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chibimyumi · 3 years

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i’ve been a black butler fan for around a year now but im just getting into the musicals. you seem to know a lot about them and analyze them in really great detail. so, do you happen to know why yuta stopped playing sebastian? like if it was a personal choice or something else? he’s by far my favorite.

Dear Anon,

Welcome into the musical sphere (*´▽｀*)ノ🎭 I hope you will be having a great time. I offer free English subtitles for legal owners of the musicals, so make sure to drop by if/when you buy one of the DVD/BDs.

Why did Furukawa stop... that is an incredibly good question! But I fear I don’t have a definitive answer for you... I can only speculate based on my knowledge of the Japanese theatre industry, TOHO and Furukawa himself.

Furukawa’s Decision?

Furukawa has always officially announced his “retirement” for a recurring role in the past, like he did for Romeo or Rudolf, for example. About retiring from playing Sebastian however, Furukawa has said nothing. Sebas is one of the most important roles to him, and he did once say that as long as the material is canon, he would guard Sebas like a mad dog.

Shortly after the announcement of Kuromyu 2021, Furukawa hosted a mini concert for FC members where he also sang two songs of Kuromyu. Not only did he sing the songs, he also emphasised why Sebas is so important to him, and how even now Kuromyu will never leave him. Some FC members found it quite weird that Furukawa would perform Kuromyu, NOT announce his retirement, and say that Kuromyu will never leave him after a new Sebas had been announced. It is no evidence of course, but this lead some to think Furukawa might not entirely have chosen this outcome.

Knowing Furukawa, performing Kuromyu at that timing might as well have been a passive-aggressive statement. I 100% believe that Furukawa performed Kuromyu to assure his fans that he still loves Sebas as he has been saying for 6 years. But that does not mean it couldn’t also be a passive-aggressive statement. Furukawa is a VERY passive-aggressive man.

Situational Problem?

From 2018 on Furukawa has little autonomy left career wise since he became TOHO’s cow. His jobs are arranged for him by TOHO, and without TOHO’s approval he seems unable to do anything. Since becoming Ogosho Furukawa became the most representative face of the elite TOHO. If Furukawa were to be associated with something considered “bad rep”, then that’s “bad rep” for TOHO too.

It could be that TOHO judged Kuromyu would no longer be beneficial to themselves, and therefore discouraged Furukawa’s reprise and retracted their support. But it could also be because Furukawa decided to leave Kuromyu, and therefore that TOHO retracted support. Chicken and egg problem.

TOHO and Covid Japan

TOHO is incredibly strict with the Covid19 regulations, mostly because they have a reputation to keep, but also because they have a bigger buffer to afford being strict. TOHO-associated performances in Covid era are one of the very few ones in Japan that do social distancing with seats, meaning all their theatres are used at 50% capacity max. That’s 50% of ticket sales...

Smaller and poorer theatres need the performances to have any income at all, and cannot afford to perform at 50% capacity. That is the reason that in Kuromyu 2021 all actors are wearing those super gross saliva catchers (OMG they were OOOZING), while TOHO performances don’t require them. Those saliva catchers don’t do shit because actors still touch each other, talk in each other’s faces and are literally in each other’s arses. But they are “ceremonial” compromises to get approval to perform for a live audience.

TOHO cannot be associated with subpar corona measures, so it is possible that they forbade any TOHO actor from partaking in Kuromyu 2021. However, it is equally likely that even without TOHO’s interference Furukawa himself simply refused.

Furukawa and Covid Japan

Ever since Covid started, Furukawa has consistently refused to work with anything that requires too much physical contact and/or unregulated live audiences. Even for his own concert he cancelled ALL live spectator attendance and arranged a live-stream instead. The notable exceptions were “I Will No Longer Sing Love Songs” and “INSPIRE Onmyouji”.

“ I Will No Longer Sing Love Songs” requires no physical contact and has the audience dramatically reduced. There was ONE ENTIRE free row and TWO empty seats between all spectators.

In contrast, Kuromyu 2021 was just all packed, and everyone was given a weird face-shield thing to wear even though that doesn’t do shit. Those face shields are to stop liquids from splattering on others...but in a theatre people don’t talk anyway........soooooo that’s just a waste of plastic?!?!?!

The other exception was “INSPIRE Onmyouji” which ran at full theatre capacity, but it was also a charity event in light of Covid in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. TOHO only charged 75% of the full ticket price, and would pay 25% to non-TOHO actors affected by the pandemic.

So yeah, Furukawa was in radio silence for the past year, and the only thing that got him back to work in a “normal” situation was literal charity.

Musical Kuroshitsuji Project

My main question I have to ask is why MKP decided to continue Kuromyu without THE COW that won them their unprecedented golden reputation. I know it seems endless, but Covid is gonna pass eventually. So IF it had been TOHO or Furukawa’s decision to withhold because of Covid, MKP could just have waited, right? The fans have waited since February 2018, another year would have been fine, right?

Financially MKP has no reason to take distance from TOHO’s support on their own accord, which makes me suspect that they were simply dumped by TOHO. If so, it makes sense that MKP as a 2.5D producer just needs to make money, and therefore decided to stage Kuromyu now they don’t have TOHO support anymore, Covid or no Covid.

At the bottom of this post I wrote about a demographic shift of Kuromyu:

So, what will MKP now do to live up to the "elite” high bar TOHO had (helped?) set for Kuromyu? Change marketing strategy, change M.O.

From what I have seen on the Japanese side, the marketing is now indeed more focused on and also resonates better with J-pop and 2.5D fans specifically. MKP has made no attempts to market Kuromyu to (elite) theatre fans anymore.

Conclusion

So yeah, to conclude... the reasons I can think of for Furukawa to no longer play Sebas are:

Furukawa decided so: Not impossible, but quite unlikely

TOHO decided so: Most probably

MKP decided so: Most unlikely

I hope this made sense!

See also: How was Furukawa cast as Sebas?

#kuromyu #Kuromyu 2021 #Furukawa Yuta #Sebastyun #TOHO #Covid19

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amisbro · 3 years

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Let's Talk: UtaPri and Information

Or I guess you could say "Broccoli and Information" but using UtaPri is easier I think... HERE'S THE POINT! I fully understand that UtaPri is a franchise based out of Japan and they typically want to stay there (in a way) because that is where a good # of fans live...no issue there. Here's the problem: The fandom is also WELL OUTSIDE OF THERE TOO!

UtaPri's reach is well past Japan at this point and they (the twitter handlers) need to figure out a way to convey information BETTER to those fans overseas (in my opinion). What caused this thought process? Let's talk

First and foremost let me state again that I am fully aware its bigger base is in Japan...got that and I'm good with that so no issues. The problem comes that ,when there is information to be shared (officially and not through leaks), we run into this issue of we need a twitter to translate information from the twitter or we need someone to fansub the stages. THIS ,in my opinion, is a big problem and has been since at least 7th Anniversary (you'll see why I picked that one in a second) The main twitter I think everyone and their brother follows in this fandom for information is the official UtaPri twitter which is where we get a lot of our news. The problem is that there are now 2 major twitters (that one and the HEAVENS twitter) that you have to follow because you see all the "Shining Agency" information is on the UtaPri twitter and the HEAVENS info is on the other one...rest assured the UtaPri one gets updated more but I'm sure if you headcanon a reason as to why it could make sense. Now I would have no issue with this...IF you didn't have to follow a THIRD account to read the translations of the news (if you didn't read the machine translations from Google). Its almost like Broccoli doesn't know how to convey the information proper to International fans so they literally rely on translators in the West to do it. And that's to say nothing about the Stages! Stages and Anniversaries are usually where we get the most amount of news from. The problem is we have to wait usually an obscene amount of time to get the news because ,no joke, if no one does the report on here (and someone used to I think) then you have to wait for the DVD/BDs to come out (because Broccoli doesn't know how to stream these things for fans outside of Japan still) and God help us with the fact that the DVDs are bloody expensive! Now you might be saying to yourself "Bro its not that deep" Alright...then tell me why ever since 5th Anniversary (Minimum) they tweet in English for western fans if they didn't want to include us...seems counterproductive don't it? UtaPri has a history of going "Dark" a lot and usually when they do you feel like they are setting up for something BIG and usually when they do drop the info we all get hyped to hell about it because we kind of know WHAT it is and we can sort of piece together how its going to go. I haven't started losing my mind about this upcoming project because ,despite the report from Anime News Network about it...I still don't understand WHAT is going to be done so I can't get "hype" for it until somehow I get better information which hopefully will be at either this Anniversary or 7th Stage Now let me back up to 7th Anniversary...why did I pick that? I picked that because ,before the platform change, the last bit of intel we got about the game "Dolce Vita" was HEAVENS was gonna be in it and I told you how I felt the reaction was on here about that and it wasn't "great" (or at least to me). Since the Platform change over from VITA to Switch we haven't heard much about it. Hell we finished the Debut port and I expected them to announce either All-Star or Dolce Vita was next but they didn't and that baffled me. Like I genuinely am concerned about that game project now since we hadn't heard anything about it! This past April Fools was interesting because of the fact that Broccoli went the route of doing a "Game" based on HEAVENS (and it was MESSED UP MAN) but I hope I am not reading too much into it that they are going to work on a Visual Novel game for them or ,at the very least, make a new Music series of games based off of HEAVENS Music because remember that in Music 3 we got the Mini game that was from an April Fools prank! Again though this is where they (Broccoli) don't communicate what is next for either side and rather go "If you know...then you know" And its like "No...no I really don't because I am waiting for you to spell it out!" Like at the very least HEAVENS needs the following Their own VN games Their own Music games Their own Anime Series Or their own stage Any of

these would be fine for them so we know where HEAVENS actually is in the pecking order of Broccoli's vision for UtaPri. I generally see Agematsu tweet about QN/STARISH but rarely see a tweet from Elements Garden in support of HEAVENS. I've no joke seen ONE in the past few years but that was just recently Again though this goes back to the whole "Information" flow that International fans don't get Either someone needs to set up a dedicated account that literally translates all the tweets from the UtaPri/HEAVENS twitters or Broccoli needs to hire someone to freaking translate the tweets for us so we can understand the next step without relying on translators and reports. That "flow" doesn't work because all it tends to do is create anxiety for the International base and its a problem but I don't know how to fixit *Cough*Streamthestagesoverseas*cough* Okay but for real I know that that can be a bit of a financial issue and the margin might not work considering there are those in the International fandom that run adblockers so I get that...I think though that there has to be a way by now for the fandom to get the show and enjoy it. A viewing scheduled to go off when everyone is awake would be nice instead of like 6 AM and then you take it down for reasons...shit GENESIS and Mamo kept shows up longer than that for God Sakes! Mamo showed Loving which was like a concert (at the time) that was only like 3 years old! Hell the first concert are out of print so there HAS to be a way to show those to Overseas fans now right?! Alright Alright I'll get off that but my point stands for Heaven sakes! UtaPri ,Broccoli ,King and whoever else involved in the running of the series needs to find a way to communicate with the International fans better. Hell KLab HAD the Game Station show but they axed that temporarily (and I couldn't understand Alex for the life of me to understand why...she needs to learn to speak up or get a mike on her or something) so we don't have any proper communication with KLab anymore which is weird and its just a problem. Maybe I'm the only one though. What do you all think? Does the twitters for UtaPri need to find ways to communicate with International fans better or are you okay with the flow of information we get now? Let me know what you think and I shall talk to you later

#Amisbro #UtaPri #Communication Problems #Overseas Fandoms #11th Anniversary #7th Stage

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entamesubs · 3 years

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Regarding Past Mistakes & the BD Release

Hello everyone, entame here.

As I get closer and closer to beginning the sub process for episodes 1-13 of SEVENS using its Blu-Ray, I do want to address some issues regarding my subs that have been brought up either directly to me, or anonymously across other sites.

Before I begin, I want to note that this concerns most of my earlier subs, which is why I thought to make this post with the BD releases on the horizon.

------------

As of writing this, this “sub group” consists of two people (and is in the process of adding a third, mostly to help with timing)—the person writing this post (”entame”), and Yona, the proofreader. When I first began subbing SEVENS (specifically for episodes 12 and 13), it was a one-person job. This means I did translations, proofreading, and timing by myself (to some extent, I still do all three of these jobs, but not as much as I used to). Yona did not join until around 13-14.

I realize that I have made a lot of mistakes over the course of this subbing career, but especially concerning the beginning episodes, which were the finale of the first arc, and therefore very important in the grand scheme of things.

I want to deeply apologize for them, and address what happened and what’s going to change about them (and possibly future subs) going forward.

Episode 12 in particular was rife with some mistranslation errors. The most “obvious” was concerning the first release of the episode where the context of Roa’s rule-sharking was different than it is now (I don’t quite remember it exactly, so this is why it’s vague). Obviously, a lot of this was corrected in the second release of the episode, and the first version isn’t a thing that exists anymore, even on my own hard drive. It is somewhat fortunate that it also doesn’t exist on anime mirror sites either, as the first group to get a sub out was SevensRoadSubs, so it is their version of episode 12 that exists on most streaming sites.

Likewise, episode 13 suffered these mistakes as well. One example is translating the tournament that Otis was disqualified at as “the 60th” instead of the “the 666th”, which is the correct one. Stuff like this slipped past my notice, so please accept my apologies.

However, the framing of 12 and 13 also laid the groundwork for how certain things would be subbed in future episodes. This means mistakes would endure, such as Roa saying “Distortion Power Code” or the phrasing of his summoning chant in the subs of 13 and 18, despite the fact that it should be “Distortion Power Chord” (as I learned later on). Some of you will also remember the notice I made regarding the decision to use YGOrganization’s translations of cards (where available) post-episode 15, for the sake of consistency across fandom.

Doing subs for SEVENS every week has been a very great joy to me, and something I don’t regret doing. That said, I also know I have made a lot of mistakes, earning some ire. I have learned a lot in the past 3 months since I started. I have never done large-scale translation work or fansubbing before this, so a lot of it has been growing pains. I intended to use the translation of SEVENS as a stepping stone to improving my Japanese (which it has!), but I am not perfect, and always open to corrections.

I say this on every sub release post and also at the end of every episode—I am always, always, always open to corrections. I will make mistakes, and though I try my best to notice them, sometimes I may not. Sometimes, as in the case of “Distortion Power Chord”, I will not even notice them until weeks down the line, when it is too late to change them.

That is why I always try to release 1080p versions where available—because they correct mistakes in the first 720p batch, which are speedsubs.

Still, I think it’s important to acknowledge the mistakes I’ve made for the sake of transparency and to let the fandom know of wrong information I inadvertently circulated.

The upcoming BD releases of episodes 1-13 will go through a much more rigorous subbing process than my usual weekly episodes. For that reason, it may be a rather slow process of working on them, as I plan to have multiple eyes comb through the episodes before release. The BD release will not have a re-release, nor will it be possible to correct potential mistakes after release, so it needs to be the best version I can confidently put out.

I say this because episodes 12 and 13 in particular were extremely rough in terms of translation, as it was my first foray into fansubbing. This means the existing scripts for them may be completely re-translated or re-worked in the BD release, leading to some inconsistencies of future episode’s subs (particularly those past episode 14). If I can ever get the 2nd Blu-Ray set, these will also, of course, be addressed there.

For full transparency, and going forward, there will be some changes to how certain things are phrased, worded, or translated.

YGOrg will always take priority in terms of card name translations. Previously, I played a little loose with my own interpretations and having some fun with puns, but going forward this is now a hard rule. If they translate a card name a certain way, I will use their translation for the sake of consistency. This means no more instances of things like “Kill-Lure Bait Ball” or “Washbuckler” (though they were fun, it became confusing).

BD-specific: I will also try to match information with stuff on Yugipedia. This is BD-specific because weekly speedsubs may come out faster than info on Yugipedia, so there will always be some inconsistency there. However, for the BD, things like “Beastgear World - Trike Fox” will become “Trike Fox of the Beast Gear World”, and other such changes.

Also BD-specific: 2 subtitle tracks! One will use official spellings of names, like Ohdo Yuga, while the other will use transliterations, like Oudou Yuuga (as I usually do). On Luke/Rook - not sure what to do yet. I don’t want to make 3-4 different tracks for official and transliteration, each with Luke/Rook options. Both tracks may use Luke just for my sanity. No change for weekly releases, however; those will always use transliterations.

Weekly episode titles will always follow DMC’s translations of the summaries beforehand. This was also a loose rule before as I always tried to do this unless I wanted to have some fun with puns or references. This will now become a hard rule.

Regarding BD release timelines, while I don’t have a “date-by-date” planned out, I do expect to be done by the second or third week of December. This may change or be delayed, but I will always announce here ahead of time. The second BD comes out in January, so I want to be sure to finish before then, as January and February tend to be busier months for me (fun fact: despite living in the US, neither my family or I celebrate Thanksgiving or Christmas, so these two months are prime time for getting things done).

Thank you to everyone who has supported me so far! Please know I would never have gotten to this point without your support, and am always deeply humbled by the positive response. The BD release would never have happened without you, as it was crowdfunded by you. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.

When I first started subbing, I thought I would be a second subber alongside another group, so I could never imagine having come to this point now. This is why I chose to make this post addressing my mistakes and future changes, for the sake of clarity.

Before I close off this (extremely long) post, I do want to give a shoutout to Yona! There would be a lot more mistakes without her. While I control the blog, the name, and the posting process, she has been indispensable with her work and I don’t want to leave her out. This sub group went from one to two, and I am extremely grateful for the help.

Thank you for reading to this point. Hopefully this clears a lot of things up going forward! As always, my submit and ask box are both always open for questions, comments, or corrections. Please never be shy to correct me on anything—I welcome another set of eyes!

#announcements #oh this came out longer than i expected

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woodland-knight · 6 years

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Father and Son

Long story short, this is a fic I’ve been working on for months. It’s a companion fic to this fic right here, which in turn goes along with another fic not originally written by me. After putting it off for so long and some pushing from Komatsu, I FINALLY managed to finish this! Woohoo!

AU: Bravely Babies

Summary: When Ringabel finds an old album lying around, painful memories come back to him. Though it’s not anything he isn’t used to, things become difficult when his oldest son starts asking questions about it.

Word Count: 3305 Words

Spoiler Warning: BD spoilers are present, but knowing the stories of both BD/B2nd is recommended.

Additional Notes: Mentions of child death are present in this fic.

It began with the album.

Ringabel had been looking for a military tactics book when he found it again. It had been misplaced somehow, put back on a shelf where it didn’t belong, and he was unsure of how it had gotten there. He and Edea normally kept it in their room for safekeeping, but somehow it had made its way to the main bookshelf in the sitting room on the first floor. With how much time that had passed since its creation, the two only pulled it out a few times at the end of each year, but it had been months since they last looked at it. Ringabel couldn’t help but wonder how long it had been there.

Opening the album to a random page, Ringabel looked at the pictures within. They were mostly of a small infant on his own, but there were plenty of him with Edea and Ringabel as well. Anazel, Ringabel and Edea’s eldest child, had died in the womb almost 18 years prior, and the album was one of their few memories that remained of him. While the urn that originally contained his ashes was in a case upstairs, and a few items meant for Anazel were stored in the attic, the album was the only thing left untouched. Anazel’s ashes had been scattered long ago, and what items that could be repurposed were given to the twins when they were born.

The pictures had thankfully aged well despite being older prints, and any fading had been minimal. Ringabel could see his son clearly, and he looked adorable as ever in his blanket and hat. The more he looked at his son and the family photos, the more Ringabel couldn’t help but be a bit emotional. It was nothing more than a few stray tears, but it was to be expected. The death of a child was heartbreaking, no matter how long it had been.

“Mr. Lee, are you in here?”

Looking over his shoulder, Ringabel noticed a young man peering into the sitting room. Zealan, his adoptive son that now took the role of eldest child, was looking at him with a slight scowl. The young man seemed annoyed, which was a change from his normal, shy demeanor, and Ringabel couldn’t help but wonder if something happened. It was rare for Zealan to present himself to Ringabel in this way.

“Ah, Zealan! How can I help you?” Ringabel asked as he turned around. Closing the album, he tucked it under his arm and gestured his free hand towards his son, who straightened up and fully entered the room.

“The maids sent me to tell you the twins broke a window in the library- they’re already working on cleaning it up, but they said you’d order the replacement,” Zealan explained. “Alternis and Lyvia were both sent to their rooms, and it sounds like Mrs. Lee is going to properly punish them later.”

“Tsk tsk tsk,” Ringabel said as he shook his head. “Will those two ever learn?” Though it wasn’t a surprise the two had broken something, Ringabel had hoped with Zealan around the two would at least become a little more responsible. They continued to prove Ringabel wrong, however, and they continued causing mischief even with the watchful eye of their older brother.

“According to Lyvia, they were trying to reach something on top of one of the shelves when they knocked something over. She was sitting on Alternis’ shoulders when they hit it, and it just kind of fell and cracked the window open,” Zealan explained. Though it sounded like a reasonable explanation, Ringabel wasn’t completely convinced.

“And what did Alternis say?” Ringabel asked in attempts to catch the twins, or at least Lyvia, in a lie. Alternis was more likely to crack under pressure, so if he was asked separately he’d more than likely tell the truth.

Zealan, meanwhile, shrugged. “The exact same thing, really,” he continued to explain. “The only difference between the two stories was what caused them to hit something. Lyvia says it’s because Alternis wasn’t watching where he was going, and Alternis said Lyvia’s weight caused him to stumble.”

Sighing, Ringabel shook his head again. “I honestly expect too much of those two,” he said before looking back at Zealan. “Thank you for letting me know. I’ll make sure it gets taken care of.”

“Do you want me to help with anything?” Zealan asked as his posture tensed up. Any hint of annoyance seemed to have left him, and he instead adopted a strict seeming manner he sometimes had with Ringabel. Despite his words, his demeanor hinted he didn’t want to stick around.

“No, that’s quite alright,” Ringabel said as he untucked the album and held it in his hand. “Let me put this away and I’ll take care of the window.”

Curious, Zealan leaned slightly in attempts to get a better glance at the album in Ringabel’s hand. “What is that?” he asked as he eyed the cover. Without a moment of hesitation, Ringabel clutched the album and hid the cover from view.

“Ah, this is nothing of importance,” Ringabel stated as he hid the cover from Zealan’s view. He hadn’t meant to react in such a defensive manner, but Ringabel was unsure of how to approach the album’s contents with Zealan. It contained rather personal images, and if Zealan saw them it would complicate things. It wasn’t, however, because Ringabel felt Zealan deserved to know…

But it was because Ringabel wasn’t sure how to explain to Zealan the album was for Zealan himself.

Though the two boys’ names differed, there was never any doubt in Ringabel’s mind that Anazel and Zealan were one in the same. Though Anazel had tragically passed away before his birth, Zealan had survived due to his mother sacrificing her own life for his. Zealan had been able grow up and live the life Anazel could not, though it had been filled with hardships. With how much Zealan had been through, Ringabel was unsure if the young man could fathom hearing about his counterpart’s death. Ringabel himself had already struggled enough after learning of his own counterpart’s disappearance.

“Is everything alright, Mr. Lee?” Zealan asked, sounding concerned as he did so. “You seem to be crying.”

“Am I?” Ringabel asked in response. Feeling his cheeks, he could feel a few tears that had managed to stream down without notice. “Ah, so I am… But you shouldn’t worry about me. Everything is fine, Anaz- ...Zealan. Everything is fine.”

Ringabel hadn’t meant to almost call Zealan “Anazel”, but it had started to slip out. It felt natural, which didn’t come as too much of a surprise, but Ringabel didn’t want to treat Zealan as a replacement. Anazel was a missing piece in their family, and Zealan helped to fill it, but he still had a life and name of his own. Ringabel didn’t want to tie the young man down by telling him the truth. Perhaps it really was for the best he didn’t tell Zealan about the album’s contents.

“I’m… Glad to hear that,” Zealan hesitantly said as he stood uncomfortably and eyed what little of the book he could see. “Is that... A uh, photo album? My adoptive father had one too. He used it to record his travels before he took me in.”

Tensing up, Ringabel tried his best to keep the album out of Zealan’s view. “Yes, it is a photo album,” he said without further explanation. He knew Zealan was a curious boy, but there was only so much Ringabel was willing to say about the book in his hand. Perhaps if he were lucky, he’d be able to get away without Zealan asking too many questions.

Much to Ringabel’s relief, however, Zealan backed off.

“I guess I’ll leave you to put it away so you can work on replacing that window,” Zealan told Ringabel. Ringabel could feel his tenseness leave his shoulders, and he was finally able to relax slightly. He didn’t think talking to his son should be this stressful, but there was much that Ringabel was trying to hide from him.

“I’ll only be a few minutes,” Ringabel promised as he moved past Zealan. “I’ll put it back in it’s casing and gather the papers I need to order that window.”

Ringabel felt he had nothing else to worry about. Once the album was back where it belonged, Ringabel could grab the papers he needed to get the window fixed and check on the state of the twin’s punishment. With Zealan’s job done, Ringabel could fill out the paperwork as needed without worrying about the older boy poking around. Zealan would probably be off reading or painting- doing something to keep him distracted- and forget about the album for now. That way, Ringabel would be able to tell him about it alongside Edea when the proper time came.

Ringabel, however, had not realized his mistake in words.

“That album must be very important if you keep it in a casing,” Zealan pointed out before Ringabel could leave the room. Ringabel stopped in place and looked back at his son, who was once again staring at him curiously.

“Ah, well… You see..” Ringabel forced out before swallowing. His throat was feeling dry, and he wasn’t really sure how to explain himself.

“You also seem quite adamant on keeping it close to you and away from me,” Zealan continued pointing out. “Are you perhaps hiding a photo album filled with past lovers from Mrs. Lee?”

Ringabel’s jaw dropped. “What!? Of course not!” he assured Zealan. “This album is filled with no such thing!” Ringabel was shocked Zealan would even suggest such a thing, but then again, Zealan had yet to fully begin to trust Ringabel. Their relationship was a complicated one.

“Then what is it?” Zealan asked with a genuine curiosity. Ringabel wasn’t sure why Zealan was suddenly so interested- okay that was a lie; it was because Ringabel was being so secretive- and he was unsure of what to do. There were so many pros and cons to weigh through that Ringabel didn’t have enough time to think.

He had to make an on the spot decision.

“...sit down, Zealan,” Ringabel requested as he gestured towards a small couch. “I have something to tell you.”

Without any hesitation, Zealan went and sat down. A moment later, Ringabel sat down next to him and placed the album on the table in front of them. As soon as he placed the album down, a heaviness left Ringabel’s chest. It was as if he had actually been holding his son the entire time, and putting the album down had finally allowed him to rest. Zealan, meanwhile, started looking through the small amount of pictures placed inside- though Ringabel had made sure Zealan skipped over the front page.

“It’s a collection of baby photos…” Zealan said to himself before glancing at Ringabel. “These don’t seem to be of Valentine, so I assume it’s of the twins? Though it’s odd they’re not in any photos together.”

Ringabel inhaled sharply. “That’s because it isn’t of the twins or Valentine,” he began to explain. “It’s their older brother.”

“...their older brother...?” Zealan asked before going quiet. There was a dreariness in the air now, and Ringabel felt uneasy. Perhaps it was because he was digging up old memories, or perhaps it was because of something else.

“He passed away two months before he was due, and we had this album created in memory of him. His ashes were scattered in the village of Regen, back when it was known as Gravemark, and this is one of the few momentos we have left of him,” Ringabel continued explaining. “It’s not something we often discuss.”

The dreariness in the air increased as Zealan moved his hand away from the album. “I… I see,” he managed to say. He looked to be in slight shock, but Ringabel didn’t blame him. It was a horrible thing to learn.

“As time passed, we began to accept and live with the reality of what happened, though not a single day goes by where we don’t wish he had survived. It’s like we’re missing a piece of our family, and we’ll always have that hole in our hearts,” Ringabel mentioned with a somber tone. He noticed Zealan twitch slightly, and the young boy seemed focused on the pictures in front of him.

“Do the twins and Valentine know?” Zealan asked as he placed his hand over one of the pictures. “I assume they do, but I also understand if you chose not to tell them.”

Ringabel sighed and nodded in response. “Yes, the three of them know about Anazel. The twins are fully aware of what happened, but Valentine is still a bit too young to understand the impact of it,” he explained further. A stray tear fell down his cheek and the heaviness in his chest returned; it never got any easier telling someone about Anazel.

For a moment, Zealan was quiet. His hand was still placed over one of the pictures, and his eyes repeatedly scanned the rest of the page. His fingers twitched and the corners of his lips turned downwards slightly; he was beginning to look irritated, and Ringabel wondered if he had upset the young teen somehow. He hoped he hadn’t, as their relationship was already strained enough.

After a minute or two, Zealan broke his silence. “...why were you hesitant to tell me? Aren’t I your child too?” he asked coldly. His voice was bitter, and Ringabel felt a slight ping of pain in his heavy heart. He hadn’t wanted to hesitate, but… There was so much that had to be explained.

“You are my child, Zealan, and I love you just as much as Valentine and the twins,” Ringabel assured him. “You have every right to know what happened.”

Frustrated, Zealan slammed his hand down and snapped at Ringabel. “Then why were you so hesitant to tell me!?”

Taken aback, Ringabel struggled to find the right words. Zealan was staring directly at Ringabel, and there was an intense, hateful fire in his eyes. Ringabel could tell that Zealan was angry with him, but Ringabel had honestly been trying his best. It was just difficult for him to talk about on his own.

Ringabel tensed up. “It’s not that I didn’t want to tell you, Zealan. I was just unsure of how to approach the subject,” he tried to convince his son. Ringabel’s own breath was unsteady now, and he was trying his best to keep calm.

“You seem to have explained it to Lyvia and the twins well enough!” Zealan pointed out in rebuttal as the bitterness in his voice increased. “You say I’m your child, yet you don’t treat me like it!”

“Zealan, I need you to understand this isn’t easy for me,” Ringabel told the aggravated teen. His own voice was stern now, as he was trying to remind Zealan that he was the teen’s father. Ringabel wouldn’t tolerate being yelled at.

Zealan bit his lip before speaking again. “This isn’t easy? You know what else isn’t easy? You taking me away from my family and claiming that you’re my father-“

“ZEALAN, THAT’S ENOUGH!”

Silence followed Ringabel’s outburst. Zealan stared wide-eyed at him, and tears streamed down Ringabel’s cheeks. He was frustrated, but he didn’t want to continue lashing out at his son. Ringabel knew Zealan’s emotions had gotten the better of him, but Zealan had began crossing a line he shouldn’t have. Ringabel also understood the young man’s bitterness, but his behavior was far from acceptable. Zealan had acted like Ringabel had when he was Zealan’s age.

Ringabel let out a shaky breath. “Zealan, you have to understand that your mother and I lost a child. You are not the only one who has had tragedy and death in your life,” he told Zealan. “I know I’m not a replacement for your father, but you are my son, and I love you. This subject is just difficult for me to talk about, especially with my children.”

“...I’m sorry,” Zealan muttered as he looked away from Ringabel. The bitterness in his voice was gone, but something else was in its place. Ringabel could tell it was sadness and frustration, but he knew he shouldn’t point it out. Not after that outburst.

“Promise me you won’t tell your mother about this,” Ringabel requested. “It would break her heart to know we were arguing again.” He felt bad for upsetting Zealan, but he’d feel even worse if he ended up upsetting Edea as well.

“I promise,” Zealan said without saying much more. He was quiet now, most likely due to Ringabel’s shouting, and hesitant to say anything in response. He was acting like he normally did when he approached Ringabel.

Feeling guilty, Ringabel took a moment to think. “...speaking of your mother, why don’t you talk with her?” he suggested a minute later. “I’m sure there’s still a lot she’d like to discuss with you, and she enjoys spending time with you.”

“...can she tell me more about this album?” Zealan quietly asked. It wasn’t much of a surprise that Zealan still wanted to discuss the album, but Ringabel had just proven he wasn’t the person Zealan should be talking to. Zealan’s connection with Edea was much better than his anyway.

“She can tell you more about our son, yes, but the album… Let her show that to you in her own time. She’ll show you when she’s ready,” Ringabel stated. The dreariness in the room had faded, but the heaviness in his heart remained. He needed to go lay down for a bit.

“Thank you, Mr. Lee. I’ll ask her next time she’s free,” Zealan said before standing up. “Ah, and before you forget… You should order that new window.”

Ah right, the window. “Run along then, Zealan,” Ringabel said as he waved his son off. “I’ll go put this away and go look into contractors to fix it.” In his room. In the comfort of his own bed.

As Zealan left the room with a simple farewell, Ringabel stood up and took the album off the table. He was drained from the yelling, and though his conversation with Zealan had been brief, it had carried a heavy emotional impact with it. Ringabel felt horrible for putting the burden of telling Zealan more about Anazel on Edea, but he knew that she was the best person for the job. Perhaps afterwards, Zealan would know the truth about the album, and the three of them could look through it together. Maybe Zealan would be able to fully forgive him then as well.

As Ringabel walked towards his room, he could hear Edea lecturing the twins down the hall. He couldn’t quite make out what she was saying, however, and ultimately decided to tune her out. His mind was too busy thinking about the argument that had ensued, and he clutched the album tight as he entered the master bedroom. He was tired, so perhaps he’d take a nap before looking for somebody to fix the window. There wasn’t a real rush anyway, and there was no threat of snow blowing in through the hole the twins had made.

Unlocking the album’s casing, he took one last look through the pictures. It always hurt a bit to flip through the pages, but Ringabel needed to see them. He needed to tell himself that one day Zealan would look through them too and understand everything. They’d be a happy family, and Zealan would think of Ringabel as his father. One day, everything would be okay…

And one day, Zealan would read the words meant for Anazel on the front page; the words that were meant for his oldest son.

#Tree writes a fic #Bravely Babies #Long Post #Super Long Post #This trilogy is finally done #Now I can work on trying to finish or write other fic

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thegreatmercutio · 7 years

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Birthday’s Gifts (Chapter 2)

A Malec fanfiction (Inspired by the books and the show)

Summary: It’s Alec’s 38th birthday. Magnus is haunted by old memories of his 22nd birthday...with a visit from an unexpected guest and a special gift that will change the future (I am terrible with summary).

A look into Magnus’ past.

Rating: Mature.

(I am terrible with tagging. I can say that It’s a psychological/ thriller/ horror/ romance kind of fic. I don’t want to tell too much. It ruins the surprise).

Chapter One:

http://thegreatmercutio.tumblr.com/post/166413716004/birthday-gifts-a-malec-fanfic-part-%C2%BD

He smelled of fire and smoke, yet a blend of sweet musk of something earthy and dangerous.

“Look at you, all grown up.” Asmodeus spoke with a deep icy voice. He stood closer, he reached out and held Magnus’ face. His hands were cold, smooth but yet comforting. “…And so handsome.” He smiled, teeth were white as pearl.

The air in Magnus’ lungs felt like needles. The pace of his heartbeat was slow and hard, pounding against his chest. He couldn’t believe it. Asmodeus was here. Magnus hoped it was a dream, even a nightmare, anything is better than the fear of reality. An unexpected family’s union was not warranted.

“Oh dear, don’t be afraid.” Asmodeus patted Magnus’ cheeks. He smirked. “I know it is hard for you.” His eyes stern at Magnus. “I can feel the fear in you, smell it.” He grinned. “I am not here to hurt you. I am here because you’re my son…and I have a birthday gift for you.” He looked pleased and excited, eyes bright. He stood up tall, looking prideful.

Magnus was 14 years old, the first time he met his father.

As a young child, he couldn’t comprehend his new reality. A reality with a dead mother and a homicidal stepfather. Magnus learned to believe in the existence of one angel, not Raziel, not Michael, not Gabriel, but the Angel of Death.

His stepfather was not his father. Besides, the obvious—the man was Dutch, and he like many of his kind came to Indonesia to colonized and to take. His mother, was a desperate fool to welcome him into their lives. She thought him kind and a provider for her fatherless son. She said nothing to Magnus about his real father. The bitterness of her betrayal still lingers. She abandoned him to this man’s wrath and hate. Still, Magnus loved her.

As a child, Magnus always wanted to know who his father was. When he was taken to live with the Silent Brothers after the death of his stepfather, he remembered the young shadowhunters’ children who came to witnessed and observed him like an animal. The children were the first, to be brutally honest with him. They told him that he was a demon. A child of a demon. Dirty, unholy, unworthy, and made evil. And that they kill demons like him. That he will die. He was only 7 then.

When he understood that he was a warlock. That the fire, the wind, and the earthy spirit within him was a power they called magic. He learned, that the power made the silent brothers and the shadowhunters feared him, so much that they locked him underneath their sacred grounds behind stone walls. Not as a prisoner, but as something worst. He was kept away from the sun and life. Taught about his inferiority and his placement as a Downworlder, creatures beneath the children of Raziel. His life is due to the mercy of Raziel.

In his time, he sought quietly for what belongs to him. While the Silent Brothers told him to pray to their angel Raziel, for forgiveness and grace. Instead, he prayed to his father.

As a child, he believed and needed his father’s existence to be real. Because no one accepted him. He believed his father would accept him. The only family he had. He needed that hope.

Yet, no answers.

Until a warlock was taken in as a prisoner of the Brothers. Locked inside the walls with Magnus. He told Magnus that he knew who his father was and how important Magnus was. His blood was royal, superior to the children of Raziel. For they were made of instruments and he was made of blood. A prince should not live within these circumstances.

The warlock told that he had the power and the right to summon his father, but the shadowhunters have wards and barriers that were keeping them apart. He told Magnus to leave, escape, and go to unhallowed grounds and there he can call for his father. All he had to do was say a prayer:

“My father, who art in Hell, unhallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, in Edom as it is in Hell. Forgive not my sins, for in that fire of fires there shall be neither loving kindness, nor compassion, nor redemption. My father, who makes war in high places and low, come to me now; I call you as your son, and incur upon myself the responsibility of your summoning.”

…And he will come.

He did. Fire and black smoke came from the grounds. Asmodeus had no form then. Only shadows and eyes. Golden cat eyes like Magnus. Magnus was afraid at the time, unsure of the consequences. However, his father welcomed him. Told him, that he was a prince of one of the 7 hells and he warned him of the Shadowhunters and their plan. Their first meeting was short. He told Magnus, that he was never alone and he will see his path to greatness.

Now, here he is. In fresh and form. It would be a lie, Magnus does feel the fear, unsure of his father’s agenda. He was Asmodeus, the prince of Edom. Magnus was also angry. Being the child of the prince of Edom opened many doors, but it also created unwanted troubles and attention among many. Years and years, the shadow of Asmodeus was unbearable. Magnus learned and even his naïve self cannot hide the truth about his father.

Asmodeus was the angel of death.

Since then, Magnus learned that his father’s name was a curse and that his own path is tolerable without him. He had to be him, he had to be Magnus Bane without Asmodeus. Even though, deep down the acceptance of a father was all he ever wanted. He was after all, still a son.

Asmodeus took a deep breath. He removed his thick fur coat. Tossed it aside. A soft light was lit around them. In the light, Asmodeus looked young. He was lean, tall, and strongly built around his shoulders and arms. It is a failed misconception of demons being deformed creatures with horns and a long tail. Asmodeus was not any of that. He was perfect. Fit, young, and beautiful.

“What do you want?” Magnus took a deep breath. Control is what he needed.

“It’s a beautiful night, very calming.” Asmodeus’ back was facing Magnus. He reached in his side coat pocket and pulled out a silver case. Inside, were a sack of perfectly rolled cigarettes. He placed one on his lips and snapped his fingers, fire lit up. He turned to Magnus and offered one.

“No, thank you.”

“I came here to spend time with you, quite simple, really.”

“I have learned a lot about you, there is nothing simple about you…and you don’t want nothing for anything.” Magnus felt a rush of heat in his hands.

“You’re breaking my heart. Do you believe everything or nothing at all?” He inhaled and exhaled a stream of smoke into the air.

“I know you kill your own children, raped my mother…”

“Words of many, but many are not the words of the truth…but assumptions of the mass.” He smirked. “…And assumptions are not truths.” He smirked.

The air grew thinner. “…I knew your mother and your mother knew me.” He looked emotionless. “…True, not as the prince of hell…that might have been too overwhelming.” He smiled, amused.

“…And My children…hell is a business, souls are required.” He laughed, as he walked towards the caboose’s exit sliding doors that led to the outside balcony. “You’re lucky my son, that I play favorites.”

“Lucky?” Magnus said sarcastically. Magnus isn’t lucky. Everything that he has done, he did on his own. Magnus watched him as his father stepped outside. He could turn and run. Should he? How far can he run on a moving train? However, the allure of a conversation with the devil is still tempting.

The truth is tempting.

He followed him. The air was cold but it was gentle. The soft wind tossed the snow like dust into the air. Beyond the glow of the train’s lamps, was nothing but darkness on the horizon. Miles of black forest and untamed lands of the Eastern Europe just passing them by.

“Promise me, that you won’t hurt anyone on this train. Leave them be.” Magnus’ eyes turned gold. He stared at his father. Asmodeus looked pleased and impressed.

“Fine, because it is your birthday…no damnation for the night.” He looked away, taking another huffed at his cigarette. Magnus was not contented.

“I remember the night you were born. I was there. When you’re mother fell asleep, I visited. I held you in my arms and I saw those eyes.” He looked proud. “…I held you the whole night…your eyes were beautiful.”

“They’re your eyes.”

“Yes, and their yours.”

“You think I believe this nonsense?”

“I protected you. I had to hide you so…I hid those eyes. You were too young to understand…I wanted to take you back to Edom…but the king spoke…he said you’re place and destiny was here.” He looked hurt.

“The king?”

“The biggest star, of the morning light.” Asmodeus looked up, watching the sky. “I remained by your side. Watched you grew up and your power…was unexpected, uncontrollable…and glorious. You were never meant to be hidden. However, your mother…” he took one last puff, and exhaled the smoke into the air. He eyes narrowed.

“Don’t.” Magnus said sternly. He refused to hear any ill-willed words about his mother.

“I watched you killed him.” He smiled. “The power…I always knew that you’re different.” Magnus felt bile in his throat. The memories of his actions still hindered him. It haunted and tortured him, a reminder that he is a demon–a killer.

“I didn’t mean too…” His voice shook. The memories hurt.

“Of course, you did it to protect yourself…the monster was him.”

“He didn’t deserve to die.”

“Yes, he did. He deserves more than death…mundanes are not free of sin. They’re the worst. Easy are they pursued by greed, lust, wrath, and vengeance..give them wealth and riches…and they will burn the world for it.” His voice felt like fire. “I know…”

“Are you here to tell me of the sinners of the world? lecture me of good and evil?”

“No, I am sure you had enough of that…I am here to celebrate you my son and I come bearing gifts.” He smiled, looking slightly gleed, as much as Asmodeus can be.

“Birthday gifts.” Magnus said softly, looking down at his music box.

“In a few cars down, there are three shadowhunters. They have been following you for days. First, they were curious…and now, they want to kill you and your mentor.”

Magnus looked away. He knew it. Asmodeus does want something. “Why? I haven’t broken anything…done anything for them to hunt me!” This is too much for one night. He needed to check on Ishaan. “What game are you playing?”

“They don’t need a reason…” He said boldly. “…And I am your father. I am here to protect you.” Magnus believed him.

“Is this knowledge my gift?” Magnus walked back, he needed to get to Ishaan.

“No, gifts come after the cake.” The song began to play. Magnus turned back to see Asmodeus holding Tomas’ music box. He slipped it out of his hands.

“What do you want me to do?” Magnus’ blood was boiling inside, heart speeding in anticipating.

“Kill them…” Asmodeus looked at him, eyes glowing brighter. He shut the box and the music died. Leaving them in silent.

THANKS FOR READING!!!

I thought I was going to sum this up in 2 chapters, but I think a 3rd is needed. next chapter, the birthday gift, and Alec returns.

shout out to: @falloutphanime (…I shall continue, thanks for reading).

#malec #magnus bane #alec lightwood #shadowhunters #malec fanfiction #asmodeus

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themtanalyst-blog · 7 years

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10 Things to Looks For This At San Diego Comic Con 2017

With San Diego’s famous international Comic Con kicking off in less than 48 hours (July 20th - July 23rd, Preview Night Thursday July 19th) here’s 10 things fans of any kind will want to look out for this upcoming year on film and television whether or not you get close to the famous stars or not.

1. Teaser Trailer for Infinity War Part 1. and 2.

After D23′s expo which occurred this past weekend which hosted some of disney’s most beloved stars and fans. It gave Marvel fans the hype on something many have been waiting months for. The first official trailer for the Infinity Wars, as it steals the top spot for number 1. The reason for this besides the typical hype that follows any marvel film it was recently discovered that the production of the movie had recently finished filming and is now in phase of post-production. Coming along way from their beginning back in mid-january when they announced the beginning. For sure this trailer is one that will set the bar high this comic con season.

2. Fox’s Gotham Bruce Wayne Finally Batman?!

For all Gotham fans, I might say this coming season is surely one to look out for. Gotham, leaving fans in a tizzy with their season finale is coming back for series 4. Even though it is still unclear on what will happen this new season fans hope comic con will be able to set things in perspective. One things for sure is that billionaire orphan Bruce Wayne will become the crime fighting vigilante that we all know and love. Although he may not be known let alone called batman yet (perhaps later in this upcoming season) we can ensure that he is officially one step closer to unraveling his destiny as Batman. As well as Selena Kyle, Bruce’s love interest as Catwoman.

3. Operation Smile’s Live Stream Panels

As one of many who has not been able to attend San Diego’s Comic Con. A special thanks is needed to Zachary Levi’s Nerd HQ/Operation Smile’s run charity panels to give at home fans a way to enjoy the Con without actually being at the event. So for those like me staying at home bumping news off others actually at the Con, these panels are a real life saver on discovering some of the news first hand on the fly. If interest download the app to catch all the live panels streams.

4. Star Wars “The Last Jedi”

“It’s time for the Jedi....to end” these were the words Luke Skywalker spoke in the Star Wars teaser trailer that dropped early January and continues to stir rumors and speculations around the films future. Including what Luke means in his mysterious message about the force as well as Rey’s training with Luke and if/when Finn will return back to us in the franchise after being injured during his battle with Kylo Ren at the end of The Force Awakens. There has been several news about the Star Wars franchise that the sudden passing of Carrie Fisher has not changed the plot of The Last Jedi film but pre-production writers and analysts had to rewrite the script of the following films to write out Carrie’s character Princess General Leia. Still no word on how the changes and how it will affect the plot of the films going forward. But the excitement surrounding the films will no doubt continue through this weekend.

5. DC’s “The Justice League”

With the set release date of November 17, 2017. It’s no doubt a countdown from now on for many DC fans. After the release of Wonder Woman its no kidding that DC has officially set the bar on their franchise raising from their past failures like Suicide Squad and Batman vs. Superman. Let’s hope this is as good as Wonder Woman’s solo film which so far has exceeded such expectations from and box office or film critic. So far the rumors have kept quiet so far except for director Zach Snyder taking sometime off during shooting due to a personal family matter. There was no word on if film was suspended or taken over by a different director but let hope this sudden hiccup in the filming process doesn't effect the final cut of the movie.

6. The CW Networks Supernatural Returns for Season 13

Season 13 here we come! The Supernatural Fandom has really come along way since Sam and Dean’s adventure in finding their dad, John (Jeffery Dean Morgan), from the yellow eyed demon back in season 1. From the season 12 finale, fans were ended with Lucifer’s child being born, Mary Winchester stuck in a parallel universe with the devil, and everyones favorite angel Castiel having died. A few spoilers that we know of so far is that Castiel does, unsurprisingly, resurrect from the dead, thanks to Jared Padelicki spilling the beans at a recent Supernatural Convention but how he comes back to the land of the living is still unknown to us including what episode it might occur at. The rumors of a Scooby-Doo themed episode is also running around including what will happen during the events of this upcoming season and if it might be their last. So for those of you going to Comic Con please ask if this is true.

7. BBC’s Doctor Who Newest Doctor- A WOMAN!

The Doctor had Regenerated! I repeat he has Regenerated! The series that has gone on for more than 50 years has now accomplished and taken the show to the next level by making their lead, The Doctor, a female. Actress Jodie Whittaker who will reprise the role as the 13th doctor after Peter Capaldi says she's “beyond excited to being this epic journey” -entertainmentweekly. Good Luck Jodie you deserve it! more information about the series journey this season will be answered during their panel at comic con.

8. Blade Runner 2049

More than 30 years after the making of the original Blade Runner Film played by Harrison Ford and made famous by Director Ridley Scott. Blade Runner is back better and ready to take on the science fiction world once more. Set 30 years after the original Officer K, played by Ryan Gosling who seeks the help of Harrison’s character Rick Dechard about information of the Blade Runners and their jobs in society. Nothing much has been said about the film except for the recent release of the films trailers. But it could be possible that another trailer is expected to be released during comic con but so far anything is possible.

9. Netflix’s Stranger Things Season 2!

Eleven is back for season 2! Even though the last season of Stranger Things ended with Eleven in the parallel universe and everything, so far, in our world to be safe and sound. Including Will coming back and The Demogorgon gone everything’s back to normal except for the big impact eleven made on everyone’s lives in the show and its fans. Comic con will shed some light on the newly released poster and trailer as well as teasing on the monster that made its way back to the normal world and how this one is different and/or more harmful than the monster the first season. Can’t wait until October.

10. Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom

With production of the newest Jurassic having recently come to a close a very short time away from San Diego’s Comic Con. It makes sense why a lot of them would attend to spread the word on how this new generation of dinosaurs with cause self destruction on people and its park. right? Anyway, rumors have spread about the ideas of the film based on the title as well as the new characters expected to play in the film in its designated release in June of 2018. Some new comers and veterans include BD Wong’s character Dr. Henry Wu whom we saw in the release of the last film and the return of Jeff Goldblum’s famous Dr. Ian Malcolm. There is still no concrete idea of the films progression into this fallen kingdom that the movie hints about but fortunately for us as fans comic con is here to shed some light on where it will takes us if the possibility of another Jurassic sequel is either in the works as I write this or any ideas of another.

New series premieres to look out for!

-Fox’s The Gifted

-Marvel’s Inhumans/ Defenders

-The CW’s Dynasty

-Netflix’s The Punisher

Returning Shows to look out for!

-CW’s The Flash

-CW’s Supergirl

-CBS’s Blindspot

- Netflix Thirteen Reason Why

-AMC’s The Walking Dead

-ABC’s Quantico

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rangercommand · 7 years

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Saban's Power Rangers Home Entertainment Release

It’s morphin’ time! Saban’s Power Rangers celebrates its home entertainment release!

The epic adventure of five ordinary high school kids who become something extraordinary arrives on Digital HD June 13 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital HD), DVD and On Demand June 27.

For fans who will be in the area, Lionsgate will be bringing Saban’s Power Rangers to Vidcon for a special screening on Thursday, June 22, at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA. They will also be at Chris Hardwick’s ID10T Fest Saturday, June 24, and Sunday, June 25, with a Power Rangers themed laser tag course and panels featuring rangers past and present!

Click Read More to read the full Press Release.

“Nostalgia has never felt so morphinomenal” – Time Out

It’s Morphin Time! Saban’s Power Rangers to Arrive on Digital HD, DVD and On Demand in June 2017

Five Ordinary Teens Morph Into Extraordinary Super Heroes to Save the Planet in the Action-Packed Blockbuster Arriving on Digital HD June 13 and 4K Ultra HDTM Combo Pack, Blu-rayTM Combo Pack, and DVD on June 27 from Lionsgate

4K Ultra HD™ to include both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos

SANTA MONICA, CA (May 3, 2017) – The action-packed, coming of age feature film Saban’s Power Rangers will morph onto Digital HD June 13 and on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray and Digital HD), Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital HD), DVD and On Demand June 27 from Lionsgate. As part of the 24-year-old global phenomenon and based on the five Rangers from the original TV series, “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers,”, the reimagined movie features a modern generation of Rangers including Dacre Montgomery (TV’s “Stranger Things”) as Jason the Red Ranger, Naomi Scott (The 33) as Kimberly the Pink Ranger, RJ Cyler (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl) as Billy the Blue Ranger, Ludi Lin (Monster Hunt) as Zack the Black Ranger, and Becky G. (Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising) as Trini the Yellow Ranger, as they attempt to stop the evil and unpredictable Rita Repulsa (played by Elizabeth Banks, The Hunger Games Franchise) from destroying their city…and ultimately the world. Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad”) as Zordon, and Bill Hader (Finding Dory) as Alpha 5 train the Rangers to morph and master their powers as a united team.

The epic adventure, Saban’s Power Rangers follows five ordinary high school kids who must become something extraordinary when they learn that their small town of Angel Grove – and the world – is on the verge of being obliterated by an alien threat. Chosen by destiny, the unlikely group of teenage heroes are the only ones who can save the planet but first, they have to band together in order to harness their super powers and become Power Rangers.

The Saban’s Power Rangers 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and Digital HD releases feature never-before-heard audio commentary with director Dean Israelite and writer John Gatins, as well as a nine-part documentary featuring commentary from the actors and filmmakers including Power Rangers Creator, Haim Saban which looks behind the scenes of the film at the casting, training, special effects, and creation of Saban’s Power Rangers, with deleted/alternate/extended scenes and outtakes. The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray will also feature Dolby Vision™ high-dynamic range (HDR), making it the first title from Lionsgate to feature both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos®. Dolby Vision transforms the TV experience in the home by delivering greater brightness and contrast, as well as a fuller palette of rich colors. Together with the captivating sound of Dolby Atmos, consumers will experience both cutting-edge imaging and state-of-the-art sound technology for a fully immersive entertainment experience.

The Saban’s Power Rangers DVD will include exclusive audio commentary with director Dean Israelite and writer John Gatins, and deleted/alternate/extended scenes and outtakes. Saban’s Power Rangers will be available on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, and DVD for the suggested retail price of $42.99, $39.99, and $29.95, respectively.

Story by Matt Sazama & Burk Sharpless and Michele Mulroney & Kieran Mulroney. Screenplay by John Gatins. Directed by Dean Israelite.

4K/BLU-RAY/ DIGITAL HD SPECIAL FEATURES ⦁ Audio Commentary with Director Dean Israelite and Writer John Gatins ⦁ “The Power of the Present” Documentary ⦁ “Rangers Then to Now” ⦁ “Building the Team” ⦁ “Beyond the Rangers” ⦁ “Suiting Up” ⦁ “Rangers, Welcome to Training” ⦁ “Rangers in the Wild” ⦁ “It’s Morphin Time” ⦁ “Power Ballad: Music and Sound” ⦁ “This is Your Destiny” ⦁ Deleted/Alternate/Extended Scenes ⦁ Outtakes ⦁ Theatrical Trailer with Audio Commentary by Director Dean Israelite

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES ⦁ Audio Commentary with Director Dean Israelite and Writer John Gatins ⦁ Deleted/Alternate/Extended Scenes ⦁ Outtakes

Trailer: https://youtu.be/KdlUhnajEb8 Website: www.powerrangers.movie/ Facebook: facebook.com/PowerRangersMovie/ Instagram: @powerrangersmovie Twitter: @ThePowerRangers

PROGRAM INFORMATION Year of Production: 2016 Title Copyright: Saban’s Power Rangers, Artwork & Supplementary Materials © 2017 Lions Gate Films Inc. All Rights Reserved. Type: Theatrical Release Rating: PG-13 for Sequences of Sci-Fi Violence, Action and Destruction, Language, and for Some Crude Humor Genre: Action, Adventure Closed-Captioned: N/A Subtitles: Spanish, English SDH Feature Run Time: 124 minutes 4K UHD Format: Dolby Vision, 2160p Ultra High Definition 16×9 Widescreen 2.40:1 Presentation BD Format: 1080p High Definition 16×9 Widescreen 2.40:1 Presentation DVD Format: 16×9 Widescreen 2.40:1 Presentation 4K UHD Audio: English Dolby Atmos, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, English 2.0 Dolby Digital Audio Optimized for Late-Night Listening, English Descriptive Audio BD Audio: English Dolby Atmos, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English 2.0 Dolby Digital Optimized for Late-Night Listening, English Descriptive Audio DVD Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English Descriptive Audio

ABOUT DOLBY ATMOS Dolby Atmos delivers moving audio — sound that can be precisely placed and moved anywhere in three-dimensional space, including overhead. It brings entertainment alive all around the audience in a powerfully immersive and emotive experience. To learn more about Dolby Atmos, visit dolby.com/Atmos.

ABOUT LIONSGATE Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) is a vertically integrated next generation global content leader with a diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, premium pay television networks, home entertainment, global distribution and sales, interactive ventures and games and location-based entertainment.

With the acquisition of Starz, Lionsgate adds to its portfolio of businesses the flagship STARZ premium pay network serving 24.3 million subscribers and the STARZ ENCORE platform with 31 million subscribers. The combined company will operate five over-the-top (OTT) streaming services and the STARZ app delivering content directly to consumers.

The Company’s feature film business spans eight labels and includes the blockbuster The Hunger Games franchise, the Now You See Me series, the box office smash La La Land, which won six Academy Awards®, the hit franchise sequel John Wick: Chapter Two, double Oscar winner Hacksaw Ridge, Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween, The Shack, Saban’s Power Rangers, CBS Films/Lionsgate’s Hell or High Water, Roadside Attractions’ critically-acclaimed Manchester by the Sea, Codeblack Films’ breakout concert film Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain and Pantelion Films’ Instructions Not Included, the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever released in the U.S.

One of the largest independent television businesses in the world, Lionsgate’s slate of premium quality series encompasses nearly 90 shows on more than 40 different networks. These include the ground-breaking Orange is the New Black, the fan favorite Nashville, the syndication success The Wendy Williams Show, the hit drama The Royals, the acclaimed Casual, the breakout success Greenleaf, the network reality shows Kicking & Screaming and the eagerly-anticipated Candy Crush, and hit STARZ series including Outlander, Black Sails, Survivor’s Remorse and Power, the second highest-rated premium pay television series of 2016.

Lionsgate’s home entertainment business is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rates. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of more than 16,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as a foundation for the growth of the Company’s core businesses. The Lionsgate, Summit Entertainment and Starz brands are synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world. www.lionsgate.com

ABOUT SABAN’S POWER RANGERS Saban’s Power Rangers franchise is the brainchild of Haim Saban, creator and producer of the original “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” hit series that launched in 1993. Following its introduction, “Power Rangers” quickly became the most-watched children’s television program in the United States and remains one of the top-rated and longest running kids live-action series in television history. The series follows the adventures of a group of ordinary teens who morph into superheroes and save the world from evil. It is seen in more than 150 markets, translated into numerous languages and a favorite on many key international children’s programming blocks around the world. For more information, visit www.powerrangers.com.

Saban’s Power Rangers Home Entertainment Release was originally published on Ranger Command Power Hour

#movie #News #Saban's Power Rangers #power rangers

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toraonice · 7 years

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Yuri on Ice BD booklet translation (with Kenji Miyamoto interview) - Volume 2

Finally a new translation… This is a full translation of the booklet contained in the BD/DVD vol.2. This time I also decided to translate the captions under the pictures in the “TOPIC” sections because some of them actually have important information (like the one about the 3 sisters). Since it would be weird to only translate some based on what they say, I just translated them all and added them to the translation of the vol.1 booklet as well (you can find that here). If you check it you will understand why I hadn’t thought of translating them in the first place…

Like vol.1, the booklet has 3 parts: 1) Character introduction for Yurio and (short ones) for most characters living in Hasetsu like Yuuri and Nishigoori’s families. By the way, regarding Makkachin’s voice actor listed as “?”, I read in a recording report on Otomedia Plus that (at least in one of the scenes) Suwabe offered to voice him, lol. (I’m writing Makkachin as “he” but actually the gender is not officially confirmed yet) 2) “Topics”, in other words random curiosities. This time this section has some interesting information, especially if you are not too familiar with figure skating. (It also clears up why Yuuri and Victor are always alone in the rink and why they necessarily need to practice very early in the morning) 3) Interview with the choreographer Kenji Miyamoto. It explains more in detail some of the things that were mentioned in the commentary to the choreography footage of vol.1. The parts in round brackets are exactly like they are in the original text, it’s not something I added.

Hopefully I will be able to translate the audio commentary and choreography footage (which I still haven’t even had time to watch of course) too by the end of Sunday…

***If you wish to share this translation please do it by reblogging or posting a link to it***  ***Re-translating into other languages is ok but please mention that this post is the source***

A beautiful monster that continues to grow

Yuri Plisetsky voiced by Kouki Uchiyama

Russian Height: 163 cm Date of birth: March 1st Blood type: B

Past record: 2 times consecutive winner of the Junior Grand Prix Final 2 times consecutive winner of the Junior World Championships

Introduction He debuts in the senior class at the age of 15 after repeatedly winning the Junior Grand Prix Final and Junior World Championships. Now a pupil of the noted scouter of young talents Yakov, he is Russia’s new hope. During his junior years he already mastered quadruple jumps, but his coach prohibited him from using them in matches. With his sharp jumps, he is in the focus of attention as everyone is curious to see how far he will be able to go in his first year as a senior. His talent was noticed when he was still little and he left his family in Moscow to train under coach Yakov in St. Petersburg. On the ice he is as beautiful as a fairy, but off the ice he is quite mischievous and is known for the striking aesthetic sense of the outfits he wears in the selfies posted on his SNS. He’s also famous for his devoted fan group Yuri’s angels, who cheer on him wearing cat ears. His favorite food is his grandpa’s pirozhki. Katsuki Family

Mari Katsuki voiced by Kyouko Sakai Yuuri’s older sister who works at “Yutopia Katsuki”. She likes idols and has a thing for blond boys. She named Yuri “Yurio” when he came to Hasetsu.

Toshiya Katsuki voiced by Souryuu Konno Yuuri’s father. He owns “Yutopia Katsuki”, the only day onsen in Hasetsu. He is not very familiar with figure skating and actually likes soccer.

Hiroko Katsuki voiced by Kei Hayami Yuuri’s mother. She runs “Yutopia Katsuki” with her husband. She knows Minako-sensei from when they were students, and Hiroko is the younger one. Nishigoori Family

Takeshi Nishigoori voiced by Jun Fukuyama Yuuri’s childhood friend and former rinkmate. He works at “Ice Castle Hasetsu”, is Yuuri’s good supporter and helps him with his basic training.

Yuuko Nishigoori voiced by Mariya Ise She is Nishigoori’s wife, works at “Ice Castle Hasetsu” and Yuuri has always admired her. She is Victor’s fan and doesn’t only care for Yuuri but for Yurio as well.

Axel, Lutz, Loop Nishigoori voiced by Akiko Yashima The 3 twins of the Nishigoori family, also known as the “3 skating otaku sisters”. They skillfully use their parents’ smartphones to post on the SNS and they organized “Onsen on ICE”. Their potential is bottomless. Minako Okukawa voiced by Yuka Komatsu Former ballet dancer who currently teaches a ballet class in Hasetsu, she is Yuuri’s strict but affectionate teacher. She travels around the world to support Yuuri and as a personal hobby.

Makkachin voiced by ? Victor’s pet dog, a standard poodle. He came to Hasetsu together with Victor. He is quiet and friendly to people, but is a bit greedy when it comes to food.

YURI!!!’s TOPIC

TOPIC 1: Skate Otaku Sisters The triplets of the Nishigoori family. Since they can do anything people tend to forget that they’re still 6 years old kindergartners. Axel, Lutz and Loop can be distinguished by their hairstyle and personal color. The reason they are called “skating otaku” sisters is that they use their parents’ smartphones and PC to check information about skaters on the social media and enjoy watching real time live streamings of international tournaments. By watching their behavioral pattern you will be able to understand how skating otaku all around the world live. Their parents work at an ice rink, but it’s not clear whether the 3 sisters can skate too.

*Each of them has an assigned task: taking movies, pictures or uploading *Their carefree action strongly influenced the story *A perfect spin. Maybe they can skate…? *They are even good at drawing, but they use crayons *Axel has pigtails and her color is purple. Lutz has a bun and her color is light blue. Loop has a ponytail and her color is pink.

TOPIC 2: Off ice training Of course, figure skating is mostly practiced on the ice. However, there are also many kinds of training that must be done off the ice, like fitness training, stretching exercises, core training and so on. Beside running and stretching, many skaters also incorporate ballet lessons into their basic training. In addition, some of them take lessons or hear the opinion from dancers and performers of various genres, to improve their expressiveness and understanding of the program. Sometimes they might even go stand under waterfalls to train their mental strength… maybe. There are no restrictions on the types of training, as long as they can improve their skating skills and expression.

*It’s a tough sport that requires lots of basic training *It’s important to have a trainer that supports you *Stretching exercises at any time *Russia is the home of ballet *Training your mental strength might be the hardest

TOPIC 3: Music Choosing music is important to create a program. Cases where music is created from scratch, like for Yuuri’s FS, are actually rare, and most skaters choose existing songs and have them edited so that their length is according to regulations (in case of the men’s senior class it’s approx. 2:40 min. for the short program and 4:30 min. for the free). Usually songs are edited by either the choreographer, music professionals or skaters themselves. Most of the times they use the original title of the song, but in cases of original songs such as “Yuri on ICE” or when the skater wants to deliver a certain message they use a different title for the program.

*It’s important that the song gives you an image *Sometimes they choose from what are called “standard songs” *The CD is an important object that they must hand out at tournaments

TOPIC 4: Choreography Program choreographies are commonly created by coaches or professional choreographers, but there are also skaters who create them on their own like Victor, and some who order them from professionals unrelated to the skating world, like for Yurio’s FS. When a choreography is created by a dancer or someone who doesn’t skate, usually the steps and exact footwork will be thought by the coach. Most professional choreographers aren’t always by the skater’s side, therefore skaters practice the choreography on their own and then have the choreographer come over a few times during the season to adjust it. Yuuri is really lucky to have a coach & choreographer teaching him on a one-to-one basis every day.

*Victor was already creating his own choreographies when he was competing *Yurio’s choreographer is a legendary prima ballerina *A choreographer that skates together with you is very precious

TOPIC 5: Ice rink Every skater has a home rink that they use as their base, but rink conditions are very different depending on the country. In Japan, except for the rinks owned by a few universities, most rinks are open to the public, therefore if athletes want to reserve a rink for personal training they need to book it outside of normal opening hours. Yuuri and Victor also look like they’re comfortably training alone in a large rink, but actually that’s usually in the early morning or late at night**. In some countries with better conditions there are many rinks and some of them even have different training hours depending on the level of skaters, therefore some Japanese skaters choose to have their home rink abroad. Yuuri must be really grateful to Nishigoori. [**translator’s note: for your reference, most normal rinks in the Tokyo/Kanto area are open to the public from 10:00 to 18:00]

*The Detroit rink Yuuri used to belong to *Yurio’s home rink in St. Petersburg *The Thai rink is downtown

Figure skating choreography Kenji Miyamoto interview

I said that if I was going to do it I would do everything myself, and choreographed about 20 songs.

The first time I was asked about the choreographies was in the summer of 2015. The first meeting was around October or November. My first thought was that it sounded like fun. There were countless possibilities, and I thought that we might get more people interested in figure skating, therefore I was really looking forward to it. At that time I didn’t think about the difficulties, and replied that I definitely wanted to do it. When I received the first request there were lots of songs and I was told that since it was hard schedule-wise they might have to ask someone else, but I said that if I was going to do it I would do everything myself, and adjusted the schedule.

-Choreographies were created at night, over a short period of time-

If I were working with a skater normally it would take about 3 days to create a program. We talked about the fact that it would have been difficult to create programs for dozens of songs right away, but since I was going to just skate them myself (instead of teaching them to a skater) I guessed it would have been faster. In the end I created choreographies for about 20 songs. I left 2 weeks of my schedule free from any other job. Every day I’d sleep during the day and we’d start from 23:00, after the rink’s business hours, until about 5:00-6:00 in the morning. It was still early spring, but everyone was freezing and every time we’d come out of the rink all clad in down jackets. We must have looked like some suspicious gang (LOL).

-Programs were conceived based on the songs and a little information-

On the day I had to choreograph a song I received information from director Yamamoto and Kubo-sensei, like what kind of person the skater is, where he’s from, what kind of songs he likes, the way he usually lives and so on, and I would get into his role and create the choreography. I only received 2-3 songs in advance, and the rest all came basically the day before choreographing. The songs were mostly original so it took longer to work on them, it was really a tight schedule. In some cases they said “today we were going to choreograph 2 songs, but 1 isn’t ready yet”, so on that day we only did 1 song and the next day we choreographed 3. If I were working with a skater it (3 songs in 1 day) would be absolutely impossible (LOL). All songs were difficult to choreograph. I was told that the programs need to be used in tournaments and skaters must be able to get levels for them, so even though the songs were edited slightly shorter than what you would normally use in a match, they include all necessary elements (required in a competitive program such as jumps, spins etc.). A program that was easy to picture is the protagonist Yuuri-kun’s. Also, Victor-san. About Victor-san I was told that “he is an absolute champion with a stately presence, a skater that no one can surpass”, so I created “Hanarezu ni Soba ni Ite” as a majestic and excellent performance. I made him raise his head in a way the line of his throat would look beautiful, like a white stone statue. It’s not something I was told by Kubo-sensei and the others, I came up with that idea myself. A program that was hard to imagine was maybe the FS of Thailand’s Phichit-kun. The reason is simply that I’m not familiar with Thai folk songs, so I had to look up pictures and movies and it took some time. Just at that time I couldn’t lift my left shoulder anymore and had my trainer come over and tape it, I guess that was really when I had the hardest time. I had to do movements for many different skaters, some of which are not movements I normally do myself, that’s why I ended up injuring my shoulder a little.

-Trying different camera angles and clothes-

There were 4-5 fixed cameras on the side of the rink, and Kanako Odagaki-sensei skated after me with another one. The sense of speed feels different when looking through a camera compared to looking normally though, so whenever I sped up I would end up going too far from the camera. In the beginning it was difficult because I kept leaving too much distance between us, but we got better with each time and in the end we were able to basically move in synchrony. For every program I told the director and the staff what the skating course would be in advance, and depending on the choreography we discussed on what would be the best way to film it, for example if it was better to film it from the center of the circle or from the outside, and I discussed with Kubo-sensei as well. Even for the clothes, in the beginning I was skating with a pitch black outfit, but I was told that it was hard to distinguish left and right and so I wrapped tape on one side. Also, since all athletes skate with costumes, I tried to wear clothes like large blouses so that the staff could see how they flutter in the wind when you skate. I always used to set my hair, but I also skated without setting it so that they could see how it moves when you turn around, how you sweat and so on. (We didn’t only film each program once,) I repeated every program a few times. However, doing everything again from the start to the end was difficult, also because my body wouldn’t last. (When I felt that it was difficult) there were times when I asked them to film as best as they could because I was only going to skate the full program once. If it still wasn’t enough, I skated just the parts they needed to see again the next day. (As it also happens when I create choreographies for real skaters) sometimes I would realize that I needed to shorten the skating part, or that even though the sequence was very difficult there was still a chance that they could land a jump. The rink was small, so jumps were done differently than normal ones, and I thought it could be fun to change the curve too.

-People who started skating after watching Yuri-

To be honest, I thought that once it became animation it would look very different from the actual thing, but in fact it was almost the same. Of course flat pictures are not the same as tridimensional reality, but it got really close to the essence of skating. I was surprised at how realistically they recreated muscles and other details. The staff is seriously amazing. Some shots were different than what I had created, because when the director, Kubo-sensei and the staff watched it they thought that another form would look better and so they changed it. It was interesting to see how different people see things in different ways. But they really did a wonderful job, because when I watched the programs they were indeed beautiful. I see a lot of response now that the series has started airing. (The other day when I went to a tournament) a foreign coach grabbed his pupil just before they were going to skate and told them “you know, Kenji did all the choreographies for Yuri!” (LOL). I replied “you don’t have to tell them now” though. It’s great that it’s having so much response, and I’m very happy about it. I was asked to do choreographies for those songs, and there was even a boy who said he started skating after watching “Yuri on Ice”, that really made me happy. Looking back, I’m glad that I said I would do everything myself.

Kenji Miyamoto / Born in 1978 in Hyogo. Ice dance winner of the Japan Figure Skating Championships in 2001-02. After retiring from competition he became one of the leading choreographers in Japan, creating programs for skaters of all ages, from children to world champions, both Japanese and foreign.

#yoi #Yuri on ice #interview #translation #comment #Kenji Miyamoto #BD #Booklet #Yuri Plisetsky

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imanes · 3 years

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do you think that "influencers" and celebs should speak out about "political issues"? (putting it in brackets bc. it's clearly an understatement n not accurate but idk how to word it) re: palestine? cause i've seen a lot of people be like "yeah they shouldn't talk about it if they're not educated or if they're just doing it for the trend" (even tho at this point its been so all over social media that ppl cant use the "im not educated enough" excuse anymore) n all and i guess it's a fair point and all but also? idk when i'm on social media and i see ppl talking about what's happening in palestine, and then i scroll down and see ppl be like omg new haul uwu! vlog with my friends! and thats just so???? idk. idk what to think bc on the other hand ofc performative activism is bad ykw? (like....re: blm ppl just posting a black square on their ig....) but i don't know what to think about it and i would love to hear your thoughts!!!

inchresting question to which i have no concrete answer to provide (except a lot of ramblings) because it is a thorny subject related to the ubiquity of digital society and the social weight we give to a certain class of people who frame their existence as something that could represent us but actually doesn't at all. and everybody and their mother - including me - has an opinion on it but at the end of the day it's just an opinion, not an empirical fact to be presented, and not even one i think about a lot bc it isn't a primary concern of mine on a day to day basis. so i'm like not looking for a debate with some random tumblr user (not talking about u anon, but talking about whoever might care too much about my inconsequential opinion) bc this is a question i'm answering, not a question i'm asking so to anyone tempted to "well according to the encyclopedia of pfppspfpsp" me, make ur own post!

i guess we can start with "should influencers/celebrities/people who are famous by virtue of being well-known even exist and should we lend weight to their words?" the answer to that may vary from person to person but social media accounts with a very large following can indeed turn tides with regard to socio-political crises, such as demonstrated by bella hadid who single-handedly educated a whole generation of south-korean netizens through her posts on palestine so we can see the good effects of that. now obviously bella hadid is personally concerned by the ethnic cleansing of palestine and has a lot more at stake than say rihanna with her all lives matter bullshit statement (someone said "saudi dick must be potent" but i think it has more to do with her contract with puma who is actually on the BDS list) or even jameela jamil who has a terminal case of "everything must be about me always".

people can say whatever they want about what well-known ppl are allowed to speak about or not but i'll just remind that these "influencers" and whatnot are people and they're bound to want to talk about stuff, especially when it is relevant or when prompted by their own following, because literally everybody with an account on a social media platform expresses their opinions about smt at one point or another in time. that includes random ppl on facebook commenting under news with their stale hot takes. famous ppl or "influencers" are no different.

I'll also say that "influence" only goes so far so I'm not *particulary* concerned with whatever whoever that i don't take seriously says. let me take the queen of talking out of her ass jameela jamil as a case study for this. people who agreed with her bizarre and narcissistic takes are already bound to agree with her because people flock to opinions that are similar to theirs. in my opinion that is not influence, that is attracting similar weirdos in your sphere and consequently creating impenetrable echo chambers of idiocy. did her stale ass take become a "consensus" amongst the indecisive? i don't know for sure bc i haven't run a survey but my assumption is that people who have critical thinking skills were rightfully put off by her rancid take and called her out publicly for it, providing sources and information, which i think is visible enough for anyone 2 look through. and people who like her talk and think out of their asses were like "wow preach i've been saying!" so they are themselves inconsequential.

so in my opinion it is less about influencing - because at this point i think someone can be influenced by a single person into buying a product but your fave singer is not going to make you buy into their ideology just because they released one lukewarm-at-best statement - and more about signaling where you stand. when viola davis and idris elba (amongst many others) stated that they stood by palestine, they made it clear that they stood against apartheid and ethnic cleansing and people who already agreed on these basic principles saluted their stance. do i believe they changed anybody's mind? not really, that is the job of well-informed people such as activists disseminating information and other people sharing the info. do i think that mark ruffalo lost all credibility with his flip-flopping? absolutely, and it doesn't reflect back on palestine, it reflects badly on HIM. we're in an era where people are bombarded with so much information from all sides that one person saying something is a drop in a bucket no matter how famous they are. this is also why we say that israhell lost the PR war. we were and are too loud 2 be ignored now and a few celebrities showcasing how inane they are doesn't change anything. the famous-ppl-market is too saturated for their opinion to matter a whoooole lot. support is appreciated but not hailed as the second-coming jesus u know what i mean?

to address ur final point about finding it weird that some people flat-out ignore some stuff while you are neck-deep into it, I think it's an understandable situation to find yourself in and as subhi taha said, it just looks tacky. i think it should be your cue to just unfollow whoever doesn't align with your interest content-wise. i unfollowed a loooot of people lately because of that like I really didn't give a fuck about Michelle phan's cryptocurrency peddling (which was already yikes on principle) in the midst of real-time live-stream decolonisation and liberation struggles against apartheid and ethnic cleansing, and at this point I don't think I can go back to caring about using social media for frivolous things (except cats and memes account bc they bring me joy) and following bigger accounts that are trying 2 sell me some shit, because I've changed in the past weeks, one could say I've become more "radical" (lol) and I'm ready to sustain an online space that caters to my concerns and abandon all content that I indeed find tacky in between two posts that talk about some serious shit. it's not to say I'll never post a pic of the sunset on Instagram again or that I don't consume content that has literally nothing to do with informing myself and disseminating information on decolonisation and anti-capitalism (I literally watch study vlogs from med students to unwind lol), or that "everybody should use their account in this specific way because it's the only one that is valid" (it's not and i don't care what other ppl do) but u are obviously dissatisfied with ur feed for valid reasons and while some ppl may not share your opinion it doesn't mean that you shouldn't take steps to make ur user experience less jarring.

it's again just an *opinion*, not a to-do list or smt that i'd ever want 2 present as a "fact", at the end of the day everybody curates their online spaces the way they want to and if you find your current configuration to be distasteful, that's understandable. and everybody is entitled to believe that celebrities/influencers/glorified sellers of products and lifestyles and disorders talking or not talking about certain things can be harmful or beneficial, as there are arguments and examples for and against it and i am personally not interested in participating the debate even tho i wrote a long ass text about it akjdlkfjgd I'm sorry about this u might be regretting ever asking me this question. hope i made sense!

#as an aside and given the decades-long israhelli propaganda against the palestinian cause #i do not believe it is at this point even possible to be performatively standing with palestine #but that's another topic!#ok i put it under a read more bc scrolling past this shit was exhausting

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dear-saxifrage · 4 years

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yesterday, I performed Caroline shaw’s “to the hands” and Mozart’s requiem in d minor with the collegium at Harvard. I don’t know what I'm going to do without collegium: an elite group of musicians who take it so, so seriously, and who dedicate significant portions of their life to this type of creation. of communication. how could it have really happened?

the choir concert was nearly canceled in full. due to the coronavirus pandemonium, Harvard put a halt to any 100+ gatherings, and that included our concert. we were informed of this only twenty-four hours beforehand; so, we ended up performing on-stage with our orchestra to eight camera, live-streaming and recording, and an empty house. it felt strange. it felt romantic. I couldn’t help but think of the moment as a true requiem. we sing to the dead who we cannot see, but ‘know’ are with us; similarly, we sung to a non-physical audience only reached through a camera. we sang to the dead; we sang to a nonexistent audience; we sang with ‘people watching over us’ from all over the world. it felt exhilarating. it was, in fact, the most exhilarating concert I've performed in. who was responsible for bringing the energy? the choir. we couldn’t rely on audience electricity, and at first, it was shocking! to turn to the right, to sneak a peek at the faces of audience members before your conductor runs out -- we couldn’t. I still tried to, anyway, and felt for the second time a puzzlement at the empty pews.

I think I blacked out during the concert. I went to that special place in my head -- the one all musicians have -- and sung there. it’s so strange, to immerse yourself in that zone so fully. it was a reverie of a type, I think. when I finished a movement, I'd “look up” at Andy and consciously think, “oh right. I'm here, in sanders.” of course, we’re canonized from likely the earliest age to the sound and style of Mozart -- everyone follows and copies him -- so when say that his music ‘feels right,’ it certainly does, because of how he rules the musical hegemony. in spite of that, though, I did feel a certain respite in the music. there was so much cooperation in the piece. not on voice part outshone the other. we all depended on the other to do well; yesterday may as well have been a masterclass in learning to let go.

I don’t think I'll ever forget that beautiful, beautiful, beautiful melismatic line of the altos and trombones in the Kyrie of movement one. the dynamic and physical lowering of the choristers and conductor during this part too -- just so beautiful -- we all build up together. that’s what hope feels like, I think. an alto, a trombone, and a forthcoming bass line. there is something so heart-beatingly rhythmic in the sixteenth note ascents: da-da-da-da and da-da-da-da. it was actually during this part that I teared up. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to be performing this gorgeous piece with this particular choir, under this particular director, with this particular situation: an empty audience. what is the music for, then, if no audience? CAN the music be for ourselves? I think... I think the music can be “for” anyone. it seemed to have special meaning though yesterday... who was I singing for, if anyone?

I have to think about this. right now, I think I was singing for past versions of myself; specifically, Sydney last year during this very time. I fell into a deep depression last year during this time, and I sung a requiem then, too. then I fell into it. I couldn’t stop mourning the dead. I couldn’t stop couldn’t stop, wouldn’t stop. grief took over my life -- grief for myself, for my utter resignation, to my disenchantment, for my cousin, for sora, for the kind of person I was allowing myself to become when I was with Tyler. it was all so shocking. that requiem inside of me lasted for a long time. hints of it would come out, too: I would just cry in my bd sometimes, wanting to just clench my toes and kick out, feeling absolutely helpless about my entire situation. that requiem came out when Tony stark died -- I sobbed that entire night, especially on my solitary drive to the gym. I was just throttled. so utterly hopeless and without light in my eyes. I didn’t think I would ever be myself again; I couldn’t smile, bring myself to experience satisfaction.

that requiem haunted me in South Africa, too, but a small part of it was opened by the friends I made there. to see that others cared about me -- were interested in me beyond sex -- that felt interesting. I am so thankful for that beautiful, gorgeous experience in life. I don’t think I'll fully comprehend its place in my life; the people I needed came to me, even when it felt like I would collapse inside of myself. scared, I left phoenix for boston and stayed in that airport for twelve hours, and met my choir for the first time in a month. I had jetted out of boston a month before because Chris had died and I just couldn’t take it. I had to leave. but when I saw my friends, it felt like everything would be OK, even if I wouldn’t be. I remember seeing Kat’s beautiful haircut and feeling at ease. (beauty and change and choices were still possible.) Emma said hi to me, and I breathed again. Hirsh hugged me hello and I thought that new friendships were possible, and even worth pursuing again. then I sat next to Jon on that extraordinarily long flight, then on the bus, and my world burst open. to have been in the proximity of such a thoughtful, smart human and to have never known! I am still so scared of the blinders we put up, as humans.

we sang every day. we sang in nelson Mandela’s house. we saw wild birds; sunsets burning red. hiked the drakensburg mountains and rejoiced in the exquisite beauty of hanertsburg.

when that next semester started, fall 2019, I felt rejuvenated and okay. parts of me were still unkempt, but my friends had rejuvenated me -- as they have done, again and again, in different locations and at different times -- and I experienced a wonderful semester. started dating. failed in every dating scenario possible. failed some more. started a newer, more robust gym routine; wrote more; sang more; slept more. over December, I even tried out dating an ex; it failed, obviously, because he’s my ex for a reason, but I tried. it was fun, then it became irritating. I clipped its wings.

then something really amazing happened -- I was told we were to sing the Mozart requiem. I entered my spring semester scared of a few things: 1) that I might get sick like I did last year, with all those illnesses, 2) that I would become depressed again, 3) sinking into a pit of listlessness, 4) losing friendships, and 5) failing in my attempt to forge a meaningful sexual relationship.

in order, I'll address these things. I have been exceptionally healthy; sleeping has done wonders for me, and it seems so basic, and it is. it is the panacea. I haven’t become depressed; for one, I didn’t play a video game that killed off my main character since I was seven. I also didn’t isolate myself; in fact, I became hyper-social, and started to seek comfort in rekindling friendships and solidifying others. this relates to my fear of losing friendships. I think I've finally learned that friendships don’t end, not really; they fade, and that’s it. you pick up where you left off. you text or call each other sometimes. but most of all, you don’t give up. you just don’t -- or at least I don’t. I'll never give up on my friendships; each and every last one is important to me, no matter how minuscule our interactions may seem. and lastly, I don’t want a partner; I can’t have a partner. I'm moving soon, and the last time I did some shit like this, it went awry. I know now, going forward, if I move, I must put a clean end to something in order to maintain the benevolence and integrity of the relationship.

yesterday, then, may have been a type of loving exorcism. I gave up the ghost, yes, and everything followed, in the midst of chaos. I sang my heart out in this requiem and prayed for my dead self. the self that saw no way out; she saw blackness and felt neither resistance nor encouragement. to the Sydney that thought it was over last year, it is not, and it wasn’t. I also think I sang to Chris, too. I have an image of viewing him from the top of the water, seeing his white face shocked at the cold and the roughest of the waves, hands reaching up. then I also have an image of his view: seeing the light filtering in from the waves, the bubbles gushing up -- everything but him rushing to the surface -- and realizing with horror that he is sinking as the water becomes darker and the waves slam him into the rocky cliffside.

dies irae. it is the song of apocalypse; of death. but what followed this? what preceded it? following dies irae is tuba mirum, one of the most beautiful and triumphant trombone solos ever written. preceding it is the requiem and Kyrie itself; lord have mercy. I think the point is that death and the spark of life are literal seconds. they happen. a candle flick. it just happens, it means nothing good nor bad. and, god, the requiem has finally left my body. I needed it gone. I needed to let you go.

because while the grief of losing you will come again -- a tidal wave, a one-hundred-foot wall of blue -- it will not be soon. it will come when I can sense it. I never want my grief to stop hurting, ever, but it needs to stop in its consistency.

and that’s all I have to say for tonight.

-sm

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