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#it started interesting. ep 6 was great. but after that it became kinda eh
niidsch · 1 year
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CYBERPUNK: EDGERUNNERS
► Female characters
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gillianthecat · 3 months
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I have Not been doing what I should have been doing this week, which is Not Great. BUT. I have been feeling the urge to watch BL again, so I been flittering around streaming services and binging some and dropping others. Here's the list of the 18, in the order I watched them, with brief thoughts on each. My rating (out of 10) are in [blue]. Feel free to ask me to say more about any of them!
Pit Babe (2 eps) [7]
Fun, enjoyed the tropiness of it, intrigued by Jeff/Alan, whatever secrets Charlie and Jeff are keeping, and that drifting competition which was hella sexy. I like my omegaverse fics "non traditional" so i appreciated that the first BL out there was alpha/alpha. I wasn't engaged enough to keep going, but would like eventually to pick it up again. One of the few shows I'm not filtering the tag for, so I'm enjoying other people's reactions and gifs.
My Personal Weatherman (finished) [8]
I wanted to love it more than I did, many aspects were wonderful, but the leads never felt like real characters to me, just seme/uke tropes fulfilling their roles. Actors very pretty though. I have a bunch of notes I may finish and post eventually.
Laws of Attraction (finished) [9]
10% of it was terrible, 10% was completely nonsensical (instagram live-ing your date while on the lam? really??), 10% was mediocre, 50% was good, and 20% was sublime. Film was phenomenal as the complicated lawyer with his thousands of smiles, and I now have a crush on him. I started watching a het lakorn for him afterwards (Lucky Star, free on Viki, very soap opera, he and his costar are great). I loved grandma and the batshit ex. I've already forgotten parts of the plot. Wish it could have been higher heat, the restrictions kinda fucked with Charn and Tinn's chemistry in the second half, after they got together, but Film made it work with his coy blushing maiden routine. And their chemistry pre-dating was fire. Second leads were cute and I do love me a pining bodyguard, but sadly the actors were kinda eh.
I Became the Main Role of a BL (1 ep) [9]
I am very excited about this, doing so many things well, balancing slapstick and humanity, all the little details are great. I like how the "real world" is still tropey and absurd but also noticibku more grounded than the "drama" world. I'm invested in the managers' stories. I have hopes for its sexiness, given how Aoyagi was touching Akufuji's arm in their rehearsal. Love love love Akufuji stanning.
Double Mints (finished) [5]
um. I didn't hate it. I didn't like it exactly, but there were some poignant moments. My first actually dark BL (I know Pornographer is classified as dark, but it didn't feel that way to me). Possibly there's some profundity in it, but it didn't grab me enough that I want to spend the time thinking about it. Also many plot things that didn't make sense to me. Perhaps just translation issues? Unlike the next on my list, this wasn't porn, it was a violent yakuza story. Not actually very explicit given that it's supposed to be high heat, with the significant exception of a rape scene.
The Shortest Distance is Round (Noir) (finished) [5]
I mean this is literally softcore porn with a weird dark plot around it. I think most of the actors are actual porn actors; I know the lead is. I could have thoughts on the story, but I feel like I'd need to know more about Japanese cinema to say anything meaningful. Just saying, the sexual harassment at the beginning is the tamest bit. Also a hilarious misdirect with the dead fish sleep kiss (at least for me who was going in blind). Some of the sex was hilarious (goat boy!) some of it was creepy and rapey, and some was genuinely hot.
Mr. Unlucky Has No Choice But to Kiss (3.5 eps) [7.5]
Fun and fluffy, like the premise, the seme character has charm, but soon lost interest in that level of slapstick and tropiness. May eventually finish.
Love Stage Japan 2018 (half an ep or so) [6]
Liked it more than the Thai version, which I saw a few episodes of. The set up makes more sense. Soon lost interest in that slapstick style. Wouldn't avoid it, but no current urge to return.
Utsukushii Kare 2 (My Beautiful Man 2) (finished) [9]
I love them so much! As the middle section, it didn't work as well on its own as season one (a hothouse masterpiece) or the movie (their blossoming), but it was an important bridge in their journey.
Utsukushii Kare Eternal (My Beautiful Man Eternal) (finished) [10]
So amazing. I wasn't sure that they could make a good ending of this story but they knocked it out of the park. Managed the tricky balancing act of having Hira and Koyoi grow up and learn to have a healthy relationship while still remaining their kinky weird selves. Echoed season one in so many beautiful and meaningful ways. I may eventually write more about it.
Long Time No See (movie) (finished) [7]
I didn't recognize the title so o started it without knowing anything about genre or plot. I wanted to like this much more than I did. Theoretically I am into all the elements. But somehow it didn't work for me. It felt hollow, or rather like the outline of a movie rather than the movie itself. Nothing really felt real to me. Perhaps just my mood, perhaps because I didn't recognize the name and so went in to it completely lost and confused. And the sex scenes all felt a little off, a little fake to me. Like the actors were kinda uncomfortable with it. It was very low budget for its concept, and I think needed to either be full kdrama length (maybe 8 full episodes) of get somehow even artier about it to be an atmospheric film. Which it should have been, and all indicators pointed to it, but somehow wasn't. I think I needed to know the characters better to care about. Which may or may not have required learning more about them; there are characters I've felt deeply that I knew very little about, but somehow not with these two. Also I couldn't get the sister's deal. It felt like she was hinting she knew the assassin secrets? But also not. Anyways, the leads were very pretty. And the shot of them stumbling out of the final fight was moving. I may write more later.
Dom (a Strongberry short) (dnf) [4]
Only 13 minutes long and I couldn't finish it, even with 1.5x speed in parts. Experimental little short about anthropomorphized condom boxes, and there's some sort of human plot about a virgin and his cheating boyfriend that I lost track of. It's not bad, just not what I was in the mood for.
Bake Me Please (like 10 minutes of ep 1) [5.5]
When I was talking about not being into cooking themed shows this is the kind of show I mean. It already had a bunch of tropes that are not for me, particularly random normal people treated like celebrities, and people on tumblr seem frustrated with it so it didn't feel worth pursuing.
Ossan's Love (2018 Japan) (2 of 7 eps) [8]
Seems very well constructed to be exactly what they wanted it to be. My enjoyment of that sort of slapstick and yelling style show depend on my mood, and I lost interest, but want to return eventually because it's a foundational show.
Love Mate (less than 1 ep) [7]
Some appealing elements, but got annoyed at the employee's negging and pushiness. I guess I'm too particular about realism, but in what company would it be acceptable to turn a meeting about their product into a psychoanalytical critique of why your boss can't love. Also I es confused by the bosses dating strategy. He just regularly meets up with men 1 time for awkward meals that he seems to hate and then doesn't even have sex with them? Or were we supposed to infer the sex was just censored out? Not the biggest deals but both together indicated that this show was going to play loose with logic in a way that would irritate me. And the seme was being a pushy ass.
Naked Dining (Zenra Meshi) (finished) [8.5]
Loved it overall, though had flaws. Loveblogged it so many thoughts in the tags.
My Ride (4 out of 10 eps) [7]
See today's liveblogging for my thoughts. I like many aspects, but lost interest after four eps. Didn't catch me up enough to want to binge it. I think I'm in an actor centric mode, and unfortunately none of the actors are that good in it.
Every Moment That I Think of You (finished) [8.5]
Randomly found on Gaga, 2 very short episodes from China 2021. Very appealing leads, censored, high school romance/intense friendship, partially through the pandemic. Fit a year's worth of story into 28 minutes. Surprisingly solid, though made me want to see the full length uncensored version of their love story, same actors. Ending confused me. Subtitles of voiceover implied that was their last night together but didn't say what happened, but nothing and was shown. Perhaps just a bad translation? Very low budget (sound mixing was amateur) but did a lot with what they had. Chaotic adolescent boy camera work and editing style, always moving, which fit story very well. Recommend if ok with censored stories.
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deadmunds-ghostbee · 2 years
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Rambling thoughts/analyses on even more (!) stills:
Buckle in fuckos this is gonna be a long post 🤠
Let’s start with stills we know which ep they’re from:
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1. Episode 2x01 So obviously our mans is courting someone. Most speculate this isn’t Edwina and is another girl—which idk skin tone, might just be the lighting (?)—but my thought is that he might have a montage or a few scenes courting other girls in the ton and being bored out of his mind/deeming them inadequate to be his wife. He looks kinda antsy and ready to leave here to me so this fits. Also, note the room behind them? Lady Danburys home had a lot of roses and warm pinks and this cool lavender doesn’t totally fit that vibe. Could very easily be not Edwina.
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2. Episode 2x01
Our cutie at Lady Ds ball. Every time we see her in this outfit she seems nervous/ in awe. She seems vaguely pleased here—probably going to dance or getting attention. She deserves 🥰
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3. 2x03 Kate having tea. Lots of tea time this season what with ep 1 Anthony tea and ep 4 Kathony + Edwina tea. Thoughts here I actually really like that wig?? Even tho it’s tight? Also new color it’s nice on her but the dress itself I don’t love but she can make anything work. Her cute lil flower too 🥺
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4. 2x03 hdshshfakfnffnsj 😩😮‍💨🥴 we all know how I feel abt a certain Mary sharma (I’m free on Thursday when I am free). With our new crumbs of her always love how they do her hair. She’s GLOWING I’m DROOLING also this might be same tea as with Kate? Lightings different looks like she’s maybe under a tent so I doubt it. I’d also say this looks like Aubrey hall in the background? But eh who knows.
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5. Episode 2x02 Thots here: Anthony looks so old here I want him to keep away from Edwina jfc 😖. Other people have noted same Kate dress and hair as other still with her in purple with the velvet thingy over it when her and Ed are in the garden. Same episode too, but obvi no velvet or gloves. Also Edwina’s a different dress so who knows the timeline of this shit? Edwina changes (bc she gets wet? Actually kinda doubt that) maybe just to see him. She looks happy to see him, poor little girl. Kate looks surprisingly not feral here? Maybe she’s keeping her anger close to the best this ep.
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6. Episode 2x01 more fuckin tea. Clearly before or after the Graham Norton clip that takes place before the debut. Still wondering how they play into Lw and Kathony drama and when Lady D and QC became such good homies??
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7. Episode 2x04 heh heh heh. Wow they’re so subtle. First off. Obsessed. Whores in the wilderness unchaperoned. I’ve seen so many great theories and parallels abt this and deadmund and maybe including flashbacks. To answer my one ask question, his hand is pretty much over hers on the gun and it’s big and the position is awkward and I love it. She’s trying so hard to stay cool. She has her jaunty cap and i like it but it’s so weird from the angle and the lighting on her is also weird oh well. Funny that she insisted on coming along and still he’s teaching her how to shoot. What’s the truth? Are either of em even good at it 😂? If that hat wasn’t there he’d be so close but I love the look on his face so much and how the hat hits his forehead. Still don’t believe they’re having this moment whilst killing animals? Hopefully it’s a target? Anyway this has gotta happen before the pink hall that episode or at least I hope. The tension is real and I’m gonna be in so much pain 😩
Now moving on to stills where we don’t *know* the episode: I think it’s more likely most of these are from early on but they did give us a pen/el still from ep 7 so anything’s possible?
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8. Who knows when this is from but this is so interesting to me. She looks mad like but maybe also disappointed? Like she’ll tell you (Anthony) off but be sad about it. The wigs actually pretty okay and doesn’t distract from the look in her eyes. The sun on her is magnificent. Simones face is so dynamic and interesting in different shadows and angles and I’m always so intrigued by a new dimension of her gorgeousness.
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9. Clearly not a still but you got the idea. It goes with that scene in the trailer obviously. Have seen some speculation maybe it’s from those leaked pap pics of Anthony running after kate in the rain bc of her dark purple but his waist coat doesn’t match so it isn’t quite right. Maybe the pic of Simone in dark dark purple on the horse is still connected tho? I think it’s easy to believe this is a later episode bc of Kate and Anthony placement next to each other. Also how they’re the emo kids of the pic in their dark isolated colors. Whatever the bridgertons are looking at in the street (in front of Aubrey hall I think) must involve kathony Ed Mary and Lady D or else they wouldn’t be in the pic? But if kathony are married and At AH then why is everyone else fuckin there? Is this drama about Kathony or abt Edwina’s journey and they’re all interfering? Is actually a way early episode and the bridgertons are looking on concerned as kathony quarrel in the street (that actually be so funny). A mystery pic fr
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10. Lol ah yes, of course. Anthony’s firth moment (we’ve discussed this show being marketed too heavily on p &p and this isn’t too much imo. It’s a fun reference and promo hasn’t mentioned p and p that much at all. The bath? (From teaser didn’t actually analyze that bc Jesus Christ I have fanfic to write) I think is also another ref.) ANYWAY. episode? Idk. Same scene as the boat pics obviously. He goes crazy (man looks maaad) probably from jealousy and ends up toppling himself.also someone pointed out the ppl in the boat behind him were in the pap pics with Simone. Based on angles it could be the one behind him left but that’s a maybe. Other thoughts I don’t think it has to do with Newton? idk it just seems like a long shot kate bringing her dog to be w mr Dorset? Also idk how this fits with Edwina bc someone asked Chari on Twitter if she was in a fun scene with a lake and she said no. I’m just v confused. But I’d assume maybe this is ep 3? Really just pulling stuff outta my ass with that guess tho bc two seems full.
OKAY APPARENTLY IVE HIT 10 IMAGE LIMIT SO ILL LINK PART 2 WHEN ITS DONE!!
EDIT: THERE ARE MORE STILLS who knows how many parts this will be 🥲
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argumentl · 3 years
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The Freedom of Expression Ep 17 - Sharp selling masks on thier own website.
K: Hi, this is Dir en grey's Kaoru starting this week's episode of The Freedom of Expression. Joe san! (*looks intentionally at J*)
J:Yep
K:Tasai san! (*looks intentionally at T*)
T: *nods*
J: Get it right this time, haha.
K: *laughs* Its started to go funny when I say it carelessly.
J: Well, you kinda zone out a bit, don't you, when you're wearing a mask.
T: Yeah.
K: Its slightly difficult to concentrate.
J: It is difficult.
K: ...with your awareness.
J: If we go on like this into the rainy season, it will feel pretty tough to keep wearing a mask.
T: Yeah.
K: Yeah, but there are those things that you can wrap round your face and neck. I've heard those feel a bit cooler.
J: Yeah, I do think wearing a mask in the rainy season will be tough. At the moment, what I am not sure about is whether or not, and to what extent masks are effective. There are different opinions everywhere you look. In the end, you don't know who to believe. Im at the point of thinking I should wear one to avoid any risk just in case, even if its a small risk.
K: Yeah, and what about your eyes?
J: Yeh, your eyes.
Kami: Yes, yes, yes, yes. 
K: Like, Trump wasn't wearing a mask, but he was covering his eyes, right?
J: Yeah, yeah. Oh! Kami? Are you coming in at this point?
Kami: Yes, yes.
J: Okay, go ahead.
Kami: Um, as for masks, when they were tested on mice, apparently they were effective. They had one side infected with corona next to one side that wasn't, and when they added a mask barrier inbewteen the cages, the infection rate reduced a lot.
T: Ehh?
J: Yeah, I've read about that too.
K: It seems like its better to just wear one.
T: Well, this is the news from Tokyo Sports today, but the home appliance company Sharp are making masks, and selling them at 2980yen for 50, with a delivery fee of 660yen. They are limited to one box per person, and you have to register as a member. So with even Sharp making masks, its like..won't Japan end up with a mask surpluss?
K: You see them a lot don't you? Well, you don't know where they come from though.
J: Well, Sharp is a home appliance maker that has been operating for many decades, but this year has apparently been their best year for sales and profits. They've made the leap over to masks as thier big money maker, instead the of home appliances, which they've sold up to now. Thats how much everyone has ???*1
T: Going from making home appliances to making masks is pretty impressive, right?
J: Yeah.Thats the great thing about Japanese technology. I think people are very reassured to see 'Made in Japan', they prefer Japanese made ones over foreign made ones, especially in terms of hygiene. But it must have been tough for them with their web server going down.
T: Yeah
J: I tried to have a look at thier site, but in the end I couldn't connect to it once ...
T: Were you thinking of buying some?
J: Yeh, I was! But while Im doing this, you can still see masks on sale all over town recently.
T: There are real estate agencies selling masks..
J: Yes, thats it! Even a tapioca drink stand was selling masks.
K: Yeah, but a friend of mine has been selling them too ...they come via a route, you can purchase them directly from the factory in China or somewhere, and then disperse them to people here, so you don't really know where they've been.*2
J: Right? They really are being sold by all sorts of people in all sorts of places. Its incredible.
T: Its a mask bubble.
J: Also, a lot of people are wearing hand made masks, or brand name masks...
K: Washable ones?
J: Yeah, washable ones.
K: Well, its not like they don't work.
J: Yeah.
T: Masks can be fashionable. Do you remember that chain, Dom Dom Burger?
J, K: Oh, nostalgic!
T: Dom Dom Burger have been selling masks with 'Dom Dom' on the side.
K: Thats cute.
T: They've also been really popular. They are cute.
K: That elephant logo?
J, T: Yeah, yeah.
K: I kinda want one of those.
J: Yeah, I want one!
T: So in this way, masks are no longer staying the usually white, but are turning into fashionable items.
J: Well, I usually like Yohji (Yamamoto), and Yohji is also putting out masks, black or white leather.
T: Yohji is doing a white mask?
J: A white one and a black one. Some people are saying this type of thing is cool, or this is want they want.. I want to buy one of his masks, but I can't. Leather is expensive.
K: There are a lot of overseas artists making them too, aren't there?
J: Is there a particular one you like?
K: Well, no, I just thought theres loads of places doing like a design or print on masks at the moment.
J: Will you make a mask with your characters (Krim and Zon)?
T: Ah, that would be good.
K: I wonder if they would sell?
J: Yeah, I think they would.
K: *laughs*
T: Should we (Tokyo Sports) make them?
K: *laughs*
J: Could Tokyo Sports make them?
T:???*3
K: We could have a little Tokyo Sports logo on the side.
J: It would look so fake!
K: *laughs a lot*
J: Like a counterfeit.
T:???*4
J: But that does happen, in this case.
K: I think it would be good. There is that monthly magazine 'Mu' isn't there? You see their logo on tshirts a lot. Tokyo Sports could do that type of thing.
T: Oh, right, yeah. But we did actually make a parker once.
K: Ehh, I want it!
T: And a kind of Idol person really wore it to lives and stuff, and it became a desirable item. Everyone was like, 'Eh?! A Tokyo Sports parker?!'
K: Its good, right?
J: It is good. If you wear something with 'Tokyo Sports' on it, it shows a kind of intelligence.
T: Really?! Im so happy *laughs*
J: It shows you've read around a bit. Its good. Although its a bit strange to say it. Its a bit different from something with an 'Asahi Shimbun' or 'Yomiuri Shinbun' logo. Its 'Tokyo Sports'!
T: Should we put our name on Dir's goods next time?*5 *everyone laughs*
J: Yes, start there.
K: It would be recognized, right?
J: Yeh, everyone would be like, 'Ah, its Tasai san!'. They might buy it. But, conversely, if Kaoru was to make masks, would Tokyo Sports be interested?
T: Of course.
K: But would those characters mean anything to the readers of Tokyo Sports?
T: We could put UFO on the side.
J: Ahh, UFO right?
K: ???*6
J: Well, it sounds strange, but just like how people send out a message with the print on their tshirt, you could do that with masks. For example, how you are feeling today or something...if you have a picture of beer on your mask, people might think, 'ah, that person wants to drink beer'.
T: Thats a good idea.
J: You could show if you are feeling good or bad, like include a message. You could send a message with your mask, send a message without talking.
T: Well, that type of think is developing, isn't it? That kind of fashion style.
K: Yeah, despite not being disposable, you can change your look everyday. Like, you could wear this one on Monday, or pair one with your glasses, or whatever you have that you want to wear.
J: Match it with your feelings, right?
K: ..with everything. 
J: But up to now you see them in white, black and kind of bluey colours, and maybe pink..with womens' masks. But what about more different..
K: More colourful ones?
J: Yeah, deep purple or such..
T: Deep purple?
J: The colours, or the design, like the shape can be..
K: Like this pattern? *gestures to his shirts*
J: Yes, like check or patterned...if they come like this, it will be more exciting to wear a mask. Aren't you looking forward to that a bit?
T: Well, yeah. I think white looks kinda bleak.
J: It does, yeah. You could also put stickers on your mask. It might be a bit difficult to stick them on if it gets fluffy though
K: You could put studs in it.
T: Ah, cool!
J: Should we put studs in?
K: Wasn't Yohji selling one like that?
J: Yeh, that was kind of printed on to it, but it looked like studs.
T: Its good putting different things on masks, right?
J: Well, if masks really are effective, we have to wear them.
K: Right.
J: I'd like some which are more creative. If there is scientific progress, you could have ones that open up when you try to eat.
T: Ah, that would be cool!
K: I think I've seen that kind of video! He looks like he's wearing a mask, but then it opens up when he eats.
J: How does it?
K: It just opens when he opened his mouth.
J: Really?
T: I see.
J: Ehh, there are lots of ways...Well, I don't know if I would wear it, but what about a mask you can kiss with..?
K: A mask you can kiss with? ...What are you talking about? *laughs*
J: Im sorry, at 52 years old, I've gone funny...
K: But, actually, it a good feeling to see normal life returning a little, some stores opening up again, isnt it? Starbucks, for example.
J: Yes, yes.
K: If it spreads more, we'll be in trouble though..
T: But there was that Spanish flu wasn' there?
J: Yeah, 100 years ago.
T: While it was spreading, they didn't know why, but they eventually realised it was spreading where people were gathered together, so maybe corona might be the same, and it might just return to normal after two or three years, I wonder?
K: It will.
J: Yes, we won't be social distancing forever.
Kami: I have something to say. Um, Didn't Dir en grey sell masks before?
K: We made them before, yeh.
Kami: So you sold them, and you also have a song called, 'Mask', right?
K: You know a lot, don't you?
Kami: Have you thought of using that?
T: I see.
Kami: I thought, since everyone needs masks, and you have a song called 'Mask', you could do something.
T: Kami has come in straight talking.
Kami: Thats right.
J: What do you think, Leader?
Kami: Yeh, if you did that..
K: I havn't really thought about it.
J: Hahaha.
K: I havn't thought about it at all.
T: Haha.
Kami: Its a laymans idea. You have a song called 'Mask', so do a mask campaign. But I wasn't sure whether it would fit with Dir en grey's image. But that was a shocking answer.
T: Hahaha.
J: Yeah, I saw Kaoru's expression and he really did answer honestly. But conversely, how about Kami's idea? You might want to try if you think about it a bit more?
K: Ahh, it didn't really resonate with me..
*Everyone laughs*.
K: Well, anyway, see you next week. Thank you very much.
J: Thank you
K: Please subscribe.
*1, 3, 4, 6 Couldn't make it out.
*2, 5 I think this is what he meant.
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johannesviii · 4 years
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Top 10 Personal Favorite Hit Songs from 2017
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Not a very good year for hit songs. Still better than the next one, though.
And a very satisfying #1 that launched an entire infodump about a specific band. I’m not even sorry.
Disclaimers:
Keep in mind I’m using both the year-end top 100 lists from the US and from France while making these top 10 things. There’s songs in English that charted in my country way higher than they did in their home countries, or even earlier or later, so that might get surprising at times.
Of course there will be stuff in French. We suck. I know. It’s my list. Deal with it.
My musical tastes have always been terrible and I’m not a critic, just a listener and an idiot.
I have sound to color synesthesia which justifies nothing but might explain why I have trouble describing some songs in other terms than visual ones.
2017 might not sound super distant, but it’s already distant enough to analyse what started to happen to me that year with some clarity. This is when I started to lose some of my energy and motivation. A lot, in fact. Everything suddenly felt exhausting and this whole “what’s even the point of anything” mentality started to fall on my shoulders. And you know what, at first, while making these recaps, I had no idea what started it all. Was it that super rare infection I caught in early 2018 and almost made me lose a part of a finger? Was it both my grandfathers dying in mid 2018? Was it the general state of the world? But no, I did some digging and noticed this general exhaustion actually started right during summer 2017 and I was like what the f█ck happened in summer 2017? That summer was fine?
And then it clicked. I know exactly what kickstarted my spiral into about 18 months of depression, and it’s got nothing to do with health or family. It’s something that shouldn’t have affected my life in any way, and that I kinda tried to ignore at the time, and some of you might even find me overdramatic or cringy for letting it affect my life. But yeah, as I’ve realised while making these lists, Linkin Park was actually a super important part of my life, so it makes perfect sense: what started it all was Chester Bennington killing himself. Clearly, someone who had contributed so much to convince me that life was worth living and who suddenly decided it wasn’t worth it, that had a huge impact on me, whether I wanted it or not.
Aaaand now I’m crying again. Great.
Anyway. Uh. Important albums that year! Yeah so uh. Depeche Mode made Spirit and it wasn’t good, and so I kinda lost faith they would ever make a great album again, but I did realise one of my teenage dreams and saw them in concert in the Stade de France in July 2017 (it was huge. Going home after that felt like waking up from some sort of hypnotic trance. They even played Walking In My Shoes, one of my absolute favorite songs from them, along with a video featuring a trans person going to work and I started to bawl my eyes out in the middle of the f█cking crowd). Nine Inch Nails also made Add Violence and continued to be super good, and Indochine made 13, and while it wasn’t nearly as good as Black City Parade, it was also better than La République des Météors, so I was pretty happy about that. EDIT: Forgot about Under Your Spell by The Birthday Massacre, which blew my goddamn mind, but still not as much as the next album I'm gonna talk about.
But the defining album of the year, to me, was Mike Oldfield making a sequel to my favorite album from him, with Return to Ommadawn. Of course it’s not as good as Ommadawn. But still. If Ommadawn felt like discovering a new strange country full of weird folklore and forests and mysterious buildings, Return to Ommadawn feels like going back there half a century later and seeing things in ruins and wounded people, but still trying to seek beauty and joy in a partly destroyed landscape. It makes perfect sense considering the circumstances that surround the making of this thing, and it was the only way to make a good sequel to such a legendary album.
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Unelligible songs that piss me off... uh, actually there’s only Cut to the Feeling by Carly Rae Jepsen. Why wasn’t it a huge hit. Come to think of it, why hasn’t any Carly Rae song been a huge hit since Good Times. This feels unfair.
Time for some honorable mentions, then.
Feels and also Slide (Calvin Harris and a lot of other people) - Got nothing to say about either of these songs, but they’re both pretty good.
Katchi (Ofenbach) - Nice little earworm.
No Roots (Alice Merton) - Super surprised this was a hit. Good.
OK (Robin Schulz ft James Blunt) - That’s a James Blunt song in the year of our lord 2017 and it sounds actually good??
What About Us (Pink) - Really caught my attention and made me wonder if I should listen to Pink again after a long streak of mediocre Pink songs.
Congratulations (Post Malone) - I find the song mostly boring but the guest verse ending with “uh, Malone... I gotta play on my phone...” is the stuff of legends and that got a chuckle out of me every time I heard it.
Glorious (Macklemore) - I’m glad this was a hit here but at the same time it’s not my favorite song from him. The music video is adorable, though.
Fly (Odyssey) - Nothing to say about that one.
XO Tour Life (Lil Uzi Vert) - The fact that I was regularly humming this is either a sign of quality or yet another sign I was depressed as shit.
Devil in Me (Purple Disco Machine) - What a great artist name.
Symphony (Clean Bandit) - Nothing to say here either, just good sound all around.
Attention (Charlie Puth) - 2017: The Year Charlie Puth Made A Great Song.
All Stars (Martin Solveig & Alma) - The last cut. It was on the list at some point. I really like it a lot, though.
And now, the list. The stuff I genuinely love starts at #6 and things that are still on my mp3 player to this day start at #4.
10 - Chained to the Rhythm (Katy Perry)
US: #73 / FR: #10
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I just love the concept of a Katy Perry song about how Katy Perry songs are happy nonsense distracting you from actual issues. What can I say, I’m a sucker for meta stuff.
9 - Water Under The Bridge (Adele)
US: #88 / FR: Not on the list
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An Adele song projecting actual positive energy!? That automatically goes on the list.
8 - Praying (Kesha)
US: #67 / FR: Not on the list
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You know I mostly dislike slow emotional songs regardless of how good they actually are. I will, however, make an exception for this one even though I very rarely listen to it considering how emotionally taxing it is. That’s definitely a fantastic song, though.
7 - Viens On S’aime (Slimane)
US: Not on the list / FR: #53
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“Listen, we love each other, f█ck it, f█ck their words and their decorum, listen, we love each other, f█ck it, f█ck their ideas and what they’re saying”. Well said, dude, well said.
6 - There’s Nothing Holding Me Back (Shawn Mendes)
US: #23 / FR: #91
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That’s a very good song for running and that is becoming increasingly rarer, so I’ll take what I can get.
5 - Paris (The Chainsmokers)
US: #42 / FR: Not on the list (that’s irony for you)
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Unlike Closer this is an unrelatable song about rich young people that can afford to live in Paris just “to get away from [their] parents” but honestly that’s the only negative thing I have to say against it. It sounds fantastic.
4 - Castle On The Hill (Ed Sheeran)
US: #40 / FR: #50
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We’ve now entered the realm of songs that are still on my mp3 player to this day. This is the only Ed Sheeran song I’ve ever liked, and I love it. It sounds like a lost U2 song. Maybe from a strange dimension where U2 became more fragile and emotional instead of more pretentious.
I have no idea why this guy keeps making such boring stuff when he’s got that kind of song in him. I have no clue.
3 - Something Just Like This (Coldplay & The Chainsmokers)
US: #5 / FR: #19
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Hey so Coldplay is still on my lists, apparently. It’s a bit too slow, some lyrics about superheros don’t make much sense, and the drop isn’t super good, but my god, that guitar near the end makes everything worth it. Just amazing colors and textures all around.
It’s not even my favorite song on that EP! I think Miracles (Someone Special) is even better, but eh, this one is a close second.
2 - 24k Magic (Bruno Mars)
US: #16 / FR: Not on the list (#13 in 2016 but I put it on the 2017 list instead)
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Am I the only one to like this more than Uptown Funk? It’s so much fun to sing along to it. And unlike Uptown Funk, it’s making me feel nostalgic for an era I actually (vaguely) knew, the super colorful and ridiculous early 90s. My s.o loves it too and when it comes up on the radio or on our playlists you can bet we’re both going PUT YOUR. PINKY. RINGS UP. TO THE. MOOOOOOOON like two idiots.
This is the song I could have put on the previous list but elected to put on this list instead since it was elligible for both years, by the way! Since 2017 was less good than 2016, I thought it would be more interesting to save such a great song for later.
It would have topped the list too, if it wasn’t for something I didn’t expect to be elligible before reading the French year-end list.
Strap yourselves in, because I had no real opportunity to talk about this band at length in the posts made for the years when it was the most relevant in my life, so this is going to be quite long.
1 - La Vie Est Belle (Indochine)
US: Not on the list / FR: #44
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As you already know if you remember some of my previous lists, Indochine is a band I started to love right in the middle of the absolute worst years of my life. These guys had been around since the 80s as a super successful new wave band, then became very unpopular and went underground for about twelve years in the entire 90s, then one of them died, then every member except the singer basically rotated, and then they suddenly re-emerged in 2002-2003 with Paradize, a monster of an album, full of energy, sinister themes and weird provocative songs, and an entire generation of angsty teenagers (me included as you can guess) embraced it wholeheartedly.
And all of a sudden Indochine was the favorite French mainstream band of local young punk/goths! So many kids with the Indochine logo in highschool. Nowadays the band is mocked and well-loved in equal doses by just about everyone, but I suspect it’s just because we’ve all grown up.
Placebo, Linkin Park and Indochine were the bands that ruled my entire world in 2003/2004. My mother hated all three of them, because of course she did, but especially Indochine, because according to her it was partly their fault if I was gender non-conforming. See, she used to say, they had put all kinds of bad ideas in my head and now I was all messed up.
...Holy shit, that’s a lot of blame to put on a ridiculous new wave band who’s first hit song from 1983 is just a long nonsensical list of shitty old Bob Morane pulp novels.
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But here’s the problem. Even if Indochine kept having hit song after hit song, those were never the best songs on their albums. Here I am, 31, making these top ten lists since last December, and becoming more and more frustrated to see none of my favorite modern Indochine songs are elligible. My favorite Paradize singles were Mao Boy, Popstitute and especially Marilyn (god, this song rocked my entire year alongside Placebo’s The Bitter End. 2003 was such a fantastic year for dark energetic hit songs)? Too bad, the biggest hits were J’ai demandé à la lune and Le Grand Secret. Alice & June had four fantastic singles? Too bad, none of them is elligible! Same thing for the entirety of Black City Parade. Oh, but that song I hate from La Republique des Météors is elligible, I guess!
So we’re in summer 2017, and my life is completely different now, and Indochine releases La Vie Est Belle (I’m linking the album version and not the music video because it has some violent themes in it). I’m in my car doing some errands and the local radio goes “hey new song from Indochine” and I’m like “oh shit, gotta hear this” and then two minutes later “oh wow, that is super good. Won’t be a hit though”.
And yet, it was a hit! It became huge, even! And at that point I was already loving that song even though I thought it was just a super good but tragic love song about a significant other dying too young.
And then, about a month later, the wordplay of the first line finally hit me with the force of a semitruck. It’s not a love song. It’s a song about the singer’s dead twin. Who died in 1999.
It’s such a devastating, beautiful song, and yet it’s full of energy. I. adore. it. It’s exactly the kind of song you need to continue to fight and to live and to help other people in this day and age. “Life is beautiful and cruel, it looks like us sometimes” indeed. And it’s one of the best on the album, too!
So yes, 15 years after I first fell in love with this band and after they helped me during super dark times, finally, I can put one of their songs at the top of one of these lists, hands down, no debate whatsoever.
That probably sounds ridiculous but it’s genuinely making me feel extremely emotional.
Next up: I thought music sucked that year because I was depressed but I relistened to it and no it wasn’t just me
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PriPri 4 - 6 | Saiyuki Reload Blast 6 | BnHA 32 | Katsugeki 7 | Reflection 4
BnHA 31, Saiyuki Reload Blast 5, Katsugeki 6 and Reflection 3 were lost because, long story short, the internet connection decided to waver while I was trying to post them. *bows* I’m sorry but I don’t know how to resurrect the lost words (I save my notes doc as a blank doc once I’ve got 5 eps’ worth lined up). I’d written 2 pages’ worth of notes for those 4 and PriPri 4 (which I managed to resurrect, but it’s kinda paltry)…
Princess Principal 4
Onomancy.
Team Wildcat? Please, don’t make this High School Musical…
“Squelch” is such an odd word choice for a world war…
Hey, it’s the “birds” book again.
Princess Principal 5
All aboard the Hogwarts Express!
It’s interesting to note how the British act towards the Japanese. I haven’t really seen these sorts of reactions myself because of where I live and who I am, but…yeah, it’s completely natural for a place that isn’t used to Japanese courtesy.
The more I see of Chise’s backstory, the more I’m tempted to play relevant segments of History of Japan as I go. Unfortunately, not much of it is relevant aside from “How ‘bout I do anyway?” and “Hire a samuraiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii~”. By the by, Chise kinda reminds me of Rio from Parable of the Renegades. I have the honour of fighting against such a solid work, but I won’t let my pride go, because Nephalem is an even tougher opponent.
“I like pickles”…? (Wut?)
“My name is Chise. You killed my father. Prepare to die!” Okay, I swear that’s the second time I’ve had to make that reference in this commentary. Someone, please show these directors the Princess Bride (even though I’ve never seen it myself). By the by, I half expect Jubei to be her father.
Ange runs…very weirdly. Let me put it that way.
They had enough time to change clothes…? Welp, that’s not very convincing in regards to suspension of disbelief.
I’d say the thing that protected Beatrice was her mouthpiece.
Ah-hah! Saw it coming!
Why is Beatrice always so opposed to everything???
Princess Principal 6
I didn’t hear the song because I had the volume off…
Nevermore!
Uva and Keemun teas.
I bet Dorothy’s dad will get murdered by the Duke of Normandy…
Well…he didn’t get killed by the Duke, which is what I didn’t expect, but where did the woman get the blade???
The song is called “Moonlight Melody” (all lowercase).
Saiyuki 6
Was that an eye? On a sword? In the OP???
Who’s Goujun???
Reincarnation is a cruel fate. A sheltered man of Heaven becomes the battle-hardened Sanzo…hmph. It reminds me of Ro.Te.O, which is probably why this thing is so great to me.
I love how Kenren just goes “or something”, LOL.
Oh, Goujun is the Dragon King. No wonder. However, why is the Dragon King not a dragon? He has scales, but he’s basically a demon, right?
Interesting how Tenpou is so used to battle he’s just thinking about mundane things while he’s slaughtering people. I should do that in one of my own stories one day.
My heart absolutely fell into my throat when the narration went “something is happening”…yikes.
BnHA 32
LOL, poor Bakugo. Scaring those kids.
I think Gunhead just explained an aikido move, although I’m not sure since I don’t do martial arts…
Death Arms makes a good replacement policeman, doesn’t he?
Uh, hey. Sirius, ain’t all jobs like that? Not just heroing, but even non-intensive jobs like the ones I’m aiming for contain some misconceptions and discrepancy between reality and the belief things will be easy and fun all the time.
Being a hero, for different people, holds different reasoning. I think that’s already clear to Deku, Bakugo and their main crew, but I guess that’s not so prevalent for Froppy, eh?
Selkie has the word “seal” on his back! Ah! I get it! A navy SEAL! (Hahaha…)
Nysan? Y’sure it ain’t Nissan, LOL?
The “…this area!” went a little too fast…
Well, Froppy is one thing, but “does anything a spotted seal can” is spinning Spiderman’s shtick a bit far…if you reuse a joke, it’s not funny anymore, y’get me?
This Froppy fan pandering is…less entertaining than I thought it could be. It’s just “stay back, you’re just a kid” business that kids don’t like, don’t you think?
O-Okay, I take my last comment back. Innsmouth completely got me by surprise! Gosh, he’s like a Lovecraft monster!
T-That time the cuteness actually worked! Amazing! It became so corny, it came back into funny territory!
Well, that was surprising…it actually managed to entertain much more than I thought it would…
Katsugeki 7
Higekiri and Hizamaru are basically VEPPer…? (Badass versions???)
I never knew of a sword who used his bare hands in combat…until now…Yipes.
Yay! Go, Yamanbagiri! Kick that ootachi’s-wait, it’s over already?
I feel sorry for poor inferior-feelin’ Yamanbagiri. It sets my dude-moe radar off (which is a good thing – I wanna cuddle this poor guy).
As I’ve said in the past (although this may have been just in m planning documents for writing stories), the perspective changes the means.
Oh wait, Yamanbagiri is a starter! This Saniwa must’ve started with Yamanbagiri!
Oodenta manages to really capture the mood of horror movies. He’s such an emo, but heck is he frightening when it comes to thunder. Like Martin of Ro.Te.O.
Reflection 4
In Concrete Revolutio, I was fine with a new time jump every 2 minutes. Here, I’m just expecting one every two minutes…
Does anyone else get the vibe that Eleanor’s just there to be in trouble? She’s a reporter, after all…
(while I-Guy flies) Sky Show!...or something like that.
“La La Lan” (sic)? It’s a building seen in one shot.
Wait, what just happened? I-Guy basically held on to the dude as he made his coloured clouds and then took him into the sea in a really, really bland fashion. I might need to summon Nana Maru San Batsu back soon, it seems.
Yay! Magical girls, magical girls! Come at me with all you’ve got, Stan Lee magical girls! It’s not like you’ll be better than MMM anyway.
LOL, you always hear the name “Trevor Horn” in relation to this anime. It’s kinda weird actually, since normally composers don’t get that much of a spotlight in anime.
If they can snag Stan Lee to voice Stan Lee, certainly Trevor Horn can voice Trevor Horn, right?
Trevor kinda looks like the Buggles on Instagram, and that’s speaking from minimal experience as to what Video Killed the Radio Star is…
I see. The powers are attached to Ian’s voice, so of course he would no longer be able to sing his signature song for multiple reasons.
Lisa sure knows her Spiderman, doesn’t she? (About spandex and everything.)
Now they have slurs for Reflected too? I should’ve known – if there’s opposition to something, naturally slurs will arise. That’s the human condition.
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