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theonceoverthinker · 5 years

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OUAT 4X08 - Smash the Mirror

Am I reviewing two episodes at once, or is this just a MIRROR-age?!:?! XD

...Told you I was funny.

Okay, I’ve said it before, but the best thing about this rewatch are the little surprises you find along the way while watching. This is one of them and I had a LOT to say about just how good it really was. So, if you want to join me under the cut, maybe we’ll have some fun!

Main Takeaways

Past

I love how this episode holds to the spirit of “Frozen” in that Anna and Elsa’s love is more powerful than Ingrid’s manipulation. I think it was a great writing decision that allowed for the actual story of the episode to go in a much cooler (pardon the pun) story with a much more tragic twist to take place as a result. Additionally, the reveal scene of this story twist is such a fantastic moment! It’s beautifully orchestrated for the intense mood the scene starts out with. And the acting as Elsa plays the guards is just so real and hysterical in hindsight! Even still, once the ruse was revealed, I was grinning like a fool.

Really, Anna and Elsa are the heart of this segment (Favorite Dynamic was next to IMPOSSIBLE for this two-parter). Literally EVERY scene that they share bathes us is their love for one another. In every scene of this flashback, these two were either holding each other close, goofing off, throwing bits of wit at each other, or some combination of the three. We see their post-”Frozen” sisterhood and because “Frozen” ended just as they reconciled, that’s something we didn’t get to see a lot of at the time of this episode’s airing. But here, their dynamic is celebrated and given a giant fireworks display!

And I LOVE how this extends to the tragic ending of the story. Elsa, faced with so much anger and resentment from Anna and Ingrid egging her on, fucking REFUSES to betray her sister. Even as this is an ultimate loss, it is still a triumph! And that’s because Ingrid basically had to cheat to win. It took what basically amounted to Deus Ex Machina’s next door neighbor to split these two up and that’s just too beautiful!

Present

There’s a real solid heart to this episode that for me, was somewhat lacking in the past few episode, either due to a lack of focus or just a lack of understanding of what was needed to do with their characters for the stories they wanted to tell.

Now, I’m going to talk about what I found to be the two biggest aspects of this segment, but first, I want to take some time to address some of the smaller bits.

First off, a relatively minor moment, but something that was important to me was Snow’s call in Part 1. I really appreciate that not only was Snow the one to answer the phone, but she wasted NO time apologizing to Emma for her behavior in the last episode. That was so necessary and upon seeing this episode again, it really restored a lot of my love for Snow. And the way Snow insists that this apology matters when Emma says it doesn’t was incredibly heartwarming! AND the way that this attitude prevails throughout the episode is even better!

Second, also from Part 1 is the conversation Snow and David have in their bedroom about whether or not Emma should give up her magic. It’s a scene like this that makes me happy that this episode was done in two parts. It’s allowed to be a slow, semi-detailed, character filled conversation. David and Snow can be fleshed out in regards to their thought processes. Snow is so full of regret and really wants to learn from the mistake she made in the last episode. For her, taking the opposite approach to Emma’s magic is that (And rightly). And David cares about Emma’s autonomy, showing support for her choice. Both approaches are done out of love, well meaning, and supportive, and while Emma doesn’t give up her magic, the validity and love from her parents on display in this scene. And I also love how Elsa becomes a third party in this scene. Elsa knows as someone who has powers that they can be something that makes someone special and more importantly can be controlled. She doesn’t want Emma to give up her magic because she knows that this is just as much an act of self-loathing as much as it is a means of protection for those she loves. And that determines her to, upon hearing the conclusion Snow and David reach, take fate into her own hands.

Third, ALSO from Part 1 (And sort of Part 2), while I hated “The Apprentice,” I LOVE the resolution to it. Killian’s voicemail apologizing to Emma is something that’s so amazing to me. Killian holds nothing back as he exposes how he knows what Rumple’s capable of thanks to that hat. His remorse and regret is so strong and sincere and it shows how despite Rumple’s claims, he really does want to be and is becoming a better man. And as further evidence, Killian tries to actually morally persuade Rumple not to hurt Emma. He’s not just spewing threats at him, but is actually starting to use his heart to convince even his greatest enemy not to hurt someone. As for the rest of this scene, I’ll see you shortly to talk about that. ;)

Fourth, now onto Part 2, I want to do something different and combine two scenes: Regina and Henry’s talk upstairs and Regina’s subsequent takedown of Snow and David. I find that these two scenes are deeply connected and while talking about them apart would be great, talking about them together might be better! Regina’s words about denying Henry his specialness is made so much better because of the Regal Believer scene it soon follows. You see how Regina has come to not only respect that specialness of Henry’s, but to adore it and regret shunning it before. This is some fantastic evidence of all of Regina’s growth and fills in an important piece of the Regal Believer puzzle. You see her criticize that past action and Lana sells that calm regret that Regina has so well! And then Regina passes the advice along to Snow and David. This might be one of my favorite instances of Regina reflecting her teachings onto another because the specific circumstances of the situation she’s relating are a lot more domestic in their origins and yet equal in a sense between the points of comparison. I’ll illuminate my point a bit better in the next spot, but it’s important when making comparisons for common ground between two characters to be common in both substance and impact and the impact of Emma giving up her magic is painted with an urgency that brings that and Regina’s behavior towards Henry in Season 1 to a point where that commonness is felt.

Fifth, we gotta talk about Snow and Regina’s talk on the road. First, I wish Regina’s line about whether or not doing good things in order to be redeemed truly has the value of doing good been expanded on more. It was the most interesting thing to come out of Snow and Regina’s conversation and just like the conversations and scenes I gushed about above, I think it had the potential to be just as good a diving more into Regina’s redemption arc. Second, ”You know how selfish and shallow I could be as a child.” ...I hate this line. Being a pain in the ass child is not in the same legion as Regina’s crimes and in a conversation that has so much more potential for depth, I hate that this was the narrative point they decided to go for. Hell, why didn’t Snow instead vaguely allude to what went down with Maleficent? We’d have gotten better foreshadowing and an example of evil from Snow that would serve to put them more on the same level, making the conversation so much stronger. BUT that all having been said, I really like how the conversation ends. It’s not that deep, but it does touch upon the point that while change isn’t happening as fast as Regina wants it to, her choice to make good decisions rather than poor ones is how she’ll change her life for the better.

Finally, sixth, the heart stealing. You KNEW I was gonna talk about this and YES! Let’s do it!!! In many ways, the start of this scene feels very much like an ending. Killian’s celebrating Emma’s safety and looking to free himself while Rumple mourning his loss. BUT I love the sharp turn this scene takes as Rumple slowly reveals what’s next to come, namely for Killian. @lillpon did an AMAZING analysis of this scene that I can’t find, but does SUCH justice to the slow and methodical way Killian’s realization and subsequent horror plays out. Seeing Killian wiggle around terrified, panicked, and desperate is a horrifying experience to watch, but not a narratively poor one at all. It’s the real star of the Golden Hook arc of Season 4 for me and the best chunk of narrative that they get throughout the series (I’ll have some explaining to do in season 7, won’t I? Not saying it’s bad, but not as good as what we see now). There’s such menace in Rumple’s voice with every line spoken and unlike in “The Apprentice,” the promise of this scene is completely delivered on and that’s why I love it. We see the torture Rumple inflicts on Killian’s body and morals over the course of the next few episodes and it hurts because we see how Killian tried to change his ways. But it doesn’t matter. Because he’s Rumple’s puppet now.

Okay, now onto the big points about this segment, namely, our two real mains: Rumple and Emma.

Rumple is amazing in this episode. His villainy blossoms in such a spectacular way that it’s really something to behold! First off, let’s start with his introduction. I LOVE the reveal of Emma’s presence in Rumple’s shop. While it’s a slow moment and honestly probably could’ve been cut from the episode, it’s nonetheless a COOL moment. I love how all of Rumple’s baubles slowly go off one by one as we build to the reveal that not only is Emma in the shop, but that Rumple’s not at all surprised nor freaked out by it. He knows what Emma’s up to and he uses his knowledge of Ingrid’s scheme as well as the story that Emma tells him about Henry to his full advantage. Rumple presses just the right buttons as to maximize Emma’s fear and get her to agree to whatever it is that she needs to in order to protect those that she loves. His most every move is sinister, whether he’s gloating at Ingrid, manipulating Emma, or torturing Killian. Scary Rumple is honestly my favorite Rumple we get this in droves. When Rumple CAN reveal his plans or intentions, he becomes terrifying and Robert Carlyle sells every terrifying chuckle, word, and sneer and when he needs to play it cool for Emma, the shift to acting like someone not entirely unselfish but not entirely selfish either gives this story a perfect pinch of dramatic irony.

It’s sickening, but in the absolute best way. Rumple’s the Iago of this story and while not entirely bereft of nuance, the narrative makes no qualms about that fact.

There’s this great moment in the mansion where for all that Rumple’s manipulating Emma, he’s also being so honest with her about who he is. Perhaps it’s because he believes she’s gonna die soon or just because of the dynamic they’ve had so far, but Rumple is refreshingly honest and praising of Emma and how she’s different from him. And it’s a risk on his part. It’s possible his words might convince Emma to be selfish or that Ingrid’s words might still play a part in her decision over what to do or that Emma might just ask too many questions, but he’s confident she won’t and he has this self loathing that for better or worse, does need to come out to someone inconsequential. And he chooses Emma. That “thank you” that she gives him guts me, as does his response. It’s a scary scene that is also full of soul.

And Emma...just Emma. For all the talk of Emma running away, I feel like this is just as much about Emma not wanting to run and doing what she can to not have to. She keeps her family posted about what’s going on with her, regularly expresses her love to them, and makes a decision about her magic so she can go back to them. Her love for her friends and family is made so evident by Emma’s every move and Jen’s acting here is fantastic in showing that balance of love and fear, giving an extra layer of nuance to the character.

Finally, let’s talk about Emma and Elsa’s talk. The speech is so well nurtured by who these two characters are. Their understandings of fear, rejection, powerlessness, and sense of being overpowered by themselves are big parts of common ground between them, making Elsa the absolute best person to relate to Emma’s troubles. Additionally, the conversation discusses self love in this fantastic and tangible way. When it comes to themes, this is the most an episode can give me. Elsa points out the personal responsibility in loving and accepting yourself. Loving both the good and bad parts of one’s powers and destiny is a hard thing in the universe of OUAT, especially when those things can risk causing real harm. But it’s something that can be done and for yourself and all those that love you, must be done. This scene emphasizes this and Elsa and Emma’s bond raises everything to new heights.

That woosh of acceptance and control that results of this conversations is BEYOND earned. It feels like another hurdle that Emma’s overcome and her pain throughout the episode makes it such a strong accomplishment. Emma and Elsa are True Friendship and True Love!

All Encompassing

This is such a dynamic episode in terms of aesthetics, too! We see cool effects like the mirror lakes reappear, and great bits of editing and cinematography that enhance the writing by showing things like distance and loneliness through camera and even prop angles. And the cuts and usages of lighting, particularly as they pertain to Emma’s rampant magic are really exciting! They leave a constant tension and sense of danger across the span of the episode and really bring the entire experience of watching this two-parter to life.

Stream of Consciousness

-It’s always a sign of a fun time when you have a motherfucking mirror lake of editing goodness!!!! Hell yeah!

-Ingrid, when you need someone’s help and you can’t threaten them, it doesn’t do you well to insult them by calling them “past your prime.”

-”Especially those that have succumbed to the darkness…” Ingrid hasn’t really done anything like that. Killing Helga was an accident, defeating Hans’ guards was self-defense, and while imprisoning Anna was dark...I mean, have you MET the people in this universe?! XD

-”Do you think I was foolish enough to bring it with me?” RUMPLE, TAKE NOTES!!!

-”My sisters could never accept who I was because they were...ordinary.” Helga accepted you and Gerda did too until she falsely thought you murdered her sister!

-Damn, Sean rocks that tank top! <3 Like, I want him in that tank top in a remake of “Die Hard.”

-”Hey, this isn’t your fault.” Well, it’s more her fault than it is yours.

-Now I just want to know just what that spell Rumple threw out actually WAS!

-”I will never take this off again.” I teared up at this fucking line. Anna loves Elsa so much and I’m LIVING for it!

-”You may want to finish buttoning your shirt first.” This moment had me laughing HARD!

-THE MIRROR LAKE SHOWS UPPPPPP!

-Speaking of mirrors, I ADORE the shot of Elsa and Anna looking into the shattered sight mirror for the first time. They’re in the same shot, but because of the way the mirror is shattered, there’s this sense of distance created and it’s reflected in the main shot of the two sisters too. The editing team did a GREAT job here!

-”Unless...you simply like watching me.” Did Ingrid just make a pass at Rumple?! XD

-I love how Anna and Elsa, while being sneaky, are just having the BEST time on this mission and Elsa can’t even fully hide her amusement at Anna’s quip.

-Opening hours until 10? “Very generous” indeed!

-I really love the Regal Believer scene we see! Regina’s speech to Henry about his usefulness and contributions is really heartwarming and connects with Henry in a loving and intelligent way!

-Going back to my point about Ingrid and Rumple, the Netflix still for Part 2 is Ingrid and Rumple getting all up in each other’s business!!! XD I feel like other people need to start shipping this!! Golden Frost?

-Ingrid’s “surprise” was so adorable!!!

-When we see Rumple walk to meet Emma in the mansion, it looks like he’s in a freakin’ church! XD

-I’m HC’ing that Rumple turned on all of those lights as to spook Emma even further.

-I know it’s more of a matter of convenience, but why didn’t Rumple just go for the fairies’ first? Like, he says basically that Emma’s not his first choice to die for the hat, and he HATES the fairies, so why not?

-Elsa offering Anna all the chocolate she can eat is the most beautiful thing in the world!

-”Eventually, everyone sees me as a monster.” YOU LITERALLY JUST FORCED ANNA TO TRAP HER SISTER AND KRISTOFF SAID HE WOULDN’T HURT YOU IF YOU LET HER GO! FUCK THAT NOISE!

-I like that Ingrid apparently spent hours playing what basically amounts to Patty Cake with the magical barrier, all the while probably never sitting while standing in heels! XD

Favorite Dynamic

Swan Believer. While there were SO MANY good dynamics in this episode and Emma and Elsa’s dynamic especially is a really great moment of understanding for Emma’s character and a great heart to the episode, I feel like that moment is only as great as it is because of how well it was set up by Emma and Henry’s opening scene. I love that they chose Henry as the person to find Emma and be injured under her powers. It’s not only an organic and really heartbreaking scene as Emma freaks out about how she hurt Henry, but it really does make Emma’s mood throughout the rest of the two-parter make so much sense. It’s a hard scene to watch, but I mean that in the best way possible. Emma is doing everything she can to explain how she can’t be with Henry at the moment and Henry, the believer, of course, will not bend down so easily. The scene, like Emma’s rampant magic, is pulsing with love and danger. And the moment where Henry finds blood on himself is so crushing because it erases any hope that even Emma’s biggest source of support can turn her around right now. And this moment between them creates a tragic and urgent tone that follows the present segment of the episode throughout its run. Emma’s desperation and panic all comes from that moment between the two of them. I only wish that their reunion was a liiiiiiiiittle stronger, but I do find it forgivable. Given how happy Emma and Henry are and their hug, it works well enough.

Writer

David Goodman and Jerome Schwartz are a fucking dream team here! The name of the game in this episode is strength. These two took advantage of every second they had in this double episode to give each of their dynamics the strength they needed to support the story. The stories in both the past and present are actually so simple in their broad strokes -- Emma tries to give up her magic and Anna and Elsa work together to stop Ingrid -- but the simplicity of the narrative allows for much deeper conversations to take place. And they’re all given the time to reach that organic conclusion and as a result, I love each and every one of them.

Rating

DOUBLE GOLDEN APPLE!!! WHAT AN AMAZING EPISODE! I’m not gonna lie. I GROANED at the thought of covering this double episode because of its length, but this episode kept my attention and love practically the ENTIRE time! We get two fantastic stories that really involved their present casts, superb conversations across the span of the episode. I was floored by just how much I ended up liking this one, but it really touched me in just the right way!

Flip My Ship - The Home of All Things “Shippy Goodness”

Captain Swan - I love the two second shot of Killian when David says that they need to pour the locator spell over something of Emma’s! XD Yup that’s accurate! Golden Hook - Rumple chains Killian up and literally takes his heart. Jenna’s very happy now and that’s really all I need to say about that! XD

Golden Frost (Ingrid/Rumple) - When I woke up today, I didn’t expect to end my day shipping Rumple and Ingrid, but it fucking happened and I love it! Seriously, Ingrid and Rumple all but dry hump in this episode. They constantly get all up in each other’s businesses and the threats don’t take me out of that as much as you’d think!!! XD

Outlaw Queen - I love the bit of banter Robin and Regina have at the library where Regina points out that Robin stole Henry’s book from her and Robin says “you knew I was a thief when you met me.” I know it’s such a small thing to point out, but I LOVE that bit of wit exchanged! It’s cute, flirty, and fast!

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The best part of doing these reviews is finding episodes like these. They’re episodes that I don’t remember that well apart from a few scene and expect to not find all that much apart from said scenes, but end up doing so much for me emotionally. This, while an exhausting review to write for its meatiness, was so worth every exhausting second of it.

Thank you SO much for reading this if you did! This review was a pleasure to write! And thank you to the fine folks at @watchingfairytales and @daensarah for being the coolest human in existence! (And hey, if you want to be on the tag list for these reviews, hit me up!) Anyway, I can��t wait to see you all during “Fall.” TTFN!

Season 4 Total (69/230) Tee-hee! XD

Writer Scores: Adam and Eddy: (16/60) Jane Espenson: (10/40) David Goodman and Jerome Schwartz: (30/50) Andrew Chambliss: (14/50) Dana Horgan: (6/30) Kalinda Vazquez: (14/40) Scott Nimerfro: (6/30)

*Links to the rest of my rewatch will no longer be provided. They take posts with links outside of searches and I spend way too much time on these reviews to not give them that kind of exposure. Sorry for the inconvenience, but they still can be found on my page under Operation Rewatch.

#ouat #once upon a time #watching fairytales #ouat 4x08 #ouat rewatch #jenna watches ouat

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entamewitchlulu · 6 years

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Homura’s Flash Reviews: Spring Season Open 2018

Okay so the spring season started a long ass time ago, but it took me a bit to get caught up! Here are the anime I started for this season and what I thought about them/if I plan to continue watching them this season! (not including anything I already watched the first cour for, so I won’t talk anymore about Clear Card here for example. My list is once again based on what TFS is watching for the spring season of Anime FMK, plus one or two things that i just personally wanted to watch.

this ended up being really long and i hate cluttering dashes so it’s going under a cut

lostorage conflated WIXOSS

The fourth season of WIXOSS, conflated follows the quest of Kiyoi, a former LRIG desperate to atone for her sins by bringing a final end to the curse of the Selector battles. To achieve this, she approaches multiple former Selectors for their help, even as a darker force brings about the battles once again, with a far more determined focus.

Okay, this is absolutely already the BEST WIXOSS ever. Kiyoi is an amazing protagonist, and I am such a fucking sucker for shows that bring back the old characters. I screamed when I saw Ruko appear in the trailers. The LRIG designs and the animation are up a notch even from incited, and I’m so so so excited to see where this rollercoaster ride takes us, especially since it feels like this could very well be the conclusion of the WIXOSS anime universe.

verdict: I absolutely intend to finish this one and enjoy it every step of the way!!

Comic Girls

Kaos, a young, brand new mangaka, has been struggling to come up with a storyboard that her editor will accept. To help her improve her skills, her editor suggests she move into a dedicated dorm for fellow young mangaka, so that she can learn from them and her experiences.

Okay this is 100% anime bullshit, but it’s pretty tame in comparison to others and honestly...it’s just a fun time, okay? I’m not gonna act like I didn’t enjoy it. It was hilarious, the art jokes are relatable as fuck, and yes, okay, i love the cutesy art style. Meeting all the characters and watching them make different kinds of manga together is adorable and fun and it’s just a lighthearted, funny show. It reminds me a HECK of a lot of Sunshine Sketch, one of my absolute favorite 4koma, and since that anime adaptation disappointed the heck out of me, this anime is a good substitute!

verdict: I’m gonna keep up with this one as long as I keep laughing!

Wotakoi: Love Is Hard For Otaku

Narumi had to leave her last job after her ex found out she was an otaku, and now that she’s starting a new job, she’s determined to keep her secret forever--that is, until she finds out her childhood otaku friend works at the same company, and the two of the suddenly begin dating.

This one is fucking hilarious holy shit, and I can’t believe how many real world references to real brands they can make without having to bleep them out. It’s a little slow in places, but absolutely I’m gonna keep up with this one just because god i need some relatable gag anime sometimes ya know

verdict: gonna keep watching!

Space Battleship Tiramisu

Subaru is Tiramisu’s ace pilot in the great space wars but he’s actually just a fucking nerd who wants to sit in his cockpit all the time

wow okay there’s a lot of gag anime on this list, this one has only 7 minute long episodes which is a blessing because in the end even that was too long. the jokes were only funny in the first episode and by the third episode with the fucking sexualization and sexism i was just bored out of my fucking skull.

verdict: i’m already dropping it lol

Gegege no Kitaro (2018)

When people start turning into trees in the middle of Shibuya, Mana Inuyama assists a neighborhood friend in sending a letter to Gegege no Kitaro, a yokai who helps humans defend themselves from other yokai. Though she doesn’t believe in yokai herself, Kitaro soon appears and introduces her to the mysterious and dangerous world of yokai.

Okay so apparently this is a HUGE franchise of like, YuYu Hakusho proportions, and this seems to be some kind of reboot. I had never heard of it in my life although Kitaro looks somewhat familiar, I might have seen him somewhere? Anyway, this is absolutely still not something I would haved picked up on my own and....it’s....good????? It’s really good??? The animation is incredible, the character designs are adorable, even the body horror elements are tame enough for me to handle, and I actually really love yokai stories so I’m really loving this take on Japanese myths and legends. The character interactions and plot honestly aren’t super in depth, but I don’t think it needs to be! It’s a sweet and cute little kid’s show and I even think the eyeball is cute lol.

verdict: definitely giving this one this season’s shot! Looks like it could be looong though so we’ll see how far I go haha

Lupin III: Part V

I guess it’s about the world’s greatest thief and stuff idk, this is a big franchise isn’t it?

I watched one episode and like it didn’t do anything super offensive, it just...bored me. Animation was good, I guess the characters were likable even though I’d never watched a Lupin III property before, but the episode felt like kind of a chore to get through tbh. Not to mention I’m kinda bored of the whole...rogueish flirt and all the girls are super sexual and shit. Like I’m queer and I don’t really mind seeing boobs sometimes, but when it’s clearly made just for the rogueish flirt and thus the male audience to enjoy, i get bored. the femme fatale thing in old detective-like shows is just not my thing. I probably would like it more if i had actually seen previous Lupin shows.

verdict: I have enough to watch already so I’m just dropping it now

Hinamatsuri

A successful yakuza’s life goes haywire when a strange metal cocoon containing a small girl appears in his apartment, and he finds that the girl, Hina, is actually a powerful psychic. Somehow, the girl ends up living with him and he ends up becoming a dad.

This show is so fucking cute oh my GOD. It’s hilarious, the timing is great, the animation is so adorable and well done, Hina is a cutie and I want to adopt her, and I’m such a sucker for dudes who accidentally adopt children. His relationship with Hina is so cute and there’s absolutely no weird anime shit going on between them, they’re just a dad and daughter in the most unlikely family unit ever and I love it.

verdict: this is the first one since WIXOSS on this list that I’ve been super hyped for so hell yes I’m finishing this one

Golden Kamuy

A former soldier from the Russo-Japanese war, “Immortal” Sugimoto is desperate to find some cash to fulfill a last wish for a friend he lost during the war. When he stumbles across a conspiracy hiding a large amount of gold in the tattoos of several dozen prisoners, he and an Ainu girl Asirpa work together to retrieve the stolen Ainu gold in the harsh Hokkaido wilderness.

I did not expect to enjoy this one as much as I did so far, and it’s really, really interesting. For starters, the front and center of the Ainu culture is super interesting, something that, to my knowledge, little to no other anime have ever represented. The relationship between Sugimoto and Asirpa is lovely and they’re always treated as being on even footing, and I love hearing Asirpa explain and share her culture with Sugimoto, like their food and hunting techniques. The overarching story has yet to really hit full force, but that’s okay because these characters are charming as all get out and I’m loving the exchanges between them. I am a little bit squeamish over some of the blood and guts that show up, but none of it is unrealistically gory, so I can handle it.

verdict: at this point definitely going to watch this one through to the end!

Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These

basically it’s star wars i really don’t know what the plot is besides that, there’s some L/Light dynamic between two of the commanders but other than that it’s star wars

I think this is also a remake of some kind, seems like there’s a lot of remakes on my list this season. well, 3 episodes in and i’m not sure how i feel about this; i think the space battles are cool and i like tactics and shit, but idk, not really feeling much for the characters atm.

verdict: I think I’ll continue for the time being, but i’ll drop it soon if it doesn’t engage me more within a couple episodes

Megalo Box

I want to make a serious plot summary but it’s so much faster and funnier to just say that it’s 5Ds the Boxing AU, because that is exactly what it is

Anyway idk I don’t love it, i’m not a fan of the muted color palettes and the shonen must-get-stronger-to-punch-and-have-thrill-of-fight thing isn’t always my speed, and also there’s exactly (1) female character which does not endear me to it, but idk i guess there’s something engaging about it. kinda slow and i just wanna see some more punchiness, there’s a lot of training and technical shiz going on atm.

verdict: I’ll give it a few more episodes but I’m not committed to this one

#homura reviews #lostorage conflated wixoss #comic girls #love is hard for otaku #space battleship tiramisu #gegege no kitaro #lupin the iii part v #hinamatsuri #golden kamuy #legend of the galactic heroes: die neue these #megalo box #oh god finally i've gotten through my list

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trotcon · 7 years

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Huge Roundup of News! Guests! Merchants! Musicians! A Freakin' War! Wait, what?!

Finally managed to punch a hole through those scramblers. Nice try mates, but you can’t stop the signal! So let’s get a run down of what’s going on with those crazy pones setting up that TrotCon thing next month!

First off, another VIP guest announcement. Where do they find them?

Announcing an oldie but a goodie: Heather Breckel is back at TrotCon!

Breckel is of course best known on our end as the colorist for the IDW Publishing comic series for My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic that’s been a perfect complement to the TV show through its existence. You read one of the comics? Chances are you laid your eyes on some of her work. And loved it. Duh.

Beyond that, Breckel (a Columbus, Ohio native too! Imagine that!) has worked in similar capacities across other titles, including IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series and Godzilla: Half Century War, Image Comics’ Peter Panzerfaust, Dark Horse Comics’ Number 13, plus some of her personal projects, like Angie Ruins Fire Emblem.

She’ll be back for panels this year as well as spending time in our vendor hall.

Wait, vendor hall. We gotta announce who’s in that still, right?

OK, let’s.

We’ve got 56 tables of TrotCon-y goodness this year, same pony place, same pony time. Both the vendor listing AND map is now available on our website, with further additions and subtractions possible depending on… eh, y’know, the usual.

Point is, chances are about 95 percent of this is going to stay exactly the same by the time TrotCon rolls around this July.

In addition to Heather Breckel and a few of our community guests (along with some fellow conventions! Hi, fellow conventions!), you’ll find many of the awesome vendors that usually adorn TrotCon’s vendor hall (some of whom have been around since we started up in 2012), along with new faces.

Go on. Check it out. Figure out what you’re gonna buy this year. You know you wanna.

Dig. It.

Next up, this signal has been looping endlessly for weeks:

Announcing: the Battle for Bottlecap Canyon!

The truck driver pressed his hoof down on the gas pedal sending more nuclear power to the wheels. “I’ve gotta get all these caps to the bottling plant” he said to himself “If they can’t meet the quota for the new Peanut Bucker Cola release, my head will roll.”

As the truck approached the bridge spanning a canyon, a bright light flashed in the distance, growing brighter than the sun within a millisecond! The driver covered his eyes as he was blinded by the mushrooming explosion, causing the truck to swerve over the bridge railing and fall into the canyon. “AAAAAAAAAAH, Buck me!” the driver exclaimed.

Had anyone been around, onlookers would have observed a smaller explosion in the base of the canyon… as the truck full of bottle caps burns in its own nuclear fire, sending the cargo all over the canyon floor.

Countless years later, tales about a canyon of riches came out of the wasteland, from the dying words of an old scavenger. No one has ever found it…Until now!

Three factions descend upon the canyon, all aiming to claim the hoard of caps. So grab your Nerf blaster, pony up with your team, and fight for the glory of Bottlecap Canyon!

That’s right everypony! It’s a Nerf war!

Scavenge the wasteland for bottle caps to support your faction, but watch out, the other factions will try to stop you and claim the caps for themselves. Each team will have a base to keep their caps at, and the wasteland between bases will have containers hiding precious caps and more Nerf ammo.

The event has a $5 entry fee, but if you bring your own blaster, there is a discount! Ammunition is provided (standard darts only; no rival, disc, mega, or missile are available).

The event runs several times during the convention, including a sponsors only “free session” on Friday! That’s right, if you are a sponsor, you get in for free!

Did we mention that ALL sponsor tiers also get a Nerf Blaster with their loot box? Well, they do: The higher the tier, the better the blaster! What better way to try out your new Nerf blaster than hunting the wasteland for bottle caps? Sponsor badges help the convention and come with all kinds of goodies, registration for sponsors ends on June the 14th, so you better hurry up!

Sounds like a great stash of free caps. And you know what they say, trade will save the wastes. Or something like that. If any of you listening plan on staking a claim, be careful out there. You’re certainly not the only one.

And finally, this broadcast just came through:

Each year, TrotCon is chock full of some killer community guests who are doing some really cool things in the fandom, and 2017 is no different.

After all, we’ve already announced our share of special guests who you’ll be able to meet at TrotCon 2017, including Harmony Studios, ChocoPony, TheBronyCritic, TJ Carson, and the folks of Pony 411. Business as usual, ya know?

Y’all ready to double that list, though?

Cool, because that’s exactly what’s about to happen.

With our final major community guest announcement push for 2017, we’d like to announce the following:

–Fire Team Harmony! Y’all’ve seen them around TrotCon for a bit now as well as other pony conventions across the country, and this year we’re vaulting them up a notch to VIP status. Righteous, yeah? Check out these fandom-beloved cosplayers around the convention, say hi, even check ’em out at their own panels!

–DaThings1! We’ve had Luke/DaThing1, purveyor of some of the best YouTube Poops this side of the Mississippi (or west of it… just anywhere, really). Well, he’s back again, and this time he’s got the third installment of the “Wow! It’s Made” series to show off, along with how-tos and other demonstrations. Get ready to laugh.

–Joe Dyer! Ya boy is known as volrathxp on FIMfiction, where he wrote the popular fic ‘Fallout Equestria: Starlight’ (and since our theme is post-apocalyptic… well, ya know), among others. He’ll be on hand to discuss fan fiction, side fiction, and much more. Writers, you’re gonna want to get in on his stuff.

–Hobbes Maxwell! A longtime member of our vendor hall (where he’ll be again this year, naturally), Hobbes is on hand (hoof? Ugh, this horse pun stuff gets tiring after six years, y’all) for multiple panels and events, including some of our after-dark content in the wee hours of the morning. C’mon, ingest a Red Bull or two and stay up late. Worth. It.

–WeimTime! A last-minute addition to our panel programming last year (so late, he wasn’t even in the conbook or online schedule), we’ve got WeimTime back this year and part of our community guest roster this time around. Learn from the owner of the highly successful YouTube channel and business of the same name, which is known for its animation as well as the Synthesia and WeimTime Plays online series, and take a trip down memory line with his Nostalgia Time panel.

–Robin from My Little Robin! You know the dude from the My Little Robin: Reviewing Is Magic series? Yeah, we got the heck outta him for TrotCon 2017. He’ll be doing a live episode of the show as well as throwing a bit of a party commemorating four years of reviewing ponies on the internet. Aspiring reviewer? Good guy to check out.

We’re also excited to welcome back the Traveling Pony Museum, who’s been at every TrotCon since the beginning. Catch ’em in the vendor hall or in their own room with an assortment of awesome pony-related wares from the beginning of the fandom’s lifetime to now!

Whole lotta exclamation points up there. Hope y’all got that.

We’re also officially announcing our musician lineup for 2017! How about that?

If you follow us on Twitter, you’ve already seen this, but for those of you who don’t (ya should! @TrotCon), let’s get ya a list:

We’ve got Chang31ing and Goggles for the fifth (FIFTH!) year! MogulDash for a fourth! They’re all alongside multiple other performers who’ve been with us in the past, including PonyFireStone, IvoryBrony, end_of_file, R3CTIFIER and JESUSKIDZ. And then we’ve got our rookies: Luck Rock, Versal, DJ Rod, Fennec Faux, and Iggy the Kidd.

13 musicians, folks. How can we contain ’em all? Oh, that’s right: by expanding to TWO NIGHTS of performances this year! We’ll be hosting a short, later-hours set on Friday to get you warmed up for the big event Saturday.

And then, y’know, the musician panel on Sunday, like usual. We are nothing if not creatures of habit.

Let’s see. One last thing.

Oh, right: our pre-registration for 2017 closes soon! In fact, sponsor badges for 2017 are over and done with on June 14, followed by weekend badges on June 20. After that point, you won’t be able to purchase a badge for 2017 until the con itself, at the door and for a larger price.

You really aren’t gonna want to miss out. This is important.

That’s right folks. Today is your LAST DAY to get a sponsor badge. And they come with sweet perks. Like your own Nerf gun. Something no wasteland wanderer can live without. So act soon, time is running out!

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usnewsaggregator-blog · 7 years

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‘Star Wars Rebels’ exec producer confirms Season 4’s arch villain

New Post has been published on http://usnewsaggregator.com/star-wars-rebels-exec-producer-confirms-season-4s-arch-villain/

‘Star Wars Rebels’ exec producer confirms Season 4’s arch villain

“Star Wars Rebels” Season 4 is trying something new in bringing a major villain back to take on the Ghost crew.

Executive producer Dave Filoni has confirmed that Grand Admiral Thrawn — who split duties with Maul as the big threat of Season 3 — will be the arch villain for the show’s final season, which will run for 15 episodes.

“He’s still the one that is watching for them and that they’re running from and their main competitor,” he tells the Daily News. “Which is different, we’ve never done that over two seasons before.”

However, Filoni also hints that there may be a bigger villain lurking in the shadows.

‘Star Wars Rebels’ S3 Blu Ray makes for ideal viewing: review

“Star Wars Rebels” Executive Producer Dave Filoni (seen with actress Ashley Eckstein) has revealed some more details about the villains in the show’s fourth and final season.

(Bryan Pace/for New York Daily News)

“There may some other villains more arch than him, hiding somewhere … we’ll have to wait and see,” he says, with a little of that signature teasing he’s known for.

Fans are already aware of another classic enemy that will be joining Thrawn’s forces for the fourth season — Noghri warrior Rukh. Many will recall the character’s pivotal role in the Legends continuity’s Thrawn Trilogy and Filoni has tried to stay true to that portrayal.

“I try to keep those things as close as possible,” he says.

‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ posters

“I mean some things will always have to be a little bit different because of the story we’re telling, but he is very much a devilish assassin.”

‘Star Wars Rebels’ S4 Premiere recap: ‘Heroes of Mandalore’

As a fan of classic cinema, Filoni is also known for including visual references into his work — Season 3’s epic “Twin Suns” was heavily inspired by Akira Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai” — and has continued this tradition in the show’s fourth season.

“There’s definitely an influence, to a degree, from ‘Close Encounters,’ there’s a flavoring of that kind of magic and mystery,” he says.

The Ghost crew’s adventures air Mondays on Disney XD.

(Disney)

Filoni, who worked with George Lucas on “The Clone Wars,” also cites “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” Carroll Ballard’s 1983 movie “Never Cry Wolf” and the 1997 anime “Princess Mononoke” as influences on the final season.

These cinematic ambitions resonate with his production team, who strive to ensure that “Rebels” is up the standards expected by “Star Wars” audiences.

‘Star Wars: Thrawn’ sequel announced at NYCC 2017

“They feel challenged by what they see in the films, and they don’t want to be less than that,” he says. “We can’t afford to have as many TIE fighters as ‘Rogue One,’ but we’re gonna try to figure out a way to make our battle … feel every bit as big and full.”

Filoni highlights Steven Spielberg’s 1977 sci-fi classic “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” as an influence on Season 4 of “Rebels.”

(Columbia Pictures)

Spielberg’s “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” from 1981, was another cinematic influence on the fourth season.

(Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM)

Carroll Ballard 1983 “Never Cry Wolf” also had a stylistic impact on Season 4.

(Buena Vista Pictures)

“Princess Mononoke,” Hayao Miyazaki’s 1997 movie, was another influence noted by Filoni.

(Miramax Films)

Many fans noticed that a white wolf glimpsed in the “Rebels” Season 4 trailers had previously been seen in art for an unfinished “Clone Wars” story arc and Filoni notes that revisiting ideas like this fits with his approach to telling stories.

“There are no wasted ideas, nothing goes to waste — we use everything,” he says. “That’s something I learned from George; you have an idea, it might not fit in one thing, but you find a place where it does belong and I think that shows how you adapt as a storyteller.”

“Rebels” might be coming to an end, but Filoni knows it’s not really over for the fans.

‘Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View’ offers new perspectives

Filoni says “Star Wars” creator George Lucas taught him how to “adapt as a storyteller.” The pair are seen together in April.

(Gerardo Mora/Getty Images for Disney)

“‘Star Wars’ is a lifelong thing — Mark Hamill can attest to that — and the fans seem to just love it,” he tells the News.

“So my hope is that it might be the end of the series but the fans will still be examining these episodes, enjoying these characters and meeting these characters.”

He highlights how that happened with “The Clone Wars,” which ran from 2008 until its sudden cancellation in 2013.

The “Rebels” producer says he hopes “the tale of Ezra Bridger will last a long time.”

(Disney)

“When it got onto Netflix, it seemed to boom in way that I’d never seen,” he says.

“So who knows, hopefully the tale of Ezra Bridger will last a long time.”

“Star Wars Rebels” Season 4 continues with “In the Name of the Rebellion,” which airs Monday on Disney XD.

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repwinpril9y0a1 · 7 years

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REVIEW: The Casual Pleasantness of “Please Like Me”

By Adam Groffman

I was standing at the bar ordering my Friday-night drink of choice—a vodka tonic—when I heard it. The snapping fingers, then the clapping, and then that beat. I couldn’t help myself. My hips we’re shaking. “I’ll be fine.” It was the theme song to Please Like Me—a hit Australian TV series that’s become my latest obsession.

Anyone who has seen the show would recognize the song’s beats. The theme song, from Melbourne soul band Clairy Brown & The Bangin’ Rockettes, is as equally infectious as the show itself. Its’ beats flash across the beginning of each episode in visually striking scenes—oftentimes food-related. And also often with the characters dancing along to the very same tune. See? Infectious.

When I first discovered Please Like Me, I was instantly hooked. I binged through the first season immediately. I’ve heard the series referred to as a gay version of Lena Dunham’s GIRLS, but I’m not sure that does full justice to this show. While the lead character (played by the creator Josh Thomas) is gay, and many of the stories focus on his relationships, the show is very much not just a gay TV series. Rather, Please Like Me tells the story of contemporary young adults like myself—a window into the modern twenty-something life.

What makes Please Like Me so brilliant however, isn’t just the writing and the beautiful imagery, it’s the story: one that I think many people can relate to. There’s this casual pleasantness to the stories throughout the series. There are so many little joys and little frustrations throughout the series, in the shadow of darker stories. The fact that the Please Like Me creators and writers tackle hard subjects as much as everyday ones makes it so much more enjoyable.

There’s an episode in the third season when Josh, the main character, goes for a trek with his mom. The episode is significantly quieter than the other ones. There’s not as much joy as some of the other storylines, but it’s this story of reflection—one where the characters are essentially thinking out loud, speaking their deepest thoughts and feelings. For me, personally, it was as if I was in my own therapy session.

In season four, there’s another episode that’s particularly touching. It’s when Josh takes out both his parents (divorced) for an upscale degustation dinner. The episode is totally consumed with the dinner—a single setting and one which focuses on the fast-paced but casual conversation between these three totally disparate (but connected) characters.

I think, ultimately, the joy from Please Like Me are the connections between the characters. The gay lead, Josh, and his best friend Tom ( who is also his best friend in real-life, Thomas Ward), have this unique connection between friends. Josh’s relationships with each of his parents are friendly—maybe even more friendly than normal for a parent-child relationship. The boyfriends and girlfriends who float in and out of the episodes (Arnold being the gay favorite) also add different shades to each of the main characters. These relationships seem so real and relatable, but still so extraordinary.

The success of the series was also driven by the visual pleasantness. There’s a strong focus on food throughout the series, and with it, beautiful food imagery you can only get with close-ups of brightly colored foods. Set in Melbourne, Australia, there’s an awful lot of pretty scenery. An original score keeps the mood upbeat, even when there are so many sad topics that run throughout the series. Much of Please Like Me, especially in the earlier seasons, takes place in and out of a mental hospital with storylines focused on depression, anxiety, and self-harm. But even these subjects are expertly covered in a calm and cool manner; almost in a way that makes the subject matter even more approachable for those in need who might be watching.

There’s a special joy that comes from watching Please Like Me. You laugh and cry. There are hard moments, sad moments, but ultimately it’s a touching story drawn on real experiences and ones that are easily relatable. There’s drama, but also comedy. It’s a touch of our lives.

Creator Josh Thomas has already announced that season four (out now) is the show’s last. But thankfully you can still find all the episodes (including the complete heart-wrenching fourth and final season) on Hulu and Netflix.

The post REVIEW: The Casual Pleasantness of “Please Like Me” appeared first on the Travels of Adam blog.

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