Tumgik
#the movie or episode because he’s thinking about how good of a metaphor it was and sokka’s like ‘hey zu it’s over’
r3medialch8os · 8 months
Text
so since u guys liked that i did this with remedial chaos theory i will now also be doing this for epidemiology.
the most incredible thing about this episode is that it is in fact Not merely an homage like most concept episodes are; it actually happens. a zombie epidemic For Real takes place at greendale. it's not a gimmick or a game or a way to frame the plot. the actual conflict is derived from the fact that people are zombies and the study group need to outrun them/turn them back. how often can you say that a sitcom incorporates a storyline like this and sincerely pulls it off? never.
the emotional tension in this episode is framed around troy/abed/jeff and the dichotomy of being a nerd vs. being cool, which respectively get attributed the qualities of caring about the people around you who have turned into zombies or wanting to run and escape from the zombies without trying to help. abed and jeff's costumes are both pointed out in the beginning receiving clear denotations of 'lame' and 'too cool to care' and therefore their positions in the conflict are cemented. the episode has a push-pull with troy being the moving factor, having to decide what he thinks is most important. he gets swayed in the beginning by two girls rejecting him over his costume and jeff mentioning how expensive his suit is. he changes from his ripley costume into a 'sexy dracula'. abed spends the whole episode trying to get troy back to his side, even saying "what defines a nerd? committing to an awesome halloween costume with your best friend?" troy is eventually 'turned back' into his nerdy self (perhaps a zombie metaphor itself, keeping in tone with the theme of the episode) because jeff cares more about his suit getting dirty than surviving the herd of zombies.
a crucial part of the episode is that it is soundtracked by abba music playing from the dean's playlist. now, who would i be if i didn't investigate significant music choices connected to scenes? first up and probably the most important one: s.o.s. is used in the background of a scene where abed confronts troy about changing costumes. troy insults him and walks away. the lyrics are: 'you seemed so far away, though you were standing near. you made me feel alive, but something died, i fear. i really tried to make it up, i wish I understood. what happened to our love? it used to be so good.' next; gimme gimme gimme plays right before the scene where chang and shirley hook up. another insane choice is at the end when troy is fighting the zombies. the whole sequence has mamma mia playing in the background Faintly. then when troy eventually gets to abed and has to fight him, the music comes in much louder with the lyrics: 'here i go again, my, my, how can i resist you?', which i think fits perfectly. the ending song fernando has the lyrics 'there was something in the air that night', both referencing the thermostat changing the zombies back and the fact that it was just an incredibly weird fucking night.
troy is dressed as ellen ripley and also kind of acts as the ripley of this episode. his journey in this as being the sole survivor and the one to eventually save greendale adheres to a common science fiction model where a life-threatening force is faced against the protagonists and they fall off in degrees, resulting in one person being left to mend everything. here specifically, it seems to mirror ripley's journey in alien (1979) as it starts with a crew that eventually gets cut down leaving only her. i thought that was really cool.
more alien tidbits, but the jumping cat scene is also inspired by it. jones the cat is an imporant figure in the first alien movie. in various scenes, members of the crew will go looking for him, then get ambushed by the titular alien and subsequently killed. it is a minor homage to the movie through yet another subtle reference. the bit is also parodying jumpscares in horror movies in general, and how they are used to cheaply amplify the tension. anyways, it's quite the multilayered joke because it also really works out of context as a bizarre comedic moment.
troy and abed's scene in the basement pays homage to princess leia and han solo's scene in the empire strikes back. the conversation in the film takes place just before han is frozen alive in carbonite by darth vader. not knowing if he’ll survive, he kisses leia, only to be torn away from her by stormtroopers. she says 'i love you,' and as he descends into chamber, han replies, 'i know.' an undeniably romantic moment, maybe one of the most memorable ones ever, is applied to troy and abed who have held reign over the emotional core of the plot for the entire episode. it's pretty special that such an iconic moment is given to them, i feel like the creators of the show wouldn't just do this sparingly. it also perfectly resolves their conflict as troy makes such a vulnerable statement and abed assuring him that he already knew, validating their bond once again.
more on troy and abed, it is pretty amazing realizing the emotional implications tied to how dire the situation was. everyone in this episode was under the direct threat of Not Surviving, and still abed sacrificed himself for troy. he knew this was for real. he couldn't be sure if they were going to make it. but i think he had enough faith in troy to aid in his escape. it's very touching. further, it's incredible that troy is willing to fight all the zombies (all his friends) but when it comes time to punch abed, he refuses to do it. he's struck by the force of their friendship, mumbling 'we're friends' defeated before eventually succumbing to his bite.
troy saving the school by controlling the temperature; nicely setting up his further plot with the ac repair school.
him being the one to escape and abed saying 'be the first black man to make it to the end' subverts the common horror trope of 'black dude dies first'. a playful way of keeping up with the horror movie theme of the episode.
also ironically this episode, which features the song mamma mia by abba, sets up a plotline in season two about shirley not knowing who the father of her new baby is, which is functionally the plot of the movie mamma mia!, a musical based on abba's music. probably a coincidence but a pretty funny one.
at the end when the army arrives, they ask the dean about witnesses. when he says he is the only witness, one of the guards reaches into his jacket, suggesting that he's pulling a gun intended to kill the dean and get rid of the witness. when they notice everyone in the school is still alive, they abandon this plan and go for 'scenario b'. kind of dark but i laugh every time that scene happens.
anyways that's all i could pull from my brain crevices for now. this episode is a genuine masterpiece, it will never ever get old and will remain to be one of the most unique sitcom episodes ever created.
310 notes · View notes
meraki-yao · 1 month
Text
I was watching an interview from a Chinese rom-com in 2020 and one of the questions was "What do you think is the sweetest romantic declaration?"
And then I started thinking about what are the most romantic lines of my top ships: Malec (Shadowhunters, both show and book), Wenzhou (Word of Honour), and Firstprince (RWRB both movie and book)
Honestly, if I had to pick one out of all of the lines of all ships, I'd say it's "Alec Lightwood loved one man so much he changed the world for him." from The Queen of Air and Darkness, the Shadowhunter Chronicles for Malec. Like, turning eros (romantic, passionate love) into fuel for agape (sacrificial love) and actually making the world a better place for his love? I can't imagine anything greater than that.
For Shadowhunters show, it's Malec's entire wedding vow, I think it summarises what a healthy loving relationship is perfectly. Especially "I will catch you when you fall, and when you soar, I will help you reach your greatest heights"
Tumblr media
For Wenzhou from Word of Honour, it's the sunbathing scene from episode 12, just calling each other's name thrice. There's something beautifully simple about that.
Tumblr media
And for Firstprince, for the movie, it's "I'll break the sound barrier for you." I don't really know how to explain this one, it 's just the one that touched me the most. Especially after Henry's pled after a week of isolation and agony, the way Alex sounds so sure about it even though truthfully they're both lost and scared as fuck, the way it's a callback to the moment Alex realized he was in love with Henry... it's just fucking beautiful.
Tumblr media
For the book, it used to be An Incomplete List of Reasons why I love HRH Prince Henry of Wales, but there was one night in late September where long story short someone said I was selfish for being an emotionally sensitive person which really hurt, so I tried calming myself down by reading RWRB. Then I read bad metaphors about maps out loud and sobbed even harder.
I don't fucking know? there's just something so beautiful about the way Alex writes, which is ironic when earlier he said to Henry "I can't match you in prose" because what the fuck, all of the emails are beautiful but to me turns out bad metaphors is a whole other level. Henry is a writer, he's good with words, those are his dearest tools, but in front of this email, Henry is literally speechless. What the fuck, Alex. What the fuck.
i need to hear TZP read bad metaphors, but I also think that will end me.
Yeah. My favourite romantic declarations from my three favourite ships.
89 notes · View notes
david-talks-sw · 10 months
Text
"Does it make sense?"
I think, ultimately, the thing that it comes down to for why I just can't see "the Jedi are intentionally written as dogmatic/dispassionate" or "Obi-Wan failed Anakin" or "the Jedi brought their own downfall" reads as valid anymore is because... it makes no sense that George Lucas - of all people - would write that.
Like, this is the guy who preaches the same lessons and philosophies that the Jedi do in the Prequels, every chance he gets (sometimes going all the way back to American Graffiti).
So ask yourself:
Does it make sense that he would intentionally make the characters to whom he gave his own values "dogmatic"?
He's a self-proclaimed "methodist-Buddhist". The Jedi are based on Buddhist monks.
youtube
Does it make sense that the buddhist would write a story about space-buddhists being "emotionless", "devoid of compassion" and "at fault for their own genocide"?
Lucas had an apprenticeship, that turned into a friendly/brotherly bond with his mentor Francis Ford Coppola. Their personalities were completely opposite (Coppola was more outgoing, George was more prudent) but they worked in sync, they completed each other.
youtube
Do you really think that this guy's intended narrative would be that "Qui-Gon would've been better-suited for Anakin as a teacher than Obi-Wan because the latter was prudent/strict and too different from the more passionate Anakin"?
George lays Anakin's downfall on Anakin's shoulders almost every time he talks about it. It's a corruption that was caused from within, he would be able to love without getting attached if he had joined the Jedi at an earlier age, but he didn't so his attachment and greed results in his turn to the Dark Side.
youtube
So does it make sense that Lucas' narrative would be that "the Jedi (aka EXTERNAL forces) pushed, denied and failed Anakin that they caused him to turn" instead of "it was Anakin's own fault because he wasn't able to let go"?
He has said multiple times that, aside from Anakin's downfall, the Prequels center on the Republic's downfall, never mentioned the Jedi once when describing what the Prequels are about.
youtube
If the Prequels were actually about "the fall of the Jedi and how they lost their way", wouldn't he have brought it up once? And would he really have focused so much on the Senate and politics rather than adding more development to characters like Mace and Yoda?
I think the answer to all of these is "no".
Here's one more: Lucas stated so many times that this was a fairy tale, that all six Star Wars movies are meant for kids. The situation of the Prequels is more complex than the one in the Original Trilogy, but before, during and after the Prequels Lucas confirmed that the Star Wars morality is binary, it is black and white, good vs bad.
Would he really intentionally make the Prequels this subversive story wherein "actually, if you stop and think about it, the good guys are really the bad guys"?
Or is it just that:
We live in a time where movie audiences expect the "good guy" to be individualistic, flawed and non-conformist, and the Jedi are a community of nigh-incorruptible champions of good who've already completed their character arcs.
So the adults (aka not the target audience) who watched the Prequels at the time were turned off by these characters who they perceived as "holier than thou", having been conditioned by the times they lived in to think that there are skeletons in "Mr. Perfect's" closet.
Thus, they retconned the films (via comics, books, games and episodes) so that they could enjoy the Prequels more, and did so by:
injecting more realistic "gray morality" themes into the films and
projecting an oppressive "boys don't cry" philosophy onto the Jedi.
For lack of a better metaphor, "they put a skeleton in Mr. Perfect's closet so that they could finally find his existence bearable, and keep bringing up that skeleton to this day."
278 notes · View notes
eemoo1o-tfrmoo · 4 months
Note
bit of a hot take but gustav should've gotten torch the typhoomerang after torch hit that growth spurt
the only reason he had was given fanghook was because he was copying snotlout and it sealed his fate as recurring gag rather than realized character like stoik or gobber
In the books, the Monstrous Nightmares are said to be reserved for chiefs and sons-of-chiefs — the best of the best — and in the first movie this is repeated with:
“And then, there's the Monstrous Nightmare. Only the best Vikings go after those. [They have this... nasty habit of setting themselves on fire.]”
(The use of “nasty habit” here makes it seem as bad as smoking (literally) or nose picking and I love that.)
In the books, that fact is beaten into us with how, a) Toothless isn’t a member of the chieftain’s preferred species, and b) Fireworm, Snotlout’s dragon, is. (And so is Hookfang, Stoick’s dragon in the books, partnered by the Gronckle Newtsbreath.)
So seeing as this “only the best Vikings go after [Monstrous Nightmares]” is set up in the franchise just as in the books (albeit never really spoken of again, there is a wonderful fanfiction about it, though), I think it’s quite poetic that Snotlout and his little brother Gustav both have Nightmares! They’re the best!
And who doesn’t have a Monstrous Nightmare that you’d expect to because “only the best Vikings” go for them?
Stoick certainly doesn’t. Nor does Gobber, or Dagur, or Heather, or even Spitelout!
(Sure there’s background characters just to fill a scene in HTTYD 2 and 3, but that’s that… oh, and there’s Sven but let’s just say he’s the best whiner and get it over with. YOU RUINED THE METAPHOR, SVEN-LY!)
I headcanon that Hiccup sees himself in Gustav a bit (Gustav is, after all, a hiccup, even if never explicitly stated in canon), and seeing as he couldn’t get a Night Fury, the Monstrous Nightmare being for “the best Vikings” was probably a good next choice… plus his idolisation of Snotlout (that RTTE kind of ruined) swayed his decision a bit, but that’s also because he was only “trained” in training a Nightmare, anyway!
And I love The Flight Stuff (Fanghook’s debut episode) because it’s so cute! B-plot with the twins is stupid, but look! Hookfang is good with kids! Cute!! The taming of Fanghook is also uncouth and unconventional, but that’s also Gustav to a T anyway!
I love their relationship, because Fanghook is so sweet and you could say that after Gustav is told to let him go but it’s revealed he doesn’t, it’s almost like forbidden friendship of sorts, huh? Huh?
Granted, he could have had that with Torch but what’s done is done. The boys ever are adorable.
In fact, as for the ‘copying Snotlout’ situation: I agree! That’s exactly why they did it. But it’s fun to think of metaphorically, annnd… he was also only thirteen! It’s just a throwaway line, but in @otwdfanfic’s fic Once There Were Dragons on AO3, Gustav says this (yes, I know it isn’t canon but it made me realise this), and Gustav’s whole story line is dedicated to the finding of Fanghook!
Cute cute cute. They love each other to bits.
TL;DR: I respect this HC but I’m a nerd who loves the “true bond / soul bond” shit and so I’m just digging my heels into the gravel and clinging onto the protein-filled-whatever with my teeth.
24 notes · View notes
Text
Along with the official airing of season 5 in France, TFOU released a version of Evolution commented by the writing team. Here's a little summary of what they said, since I know not everyone can speak French or has access to it! Obligatory disclaimer, this is my own interpretation and translation of what they said so take everything with a grain of salt!
Warning: spoilers for Evolution, one small spoiler for Multiplication and Destruction, minor vague spoilers for season 5.
Tumblr media
The writing team with, from left to right: Sébastien Thibaudeau, Mélanie Duval, Frédéric.que Engel Lenoir and Thomas Astruc.
Firstly, as we can all notice the episode starts right where the season 4 finale left us. However, there is a slight change in the dialogue: Monarch's name only appears in the dialogue of Evolution so that Gabriel's villain name from season 5 wouldn't be spoiled in Strike back.
The scene is a parallel with the episode Origins from season one, where the exact same thing happened (Hawkmoth speaking via a big replica of his face made out of butterflies, our heroes telling him off and destroying the flying head), but by day.
This season has a different way of showing the episode name but also a very different naming system: they thought having the episodes named after the villain was a bit too spoilery at times so they decided to change that. The need to change the naming system was also reinforced by the fact that in this season, the story will progress way faster than before.
The rest is under the cut because it's a bit long!!
The season 4 finale and the first three episodes of season 5 all follow each other like if they were one big movie. Evolution, Multiplication and Destruction all start at the same time and last a second (at one point, they thought "in a moment of madness" about doing this for every episode of season 5 and thus to have it all happen in the span of one day but then decided against it). However, even with that they still didn't talk about everything that happens in that first second and so they will come back to it later at one point in the season.
They talked about the need to resolve the issue of the rabbit miraculous in the first episode: Fred joked about how fans would tell the writing team that they didn't think about the fact Hawkmoth was now too powerful and could just travel through time to solve everything.
It was a fantasy of Sebastien to have an episode where they'd go back to previous moments in the show. They naively thought it was a good idea because it'd be cheaper but they actually had to pretty much reanimate every scene. Plus having all the kwamis didn't help the animation team (although they'd make a good plushie collection!).
They talked about how in the episode, you can see Nathalie, who was previously always here for Gabriel and ready to help him, is now getting worried.
They talked about how much they love Bunnyx and Sebastien said he'd love to make a separate series about her. In the past, they've had warnings about her being too powerful and eventually "eating Ladybug". However, Fred said that was still left to prove and that the character was awesome anyway.
Thomas said they'd also been told to be careful about time travel since it can easily become too complicated, which is why they decided to make it simpler with a "cartoon course poursuite (a chase)" à la Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote, with the difference that the characters chase each other in time, and not in space.
They talked multiple times about one of the recurrent themes in the show, which is the distribution of power, and what having too much power does to you. Before this episode, it was mostly metaphoric but it's a bit more literal in this one. Indeed, you see Monarch struggling to manage all the miraculous at the same time. The first time he fusions a lot of them, he even gets caught by Ladybug's yoyo (Fred says "the first thing monarch gets for having so much power is almost losing"). They say they played a lot on that to show that accumulating powers isn't the solution.
Another way they did that was by showing Gabriel acting in a dictatorial way and not feeding the kwamis, which led to him reaching his limits.
Gabriel transforms a lot of different ways during the episode, so they had to find a way to show it with his costume without having him change completely each time, since it would've required a lot (9?) of 3D models that would have only been used once. Instead, Thomas designed the butterfly breastplate where each colour represents the power of one miraculous.
A fun fact they shared is that for each one of Gabriel's transformations, the writing team gave him a different name in the script, it was hard since they ended up with very long fusion names, and there's a hint to that in the dialogue of the episode when Chat Noir (Lapin Noir) makes fun of Monarch by calling him "Papi-lapin-tortue-abeille et je sais pas quoi d'autre".
During the scene which happens in a flashback to The Buubler (the one where they're falling down next to the Eiffel Tower) they mention that it is one of their favourite episodes.
They paused during the DJWifi kiss scene from Animan to talk about it more: they said that people wonder what happened in that cage and that Thomas has had the exact scene in his head for years. They'd like to fully animate and show it one day (Sebastien said it was their "ultimate life goal").
Some scenes happen at the same time and appear twice during the episode but filmed from different angles. Because of that they did a little shout out to the directing team: Winny, Cyril and Nicolas who made their ideas come to life. They mention them again later in the scene where Monarch is left alone in the S2 finale and laughs alone: the camera turns around him to show how he's lost his mind.
During the scene that happens during World War 2 and is a comeback to a flashback from a previous episode, they mentioned that Marianne was inspired by Fred's grandma who was a member of the french Resistance. Like a lot of women, she never got a medal, and they said that now, 70 years later she got a miraculous.
They said that Gabriel was technically not completely Monarch yet, but no spoilers!
They looked for episodes where they could show stuff that happened off camera without altering them, like the taxi ride from Reverser (which they called "épisode chouchou", aka their beloved episode).
They said that the scene with master Fu was a way to bring him back and that they cried a lot (literally) while writing the season 3 finale because they didn't want to let go of him. They said it was nice to bring him back along with the original miracle box to go back to simpler times where Ladybug hadn't yet lost everything. Plus during their exchange Ladybug says some key phrases that Fu will repeat later in time and allow him to trust her with something so important.
During the scene in the Louvre museum, they talked about how you can tell Alix's dad already knew what would happen because of the information he got from the future. They said the scene is very emotional because Alix is only 14 and has to leave all of her friends in order to save them and sacrifice her link with her present in order to travel through time. They called Alix exceptional because of her sense of sacrifice and Sebastien jokes about how it's nice the sound isn't too loud because he would otherwise be crying. They also said that for a while people were wondering how Alix got the miraculous and they had to find an unexpected way to show it. Even Alix herself is a bit confused because she leaves as Cannigirl and not as Bunnyx.
This scene also links back to the tone they try to have for the show, which is both fun and funny, but with a tragic side. In Evolution, the amount of time travel can make it a bit confusing but they say that what's important is that the viewer feels the emotion.
They then joked about the scene where Nathalie feeds the kwamis ("the plushies") which they find hilarious and about the fact that the lucky charm (here the tiny miracle box from the season 2 finale) seems obvious but they actually struggled a lot to find it. Sebastien says they spent 4 hours on that one.
They talked about the importance of Gabriel's choice in the burrow, which shows when he turns to madness and chooses his obsession with fighting Ladybug over actually saving Emily by giving her the USB key. It is once more a demonstration of how he is corrupted by power. They also joked about how if he had made the right logical choice they wouldn't have a show to write.
In the Gabemily flashback, you can see Gabriel giving Emily the peacock miraculous and leaving with her in what Thomas calls a "typical bridal carry". Sebastien jokingly tells him he'd like to know what they're going to do with the peacock miraculous (they stay very vague and neutral but to me it screamed sentiadrien 👀👀).
The team then talks a lot about season 4: during it, Ladybug also had too much power and responsibilities which made her leave Chat Noir to the side by distributing miraculouses to other people. He felt lost and left behind, like he became just one of her teammates instead of staying his only partner who she had a privileged relationship with, even though she didn't think that way and didn't realise it. In the season 4 finale, Ladybug realises that she's made a lot of mistakes. Despite that, the fact that Chat Noir stayed by her side made her see him in a new light and she sees his qualities and his loyalty. The writing team repeated a lot of times that Ladybug seeing Chat Noir in a new light will not be without consequences 👀👀. They said that Marinette was "internally boiling" when it comes to her feelings because on top of that, she realised that being in love with Adrien made her do a big mistake (when she confused him with Felix). With how much they talked, Melanie joked about how they should also do commentaries about season 4 (and now I want that too lmao).
They also mentioned that they rewrote the final scene from Strike Back multiple times, including after starting to write season 5. (They called that scene the "chevalier noir" or "dark knight" because it was the comeback of Chat Noir and his privileged relationship with Ladybug.)
They said that miraculous was not only about superpowers but also about superpowers of the heart. When Melanie says Evolution might not seem particularly about feelings, the others mentioned that "ever second of the episode" will in fact have big impacts on the future.
They added that they looked a lot for the proper tragic tone for the end of the episode. The scene is in mirror with the previous one: Ladybug and Chat Noir are getting closer than ever, meanwhile Gabriel and Nathalie are separating. Thomas kept saying she was "ruining him" because he sealed her fate (since she would've never used the broken peacock miraculous which made her sick if Gabriel had given his past self the USB key).
At the end, Lila witnessed the situation and the writing team says she's learned a very important piece of information that will be relevant for her rest of the season 👀👀.
At the very end of the episode, they laugh a bit when Gabriel screams "Ladybug!!!!!" with all the rage in the world, which is my cue to add in my french dub propaganda because the voice acting in this episode is insane, especially at the beginning and during the fight between Gabriel and Nathalie.
Lastly, Sebastien mentions that this episode doesn't have a "post posterpaint scene" but that there will be some in the following episode to end them on little cliffhangers and change the style of this season a bit (just like they did with the episode names).
212 notes · View notes
that-ari-blogger · 2 months
Text
Here We Go! (Agony Of A Witch)
While it isn't wrong to say that Agony Of A Witch is the episode in which The Owl House picks up speed, it is possibly the understatement of the century. This episode switches vehicles from a golf cart to a drag racer and puts a rock on the accelerator.
But, pacing isn't everything. The true test of a story is how well it handles the turns, how efficient it is with its maneuvers, and how much this metaphor falls apart.
I actually think this episode is phenomenal and is a demonstration of the character writing muscles that were previously glimpsed in Understanding Willow being put to full use.
Let me explain.
SPOILERS AHEAD: (The Owl House, One Piece - Whiskey Peak, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe)
Tumblr media
My thesis for this post is that it explores motivation to create a compelling conflict that draws on entirely well-meaning intentions that contradict each other. As in, there is an antagonist in this episode, that being Lilith, but she isn't entirely villainous, I don't think.
Tumblr media
Let me define some terms. A villain is defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as the following:
"A character in a book, play, film, etc. who harms other people."
This definition sucks. That's right, this little Tumblr blog about The Owl House is going toe to toe with Cambridge. Fight me, nerds (please don't actually fight me).
In my opinion, this definition manages to be both reductive and unhelpful. While "harm" is a fairly open term, that is a problem, because it encompasses characters who don't constitute as villains. For example, Deadpool is a villain by this structure, but so is James Bond, and Obi Wan Kenobi has removed enough people's arms that it has become a meme.
Hooty causes harm in this story. Is he a villain? Don't answer that.
Tumblr media
On the other hand, what about villains who don't succeed in causing harm. Mr 5 is unquestionably villainous in One Piece, but he gets his arse handed to him in Whiskey Peak, and doesn't really succeed at anything other than looking like a chump.
Tumblr media
So, there is some intentionality there. Allow me to propose my own definition of the term, that I will be working from:
"A villain is a character who willingly does bad things, as described in the story, even when given an option to do otherwise."
In this case, "bad" is defined as whatever the story's themes advocate against. In the Owl House, this is willful ignorance, bigotry, and denial of another's freedom. It is the latter of these that characterises Lillith as villainous and has characterised her as villainous for the series up to this point.
But this is where the intentionality comes into play, because for the majority of season one, Lilith has been the main villain, trying repeatedly to restrict Eda into joining a coven, and she still fills that role here, but this episode makes that more complicated.
Tumblr media
I cannot gush enough over how incredible this opening scene is, it feels like what would happen if Wes Anderson did more than just look pretty (apologies to any Wes Anderson fans out there, I just don't like his movies).
The imagery here is clear, a massive castle made by an architect who clearly had a thing for the Eye Of Sauron. There is a cage being walked across the bridge, and shadows everywhere. This is where the villains hang out.
Tumblr media
Good sound design often goes unnoticed, except for when it is meant to be overwhelming, but I genuinely think that this scene is carried by its subtlety in that regard. There is nothing here, just the wind, and the sound of marching. In a story about freedom and expression, this is a place where there is absolutely zero of that.
Tumblr media
This is Belos' first appearance, and he is steeped in religious imagery. He is in a place of worship, plated with gold, on a massive stained glass window.
You can tell a lot about a person by how they talk about themselves, even more than how they physically appear. For example, someone who appears unkempt might be less tidy and refined than someone in a suit, or they might be the most eloquent person you could ever meet. In short, actions speak louder than appearances.
Tumblr media
So, lets look at how Belos has chosen to present himself. First up, he is huge, and towers over those looking at the window. But he also towers over the others in the frame. Those others happen to be kneeling to him in subservience, worshiping him. Belos presents himself as powerful and worthy of praise.
He is also leaning into the idea of freedom expression in his villainy here. Because there is colour in this room, but only on his window. Only when looking upon him, can you be free.
Tumblr media
The room, however, is gold, the same colour as his mask and cloak, so he definitely has a hand in the limiting of power
Then there is the fact that this is a window. To see the outside world, Lilith needs to look through Belos. Even when she isn't trying to see him, he dictates what she sees anyway. Belos revels in control.
I also want to talk about the religious imagery here, because it plays into his personality. It shows a character who thinks of himself as deific, who has placed himself in the centre of the room. When people pray, they pray to him. This is a narcissist.
Tumblr media
Back to Lilith, the start of this episode goes out of its way to hammer home Lilith's goals, and hints at why they might be.
"I haven't forgotten what you've promised me. I will bring you my sister, Emperor Belos."
I think that Lilith manages to walk the line between villain and antagonist in this episode, fully exiting the former in the finale of the season. She doesn't appear to be doing things of her own volition, but that isn't clear enough yet to say.
I also want to stress this, forcing someone to do something doesn't have to be physically bending their arm behind their back and making them do it. In this case, Lilith has been handed two choices, one of which is objectively worse, so the choice is self-evident.
Luz and Eda on the other hand, get their motivations laid out as the episode opens after the credits. They want to protect each other.
Tumblr media
Eda is struggling with the owl beast curse, and that has been getting worse. But to protect the naivety of her student, she has been hiding this fact from her, until it is too late. Remember how I said the story emphasises willful ignorance as bad? Well, that is explicitly how Eda's actions to obscure the truth from Luz are framed.
Eda repeatedly does this over the series. She hides elements of her life from others to make their lives better in her eyes, but it always backfires. People find out, and the result is always worse.
Tumblr media
Then there is Luz, who is idealistic and determined. She wants to help out Eda, and when the opportunity to do so falls out of the sky in front of her in the form of a road trip.
Both of these characters want to protect each other, but that means they can be used as bait for each other. Contradicting goals from compelling intentions.
Tumblr media
Ok, one more thing about Belos.
"The Relic Room. These items are reminders of our great Emperor's overwhelming power."
Kikimora is saying the quiet part out loud here. Look, everyone! This guy is powerful. Worship him.
Tumblr media
Anyway, this conversation is so revelatory about Lilith. Belos issues demands, and though they aren't spoken with any real menace, the threat is obvious.
That threat is why I keep bringing Belos up when talking about Lillith, because in the same way that Amity was a key part of Understanding Willow, Belos is a key part of understanding Lilith. Because that threat colours everything she does.
The audience doesn't even get told what happens to wild witches and why Lilith fears it so much, but we get the malice in him from his tone, and from how the scene frames him.
Take, for example, the first thing we actually see Belos do:
Tumblr media
You know that scene in Who Framed Roger Rabbit where Christopher Lloyd's character murks a shoe? (It makes more sense in context). Well, that is what is happening here. Belos kills a small creature and drinks from its life force. If you take that with the imagery surrounding him, it is valid to say that the Emperor of the boiling isles is a vampire.
If Belos is willing to do this, what might happen to Lilith?
Once again, however, that sound design carries this scene, because there is no way this moment would be nearly as intense if it wasn't for that heartbeat that Belos breathes in time with. The man controls the scene, right down to the beating of the heart in your ears. This man is terrifying.
Tumblr media
Now, I have been saying this name for so long that it is starting to become white noise, so before that fully sets in, why is Lilith called Lilith?
Contrary to the general public opinion, I love stupidly edgy names in fiction. I think there is a place for cheese, and antagonists definitely fit that mould. Don't get me wrong, I think if a character's name is "Skullcrusher" or "Shadow" or "Tazerface" and that doesn't immediately get picked up on as needlessly over the top, that is a disruption of my immersion, but names that have that edge attached to them are writing gold to me. Lilith is one of these names.
Tumblr media
Lilith isn't directly in the Bible, but she is referred to in folklore as Adam's first wife before Eve. According to Britannica, she is credited as a mother of demons, specifically succubae and incubi.
In terms of pop culture, however, the name Lilith has spiraled into being synonymous with "evil lady who might be demonic," the White Witch in the Chronicles of Narnia series is a descendant of her and characters in Devil May Cry, Supernatural, and Doctor Who bear her name.
Tumblr media
So, this is a name that is traditionally associated with evil, mostly. Wherever you find stories with people who are "inherrently evil", you run into people who explore what that means, and so there are a few stories out there that either take Lilith's side, or suggest that the name should not be used to make a judgement about a person's character, a fact that I agree with.
Lilith Clawthorn doesn't really engage with this directly. Instead, she bears a name that has moral implications, and makes that person morally complex. The traditional betrayer angle is brought in through her relationship with Eda that I will get to in a moment, but the misunderstood aspect is important here as well.
Tumblr media
I love the fact that Gus and Willow are fully prepared to help Luz out here. Someone is in danger, so they offer their advice, and this scene also jumps in on that theme of honesty. Once again, the truth outs itself, and I don't think Luz would have lived through this episode if it hadn't.
Tumblr media
Eda, meanwhile, spends the entire episode filling that maternal role for Luz. She knits for her, she has photos, she discusses the human "growing up", so its not exactly subtle.
So, naturally, the moment Luz is in trouble, Mamma Owl Beast doesn't hesitate to try and save her.
Tumblr media
I think that Witch's Wool cloak is a cool little metaphor for the two's relationship. This is an item that can protect one of them, and Eda is willing to give it away to Luz, even after admitting she needs it for herself. But, Eda still can't tell Luz about it, because she still refuses to actually tell Luz how much she means to her.
Tumblr media
On the other hand, we open this episode still without knowing who cursed Eda, and the dream serves to remind the audience of that, without having to do a "previously on..." segment.
I do have a love for when The Owl House messes with aesthetics, and this weird, amorphous blob is a really neat way of obscuring the assailant's form. Character design in cartoons is often focused on silhouettes, you can tell almost any two characters in this series by their shadow, for example. So, it's a neat bit of direction to hide that.
But, Ok. I know what y'all came for. The fight.
Tumblr media
The first thing to point out is that the Clawthorns have a signature spell, that being this teleportation thing. The only characters in the entire series who do this burst of light and then warp are Clawthorns. There's some foreshadowing going on there.
"Renounce your wild ways and join the Emperor's Coven. He can help heal your curse!" "Don't believe everything that bone head tells you. He doesn't want to heal me, he wants to control me."
So, we have the two sides and their goals and ideologies. Freedom vs Safety, and we will get back to the nuance of this next week, when all the reveals happen. But for now, this is what both sides think they are playing for.
Tumblr media
One of the most prevalent pieces of advice on the internet for combat in TTRPGs such as Pathfinder and D&D is "roleplay doesn't stop when initiative is rolled", in essence, characters are still characters when they are fighting. This scene is an example of what that means.
Eda is direct and to the point, she comes out of the gate looking for blood and clearly has the upper hand throughout this fight.
Lilith, however, is clever. Not to say that Eda isn't, but Lilith fights more tactically. She uses Luz as a shield, and is constantly talking and trying to get under her sister's skin.
Tumblr media
"It's sad to see you slowing down, Sister. Tell me, is it the curse?" "Maybe it is the curse. But then how pathetic are you that you can't best me at my worst."
Eda is a ticking time bomb, and Lilith knows that she just has to outlast that. She is buying herself time.
Tumblr media
There's also something really cool about how Eda and Lilith's magic is coloured. Eda leans into the fiery orange of wild magic and Lillith takes on a bright blue, and both of those kinda relate to Belos a bit.
Belos' gold is similar, but not exactly the same as the wild magic, he is offering freedom, but not exactly. Meanwhile his eyes are the only things in the entire series besides the magic that have that bright blue tint (Camilla's uniform comes close, but it isn't as bright).
"You always thought you were better than me. That I could never beat you at anything." "I am better than you." "Then why were you so easy to curse?"
Tick, tick, boom.
So, let's talk about redemptions for a moment.
Tumblr media
There is a general atmosphere on social media that Lilith's redemption arc wasn't handled well, and I would like to peacefully say that I think this idea is bogus.
The argument comes from two points, the first being that Lilith wasn't built up as enough of a threat, and the second that she skipped the redemption part of her arc and moved straight to being redeemed. The latter of those arguments is a discussion for a later date, but the former I would like to discuss here.
Tumblr media
This episode shows Lilith at both her most villainous and her least at the same time. It gives you a hint at her true motivation, and hints at her being manipulated, but it doesn't spell it out, yet. It's a set up for what will come later.
But in terms of being a true threat, let me just lay out what Lilith has done so far. Curse Eda. Capture Luz. Throw two children into a wall. Throw another child off a bridge. Try to push said child into a bed of spikes out of sheer spite. This is all in this episode, by the way.
I think Lilith needed to spiral like this so that she had further to climb from in her redemption arc in later seasons. You can't redeem someone who ain't done nothing wrong.
Thank you, nameless strawman opponent, you were very helpful in proving my point. Anyway...
Tumblr media
"Luz, thank you for being in my life."
Wendy Malick needs more praise. This line is incredibly well performed, and that tiny hesitation is golden.
But, the meaning of this is also important, because this is the first time Eda has actually expressed any affection for Luz directly to her face. Otherwise she has been the distant, cranky mentour.
The Owl House plays with tropes a lot, but the mentour sacrifice is one it plays almost straight, and it hits incredibly hard. These are what Eda thinks are her last words to Luz, and its a thank you.
"I am richer for having known you, friend."
(If you get that reference, you can have a cookie.)
Tumblr media
FINAL THOUGHTS
It's important to the pacing here that the heroes lose this episode well and truely. It sets up the finale well, and it gives an air of malice to both Belos and Lilith that is imperative for the next episode to have any weight to it.
This episode has garnered a ton of affection from the fan base, and I think it might be more popular than Young Blood Old Souls, and possibly on par with King's Tide and Hollow Mind, but that is just my observations and not backed up by any statistics. Let me know in the replies if you agree or disagree, I'm keen to know what you think.
Next week, I am tackling the finale, Young Blood Old Souls. So stick around if that interests you.
Previous - Next
12 notes · View notes
mitochondriaandbunnies · 11 months
Photo
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Miami Vice S1E8: No Exit
Bruce Willis plays one of the sleaziest villains in all of Vice, directed by David Soul.
One of my favorite early episodes-- this is definitely a good candidate for trying to convince someone to watch Miami Vice. Fair warning that it’s fairly upsetting!
While Paul Michael Glaser (Starsky) directs 3 episodes of Vice, David Soul (Hutch) only did this one. PMG’s episodes are brisk, sarcastic, and laden with visual metaphor. This episode from Soul is dark, contemplative, and artistically spare. Both directors, however, use music absolutely beautifully, and seem to understand the almost visceral connection between Sonny and Rico, even this early in the series. It’s a shame we never got another Soul episode, but this one is damn good.
I love that Tubbs mentions that he is scared of machine guns, because it’s something that sets him apart from the other men in the department. He’s willing to admit his weaknesses and fear and isn’t as wrapped up in the I’m-the-toughest-cop-here machismo bullshit. His ability to be a little more honest with himself is almost certainly a protective factor in terms of why he doesn’t crash and burn quite as badly as the other characters over the course of the show.
Poor Lester the bug man. Lester is one of those early Vice characters who was clearly intended to be recurring, but he mostly spends the beginning of this episode trying to explain how his tools work while Tubbs is like “shut up I’m creepily looking at ladies through a telescope” again. Jesus, Tubbs.
Sonny and Rico are so fucking mean to Paul, the FBI agent who is supposed to be going undercover. Sonny jokes that the guy “must’ve taken drama in high school” and Rico patronizingly says that he “thinks they’ll handle it.” Then they proceed to send Rico, who has like 3 months of inconsistent undercover work under his belt, and whose Jamaican accent occasionally sounds Transylvanian, to do the job instead. Great work, boys.
God. Just-- the way Sonny is simultaneously truly, genuinely, and deeply concerned about Rita and wants to get her out of Tony’s grasp, and yet in the next breath he’s utterly manipulating her so Vice can use her. “Can you do that, Rita?,” he asks her, looking desperate and mournful, “Can you buy us some time?” It’s so goddamn bald-faced. You wonder if he justifies it to himself-- he has to make her do this to save her-- or if he just goes home hating himself that night because he knows what a bastard he was for even asking.
The sequence that follows is utterly wrenching. Tony offers Rita earrings, and when she doesn’t react with the level of excitement (fawning?) he was hoping for, he slowly stalks her down the spare, white hall and then slaps her so hard she falls to the ground. It’s a repetition of the same slow, white-backgrounded violence from the interrogation scene in Calderone’s Return pt. 2; it’s shot and framed like Tony is a horror movie monster; it’s set to the tinkly, synthy, shmaltzy strains of Stay with Me by Teddy Pendergrass. The intentional musical mismatch makes it all the more painful to watch; the age-old excuse that abuse comes from love or the fear of losing the victim’s affection falls apart when a love song is juxtaposed with such stark violence.
I think it’s very telling that Sonny’s call to Rita after he witnesses this (and, rightly, blames himself for it happening) is shot with him standing in almost exactly the same way at the exact same kind of payphone as when he calls Caroline in the pilot. In both cases, he’s calling theoretically to offer some kind of support or reassurance, but in actuality appears to need reassurance himself. He wants Caroline’s confirmation that she did love him once; he wants Rita’s forgiveness. Sonny’s ongoing issue with women comes from the same place as his issues with his self-esteem; he sees himself as a hired weapon at worst and a protector of the innocent at best. When he fails to protect someone, especially a woman or a child, his self-image starts to collapse. He doesn’t believe he’s good for anything else-- so in S1, he asks those he’s failed for reassurance that he is still a good protector. In later seasons, he just believes he really isn’t good for anything.
Sonny: Well, time for you to go to jail / Tony: No one can ever make me go to jail / Random government agent: Yeah uhh so we use him for proxy wars in the Southern Hemisphere, you know how it is with the US government and guns and cocaine and something something contras, so uh, yeah, he can go free
....but Miami Vice definitely is just about speedboats, right
I consider the ending of this to be the most classic/the “ur” Miami Vice Freeze Frame ending. It’s perfect, because like. Yeah, sure, there could be a denouement, but... why bother? There’s nothing that can be said that hasn’t already been said, and nothing that can fix what has happened that wouldn’t utterly undermine the themes of the story. It just sucks! The system is corrupt! They failed because they were set up to fail! You can’t fix the justice system from inside the justice system! This is the theme of the series in one abrupt freeze!
Okay. Okay. So. If Don Johnson is to be believed, he got Bruce Willis either the role or the audition for the role here. And he knew him because Bruce Willis was a waiter at a restaurant he liked. Not to put my tinfoil hat on or anything, but I find it utterly hilarious that Phillip Michael Thomas and not Don “hey boss, I need you to give a job to this hot talented waiter I know” Johnson has a scene here where he and Bruce Willis feel each other up in a men’s room. Look up photos of DJ and Bruce Willis from the 80′s. Look at DJ’s face and tell me I’m wrong.
72 notes · View notes
hils79 · 6 months
Text
Hils Watches Moonlight Chicken - Ep 5
I forgot this drama is only 8 episodes long so I'm over halfway through now. Wild. I'll be finished in a couple of days. Feels so quick after a 40 episode cdrama
Tumblr media
So we're seeing what Alan and Wen were like before they broke up. I'm starting to have a theory about how this is going to end...
Also, it's weird seeing Mix kiss someone who isn't Earth. I've only seen the two of them together in dramas
Tumblr media
Damn that fight scene was brutal but holy shit First and Mix are good actors. I was so focused on what was happening I forgot about the food that's in front of me
Tumblr media
Thank god for Gong, who is apparently the only sensible person in this drama
Tumblr media
Okay, here's my theory now that we're under the read more tag. I'm worried that the plot of this movie (two people who fall in love but don't end up together because of other factors) is what is going to happen to Jim and Wen. GMM typically doesn't make bittersweet BL dramas but this one is bit more mature than the others. I am bracing myself just in case this movie is foreshadowing.
Tumblr media
That's about the highest level of praise you can get from a teenage boy
Tumblr media
It's always Engineering or Architecture
Tumblr media
Wen's just had a 'oh my kind of step-nephew is in love with a boy' moment. He looks so fond.
Tumblr media
They don't live in a small town or anything. I don't think it's unreasonable for Jim to ask for someone who didn't show up at his restaurant and yell at him to deal with his loan application.
Tumblr media
Yes, let's have a very thinly veiled conversation in which Wen is compared to a pen
Tumblr media
It's just occurred to me that I've seen First play a high school student (The Eclipse), a college student (Not Me) and now a bank manager who I assume is meant to be in his late 20s or early 30s. All of these dramas were filmed in the last 2 years. That's some range!
Tumblr media
Come on dude, don't be a total dick. You had better send off his loan application and not just toss it in the bin.
Tumblr media
Okay, that's interesting given my comment above. Why DID Jim go to Alan's bank? Is he hoping to get turned down?
Tumblr media
It's like he was reading my liveblog and is now answering all of my comments :D
Tumblr media
Gong is my new favourite. He's so done with all Wen and Alan's nonsense
Tumblr media
He is so right and he should say it
Tumblr media
Well, let's see. We were having a nice romantic Christmas moment, then your ex-boyfriend who you still live with and share a bed with showed up. He yelled at you, then he yelled me, then he yelled you some more and shoved you over. Oh, yeah, and this dude is also in charge of whether I can borrow the money I need to save my business.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Okay, if this was closer to the end I'd be more worried that they were going to go with the bittersweet movie ending but given that there's another 3 episodes after this one maybe it'll be okay?
Tumblr media
Alan really does like talking in metaphors. Wen was a pen, now Jim is chicken
Tumblr media
I was saying today I am enjoying that for the most part characters in this actually use their words instead of just leaping to conclusions and making assumptions. Not always, but way more than most dramas. I'm glad Wen and Alan have finally had the mature conversation that they needed to have for both of them to move on
I still think Alan is going to end up with Gaipa but given that they haven't even met yet that may just be wishful thinking.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
A good progressive boy
Tumblr media
Bold of you to assume you can just move in with Jim
24 notes · View notes
Text
I connected the entirety of OHSHC (anime dub) to the calendar :)
This took me too long <3
Alrighty! So what I'm gonna do first is show the calendar charts for when/if people come back to look at them and already understand what the mean, then I'm gonna specify what I mean by each day exactly by telling you the first scene of each day with time-codes under the cut (skipping the full day episodes because... duh), and then I'm gonna explain why (with sources)... It'll make sense if you read the whole post I promise.
So. On the calendar, the days will be listed as episode number and day number (E#:D#). These will be color-coded. Pink means that day definitely is that specific calendar date based on the information I have. Purple means we have some wiggle room. Green are national holidays (found on questionjapan.com and nippon.com).
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
E1:D1 - Haruhi looks into the fourth library and complains (1:20)
E1:D2 - Haruhi finds out her bag has been thrown in the fountain (17:05)
E2:D1 - Haruhi realizes she's late for the club (1:20)
E2:D2 - Kazugazaki teaches Haruhi to dance (8:30)
E2:D3 - Tamaki begins the Host party (12:20)
E3:D1 - The hosts hold a cherry blossom reception (1:20)
E3:D2 - Tamaki daydreams about a "feminized" Haruhi (7:10)
E3:D3 - First year students head down to their physical exams (11:10)
E4:D1 - The host club holds its "teary men" session (3:05)
E4:D2 - Tamaki discusses the merits of a lady manager (9:50)
E4:D3 - The hosts film the basketball scene of their movie (13:30)
E4:D4 - The girls fawn over the film to the host club (20:30)
E5:D1 - The twins play the "which one is Hikaru" game (2:10)
E5:D2 - The twins greet Haruhi in class (11:45)
E5:D3 - The twins play the "which one is Hikaru" game with switched hair colors (20:45)
E6:D1 - Shiro tells his music club teacher that he's quitting (1:20)
E6:D2 - Shiro watches Tamaki host veerrry closely (3:35)
E6:D3 - Honey and Haruhi sneak into the elementary school in disguise (11:55)
E6:D4 - Hina finds Shiro's piano recital (19:20)
E6:D5 - Shiro hosts in the club (21:10)
E8:D1 - The twins say the host club is going to the beach (1:20)
E8:D2 - The twins ask why they went to Okinawa (2:50)
E8:D3 - The hosts leave Okinawa (21:30)
E9:D1 - The Zuka club twirl their way into the gates for some reason (1:20)
E9:D2 - The Zuka club preform on stage (16:50)
E11:D1 - Kirimi walks through Ouran Academy's grounds in search of her brother (1:20)
E11:D2 - Nekozawa gives his oddly nonplatonic speech to Kuma-chan (12:00)
E11:D3 - The host club muse over Nekozawa's success/failure (20:45)
E12:D1 - The hosts spill tea on Usa-chan (1:20)
E12:D2 - Girls fawn over how cute Honey is despite his anguish (9:45)
E12:D3 - Honey paces the clubroom while everyone else watches warily (15:30)
E12:D4 - Renge explains a happy ending (20:00)
E14:D1 - The newspaper club discusses their dropping numbers (1:20)
E14:D2 - The newspaper club finds the host club playing games (13:30)
E15:D1 - Tamaki's phone call wakes the twins up (1:20)
E15:D2 - Kaoru wakes up on the floor (19:00)
E16:D1 - Haruhi and Arai recognize each other (1:20)
E16:D2 - Haruhi and Hikaru meet up for their date (10:00)
E16:D3 - Hikaru accepts Arai's watermelon (21:15)
E21:D1 - Kaoru thinks about his pumpkin carriage metaphor while tapping him pumpkin pencil against his mouth as one does (1:20)
E21:D2 - The twins tell the class rep the story of the clock tower witch (11:55)
E21:D3 - Haruhi and the twins look at the newspaper article about class 1A (20:40)
E22:D1 - Kasanoda's men wish him good morning (1:20)
E22:D2 - Tetsuya wonders if Kasanoda brought his umbrella with him to school (11:50)
E23:D1 - Kasanoda walks in on Haruhi changing (1:20)
E23:D2 - Kasanoda walks in during club hours and requests Haruhi (7:25)
Oh boy we made it to how you can fact check me!!! This is gonna be an entire brain-dump because I am dead
E1 - Aired 4/4/2006 (info found on imdb). Japanese school generally starts on Monday the second week of April (info found in an article from questionjapan.com), which was 4/3/2006, and various comments seem like it's early but not the first day, so we're setting the first day as the first airing to have a starting point!
E2 - It's still "early spring", the cherry blossoms are only buds, there's a slight sense of normalcy, the club has definitely been open for at least a week thanks to Kanako's shenanigans, and the party takes place in "one week", so the first day would have to be late in the week, likely the week of 4/10. Thanks to the fact that Haruhi's practice session with Kanako is directly the next day, the first one would have had to be Thursday, and the second would be Friday. The party could conceivably be the next Friday or Saturday, but I would really really hope it's Friday because Suzushima waits for Haruhi in his school uniform. Also Suzushima is going to England "next month" (May) which could technically be literally any day in the month...
E3 - So the cherry blossoms were blooming on the night of the party last episode, and they're still blooming for the flower-viewing reception. According to this article on japan-guide.com, after the cherry blossoms start legitimately blooming, you've got about a week. We're gonna assume the earlier the better considering the state they're in! On the day of the flower-viewing reception, physical exams are "the day after tomorrow". When they are back in the music room, Haruhi says "sorry I'm late guys" which means she wasn't with them, ergo it's a new day.
E4 - Renge arrives on the first day, crashes the club, and pronounces herself lady manager. She's transferring into class 1A "tomorrow" (which means two week days back-to-back), and then later she arrives to the club with cookies in her school uniform, so I assume that's the day she officially transferred. Renge has a crew flown in from LA to film the host club movie, which she doesn't have the idea for until she starts working on the hosts' characters. I used travelmath.com to calculate the flight time between Tokyo (as a major city in Japan) and LA, which came out to about a 12-hour flight, so we need a buffer day at least. The movie seems to be filmed on club time, so that's a week day, and then "several days later" the episode concludes, which could literally be anywhere between 4 and 9 days in colloquial terms.
E5 - I think it's pretty safe to say this takes place over three consecutive days just on how the episode is presented (one day fight and make-up). This definitely has to happen after the conclusion of the last episode thanks to Renge.
E6 - Ok ok ok ok ok so: most of the shenanigans have to take place over three days. Shiro greets the club on a costumed club day, he observes them on a non-costumed club day, and he goes back to the club... which could conceivably be on the same day as the observation, except that the club appears to have just opened and the teacher gave the kids a new piece for the day. On that third day, Hina is supposed to move to Germany at the end of the week, so the recital is probably that Friday to give Shiro more time to practice. And now... the incident. There was a date on that invitation that we as the audience get to read. I got so excited!! A concrete date I could place this one on!! Except it's September 3rd fucking September 3rd why does is say September 3rd fuck you bones what the fuck is this shit
Anyway Shiro hosts "10 days later". Interestingly, not for the first time thanks to the comment "I thought [Tamaki] would make it through without exploding this time".
E7 - School day. Post the conclusion of the last episode because Honey "felt threatened last episode" and before the next because that one hinges on the conclusion of this one, but otherwise there's absolutely nothing tying this one down.
E8 - Sometime after episode 7 they decide to go to the beach, then presumably the next weekend they spend one night in Okinawa. Since this ends up falling on the week of the twins' birthdays, I absolutely refuse to believe any of these days happen on June 9th because... come on. Do you think the twins would ever keep their mouths shut about their birthday???
E9 - This starts no later than Thursday due to the fact that the cultural expo lasts two days back-to-back (explicitly labeled). Of course, this is assuming Ouran has a five-day week, as many things on the calendar do, thanks to that same article from questionjapan.com I mentioned earlier.
E10 - It takes place over one day on a Sunday, thanks to Haruhi rejoicing that "there's no better time to hit the supermarket than a Sunday morning"
E11 - Kirimi shows up, the practice in the science room happens two days later because Haruhi says "she's made me read about fifty volumes of shojo manga over the last three days" (Kirimi's arrival, the day before, the day she says that). "Several days later" the hosts see Nekozawa hiding again.
E12 - Genuinely what the fuck why is Honey's toothache only three days long they definitely take longer than that sir??? Anyway it's explicitly in the title so three days it is! The bunny incident definitely happens the same day as the discovery of Honey's toothache (referenced as "earlier").
E13 - I don't know man the actual awake day happens for like a minute and a half. Week day??? If the entire episode was just a nebulous dream I probably wouldn't have even counted it on the timeline lol.
E14 - First of all, the newspaper club's story on the host club is supposed to be the very last story of the semester, so it's gotta be real close to the start of summer vacation. The first day is near the end of the week ("how many copies did we sell this week"), and the second day is the very next one ("tomorrow").
E15 - Explicitly stated by the twins, it starts three days into summer vacation, or 7/23/2006!! Japan's summer vacation starts on the 20th (found traveltips.usatoday.com and that same questionjapan.com article). Obviously, when Kaoru wakes up on the floor would be the very next day, or 7/24/2006.
E16 - Starts on the same day as the last episode (7/24/2006), Haruhi's date is "tomorrow" (7/25/2006), and the conclusion would be "the next day".
E17 - TAMAKI'S EXPO FLYER SAYS 8/27-8/31!!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA THIS IS THE KIND OF SHIT I WANTED FROM HINA'S STUPID INVATATION THANK YOU ANIMATORS FOR THIS CRUMB OF EASE. It's also the last day of summer vacation which would be the week of the 31st!! I can't guarantee which day of the week it would be though, because I would assume school starts up again on Monday, but I could be wrong? It doesn't make any fuckin sense to start school again on a Friday that year but hey man I don't make the rules.
E18 - Who even fuckin knows man. One school day, but there's literally weeks of unused space in the time slot this could fit so like close your eyes and pick a date :')
E19 - Singular day on the weekend. If I had to guess, it would be Sunday (just because Haruhi was planning to go to the supermarket), but no promises. Probably September.
E20 - I didn't include it on the calendar because it literally does not matter. The entire episode is a flashback, there's not a singular moment that takes place at the time of the rest of the anime <3
E21 - Starts the week before Halloween (10/23/2006). Final exams (2-3 days according to this Q&A that I picked and chose from) are almost happening, because clubs generally aren't in session during exam days. Haruhi and the twins skip on the club to help 1A plan, which means it's the same day. The tournament is explicitly stated to happen on Halloween night. The ending is... sometime soon after that?
E22 - Spread over two days: like Renge in the fourth episode, Kasanoda shows up while a costumed club day is in session, but sticks around after that. They're one after the other ("yesterday").
E23 - This obviously starts on the same day as the end of the last episode. Kasanoda refuses to eat dinner "again", but I can't guarantee that this is connected to Haruhi? I don't know, the language around her is all muddled, dude. It seems like it was originally intended to be on the exact same day as the start of the episode, because when Tetsuya talks about how he saw Kasanoda and Haruhi together, the sub says "today" (the scene wasn't in the manga so I couldn't check that :/ ), but the dub says "all the time". For why. Anyway, it seems like he visits as a guest the very next day but I don't have a direct quote for that one. This episode's timeframe is probably the most mindfucky out of the entire show T - T
Then in the conclusion it seems like it was supposed to be the same day but I can't guarantee it and also the roses are in full bloom in fucking November???? Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. Literally just put these episodes before the Halloween one literally just put them in September/early October literally all you had to do was air these episodes before Halloween and not reference the pumpkin carriage metaphor I fucking know you guys could do it you rearranged a whole bunch of other shit from the manga timeline why would you do this to me fuck you fuck you fuck youuuu
Also technically according to this article the roses could be blooming if they were in the very very very south of Japan but also that would have literally meant that the cherry blossoms would have been in full bloom in mid-March <3
E24 - Literally it's cold enough for falling leaves and kotatsu tables the very next episode FUCk you bones anyway it's one school day
E25 - The super super fun thing about this is that I could have placed the cultural festival on the weekend it's SUPPOSED to be on (gainjinpot.com and questionjapan.com) if literally just the Kasanoda episodes had come out before the Halloween episode <3 I am a ball of pure fury. Anyway, it starts the morning of and continues to sunset. We're gonna assume its Friday based on the next episode.
E26 - So this is day two of the cultural festival, or the "main fair". Since the festival is generally a one-day event held on Saturdays and this one is supposed to be the main one, we're gonna put this one on Saturday.
OH MY GOD I FUCKIN DID IT!!!!!!!
59 notes · View notes
theatricalnebula · 25 days
Note
Never got around telling you that I watched the transfeminism in utena essay and loved it!
Today I finally rewatched Adolescence and loved it as well, I think it's one of my favorite movies, it's visually stunning and so amazingly haunting/hypnotizing, felt like I was in a trance while watching it.
(and oh my god Anthy is my favorite character in anime of all time, I adore that she gets so much more dialogue and screen time in this, specially towards the end. Hearing her say the "Give me the power to revolutionize the world!" line made me tear up)
Just wondering your thoughts on it, or your favorite thing about it (?) Idk! If you have any rant about aou I'd love to read it
sure, i'll rant a bit about aou! this is mostly just my thoughts on various parts i like and dislike, not really any analysis.
i have mixed feelings on adolescence that change every time i watch it but mostly they're positive. i think my favorite thing about it is anthy. i love that we get to see her be more free and more forward. i love that it's her narrative, that we get to see what her and ohtori are like without akio (though still haunted by him.) i love the reading of the movie as a sequel, in that the show is about anthy escaping her abuse, while the movie is about the lingering trauma from it. i love the "we were together in killing the prince" line from utena at the end. i love that they're both free and together now. i also love the visuals of it, of course, it's a gorgeous movie. and i appreciate that we get to see utena and anthy in a much more explicitly romantic relationship, even though i do prefer the subtlety of the show by a lot. all their scenes together are very good, but i especially like the bedroom scene, the dance scene, and the drawing scene (i want to write some proper analysis of them sometime). i love the layers of metaphor and symbolism in every part of the movie, and that it feels even more abstract than the show. i love the car scene, it's silly and it's symbolic and it's emotionally impactful <3
on the other hand i think pretty much every part of the movie that isn't about anthy and utena is .. not very good in comparison (to the parts that are about them, and to the show.) which makes sense when you read the movie as anthy's narrative. of course she's not really focused on any of the other characters. saionji especially lacks literally all of his depth, which i think is just funny when thinking about it through that interpretation. uh, i hate the nanami cow scene which i've talked about before. i think it's unnecessary and uncomfortable and purposeless. i do however like that she doesn't appear in ohtori, because of the implication that she escaped. i appreciate touga's backstory reveal, though i don't really care for his role in the movie very much. it's never felt all that coherent to me, though i do understand what it's saying about the themes of the prince being dead. shiori has a weird antagonistic role that i don't know how to feel about. she's lacking a lot of her depth too, and i'm not sure i fully understand her motivations. or maybe i do and they're just not that interesting to me. hmm what else . akio is a far less interesting character than in the show also, but i think it works. he's not very intimidating, incredibly pathetic even, because anthy has already left/has already made the choice to leave him. also i like that he kills himself :)
i don't want to directly compare it to the show when talking about what i like about it, because obviously i like the show more. but i don't think the movie is trying to like.. compete with the show in terms of which you like better. because it isn't just a retelling of the same story. if it was, a 39 episode long tv series would always beat it in how developed its characters and themes are. which is why i think the movie works much much better when read as either a literal sequel to the show or as a continuation of its themes. it doesn't stand very well on its own in my opinion, aside from how pretty it is.
15 notes · View notes
Note
So, I've got a friend who shan't be named, who I've accidentally, through osmosis, infected with a hyperfixation on MLB.
But he also knows How shit the writing in Canon is, so he sent me to ask you which episodes to watch that ARE important to know to have a baseline idea on the characters since he does want to pay some respect to the og show and not accidentally Salt the characters.
[TL;DR. Friend wants to watch MLB but is afraid of the shit writing, which episodes would you reccomend? Also, he watched the movie If that helps.]
OH BOY
Hm. I think the main problem with this is that some of the best writing and worst writing is at the same time lmao. Doubly so when it comes to later seasons and Plot.
Okay let's take a moment to go through the episodes. Might break this into seasons.
Since you said they've absorbed by osmosis, I'm not going to make my reasonings spoiler-free.
Season 1:
You know what? I'm actually going to say 'watch all of Season 1'. It has its flaws for sure, but Season 1 is still legitimately good to me. All the episodes are kind of important because they set up the various characters.
Season 2:
The Collector - Establishes Gabriel = Hawkmoth. Interactions with Fu and getting more Lore.
Despair Bear - Sets up the beginnings of Chloé's redemption and why she's Like That™
Riposte - Kagami's introduction!
Dark Owl - This is 87% for the scene of them in the box. The absolute TENSION of of that scene is fucking BEAUTIFUL I love it so much you have no idea. Also brings in Damocles as 'The Owl'.
Glaciator - I'd put this one as a 'maybe' because mostly it's just for the introduction of the Ice Cream Man so you know what's happening later when he shows up.
Sapotis - First dual-Akuma, and also the first debut of Rena Rouge!
Gorizilla - Gabriel suspecting Adrien of being Chat plot! Also more lore tidbits regarding Emilie, as we see her in the movie 'Solitude'.
Captain Hardrock - Introduces Luka and Anarka! Also I just love this Akuma.
Zombizou - partly because zombie apocalypse can be fun and it hits all the tropes. But this establishes stuff for Chloé's redemption arc. Both in a 'why she's Like That™', showing the idea that someone can change, and also her actually being helpful to Ladybug and apologizing for the trouble she caused afterward.
Anansi - I love Nora, and this is the debut for Carapace!
Sandboy - Some good nightmare fuel, and lore on the Kwami
Reverser - Intro for Marc! Technically not important in the long run but I love them.
The Queen's Battle Trilogy(Style Queen, Queen Wasp, Malediktator) - CHLOE MY GIRL. Okay! Introduction of Audrey. Seeing Emilie in the basement for the first time. Gabriel temporarily giving up on being Hawkmoth because he actually gives a shit about Adrien. Chloé finding the Bee. 'The only thing exceptional about you, is your mother'. (unfortunately the 'encouraged to make up with your abuser' part). Chloé getting the Bee for real! YES.
Heroes' Day(Catalyst and Mayura) - Season finale! Scarlet Moth! The Team of Five! Mayura's first appearance and the reveal of Sentimonsters existing!
Season 3:
Backwarder - though it does have some heavy cringe with Marinette mixing up the deliveries, I love Marianne. So more lore with Fu, the introduction of Marianne who canonically was down to throw hands with Nazis.
Chameleon - Lila returns! Mari looks insane trying to prove she's a liar. Lila makes her threat and is willingly Akumatized. Adrien thinks things are just minor and gives unfortunate but understandable advice.
Silencer - Though the band was kinda mentioned in Captain Hardrock, this is where Kitty Section is really 'A Thing'. Bonus for really establishing Bob as a dick. Also the Akuma's power is cool and there's the sort-of-confession
Oblivio - neat Akuma. beautiful shenanigans with Marinette and Adrien not knowing who they are, but falling in love anyway and trying to figure out how to function. Bonus points for all the 'Super Penguino' metaphors.
Oni-Chan - Lila being a manipulator on many levels and Adrien quickly getting to 'you're on thin fucking ice' with her. Establishes Lila making her deal with Gabriel.
Miraculer - More of Chloé's redemption and Queen Bee! The first time the Heroes see Mayura out in the field I think? Queen Bee v Mayura! Ladybug officially tells Chloé she has to be benched because her identity is known, using this event as a basis of example.
Desperada - The chaos of Adrien trying to be Aspik, plus the debut of Viperion.
Startrain - crumbs for 'why Sabrina is Like That', Kaalki is great. Chloé doing great as a Hero even without her Miraculous and taking control in a crisis to save people! Debut of Pegasus. Also the comedy of not only the class being launched into space but Gabriel being so ???? about that happening, and so dramatic of 'oh no Adrien's on that train in space I must rely on my enemies succeeding for him to be safe!'
Kwamibuster - Little bit of lore, but mostly just the badass moments of Mari using all of the fucking Miraculous and how this was supposed to be something special lmao
Feast - SO MUCH FUCKING LORE. Like a bunch of Lore on the past users, the Guardians, what happened when Fu was a kid, etc. Plus the Guardian Temple coming back!
Ikari Gozen - Marinette and Kagami actually become friends. Debut of Ryuko!
Time Tagger - Bunnyx and all the nonsense she brings!
Party Crasher - this one is a maybe. It's chaotic as fuck, and has the debut of Roi Singe.
Chat Blanc - YEAH THIS. THIS IS A THING. LASER PISS ON THE MOON.
Felix - oh hey the boy! Mostly just establishing that he exists. The first time Gabriel and Emilie's wedding rings are established as important.
Ladybug - Lila's whole 'get Mari expelled' plan. Sentibug. Adrien making his own deal with Lila for Mari's safety.
Battle of the Miraculous (Heart Hunter and Miracle Queen) - YEAH THIS IS UNFORTUNATELY RELEVANT
Season 4:
Truth - Jagged is Luka's dad, comedy of "Truth: "what is Mari's secret?"/everyone: "She loves Adrien"." Lukanette breakup.
Lies - Mostly just for fairness, but you can gather 'adrigami break up for the same reasons lukanette did' if you only watched Lies.
Gang of Secrets - Mari is struggling. The Girlsquad wants to help. Mari gives in and tells Alya that she's Ladybug
Mr. Pigeon 72 - lore-wise this is the intro of the Charms. But tbh I just think everyone needs to see how fucking fantastic Alya was this episode
Furious Fu - Introduction of Su-Han. Tbh he so rarely shows up you can kinda skip this but if you /want/ to see him show up....
Sole Crusher - Zoé's first episode!
Guilttrip - Rose having some vague illness, fluff as everyone tries to love her so much. 'Girl that's a bootyhole' Sentimonster. Debut of Pigella!
Optigami - One of Gabriel's most fantastic plans, and it's something Nathalie thought of lmao. Genuinely good plan though. Tension is high. Unnerved by Sentinino
Sentibubbler - Gabriel going direct approach! Alya wrecking house while being held hostage!
Wishmaker - the chaos of everyone's wishes, and Viperion learning LB and CN's identities.
Hack-San -Scarabella my beloved!!!
Dearest Family - Kind of a 'maybe', but first glimpse of God Mode Tikki.
Gabriel Agreste - this was a trip, but mostly here for Felix finding out Gabriel is Shadowmoth(which.... he. He really didn't need to /confirm/ that. He should know. But I digress).
Shadowmoth's Final Attack(Risk and Strikeback) - Season finale! Felix being a FUCK and handing over all the Miraculous to Gabriel!
Season 5:
Honestly I could say to watch all of Season 5 for the exact opposite reason I said to watch all of Season 1 lmao. But if I have to condense the shitshow:
Evolution - Genuinely so fucking good! Alix darling!
Multiplication - not the best, but does really first establish both the tech to transfer the Miraculous Powers, and that Tomoe is working with Gabriel
Destruction - mostly not important, but kinda cool for LB's complicated af plan. But established Monarch getting hit with Cataclysm.
Jubilation - Into to Socqueline. The Alliance Rings are debuted to the public! Shows that the programs on said rings are designed to help Gabriel track down Ladybug, so if Mari ever wears one there's a risk. (downside is you gotta look at the cabbage patch babies and Chat attempting murder)
Passion - the Lovesquare has reversed and we are SUFFERING. Gabriel is a moron who Akumatized Nathalie knowing she wants to kill his ass. Nathalie as Safari is GREAT though
Illusion - establishes Nino's 'Resistance' idea of Civilians fighting back.
The Kwami's Choice(Transmission and Deflagration) - Tikki and Plagg try to let Mari and Adrien be happy with each other. Scarabella and Kitty Noire are on the scene! The Alliance tracker comes into play as Gabriel finds their identities! Near-victory as he takes them out, but luckily Plagg can think fast. Mari and Adrien return to their jobs as LB and CN.
Migration - Luka knowing the identites finally comes into play!
Derision - HEAR ME OUT. This episode fucking sucks, but in terms of fandom things you might want to see what this nonsense was. And how to divert it.
Adoration - Zoé confesses to Marinette, and Mari FINALLY confesses to Adrien. But Gabriel is a big old bag of DICK.
Emotion - Adrienette! The dance! Felix is finally here as Argos! Red Moon! Really establishing the Sentimonster stuff!
Confrontation - PISS WINDOW. Anger aside, Lila is finally caught!
Collusion - GOD fuck this but it's important to the plot for LB and CN to team up with the Akuma and run the mayor out of office.
Representation - Partly for the closest thing to Adrichat fighting Gabriel we'll get, mostly for Felix's play though.
The Final Day (Conformation and Recreation) - Our Season finale! Adrichat is left out of the fight entirely. Gabriel wins but also dies but still wins because he's remembered as a Hero. But hey at least we got cool fight scenes and Eldritch Kwami out of it!
Bonus:
Watch both the NY and Shanghai specials! They're fun and bring in various characters!
14 notes · View notes
prongsmydeer · 1 year
Text
Ayesha Liveblogs Cherry Magic: The Movie 
Oh my god, are they starting off this move by flashing back to them about to have sex on Christmas eve? I did NOT think it would begin immediately where the show left off. Bold choice. I love it 
Tumblr media
Fkfkfhkjfk I should’ve known they would be cockblocked by Rokkaku and chicken noodle soup. On brand. Honestly, no complaints
“Let’s go out this weekend,” thought Kurosawa directly to Adachi’s brain. Kurosawa said: Having a telepathic boyfriend is fun actually 
“I’m still a wizard.” WHAT DO YOU MEAN. WHAT DID THE END OF SHOW MEAN, THEN!
Why did they cut to the marshmallows like that fantasy had deeper implications. Are the marshmallows a metaphor
Did Kurosawa purposely keep his mind blank while staring at the waterfall for Adachi so they could hold hands in peace? That’s so sweet
I wonder if this new year’s shrine visit counts as a double date:
Tumblr media
“I won’t understand unless you put it into words.” “You were flirting with Adachi-san.” 1) Good on Tsuge, and 2) Bold of Minato to think Tsuge could ever intentionally flirt with a person
“How I truly wish that our time would last forever.” Why say it so ominously, Adachi??????
“Why did you pick me for such an important task?” “Because you’re cut out for the job. You’ve been doing well.” ADACHI you’re very good at things!! I love that his office recognizes it too
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh Adachi wanting to turn the new job transfer offer down so he doesn’t make Kurosawa sad by leaving to Nagasaki. Kurosawa wanting Adachi to take it so Adachi doesn’t lose out on this opportunity for him :(
ADACHI NOOOO DID EPISODE 11 OF CHERRY MAGIC TEACH YOU NOTHING? 
Tumblr media
I think this will be the first time we see Kurosawa sincerely upset with Adachi. Even for a man with only nice thoughts, seeing Adachi mistrust his words must weigh heavily on him
“Adachi, don’t you believe what I just told you?” Kurosawa said: Having a telepathic boyfriend isn’t fun anymore
Sorrowful split-screen separation 😭😭😭😭😭
Tumblr media
Looked up the flight from Nagasaki to Tokyo. It’s two hours, which isn’t the worst in the world. But a long distance when u live in each other’s heart and spend most of your waking hours together
Rokkaku speaking to Kurosawa a little more softly as Adachi leaves :(
“They say the Nagasaki branch is doing well,” said the Tokyo Head Office President, not knowing that Nagasaki is a difficult topic for Kurosawa at this time 
Kurosawa’s smile and heart shattering into a million pieces every time no one is looking at him!!!!!!!!!
“I’ve no idea what Kurosawa is thinking.” I do like how they’ve put them in a situation where there is no potential for touch telepathy and they have to learn new ways to communicate when things DO upset them. It’s responding to exactly the challenges mentioned in Adachi’s getting back together speech 
$10 says that Kurosawa tries to go to Nagasaki when Adachi tries to go to Tokyo
ALRIGHT I OWE YOU $10 I DID NOT EXPECT ADACHI TO GET HIT BY A TRUCK
Update: He was NOT hit by a truck, just his phone was. Thank god. I should’ve known Cherry Magic would never do that to me
“I don’t remember his number.” Perils of the age of smart phones
I KNEW KUROSAWA WOULD COME TO MAKE SURE ADACHI WAS OKAY 💘💘💘💘💘
“I wasn’t okay at all.” YEAH KUROSAWA, COMMUNICATING!!
“I wanted to see you smile. To me, that’s what matters more than anything in the world.” ADACHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
THEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
Tumblr media
You see, now I no longer know whether to trust the white undershirts as an indication of sex because you’ve now tricked me once before
“Do you regret it?” “I’m fine with it. As long as I have you.” Awwww. I still don’t know whether I believe you
Alright, alright, they seem to be serious about it this time 
“Let’s live together when you come back.” AWWWWW
Since Romance Writer Tsuge and Flashy Minato do not have their own long-distance narrative to overcome, Minato has decided to self-impose one hahahaha
“Sorry for keeping you waiting, I was picking out souvenirs.” “So many people you care about.” YEAH HE DOES 💗💗💗
“A harsh word could be her way of expressing her love for you.” I don’t know if that’s good romantic advice, Adachi
“We don’t need magic. We can speak our minds and tell them how we feel, with our own words.” 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
I don’t know how they’re going to continue to hide their relationship at work when Kurosawa literally now lives in the same flat as him, shares a bed, and Rokkaku has already been to Adachi’s place and knows it’s a studio with no other room hahahaha
CHORE CHART 🥺: 
Tumblr media
“Your goal is to become Kurosawa the Second, right?” “No! Rokkaku the First!” Character development, baybeee
We have graduated to official double dates for Kurodachi and Minatsuge 
Honestly, I was expecting Minato and Tsuge’s conflict to be that they are in different stages of their lives, i.e. Tsuge being 30 and ready to settle down while Minato is still in his early 20s and establishing his career, probably wanting more mobility, but I suppose that would be too much to expect in terms of their subplot hahahaha
“I have to be needed at work. So we won’t be separated unfairly when our company finds out about us.” ADACHI 🥺🥺🥺
OH MY GOD. I wasn’t expecting them to take it to the point of them being public in their relationship. Like I had the thought during the accident if Kurosawa might be listed as Adachi’s emergency contact, but that they are actually making the point that Adachi wants their loved ones to know they’re in love, because he does want the right to be notified if there’s an accident! This is an active and (I hate that it is) CURRENT political stance, because gay marriage is not legal in Japan, but same sex partnerships were ruled to be legally recognized in Tokyo this June. This is not just a narrative choice, this is indirect advocacy from the makers of this show. Not even getting to the DIRECT advocacy from the writer donating film adaption proceeds to Marriage for All Japan. Cherry Magic has never done anything wrong in its life. I’m gonna cry about it, I think 
On a more light-hearted note: Kurosawa’s Meeting the Parents Resume
Tumblr media
I CAN’T TELL IF THEY’RE SMILING BECAUSE THEY’RE HAPPY THAT ADACHI HAS BROUGHT SOMEONE HOME OR IF BECAUSE KUROSAWA IS HANDSOME 
“We want to be happy together, Kiyoshi and I. Please give us your permission.” Kurosawa 💘💘💘💘💘💘💘💘
“Are you okay with it?” “That doesn’t matter. He’s the one you chose. Of course it’s okay.” This time I am genuinely in tears. Cherry Magic. Thank you 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
I’M SO GLAD THAT DAD AND BROTHER WERE ON BOARD TOO
I am, without exaggeration, sobbing: 
Tumblr media Tumblr media
“A choice made with strong determination. That’s something noble. I’m grateful to you for choosing my son Kiyoshi.” PAPA ADACHI 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
AAHHHHHHH I knew that we were going to get a tougher side for the other parents. Kurosawa’s unrelenting need to please people doesn’t come from nowhere 
“Those who are precious to you, are precious to me as well.” Adachi 😞💕
Adachi has come so far. This is the best movie sequel to a series I have ever seen:
Tumblr media
THEY PANNED OUT AND THEY’RE IN FRONT OF THEIR ROMANCE BENCH 
“Right now, there’s only one thing I can say I’m sure of. I love Kurosawa.” Adachi 💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗
“I know you don’t approve of us right now. But if it’s okay with you, we’ll wait as long as it takes.” Adachi and Kurosawa are so, so brave 💗
“Families don’t bring home souvenirs, do they?” MAMA KUROSAWA
Adachi being glad his magic is gone because it allows him to convey what he feels properly!!! You know what that is? Growth!!
PROPOSAL PART II BUT WITH RINGS BECAUSE THEY WANT THE WORLD TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE IN LOVE:
Tumblr media Tumblr media
I feel insane. I have never felt so comforted and safe and done right by a story. This is my favourite movie of all time
The reaching up hands from the show intro but they are doing it together, wearing their rings... 💖!!!!!
THIS IMAGE SUMS UP HOW I FEEL:
Tumblr media
62 notes · View notes
inkmage13 · 7 months
Text
A comprehensive list of every single Frankenstein adaptation i have ever read/watched and my reviews of them
Universal Frankenstein 1931
I hate this movie with my whole being. It's like they read the book upside down and backwards. Hate the creature's design. 1/10
Young Frankenstein
A hilarious spoof of the Universal film. Gene Wilder kills it as Frederick von Frankenstein. Creature design is much better than Universal, I love the non functional zipper on his neck. So silly and goofy. 9/10 (minus one point for Creech fucking being an important joke/plot point bc it makes me uncomfortable)
Junji Ito's Frankenstein
A mostly faithful comic adaptation of the original novel. Creature design is fantastic but he has short hair for some reason. Very cool art. 8/10
Frankenstein Alive, Alive!
Literally my favorite graphic novel. Bernie Wrightson cared about the Creature so much and it really shows. Incredible adaptation exploring the rest of Creech's life. 11/10 cannot recommend enough
Frankenweenie
Great Tim Burton movie. I love Sparky. Another successful spoof of the Universal film. 7/10 (minus points for being lowkey racist/xenophobic)
The Rocky Horror Show / Picture Show
I'm lumping in the musical and movie together. I love RHPS with my whole being. And it's a weirdly good adaptation. Dr. Frank N Furter's desire to create the perfect artificial man is explicitly queer. Rocky is born and immediately starts singing about how he's confused and miserable. 8/10
I, Frankenstein
Not a great movie but I did kind of enjoy it. Adam Frankenstein is caught in the celestial war of good and evil because he is neither human nor demon. His design sucks because he's just a guy, not nearly fucked up enough. Also he's not an incel which is very out of character unfortunately. 5/10
The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein
What the fuck is this book. Reading it was a roller coaster ride of "ok i dig this" and "what the actual fuck am I reading". All you need to know is the author sucks the human soul out of Victor and makes Creech a furry. 2/10
Frankenstein: A New Musical
I love this musical!! It's mostly book accurate with great portrayals of every single character. The original production's Creature design sucks though, it's literally just the actor with no prosthetics or makeup or anything. The music ranges from average musical stuff to absolute bangers. 9/10
Edward Scissorhands
I love this movie so I'm counting it because the Inventor makes an artificial human which is basically Frankensteining. Edward is adorable I love him so much. I think the movie is a great metaphor for the treatment of disabled/neurodivergent people in society. 8/10
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Specifically Sally and Dr. Finkelstein. Dr. Finkelstein is a super shitty dad to his creation, and Sally just wants to go out in the world and be a normal monster girl. As a Frankenstein adaptation 9/10 also 10/10 movie
X Files: The Post-Modern Prometheus
Incredible retelling with fantastic references to the original text. Mulder and Scully get justice for a monster in a crazy small town. And the episode is in black and white for no reason other than drama. But for some reason the Creature, who is called El Mutato, r**es people so for that unfortunately 7/10
12 notes · View notes
stelly38 · 11 months
Photo
Tumblr media
Did anyone happen to catch this?  Imma rip it a new one in this post, so DO NOT READ IF YOU PLAN ON WATCHING IT.  
SPOILERS  SPOILERS   SPOILERS  SPOILERS  SPOILERS  
Although, honestly, I don’t know how a show this rotten could get any more spoiled.  I agree completely with the review of Obsession in The Independent.  
I never saw the 1992 movie Damage, which was adapted from a novel of the same name by Josephine Hart.  Obsession uses the same novel to create its screenplay.  Damage, however, at least gets good reviews over on RT.  (Which doesn’t mean I’m going to watch it; not after sitting through this train wreck.)  
I think Obsession’s fatal flaw is that it fails refuses to develop its characters; we just get right to the fucking.  But the characters are so flat and two-dimensional, the viewer doesn’t care about any of them.  In fact, I was rooting for the show to take a hard turn and become a slasher flick, just so a murderer could put all these assholes out of their misery.  Alas, that’s not what happened.  Instead, the cardboard cut-outs go on to engage in excruciating, unintentionally hilarious sex.  (I laughed at the sex; yes, it was funny).  
And it was the most joyless depiction of sex I’ve ever seen.  I get it, I get it, it’s a fucked-up relationship, and he’s obsessed with her, but shouldn’t they at least be having a good time when they’re fucking?  Neither of the characters look like they’re enjoying the sex, not in a single scene.  Is it because every time they fuck, he pumps her three times and comes?  Really?  That’s it?  Or is it because she has a weird penchant for wanting to fuck on the floor, despite owning a mattress?  Is it because he fucks her in a Parisian alley near the dumpsters?  Gross.  Maybe the dumpsters should have been on fire; then it would have been a more accurate metaphor for their relationship (and for the show).  If the sex is so horrible, why bother? 
The marketing seems bent on selling the series as an erotic thriller, and the trailers play up the kinky side of that, but the kink that’s actually included  (a tiny bit of breath play, and some shibari) comes off as an afterthought.  These scenes are short, and the few glimpses of “kink” that the viewer gets are just that--glimpses. The two characters having the affair don’t even talk about the kink they engage in.  Don’t tease me with kink and then deliver the most horrible consensual sex to ever be captured on film.  
I should add here that I’m not criticizing the acting; I think the actors were given so little that there wasn’t much they could do with the characters.  I know discomfort was the point.  But that doesn’t make me want to watch it.  I think the marketing did the series a disservice.  It led with the sex, while the series is not actually about sex.  Had the trailers been more accurate, I probably wouldn’t have watched it in the first place.  
Anyway, the “twist” mentioned in the Independent was neither funny, nor a surprise.  I’d started watching the show without knowing how many episodes it had, and I was ready to quit after seeing the first two.  But then I learned there were only two more, so, in for a penny, in for a pound.  Shrug.  I want my two hours back.  
15 notes · View notes
wondrousmay · 25 days
Note
Hello~ Up for a new scenario? ^^
Suppose the acquaintance in the previous ask becomes an incredibly precious person to you—someone who loves you, respects you, and won't judge you for your differences. Suppose they ask you to recommend anime that *you* personally are very much in love with no matter what other people think or say about the show. What title(s) would you give? (i.e., what is/are anime you love that may not be everyone's favorite but it's yours and is/are anime you'd only ever recommend to someone you trust to the highest degree because you know they'd enjoy it, too?)
(Note: this is entirely for funsies so please feel free to opt out or to take your time! ☺)
Thank you for this thoughtful question! I managed to narrow down 5 shows that shaped my overall anime experience!
Violet Evergarden: I talked about this before but Violet Evergarden was the show that got me back into watching anime. The structure of the show feels episodic but the overall narrative focuses on Violet and her character journey to discover the meaning of “love” as well as to rediscover herself. It’s a wonderful character-driven story with many tearjerker scenes! While movie (which is the final installment in the series) is controversial, I do think Violet’s journey is still worth it.
Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: a wonderful character-driven story focusing on the Japanese art of rakugo. This show has a really well-written and complex cast of characters. It's a sign of wonderful writing when the story made me fall in love with a character slowly as the show progresses. At the beginning, I felt indifferent to Yakumo but by the end of the series, he's now one of my top favourite characters. His character is complex, with layers of contradictions which fascinates me. The rest of the cast were fantastic too. Yakumo, Sukeroku, Miyokichi's stories are deeply entwined with Yotaro and Konatsu's and this generational connection is one of my favourite aspects of the story.
The Twelve Kingdoms: A stand out isekai story that puts a lot of the current isekai to shame! I wrote a review here so check it out for my full thoughts!
Revolutionary Girl Utena: I was reluctant to watch this show because of its reputation as a show full of metaphors and subtext. I’m glad that I gave it a chance because this show is a life-changing experience. It’s the type of show where you will discover something new every time you rewatch it. However, I think this show is not for everyone especially with how it deals with many sensitive topics.
BanG Dream!: This show is really special to me because it led to many wonderful encounters and experiences! The story is a really simple one: it’s about a high school girl starting a band with her friends. The heartfelt character writing captured my heart. I will always recommend this show for people who enjoy a good slice of life/music story!!!
5 notes · View notes
dramatic-shitpost-poet · 10 months
Note
i saw on the mo confessions page that putty has ibs and it makes SO much sense because hes had several digestive problems throughout the show. im finding some evidence or just a few links:
-obvious one is in the movie ep when putty reports to bloberta that the tuna cone would give him explosive diarrhea.
-in be fruitful in multiply he buys hemorrhoid cream and hemorrhoid friendly toilet paper.
-this may not even count but he lost an eating contest once (poster in his office in gods image)
-he eats a lot of sodium foods (jeezits and lonely man dinners) which could flare up some of his digestive problems
i could also see him having heart problems too from how he eats and his loneliness and it gets worse over time when he ages
sorry for my rambling im obsessed with the sickly peepaw and i want to doctor him up
MY IBS GANG!!
I actually think I might have submitted that confession just from the Bloberta tuna thing alone. I need more IBS rep man..
I was surprised at how many people agree with me but I am glad of it!! I like how we got a solid paragraph worth of evidence too. I may need to write about this lol
Thank you so much for listing off instances for me! I appreciate it and I love sickly peepaw too. I am curious about the heart issues though. Like, I see it with his age and all the sodium he eats, but if you want to add more, please feel free!!! You can use an emoji to make you distinct, anon. I also think of legit dying from a broken heart for Revs. You can legit die from a broken heart if your emotional state is so unstable that it tears your heart strings and with his health and diet as he ages, it could happen. That covers it physically but in a story line it would be kind of like cruel irony. He was *supposedly* born on Valentine's day and he has so much trouble with love or just isolation in general. And love (and valentines day in general) is connected to hearts. It would be very cruel irony for him to die by a broken heart since he struggles so much with love and his mental health. It makes sense metaphorically and physically for him to have heart issues.
As someone with that #ibs, I will add some things. For the eating contest, I know if I have a BAD day with a flare up, it makes me lose my appetite and just kinda give up. It hurts like a mf. He may have lost it because chances are, no actual good foods were in that eating contest and major sodium probably causes flare ups most in him. He got sick or flares up so bad he had to stop and just cry because IBS pain. The sodium may also have caused a tachycardia episode..
For his IBS, i think it's more diarrhea type than constipation which... i think is IBS-D? Cant remember.
Anyways, thank you so much, anon!!!! I wish to gush about this for a long time. I must discuss my old man. Also, I had (or have?) A medical hyperfixation so I know a LOT. Also, I got the mad scientist shit on my blog. Also, I'm a biochem major or science major in general really. I got a lot.
Seriously though, send more.
9 notes · View notes