doing the robot-like voice can be pretty tiring sometimes.

What is the difference between the concert of a virtual idol and a "performance in flesh and blood?”

Yui Horie: Talking about Miss Monochrome’s concerts, obviously, it is rather hard to organise the equipment. A lot of work goes into that but overall, it’s rather simple. No matter where and no matter how many times, Miss Monochrome always delivers a flawless performance. She sings without flaw, dances without flaw—she is the perfect performer. But she always does the same thing on stage. We always look for ways to make each concert a unique experience. For example, we have this character, Monster-DJ Z, who entertains the audience. We always try to offer something alongside the visuals of Miss Monochrome and always think of new ways to do that.

Regarding my own concerts—I know how to entertain it and I have certain freedoms to approach it. But I’m made out of flesh and blood myself, so I get tired after a while. I think that’s the great difference: Miss Monochrome can give three or four concerts a day, I can only do one, maybe two.

What does the future have in store for Miss Monochrome?

Yui Horie: Well, in Japan there is this festival for AR and VR on September 23rd. A lot of popular AR and VR-Artists will perform there, like Hatsune Miku to name one example—is Hatsune Miku popular in Germany, as well?

Indeed, she is! Hatsune Miku is well known around here. In fact, there recently has been a concert in Cologne and she also often appears alongside our mascot, Crunchyroll Hime, on illustrations and such.

Yui Horie: I hope that Miss Monochrome can join them some day!

Anyway, like I said there is this festival in Tokyo. But it would be great if Miss Monochrome could also perform in Germany—or everywhere in the world, for that matter. It would be nice if she was known everywhere and that we could perform in as many countries as possible. We appreciate every offer!

Let’s focus on your work as a voice actor: How much time do you have to prepare for a role? It must be difficult having so many different roles at the same time.

Yui Horie: When we talk about an anime that is based on a manga or a novel, it’s actually pretty simple compared with the original anime. You can easily prepare yourself by checking out the source material. But when it comes to an original work, you have to record your lines without knowing what comes next. You have to get a feeling for the character. We talk with the director and the rest of the staff and discuss where the character is supposed to go and because of that I think that it is essential for a voice actor to be adaptable.

I start by recording some lines for a role and then I get directions like "a bit younger," "a bit colder" or "a bit meaner." I have to change my speech pattern on the spot. Even when I’m able to prepare for a role, it might still happen that we notice during the recording that it doesn’t quite work that way and that I have to do it differently.

In the West, it’s pretty common for each voice actor to record their lines alone. Are there any difficulties to record in groups? Something people might not be aware of? What is in your opinion the advantage of group recordings?

Yui Horie: There are situations where you have to record by yourself in Japan, as well. This is mostly the case for games and narrations. But yes, its common practice that everyone involved in an anime episode record their dialogue together. Dialogue is a form of human interaction, after all. When I practice my role alone at home, it might happen that I have a different idea of how to perform a line than my partners. And you have to adapt to that. This creates a certain bond between the actors and their characters and I think this is the greatest advantage of the Japanese method.

But when I’m recording lines for a game, I’m sitting alone in the booth. I can let my creativity run wild and focus on my own vision. I think that this has its benefits as well. But you need a lot of imagination, as you have to imagine how the other characters would react.

What the difference between working on an anime and working on a game, especially when it is an extensive work like, for example, Umineko no Naku Koro ni?

Yui Horie: The script for Umineko was very big. Someone with a lot of endurance records for maybe four to five hours a day. If they don’t finish in that time, they continue the day afterwards. In my case, it depends a bit on the role, but I usually record for three hours a day which adds up to about 400-500 words of dialogue. Some fast people manage up to a 1000 well and I continue with the script when I am free to do it.

What is it like for a Japanese Voice Actor to speak German or English in anime?

Yui Horie: Well the English we use obviously still sounds very Japanese, for example something like “Sandaaboruto” for example. But I’d also like to know: How does it sound to you?

Well, you usually notice that voice actors just act out the Katakana transcription, but it’s also creating a certain charme for many fans. Just to name an example, fans of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure love to quote the broken English of the show. Many consider it a part of the experience.

Yui Horie: Well, when it comes to stuff like spells, I usually just read off the Katakana. But there are some characters that are supposed to speak English properly and that’s always rather exciting. Usually someone stands beside me and dictates how I’m supposed to pronounce a word and I repeat it afterwards. But that is rather taxing and it really depends on the situation and the person. Some prepare themselves for this by listening to recordings. I prefer to let others dictate me how to say something.

Does it work the same way when you speak German?

Yui Horie: Place names and monikers are often German. Those are always written down in Katakana and I usually just read them off. For example I can say “Gute Nacht“ [Good Night] and in Katakana, this would be “Guute Nahato” or I can try to say it in proper German and form the word “Nacht.” There are some vocals that simply don’t exist in the Japanese language and if it is written down in Katakana, I simply read those. If I get the task to say something as German as possible, it’s far more difficult. For example, in Katakana, if you have names like Dresden, the script simply says “Doresuden” and that’s how I pronounce it, even if it is “Dresden” in proper German.

To close things off a bit of a joke question: Do you think vacuum cleaners make for the ideal pet and if so, why?

Yui Horie: Since I don’t get to clean my house that much myself, I would really appreciate it if my pet could take care of it. If I had a dog, it would only make a mess while Ru-chan, appearing in Miss Monochrome anime, would clean everything up, so that would be really handy. So yeah, I think they would make for the ideal pet!

Thank you very much for the interview!

“SHOWMAKER” - Shaped by your ideas - is one of the most popular games, and a tool that will let you create top-notch live stage performances quickly and easily. With SHOWMAKER, you can design a full SHOW in just 4 easy steps. Work with other producers from around the world to put on the ultimate SHOW! Download “SHOWMAKER” now!

➡️ Get SHOWMAKER on Steam today! ⬅️

➡️ Don't forget to watch Miss Monochrome on Crunchyroll! ⬅️

---

René Kayser is the PR and Social Media Manager for Crunchyroll Germany. He tweets @kayserlein where he yells at people to finally read the visual novel Umineko When They Cry.

By: [email protected]

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

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stillellensibley · 5 years

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Daniel Gordon: an anatomy of a modern artist

With Daniel Gordon’s fiercely vibrant yet soothing works dazzling and delighting collectors, we find out how a modern artist manages to succeed in a competitive and mercurial art market

Daniel Gordon got his Master of Fine Arts from Yale; has been shown in the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and MoMA PS1; is a regular at Frieze; has found his way onto the walls of the Hiscox Los Angeles’ office (Philodendron and Nectarines, 2017); and remains at the forefront of contemporary photography today.

Now living and working in Brooklyn with his wife and fellow artist Ruby Sky Stiler, Gordon masterfully creates explosive photographs with a pop art-like colour palette that offer the viewer a feast for the senses. Take a good look and you’ll fast discover he’s not your average photographer and that his meticulous works of art present more than meets the eye. So just how did Gordon break the mould and get noticed in the process?

Young and focused

Gordon was born in Boston, MA, in 1980. ‘As a kid, I wasn’t all that interested in art,’ he explains. ‘It wasn’t until high school, after I had been very sick for a year and was having a difficult time reacclimatising to normal life, that I began making art. I started taking classes at the local community college, and convinced the principal of my school to let me convert an old janitor’s closet into a darkroom.’

‘I can’t remember a time after I began making art that I had any other idea of what I would do as a career. I never felt that I had a choice. Once I began making art it was all I could think about and all I wanted to do – I was very focused on finding a way to make it my life, my career.’

While experiencing all the ups and downs that naturally occur in a young person’s career, the focus for Gordon was always the work, but he acknowledges the vital help he received in the early days.

‘I’ve been very lucky to have had support from a very young age – I was 20 when I had my first show. From teachers in high school and graduate school professors to art dealers who gave me opportunities as a young kid – there have been so many people who have helped and influenced me in all kinds of ways. My parents were always encouraging, which, in retrospect as a parent now, is astounding to me.’

Recalling a particular piece of advice, Gordon says: ‘A professor once said that you have to build something up until it’s undeniable.’ Quite the artistic challenge, but one Gordon wouldn’t shy away from. ‘Basically, he was saying to work really hard and eventually people will catch on.’

Still Life with Thyme and Echinacea, Pigment Print with UV lamination, 2017

Creative marketing

Starting out, Gordon didn’t have representation from a gallery, which he admits was both enlightening and tough. With galleries offering a platform to showcase work and provide a source of income to the artist, Gordon had to not only create pieces, but also market himself.

‘To take on a lot of those responsibilities and make art at the same time was a bit overwhelming. Though it was interesting to know the day-to-day, and understand more directly the behind-the-scenes of a gallery. I sold my first picture in 2000, for $300 – it was a huge amount of money for me! [Selling a work] felt amazing. Still does…’

In 2009, Gordon was part of a notable group exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, and at MoMA PS1 in 2010. In 2014, he was winner of the internationally acclaimed Foam Paul Huf award, which ‘came at exactly the right time’ in Gordon’s career, catapulting him into the limelight. Gordon’s work is part of a three-person show at the Boca Raton Museum of Art until the end of April, and he is taking part in Cut! Paper Play in Contemporary Photography at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

Artichokes and Potatoes, Pigment Print with UV lamination, 2016

Building with process

So what does it take to hang your works on such esteemed walls? Gordon has developed a distinct visual vocabulary that sets him apart from the crowd. ‘I suppose little pieces of every artist I admired enter the work in one way or another – but more than anything else, time, and persistently asking questions, is what [guides] my process. Over the years things evolve if you stick with them.’

Gordon appropriates images of common still-life objects (and sometimes portraits) found online – vases, fruits, plants – and combines these with forms he produces digitally. ‘I print the images on paper before cutting them out, and then assemble a three-dimensional tableau in the studio that I then photograph. In this way, I transfer my chosen materials from the online to the corporeal, and from the 2d to the 3d and back again.’

The resulting pictures recall the still lifes of Cézanne or Matisse, as well as German Dadaist collages, which Gordon says inhabit ‘an ambiguous pictorial space… oscillating between flatness and depth’.

Philodendron and Bust with Vessels and Fruits, Pigment Print with UV lamination, 2017

Technological transformation

Gordon sees his work as a response to technology as it has leveled the traditional boundaries between different mediums. ‘As inkjet printing gained traction, painters, photographers and sculptors alike used it, and we all, of course, use the internet and computers in one way or another. I’m not interested in “tech” but I am interested in drawing out the expressive and mark-making capacities of the digital.’

Gordon began constructing his tableaux to be photographed long before digital technology offered the sophisticated tools it does today. But with the advent of this technology, Gordon’s method has been pushed and altered. He admits that the process used to be incredibly time consuming. ‘In many ways the labour was a big part of the meaning of the work. As time has gone on, my pictures have become more of a hybrid, referencing multiple mediums as well as time periods.’

Gordon prints the images on paper and then assembles a three-dimensional tableau in the studio.

By embracing technology, while staying focused on the things and people that genuinely interest him, Gordon continues to be a force to be reckoned with in the contemporary art world. When asked what he thinks makes a good work of art, Gordon’s answer is deceptively simple: ‘In a word, transformation.’

Source

Notes - I am interested in the relationship between 2D and 3D forms in Gordon’s work. His use of shadow give 3D traits to 2D objects.

- His use of the cut-out or sihloette relates to my own exploration into the cut out. His choice of imagery also relates to my own, with repeating images of vases and pots (2D and 3D) appearing often. He often displays the image of a vessel in front of or with its void/outline.

- Technology has changed the way he works, and the work itself which I heavily relate to. My challenge now is to break out of the digital constraints I currently find myself in and inject more physical processes and think about expanding my work into the gallery space.

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thomasprestondodgsonart · 7 years

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That text behind my degree show work

For my degree show project I have made a work which focusses on my tendency to procrastinate whenever I attempt to make work. I have used myself as subject, and how when I should be doing work I don’t do anything and procrastinate by looking on the internet and distracting myself.  When I began this project I analysed my typical process of procrastination. I use my laptop and phone to record and edit my video and sound work. My laptop is the main source of my procrastination. Within moments of opening my laptop to continue working I often find myself playing on Football Manager, listening/watching videos on YouTube, searching for toys to buy or generally just staring at a blank screen at times. I realised that I always only keep half an eye on things and constantly look for something else to distract me, this was the main source of inspiration for this project – my attention span and the average attention span of others. I then became interested in the attention span of a viewer watching a video in a gallery setting.  After a period of self-reflection as to why I found it difficult to produce work, I came to the conclusion that it was laziness on my part but I also thought I could investigate this laziness further and turn it into a way of making work. So it gave me the chance to not do any work but to get work done at the same time. I began making and taking videos of myself procrastinating. I researched into the term procrastination and I spoke to people about what they do when they procrastinate. The general opinion I found to be was that everyone ended up in a cycle of repetition, every 5/10minutes going on certain social media then going off but going back on in 5 minutes to see if anything’s changed when it normally hasn’t. I took this idea and ran with it by bringing the element of repetition into my work. I created a sound piece to be heard alongside the video work. It is a recording of sounds and things that I’ve heard or listened to whilst making or thinking about making this work. The process and techniques I have used during this project are simple, I’ve using my phone (iPhone 5s) to record the video I’ve been using this because I like the lo-fi. I prefer lo-fi over high quality video because to me it would look too clean and pristine, the lo-fi quality of a phone camera picks up static from my laptop screen which adds another layer to the idea of recording my procrastination. To be in keeping with the aesthetic of the video and the convenience of the technology, I’ve been recording everyday sounds using my iPad the quality of the microphone is good enough but also keeps it within the lo-fi quality that I am interested in. The video is an ongoing work and I will keep recording until I fill 2 and a half hours with footage. It is constructed of videos I’ve recorded which I’m continually editing into one long video. I’ve spilt the videos I’ve recorded up and taken a 1 second frame from them to a make a 2 minute long video. I’ve repeated the same 1 second frame 5 times so that the same clip is repeated to reflect the repetition within my procrastination. The final video process will also use repetition. I take the original 2 minutes I’ve edited and repeat that so it becomes 4 minutes then add a new minute of edited footage so that it makes 5 minutes altogether. From this point on, every time I add a minutes worth of new footage I repeat all the footage up to that point. For example repeating the existing 5mins of footage to make it 10 minutes then add another new minute of edited footage making it 11 minutes and repeat the process. Hopefully it will make the viewer want to see if they can see the new pieces of footage but also how much attention span a person and how long they will last watching it. The way that I set up the video for the exhibition, was that I put the equipment I’m using on the floor and pointing it at an angle at the wall, I did this because it ties in with the laziness of the project and by placing the projector on the floor shows a lazy quietly to setting up the display instead of it being the professional way which would tie in with the project. One of the artists that I looked at during this project was the work of the visual artist Douglas Gordon who is known for his works such 24 Hour Psycho. He took the iconic film by Alfred Hitchcock and he slowed it down to approximately two frames a second, rather than the usual 24. The film Zidane which focus on legendary French footballer Zinedine Zidane during a match in 2005 vs Villarreal was filmed in real time using 17 synchronised cameras. Towards the end of the game Zidane was sent off as the result of a fight. Gordon’s work is about suspense and what it’s building up to, with 24 hour Psycho he is showing a film which would normally last 109 minutes and making in last for 1440 minutes. I took the idea of building suspense into my own work, the video that I have been making lasts longer by looping it and adding an extra minute at regular intervals. I want the viewer to be intrigued to see a new piece of footage and wonder if they will be able to watch the repetition in order to see the new footage that has been added to the video. Natasha Struchkova’s work procrastination was something else I looked at during this project her works challenges the media zombifiction of our consciousness, along with the endless streams of news and trivia that is throw at us. Struchkova in her work has taken fragments of news and social media feeds to create images of semi-fiction that perfectly symbols the present time that we live in.

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skdancer23 · 7 years

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week 1 blog

1.My dance is surrounded around glorifying God and investigating how i can bring that out through my movements. In my movements i am exploring rhythms, both hip hop and modern elements. Im focusing on playing with different timing, different ways of support in partnership and spacing. I have these concepts within my piece because as a dancer i take all of these elements into consideration. In a way its as if im creating a piece that represents who i am, not purposely, but everything that im teaching and creating is reflections of who i am and what i am about. For example im a christian dancer and all of my dancers are as well so we are already starting from a personal yet common foundation to execute the deeper meaning behind all that we are doing. Hip hop and modern dance is my two main genres i practice in so im interested and how i can bring those ideas together. I’m playing with timing and rhythms and seeing how we can go with, and against the heartbeat of the music within the piece because as an artist i notice myself always listening to the different beats and rhythms even if there is no physical beat i’m able to hear it and create beats within my body with different music. To me repetition is very powerful because when things are often repeated and its something that is meaningful to you it show the significance of that particular movement and can generate ideas in others watching, that may be very personal to some. So in this piece i think repetition and letting certain movements be repeated throughout this piece is important to me because im wanting to get a message across. Im a very spatial dancer i like to take up space and so im challenging how i can move my dancers on stage along with different facings and levels. Overall, im creating a vocabulary of endurance, strength, power,repetition, support, and creating a personal experience for each dancer so that they are able to see who they are in this piece i am creating.

2. Last quarter my process was quite simple. The very first practice was a meet and greet but i gave them an assignment to do. That assignment was me selecting two meaningful and powerful scriptures and them generating movement from those and each of them varied from 30 seconds to 2:00 minutes. Everyone had their own interpretation of the same text. I did this purposely because i wanted the movement from each person to have the same foundation but naturally have some differences and comparisons in movement so they all can still relate to one another while dancing. I also wanted to challenge myself by not starting out teaching a phrase i did that after in the next rehearsal. And from there i would always record just in case i would forget certain details and look back and i pulled certain parts i felt would compliment my piece from both their solo work and my work and choreographed each person doing a short phrase of their own mixed with my movements and theirs that they created. After i spent time doing that i began explaining the different timings some i choreographed and other times i let them find their own rhythm inside of the phrases that eventually overlapped each other onstage. The challenging part for me was to not choreograph every single part and to allow improvisation, or at least a structured improvisation to occur in the process of making this piece. I am use to have everything mapped out which i see there is nothing wrong with that but it is also beneficial to have some wiggle room to explore with just in case my previous ideas don’t work. So that was definitely a nice challenge and all the composition classes this far has helped me in that area. I noticed that because i am creating a piece that expresses my background as being christian i needed to start from a place where its straight from the source of being a christian and that is the bible. And i thought it was successful because everyone was able to pull something meaningful out of the scriptures/text and turn it into their own but also at the same time it was still fulfilling what my concept of this piece is wanting to be.

3. My plan for the first practice is to start building more sections from inspiration of scripture, from previous videos i have taken and seeing what more i can do, and working on improving structures to get to my choreographed idea. For example i want running because it shows power to me based on how the run is so i want to spend some time explaining it and giving background on why there is running in the piece and giving instructions to help them be more engaged in it. Then when i feel they are comfortable with the idea i will then start adding counts to create different rhythms throughout the group and also directional paths and slowly building up to something else through repetition.Sometimes as the viewer we forget what we saw but id like to create a piece that is unforgettable through the strategies of repetition,and the power and intensity displayed that allows people to grasp onto what they see the message through my piece is. I hope to produce a piece with a strong impact of a message. And im interested in what others get from it.My goal is this quarter to get more clarity of my beginning middle and end and also the relation with my music choice. Im made a decision to create music and beats that are original and that compliments the movements within the piece but also challenge the rhythmic choices and different timings. So for this first practice i would like to start framing my beginning of how id like to begin the piece and then workshop other ideas to see if that work or not.

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lisakellner · 4 years

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What to do when Art Systems crumble

When it’s time for a total overhaul.

Important: If you are in a dire situation, click on this list of emergency resources provided by Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts.

Watch or listen here: (with a little nature infusion)

What to do when art systems crumble:

We are in a time of upheaval. Galleries close, museums cut services, jobs are suspended or lost. The system we have been relying on for so long is coming apart at the seams. I want to offer some real tools to help you move forward.

Note: if you are in an emergency situation, go to this list of emergency services for Artists (further down on the page) provided by Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts.

Feel What you’re feeling.

What ever you are experiencing right now is okay. Take the time to really feel the emotions going through you. I had a great mentor that gave me some valuable advice. She told me that whenever she experienced something bad, she would stop what she’s doing and take fifteen solid minutes to really feel the emotions. It’s important to acknowledge the impact this particular event is having on you in this moment. Whatever you feel is the right feeling to have right now. Take the time and embrace it.

One effective tool is to acknowledge the feeling yet separate yourself from it.

Instead of saying, “I am angry and frustrated about xyz”, try this instead: ”I feel anger and frustration about xyz.” You can have the feelings without them completely overtaking who you are.

2. Get in the right Mindset.

When you are ready, ease yourself into a better mindset. What does that mean exactly? You can’t get out of this situation, if you have a defeatist attitude.

You have to be able to shift your thinking. New scenarios require new ways of problem solving.

Check out this blog post: Why the Right Mindset matters. Each day, try to immerse yourself in a new activity. See whether this activity shifts your thinking, even if its for a few minutes. It takes time to change your mindset. I recently went through my own personal journey of shifting my mindset. I wish I could tell you it took a day or even a few weeks. Like all good things, it took time. (In my case a couple years.) But the outcome is that this shift became permanent. And I am so grateful for that! Just start on the journey of a new mindset for a new era; one that empowers you to achieve, not makes you reliant on systems outside of your control.

3. Believe (and Know) that you will get through this.

"You are what you believe yourself to be." -- Paulo Coelho

Make sure your true belief system is in alignment with your actions and your thoughts. It’s one thing to say I believe “abc”, but you also have to know it with every cell in your body. It has to become a part of you; impervious to outside influences. Sounds simple, but not always so easy. Use this time when all things around you are seemingly declining, to renew your belief system about yourself. Repeat until you know it innately:

You are perfectly capable of finding your way through anything.

You are successful and thriving. Nothing can get in your way of your own success.

If you can’t get there quite yet, the first step is being aware that your belief system is not in sync with your own ability to prosper. You want to be successful. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be struggling right now. Be cognizant that you might be placing some roadblocks in your own way. Once you understand that the biggest thing holding you back is your own set of beliefs, then - and only then - can you change them.

4. Diversify your income and your strategy

Diversify your income AND your strategy.

Let’s talk strategy first. As an artist in the time we are currently living in, I strongly suggest that you do not rely on one source for exhibiting and selling your work. Diversify. If you are completely dependent on galleries (one or more) to get your work seen and sold, then you are NOT diversified. What happens when those galleries close or a pandemic forcibly shuts them down? In the financial world, not being diversified is foolish - to say the least. An investor would not just invest in oil companies or soft drink companies. A smart investor would make sure their portfolio is well diversified. A smart artist should do the same. Your investment of time, energy and money required to make your work should embolden you to never fully rely on one outlet for your success. It’s time to come up with multiple streams for promoting, exhibiting and selling your work. Use this time to gear up and create a strategy that will once again place you on a firm foundation. Force yourself to think of innovative ways that maybe you haven’t considered before. Take a look around. there are many artists already doing this. Start an online course or YouTube channel that you can monetize. Create a Patreon membership offering a service or product that is really valuable. Use Zoom to show you working in the studio and ask for a “Pay what You Want” donation. Create your own online exhibition or studio tour.

The point is stop relying on old systems to get you through this new landscape.

Okay, finances. I have always felt that a secondary source of income is a must have, especially for artists. Having that source of income not within the arts makes it a diversified income source.

You want to be recession proof.

Look around right now and assess what industries are actually thriving (or at least sustaining) during this time. I can think of a few. All indicators point to a flourishing online economy - like it or not. Get yourself a foothold online so that you can profit from this already burgeoning system. The beauty of it is, you can be online and remain independent. Another overlooked system is the most local one near you. What is working and what isn’t right now in your local landscape? How can you provide something that works here? No matter where you live, growing and providing food will always be in demand. Is there a way to use your creativity to profit from a local food system? What about a passive income source? Write an eBook and sell it. Use your art in new ways to earn for you. Create an awesome t-shirt with your own distinctive style! Passive income streams inside and outside of the arts are a viable source of secondary income.

Finally, keep your expenses low. (I’ll have more on this at a future date.)

5. Be of service

I know. You’re thinking, how can I help others when I am suffering myself? When times are tough and people come together, the world opens and the potential for opportunity is suddenly realized.

It’s important to get outside of yourself and help others.

When you do this, an interesting thing happens. You begin to problem solve for other people and it leads to new ways of thinking (mindset revamp) and new ways of doing. Be being unselfish, you start to see things in a new light, finding ways around a problem that perhaps you hadn’t considered before. Then, you start applying these to your OWN life. Amazing! I challenge you right now to use your art and your creative skills to find a way to serve your audience. When we help others we put into context our own problems and take on a larger perspective of how the world works. Always a useful tool.

6. Build your own thing

As old systems begin to crumble, the opportunity arises for you to create your own system. One that relies mostly on you and not on things out of your control. A stand of trees in the woods depends on each other. Yet, each tree has to have a strong root system and trunk in order to survive the worst of storms. Decide right now to rebuild your own foundation and be impervious to future crises. Creating a strategy and building your won system is something I focus on in my One to One coaching sessions. Begin with a website. If you already have one, do a total revamp and make sure that your website reflects the new you. Start to create your own community. Don’t just commiserate with other artists about how bad things are.

Be a part of the change that needs to happen.

What is lacking right now? Be the solution for it. You are smart and you are creative. Use these skills to change the problem rather than just succumbing to it.

7. Get the right kind of help

Reach outside of yourself for new information, new skills and new mentors. There is plenty of information online that can help you through. Or you can find someone you trust to help you with a strategy for the future. This will pass and we will get through it. You decide how that is going to happen.

If you want to take this further, here’s how I can help you: The Artist Essentials One on One Method.

In Summary:

What to do when art systems crumble:

Feel what you’re feeling.

Get in the right mindset.

Believe and Know that you will get through this.

Diversify your income and your strategy.

Be of service.

Build your own thing.

Get the help you need. Sign up for personal, tailored advice with The Artist Essentials Services.

#artist career advice #art career success #artist #how to succeed as an artist #art career planning #creating a style as an artist #defining your niche as an artist #artist case studies #matthew langley #hadiya williams

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