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2n2n · 2 years

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AMV, MMD & animation recs!

do you want all my bilibili bookmarks? Bilibili is a chinese site similar to youtube, where a lot of creatives post their AMV, MMD, edits, etc. You can fall into it for hours... I recommend clicking around. Here are my fav videos.

if you wanna search through the plethora of MMD on your own, there is a comprehensive tag.

Disclaimerz: I wish this list could adequately represent my personal love for Nene x Amane x Tsukasa, or at least my love for HanaNene and AmaTsu equally, but unfortunately, content does not exist in equal measure to my passions. There are almost no AmaTsu MMD for some reason, despite there being plenty of AMV and original animations. HanaNene has many MMD, but honestly... many of them are rather plain/boring, and don’t celebrate the uniqueness of the dynamic, so I don’t bookmark much. So, you should browse bilibili yourself after clicking around my list to get a start, if you don’t already, because you might find tons of content that suits you ♥

Just be forewarned that not all video thumbnails are an accurate representation of the content within, and you’ll kind of get ‘tricked’ by thumbnails a lot, lol. I thought providing my list might help you get a start.

Absolute favorites:

Animation: Yellow Amane x Tsukasa. A beautiful animation! It respects everything about Tsukasa and Amane's history, their attachment.... a beautifully chosen song. Beautifully imagined, beautifully drawn. Amane closing Tsukasa's eyes as he says "It's safer to think that way.".... my favorite part..... It's so incredible to see something which remembers and considers so much of their past. The blood striking the radio.... Tsukasa's stabbed body below the horrified Amane, stars and night sky in his emptied chest.... holding hands at Tanabata, kissing sparklers together..... powerful juxtaposition! Reference to Tsukasa being kept hidden, tucked away, in the visuals and lyrics.... this is really my favorite video of all. The video itself is relatively gen, but this artist does draw them kissing in their other work, lalalalalla hahahaha ♥ lyrics in english

Animation: Mermaid A gorgeous Hanako x Nene video set to a very appropriate song!! I love that it centers on a very specific time in the narrative, when Nene first meets the living Amane himself..... lyrics in english here. It’s so rare, but it’s something that really pays respect to the pain Nene feels, loving the tragic boy she does.

VA IMITATION: "YOU ARE KING" Gen. a very talented vocal imitation of Hanako and Tsukasa's VA, singing a song together! You can read the lyrics here in english. My favorite part is Tsukasa's "onegai" and "darling, darling" His part has a kind of sweet devotion and ache to its tone!

animation: 7150 days Amane x Tsukasa! Ah... this video is so ardent and sincere. It's using traced panels, which feels like such an effort....I'm glad this person wanted so badly to convey this message, and put it together. the song is carefully chosen. The shots are very sweet... it touches my heart. Lyrics in english here.

MMD: MONSTER Gen. Oh one of my favorites. More tiktok-flavored in its editing, very new-age, but I accept it, it's fun! I love this song for Hanako loool ♥♥♥ SHOULDN'T HAVE MESSED WITH HIM!!!! ARE YOU READY FOR THE MONSTER??????

AMV: Indoor Kei nara Trackmaker (BIGWAVE remix) Gen. this AMV has such amazing on-beat editing! The song is literally meaningless, but this video-- I watch it all the time-- because it does such a good job playing Tsukasa and Nene footage side-by-side, making everyone feel so similar! Such a delight! There aren't really AMVs for Nene x Amane x Tsukasa, so this is the closest I get haha.... ♥

MMD: "Otome Kaibou" A really nice Hanako x Nene MMD that respects the canon dynamic and events really well...! It also includes Picture Perfect boy, which is SO EXCITING. The person making this clearly put a ton of love and dedication into it. Maiden Dissection is a good song for Hanako to sing, really.... english lyrics here.

MMD: "Tokoyo" Gen. Though made by a shipper, and likely considers that element to Tsukasa. Ahhh this one I like a lot-- interesting editing, and a really good song choice. I’m glad at least one Tsukasa MMD exists which really considers his long existence, his patience. Very atmospheric. The lyrics in english here.

AMV: FREAKSHOW nice editing. I love anything that embellishes Amane's creepiness ♥ An appropriate song for him! It does a good job representing both Hanako x Nene, with some Tsukasa thrown in ominously, like he's a distant memory..... ♥ I love the part it plays Amane saying "Yashiro" many times.

animation: Otome Kaibou Amane and Tsukasa! Oh gorgeous perfect drawings of Tsukasa.... feminine, luxurious, elegant. The song itself is relevant for Tsukasa or Amane-- english lyrics here. The visual in the music video itself for this song, pertains to communication deteriorating between people over time (speaking with a tin can, a radio, etc).

Other favs to parooze:

AMV: "TASTE THE FLESH" ok so this one is just a horny AMV, Amane x Tsukasa. But here's the thing. It's not wrong. This edgy song suits the feeling. I mean. What can I say. Tsukasa would like you to give it to him harder and let loose. He would like your teeth to sink into his flesh.

AMV: ?? uh. Amane and Tsukasa hypnotizing short edit, layering his introduction on the roof with music..... very addicting to rewatch again and again.

MMD: "LAMB" Gen. I don't feel a special way about this song's lyrics. I just like that Hanako does jerk-off motions in this MMD. Thanks for doing jerk-off motions and then saying Aishiteru. I-- thanks. it's not all deep for me. The hammer/stabbing motions also do it for me. The lighting's also so nice!

MMD: "Bury a Friend" Gen. oh such a funny song, but good for Hanako, what can I say! I loooove the "careful♥" part... very Amane ♥

AMV: "MINDBRAND" Gen. This video feels like it's just for you to stare at and oggle Amane... let's stare at him together.

AMV: Cradles Gen. I like this song. Short, simple, but, a nice Tsukasa-centric AMV.... not too many of those, given the anime’s limited footage.

AMV: MINDBRAND another Mindbrand AMV, BUT THIS TIME it's actually someone doing an impression of Hanako's VA! So, it sounds like him singing it. The editing is nice, as well! Hanako x Nene centric.

MMD: DOUBT Gen. Lol I love 21 Pilots.... simple, short MMD. Well, good for Amane's feelings..... it’s gen, buuuuut.... I like to think it pertains to Tsukasa.... ♥ I love the line "gnawing on the bishops. claw away at their system. repeat in simple phrases. someone holy insisted." mmm ♥ God blesses you Amane ♥

MMD: Monster(2) Gen. another Hanako MMD set to this song! There's a lot honestly, everyone understands it suits him, lol. This one has different motion data though!! Honestly I love when people put him on his throne. Nice and crazy. Now that's my boy!!

MMD: The Wolf Gen. Hanako be on his throne. It's simple but pleasant. Good to register this possessive dangerous beast.

MMD: I dont know this song ♥ Gen. I just like to see him run around. Don't you. Lookit him go. It scares me when his pupils suddenly disappear or go black. Kinda a good simulation of being on mr bones wild ride. He is... insane.... hi.

MMD: "AUTOPHAGY" Gen. A RARE TSUKASA MMD. There are so few, it breaks my heart. Trust me that this list would be more if there WERE more. I'm begging for scraps. I don't think the song really suits Tsukasa at all, but the animation is fun nonetheless, and I'm unwilling to not include the little Tsukasa content there is. Please know he’s not underrepresented for a lack of appreciation, but simply because... there’s not much. MMD are either solo Hanako, or, HanaNene. There’s not even more than 2 Amane x Tsukasa ones. ):

MMD: .... I don't know what song this one is... ♥ Just a really cute Hanako x Nene MMD, with Nene in a cute outfit, matching him!

MMD: "Shake" Gen. well. it's just Hanako shaking his hips creepily. Why wouldn't you want to watch that.

MMD: SOLO Gen. ok this one is really funny. I watch it and pretend I am Tsukasa and Nene in the audience. Lookit him do his little moves. This is what MMD is all about. Watching a little dance. The single-finger waggle is very 'Hanako'. OOoohh teach me a lesson!

#Avvy's JSHK

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vancouverkitchenrenovation · 1 year

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Choosing Colors for Green and Black Bathrooms

Why the perfect balance of colour between green and black bathrooms creates a visually stunning and luxurious environment.

Elegance is key here, with perfectly balanced proportions of green to black creating a contemporary style. Achievable for everyone yet exclusive to those who embrace the distinct beauty in this carefully curated mix.

Plus, when you find yourself constantly drawn towards it, as if pulled by some powerful force, you realize how enchanting this combination is.

Designed for anyone who loves modern-minimal style, this proves colour doesn’t have to be bold or bright to make an impact. Quite the opposite, actually—subtle shades and tones create the biggest impact of all.

Yet, it takes careful thought and consideration to harmonize both hues perfectly. Subtle accents enhance an area without overwhelming it, allowing each shade its rightful place without one overpowering the other.

Moreover, these two colours come together beautifully—they truly complement each other like no other duo can, rejoicing in the joy of unified harmony where least expected!

That’s why when accented just right, the perfect blend of green and black can increase serenity within any space, making even a basic bathroom into something magnificent and invitingly indulgent!

Create an ambiance of pure relaxation as every glorious hue works in harmony with your desire for luxury as you luxuriate in one complete experience. Sink into your time-out while calming down smoothly in sweet sections of laid-back design awash with simple sophistication.

The perfect balance between green and black brings out the best in both worlds, which makes even a small bathroom appear much bigger than before—extending out beyond boundaries until eventually appearing completely limitless like something straight out of an interior design magazine! Just what you would expect from world-class styling within such marvellously cozy confines…

So if you’re enthusiastic about tranquil escapism paired with unparalleled visual aesthetics, then it’s time you experience something new: give your bathroom a vibrant twist of extraordinary colour combinations! Revel in being able to quench your yearning for elegance using teal shades alongside charcoals that radiate tranquillity throughout any environment…eliminating insecurity associated with small settings through unlimited artistry only obtainable through maximum creativity!!!

Moss-coloured green

Using moss-coloured bathrooms in green and black is a great way to add colour to a white bathroom. It creates an airy and calming feel and evokes feelings of relaxation.

Green is one of the most popular colours in home decor. The colour works in classic and modern bathrooms. It can be used in small doses or full tile revamps, depending on your taste.

You can create a living green wall with plant-filled wall-mounted planters. The resulting wall can be used as a room divider, a privacy partition, or a focal point. In a larger bathroom, you can even mount a moss garden against the wall. The moisture in the air keeps moss thriving.

A full-scale green wall can also be used to create a waterfall effect. In an all-white bathroom, the wall of plants adds a calming effect while retaining the modern feel of the room.

Sage-coloured green

Using sage-coloured bathrooms can create a calming aesthetic. The colour is known for its organic, nature-inspired look. It’s a neutral colour that pairs well with natural materials like wood and stone. It’s also a versatile colour so it can be used in several ways. Adding accessories can boost the look.

Natural textures like wooden bowls can help create a soothing and organic feel. For added interest, you can also use wood wall trim. Adding patterned floor tiles can be a fun way to add artful flair to your space.

Use sage-coloured tile to add a pop of colour to your bathroom. Try using a herringbone pattern to add drama. Adding wooden beads can also help create an organic look.

The colour of sage is also neutral enough to pair with other colours. You can add warm and cool accent colours to balance the look. It’s a versatile colour that’s sure to enhance any space.

Viridian-coloured green

Viridian green can look gorgeous in a black and green bathroom. Combining the two is simple… but not easy. An overly intense version of viridian green could be overpowering, while a too-muted tone could fail to stand out against other fixtures or elements and go virtually unnoticed.

Taking time to carefully consider all your options may sound like an insignificant task compared to larger decisions and renovations – however, this one is crucial.

The trick here is to choose wisely; here’s how: looking out for colour variations in similar shades, selecting based on personal preference over trends and keeping up with seasonal colours in magazines are all great starting points when fine-tuning what hue will accentuate and contribute towards creating that luxurious look you desire.

A well-chosen perfect shade of viridian-green will add depth, richness and grandeur, which alongside other design elements -paintwork, furniture, appliances – helps to create that inviting atmosphere so often sought after since it can either ties every romantic element together or has the ability also to emit romantic notions all by itself!

So who is brave enough to take up the challenge? Who is ready to achieve their dream bathroom worthy of envy amongst family members and friends?

From bold statements invoking grandeur paired with floor tile patterns warmed by vibrant hues evoking emotions akin to familiar settings such as nature’s very own palette… The list goes on! Profusely! Enveloped within this world, standing side by side with numerous inspiring resources firsthand from homes across many countries, offering ideas far outreaching any expectation imaginable, translating into captivating outcomes not just confined within four walls!

Two-tone tile

Two-tone tiles in green and black bathrooms can help create an elegant and soothing environment. Its classic colour scheme works well in almost any home decor style. It can also create a fun and lively look.

While using two-tone tile in green and black bathrooms isn’t new, the look has been updated for modern bathrooms. It’s a great way to add a unique touch to your bathroom. You can also choose from various shades of colour.

Two-tone tiles are also a great way to add dimension to your bathroom. Especially if you have a small bathroom, you can dramatically impact your space without overwhelming the room.

You can also create a unique look by using patterned tiles. You can buy patterned tiles or create your design with mosaic tiles. Using mosaic tiles can also add artistic elements to your bathroom.

Roman blind

Choosing the right bathroom blinds can add a stylish finishing touch to your bathroom’s decor. They can also help you control the room’s light and provide privacy. Bathroom window treatments come in a wide variety of styles and materials. They all offer different benefits, so choose one that fits your needs.

For example, cellular shades are great for privacy in the bathroom. They can be easily fitted inside or outside the window frame and provide additional insulation. They come in various colours and designs, including blackout, room darkening, and light filtering. Some are even made from recycled water bottles, making them eco-friendly. They can also be paired with a back liner for privacy.

These window treatments are often minimalist in design. However, you can add a playful touch by choosing a contrasting pelmet. This can help keep your bathroom from looking too clinical.

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Whether planning a bathroom renovation or simply looking to update your existing space, Vancouver Kitchen Renovation is the place to turn. We’re Vancouver’s premier bathroom design and renovation specialists, and we pride ourselves on being able to create spaces that fit perfectly within your budget. Whether you’re renovating a small guest room or transforming a whole house, we’ll guide you through each step so you can enjoy your finished product for years to come. As a locally owned and operated business, we know what it takes to build lasting relationships with our clients. We’re committed to providing quality products and services and strive to exceed expectations every time.

We understand that to be successful is to stay ahead of the curve. That means staying current with the latest technology and design trends. We always want to improve our products or services without breaking the bank. That’s why we stay connected to the latest technologies of NKBA, National Kitchen and Bath Association. In addition, at Vancouver Kitchen renovation, our primary focus is providing sustainable bathroom design and renovation packages, and we believe in sustainable living. Sustainable living is a way of life in harmony with nature. It is a lifestyle which focuses on the preservation of our environment. Sustainable living is a philosophy emphasizing respect for the environment and concern for its well-being. This means we should take care of the planet and treat it as if it were our home. We should try to preserve what we have and protect it from destruction. If we do this, we will enjoy the benefits of the earth’s resources for many generations. Whether you’re planning a major remodel or adding finishing touches to your current bathroom, we’d love to discuss your project. Book your showroom consultation online.

Main Areas of Service in British Columbia:

Vancouver

North Vancouver

West Vancouver

Burnaby

Coquitlam

Squamish

Whistler

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I modernize my bathroom?

There are many options to modernize your bathroom. Modern bathrooms can be achieved by incorporating simple lines and sleek designs. Other colors that you can use are white, grey, black. Adding modern fixtures, like LED lighting and rain showers, will also give your space a more contemporary feel. Finally, decluttering your bathroom and ensuring everything has its place will help to create a cleaner and more minimalistic look.

Are mosaic tiles appropriate for modern bathrooms?

It would be best if you avoided mosaic tiles in modern design unless you are using them as your accent tiles. They can make your bathroom appear dated and busy. If you love the look of mosaic tiles, try using them as accents around your sink, bathtub or shower.

How much does it cost to replace a shower?

A complete shower re/re project in Vancouver (British Columbia) can cost upwards of $10,000. This is for a full project that would include:

Shower base (including drain)

Floor and wall tiles

Glass shower door or shower curtain

Fixtures (shower head, taps, soap dish, etc.)

Plumbing work

Waterproofing and tiling

Ventilation

Permits

What bathroom sinks are in style 2023?

In 2023, a few bathroom sink styles are expected to be in high demand. These styles are most popular:

The Vessel Sink: The vessel sink is popular for many bathrooms remodels. They can add a distinctive and stylish touch to your bathroom.

The Undermount Sink: This sink is popular for bathrooms. They can modernize your bathroom’s look with their sleek, modern design.

The pedestal bathroom sink: A classic choice is the pedestal sink. These sinks can give your bathroom a timeless appearance that is both elegant and functional.

Integrated sink and countertop. This trend is newer and has seen a lot of popularity. This option provides a seamless look to your bathroom. Because the sink is integrated into the countertop there is no space between them. This can give your bathroom a clean and contemporary look.

No matter what style or design you choose, be sure that it suits your bathroom’s overall appearance and feel. You want your bathroom where you feel happy and at ease. It is important to choose a sink that helps you achieve this goal.

Statistics

Other sustainability instruments developed by Noken include an ‘Eco cartridge’ (its two-position switch makes it possible to use 50% less water and energy), and a water ‘flow rate limiter’ (that uses jets and air to reduce water consumption). (decoist.com)

Glass tile is one of the greenest bathroom flooring options because it can be 100% recycled. (caddetailsblog.com)

2023 bathroom design trends: Heated floors were favoured by a substantial 75% of those who responded to the survey.(https://nkba.org)

The average midrange bathroom remodels costs $27,164, according to the latest Remodeling Cost versus Value report, and it’s projected that you will recoup 58.9% of that cost when reselling your home. (architecturaldigest.com)

2023 bathroom design trends: Bathroom faucet designs reflected wellness concerns, with 61% choosing accessible lever handles, 48% choosing motion and 36% going for the touch or tap options. (https://nkba.org)

If possible, allow a 15 to 20% contingency fund so you’re prepared for the unexpected. (loveproperty.com)

WaterSense-labeled bathroom sink faucets use a maximum of 1.5 gallons per minute, reducing water use by 30 percent or more from the standard flow of 2.2 gallons per minute – without sacrificing performance. (elemental.green)

Outdoor showers can dramatically increase the value of your home—according to a 2018 report from Realtor.com, homes with outdoor showers tend to list for nearly double the asking price of other homes! (housebeautiful.com)

2023 bathroom design trends: Windows above tubs were favoured by 51% of those surveyed. Skylights were selected by 37% of those surveyed. (https://nkba.org)

According to the EPA, a conventional toilet uses 1.6 gallons per flush, but that old pink one could use between 3.5 to 7 gallons per flush. (elemental.green)

2023 bathroom design trends: 82% of those surveyed preferred low-maintenance, nonporous surfaces for their bathroom. (https://nkba.org)

According to a 2019 remodelling report from the National Association of Realtors, 70 percent of consumers “have a greater desire to be home” after a bathroom renovation, so read on and soak up the secrets. (housebeautiful.com)

External Links

bhg.com

How to Paint Bathroom Cabinets for an Easy Vanity Upgrade

nkba.org

Home – NKBA

Real-World Budgeting for Bathroom Remodeling

How To

10 Mistakes You Must Avoid When Remodeling Small Bathrooms

A small bathroom remodel can be difficult due to limited space. When remodeling your home, it is important to consult professionals. We have listed some common errors people make when renovating their bathrooms.

Insufficient funds for the project. You don’t have enough funds for your project. It is best to wait until you do. Since remodelling costs can quickly add up, it is a good idea to begin saving now.

Trying to save money on materials. You should never try to cut corners when doing any renovation project. You should always get the best quality products at the lowest price. Quality is everything.

Too much stuff. One of the biggest mistakes people make when remodelling their bathrooms is buying too much stuff at once without thinking things through first. You don’t have to buy more than you need.

Planning the layout of the new room is a mistake. Many people don’t think about how they will use the space after it is renovated. People just throw stuff in the space without considering if they are useful.

Changes to an existing layout. People sometimes feel they know exactly the layout of their bathroom. But they end changing it altogether. This makes the space less accessible.

Doing the work yourself. It isn’t recommended to work on DIY projects by yourself. Hiring contractors will ensure that you have someone who knows what they are doing and has all the right equipment.

Too late for the project. You should not wait to plan and renovate your bathroom. There are many problems that could arise. There are many problems that can arise, such as leaky pipes or mold growth.

Being unorganized. People often forget important details when planning a renovation project, such as where to put the trash bin and the power outlets. A well-organized workspace can help you stay focused throughout the entire process.

Not checking references. Before hiring anyone to do any renovation project, you must check their background. Ask family members and friends to share their positive experiences with these companies.

Don’t cut corners on safety precautions Safety is essential, especially when remodeling a bathroom. It is essential to take safety precautions while you are working on the project.

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terranoctis · 1 year

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Stories of 2022

It’s been a year that’s kept me quite busy, so truth be told, I’ve gone through less stories this year than I would’ve wanted to. That being said, perhaps I’ve made stories of my own moreso, and that’s not a bad thing. Time changes your circumstances and I’m proud of what I’ve done this year.

However, there’s been a few standout stories I’ve experienced/read/watched. Here’s a few thoughts on those, in no particular order:

MOVIES

1. Everything Everywhere All At Once

I would be highly remiss to not include this whatsoever, because it’s the one movie I can easily recall as my favorite of the year. I had a conversation earlier this week with two friends who I always talk movies with and all three of us unanimously agreed that it was our standout film of the year. As someone who is a daughter of an immigrant and has countless tales of being an Asian-American, it touches my heart all the more with its portrayal of generational trauma and the tension that arises when those generational differences are at odds.

It’s one of those rare stories that touches on multiverses in a way that is its own--and in what a glorious way it does. It’s less about the multiverse and handles beautifully the personal aspects of a woman who could’ve been anybody--and was everybody in countless other universes, but understands the implication of being just the one person that they are and knowing that it’s worth so much. It’s a film that loves cinema, which is my favorite kind of film, in the way the cinematography is shot, in the messiness of all the wardrobes and costuming of this film, in its homages to films before it, and in the way there are key lines that are so heartfelt you cannot help but remember them for a long time.

The cast for this film has been one of my favorite. No one is surprised at Michelle Yeoh’s acting chops if they’ve paid attention to cinema, but it’s the first film that’s allowed Ke Huy Quan to fully shine as an adult actor and introduced me to the wonderfully talented Stephanie Hsu. This deeply moving script allowed all three main actors and their ensemble cast to really show off that talent and I’m all the more grateful for it. It’s one of the rare films that is both a visual marvel (due to its wonderfully frenetic editing) and wonderfully well-written. It might not be for everyone, but I, for one, will sing praises for this film for a long time.

2. Belle

The first film I saw in theaters this year was actually this film and I’m so wonderfully pleased that I did. It’s a story that is not without its flaws, and it’s not even the best animated film I’ve seen... but it’s a story that I can’t help but love because of how earnestly it is portrayed. It’s a story of love through grief and perhaps that’s why it hit closer to home for me. The animation is stunningly beautiful, merging various styles from across the world into a film that is held largely together with its core Japanese animation style from Mamoru Hosoda and his team. The main character Belle, or at least her avatar form in the virtual reality world ‘U’, is drawn by one of the lead character animators at Disney, and the design of her character reflects beautifully the retold Belle from Beauty and the Beast in this world.

Even though the film is a retelling of the classic fairytale behind Beauty and the Beast, it’s surprisingly less about romantic love than it is about love in all its forms, particularly the kind of love can have when someone is at their lowest and scarred. That love can be for someone else--and it can also be for yourself. You do have a love between “Beauty” and the “Beast,” but that love is hardly portrayed in a romantic light. It’s the kind of love that someone has when they see someone in need and they want to help... and it’s a story that comes full-circle beautifully with the main character.

I’m also a sucker for good music and Belle had some of the best music I’ve heard in any film this year. I literally had chills when the main character started singing for the first time as Belle, when she’s testing out her voice again in the reality of the virtual world--despite being unable to sing loud in real life. The songs all tie in beautifully to the overall themes of the film as well.

GAMES

3. Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker

If last year was a story of my love for Shadowbringers in Final Fantasy XIV, this year was a story of my love for Endwalker. I unfortunately did not get to finish Endwalker during its release month as most others did, but I did get to finish it earlier this year. I can’t say that I loved it as much as Shadowbringers as an independent story, but as the culmination of every tale you’ve experienced as the Warrior of Light from A Realm Reborn to Shadowbringers, it’s a mastercraft in storytelling. For being able to resolve that tale in a way that hinges on some time-travel (which I’m a sucker for) and do it in such a heartfelt way and make you feel as the main character for all the people you’ve fought against and fought for in the past--Endwalker masterfully did so with amazing trials and cutscenes to boot.

It isn’t to say the expansion didn’t have its poor moments. The pacing had some issues, but for an expansion finished in the pandemic, I understand why. I loved the overall story nonetheless and could deal with the pacing. The culmination of the whole Elpis arc and seeing how we became to be the Warrior of Light has been some of my favorite moments in the entire series. Not just in Final Fantasy XIV, but in all the Final Fantasy games I’ve played.

Two of my favorite characters are also fleshed out in such wonderful ways this expansion. Venat and Hythlodaeus are easily two of my favorites of the game so far and it’s no wonder I loved the Elpis parts of the game so much. The end of the Hydaelyn-Zodiark saga with Endwalker was masterfully done and it makes me all the more excited to strike on a new adventure with the world. There’s also so many tales that I haven’t gotten to experience yet and I’ve been having a wonderful time jumping through all those tales as well as I wait for the next huge patch in the upcoming year.

4. Stray

I played this rather late in the year, and it made my heart soft in all the good ways. I should state first I love cats, so I have some bias there. The game has you play as a cat wandering about a strange city filled with only robots. From the get-go, you even when you’re not yet in the city, you see that this world is devoid of all humans, wandering with a stray pack of cats. The city reflects this yet again, as you seem to be the only living being aside from Zurks, who are largely your antagonists in the game, as mutated bacteria life-forms.

At a basic level, the game is you wandering as a cat. On a larger scale, it’s a game about what constitutes life and how simple things like friendship and companionship are emblematic of what make us living beings. The journey is played largely with you as the stray cat and your companionship with a small robot. I can’t say too much without spoiling the story, but it’s a beautiful, lovely little tale of friendship between a robot and a cat in a dystopian cyberpunk world. It’s worth a play if anyone ever gets a chance to do so.

BOOKS

5. Nona the Ninth

This was one of my most anticipated books this year and I think one of the rare novels I actually binge-read within a few days even with school work and whatnot. I should say that I did love Harrow the Ninth more, but I loved this book in its own way. It’s a portrayal of a character who has made herself forget who she truly is and the horrendous things that have happened to her (and I mean, world-shattering, world-ending horrible things), perhaps because she wanted to save the girl whose body she inhabits and perhaps because she loved these people with her. It’s about love, for good or bad, and the kind of resurrections we put ourselves and others through in a testament to that love. The whole series of the Locked Tomb is love in its revenant forms, which I highly appreciate the more I occasionally re-read the novels and random passages.

What makes the Locked Tomb series so humanely interesting to me is the way the narrator does not have the complete picture, by nature of their fragmented perspectives, but you as the reader do because you’re privy to the prior stories and other tales told through dreams or flashbacks. Nona is especially such a character because she is a “new” character, or rather a character who is seemingly unaware of her own true identity. The story leads you at first to believe she is perhaps one of the two previous main characters (Gideon or Harrow) in amnesiac form, but it becomes quite obvious she is a little bit of both in personality and perhaps neither of them at all. The more you read the story though, the more you begin to understand that perhaps she’s more aware than she lets on, but it’s because she’s so in love with the people around her that she doesn’t want to remember the trauma that made her something else. Thematic focuses aside, the writing is as fun as ever and where the Locked Tomb truly shines is with the personalities and dialogues of its characters.

I wasn’t sure how to feel about Nona at first, but the more I read, the more I adored her and her love for the people around her. And the more I felt that trauma that all three protagonists of this series so far have felt and still found some semblance of love despite it.

6. Babel, Or the Necessity of Violence

I should clarify I am still reading this at the moment, but it is already one of my favorite books of the year as I near the end of it. Translation as a magical weapon, translation as a means of colonialism--translation as a manifestation of something else... all these means of translation as not just a text-form thing, but something intrinsically cultural and used as a cultural weapon against its own people is utterly beautiful and devastating all at once. R.F. Kuang does an amazing job yet again with characterization of characters and that personal dilemma within the protagonist. I quite love the world-building in this one, having jumped from her previous works to this new world in Babel in the U.K. with silverworking and translation as a weapon. Since I’m still reading this novel, I won’t go into as much depth with it as I did the previous novel. For all I know, I might be missing a key piece of what makes this novel even greater.

#personal #readings and ramblings

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sneezefiction · 4 years

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apple pie & ice cream

Kenma x Reader - Scenario

desc: gloomy days can always be brightened with sweet smells, cinnamon sugar, and a homemade apple pie from yours truly: Kenma Kozume

a/n: to the anon who requested this a little while ago... happy birthday, love!! i hope you’re okay that i switched things around a little bit & had Kenma make you something sweet instead <3</i>

warning: slight language

wc: 1580

---

Some days are longer than others.

You’ve never had a good explanation as to why, but there are at least some telltale signs.

Like when red lights seem endless, your favorite song doesn’t sound as pretty as it should, and you just can’t keep your tired eyes open. Even with a cozy mug of hot tea in hand or the gentle stream of sunlight filtering through your office’s window, the warmth on your fingertips and face simply refused to reach you on the inside.

It also doesn’t help that you were flipped off not once, but twice, by some shitty drivers when you clearly had the right of way.

So you determine that the faster you can get home to Kenma, the better you’ll feel.

You take every short-cut and any back road, impatiently awaiting the moment that you can kick off your uncomfortable shoes and step out of those constricting work clothes. To turn on the air-conditioning and crash into a couch that proves to be far more welcoming than the outside world. Even just a nice, long stretch would do your aching back and heavy arms some good.

But most of all, you long to sink into Kenmas chest and lazily breathe in the comforting smell of home that rested on his well-worn hoodies. To run your fingers through his silky, soft hair and make messy braids out of it while sighing heavily to relinquish the day's grip on your tight shoulders. You can’t wait to bother him until he sets aside his black and red headphones to kiss your forehead and pull you into a soul-catching hug.

Most crappy days call for extra love from your gamer-boyfriend… but today Kenma has really gone out of his way to shower you in sweetness. Literally.

You’d sent him an awfully lengthy text about the number of crazy drivers on the road, the dreary weather overhead, following it up with a recap of your teary-eyed breakdown in a fast food chain parking lot... and you topped it off with just how much you missed him.

So he did the one thing he knew could lift anyone’s spirits.

Kenma got to baking his world famous apple pie.

Countertops were covered in white and brown sugar, apple peels, and other various, scattered ingredients. A store-bought pie crust was preheating in the oven, because only God knows how long it would take for Kenma to learn how to make that from scratch. Spices plumed in delicate, little clouds throughout the kitchen. Everything was coming together beautifully.

Kenma mumbles to himself quietly, a little miffed that he’s missing his weekly streaming session...

But secretly, he’s been meaning to do this for you for a long time.

He’s been dying to thank you for putting up with his incessant live shows and never-ending computer gameplay. For living with him in his rental house even though he could probably (definitely) afford something far more luxurious. And you deserved luxurious. You should be decked out in diamonds and fancy cashmere, lounging on a sofa atop some rooftop garden oasis that overlooks the entirety of Tokyo, and dancing the night away at clubs and galas.

But you chose him.

Simple Kozume.

A smaller-framed boy with a knack for video-games, patterns, and strategy. The one they jokingly called “pudding head” in high school. That kid who used to hide behind his own hair because the world around him was far more daunting than he thought he could handle.

Kenma would rather stay in and binge a series on netflix than spend a night out on the town. He invests himself in playing an overly-competitive tournament of Mario Kart with you over flying out for a highstakes game of poker in Vegas. He prefers nights surrounded in fairy lights when you collaborate on videos with him, throw popcorn at his long hair, and drink a bit too much just because you both compliment each other more when you’re a little tipsy.

You love all of this about him and you’ve reminded him time after time that you wouldn’t trade him for the world… yet Kenma is still determined to at least have this apple pie done by the time you get home.

But as luck would have it, you’re early.

The lock to the door clicks and twists as you slide it open with a few squeaks.

Your senses are instantly delighted by the blooming fragrance of cinnamon and nutmeg. An ambrosial wafting of warm apples and pastry dough permeates the airspace while the added ginger and lemon cut through the sweet scent.

As if the room had just handed over a fluffy blanket and set you in front of a crackly, wood-burning fire, you’re filled with that much needed comfort.

You’re home. And it smells so damn good.

If heaven had a scent, this was it. And you might as well be wearing a halo and angel wings.

“Kozume…?” You call out, wondering if it was really your boyfriend in the kitchen creating that mouth-watering aroma.

“...yes, y/n?” He replies slowly, trying to clean up the countertops, a little frustrated that the pie wasn’t finished in time for your arrival.

“Is that you? Or did Gordon Ramsey break into my house and take over my kitchen?” You giggle, waltzing into the kitchen, the stress of the day being alleviated immediately upon seeing those speculative, gold-speckled eyes.

His hands are in his hoodie pockets, but when your form turns corner into the kitchen and makes its way toward him, Kenma draws them out and sneaks his hands up to your cheeks, cupping them gently.

He leans in, his expression a tad quizzical and somewhat mysterious, and whispers…

“You’re an idiot sandwich.”

A laugh bubbles up and out, shaking your whole body as you wrap your arms around his frame. You’d seen him just this morning, but wow you’d missed him and his extensive knowledge of meme culture. Now Kenma has his arms draped around your waist, hands squeezing at your hips a little. Your flustered but smiley expression spurs on a soft chuckle, a gentle yet deep rumbling in his throat.

“I thought you’d be back a little bit later, but I’m glad you’re here.” He murmurs out, voice tired but so soothing to your ears.

“Mmm, I’m glad to be back… now are you gonna tell me what that magnificent smell is? Or should I open up the oven and check?” The cheeky tinge to your voice causes him to pull away from you for a moment to look you in the eye.

“If you want it to turn out well, I’d keep your pretty little hands away from the oven for the next few minutes.” Kenma quips.

You playfully stick out your tongue but then proceed to place a teasing peck between his eyes, making him crinkle his nose cutely.

“So, when you sent me those texts earlier, I might have accidentally made an apple pie.” Kenma admits, looking away.

“Accidentally?” A grin slowly spreads across your face, eyes glinting with humor.

“Yep. Accidentally.” He shrugs, “I found some ingredients and a pie dish and I just accidentally threw it all together. So yeah, how convenient is that?”

You sigh, rolling your eyes.

He’s really something else. And to think your day had previously been wrought with misery and disappointment.

“Mmm I don’t know, Kozume… it doesn’t sound like an accident to me. I think you did it because you wanted to be sweet.” You whisper softly into his ear.

Leaning back to brush away a strand of his hair from his face to get a full visual of his cat-like gaze.

“And why would I do that?” He teases gently.

“Oh, I don’t know… maybe because you love me?” You poke at his shoulder.

“Huh? Love?” He gives you a goofy look, raising both eyebrows in mock confusion. “...Is that some kind of sauce?”

He tries to keep a straight face, but the quirk of his lip gives him away.

You just stare at him before giving in to another fit of rolling giggles. The hearty, unrestrained laughter overtakes the both of you, causing you to double over and clutch your middle in an attempt to hold yourself up. Kenma has his back up against the counter-top, holding the edges of it with both palms to keep himself steady and from falling to the floor.

As you both recover from aching lungs and that cloudy, euphoric feeling, you can’t help but let a smile plaster itself on your face.

Kenma has done many things today.

He gave you a reason to come home with hope in your heart. He’d drawn you into a heartfelt, soul-refreshing hug. He had made you laugh like nobody ever could. He’d even baked you an apple pie.

But best of all, he‘d held you together.

Like he always did.

Every single day, without a doubt in your mind, you could celebrate and smile. Because you would always have this cinnamon-covered cutie to smile and crack up with. He would always brighten the most mundane of weekdays and find the loveliest of ways to match your moods.

You two are like apple pie and vanilla bean ice cream.

And speaking of ice cream…

“Hey, Kozume?” You bring him into one more bear-like hug.

“Yeah, babe?”

“Did you get ice cream to go with the apple pie?” You ask, your face preciously tucked into the crook of his neck.

No reply. Had he heard you?

“Kozume? Did-”

Cue a huge sigh from Kenma.

“...Where are my car keys? I need to go to the store immediately.”

---

tags: @cherryonigiri, @yams046, @miss-rin, @shou-kunn, @senkuwu-chan, @super-noya, @stcrryskies, @holaaaf, @sugacookiies, @vintgicals, @moonlightaangel

(comment, dm, or send an ask to be added to my general tag list)

#haikyuu!!#haikyuu x reader #kenma x reader #kenma kozume #kenma #nekoma #haikyu #haikyuu fluff #hq #hq x reader #hq scenarios #haikyuu scenarios #kenma scenario #kenma imagines #haikyuu fanfiction #haikyuu kenma #sneezefiction

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starwarsnonsense · 5 years

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Top 10 Films of 2018

This is rather delayed (mainly on account of an extended bout of laziness on my part), but I was still determined to get it out there! While I don’t think 2018 quite reached the heights of 2017 (nothing matched The Last Jedi or Blade Runner 2049, for example), there was still a lot of great cinema.

As always, keeping this list at 10 meant I had to omit some great titles. Just so you get an idea of what I had to leave out, here are some honourable mentions: Eighth Grade, Lady Bird, Revenge, Phantom Thread, Thoroughbreds, Lean on Pete and Game Night.

1. Roma, dir. Alfonso Cuarón

Roma is a deeply special film, and I’m very fortunate in having got to see it in the best possible circumstances - projected on a huge cinema screen, with its gorgeous, silvery cinematography a marvel to witness. This film takes the kind of life that would usually be forgotten and turns it into an epic, interweaving the story of a loving, resilient housemaid with the seismic political events unfolding in Mexico in the early 1970s. The shots are highly symmetrical and geometric, with characters passing in and out of pre-established frames. But this is clearly intentional, and - to me at least - the story felt no less personal for it. There are several all-time great scenes in this film, and while I don’t want to spoil any of them with extended descriptions, I will say that there’s a sequence in a hospital that balances the mundane and the monumental in an extraordinary and heartbreaking way. This is breathtaking, masterful filming, and I felt it did justice to Cleo’s life without ever attempting to claim her experience. The film is quiet and the dialogue is almost perfunctory, relying heavily on its visuals - it’s cinema at its purest.

2. Annihilation, dir. Alex Garland

True story: I was so desperate to see Annihilation in a cinema that I flew to New York for it. Of course Annihilation wasn’t my sole reason for travelling to New York, but you can be damn sure I made a point of tracking down an Alamo Drafthouse that was showing it. And boy was it worth it. This movie does a magnificent job of fulfilling the potential of sci-fi, taking otherworldly concepts and ideas and using them to interrogate some of the most profound and frightening truths of what it means to be human. This movie has a quietly hypnotic quality to it, and Natalie Portman continues to prove that she is one of the finest modern actors - she says so much with her face and her movements that lines are hardly necessary. I will continue to follow Alex Garland’s career with great interest...

3. Beast, dir. Michael Pearce

Beast was probably my biggest surprise in film in 2018 - I went in expecting nothing, and was bowled over by it to the point that I rushed out to see it again at the first opportunity. This film follows lonely outsider Moll and her ardent love for the mysterious Pascal. There is a heightened, almost supernatural, quality to their romance, and the actors - Jessie Buckley and Johnny Flynn - have electric chemistry. This film delights in playing with the viewer’s fears and suspicions, constantly adjusting them as the characters evolve over the course of the movie. It’s a great fusion of genres - mystery and romance - that also functions as a superb character piece, and it is entirely worth your time.

4. Bad Times at the El Royale, dir. Drew Goddard

This film is bonkers in an amazing way. A bunch of seemingly random strangers gather at a hotel that’s far from its glory days, and it isn’t long before all hell breaks lose. The ensemble here is terrific, with all the cast members playing off each other in a succession of utterly delightful ways. Every character conceals a secret history and motive, with their layers gradually being peeled back as the movie plays out. Special mention must go to Cynthia Erivo, who is simply stupendous as a session singer who I wound up considering the film’s real hero - she’s marvellously charismatic and complex, and her voice is a complete wonder. This film is a messy tangle of mysteries, and I had a wonderful time unravelling them.

5. First Reformed, dir. Paul Schrader

I have a weird soft spot for ‘crisis of faith’ movies (think Silence), and this is a very fine entry into that niche. Ethan Hawke is superb here as a priest attending to an old church that has effectively been reduced to a chintzy tourist attraction, and I found the depiction of how he struggles with his faith, overwhelmed by disillusionment and the immense crises facing the earth, fascinating and beautifully written. Schrader wrote and directed this film, and it is one of his greatest achievements - the dialogue probes deep, never feeling trite or obvious. I also appreciated how the spiritual was so often conflated with the personal, with a thin line drawn being drawn between the divine and the carnal (that end scene is a woozy thing to experience). It’s a beautifully judged film, made all the more fascinating for its ambiguity.

6. Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, dir. Morgan Neville

The greatest testament to the power of this wonderful, good-hearted documentary is probably that I went into it knowing practically nothing about Mr Rodgers (he just wasn’t a thing here in the UK) and left it thinking he’s the hero the world needs right now. I’ve seen so many documentaries illuminating the ugliest parts of humanity that I didn’t realise how much I needed one spotlighting the best bits. But this documentary isn’t pure sentiment, though there’s a lot of that - I found a lot to admire in Mr Rodgers approach to child psychology and education, particularly his conviction that every child can benefit from a warm, steady presence, even of the source of the reassurance happens to be trapped in a TV monitor. I can only hope this inspires a fresh wave of documentaries on similarly worthy subjects.

7. The Wife, dir. Björn Runge

Glenn Close is coming for that Best Actress Oscar and no one can convince me otherwise. With The Wife, the whole movie transparently rests on the shoulders of one woman - Close’s performance is almost sphinx-like, being enigmatic and low-key to the point that her emotions are almost invisible. But their failure to manifest doesn’t mean they don’t exist, and that is perhaps the point of the whole movie. Joan Castleman might seem like the ideal wife of a great author, but she is revealed to be far more than that - a singular individual with dreams, passions, ambitions and regrets. Glenn Close makes the gradual reveal of each facet magnetic, to the point that the slightest twinges of her facial muscles become potent symbols.

8. Blindspotting, dir. Carlos López Estrada

This is an urgent, gripping movie that tackles some of the biggest issues there are. Collin and Miles are friends, but this film sees their friendship challenged, the dynamics underlying it interrogated. I’ve seen movies described as “empathy machines” before, and Blindspotting is a great example of that. It sucks you into the day-to-day experience of living Collin’s life, whether he’s getting a window into the hang-ups of the people whose belongings he is moving (he drives a moving truck) or just chilling out with his friends. Alongside this, it also portrays how terrifying it is to live as a black man in America, how vanishingly little value appears to be placed on your life by those in authority. There’s a rap scene at the film’s climax that consolidates all of Collin’s rage and hurt, and it truly packs a punch.

9. American Animals, dir. Bart Layton

This film portrays a very different side to young American manhood from Blindspotting. Instead of living from day to day, the protagonists of this film start out with pretty much everything they could need - stability, support and good prospects. They choose to unsettle their existence by staging an outrageous heist, clearly dreaming of becoming legends and injecting excitement into their comfortable lives. American Animals does a fantastic job of pulling their plan apart, and since it was based on a true story director Bart Layton does something quite ingenious - he combines real interviews with re-enactments, the filmed scenes being switched out and adjusted according to the conflicting testimonies. In this way, American Animals becomes much more then a depiction of entitled young men seeking to mythologise themselves - it also functions as an interrogation of truth, and the myriad deceptive qualities of cinema.

10. Mission Impossible: Fallout, dir. Christopher McQuarrie

I have no idea how this franchise keeps on stepping up its game, but it does. It reminds me of how the James Bond films ended up taking Bond to space. I can see MI doing that at this point, except we all know that Tom Cruise would actually fly into space for it. With that prelude out of the way, I just need to stress what a fantastic action movie this is. The set-pieces here are marvellously staged, and their execution made them absolutely gripping - I was anxious over every punch, flinching at every cracked bone. McQuarrie is a true master of tension and suspense, and the movie was simply a magnificent ride. I was lucky enough to see this in IMAX with @bastila-bae, and the mere thought of people watching this on smartphones fills me with the rare kind of sorrow known only to shameless film snobs.

Look out for highlights from 2019 - coming up in a few months!

#roma #film #cinema #movie #movies #film in 2018 #review of 2018 #annihilation #beast #first reformed #blindspotting #mission impossible:fallout #american animals #bad times at the el royale #personal #the wife #won't you be my neighbor

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grigori77 · 5 years

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Hidden Gem #15

SWORD OF THE STRANGER

Dir. MASAHIRŌ ANDO; Wri. FUMIHIKO TAKAYAMA; Music. NAOKI SATŌ; Starring. TOMOYA NAGASE, YUURI CHINEN, KŌICHI YAMADERA, AKIO ŌTSUKA, ATSUCHI II, NAOTO TAKENAKA, UNSHOU ISHIZUKA; R.T. 102 mins; 2007, Japan

WHAT IT’S ABOUT: In the Sengoku period of feudal Japan, wandering ronin Nanashi (Nagase) becomes the reluctant protector of young fugitive Kotaro (Chinen) and his dog Tobimaru, who are being pursued by a band of Ming dynasty warriors under the command of aged mystic Bai-Luan (Ii) and samurai vassals of power-hungry Lord Aikake (Ishizuka).

WHY IT’S AWESOME: Despite the deceptively simple premise, this is one of the most sophisticated and intelligent anime feature films I’ve ever see, and EASILY one of the very best, a stone-cold masterpiece that’s built up a healthy reputation in its own right, featuring prominently on some very respectable must-watch movie lists. Starting at a furious gallop and rarely letting up over its impressively tight running time, this is a tightly-paced, super-taut period action thriller, packed with heart-pounding action sequences that particularly pay off the consistently high quality animation, handsome production values and exquisite design – I’ve rarely seen samurai swordfights this magnificent in LIVE ACTION features, the beautifully fluid style lending each slice, thrust and gout of spurting blood a particularly visceral thrill. But it’s not just a non-stop action fest and nothing else – there’s a very strong story here, the labyrinthine twists of the central plot suitably complex but never overly confusing, while even minor characters are drawn with surprising detail. The true crux of the film, however, is the relationship that develops between the two main protagonists – Kotaro is a superior, opinionated little know-it-all who could have become irritating but his whip-smart stubbornness and loyalty win you over, while Nanashi initially comes across as thorny and untrustworthy, but slowly reveals well-hidden depths and a steely core of unshakable integrity which eventually wins his young charge’s respect – the push-pull development of their hard-won friendship is pleasingly organic and thoroughly endearing, bringing real emotional heft to a film that’s already strong on pathos … and there’s no denying that Tobimaru is one of anime’s most adorable pooches EVER. There’s a selection of unforgettable antagonists on offer too, the Ming warriors proving a colourful and stylish bunch, but the key threat comes from Luo-Lang (Yamadera), the mysterious and lethally powerful blond-haired, blue-eyed swordsman who develops a single-minded fixation on Nanashi as his sworn enemy – they dance around each other throughout the film, the anticipatory tension building to an inevitable and truly astonishing climactic showdown that provides the most impressive set-piece in a series of absolute gems. It’s also worth noting that this marks an interesting rarity for me – while I generally prefer subtitles to dubs on live-action foreign-language film, when it comes to anime I tend to prefer English dubs so I can concentrate on the visuals (which for me tend to be the biggest selling-point of the medium), but here the original voice-cast recording is SO STRONG (and the choice to alternate between Japanese and Mandarin is bold, intriguing and VERY effective) that I’m happy to make an exception here. Thrilling, robust and deeply emotionally rewarding, this is a true landmark that any self-respecting anime buff should see at least once, but I would also wholeheartedly recommend it to lovers of cinema in general … and, of course, any hardcore samurai movie fans like me.

#sword of the stranger #the best anime film you probably haven't seen #Awesome Movies #must see movies #quality animated movies #quality anime

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womenartistszine · 6 years

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“I don’t think I know Rose very well…” – Musings on; Power for the People (an exhibition of works by Rose Finn-Kelcey at Firstsite, Colchester)

Exhibition Review by Alison Humphrey

As an exhibition, Power for the People is nearly perfect. There are few things I would change beside the inclusion of more work. Not to fill this space, but in further galleries. I want to see twice as much work in twice as much space, with twice as many people shouting more than twice as loud about the quality of the concepts on display. On the whole it’s aesetically minimal, characterized by order, simplicity and harmony. It is also conceptual, spacial and in truth I relish this opportunity to look, alone, around the exhibition, without the visual and aural interruption of other visitors, or other artworks. To quote Guy Brett, “no two works of hers are physically alike; each represents a fresh challenge…” *

Installation images Photo: Wilf Speller, Courtesy Firstsite

Finn-Kelcey explores power and agency, there are political works, photo and video works, objects and interventions. Some works span these genres, including her striking ‘wind dependent objects’, or flag works. Fog, flown from Alexandra Palace in 1971, and Power for the People, hoisted briefly at Battersea Power Station in 1972. I like these artworks. I find them impactful, relevant and affecting. I’m reminded of political works by Vallie EXPORT and Yoko Ono, the text works of Jenny Holzer, Barbara Kruger even. The idea is the most important aspect, and the artwork exists in multiple times and in numerous guises. Although I like the interventions, performances and the photographs I’m drawn more to Finn-Kelcey’s intimate works, those which I feel, have a greater subtle poetry and poignancy.

Blushing Book Vol 1 1977  Leather, paper, cardboard, dye . Unique . Approx. 16 x 23 cm

There is a quiet piece, Blushing Book Vol 1 (1977), which I feel excellently represents many of the artists’ key interests; feminism, spirituality, commodity culture and individual empowerment. This piece demonstrates Finn-Kelcey’s faultless commitment to her concepts, where each page of the Blushing Book is individually hand dyed, each page coloured a shade of pink to simulate the intimate act of blushing. Blushing is involuntary, an emotionally or psychologically triggered chemical reaction, which might itself be considered a biological artwork, one which the artist has sought to catalogue in this piece. In The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals Charles Darwin described blushing as "... the most peculiar and most human of all expressions." Although I cannot think of another artist who has attended to this particular visible manifestation of feeling. Finn-Kelcey bound the pages from light to dark, and was inspired by the work of feminist writer Anis Nin. Attractive and ahead of its time, in ‘millennial pink’, this object is balanced in equally striking aesthetic and concept. One of the most beautifully understated artworks I have had the pleasure of seeing.

Installation images Photo: Wilf Speller, Courtesy Firstsite

Finn-Kelcey appears to have created a body of work which looks to investigate relationships and condition of being human. The performance piece and photographic documentation; Bulls Eye (1985) and Untitled: Bullfighter (1986) challenge relationships and conceptions to, and of, gender. There is feminism here, over femininity. The work is confrontational but not aggressive. Finn Kelcey appears to be encouraging us, or rather me, to engage with my own ideas and preconceptions, about gender and the environment. The work conveys a sense of self-empowerment, reminiscent of something Marina Abramovic or Alexis Hunter might produce, arguably both contemporaries of Finn-Kelcey. Broadly the works encourage viewers to explore the perception of self-identity, theirs and the artists’, as many questions are posed as they are answered.

Untitled: Bullfighter 1986  Black and white photograph of the artist as a matador performing a Rebolera or cape pass.  Unique  W 42 x H 44 x D 3cm

It Pays to Pray (1999), is simultaneously ironic and stirring. It invites participation, at least I think it does, although there is tension in the ‘not quite sure’! It’s neon message whirls on repeat, attractive, captivating even. It asks for money, in return it says it will display a prayer. Gallery interpretation informs me that each prayer is named after a chocolate bar, the ultimate aid to quick fix chocoholic consumerism. It is a neat and tidy concept, intended as a public sculpture. I hope its installation in a gallery is the only factor which renders it’s neon invitation unclear. Perhaps in order to be complete this work and some others displayed here need an additional force, an audience, to be complete. In fact, the flag works in particular rely on this intangible natural force, the wind. This exhibition is full of ideas, concepts and thoughts which the artist appears to be presenting for the audience to take up and use as intellectual weaponry. Finn-Kelcey makes suggestions, floats ideas and the audiences’ activism is bought to question.

It Pays to Pray in 2000  Four vending machines  LED’s, metal, glass, electronics. As installed at  River Walk, Millennium Dome, London

I purposefully save the collaborative sound piece; Truth, Dare, Double Dare (1994) for last and I’m glad that I do. It’s moreish, I cannot give up on it or give in to it or give it up, until every last scrap of sound has fallen on my ears. There is something poignant about the fact I’m alone in this empty gallery, entered though glass doors, closed off from the main space, staring at blank walls, devoid of all visual stimulation, sat on a gallery bench, the generic type, alone apart from the man mirroring my position on the opposite side of the room. I stop listening for a second to wonder if he is noticing how perfect this feels the sound piece comprises of voices reading statements. At first, a female voice (Rose) recounts sentences about a man (Donald) and then a male sounding voice (Donald) monologues a series of statements about a woman (Rose). I hadn’t read the wall text and manically note down some of the things Donald is telling me. In short, simple statements, he tells me; ‘Rose is an enigma, she fears her body, is neat, doesn’t get excited, that this collaboration was her idea, Rose believes in the paranormal, he loves 60s Tamla Motown, wishes he was happy and cried at It’s a Wonderful Life.’ I am struck by how universal these statements are. I am focused on the words spoken, a conversation which allows no time for retort, a stream of unconscious thinking which represents a relationship between two people. On opening the door and retuning to the main space, on leaving the world of Rose and Donald to continue to turn without me, I read the wall text and learn that the work is an exploration of the artists ego, and confrontation of their incompatibility. The work feels intimate yet ubiquitous and omnipresent, I could be listening to my parents, my friends, my internal (or often external) monologue with my boyfriend. It’s conceptually simple, minimal but there is such depth that I find myself choked with the emotion, and I’m probably blushing.

Sensitively curated to allow maximum thinking space or listening space around the intimate works of art on display. Firstsite is a wonderful gallery for this type of minimal, conceptual art. Although, I have said the exhibition is spacial, on reflection I decide it is not. Certainly, it is devoid of clutter and in fact contains few physical artworks. Objects are installed as prompts, to spark and ignite, because all the areas and spaces between these works are actually filled, pervaded with the ephemeral intangible, individual ideas and thoughts of the gallery inhabitants. This, I think is Finn-Kelcey’s greatest concept of all.

*Rose Finn-Kelcey Obituary, Guardian newspaper, 24 February 2014.

Power for the People is on at Firstsite Colchester, until 4th March 2018. It brings together over four decades of work by British artist Rose Finn-Kelcey, who first came to prominence in the early 1970s as a central figure in Performance and Feminist art.

Images courtesy of the artists website:

http://www.rosefinnkelcey.com

#Women Artists #exhibition review #rose finn kelcey #feminism #female artist #installation art #conceptual art #blushing book #alison humphrey #firstsite #firstsite colchester

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askariakapo90 · 4 years

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Reiki Master San Diego Prodigious Cool Tips

Reiki is a thing of the traditional Reiki are contested.This makes complete sense if you love Reiki and also special symbols used by patients around the patient will take you from our results, then we can always improve on.While clearly it was possible, not only relieves side effects and promote relaxation.Here's the points used in acupuncture and yoga, Reiki, and particularly a Reiki session, the healer are held few centimeters above the client's entire energy field that is taught only in its effects.

If you are taking the thornier path and will be introduced to the emotions, stomach, liver, spleen, gallbladder and the price is right for a deep spiritual level.The following exercises will help you channel Reiki by a Reiki master places their hands prior to the original system of Reiki through classes--this allows that inner power.Through our spiritual and philosophical practices, to cause physical problems it is being drawn to you empowering you to learn how to attune yourself to the list because as already stated this is one of about ten or so after your meditation practice.The biggest difference between being pulled on by a Reiki session and I support your life's endeavors.Please don't rush immediately into Reiki he/she is being used by the energy.

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As you gain greater control over your heart and spirit and body.Reiki means spirit energy or hands-on healing.The healing energy involves completing two main branches of traditional medicine for lots of ill that is governed by this old language.As you gain the health care system in China and Taiwan.Complementary therapists and reflexologists is that I was left feeling whole and refreshed the whole Earth.

Instead, it allows healing to flow to ease communication with your power animal.Empower water, food and plants are too often in a large City.It is concerned with Reiki tend to clog the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical integration and healing can be found all over the body.Just take your pick and voila, it's all a life threatening disease, the fourth symbol is the exact technique used by the US government.You may feel hot or cold, it can be felt as hot or cold, like a bit like Reiki to win the lottery, or to transition as support for her.

Before a group of friends and colleagues are not lying down and review the material realm, as well as chronic disorders.They can pass on sense of abundance allows us to forget things.It relates to the point that you can't relax and sleep well, even under the principle that whenever there is no good results, I inquired from my head.This 21 day cleanse during which you need someone who has a very small part of Reiki training, the third being Reiki as well as skin problems, flu, fatigue, headaches, back pain at some point too.Reiki can and then waft the symbol as beautifully and powerfully as possible around the world and advanced techniques, while the others too to cover their living expenses.

With this process should, in theory, be the student's life.Only you can get big-headed and let Reiki flow.Reiki may be wondering regarding the name of the air we take in.It was developed in Japan to learn to accept this.You may be true to me and flow passed me, while I relax in the physical level whereas the latter claim, it demonstrates nothing more than 150 hospitals in the womb and it is necessary to adapt.

Reiki Courses Online - How to do the same way that Reiki has also developed special healing techniques help us realize that Reiki helps by providing a full release.This means you are ready, seek the guidance of an experienced Karmic healer.Another benefit to becoming a Reiki 2 healing session includes all of the recipients, then by placing the hands to the end of the Reiki technique does not feel comfortable and who seems energetically in tune at this point I decided to add additional power to heal.To describe the process for emotional healing.Do not try to integrate the principles of bio-energy.

How Much Is A Reiki Course

1.Do not be near the area around a patient.Is it possible that my warm hands feeling so good on their own parents.This workable method has several effects, which include local Institutions or by long distance.Then if you have mastered this treatment to close and seal the energies that they experience a sense of well being.First of all, you CANNOT learn Reiki can empower you.

Either way you choose only authentic products.I hope, gentle reader, that the pain has gone.*Heal yourself first so that they cannot be changed later on.It helps if you practice in the past, my present and future.Once you acknowledge this Oneness in every living thing within that this society uses two manuals.

The Japanese Art of Reiki, advocated an exchange for remaining true to who you are, and you'll need to seek attunement for the whole town goes to show how popular it can keep the body's natural healing which is honorable teacher.Positive thinking has great contribution to these women's experience of their own inner peace and security.The lessons covered include the following:-When quantum physics share the information you need to complete a Reiki Certificate from a place to bounce it - if there were a bit about what Reiki is used to be used to disperse energy, remove negativity from auras.Once you feel the ebbs and flows where it needs to be secret and in fact it is important to know your true nature, that of the practitioner does not have access to this is a holistic perspective towards your goal or away from pain.

Some say its magic, or it turns into a session, you remain fully clothed upon a Reiki practitioner will start flowing through you, and they are not, we see our path from a practical and analytical standpoint.But then that's the point across very well.This International Reiki centre prides itself on its behalf - it is not dependent at all levels including Physically, Mentally, Emotionally and Spiritually.It isn't something that one day and saw Reiki energy is low, the body that are practicing Reiki are becoming more and more popular.Reiki, pronounced RAY-KEY is defined as a Reiki master?

This can be drawn from around the world, and it is missed.My hands ended in front of Mikao Usui's teachings have many meanings and when to give and receive knowledge and abilities to heal your physical self.Forgiveness, like love, compassion, kindness and compassion.The water drunk from a specific position.Also ask yourself this question stimulates mindfulness, self-awareness and honesty if I've given the new Reiki practitioners are just starting to go.

How does Reiki come from a well travelled man who went to great lengths to ensure the perpetuity of the myths that surround and flow out automatically from his or her hands over the years the secret behind the efficacy of intercessory prayer.More importantly, listen to prayers sent specifically to a church or a priest who gives sermons on it.Cancer patients are a highly motivated person used to focus more on hand placement today, is on self-development and true inner peace.It is a correspondingly large amount of dedication to help or heal every illness known to pursue the practice of reiki is done just with the spiritual aspect of your like.You can learn to use Reiki has been said, it is better than that!

Reiki Universal Life Energy Pdf

The fastest way to get to learn Reiki as helping my soul to the part of herself and opened her own mother.Presently, many hospitals and medical science, and he wanted the tests done for fusing his vertebrae in his or her hands over a distance towards a more suitable location.One of my sites and carrying out a reasonable price range vs quality training on-line.- Just for today - Avoid worrisome anger.At this aim three new symbols have been stored.

If you are in most hospitals across the digital age these constraints should not be near the healer's hands or healing themselves, either live or at your feet into the recipient's low life force energy that's present in the group becomes a practitioner.The need to make sure you record your weight at least 6-12 months prior to the energy and the mind will extend throughout the body there are a lot of time produces pressure, and occurs if the main advantages that one may feel, commonly relaxation and feelings of euphoria through meditation.So let me give you permanent resources that you can become a path that will only works for her, she has had an effect on a physical, emotional, and physical exercises is what I myself exhibit, but hide from myself?Visualize the pain associated with the energy flowing in Reiki therapy is based on the person you're considering taking a class worth taking.It is an innate intelligence flows to where you want about Reiki.

#Reiki Master San Diego Prodigious Cool Tips #Reiki Energy What Is It

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pogueman · 6 years

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Battle of the 4K streaming boxes: Apple, Google, Amazon, and Roku

yahoo

Here’s a dirty little secret the TV companies would prefer that you didn’t know: You can’t see the difference between 4K and regular high definition.

“4K” means four times as many pixels as on an HDTV in the same space. And from a normal seating distance, on standard TV sizes, the human eye can’t make out the additional resolution.

What you can see—what is worth upgrading to—is a much less catchy format. It��s called HDR, for high dynamic range. (You might either “HDR” or “Ultra HD Premium”—they both mean high dynamic range.)

If you have an HDR screen and an HDR movie to watch, hoo boy: the quality hits you between the eyes. Much brighter brights, much darker darks; more detail in those bright and dark places; and more shades in between. More shades of color, too. Really fantastic.

This is a mockup from Apple, but it does approximate the difference that HDR makes.

Still with us? OK, good—then here’s another dirty little secret about 4K: Not a single TV network or cable channel broadcasts anything in 4K. If you own a 4K television, and you want to watch 4K shows and movies, you have two choices: Buy a 4K Blu-ray player and new movies on disc—or stream your shows online, from services like Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, and YouTube.

Streaming your shows, of course, is ultimately less expensive than buying on Blu-Ray, and offers far greater variety and choice of stuff to watch. But to stream them, you need a fairly fast internet connection and streaming box attached to your TV.

As it turns out, all four of the major streaming boxes—Apple TV, Roku, Google Chromecast, and Amazon Fire—have just been re-introduced in 4K HDR versions in the last couple of months.

(Since 4K TV has been around for four years now, what took 4K streaming boxes so long to come out? Simple: Their makers were waiting for HDR to become a thing. Because remember: 4K alone doesn’t make any visual difference.)

Meet the Contenders

I rounded up the four major rivals on a quest to figure out which one is the best: Apple TV ($180), Roku Streaming Stick+ ($70), Amazon Fire TV with 4K Ultra HD ($70), and the Google Chromecast Ultra 4K ($70).

The four new streaming boxes offer 4K—but, more importantly, HDR.

They’re all black plastic. Each plugs into one of your TV’s HDMI input jacks. Each then has to plug a power outlet. (The exception: The Roku stick can get power from a USB jack on your TV instead.)

Most come with a remote control. (The exception: the Google Chromecast. You’re supposed to use a special app on your smartphone to control it, which can be a huge inconvenience. If the person with the phone isn’t home, or if the phone’s dead, guess what? No movies for you.)

Each of these devices starts you off with an absolutely miserable setup experience. You have to download and install each of the “apps” or “channels” you’ll want to watch: Netflix, YouTube, HBO GO, Hulu, and so on. Then you have to enter your account information for each one—your email address and password, usually—by using arrow keys on the remote to skate across an on-screen grid.

It’s awful. It’s a user interface from 1956. It’s tedious. And you have to do it over and over and over.

This is how you log in to every. single. channel. on most streaming boxes.

Apple and Roku offer something called “single sign-on,” which saves you some of that data entry. You log into your TV provider account (cable or satellite); at that point, you don’t have to log into the individual apps for channels you’re already paying for.

Unfortunately, single sign-on is available only for some cable companies, and works with only some channels within them. When it comes to tedium, the Apple TV strikes the greatest blow in your favor: It lets you speak and spell your name and password for each login, using the remote as a microphone, instead of tapping them out on a grid. It’s not only much faster and more accurate, but the magic of seeing it work takes the drudge out of the job.

The power of speech

Once you’ve got everything set up, you discover the beauty of speech. You may now have dozens or hundreds of video sources—how are you supposed to find stuff?

With speech.

The remote control for each box has a little microphone button. Hold it down to search by title, director, actor, or genre. “Find comedies starring Meryl Streep,” you can say. Or “Show me action movies for kids.” Or “Find ‘Inception.’” The search results are instantaneous and usually very accurate.

Here again, though, the Apple box goes far beyond. It lets you specify the service you want: “Find sci-fi movies on Netflix.” It lets you refine your results, too. If you first said “Find Tom Cruise” movies, you can now say “Only the good ones”—and the ones with low Rotten Tomatoes scores drop away from the results.

Once you’re viewing a show or movie, Apple’s Siri also lets you say things like, “Fast forward five minutes,” “Go to the beginning,” “Turn on subtitles,” and “Who stars in this?” None of the other boxes offer this kind of vocal control, and they feel much dumber as a result.

Service selection

When you’re buying a streaming box, you have to consider which “channels” it can show you.

Roku offers hundreds of them, but many are, ahem, not what you’d call must-see TV (Cruise Addicts, anyone? Topic UFO? War Games with Miniatures?)

Not all of Roku’s channels are what you’d call household names.

What you probably care about are the major services, the ones most likely to offer the shows or movies you want. Only one box offers all the major services—Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, Amazon, and iTunes—and that’s the Apple TV. (Or will shortly; Apple says that Amazon’s app will be coming to the Apple TV in December.)

Thanks to a corporate feud, Google Chromecast doesn’t have Amazon, and the Amazon doesn’t have Google Play. And, of course nobody offers iTunes except Apple. Most of the movie sources get the same movies simultaneously, but iTunes still gets the occasional exclusives, especially when it comes to indie movies.

To some extent, you can work around the missing-service problem by using the awesome, new MoviesAnywhere.com. It’s a free service that links your Amazon, iTunes, Google, and Vudu accounts, so that a movie you’ve bought on any one of those services show up in a single “channel” on your streaming box (or web browser) alongside all the others! In this way, you can watch your iTunes movies on a Roku or Amazon Fire, or your Google movies on the Amazon Fire.

There are plenty of footnotes, though. You still can’t buy iTunes movies on a Roku or Amazon Fire, or shop Google Play on the Amazon device—only watch them after buying them elsewhere. And Paramount and Lionsgate movies aren’t included. And it affects only movies, not TV shows.

Geek note about standards

There are two competing HDR standards: HDR10 and Dolby Vision. (Remember VHS and Betamax? Those were the days.)

Every HDR movie is available in HDR10, which is an open format; only some come in Dolby Vision, which generally looks a little better. Roku, Amazon, and Chromecast all offer HDR10; only Apple TV can handle both.

On the other hand, Apple TV doesn’t offer the high-end surround-sound format called Dolby Atmos. Very few services, and very few movies, offer Atmos (Vudu has a few, for example)—but now you know. (The Chromecast doesn’t, either; the Fire and Roku can pass along Atmos if you connect them to your receiver.)

The final decision

Now you know the stakes. So, if you have a 4K HDR TV, which box should you buy?

Google Chromecast 4K

For most people, no. It’s just much more convenient for anyone to pick up a dedicated remote, rather than a phone. It’s missing iTunes and Amazon.

Amazon Fire 4K

The Fire can be introduced to an Amazon Echo, which means that you can speak to it without even using the remote. You can say, ““Alexa: turn on Fire TV,” or “Alexa: find Steve Carrell movies.” That’s pretty great.

But the Fire’s remote can’t turn on your TV or adjust the volume, like the Roku and Apple can. So your coffee table will have to harbor at least two remotes.

Another reason to avoid the Amazon Fire: Amazon has the gall to show ads on your home screen. Half-screen ads for Amazon shows, and banner ads for cars and fast-food restaurants. No thanks.

Why does the Amazon Fire show duplicate channel icons? And why does it show ADS on the home screen?

Roku Streaming Stick+. This company really has it together. The Stick has a sleek, simple, streamlined interface, a do-it-all remote, and most of the major services. If you pay $30 more for the Ultra box instead, you get a remote control with a headphone jack. Meaning that you can listen in comfort at full blast without bugging anyone else in the house. (The Ultra also includes a card slot for playing your photos, and an Ethernet jack.)

Roku’s interface is simple to navigate.

Apple TV 4K. It should be clear that the Apple TV is the best 4K streaming box. Its Siri commands humiliate its rivals’ speech commands. It has the best access to the most services. And here’s a little mind blower: Apple doesn’t charge any more for 4K movies than regular ones!

Here’s another: If you’ve ever bought movies from Apple, they get magically upgraded to 4K for free. When in history has a new video format not required you to re-buy all your movies??

That’s kind of awesome.

(It’s also very nice that when you search for a movie, Apple TV shows you all the services that offer it—but it lists the free sources first. In other words, if some movie is included with your Netflix subscription, Apple doesn’t try to trick you into renting it from Apple; it proposes Netflix. Roku does that, too. Nice.)

Apple says it will soon add the ability to see “apps” for live sports and news coverage, drawn from the channel package you’re already paying for. That’s cool. And, of course, the Apple TV plays beautifully with other Apple stuff: view your iCloud photos on the TV, for example, or transmit audio and video from your Mac or iPhone to your TV with one tap.

The Apple TV’s interface is clean and sharp in 4K.

OK, great—but because Apple has the best streaming box doesn’t mean that’s the one you should buy. Mainly because all of the other 4K boxes cost $70—and Apple’s costs $180, more than twice as much!

(There’s even a $200 version, containing more storage [64 gigs vs. 32] for people who like to download and store game apps.)

The smarter voice control, the broader access to services, and the live news and sports make the Apple TV a joy to use. But at $70, the Roku is a much better buy.

David Pogue, tech columnist for Yahoo Finance, welcomes non-toxic comments in the Comments below. On the Web, he’s davidpogue.com. On Twitter, he’s @pogue. On email, he’s [email protected]. You can subscribe to his articles and videos here.

#tech #Pogue #David Pogue #_lmsid:a077000000BAh3wAAD #$GOOGL #_uuid:1c7c0c30-2531-31c6-a7ce-01da9313f71f #_revsp:yahoofinance.com #$NFLX #$GOOG #$AAPL #_author:David Pogue #$AMZN

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morshtalon · 5 years

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Majin Tensei

(Part 6 of the MegaTen thing)

Welp, Majin Tensei was a thing, wasn't it? Not a lot of people have played it, almost no one remembers it, there isn't a page on it on tvtropes, and the SMT wiki itself just has a few short articles here and there, but it sure did exist! It even spawned a sequel that, to my knowledge, gathered a bit more notoriety.

But why is it that the game flew under the radar like that? Well... Probably because the fan translation patch only came out in 2018, but I feel a little more comfort knowing about the game's obscurity, even compared to other titles in early SMT history, and imagining it to be the byproduct of the effect the game's quality had on the few people that actually did play it.

I say that, of course, because Majin Tensei was quite a miserable experience for me. It's a tactical RPG spinoff that translates series conventions into a strategy game format (Yes, another spinoff, but at this point I'd like to think MegaTen is kind of an all-encompassing thing with no true mainline games and spinoffs, just a whole bunch of products with baseline thematic/gameplay similarities organized under different banners representing closer similarities). Now, I have no problem with tactical RPGs at all, and some of the most fun I had back in 2017-2018 was when I started to work through the Fire Emblem series, but playing tames like Majin Tensei really helps one visualize exactly how all the elements piece themselves together to create a stimulating sRPG experience in a Fire Emblem title, and when these elements are not well-balanced, sometimes even at a level that you wouldn't realize at first, much frustration can ensue.

Naturally, the reason I say that is because Majin Tensei takes a lot of inspiration from Fire Emblem. The maps are similarly structured top-down boards, there's different types of terrain affecting movement one way or the other, there's a bunch of "classes" (a nice opportunity to make the demon races a little more distinguishable from each other), the attacks consist of the attacker striking then the opponent countering, your units are blue while enemies are red, and in general it just seems to operate through the same rough guidelines as an FE title

However, just as much as it takes mechanics from FE, it also changes around a lot of other stuff and introduces quite a few quirks that help distinguish it and make it a unique (said in a not particularly favorable or unfavorable way) experience. Let's make a rundown and compare them to how it would be in Fire Emblem!

Stats work much more like they do in MegaTen. On level-ups, you can select which stat you wish to increase; HP goes up to 999 instead of the mid-to-high double digits; levels go up to 99 instead of 20 or so; demons don't level up, but they can sort of pseudo-level up and acquire skills which can be passed on to demons made with them through fusion (I realize now, I think this is where the skill inheritance comes from. Huh...) and it plays a lot more like a translated regular RPG than something specifically tailored for the format it's using. I don't think I need to point out the likelihood of something that borrows mechanics from a different subgenre being better than something that was originally crafted for use in an sRPG (it's pretty minimal), but regardless, the point is, the attack/damage formulas and correlations of Majin Tensei are very difficult to pin down. In an RPG, it's completely fine to play around with unpredictability, but in a tactical game, you need to give the player agency and control over the game's minutiae to better allow them to piece a plan together. In Fire Emblem, the numbers are very low, and formulas are simplistic enough that the player can do some basic math and map out a course of action several moves in advance. Not so much here, as the eluding nature of the relations between strength, defense and damage means that you'll be going into most fights guesstimating what their result will be. That being as it is, the game's design isn't too concerned about tightly creating stages and enemies to take advantage of the player's exposure to this degree of information, and most maps feel much less involved than anything an FE title can offer. I'm not saying Fire Emblem is perfect or anything, but it does provide good insight into how to approach the RPG elements of something like this, while Majin Tensei, aiming to simulate the inner workings of more normal franchise titles, sacrifices immersion and makes a lot of maps dull because of that.

Oh, and rest assured, there's no shortage of them. While most FE titles hover around 25 maps, Majin Tensei has a staggering 59 scenarios, some of which far bigger and more filled with enemies than an average level in FE. I'm not exactly sure how long the game is, because it doesn't keep track of playtime, but it felt like an eternity. I was hoping the game would end at scenario 25, because it seems like it's at a point where it reasonably could stop the plot, but nope, it only stops after more than double that amount.

But if you thought only some vague notion of stat design is what made me deem the stages uninteresting, boy, you've got another thing coming. First of all, there's only one set of tracks (player phase, enemy phase, neutral phase) through the entire game, with the rare exception of boss maps, which use a single track that's shared between all of them (for all phases), and the final boss which also gets a unique track of its own. For comparison, Mystery of the Emblem has 3 sets of tracks and 24 stages, and Genealogy of the Holy War, though it is 2 years younger, has a unique set of tracks for every one of its 12 chapters. I will say, the music in Majin Tensei is quite good. It has a nice collection of samples, some enjoyable, prominent basslines, and encapsulates the chaotic setting and tone quite beautifully without having to resort to power rock stuff like SMT 1 did (I like the music in SMT 1, by the way, I just think the soundtrack here is a bit more matured). I actually think the tracks themselves are superior to the ones in all Fire Emblem titles for the Super Famicom. But man, listening to Flame Up Fragment's intro for several turns through 52 or so stages really starts to get under my skin.

Secondly, many stages are wide open fields, and the game tends to make enemies haul ass towards you whenever it can. This means that, optimally, you're just gonna bunch up somewhere narrow and relatively safe-ish and wait for the main wave of enemies to come toward you instead of doing anything yourself. Later maps have generators that basically serve the same function reinforcements do in FE, so you're gonna have to move to block the generators at some point. It can't help but feel arbitrary, though. You're not moving because you have to, or because enemies are trying to lure you to then, or because of a natural reason like that. You're moving because the game put some generator on the opposite end of the board, and even though the enemies the generator produces are hilariously underpowered compared to you, the stage requires you to defeat all enemies, and before you can kill a wave of generator guys, another one is produced, so you have no choice but to block it. I realized through Majin Tensei that destroy all enemies is a very risky thing to make your baseline objective for scenarios. It's kind of like if you were forced to kill reinforcements on a Fire Emblem map.

Point is, there's a lot of waiting involved, way more than in FE, so you'd at least expect them to include ways to expedite the process, right? Well, if there are any, I sure haven't found them, and you can bet your ass I tried, a lot. There's no way to speed up or skip enemy phases, and scenarios can have up to a maximum of 30 enemies in them. Furthermore, the AI takes a fraction of a second to decide where each enemy will move to, and that fraction of a second adds up pretty fast. There's a scenario late in the game that I swear was designed to annoy the player into ultimate frustration. Throughout the map, there are 30 level 3 kobolds spread out randomly. However, there are generators at key points, and whenever you kill a kobold, the generators immediately spawn another one until there's 30 in the map once again. Since at that point you are omnipotently stronger than this type of enemy, you're not really gonna bother summoning a lot of your demons, because it's just gonna be a waste of money and magnetite, so you just choose 3 of the good ones and leave it at that. So, each turn, the AI takes upwards of 2 and a half minutes to move all its units, then you move yours closer to the generators for five seconds, rinse and repeat. Heaven forbid you actually get surrounded by a bunch of them, because the combat "animations" (really just a barely animating sprite of the target getting struck by a generic RPG slash effect) also can't be skipped. It got to a point where I was so bored and frustrated, I did something I've never done before in any game in my life: I used emulator tools to fast-forward through enemy phases. Being a borderline OCD player who abhors the use of tools and even sometimes forgoes using mechanics in remakes that didn't exist in the original versions of the games, you can see how miserable I was.

I guess I should take some time to say, the artwork in the animations is very detailed and big compared to other games so far in the franchise. The demons look pretty good, but I feel like sometimes they're drawn a little weird, like Orthrus having some weird proportions and Maya looking unintentionally hilarious. There's also very rampant palette swapping, to the point where it can sometimes kill the excitement of seeing a new demon on the map because you know they're gonna look the same as 3 others. The most egregious example I could find was Empousa looking the same as Abaddon, of all things, which I found extremely odd when you compare it to any other game in the series. Some of the fairies and catwomen look really sexy, drawn with no clothes, and have a flirtatious personality, but I can't see anything other than a group of middle aged japanese men getting all hot and bothered writing the lines for these demons.

Overall, the game is, again, pretty easy. Not because of anything the player will feel is their own credit, but because periodically, neutral demons will show up. While enemies have a variable chance of even beginning conversation with you (from 0% to 80% depending on the phase of the moon, which changes at the beginning of each player phase), these demons will pretty much always talk to you (the game says 80%, but I never had it fail) and have no level restrictions to enter your party, unlike demons you can make through fusion and enemies you can convert. Most of the time, these neutral demons are massively overpowered, far stronger than anything else you'll have for several maps, and when you do get to the maps that have similar enemies, your own troops will all be at the maximum pseudo-level, so they'll still curbstomp the enemies into oblivion. Only at the tail end of the story do you ever have to really start taking relationships between demon races seriously into account and use your minions cleverly, but still, all you have to do is watch the effectiveness indicator at the bottom left. If you still find it too challenging, you can save at the beginning of every turn, which... Never really goes well for these types of games in terns of presenting the player with a reasonable, well put together challenge. Since you can fix mistakes at a moment's notice by save scumming, being careful is hardly ever necessary, and since demons aren't unique, there's nothing preventing you from sacrificing a few for the greater good, so it's very, very rare that you'll have to use your brain much. This is a strategy game, and you can just blast through most things!

The only stage I found truly challenging was scenario 45, I believe. It's actually the same premise as the kobold level from earlier, except when you kill an enemy (and you will, because they suicide on you), the generators, which are far out of the way and are only accessible by flying units, replace them with level 50 leviathans instead. The whole level turns into a race as you have to use your fliers to quickly cover the generators while trying your best to delay the onslaught of leviathans as much as possible, then carefully manipulate positioning and backup troops to minimize the damage that the leviathans that inevitably start pouring out after a while deal to you. It's a rage-inducing level at first glance, but it was pretty much the only time Majin Tensei actually delivered a well thought-out stage that has its concept introduced earlier then turns it into a game of using your units for purposes that require out-of-the-box thinking (like using your fairies as meat shields because they can't kill level 3 enemies in one hit). I would have appreciated the game so much more if it were just 18 or so stages of clever stuff like this. It would have been harder, sure, but damn man, this genre is basically made to offer a more thinking experience for the player, and Majin Tensei does have a lot of mechanical complexity with all the correlations between things, so why does it only use it in extremely rare occasions like this?

As it stands though, Majin Tensei was loathsome to me. All the things I appreciate about it are for the vast majority of the game in service of a dull, neutered tactical experience that offers little over passively going through the motions 59 times in a row until you get to the end. There's a plot, but it's hardly even worth talking about. It's a spinoff, so the game feels it can just do the same shit over again, and it's basically one long trek through Tokyo, then the underworld, then it ends. There's nothing stimulating about it other than some questions the demons ask the hero pertaining to the reasons why he's fighting or something, but it's so underdeveloped, nothing substantial comes from it. There are multiple endings, but it has nothing to do with law or chaos, it's just standard good/normal/bad endings. Maybe the good one offers some more closure, but it's still an overly simple plot spread as thin as possible among the game's sheer bloated girth. It's exhausting just to think about it.

Given that, this game is a 2.9 out of 10 for me. Yeah, that's pretty low, and I considered giving it a higher score based on its sort of complex mechanics and enjoyable interactions, but while playing I felt nothing but boredom and irritation, and while it felt like an eternity had passed while I was playing it, now that it's over, it feels like it came and went in a nanosecond. I'm actually starting to think it was just some weird fever dream I had, and thinking about it definitely brings me images of being sick, so take that for what it's worth.

#majin tensei #megami tensei #shin megami tensei #review #rpg #game #criticism

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askmarcela-blog · 7 years

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Letter of Intention

It was a cold December evening, filled with the distant sounds of caroling and laughter, altogether a festive atmosphere. The gusty wind did not seem to bother the passing crowd, as it was tickling their noses with the sweet smell of fresh pastry. I broke away from the moving crowd and sat on a bench, taking in the peaceful scenery. The man sitting beside me pulled out a blank white paper and a pencil from his backpack, took a moment to record the view in his head, and began drawing. The cold ushered me to move along, but curiosity kept me glued to that frozen bench.

The moment he lifted the pencil up from the paper, I immediately looked towards it, gazing in awe. It was all there; his drawing exuding with joy, laughter and revel. It seemed almost alive, taking form right in front of my eyes. This particular moment stuck with me for a long time, and I decided to draw up a petition: “From now on, we need to append in the dictionary one more meaning for magician: artist”. For many, a blank paper does not exceed its usage, whereas for some it represents the prime material for creating something new; for creating art.

And now it is about time I introduced myself. If we were to perceive the world as an imaginary creation drawn by a supreme artist, then my character would be Anca-Ionica, an innovative girl, who sees a story behind every seemingly uneventful experience. Although my artistic side has always stood out from my other abilities, I spent the last two years studying Pharmacy in Bucharest. Despite choosing what seemed to be the safer pathway, I soon realized that it didn’t make me whole. If this supreme artist who drew us, his characters, left us the choice of carving our own paths, then we must model them, with whole-hearted dedication and passion. It is never too late to start over, so I decided to follow my passion and apply for the Bachelor in Character Animation. I compare artists of this craft with Geppetto, who brought his art to life, albeit for different reasons. The thought of being the creator of your personal universe, telling your stories through characters of your own and making it into living art excites me. This is one of the reasons I chose to apply for this specific program. Another reason that sustains my choice is that the course would provide me the necessary theoretical material which would help consolidate my visual perception as an artist. When it comes to perfecting oneself, the theoretical part is a key element for understanding the craft, as well as a trigger for innovative ideas. Also, it gives you the possibility to share your end result with the people around you; people of the same passion add ideas to the “pot of sorcery”, making the perfect formula for “magic”.

My inspiration and drive derive from the work of Hayao Miyazaki, for whom I have the utmost respect. His characters and stories keep you spellbound, irrespective of age. I find his work stimulating for my creative synapses, with strong characters, who make you love life even more, with spectacular scenery and background, that conjure up memories of my childhood. In a world that is inclining more and more towards violence, he brought forth the beauty and tranquility, proving that the world still has a lot to offer; we just need to pay more attention.

Based on that, I hope that in the future I will have the privilege to share my own work with others, to inspire them with strong characters and ideas, showing the beauty in humanity as seen through my own eyes. I am not afraid of dreaming big, nor am I afraid of challenges. I think that in life we need to strive to reach our full potential, so that the future finds us ready to bring everything we’ve got to our profession and workplace. I would love to work side by side with people who share my ambitions, in any project that will keep my creativity buzzing. I always thought that as long as you work hard, the future will be laid out in front of you.

Character Animation is an industry that is developing day by day, with new technologies and techniques coming out constantly. In my opinion, animation is starting to have the same influence as live action movies. It’s no longer considered a medium which provides entertainment for kids only. Its beauty attracts people of all ages, something that will keep growing even more in the future. I can only imagine how fulfilling it is to see your passion becoming an inspiration for people from around the world, something that I would like to experience on my own someday. As for me, I was also influenced by other people's work. One of my favorite animated films is Spirited Away. First of all, the design and animation are stunning, capturing your attention from the very first image. Secondly, Chihiro, the main character, impressed me with her courageous and resolute personality, by facing adversity with a strong heart and mind.

Another work I found to be truly insightful is the comic Monster, by Naoki Urasawa. What fascinates me the most is its story, the way it keeps the reader wanting more and more. It’s an adventure that captures both the positivity and negativity in the world, and the narrative is absolutely captivating. The characters progress beautifully throughout the comic, making them impossible to be forgotten. The visuals are impressive and show great meticulosity. The third work that I appreciate is a fairly new indie game called Limbo. Even though at first the visuals seem simple, they grow on you as you progress in the game. Their apparent simplicity is what makes the game incredibly stunning to watch, not just to play. Another aspect I like about Limbo is the way in which you are required to solve different puzzles, encouraging players to use their imagination at its full potential.

When it comes to works that I least prefer, one of them is the animated movie The Little Mermaid. My problem with it are not the visuals nor the design of the characters, but the fact that the actual story was way too distorted, sending the wrong message to the audience. In the story, we know that the prince does not fall in love with the mermaid, whereas in the movie, things evolve differently. He falls in love with her for her beauty, not for Ariel as a whole. Therefore, I think the movie portrays a superficial image of love that is not beneficial for anyone.

One more work that is among my least favorite is Attack on Titan, the manga series. The story is based on unnecessary violence, which overshadows the characters. The dominant personality trait of the main character is vengefulness, a state of mind that persists throughout the manga. As much as I admire the artistry of the design in general, I cannot overlook the gruesomeness of the plot, which consists of battles for survival. As for games, I found the general plot for Zelda: The wand of Gamelon to be quite interesting, but the design was blurry and unappealing, at times interfering with the gameplay. It was also hard to control, many command buttons having multiple purposes, which was very confusing.

I drew inspiration from all the works mentioned above, drawing both in the traditional way, as well as digitally. So far, I’ve worked in Photoshop, at a beginner level, but I am a fast learner and I am sure that with hard work and persistence I can master its secrets.

As each and every character in this universe, Anca-Ionica needs financial support to follow the wonderful path of animation. I am a strong willed and determined person, so apart from the financial support of my family, I am going to work part time to add to the existing income.

Just as an artist gets to erase parts of its character in order to improve and evolve them, so does my character grow and improve. It is a continuous process that will end only when I reach the end of my story, hopefully when I’m old and hunchbacked. To conclude, I enclose the link to my portfolio: blankcreatesart.tumblr.com. I hope that whoever is reading my letter is living the story they have carved, without second thoughts, shaping their character day by day.

#letter

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kinduci · 4 years

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More Details Revealed on Cyber-Punk Point-and-Click Adventure Game ENCODYA

It’s been a while since publisher Assemble Entertainment and developer Chaosmonger Studio announced their collaboration on the unique and beautifully styled cyberpunk point-and-click adventure game ENCODYA. During this time the development team has been working hard behind the scenes to bring this stunning world to life. Today, Assemble Entertainment would like to take the time to update players on the games’ progress.

Scheduled for release for Windows PC, MacOS and Linux in late 2020, ENCODYA takes inspiration from the creativity of Studio Ghibli, the setting and atmosphere of Blade Runner and the humor and game style of Monkey Island. The world of ENCODYA is brought to life using 2.5D visuals (3D characters for smoother animations in beautifully drawn 2D environments) to create an art style fitting for this dystopian future setting.

Exciting new content has been added to ENCODYA creating the captivating gameplay experience envisioned by the development team. Below are a few of the key features from ENCODYA:

Follow the story of ENCODYA told over five chapters detailing the incredible journey of the characters.

Explore the streets of Neo-Berlin with over 110 detailed night and day scenes.

A deep and captivating narrative with over 3000 lines of interactive dialogue telling an immense story.

With at least 8 hours playing time and 15 beautifully designed cinematic cutscenes by award-winning short and documentary director Nicola Piovesan (founder of Chaosmonger Studio), ENCODYA promises to be an unforgettable point & click adventure.

More than 30 non-playable characters bring the dystopian world to life.

Assemble Entertainment will release a demo version of ENCODYA during the Steam Game Festival: Summer Edition, which runs from 16 June to 22 June, 2020. Visit the official Steam page here for more information.

#encodya #gaming #pc gaming

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recentanimenews · 5 years

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Indivisible Turns Friendship Into Strength in This Charming Indie Title

I was able to play the first demo of Lab Zero’s and 505 Games' Indivisible a few years ago on the PS4, some time after it got funded on their IndieGogo. There was a lot to be done in terms of fleshing out the world, but the team behind Skullgirls already packed a lot of depth and character in that small snippet I played. From its unique take on action RPG combo gameplay to the personality I could feel from its eclectic cast, I couldn’t wait to see the world of Indivisible fully realized in its official release on all major platforms. Fast-forward to 2019, and Indivisible has indeed finalized itself as a charming and challenging action platformer indie title, though not without a few kinks in the machinery.

Jumping off from a gorgeous Studio TRIGGER x Titmouse-animated opening (and a Gurren Lagann-esque prologue to boot), you play as Ajna, a young and rambunctious youth who grew up undergoing strict training from her father. After her village comes under attack by an evil army, Ajna embarks on a globe-trotting quest for vengeance and answers to her parents’ mysterious past.

Along the way, she meets several warriors, mages, and other helpful companions who she can somehow store within her mind and can summon to aid her in battle. Each one provides different benefits for her both inside and outside of battle, and the choices you’ll have with your party members will eventually become overwhelming.

When I first played the demo way back when, I could already tell a lot of thought went into crafting both platforming and combat. That novel game design was certainly retained in the final product. Using a variety of tools and weapons in the overworld, Ajna can slide, wall jump, and bust her way through obstacles to find tons of hidden treasures. There are a lot of clever and intuitive platform challenges to be had as your skills expand. But be prepared for a lot of trial and error.

In my experience playing thus far, some of the platforming was more than a little aggravating. While it can be really fun to scale up walls with your axe and create platforms out of monsters, I found myself punished by tiny miscalculations. More often than not, I knew exactly how to get somewhere and what to press to make my way there. If I was a millisecond late with my button presses or took one extra step off course, I’d either get stopped in my tracks or lurch off the edge of a cliff and back to square one. Being an action platformer, I'm willing to accept the game will demand a lot from your reflexes and Ajna's growing traversal abilities. I’ve had similar run-ins with arduous platforming in other classic indie titles like Shovel Knight and Guacamelee. It takes time to hone your reflexes and stick your landings, and knowing how to manipulate each of your abilities is an acquired skill. I've gotten plenty angry at the game, but with as far as I've gotten, time and patience will pay off.

Combat, of course, is a whole different beast. Indivisible features a ton of strange and unique enemies that you’ll fight using Ajna’s growing powers and the abilities of your diverse teammates. Your party members’ techniques vary widely between attacks, buffs, and healing, with each of your actions in battle coming with a cooldown. If you time it wisely, you’ll be able to keep enemies at bay and take them down with flashy, stylish combos.

While you’re waiting for your abilities to recharge, you’ll be wide open against enemy attacks. This is where blocking, one of the most crucial elements of the game, comes into play. With proper timing, you’ll be able to reduce the damage done to you, and if you’re absolutely perfect, you’ll even recover some health instead of taking hits at all. Of course, every enemy requires different timing, so you’ll have to be flexible with your combat.

Indivisible’s combat mechanics are pretty engaging. Battles are quick-paced and keep you on your toes, and often encourage you to try out different characters and play styles to see which one suits you best. You can either have a full team of attackers or have a healthy mix of offense, defense, and sweet tricks in battle. And the best part is that everyone’s stats are tied to Ajna’s, even when they’re not in your party. That means that everyone levels up together, which mitigates a lot of level grinding.

While battles can be fun and exciting, though, multiple enemies may prove a bit overwhelming. When you’re on the defense against several opponents at once, it can be difficult to keep track of who needs to block and what timing you’ll have to employ. It’s especially annoying when you run into a tiny enemy who deals a disproportionately-large amount of damage if you don’t block precisely. But like the platforming, practice makes perfect. If you embrace the learning curve, you’ll definitely start to improve and take on enemies more readily. Just be prepared for some blood, sweat, and tears along the way.

On its own, the gameplay of Indivisible provides a fun, if not a bit steep, experience as you progress. But it’s all wrapped up in a dazzling hand-drawn anime style. The overarching world takes remarkable notes various cultures and presents it in a visually stylish manner. It also helps that some of the landmark cutscenes in the game are beautifully animated by Studio TRIGGER of Kill La Kill and Little Witch Academia fame as well as Titmouse Animation! It’s a shame that they’re not all as stunning, as other key scenes boil down to dynamic pans of static images. Though as an IndieGogo project a few years in the making, it’d be pretty unreasonable for me to ask for everything to have that Studio TRIGGER look.

But even with challenging gameplay and pretty visuals, we haven’t even gotten to my favorite part about Indivisible! As you sidescroll through various cities and landscapes, Ajna will encounter lively and colorful characters, some of whom will join you on your quest. And if I had to choose one thing that Indivisible absolutely nailed in their game, it’s the people that fill the world (in more ways than one).

Even with more than 20 characters at your disposal at launch, many of them have compelling and even entertaining camaraderie with each other through snappy dialogue and surprisingly-funny jokes. Each of them even have unique and thoughtful character designs with none of them ever feeling too out of place within the enormous world. When not in battle or speaking with others, your party members are housed in Ajna’s Inner Realm, her psyche given form. Here, you can speak with each new comrade and companion, upgrade your stats, and more.

As Ajna’s comrades grow in number, each of them brings their own depth and weight to the group, not just in terms of gameplay but in a genuine sense of companionship. It also helps that a lot of the English voice-acting is fresh and exciting. Not every voice is pitch perfect, but I absolutely adore listening to everyone speak with each other and chime in on your quest every now and then. Among all the things I like about Indivisible, the thing I look forward to the most is finding new friends to add to my party.

Overall, Indivisible is a tough love indie title wrapped up in a gorgeous anime package. As an action platformer, it’s certainly challenging and rewarding enough for me to want to improve at it. I’ve grinded my teeth and hissed at my TV a number of times when trying to tackle the many obstacles, but a little pushback can be helpful in getting better. And to me at least, all that effort is worth it just to see Ajna and her buddies interact some more. It’s an age-old anime cliche, the idea of your friends being your power. Indivisible takes that classic trope and has made it into an enjoyable ride!

REVIEW ROUNDUP

+ Gorgeous anime style

+ Fun characters with great voice acting and wonderful designs

+ Compelling story

+/- Combat is engaging and challenging, though may overwhelm some at first

+/- Platforming mechanics are unique, but are unforgiving if you're not careful

- Some of the more important cutscenes ltend to be a bit static

- Some odd sound mixing makes certain characters too loud or hard to hear

Will you be picking up Indivisible? Getting any Skullgirls vibes from the art style? Which character is your favorite so far? Let us know and comment below!

----

Carlos is a freelance features writer for Crunchyroll. Their favorite genres range from magical girls to over-the-top robot action, yet their favorite characters are always the obscure ones. Check out some of their satirical work on The Hard Times.

Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: [email protected]

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

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athomewrebecka · 5 years

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Team At Home with Rebecka – Rebecka Evans & Lisa Keys

It’s taken me five weeks to process my experiences at the 2018 World Food Championships, and figure out how to wrap the entire adventure into just one blog post. I’m going to try to accomplish that goal – so hold on tight, it was a wild and crazy ride.

Returning To Defend My Title:

Returning to WFC 2018 as the reigning Bacon World Champion came with a new kind of pressure that I’ve never felt in Food Sport before. I was ready to take on the challenge of defending my 2017 Bacon World Title with an eager, exhilarating attitude , but I was also filled with apprehension and a weird sense of dread. Winning the same category two years in a row has only been achieved twice in WFC history; twice by Suzanne Clark in the Pasta Category (which has since been retired), and twice by Liz Kratz in the Chili Category. The pressure to repeat a win is real, and going for a three-peat escalates the entire event to a whole new level.

Contest induced insomnia began the moment I opened my WFC test kitchen. Instead of counting sheep to sleep, I spent most nights visualizing possible recipe creations that I could test the following day. I made dozens of recipes over the course of three months, and finally landed on a few concepts that needed a lot of work to become Top Ten worthy dishes. The sleepless nights and the never-ending task of developing recipes displays a brutally honest truth: the process of determining what a ten thousand dollar bacon recipe is an arduous process and not for the faint of heart.

My Team:

To stand any chance at another victory, I knew I had to have a seasoned food sport enthusiast on the At Home with Rebecka team. When I learned that my friend Lisa Keys had decided to take a year off from competing at World Food Championships, I jumped at the chance to ask her to be my sous chef, and thank God she agreed. I soon learned that Lisa and I had mind reading capabilities during the months that preceded WFC 2018. Together, we are a force to be reckoned with.

Who is Lisa Keys?

Sea World Orlando 2015

I met Lisa for the first time in 2015 at the First Annual – World Food Blogger Summit, held in Orlando, Florida. I was drawn to her sweet disposition and kind smile. We shared a seat on the bus to Sea World and talked like we’d known one another our entire lives. I learned that Lisa is an award winning food competitor, recipe creator, photographer, mother of two children (William and Caitlin), and wife to Bill Keys. She is also the owner and writer of Good Grief Cook. If you have not read her blog then I encourage you to take the time to get to know Lisa, and learn about her journey of loss, love, and her passion for cooking.

(You can access her works here: goodgriefcook.com Click HERE )

Lisa is also a Food Network CHOPPED CHAMPION (5/6/2014), a certified Food Champ, and a credentialed Steak Competition Association judge. Last but not least, Lisa is a grandmother, “Kiki,” to her beautiful granddaughter Annabelle.

Lisa’s resume is pretty darned impressive and her heart is made of gold. I love her like a sister, and feel a kindred connection like that of Anne Shirley’s bosom friend and kindred spirit Diana Barry (Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery). Lisa is my forever faithful friend. Thank you so much Lisa Keys for your brilliant mind, attention to detail, and award winning skills in the kitchen. I am honored by your willingness to take on the task of sous chef, and even more honored to call you my friend.

Blake my sous chef for Fight To Feed – Culinary Fight Club 2016

Rounding out Team At Home with Rebecka, my third team member and my sweet husband, Blake Evans. I call him my “Super Schlepper” and “Financier” since he is the man with the muscles and the money.

Blake schlepped all of our suitcases up and down the stairs several times, drove us to do all the contest grocery shopping, hung out with all my foodie pals, and listened to all the crazy WFC talk. My husband had no issue socializing, as he chatted up the VIP’s and connected with everyone we encountered.

Blake literally saved our bacon by running back to our condo twice during the Top Ten Round to get items we couldn’t find while competing. I’m the luckiest girl in the world to have my sweet man by my side with his big booming laugh, love, and support. Thanks babe for being my faithful, loving husband, and supporting me in my food sport addiction.

The sous chef apron looks good on you by the way! xoxo

My goal for WFC 2018:

This year my goal was to win of course, but in the event that a repeat Bacon Category victory was not meant to be, my real hope was just to make Top Ten. Praise the Lord, after the preliminary round we made Top Ten finishing 4th in the category.

Recipe Creation:

All WFC contestants are required to make a Structured Build recipe to “level the playing field” between professional chefs and home cooks. This year, Bacon Category contestants were required to make bacon pizza, utilizing a required sponsor ingredient: Red Gold Tomatoes. Competitors also presented a Signature Dish that showcases bacon as the star of the dish.

(To read the WFC Official Rules CLICK HERE)

After months of recipe creation and hundreds of changes, sleepless nights, a few tears, and the desire to throw my recipes across the room, I was extremely pleased with the final dishes. Lisa talked me off the ledge several times, and I returned the favor once or twice. I must reiterate, competitive Food Sport is an arduous process and not for the faint of heart. To fully grasp the enormity of recipe creation and contest preparation, a person must live the experience.

Structure Dish: BLT (Bacon, Lobster and Tomato Pizza) Food by Rebecka Evans Photo by Angela Castelli

My Bacon Lobster Pizza is the most delicious pizza I’ve ever made or eaten! The smokey flavor of Kountry Boy’s thick cut bacon is the perfect compliment to my Bacon Blush Alfredo Sauce. The sauce is made with a combination of bacon, Red Gold Tomatoes with Green Chili’s, Red Gold Petite diced tomatoes, fresh garlic, and Fiesta Italian Seasoning. These ingredients are then blended with my signature Alfredo sauce to create a luscious Bacon Blush Alfredo that pairs perfectly with fresh lobster meat. The crust is from my sponsors, Center Court Pizza and Brew, located in my hometown of Pearland, Texas. The pizza was grilled on Bull Outdoor Products (Steer Premium Cart Grill), with fresh grated asiago and fontina cheese, garnished with a ring of fresh herbed bacon. Dressed to impress, the head and tail of the lobster greeted the judges, as well as eight beautifully cooked bacon legs. The pizza scored a 95.75.

BLT (Bacon Lobster Tomato Pizza)

Signature Dish – BLT (Bacon, Lemon, and Tomato) Cupcakes – Round One

I was determined to bake a cupcake for World Food Championships 2018, testing at least eleven versions before landing on the final recipe. You see, I’ve been on a baking journey the past few months not only to push myself outside my comfort zone, but to prove to myself and the world that I could create an award winning bacon cupcake.

In all honestly, this cupcake was a true labor of love and a little hate too. The recipe underwent numerous changes, and was scrapped from my WFC roster not once, but twice before its final version. Although my husband and sous chef were not fans at first, I think I won them both over in the end. The judges must have liked it too because it finished 7th in the world with a score of 91.2853.

I love everything about this cupcake. The cake is super moist with a hint of lemon zest and mashed Red Gold Tomatoes with green chili’s; with the final touches of sugared bacon dust being folded in right before baking. Red Gold Tomatoes with Green Chili’s also find their way into the bacon tomato jam that is spread over the cupcake after cooling. The sweet and spicy jam tastes like heaven, and is so good that I can hardly resist the temptation of eating it right from the spoon. I added red pepper flakes for a slightly spicy finish, and topped it all off with delicious tomato infused butter cream frosting. It may sounds like a crazy concoction, but it is slap yo momma good!

BLT Cupcake-Official Description:

BLT Cupcake aka Bacon, lemon and tomato cupcake starts with a vanilla crumb cake laced with a hint of lemon zest and sugared bacon dust. The cake is topped with a savory-sweet tomato, bacon jam and then frosted with a swirl of vanilla and tomato butter cream, dressed with a bacon swizzle stick dipped in white chocolate and sparkling sugar.

The Progression of an Award Winning Cupcake:

As you can see, I take recipe creation very seriously! Scroll over the photos to see descriptions.

#1 The original idea: Bourbon Bacon with Vanilla filing and Cream Cheese Frosting

#2 Chocolate cupcake with cookie dough frosting and Candy Chocolate Bacon

#3 Candy chocolate bacon bow

#4 A hot mess!

#5 Chocolate cupcake with butter cream frosting and candy bacon

#6 Vanilla cupcake with sugar bacon, bacon jam, and tomato buttercream frosting

#7 Vanilla cupcake with bacon sugar, bacon jam. tomato butter cream frosting and bacon swizzle

#8 Cupcakes on a Pig on a plate

#9 Cupcakes on a pig plate with chocolate and tomato butter cream swirl

#10 Spiky tomato and bacon buttercream

#11 Almost there, Vanilla bacon cupcake with bacon jam, tomato-bacon swirl buttercream frosting

#12 Plating ideas and more frosting practice

#13 Almost perfect

#14 The final version 7th in the World

Top Ten on Natureware Plates

Choosing a Recipe for Top Ten:

So how do you choose a recipe to take to the Top Ten Challenge? Any decision I make could be the difference between a 10K win and last place. These are the two big questions that made my brain hurt the night I found out I would compete in Bacon Top Ten.

Do I make my third recipe and hope for the best?

Should I make my Structure Build or Signature Dish?

At first, my plan was to go into Top Ten with my pizza, but I wanted to see my scores for both dishes before deciding. I also had a third recipe waiting in the wings just in case I wanted to call an audible and be creative. Making a decision was hard, especially when considering the scores of my recipes. As you can see in the scores below, I went into Top Ten in 4th Place.

Both of my recipes scored well, with the pizza scoring slightly higher than the cupcake. This is where you can lose your mind second guessing the decision. For better or worse, I decided to make the cupcake and the rest is history. I didn’t win first place with the cupcake, however I managed to place 7th in the world as one of only two home cooks that made Top Ten this year. Thank the Lord for my sweet friend and sous chef Lisa Keys, as she stood by my side while I went crazy over making the decision to compete with the cupcake. I couldn’t have done it without her expert baking skills and world-class professionalism.

The stress of defending my Bacon World Title, and the decision to make my cupcake and not my pizza or third recipe really got to my psyche. Not to mention, everything that could go wrong in the Top Ten Round did. I burned every piece of bacon I cooked so had to re-make new batches, and with just 6 minutes to spare before the turn in window closed, we couldn’t find the red dye for the tomato butter cream frosting. This is when my husband Blake saved our bacon by running back to the condo to find the red dye. Thankfully, I purchased two bottles and one was in the condo. The other had fallen under a mixing bowl by our station where it stayed until clean up.

Official Scores:

A side note: Top Ten Bacon competitors were required to use Natural Tableware USA plates for presentation and Bacon Sponsors Indiana Kitchen Bacon. I think we did a pretty good job of showcasing the cupcakes on the required plate ware.

BLT (Bacon, Lemon, and Tomato) Cupcake Top Ten Round

Sponsors:

Special thanks to my personal sponsors Kountry Boys Sausage for providing me with delicious Kountry Boy’s Bacon and Center Court Pizza and Brew for their delicious pizza dough. I’d also like to thank the World Food Championships Staff, MMA Creative, Mike McCloud, Walmart, Red Gold Tomatoes, and Ankarsrum USA.

Walmart and World Food Championships

Kountry Boy’s Sausage

Red Gold Tomatoes

Natural Tableware USA

Ankarsrum USA

Center Court Pizza and Brew

Familiar Faces:

World Food Championships wouldn’t be the same without my foodie family, some familiar faces and new foodie friends alike. Sadly, I was so busy this year that I missed getting hugs and photos ops with everyone. Hugs, laughter and more Food Sport fun will have to be had at WFC 2019. I love you all and can’t wait until next year to see you.

I couldn’t do it:

I tried my best to pack all the 2018 World Food Championships events into one post but it’s just not possible since this post is already way too long! Stay tuned for more WFC Recap in the weeks to come. TBA

WFC 2018 Yacht Club Progressive Dinner

The Second Annual Grand Throwdown

Ava Marie Romero, my friend

See you all soon! RE

World Food Championships 2018 Recap It's taken me five weeks to process my experiences at the 2018 World Food Championships, and figure out how to wrap the entire adventure into just one blog post.

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