#Japanese Entertainment Program

[japanesedoramaandanimelover91]

Nino says.

Nao and Tae.

Today's guests: #naoomori #taekimura

A good episode about friendship.

They put the best bread on the table. When they guessed the number of grams of rice, Omori's radar went offand he went into a rage 🤣.

Kimura-san is into Argentine tango.

Nino is into it too 😍!

This was supposed to be a counselling session about problems. But it turned out really funny! 🤩🤩.

♬♬♬♬♬♬♬ rice flour bread.

Blackjack♥️♣️ hot business.

Nino:-Don't mess with me 🤣.

Fuma:-I didn't do anything wrong!

It happened 🤭.

The programme airs on Sundays at 10.25 a.m. Japan time and 02.25 a.m. European time. Don't miss it!

#Ninomiya Kazunari #Arashi #Kikuchi Fuma #Sexy Zone #Nao Omori #Tae Kimura #Nino-San #Japanese Entertainment Program #NTV

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Do you have any headcanons or anything of the sort regarding Precipice Moirai/PreMo? I'd like to hear what your thoughts are about them!

I don't think about Premo a ton (for people who are confused, this is Idia's favorite idol group), but here's how I personally picture them:

They're sisters.

They look youngish (or "ageless") but they're actually a bazillion years old. Don't ask them about how old they are or they'll give you that smile that doesn't fully reach their eyes.

Because they're so old, they've seen sooo much and are thus easily bored. They live for listening in on drama and scandals because those can get so absurd it provides some fleeting entertainment to them.

In interviews and talk shows, they drop very archaic, outdated jokes and have refined manners of speaking. It's an odd mix of how your grandma might talk combined with modern anachronisms (slang). It's very "how do you do, fellow kids" energy.

They get along in public, but they constantly bicker and act overly competitive in private (usually over borrowed items).

They came up with a really complicated and dark “anime-esque” backstory for how their group got together. No one knows if the backstory is really true or if it’s something their marketing team came up with as part of their “lore”.

In some interpretations, the Fates are specified as Clotho (who spins the threads of fate with her spindle), Lachesis (who measures the threads of fate using a measuring tape), and Atropos (who cuts the threads of fate using shears). In other interpretations, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos represent past, present, and future respectively.

I think of each girl as being representative of one place in time. For example, the Fate representative of the present may be a carefree party goer who wants to "live in the moment", without thinking much of the consequences (the future) or her previous mistakes (the past).

I see Premo banking on these themes as motifs or image items for the corresponding idol girl (so one represents the past with her spindle, one represents the present with her measuring tape, etc.). I also headcanon that the idols have their own merch and fandom hand signals which make reference to each Fate's respective task. For example, there may be scissors on a Premo T-shirt or a scissor-like hand shape or cutting motion made to signal that you stan "Atropos" of the Fates.

Eyes are a prominent motif and are more universally associated with the group as a whole rather than an individual member. (This is because the Fates were fighting over a single eyeball in Disney's Hercules.)

It’s implied that the girls wear black, but I headcanon that most of their outfits are monochromatic, save for like maybe a few colorful accessories.

It would be cool if they also incorporated elements of Japanese mythology into their group's theme. More specifically, I love the idea of the three girls wearing a red ribbon or some slash of red on their outfits each time they perform. This would be a reference to the "red thread of fate" which permeates many east Asian cultures. It is said that this "thread of fate" connects you to someone you are destined to meet someday, someone who will change your life in some significant way. Typically this means romantically (which would fit in the culture of Japan promoting idols as "pure" and "avaliable" to their fans), but it can also be interpreted platonically. I think this makes a lot of sense given that the Fates are marketed as "three girls bound by Fate".

They blend traditional dance and attire with modern practices. It's very important to them to retain their history and culture, as well as to share it with a new generation so that they are preserved for the future.

They partner up/collaborate with organizations and programs that seek to educate others about history, such as museums and restoration projects. Again, this is because Premo truly cares about preserving history and teaching it to others.

#twst #twisted wonderland #Idia Shroud #twst headcanons #twisted wonderland headcanons #disney twisted wonderland #disney twst #Premo #notes from the writing raven #question #Precipice Moirai #curiouser and curiouser

[astoundingbeyondbelief]

Kaiju Week in Review (September 3-9, 2023)

I was a bit nervous about GAMERA -Rebirth-; the animation looked dodgy and Netflix has a shaky track record with kaiju shows. I'm pleased to report this is the best entry in the genre that they've put their name on. Good characters, great action (brutal as always), and actual episodic storytelling that effortlessly weaves in elements from the Showa films beyond all the returning kaiju. Watch it immediately.

Tie-ins abound for GAMERA -Rebirth-: a two-part novelization, a manga adaptation, and a prequel manga that sheds some light on [UNBELIEVABLY MASSIVE SPOILERS]. That prequel manga (GAMERA -Rebirth- code thyrsos) is being published online for free in both Japanese and English. You can read the first chapter here.

In unofficial translation news, English subtitles for GAMERA.1999 (1999) and yokaipedia (2022) are now available. The former is Hideaki Anno's making-of documentary for Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris; the latter is a fun, child-friendly fantasy from Godzilla Minus One director Takashi Yamazaki with a big ol' centipede-dragon at the end. (It's also maybe the first Japanese kaiju film I've ever seen with a major Black character.) I haven't gotten to GAMERA.1999 yet, though from scrubbing through it, it seems like a lot of dialogue was just ignored by the translator. Shame, as that's one I've wanted for a long time.

We have a teaser for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, as well as a premiere date for the first two (out of ten) episodes: November 17. (I am being showered with Media for my 30th birthday.) The big news from this trailer is that John Goodman is reprising his role as Bill Randa from Kong: Skull Island. I assume that's going to be through flashbacks and old recordings only, since he was eaten by a Skullcrawler in that one. We also catch glimpses of two new creatures, a dragon and a crab from what I can tell. The latter looks to be fighting a Mother Longlegs.

Fandango and AMC have added mostly-empty listings for Godzilla 2000 on November 1. Fathom Events screened Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla on November 3 last year; despite randomly showing Tokyo SOS back in March, I gather they're making a tradition out of Godzilla Day. Note that the listed runtime is longer than the film itself. Predictions for the program: another message from Keiji Ota, the 2022 Godzilla vs. Gigan short, and the Japanese version of G2K. Interesting that they're running the last Toho Godzilla film to receive a wide release in the U.S. exactly a month before Godzilla Minus One has a wide release of its own here.

Gamera isn't a meta-defining Godzilla Battle Line unit... but he's Gamera in a Godzilla game, so I've been using him in every match since I unlocked him. He's gearing towards demolishing flying units, with fireballs that deal more damage against them and knock them back. A pity that he's arriving well after those units were at their most dominant.

Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons #3 still isn't giving me much to write home about, but the kaiju cult creeping to the forefront intrigues. Also cool to see Ebirah in a starring role.

Marubeni, one of Japan's biggest general trading companies, put out a bizarre commercial featuring samurai, zombies, a meteor, and a refurbished GMK King Ghidorah. The ad now has English subtitles, and you can watch a Ghidorah-centric behind-the-scenes video here.

I cannot believe I have more Cleopatra Entertainment fuckery to report on with regards to their Shin Ultraman releases, but they're truly trying to take the "Worst Film Company of 2023" title from the members of the AMPTP. Their third attempt at a barebones disc is starting to reach customers... but the ones who already received the initial replacement disc are being told no more will be sent. @starestream is trying to figure out if they'll be selling the third edition on their site, since it seems buying it anywhere else is a gamble. (Physically, the third edition looks almost the same as the first two, set apart only by the "SUBTITLED" text on the disc.) Either way, it's another blow to a movie that truly doesn't deserve this.

#kaiju week in review #gamera #gamera rebirth #godzilla #kaiju #yokaipedia #Youtube

[g-xix]

favourite sidemen videos?

AGHHH I LOVE ASKS LIKE THIS!! Ty for asking this :)

In order of oldest to newest...

Sidemen Fear Pong - Featuring Harrry's doggo Herb and the iconic "DRIVERS OF LONDON!"

Sidemen Yoga - Featuring "PHIL!", prime sexiness JJ and zesty Harry... This video gave me sm ideas of making smutshots for Phil (but i thought nobody rly wants to see hardcore Phil smut and decided against 💀💀)

The Sidemen Show Ep4 - Haunted House - Literally just a Sam and Colby vid filmed by British idiots also featuring my fave JME

Hide and Seek at Wireless - Genuinely SO GOOD, like, Wroetostar combo goes SO HARD, Hide and Seeks were at their peak when they filmed this, they had sm energy and clearly were enjoying this shit so much... Plus all their charity match hairstyles are such a throwback to see

Sidemen Bowling - So goofy, loved this era where they were all just enjoying making budget ass content together which they somehow always found a way to violate

Sidemen Olympics - Tbh i just loved comparing my sporting ability to them + knowing i can throw a discus farther than all of these mf's and their highest scores

Christmas Football Challenges - Pervy Santa!JJ will also never be topped

Try not to Laugh: w Jack Whitehall / Shocking edition / Bad jokes edition

One word Interview - Shoutout Simon, one of the best YouTube series imo... He's got way more on his channel w each member + these answers are j so iconic

James Charles Makeup Challenge - featuring Click house, KSImon, and Harry's gay panic era

£10,000 vs £10: first holiday / roadtrip / Europe holiday / song

Sidemen Go Back to School - Literally the video that first introduced me to them. Absolutely iconic. Featuring Phil, Stephen Tries and Babatunde, this and the Sidemen Bake Off are their 2 vids that go hand in hand for most iconic atl imo

Worst Outfit Wins - not the exact title but summarises it better. Didn't like this thumbnail initially and put off watching it for a looong time but honestly it's too jokes to skip

Sidemen Become Parents - Literally the way that they descend to chaos and slowly become worse and worse parents is something special that everyone needs to see, full fuckin stop.

24 Hours Handcuffed - trust me.

Make a Christmas Song - Love these songs sm, literally have them on my acc Xmas playlist

Sidemen Dragon's Den - Featuring Niko, Max Fosh (Bosh), BambinoBecky, Chi With A C, Cal² and more

Hot Wings Challenge - Lol, love seeing their pain in this + JJ's Reddit absolutely peaked when this video came out

Sidemen Pub Golf + Europe edition- Just iconic, first post!lockdown pint with the boys where absolutely everyone got involved... and it ended badly for everyone except Harry and Ethan. Europe edition features Harry's birthday and just a lot more chaos i suppose.

Sidemen Gogglebox - Harry and Ethan are fresh off of a night out and cba, KSImon is released once more, and Josh, Vik and Tobi are just fulfilling their duty of watching the programs 🤷‍♀️ Thrilling post!lockdown entertainment imo

Sidemen Silent Library (1) and (2) - super new n unconventionial concept which was just really enjoyable to watch

The Cube - They're missing half the Sidemen but have Big Randy and Stephen Tries instead. They just get drunk to cope with the depression and it turns out for a pretty good vid.

Sidemen Hole in The Wall - solely for Waterman tbh

Forfeit Blind Dates - Ethan's pervy clown character, Deji's sheer energy (litr made me girl-crush on him) and that leng last lady, whole vid was a rare Sidemen banger

Japanese Gameshow - Loved the style with JJ as the host tbh he really fit it, and ofc the Deji feature was an added bonus

Weirdest Hotels - Featuring the Chrismd on a team w Harry n Vik, this rly was an absolute banger honestly

Mystery Box Challenge - idk something j felt very authentic excitement and interest about this vid

Sidemen Become Farmers - brought out the most wholesome and sexy side of the Sidemen all around

SMALLEST VS BIGGEST CAR - Hands down SUCH a banger, the chemistry between all these TERRIFIED mfs and the surprise guest (ᴉɾǝp upside down) ik the sidemen often feel overproduced, but this felt like such a genuine shiggles vid. Oh, and that kiss between Ethan and mystery guest was err... yeah.

Lol that took an hour of my life.

Anyways, if you're ever bored and wanna binge the unanimously decided best vids of the sidemen- I've collated these vids (and a few more) into a YouTube PLAYLIST which u can add to your libraries n watch whenever - or just check out to see whether you've watched all of these or missed any

anyways, hope you've enjoyed that bc that was LONG

And those are j main channel SDMN vids, but there's sooo many good vids on the moresdmn channel on top of these... MoreSidemen has sm mf hidden gems man, one day you'll see 🙏🙏

#WAFFLE!! #sidemen #sdmn #ksi #jj olatunji #sidemen sunday #miniminter #simon minter #ethan payne #behzinga #zerka #zerkaa #josh zerkaa #josh bradley #tobi brown #tobjizzle #tobijizzle #youtube #youtuber #vikkstar123 #vik barn #vikram barn #harry lewis #harry wroetoshaw #w2s #wroetoshaw #deji #comedyshortsgamer #deji olatunji #jme

[mariacallous]

For almost a decade, Nick Roy has been scanning North Korea’s tiny internet presence, spotting new websites coming online and providing a glimpse of the Hermit Kingdoms’ digital life. However, at the end of last year, the cybersecurity researcher and DPRK blogger stumbled across something new: signs North Koreans are working on major international TV shows.

In December, Roy discovered a misconfigured cloud server on a North Korean IP address containing thousands of animation files. Included in the cache were animation cells, videos, and notes discussing the work, plus changes that needed to be made to ongoing projects. Some images appeared to be from an Amazon Prime Video superhero show and an upcoming Max (aka HBO Max) children’s anime.

The findings and security lapse—detailed in a report by the Stimson Center think tank's North Korea–focused 38 North Project, which helped analyze the findings along with Google-owned security firm Mandiant—provide a glimpse at how North Korea can use skilled IT and tech workers to raise funds for its heavily sanctioned regime. It also comes as US officials increasingly warn about North Korean IT workers infiltrating companies and their outsourcing.

North Korea’s internet is a small—and fragile—space. The repressive nation only has 1,024 IP addresses and around 30 websites that connect to the global internet. While there is a limited internal intranet, only a few thousand of the country’s 26 million people can get on the internet. When they do, it’s highly controlled: These select few North Koreans can use the internet for an hour at a time and have a person sitting next to them approving their use every five minutes.

When Roy discovered the exposed cloud server, it was being updated on a daily basis. Martyn Williams, a senior fellow on the 38 North Project who helped analyze the contents of the server, says the server likely allowed work to be sent to and from North Korean animators. The server itself is still live, but it mysteriously stopped being used at the end of February. While there is a login page, its contents can be accessed without a username and password. “I found the login page after I found all the exposed files,” Roy says.

Inside, the files contained editing comments and instructions in Chinese which were translated to Korean, the researchers write in their report. “For a lot of the animation files, we would find things like spreadsheets with details of the workflow,” Williams says. A sample of the files shared with WIRED show detailed anime images and video clips, with notes for the authors and date stamps on various files. In one instance, the report says, an animator was “asked to improve the shape of the character’s head.”

Based on the documents and drawings, the researchers were able to identify some of the shows and projects the North Koreans were working on. Some of the projects included work from season 3 of the Amazon show Invincible, which is produced by California-based Skybound Entertainment. There were also documents linked to Max and Cartoon Network show Iyanu: Child of Wonder, produced by YouNeek Studios, as well as files from a Japanese anime series and an animation studio in Japan.

Some file names gave away clues about the series and episode numbers. There were also files and projects the researchers could not identify—including a “bunch of files” with videos of horses and a Russian book on horses, Williams says.

Sanctions placed upon the North Korean regime, for its ongoing human rights abuses and nuclear warfare programs, prohibit US companies from working with DPRK companies or individuals. However, the researchers say it is highly unlikely that any companies involved would have a clue about North Korean animators working on the shows, and there is nothing suggesting the companies violated any sanctions or other laws. “It is likely that the contracting arrangement was several steps downstream from the major producers,” the report says.

Spokespeople for Amazon and Max spokesperson declined to comment for this story. YouNeek Studios did not respond to a request for comment.

“We do not work with North Korean companies, or Chinese companies on Invincible, or any affiliated entities, and have no knowledge of any North Korean or Chinese companies working on Invincible,” a spokesperson for Skybound Entertainment says. “We take any claims very seriously and have commenced an investigation into this.” In a post on X, the company characterized the findings as “unconfirmed” and said it is working with authorities to investigate.

Williams says it is possible that a front company in China is used to help disguise the activity and involvement of North Koreans. The researchers were able to analyze connections to the exposed server and, despite most having their location masked by a VPN, spotted access from Spain and three Chinese cities. “All three cities are known to have many North Korean–operated businesses and are main centers for North Korea’s IT workers who live overseas,” the report says.

While Williams says the researchers did not find any identifiable names of North Korean organizations buried in the files, the country has a well-established animation company called April 26 Animation Studio, which is also known as SEK Studio. Originally set up in the 1950s, the studio has worked on hundreds of international TV shows and movies.

However, in recent years, the US Treasury Department has sanctioned SEK Studios, individuals linked to it, and various “front companies” that it says are used to “work for foreign customers.” Many of these have links to China, according to the sanctions. “SEK Studio has utilized an assortment of front companies to evade sanctions targeting the government of the DPRK and to deceive international financial institutions,” a statement issued as part of the sanctions in 2021 says.

The main aim of these efforts, says Michael Barnhart, a North Korea researcher at Mandiant, is to raise money for the North Korean regime. The country’s hackers and scammers have stolen and extorted billions of dollars to help fund its military ambitions in recent years, including from huge cryptocurrency heists. In early 2022, the FBI issued a 16-page alert warning companies that remote North Korean freelance IT workers were infiltrating businesses to earn money they could funnel back home.

“The volume is much higher than we were expecting,” Barnhart says of North Korea’s IT workers. They are constantly changing their tactics to avoid being caught, he says. “We had one not too long ago, where during the interview, the person’s mouth was just off-frame. You could tell that someone in the background was speaking on their behalf.” Technically, Barnhart says, companies should verify their remote workers’ devices and make sure that there is no remote software connecting to a company laptop or network. Businesses should also put extra efforts at the hiring stage by training HR staff to detect possible IT workers.

However, he says, increasingly there is a greater crossover between North Korean IT workers and individuals who are members of known hacking groups or classified as advanced persistent threats (APTs). “The more we focus on IT workers, the more we’re starting to see APT operators and efforts blending in with those,” he says. “This might be the most quick learning-on-your-feet, nimble nation-state that I've ever seen.”

[leonaluv]

Your debut show

Pick a pile ,to choose a reality show you , would join .

🔮🥹⭐❤️‍🩹🫅 / 1-5

Zoom in ,Zoom out ahaha

I was thinking of doing concepts like this , of where the company , you work in would send you , for your first gig .

Pile 1

The show is going to be centered around you and your family and best friends. It's either a show where you and your friends are like impractical jokers or where your friends are controlling what you say and do while you pull pranks on each other. Or the show will be more family-oriented but still full of drama, showing your love life and all aspects of the home. Most reality TV shows are centered around love, hookups later in the season, and your marriage life. Seasons highlights are you meeting your lover, the audience will eat up all the relationships plot, and you have one where you leave your partner because of his bad spending habits. Have era where your just clubbing and partying it up with musicians,although more of a badboy/bad girl type. To make things spicy,  some of you will choose to come back to your spouse or lover and have kids. You are just showing off your luxurious lifestyle and connecting with different people.

Your show would run for 7 months, but because of all the other opportunities you will be presented,

How will people feel about you? They see you as a reliable and practical person. They see you as someone who has huge influence and is good at making and keeping money. You know how to make things trend and just know what people want to see.

Now they see the people you have on show all differently, which isn't surprising because it's more general reading. Some people think it's something else for your family—some type of Illuminati stuff happening. They think your family has some secrets that need to be exposed.

7 cups, 4 wands, judge, wild 🌃, king of pentacles , the moon reverse 

Shows: keeping up with K. Husbands of Hollywood (so funny), impractical jokers, kind of like infinite challenges (a Korean show).

Pile 2

Survival of the fitness, you are naked and afraid. Starting off with nothing, not even a map or anything, you find yourself in a random forest with someone who has good athletic sense like you. It's giving Eve and Adam, your going to be in your element 😜  Nature is your friend, and the person you are with does all the heavy lifting  Of course,you'rer helping along the way.  Even though you may be more of the "feminine"one ,you are still able to do well with the challenges.  Until then, you decide to break a rule , yet it seems like a game changer. They decide to make the game better after your guest appearance.  You bought in tons of ratings .

Pile 3

A wholesome reality TV show—these shows I'm not familiar with at all. It has a church or does good deeds for strangers. It reminds me of toddlers going to chores on that one Japanese show, so I guess a show involving kids, like Superman (a Korean show). Healing program, Lee Hyori show where she let her home be a guest house, BTS in the soop. 

 

Pile 4

You choose a game show, either the ones that are like the Genius show or A mystery show like Zombieverse, Busted, and On Show required you to use your strength as well. There are lots of YouTube shows like this. So your normally with different types of entertainers, singers, actors, comedians, and sometimes they invite police or army people on these shows. You have a good chance of winning on the show with the nine of pentacles.

Another show is Running Man.

 Cards: the world, 9 pentacles reversed, goddess, exorcist

Pile 5

Romance 💕💒, show, dating show, your company decided to put you on. Now, I have seen people get judged the most of these types of reality shows, the premise is trying to find love in five days to weeks. Sometimes they have experts on the show to help matching making, but it's up to the person to find their true love. Shows, we got married, love is blind, or single inferno. You would have time at first finding love ,but you walk out with loving yourself more out of this crazy experiment. Also finding a sweet partner to out of the show. People, like how , articulate you are and just how you present you. The show either last for seven days or seven weeks.

Cards: 3 wands reverse. Ace of cups

#variety #love is blind #pac #pick a card #My mind rn #mess mess mess in dis- #tarot readings

[pathesisa]

the marketing strategy for wayv members is so wrong and i will try to explain: (this is not hating towards any members i love all of them)

1 - the first member is xiaojun, sm pushing xiaojun into korean market after that man left was a wrong move, he is not the most marketable member for korean people. he is mcing for 1 year and he is the wayv member who gets korean promo only (bare minimum compare to other units) but it doesn't work, never saw him in the brand reputation list; ten and winwin are the only members who made it to the list. anyways xiaojun is a vocalist who should be sent in singing programs korea already has kibum, bambam kind of male idols who have the same career strategy and are obsessed with gg groups yes short viral moments are good but being labeled as this would be bad for his future career because no one gaf about kibums albums in korea they only interesting his entertainer side, xiaojun is most versatile nct vocalist he needs to market himself as a singer more, if he wants korean fame he should sing in korean but even korean singers won't charting there so i think the best market for xiaojun is mainland, my boy is more talented than any chinese mainstream artist rn. he is just talented and needs to focus on his talents more than his entertainer side because it's shadowing his talents. i really want xiaojun release covers every week, i need his angelic voice. [someone asked about his visual, yes his visual is good and my top 3 in the whole nct but he is short and has a big head (idk why this is a beauty standard) which doesn't fit in korea and chinese beauty standards]

2- second one is winwin and probably most complicated member and i'm scared yunqis will attack me, please he and xiaojun are my biases don't attack me. winwin didn't set his foot in korea for months but being on the reputation list proves he is the most marketable member for korea, if i'm not wrong he fits kbs %90 or something, but he never makes friends there, never saw him with any korean idol outside nct members, he makes himself stuck in nct circle in korea, korean people loves handsome boyfriendable cute k-idols and winwin is perfect example for this but unfortunately ww never gaf about korean market all obsessed is chinese market. i went to nct nation at japan he got the most cheers, he was the only member trended on japan twitter, he went viral 3 times he went to japan which is even no wayv and any wayv member trended here because winwin become so popular after he made into japanese national news about his and satomi ishihara similarity, not even have to mention nct life osaka.he is the most popular member in indonesia but only went here 1 time. second most popular member in thailand. ph has his biggest fanbase he never went there. this dude has a terrible career plan, all he wants become popular in mainland china, he need to open his eyes. his manager probably hates him because it's not hard to make an overseas schedule for him.

3- hendery. he is the least interesting wayv member if we have to be honest. he doesn't know how to be a private. after that man left the company he had the most potential to shine but xiaojun handled the post-lucas era better than him. i don't like his and winwin's rap parts in wayv songs, even yangyang's these raps ruining wayv's songs for being pop perfection for me. i dont see a singer or rapper future for him, wukong was a terrible experience. but you know what he has big potential among all wayv members to become popular, he is so an entertainer. he should be sent with winwin into those variety shows instead of that man, he would be x2 big in the mainland rn. i mean with 0 promotions he is the 3rd most popular member in china, having bigger fanbases than xiaojun, kun, and yangyang who have more gigs in their bags. he is so popular in indonesia, i remember he went viral there every day after a hendery fic adapted to an indo-drama. he should consider acting in movies, wong kar wai needs to open his eyes.

4- yangyang.. a big wasted potential. he would be more popular than any chinese idol in korea if he debuted in a korean group.. he is so baby. he is so marketable there, hip-hop alt culture is so popular nowadays he could probably be friends with everyone. but the company made him mark 2.0, with no originality not saying he is the less talented because yangyang is the most talented member in wayv (yes more talented than ten) but the marketing strategy killed his all hype there. this man outrapping the top 2 nct rapper (ijbol) with his 3rd language with ease, but if marketing is wrong you will start 1-0 behind. the other marketing fault is making him ten's sidekick in variety shows, this is why his fanbase never grows. all yangyang stans also love ten they have very common fandoms he needs to promote with different people, 10velys will never let yangyang shine in a show there ten is also there. yall he needs to hang out with some korean dudes outside the nct members and do some collabs, trust me is would benefit him more than those tenyang contents. everyone thinks yangyang is benefiting ten in tenyang collabs but all yangyang get is overshadowed by ten because ten has a huge fanbase. being a duo with ten was the worst thing in his career now all he gets from these, annoying shippers and a hateful fanbase who hates him because they think he is using ten's opportunities. send him in a show as mentor than watched him. my talanted boy!

5- maybe he is not the most popular in any country but he has the biggest potential for his future after wayv because he is friends with every composer, and producer, improving himself, and growing his friend circle. he is the best with these. the friends that winwin, xiaojun, or yangyang made into the industry will never benefit them in the future but having producer friends means you have secured your position. instead of being hyped for 4-5 years and then being forgotten after new idols debuted, i will always prefer people like kun who have stable careers because he will still have the same fanbase even after 10 years. this is why i think he has the best strategy in wayv and dont want quick viral moments like didi line of wayv (hendery, xiaojun, yangyang), all people know him as the member who can do 20 things.

6- ten lee.. ace of the aces. being compared to with the ten lee would be biggest achivement for those nct members yall trying to believe us they are more taleted than him lol. wayv was the biggest miastake for his career. this dude want int fame, being 2000s popstar. relasing a fully english song without thai or chinese version just proving my point. he really dgaf about these markets. he should be debuted as a soloist at the first day now we probably would compare him with the taemin but now people only calling him taemin 2.0 and it's so sad. i think he and winwin really loves wayv because both of them have better chances outside the group but they are still with them. his album is doing so good and break some records and surpassed big soloist like taeyeon, seulgi etc. in spotify numbers. the company need to already start to organize his 2nd album even before wayv album sorry not sorry.

#kun #ten lee #winwin #xiaojun #hendery #yangyang #wayv #nct

[chernobog13]

HAPPY ULTRAMAN DAY!

Quite a few pop culture items first made the scene 57 years ago, among them Star Trek, the Slurpee, and the Ambassador Magma (The Space Giants) TV show. 

However, today we celebrate a little program, the sequel to Tsuburaya Production’s Ultra Q, premiered on Japanese television.

Yes, Ultraman turns 57 today!  He kicked off the franchise that, while there have been some hiccups along the way, has entertained millions (billions?) across the globe.

Happy Birthday, big guy!  

#Ultraman #Happy Ultraman Day #Tsuburaya Productions #tokusatsu #Japanese superheroes

[adachimoe]

Teddie's understanding of "scoring"

When Yukiko's "tv program" first airs, her shadow proclaims, "Today, I, Yukiko Amagi, want to try scoring! No, reverse scoring!" Reverse as in... normally, it's a guy hitting on a girl, thus when a girl hits on a guy, it would be the "reverse". Like how a girl with 10 boyfriends is called a "reverse harem".

In English, "reverse scoring" was "score myself a hot stud". That works and we understand that it's gendered because of the "hot stud" part. Teddie then picks up the term "reverse scoring" from Chie talking about what Yukiko's shadow said. But after this scene in English where he repeats what she says, it's only translated as "scoring", which doesn't really have a gendered connotation by itself.

So when Teddie says "scoring" in the English version, he is saying "reverse scoring", or "girls hitting on guys". IMO, part of the ridiculousness of him saying this - and also the realization that you shouldn't be taking him seriously - is lost if you don't get that he's using the girls going after guys phrase. His use of the phrase is also why Chie is so amused when he says it in June, asking if he can "reverse score" with Chie and Yukiko.

Meanwhile, Yukiko reacts like this - not because she's mad about Teddie talking about "scoring" with her (Chie, Yukiko and Rise don't seem to take that seriously anyway), but because he learned it due to her shadow and it reminds her of that.

After Mitsuo's dungeon, the English script does write it as "scoring with guys", but it makes it sound like Teddie is saying he scored with Yukiko, and I feel like the script only included "with guys" here for the sake of Kanji's reaction. Maybe it would've been more entertaining and clearer if Teddie had instead called Chie and Yukiko "hot studs" through the whole game lmao.

There's another part to this: Does Teddie understand that he's saying "reverse scoring"? I'm not sure about when he figures it out, but a Japanese compilation of the dungeon chats between inactive party members suggests that he does know the difference.

クマ 　ナナチャンとまた遊びたいクマねー。 　優しくて、可愛くて…いい子クマ。 　今度、いつ遊びに行っていい？ 千枝 　…まさかクマくん、あんな小さい子も 　ターゲットにしてるんじゃ… クマ 　たーげっと？ 　…よく分からんけど、 　クマがナンパしたいのはチエチャンたちクマ。

Teddie's slink auto-advances with the plot. At Star rank 4 (after Void Quest and the omelette competition where he meets Nanako and makes a promise with her), he gains this dungeon chat with Chie. Teddie says he likes Nanako and would like to see her again someday. Chie gets concerned and asks Teddie if he's going after a child. Teddie doesn't 100% understand what she means, but says the ones he wants to "score" with (using the dudes hitting on girls word) are Chie and the other older girls.

#persona 4 #yukiko amagi #teddie #kuma #chie satonaka #nanako dojima #localization #日本語ヘタです

[04tenno]

I have to admit I’m so unsure of what message they were trying to send with Nick Ogata

Looks classically fruity but I’m still… unsure

Well, they say if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck...

I think it goes past appearances, though. Of course, he does dress like a dandy (the same way Yokoyama first visualized Mine dressing, incidentally), and there's a certain flamboyant charm there. And he does have Those Mannerisms. You know the ones, I'm sure.

If that much seemed tenuous, the fact he frequents Earth Angel, more or less acts as Ichiban's "sugar daddy" over the course of the game, and is very excited to hear all about Ichiban's "date" with Arakawa while clearly under the impression Ichiban means it in a romantic sense (💀💀💀) leaves few doubts for most about what they were trying to get at.

But as always, I'd like to talk about queerness in the context of Japanese culture. Earth Angel no longer billed as an "okama bar," but that was part of its history, and the Champion District is also home to Drama Queen. Like I've touched on before, the "clustering" of LGBT-friendly establishments in the Champion District makes it more like a cross between Golden Gai (what it's actually based on) and Nicho (Shinjuku's hub of gay subculture), which naturally carries implications for regulars.

Another thing I've touched on before is wealth. Among the sexual minorities in Japan, gay men appear to have the highest ceiling for financial mobility. Characters like Nick and Mine, who've accrued more wealth than most other characters could even dream of, demonstrate that perfectly; the sums of money at the core of games like Yakuza and Yakuza 4 are pocket change to them. To a degree, this goes for Oda too, though in a cast of characters of characters who are also filthy rich, he doesn't stand out as much.

Those are pretty broad, of course, but there are a few things specific to Nick. For one, his theatricality and dramatics. In particular, his showmanship in the iconic finale scene stands out to me. There is a fair amount of crossover with queerness in Western culture here, so I'm sure it'll sound familiar. Let's see...

"Mainstream" visibility and acceptance of transgender identities and homosexuality in modern Japan first came to be through big spectacular televised events inviting queer entertainers to perform. And although these were joyful occasions that many were happy to see, the lack of seriousness in media in general has more or less lead to the generalization of queer people (mainly gay men and trans women) as entertainers and performers, theatrical, dramatic, camp.

To quote Queer Japanese, "Curiosity is the only driving force. Sexual minorities portrayed by media are funny and entertaining, but without real voice. The invitation of sexual minorities to the program by NHK satisfies the curiosity of viewers while also showing the viewers how open, accepting, and tolerant the media has become." This is the case for a lot of Japanese media, RGG included.

Another thing specific to Nick is that he's half-American and has clearly spent a lot of time stateside, being bilingual. Now, that might not sound related, but frequently in Japan you'll encounter the sentiment that being queer is a "foreigner thing"; many people are more willing to accept foreigners and the diaspora as being queer than the alternative. The sentiment lies at the intersection of too many ingrained assumptions to unpack here, but it's one that's reflected in characters like Nick (or even Mine, who is heavily Westernized himself.)

Analysis aside, the biggest instinctive "tell" for me was the attempt to subvert expectations with him dating women and enjoying their company (unlike Mine, for once). In attempting to subvert expectations, it's necessary to acknowledge the fact the expectations are there in the first place. So to me, Nick is a character who is crafted to set those expectations, and his character cannot be divorced from them.

And my reasoning may sound counter-intuitive, but... I'm not sure what man who's actually interested in women only dates them to refine them to their best selves and then immediately breaks up with them. It's like, he only gets in relationships knowing they'll end and he'll be the one to do it, and that's not only fine with him, but the appeal. So it kind of just circles back around to being pretty gay.

While I'm here, Nick is partly based on this guy from RGGO (whose name I never bothered to learn/remember, but I assume he has one.)

Neat.

#long post #asks #my analysis #anonymous #yakuza 3 #yakuza like a dragon #ryu ga gotoku online #nick ogata #ichiban kasuga #kasuga ichiban #yoshitaka mine #mine yoshitaka #yeah fuck it im tagging #brought to you by the guy behind the Mine Gay Essay: the Nick Gay Essay #not that i needed to really make an argument here. i mean... #i was gonna make a joke like For More Gay Essays drop random characters in my inbox but. nah. realistically i don't have that many thoughts #or THE TIME like jesus christ mine and nick barely have screentime but they've got me writing PARAGRAPHS #but yeah i don't think he's bi or anything despite what he says #as a certified bisexual i have nfi what he was talking about lol #what do you MEAN catch and release. what do you mean by that. #i haven't seen the business storyline though so i'm missing out on The Full Picture. but i'm pretty sure about this one #HONESTLY THOUGH LIKE. SLAY #HE'S SO OP FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER AND I WAS BEYOND THRILLED TO SEE HIM DO SO MUCH SHIT THAT'S PIVOTAL TO THE PLOT #like. usually. characters like nick will just be bit characters at most. relegated to substories or side content #but there's so much of the story that literally COULD NOT have happened without nick #it was so foul for ichi to give him the impression he was going on a /date/ date with arakawa though that shit made me vacate my skin #i know you didn't know he was your /dad/ dad at the time but...... ichi............ just think once before you speak please #i don't have any opinions one way or another about how nick is handled as a character though #i mean. sure. plays off stereotypes. But Have You Considered I Love Him #i was going to say something else but i don't wanna ruffle feathers soooo yeah :) PLEASE come back in 8 king

[japanesedoramaandanimelover91]

The screenshots from programme of Nakai Masahiro, where Ninomiya Kazunari was guest. 28.01.2024.

Part 2.

#Ninomiya Kazunari #Arashi #Nakai Masahiro #Ex-SMAP #Japanese Entertainment Program #Fuji TV

[thistransient]

obligatory retrospection 2023

I was holding off on it for a while, but now perhaps it's time for the annual retrospection. (It did occur to me that there is some overlap with the birthday introspection, although that one doesn't usually come with goals or anything). Apparently my main aspiration was to finish reading 天官賜福, with some general wistfulness in the direction of having more physical contact, getting a job, and the cessation of some unproductive infatuation I was suffering. Well, 3 out of 4 ain't bad, although the job was kind of the most important one...well, can't win 'em all. (Very amusing in hindsight that I thought the human touch part would involve "massage class or something" and not "exploring the rope bondage scene").

This year was not quite as eventful as the last one. I did travel a bit more on account of the visa runs and people I showed around. Going to Korea again for the first time in ten years definitely had some sort of closure effect on me, and I felt surprisingly changed (for the better) by the experience. I finished Chinese class (mainly on the basis that there was none left to take at my language school and I was too tired to transfer to another one), finally ended things with my tutor (long overdue), experienced the rise and fall of a friendship (which I'm still processing), survived a visit from my father and enjoyed a visit from an old friend. I think I can say I've biked all the Taipei and New Taipei City riverside bike paths (Google maps is not the most reliable for these things, however.) I started going to counseling in a proactive way, not a rock-bottom way, which has been interesting. I had a brief go at the dating app thing, which mainly served to put me off the dating app thing (gonna go back to leaving it up to 緣分). I bought a silly shirt at the night market, and also went to KTV in Taiwan for the first time. I slowly trained myself to go to unfamiliar events and the bdsm bar alone (inspiring confusion in extroverts and envy in fellow anxious people). I got my instant noodle habit down to twice a week at max. I propagated too many plant clippings from the park. It didn't feel like like I was doing much from day to day, but looking back, I think I was getting myself back in order (my persistent headaches and migraines I had for so much of the previous year went away!).

This year my main goal is to finish reading the Chinese translation of 黃金神威 / Golden Kamuy. I'm at 9 of 30 volumes right now, which I get from the library because 1) I have to put them on order (the thrill of anticipation) 2) I have to take a walk to the library to retrieve them (getting out of the house) and 3) there's a due date to force me to finish them in a timely manner (unlike all the other books I own which sit unread in various drawers and corners).

I came to the conclusion that my best chance at employment in Taiwan that doesn't involve teaching children requires getting a graduate degree (which would also serve to get me residency, and perhaps convince my family I'm not going to be a ne'er-do-well forever). I have actually applied for a program- the only one I was interested in that was also manageable to apply for this admission cycle, since I came to said conclusion about a month out from the deadline. Given that it's at one of the most prestigious unis in Taiwan and I think my research proposal is only tenuously related to the department, I'm having very realistic expectations here and steeling myself to take the TOCFL and apply again this summer to programs taught in Mandarin. But at least I have a direction to go in.

I had taken an intro rope class some time during the summer, but honestly I don't see myself pursuing a career as a rigger any time soon. In the name of short-term continuing education, I have entertained the thought of looking for uni classes to audit to make sure I can actually understand them, and I also want to check out taking Japanese classes taught in Chinese. By coincidence I became acquainted with a Frenchman at the bar last night who spoke impressively fluent Japanese as a result of his job in the adult video business (initially I misunderstood this to mean he was an actor, he quickly clarified that he was in the import/export side of things), which felt like a sign (or the final sign of many). I have resisted learning it for many many years, but my trip to Tokyo this fall was just too embarrassing when it came to basic communication (or a lack thereof), and if I ever want to go explore kinbaku at the site of origin I should start working on this sooner or later.

Unrelated to all of these, I also want to consume more protein, have a look for B vitamins the surgeon's office recommended, and learn how to do multi-colour lino printing.

Thus one could say I'm cautiously optimistic about this year, fingers crossed for minimal missile warnings and no more 曖昧的關係s. 加油everybody, 加油.

[supersonicart]

SUGOI! An Art Show Tribute to Japanese Animation.

Spoke Art is thrilled to share an all new collection of original artwork celebrating Japanese Animation opening on July 9th, 2022 in San Francisco, California. Featuring over sixty works of art from artists around the world, this exhibition is a testament to the influence and reach that the genre has had on generations of pop culture fans far and wide.

With adept storytelling and iconic characters, anime has transcended into a global phenomenon from what was once a very niche community. Like many forms of animation and entertainment, anime itself has grown up alongside its fans and over the past several decades has matured and evolved into a serious art form worthy of accolades, awards and cultural and societal acknowledgment.

Utilizing bright colors, fast paced dialogue and quick cuts, anime demands the attention of the viewer while rewarding their loyalty with complexities not often present in mainstream programming. With series often going on for years or even decades, anime has become a dynamic and worldwide form of storytelling unique and anything unlike created in the Western World.

BUY PRINTS | FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM

#art #illustration #painting #anime #manga #japanese animation #spoke art #akira

[shiningdesignersreflections]

Ai: Pixel Adventure

Designer’s Reflection: Pixel Adventure

Obtained: Sea of Fantasy Gleam

Rarity: SSR

Attribute: Blue/Cool

Awakened Suit: Virtual Adventure

Story - transcripts from Designer’s Reflection

Chapter 1 - New Career

Chapter 2 - Rising Star

Chapter 3 - Opportunity

Chapter 4 - New Journey

Story - summarized

Whenever Charmonroe isn’t home, Ai loves to play games. She’s so used to being on her own. At least as an artificial intelligence program, she doesn’t need much to entertain herself.

Still, she is excited about the newest game. It’s an online game with multiple players. Except she plays by herself. Charmonroe notices this and asks Ai why she is by herself. Ai thought the point of games was to win, and it’s too unpredictable with many people. The college student encourages Ai to branch out.

So, Ai starts off by inviting the friends she already has to play in her small group: SummerSue, WinterWill, and Peppermint. She likes the challenge of having “other variables” when others play with her. She shares some of the play highlights with Charmonroe - as well as some quirky or funny moments.

Charmonroe is worried that Ai is sticking too close to what is familiar, so she encourages her to try playing with strangers. Ai likes it, and she’s more than willing to give pointers to other gamers. But a few of the gamers start spreading rumors about her, even going so far as to report her for cheating and bugs.

Ai insists that she wants to go to the company’s live-stream to officially meet everyone and to clear up any confusion. The night of the stream, Ai feels anxious. She’s never felt a mix of emotions at the same time. Thankfully, Charmonroe is there to help her through the live-stream.

Once the stream starts, Ai joins right away, snuggled into her own bedroom in cyberspace. She becomes popular right away. Ai likes these new feelings and moments. Later on, she tells Charmonroe that she wants to be out of her bubble and join the larger world.

Connections

-In the Reflection for Shy Confession, Ai describes being created (her version of being born). Charmonroe is her programmer, but rather than a mother-figure she acts like a big sister to Ai.

-You’ve already met Ai’s best friends: Peppermint, Susan (SummerSue), and William (WinterWill).

-The players comment on Ai’s avatar: a girl in a school uniform. In the Reflection for Shy Confession, you learn that a school uniform was Ai’s first design, as well as her favorite.

Fun Facts

-Ai’s name comes from the initials for “artificial intelligence,” but it’s pronounced like the English word “eye.”

-Ai is also a Chinese (and borrowed in Japanese) word meaning “love.”

#ai #shining nikki #artificial intelligence #computer #program #blue attribute #cool #pixel adventure #friends #cyberbullying #mmo games #online gaming #streaming #popularity #break out of your shell #charmonroe #be confident #apple #apple federation #ssr designer

[alstroemerian-dragon]

man. thinking about how the survivors all desperately need new hobbies

like. okay. sonia’s a great example. off the top of your head what are her hobbies? probably learning about and researching true crime and the occult, and watching j-dramas/anime, right? but if you really think about it, her fascination with japanese culture very much feels like her just desperately wanting to fit in and massively overcompensating. so while i do think she probably enjoys those shows, theyre definitely not as popular in her kingdom as she claims (not that im saying she’s lying on purpose, just that. well, when you feel embarrassed about someones reaction to you liking something, sometimes you’ll try to make an excuse for why you do yknow), and plus, its not like they have access to a lot of entertainment media for a while post program. as for the occult/true crime stuff…

look me in the eye and tell me junko did not use that against her. do you really think junko enoshima would not see a girl obsessed with the study of serial killers and not try and warp that into a fascination with her?

i think that stuff leaves a bad taste in her mouth now. and after committing and being complicit in the committing of the kind of crimes she used to be fascinated by, its kind of hard to find the joy in that anymore, yknow? the occult stuff could maybe still be enjoyable, but with how often it feels like there are ghosts lurking around every fucking corner and her dreams are filled with screaming corpses its kinda hard to be fanciful about that stuff.

so. girl needs some new hobbies.

its not much better for the others, either. akanes hobbies were basically working out, doing parkour, eating, and sleeping. the first two are downright impossible for the first several months after waking up, and for the foreseeable future any kind of physical activity is going to be, to an extent, difficult just due to how much chronic pain and weakness she’ll probably suffer the rest of her life. she can get to a healthier weight and a stronger muscular build, but its not going to change the fact that she gets out of breath and sore much faster than before. as for eating… well. thats gonna be a sore subject for a while. so all she has left is sleeping, and sleeping all day is, as ive been told by many people, kind of a depression symptom? and theres no way the others would sit back and let her do that.

girl needs some new hobbies!

kazuichi, from what we can tell, had a few more normal hobbies. in game you can find him gaming with chiaki, and he seems to enjoy coming up with schemes and plans for silly stuff, but overall he just loves his tinkering. he may be the ultimate mechanic but first and foremost he just loves fucking with machines and engines and finding out what makes them tick. but even that isnt gonna work anymore. sure, he could game. if they had any fucking consoles. or a working computer network. or any games. but none of that is happening for a while, if ever. as for his tinkering, it’s gotta be a similarly sore subject to sonia’s training and tutoring as a princess. its too closely linked to what he did as a despair, too closely linked to his talent, to not make him feel like screaming when he smells machine polish. i think he definitely could get back to a point where it genuinely brings him joy again, and before that he definitely forces himself to use his talent and knowledge because they need it, but. its a complicated problem.

the guy needs some new fucking hobbies.

and of course… fuyuhiko.

fuyuhiko… doesnt have any hobbies.

like okay can you think of a single thing from the game (or fuck even the anime) that implies that he has anything he actually does For Fun. he has a sweet tooth. hes dedicated to his clan. he went to the zoo with peko one time. he got in fights at school. thats… those arent hobbies. fuyuhiko doesnt have any hobbies!!! someone get this boy some fucking knitting needles or a book to read!!!! please!!!!!!!!!! i think it would genuinely help him a lot to have something to do instead of just sitting and stewing in his own trash fire of a brain speaking from experience. learn to sew, read some fantasy novels, learn to play the guitar, something. im begging you.

and hajime is his own fucking can of worms.

he probably had hobbies before the Horrors. right? he probably played some video games, maybe liked martial arts films, maybe sketched in the margins of his notebooks. rode his bike sometimes. but now? nothing keeps his interest that long. everything becomes monotonous after a while, and sure, sometimes thats the draw. with stuff like fiber crafts the point is sometimes making it muscle memory so you have something to do with your hands. but other times its not. and his ability to basically excel in most things you put in front of him has to be so fucking boring after a while. a lot of the point of having hobbies is that you arent perfect. the draw is learning, is getting better. even reading can become nothing when any nonfiction book has knowledge in it you already know and any fiction book you can intuit the ending from the first few pages. he probably reads Lightning Fast now too, so it cant hold his interest for long.

he probably has to constantly be switching hobbies and outlets. cant stay on one thing too long, or the ennui starts to set in. that sounds miserable.

someone get these kids some hobbies, man

#personal #meta #danganronpa #sdr2 #neo survivors #MAN. YOU EVER THINK ABOUT HOW MISERABLE THE SURVIVORS ARE AT FIRST #BECAUSE I DO!!!!!! #personally i think sonia gets into painting. i think its fun if she specifically gets into mural painting #and starts decorating the facilities walls #i think she also gets really into helping build stuff and working with her hands because she never did that as a princess!!! #fuyuhiko i think gets into fiber crafts. specifically i could see him doing embroidery and shit #and reading. i think he develops a very embarrassing love of romance novels #but mostly he likes detective and mystery fiction yknow #kaz of course figured out how to make tinkering work for him again. he has to #but i think they also get into like. soldering as an art thing too #sculpture and stuff!! #and they and sonia are both really into fashion stuff so when the foundation sends them more clothes #and more materials #they both go ham making new clothes and outfits and shit #the two of them both learning how to sew <3 bonding experience. #akane definitely also figures out a way to get working out to work again. just slightly different from before #more stretching and stuff. i think she could also benefit from some meditation techniques! maybe she gets into yoga #and of course when they all finally get shipments of movies and tv shows from before the tragedy they all eat that shit UP #OH and akane LOVES taking care of the animals. like yeah a lot of them are probably gonna end up getting eaten eventually #and she definitely is a benefitter of that. but that doesnt mean she cant care for them now!!! #she takes point on feeding and caring for their livestock and chickens and stuff <3 #hajime of course. uh. jumps around. he does a lot of stuff. #anything to keep the darkness at bay ykwim!!!! haha #i do think he reads. and i think he does do art too because even if you have the ultimate artist in you #its always gonna turn out a little different

[thebrikbox]

Godzilla vs. King Kong, 1962

I laughed out loud watching this movie. It wasn’t the monsters that tickled my side, but the actors. You must appreciate the movie for what it is and not be offended. This was the first production with the two kings as opponents and it was entertaining. Ishiro Honda’s vision came to life by his creative imagination and a brilliant cast.

Behind the Scenes

Tomoyuki Tanaka approached Ishirō Honda with an idea to make another Godzilla movie, this time with King Kong as a nemesis. Honda put a lot of thought into it and wanted this movie to be a satire of Japanese programs. Television networks and sponsors engaged in wild publicity stunts to secure high ratings.

"People were making a big deal out of ratings, but my own view of TV shows was that they did not take the viewer seriously, that they took the audience for granted...so I decided to show that through my movie, the reason I showed the monster battle through the prism of a ratings war was to depict the reality of the times.” - Ishiro Honda

Honda teamed up with Shinichi Sekizawa when creating a fictional pharmaceutical company in the script. Shinichi’s experience working on television shows gave valuable insight to what Honda wanted when telling his story. The idea that a pharmaceutical company is supposed to make medicine wouldn’t be enough for the owner who wanted fame and more money, so to get a giant monster to glorify his company for the wrong reasons shows how ridiculous networks are as well as the viewing audience.

Toho studios wanted the monsters to be funny, from Kong’s demeanor to the battles. This concept would appeal to a wider and younger audience. During filming, the special effects crew were frustrated because monster battles are supposed to portray power, not include comedic antics. Honda was not happy at all about making monsters silly.

“I don't think a monster should ever be a comical character," and "The public is more entertained when the great King Kong strikes fear into the hearts of the little characters.” - Ishiro Honda

Shoichi Hirose played Kong and Haruo Nakajima played Godzilla. Tonaka was insistent to make the monsters funny, so he allowed the actors to design a fighting style that would be funny and appealing to the audience. Professional wrestling was becoming a popular sport in Japan; Hirose and Nakajima would use fighting techniques based off the sport to Tonoka’s liking.

After monster suits received approval, four octopi were used for filming on Faro Island because of limited funding, a suit couldn’t be made.

Tonaka was all hands in for the movie. After Honda’s script was approved, it was time to film.

The Story

The President of Pacific Pharmaceutical, Mr. Tako, sponsors a lot of television programs and the ratings he hoped to have isn’t doing much to boost the image of his company. He wants something grand that makes him stand out from other businesses with better ratings.

Mr. Tako hears about a monster discovered on Faro Island and he wants it to boost his ratings, so he sends two of his men, Osamu Sakurai and Kinsaburo Furue, to the island to retrieve it. During their journey there, and unbeknownst to them in another distant location, a U.S. nuclear powered submarine hits an iceberg. The impact of the collision and exposes Godzilla who’d been trapped inside and he destroys the sub.

Sukurai and Furue arrive at the island and with them they have a former native who helps as a translator. The visitors meet the village chief and and offer gifts. While there, a giant octopus comes to shore and begins attacking the village. Kong appears. He fights the octopus and saves the people. The natives offer Kong red berry juice and perform a ritual dance as he drinks. The combination of juice and dance make Kong fall asleep.

Now that Kong is unconscious, Sukurai and Furue transport the giant on a raft back to Japan. Waiting for them is Mr. Tako, and he’s thrilled when he sees Kong, however, the JSDF prohibits them from bringing the monster onto shore.

Godzilla reaches Japanese shores and begins destroying everything in sight. Kong abruptly awakens and runs to meet Godzilla and the two giants engage in an enormous battle.

Godzilla shoots an atomic blast at Kong and he retreats because Godzilla was stronger than he anticipated. Meanwhile, JSDF digs a deep pit and arms it with explosions and poison gas hoping it will be enough to end the tyrant’s rage, but it’s ineffective. The next defense tactic is a barrier of extreme high voltage wires and it does work. Kong reappears and uses the electric barrier to strengthen him.

Kong enters Tokyo and sees Sakurai’s sister, Fumiko, and he takes her to the top of the country’s National Diet Building. Sakurai and Furue informs the JSDF about the red juice from Faro Island and it’s medicinal effects. The JSDF immediately takes action and showers Kong with the juice knocking him unconscious. Furue is rescued and the mighty ape is transported to Mt. Fuji via balloons, where Godzilla is. The purpose is to have the monsters battle with Kong defending Japan from Godzilla.

It seems the effects of the berry has made Kong weak. Godzilla’s strength is overbearing. Godzilla sets fire to Kong, and it looks like the great ape is defeated until a thunder cloud appears and strikes Kong with lighting. He’s rejuvenated and he bounces up. The mighty two exchange blows and they tumble into Sagami Bay, but everyone watching them from afar hold breaths because they are underwater with only bubbles stirring.

Then suddenly, Kong emerges as the victor. Everyone cheers and shouts gratitude to him. Kong swims out to sea returning home to Faro Island.

Release

King Kong vs. Godzilla was released in Japan August 11, 1962. This movie recorded the highest attendance of all Godzilla films to date.

An American version was made by John Beck who then sold the film to Universal-International and premiered in New York City June 26, 1963.

American critics were harsh, then and now. Unfortunately, the critics never took into account the era, the special effects techniques, the effort it took to create a masterpiece. If these were considered and the movie viewed with an open mind, they would’ve appreciated it more.

Cast and Crew

Starring: Tadao Takashima, Kenzie Sahara, Yu Fujiki, and Ichiro Arashima

Directed by Ishiro Honda

Written by Shinichi Sekizawa

Special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya

Movie Grade: 0.0 to 4.0

Score: 3.9

Photo references: Getty Images

Quotes reference: Toho Kingdom

#king kong #king kong vs godzilla #godzilla #monster #monster movies #japanese movie #movie review #movie release #movie history #movie theme #movie talk #movie time #review #king of the monsters #godzilla vs king kong #godzilla vs kong #movies