#Onward Review | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

fwoopersongs · 29 days

Text

[Book Rec + Reaction/Thoughts] The Lantern and the Night Moths 灯与夜蛾 by Yilin Wang

An anthology of translated poems by five modern or contemporary poets and accompanying essays by the translator, @yilinwriter.

You can find the pronunciation guide and list of corrections here!

The cover art, a beautiful expression of the tone of this collection, is by Taiwanese artist Ciaoyin (check out her gorgeous insta!). I'm looking forward to the arrival of the physical book as my tab absolutely does not do it justice xD

Anyway! The official release date is 02 April 2024 though there have been some very thoughtful reviews by early readers already. Here, here, here and here.

(It was an ARC that I received too… though in the time it took to put this together, the ebooks have already gone out to readers >.< typical snail yj!)

Instead, I’ll tell you who I think would be interested in this book or might benefit from reading it, then share things that are cool about it from the perspective of a bilingual hobbyist translator + lover of ancient poetry and lyrics.

Who should read it?

If annotations, translator’s notes and reflections spark joy for you...

If you’ve ever read poetry translations and been intensely curious about what goes on under the hood...

If you’re a translator yourself wanting to hear another voice...

Definitely check this out!

Also if you’re CN+EN bilingual and have ever read something in English that references Chinese terms and concepts etc. except ONLY in English, pinyin or wade-giles and been utterly frustrated by the ensuing guessing game (like me) Fear Not.

That will not be a problem here.

I really appreciate how Chinese words are used naturally where needed for concepts and quotes - they are also translated for those who can't read Chinese so no one is left out. It made this book of and about translation (and more) super comfortable to read! The solution is so simple, so direct, so rarely used that I am amused.

Oh, but do note that the Chinese characters are in simplified though!

The poems are organised by their writers who are listed here by order of birth year, not appearance in the book:

秋瑾 (Qiu Jin, 1875 to 1907)

废名 (Fei Ming. 1901 to 1967)

戴望舒 (Dai Wangshu, 1905 to 1950)

小西 (Xiao Xi, 1974 to _)

张巧慧 (Zhang Qiaohui, 1978 to _)

Altogether, that covers nearly the last 150 years up to now. I’ve never really been into poetry by poets in such relatively recent times, in part because I’d been holding on to this stereotype of them spurning Classical Chinese and ancient poetry in the first half of the 20th century (not entirely true, as I came to realise xD). It made sense and was understandable, but felt sad.

Yet am I the target audience for this book?

Very much so.

In ways I didn’t think I would be too! It was so much fun to experience this both as a reader and a translator that I thought I’d share it here, where we are appreciating Chinese poetry together.

If you didn’t think you’d enjoy modern Chinese poetry, hey, give it a chance!

Oh yeah - on the way home a while back, I was talking to a friend about translation and was surprised to hear that her impression was that it ought to be a straightforward process. Like isn’t it a 1:1 conversion? At some point, ‘what’s the difference between something google translate might return, and how you would say it?’ was asked, and oh that was a delightful question to my ears! I showed her one of my comparison sheets where an original text is laid out alongside multiple translations line-by-line, briefly explaining some common and unique choices and how the people who had translated those probably arrived at the various interpretations. She was pretty amazed to see that the answer to her question was: very different. Hey, it’s a complicated process!

But there’s only so much one can explain in the space of a train ride. That’s why The Lantern and the Night Moths is a book I would also rec to someone like this friend of mine - open minded and curious but never having the chance to think about or encounter the craft of translation.

Like Yilin says, ‘the meaning of a word cannot be fully expressed in one single translation, nor through a series of translation attempts’. She then explains why with great attention to detail and some solid examples from one of the poems with word choices loaded with subtle connotations :D

What's interesting about it?

Okay, for one, Yilin shared a playlist of music that she listened to while working on this book. Here is the link to the spotify one and the one on youtube. Check them out! They sure put me in the mood to read xD (favs: 别知己, 小神仙 & 去有風的地方) Afterwards, this made so much sense like - ah! an audio moodboard.

She's also putting together these adorable mini profiles of each poet along with a cmedia and tea rec to match their vibes. Go see them on her instagram xD

Now to business...

structure

What really helped keep the reader’s focus was the way each section is organized, how the poems and accompanying essay were presented and finally the short bio of each person right at the end.

The poets are first introduced through five or six of their poems, works well suited to this purpose. Their voices, distinct through the vision, ambition and emotion of their words, are brought across by Yilin’s sensitive, thoughtful and poetic translations into English. These translations were also creative and transformative in a way that made so much sense after reading one of her reflections on the process, how she ‘must guide it with gentle hands to ensure its spirit is kept alive and intact during this transformative, and often excruciating process’. A rebirth into another language!

Personally, I’ve come to think of reading translations as looking at a work through another’s eyes. So it’s delightful when the translator’s presence is discernible, and even more so when the reader is given insight into their intention and process via commentary.

Yilin’s essays coupled with the poets’ bios at the end provide a means to go back and appreciate their works in context of their circumstance and inspirations. Similarly, to read the translations with a changed perspective.

I don’t know how much of a thing this is with translated poetry anthologies in English - can count the number I’ve read with both hands lol, and they’re all of the ancient chinese poetry variety - but I really like this design.

drawing on poets who came before them

Remember how we’re always recognizing traces of inspiration from ancient works (to them) in poetry of the various dynasties? 李商隐 Li Shangyin of Tang for example, was influenced by 楚辞 Verses of Chu and folklore and mythology such as that in 山海经 Classic of Mountains and Seas, 李白 Li Bai frequently references poets and history of the 魏晋 Wei-Jin era, and 王维 Wang Wei was clearly familiar with Buddhist scriptures which were translations themselves!

Just like the late Táng poets whom he praised for boldly deviating from the voices before them, Fei Ming used popular references and tropey shorthands ‘in contexts utterly different from the original, reimagining them anew’. Dai Wangshu, too, ‘boldly re-envisioned what modern poetry could look like by revisiting the classics’. In fact, in his very relatable ‘To Answer the Visitor with Classical Imagery’, I see Li Bai’s 春夜宴桃李园序, Qu Yuan’s 离骚 and lots of - as the title says - classical imagery, as if pulling out painting after painting to describe a feeling.

And Dai Wangshu’s faith in the translatability of poetry, that ‘poetry isn’t what is lost in translation, but rather, what survives it’ reminds me of what a friend, @xiakeponz, said that I agree with so much - because readers can ‘experience something in their own individual way through (your) shared humanity rather than language alone’.

poetic tradition and beyond

Between the lines of contemporary poets Zhang Qiaohui and Xiao Xi, I can really see the charm of plain vernacular, how it can be beautiful, incisive and clever in turns. Even as it seems to have moved further than ever from the structure and language of literary Chinese, the themes that inspired common motifs remain a part of life. Mother and divinity, homesickness, finding oneself, tributes to admirable spirits and the issues that trouble society - just in a new form and with different ways of expression.

Qiu Jin

So many FEELINGS about what Qiu Jin was doing - ‘I awaken the spirits of women, hundreds of flowers, abloom’. I would love if she could see the world now. So many things for her to rouse and fight against, but at the same time just as many to be proud of. I am so in awe of her, but now hearing her loneliness and struggle there is a soft spot in my heart for those too.

conclusion

So so so…

Qiu Jin’s admirable fire and lonely resolve. Zhang Qiaohui’s precious ability to express beauty in the mundane and in pain. Fei Ming’s utter delight! He is having so much fun and when* I’m vibing, I feel it too. Xiao Xi’s critical eye and keen observation of the world. Dai Wangshu’s whimsical charm and passion for translation. Finally, Yilin Wang, the connecting thread wound through them all, bringing them together so that we may be acquainted.

*Reading his poetry is like unwrapping a seamless, many layered present. A gift that keeps giving - if only you have a key 😅 Fortunately, Yilin has halved our struggle 🤣

I’ve had such a great time with them all. And if you come, I hope you will too!

#The Lantern and the Night Moths #chinese poetry #Yilin Wang #poetry in translation #灯与夜蛾 #Qiu Jin #Zhang Qiaohui #Fei Ming #Xiao Xi #Dai Wangshu #rambly reviews #i read from Fei Ming onwards on my kobo LOL but that one has no colour so...#i might do more of these review-y rambles about poetry things if y'all are interested?#i've been reading LOL #some are chinese some are english #all of them fun and enlightening

24 notes · View notes

whilereadingandwalking · 6 months

Text

Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths by Shigeru Mizuki, is finally available in English, translated by Jocelyne Allen. This historical fiction manga is based on true events that Mizuki experienced or witnessed in World War II while serving on the island of "New Britain" on Papua New Guinea.

It chronicles the absurdity of the Imperial Army at the time, the violence and deprivations the soldiers were forced through—from random, daily beatings by superiors to the deaths that came not from enemy fire but from the surprises of the landscape. It's an excellent war story, written with the wry humor of a Catch-22, exposing the absurdity of mismanagement and the valorization of "honor" in the face of such a messy, pointless piece of the war—all while also showing moments of terror, needless tragedy, and violence. Comes with an excellent introduction and afterword!

Content warnings for violence, suicide, body horror.

#onward towards our noble death #shigeru mizuki #books in translation #japanese literature #graphic novels #my book reviews

15 notes · View notes

jaggedwolf · 9 months

Text

okay so I've been binging CSI: Vegas, because I used to watch a ton of CSI as a kid, and it's alright background television but I keep thinking of it as worse NCIS: Hawai'i. I swear I'm not just saying this because NCIS has Lucy/Whistler. Like,

both shows are 2021 spinoffs of long-running CBS procedurals

whose original shows had lily-white main casts but are now clearly trying to be more diverse

boss lady is a woman of color everyone respects and thinks is a badass, she's divorced with at least one kid

there's an asian woman who is the friendly, spunky one, relatively newer while still being on the A-team

more senior white dude agent who is tight with boss lady

unfortunately, csi is a sequel, and is weighed down by its legacy characters (who I mostly like! Grissom was a childhood fave, and I like listening to Sara's accent), and has 10-12 episode seasons which is a hard spot for a procedural. insufficient to care about the newbie's personal drama while dealing with OGs' as well.

....also no Kai with good shirts and T-shirts. No one on NCIS: Vegas has good fashion. No one.

#yes i'm using asian as in the literal continent this is the correct way to use it #yes i am also reviewing cbs procedurals as if i'm a boomer which is the target demographic here #unrelatedly the csi vegas people keep abusing their work privileges in wild ways #jaggedwolf you are watching the copaganda shows why are you surprised by this #no i mean even beyond that #like just randomly running prints on personal cases which i don't remember any of in the original #anyway someone let me into the rooms of CBS i want to know more #oh wait i'm a dumbass who only realized while writing this post that CBS probably has a similar mandate for its scripted content that #it has for reality tv #for reality tv from 2021 onwards they started having a 50% POC contestants rule #must be that though i can't find what the scripted content guidelines are #jaggedwolf rambles #ncis hawaii #csi

9 notes · View notes

pirateboy · 3 months

Text

BREAKING MY SILENCE on hackney diamonds!!! find it really interesting how people are comparing it to the rest of the 'modern' (i.e. post ww3) stones era... some ppl praising it as the best thing since tattoo you or whatever and a return to form after all the 'shit' allbums... other ppl trashing it as a soulless cash grab whilst simultaneously praising the don was albums... yes the production and overall. format of the album is different so i'm not saying it doesn't make sense to have preferences but guys. the quality of the songs is not very different at all. same shit different packaging. i don't understand where any of you are coming from

#uhh my personal opinion on it?#same as everything steel wheels onwards - some good songs but overall flawed albums #not sure how i would compare it to the rest of the albums in that era tho... on one hand for stones i do prefer shorter more concise albums #but at the same time the production of hackney diamonds is so jarring to me i don't like it sorry mr andrew watt :(#gonna actually give a full review at some point tho -_- a very late one but it is coming...#anyways for now. it's ok. don't understand the strong feelings about it cos to ME it feels pretty similar to everything else modern stones #OH i should say tho none of this includes blue and lonesome. obviously bit different being a cover album but i LOVE blue and lonesome!!#the rolling stones #marchibald's

5 notes · View notes

amarillokidding · 4 months

Text

So I actually have 3 favorite films of the year they are all in my #1 but I guess i still have to rank them:

BEST movie of the year is ofc, Spidernverse2 it was amazing, I started crying bc of how insane this movie was VISUALLY and how it talks about breaking apart what is expected of stories it was very good and too exceptional.

Surprise 2nd best film of the year, I wasn't expecting this and I will admit . I watched this film thinking it was going to be bad only to have it surprise me and make me eat my own shit before ripping my asshole apart!!

Its eleMENTAL ! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

LOVED this film and I haven't spoken about how much this was movie was good bc I would have to talk about almost too many things that I loved.

1st: mam oudou athie whom I love and follow everything he's in!

2nd: The romance in this movie is SO good.... like why... did... they do that.... why was this relationship... really good..... also the male lead is bisexy in the storyboards

3rth and the most important reason I loved this film. this is actually about i'm.migration and how that fucks you over trying to fit into a life not designed for you and I went a little TOO crazy watching it in the midst of my "I'm not good enought for America and I never was" spiral that I'm still in. It reminds me of my favorite part in ee/aao which is the scene when Evelyn wonders to her dad, how he found it so easy to let her go. *crying pearl image*

3rd best film: TNT MUTANT MAYHEMMMMMMMMMMMMM NOBODY IS TALKING ABOUT THIS MOVIE THIS SPLOTCHY AND SMEARED ARTSTYLE WORKS VERY WELL AND IT TOUCHES UPON HOW THE TURTLES FINALLY GET TO BE ACCEPTED AND BE KIDSSS 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 YES I CRIED YES IM SCREAMED AT SHREDDER AT THE END YES IM CONVERTING PEOPLE IN MY LIFE INTO TURTLEHEADS YOU WILL LISTEN TO ME BE AUTUSTIC

There we go the top films this year (my interpretation) notice how animation stays winning also i liked Elemental way better than inside out I wish inside out didn't exist so Elemental could've shined more it was a better movie eat my ASS

#best pixar movies: ratatoing monster college walle elemental & incredibles1+2 #onward MAYBE but GOPratt and tommy holly ruin it but the notebook scene DESTORYS ME EVERYTIME WAAAHGGG #talkshow #let me know if you like my movie reviews i want to do more

4 notes · View notes

blueberry-beanie · 2 months

Text

Finally got to listen to Mountainhead!

#at first i wasn't very into it but the second half from Canary onwards is really sth else #loving Don't Ask Me To Beg (thanks for the service)#Your Money My Summer: the choir!!!!!!#Leviathan pt. 2 aka City Song really knocked it out of the park for me #wrote a review/brief summary of the album for our radio which will air on monday #ee

5 notes · View notes

todayisafridaynight · 9 months

Note

I wanted to touch on Day with the Sun in a manner that's EVEN REMOTELY TIMELY so I don't end up piling too much on when talking about your fics [both in terms of how much I'd have to write and how much you'd have to read]. SO! Sorry if this sucks and is inarticulate… exhausted from crunch AND my keyboard is busted… but I will power through because this haaas to be one of my favorite fics of yours and I Cannot Contain Myself. Also I feel bad for egging you on to post it but not actually saying anything yet so☠️

I've said bits and pieces of this before but I adore your fics because I can visualize them with incredible clarity. Like not even kidding, Top Ten Hallucinogens, you've got everyone's mannerisms and "voices" down perfect and you always have just enough detail to be able to See The Vision without the story having to grind to a halt. I really like the way attention is only brought to certain details with purpose, when they're relevant; that adds a lot to what I'm about to talk about.

I think your writing style really shines in works like this, where it's sort of like a Particularly Involved Substory, or a lighthearted "cooldown chapter"--just like, those parts that are all in-engine and mostly unvoiced but have SO much heart and characterization. I can See the camera moves and transitions, and I can Hear the music and sound cues. But at the same time, you take full advantage of the medium in being able to get into Arakawa's head, see what he sees and does or doesn't take note of and the conclusions he comes to, and get into what their day-to-day might be like and the ways this trip is both reflective of and breaks from the usual for them.

It's just SO well-done! The fic as a whole is a delight from start to finish--there's so much to chew on in every moment, every interaction, and the fact you've managed to pack it all into such a short story while maintaining the perfect pacing throughout is nothing short of commendable. Giggling And Kicking My Feet The Whole Time For Real and I MAINTAIN I was right to be excited… I'm so happy to have had the opportunity to read it [three times now]!

Arakawa's soooo moe To Me and reading from his perspective always makes me ill because his worries and concerns and shortcomings are so human, but he's doing his best to make his family happy, and they ultimately do end up having a nice day because of his initiative… Jo is SO cute in this too, I rewatched Hero SP after completing the show recently and he really has that Tsugaru-like Neurodivergent Awkwardness. Last But Not Least I loved Masato, I was his age the majority of the last couple of times I remember going to the beach… he's just like me fr…

No But I always really enjoy this Era of Masato, because in the singular flashback we get, he seems just a little bit more tolerant of Arakawa. It's nice to see him before [I feel like] he stops addressing him as "Dad" to his face, only saying it to specify who he means when he's talking to other people--that's kind of how I am with my mom now.

At the same time, it's of course a little bittersweet. One nice day isn't going to change the course of their futures, and it's painful to see Arakawa have these high hopes for his son that don't come to fruition in the way he envisions, or to think about how Jo's the only one around to remember moments like these now…

At any rate, closing out with some notes that came to mind as I was reading:

LOVE the premise being based in Masato being more open with Jo--I was definitely hoping Arakawa'd have some thoughts on that and I was happy to see he did, and to see echoes of it in things like Masato choosing to lean more heavily on Jo and Arakawa musing on Masato's "preferential treatment" of Jo.

It's also really sweet to see how Jo's earned it; he really spares no effort when it comes to Masato and it shows in big and small ways, like how he seems more synced with Masato when he wants to be put down while Arakawa's lost in thought. At the same time, even though he's grossly overprepared and clearly didn't pack for just himself though he initially wanted to set up away from the Arakawas, he only really has the courage to do any of what he did because of Arakawa strongarming him into actually involving himself and letting himself have a good time. The synergy with those three is unreal

Love literally every single time Arakawa tries to understand Jo… that longing for a greater depth of knowledge when he already knows him well enough to read his thoughts from what he wrote in the pamphlet… the way he notes and responds to Jo's anxiety and propriety, the way he goes and investigates the book, the Painfully Awkward But Real conversation they try to have about art and theater and how he /wants/ to share but they're not quite communicating, the way he doesn't know to connect things like Jo's knowledge of construction and his inexperience with normalcy to his past but has this gut feeling… the way he's right about how he'll never fully know him…

I wanted to note this separately because of The Subject Matter ☠️but although this quote comes from a CSA checklist, it is applicable to others with abusive backgrounds [I mean… I do HC Jo as a CSA survivor and it is close to my heart given he ticks a lot of said boxes either way, but that's a topic for a much different ask… If Ever, it never felt like an appropriate topic to write in about], and it seems relevant to what's going on with Jo in this fic: "31. Limited tolerance for happiness; active withdrawal from happiness, reluctance to trust happiness ('ice=thin')." Obviously He Has Other Reasons but I feel like that's what Arakawa's picking up on at certain points. That's why I was really happy Arakawa got to spot and capture those Rare Jo Moments where he's happy and at peace… it's something that works whether you read the fic as platonic or romantic, but it's interesting to view through both lenses

VERY MUCH NOTICED THE BOOK HAS A BROWN COVER BTW I'm Literally Delusional but I was obviously reminded of the book that keeps popping up in your comics, the tattoo one and the AraSawa Domestic Moments Cringe [For Masato] Compilation… perhaps not the same one but I wouldn't be surprised if it took years to finish either given he hardly got to read it before being pulled away… he's INSANE for describing that as Light Reading [I can't even read my own art history books, I just look at the pictures] but I respect it… I also respect you both actually using bookmarks instead of just Praying I Turn To The Page I Left Off On like I do…

Dadliest FUCKING moments from Arakawa in this one I swear to goddddd I talked about his attempts to understand Jo but his attempts to understand Masato when Masato refuses to get what's on his mind across at every turn are so real… also spooking Masato like that… showing up with only his wallet and practically nothing else but being fully prepared to spoil Masato… wanting to put Masato's sunscreen on for him… not "acting his age"… the SKIPPINGGGGG… the expectation of a soon-to-be-empty nesty making him squish Masato for reasons Masato cannot discern [not to mention The Symbolism of the sunset imagery as the backdrop for this in particular although it should be a beautiful moment]… his FUCKING FIT [JO'S FIT TOO BUT HIS FITTT] GOD I'M LITERALLY JUST LISTING THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THE FIC AT THIS POINT BUT HE MADE ME SO ILL

I could hardly say any of the above without thinking of Jo though… I mean… Second Parent is so true… A Dad Of Another Variety... Deeply appreciate him getting to be part of the family… speaking of parents I ALSO deeply appreciate the Akane mention…

I'm just. Obsessed with the entire finale and everything leading up to it [AS IF I'M NOT OBSESSED WITH EVERY OTHER THING] but I should let you go at some point so I'm stopping here <3

OH AND I would absoluuutely love to read [Or View] anything else you might have in mind with regard to Ikumi! Loved your art :] We don't have anything concrete to go off of At All as of now, so I don't think anyone could blame you if you wanted to explore one idea one day and a different one the next. I don't think about her often because I'm not creative enough to know where to take things [and I certainly wouldn't know how to make it Not Miserable], so I'd be very curious to see :]

Would also love to hear your thoughts on We Make Antiques 2 and The Deer King :] if you have the time/If They're Still Knocking Around ☠️

[EVERY THOUGHT I GOT DOWN BELOW]

i think its Physically Impossible for you to write anything Lame nor Inarticulate dont WORRYYY best wishes to you and your keyboard regardless tho 🙏 more over i'd be THRILLED to read a novel's worth of your commentary on any of my works- but i also know typing a lot is. Tiring LMAO SO i'm utterly grateful for anythin you send in (;´༎ຶ▽༎ຶ) i also never mind how long it might take for you to send something in: i know you always put a lot of time and effort into your asks, and all of that time is well worth the wait since they always end up being my favorite things to read (❁´◡`❁)

moving on tho, ABSOLUTELY makes me happy to hear my descriptions are good ! i always worry about doing too much or too little, so im glad it's Just Write in terms of highlighting what's important while not lingering too long on unimportant things or going too fast ♪(´▽｀) reading the fic three times… thems Deer King numbers WHAT AN HONOR TYSM FOR ENJOYING AND READING (^人^)

im glad this story can feel 'substory' esque. when it comes to my comics, i generally try to give them that 'side content' kind of feel: just something nice to cut away to away from the 'main action' of the canon story, so im glad that can be reflective in a fic like this (and probably makes sense as to why this is my 'strongest' fic) (╯▽╰ ) ive mentioned it during a stream before (and probably in my tags too), but i do try to 'direct' my art and treat things like a movie set. i try to keep that same kind of mentality when writing, so i'm happy to hear it was effective :]

being able to write from arakawa's perspective is a fun experience to say the least. i really Do Not Hide It when i say that i borrow a lot from my life and the people in my life whenever i draw or write something, and i've made it noooo secret my dad is a big inspo for the things i make, ESPECIALLY when it comes to family. with all of that said, an aspect of arakawa i wanted to try to explore lately was his struggle of maintaining a happy family despite his circumstances. it wasn't a MAJOR focal point of this fic I Dont Think, but definitely was something i had in the back of my mind and is generally something i keep in the back of my mind when trying to portray arakawa

all of that said, i'll try not to be SUPER personal (as i do that anyway LMAO) but i'll confess that writing arakawa is 'special' to me. i can't exactly put a word to it, so 'special' will have to do. when i was growing up, in some sense, i was upset with my dad for things he ultimately had no control over. despite the time that's passed though, he's always tried his best for my siblings and i (and even my mom before this year when An Incident occurred and finally woke up him up to how terrible she is LMAO). he told me once that he wanted nothing more than a happy family, and that he never wanted his kids to feel alone or abandoned. that's a sentiment i can very easily imagine arakawa having not just towards masato, but towards the rest of the arakawa family as well due to his own upbringing; that sort of care extends to jo too Evidently. whether it's romantic or platonic, i do want to communicate that arakawa does try to get close to jo not just cause It's Expected for him to care about someone in the clan, but because he can identify the signs of an uncomfortable upbringing in jo, and doesn't want anyone else to have to shoulder that loneliness by themselves like he did. yk: have a more personal reason to as opposed to it being a part of his job. and lbr: jo can't brood ALL the time, there's GOTTA be a single second he actually does seem happy for once (and those very rare momence, me thinks, are very much all the waiting for arakawa)

with all of THAT said, being able to explore these thoughts and scenarios with arakawa is a way for me to better understand and appreciate my dad and what he had to go through i guess- sort of like an apology for how much i tended to doubt him even though i knew he wanted nothing more than to be there for us, so i'm def happy exploring that for myself has been able to become a good read (❁´◡`❁)

onto jo tho…. i love portraying jo in these domestic settings somuch (evidently). bro really is just so out of his element, ESPECIALLY when he's trying to appear Tolerable (in his eyes: arakawa will ALWAYS love him) it's just such a hilarious contrast to how we know him (a cunt) ☠️ as i was writing this fic i just kept thinking to myself that- in an ironic sense- jo would absolutely be a beach/airport dad given the circumstances (just pack unnecessarily, be overly vigilant to make sure things go accordingly, etc etc) and it's what really made writing everything so fun when i got to sit and imagine it and share it （￣︶￣）

that fun bit aside, i do also enjoy writing jo in these types of scenarios in a similar vein to why i like writing arakawa: it's a bit personal. i'd rather equate my upbringing to negligence opposed to outright abuse like jo experienced, but i can't imagine how my thoughts manifest to be too different from jo's in certain scenarios. especially when it comes to his hesitance towards happiness or believing he isn't deserving of that happiness (or anything good really), it's a very personal feeling i get a lot, and in particular his need to not want to intrude or take up space (doubly considering it may seem as tho he's trying to 'steal' masato even though he gave him away in the first place). it's pretty easy to write with that respect (and is probably why i tend to drift to portraying his pov's LMAO), and trying to capture that feeling of anxiety or worry or apprehension but still keep it in tune with jo's 'stonewall-esque' character is definitely cathartic in a sense. it's also interesting to do when i have him next to other characters, and ESPECIALLY when im writing from a perspective that isn't his own. it's important i don't make him appear too outwardly anxious or 'small,' but i also want to make sure it's clear he does feel those things in that moment: i want that fact to be sort of a blink-and-you-miss-it kind of deal.

all of THAT said though, i AM very interested to hear more about your thoughts on him as a CSA survivor (and me wonders if that is what you were referring to when adding to his backstory some asks ago)... VERY fair if you'd rather keep that discussion elsewhere though: it is a very sensitive topic

onto masato though, i enjoy portraying masato a lot pre-ichi times. i guess it's just a nice phase to touch on before Everything Spirals, so to speak: he still has some of that anger from his childhood, though he can't express it the same way anymore. he has to be a bit more mature about it- but he is still a teenager. plus, since he's still a teenager, he still predominantly relies on jo and arakawa, and Of Course i have the most fun when i get to portray any combo of that trio interacting with each other (and it shows lmao).

on that note though, i do enjoy thinking a lot about the supposed relationship jo and masato mustve had while he was growing up. as it shows, jo turned out to be 'masatos favorite' (however much that means all things considered). there surely must have been some seeds planted for that to have been the outcome later on, so it's fun thinking about how those things can manifest, and it's especially fun getting to pen arakawa's perspective on it

AND OF COURSE THE BOOK WAS INTENTIONAL LMAOOOO yk what they say One's An Incident Two's A Coincidence Three's On Purpose You Asshole ☠️☠️ the first two times were truly accidents but at this point it doesn't hurt to have a 'running joke' or something like that in my comics/fics. we'll get him a new book someday i promise ♪(´▽｀)

as for me though, i cant trust to open on the same page i left off on.. plus i really like collecting bookmarks, especially when they're of butterflies: it gives me a reason to look them up and learn something since the designs are always pretty enough for me to wonder what species they're based on (❁´◡`❁)

ALL IN ALL THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR ENJOYING !!!!!!!! truly commentary like this gives me reasonsto keep writing its SUCH a huge motivator i cant stress it.. all the pain is worth it when i can see how much you enjoyed the fic.. i hope to always make you feel that excited to read something from myself ╰(°▽°)╯ !!

with THAT in mind tho… i certainly do feel the motivation to pen at least ONE ikumi story now.. when that's finished is TBD but for now i hope you enjoy this Kinda Old scribble of a Little Older ikumi i did (or at least one variant of an older ikumi) <- drew it so i could hallucinate better

im not good at fashion and i was really trying to figure out a look for her that still REMINDED people of ikumi but yk. was appropriate for a 30-something-year-old woman in the 90's.... but i have plenty of time to explore other looks so i wont worry (i do really like this hair cut tho.. maybe that'll be a constant)..

AND OF COURSE i'd be happy to write two quick lil reviews for those movies: i LOVED them after all (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ)

for WMA2, my favorite bits of these movies is always The Plan Coming Together- yk the last like. thirty or so minutes LMAO BUT FR ill never get over watching everyone work together to con people (plus the turtleneck really is A Look for nakai.. BIG fan- also them goofy ass magnetic glasses.. what even are those i love them). had me GOBSMACKED when it was revealed shino wasnt even a real mom but also Not Surprising in retrospect but ALSO Whose Kid Is This. Where Are Your Parents.

i do love how the movie started with the idea that sasuke Wasnt going to do any more con jobs and was going to be living honestly, yet In An Ironic Twist to ensure japan wouldnt have a Counterfeit Antique problem he ended up having to make so many fakes… a necessary evil me thinks… more importantly i really will never get over yo-chan fucking licking everything like ENOUGH. STOP. but dont it still makes me laugh fuckin weird ass old man (;´༎ຶД༎ຶ`)♡ it did make me happy to see sasuke's son get a job he really loves tho… that was cute.. AND WHEN HE TRIED THE POTTERY WHEEL That Was Cute :) anyways.. all in all lovely movie Of Course I'd Love It… one day i hope we can find the third movie….

AS FOR DEER KINNGGG ABSOLUTELY LOVELY MOVIE you were right the animation was GORGEOUS and PERFECTLY weighted. i ESPECIALLY loved the scene with the stilt walkers not just atmosphere wise, but the actual weight and heft of the stilts was just so… Immaculate. AND LEST I NEGLECT TO MENTION YUNA'S THE CUTEST LITTLE GIRL EVER i love her so so so much she's so adorable her cheeks are plump like a peach's her pigtails are adorable and i love her tooth gap (;´༎ຶД༎ຶ)(;´༎ຶД༎ຶ) van and yuna getting to hang with the villagers was MAD sweet tho… had me deceased at the end when the cure of Mad Wolf Disease was just deer milk tho. NOT A HATER was just a hilariosuly simple solution considering The Horrors caused by the mittsual (i knew i wasnt a sicko for drinking milk...)

As If I Need To Say It Anymore very lovely movies….. thank you much both for going through the effort to find WMA2 and for reccin The Deer King…

#long post #fave #MEGA FAVE. INSPO FAVE EVEN #will certainly read this whenever i doubt myself Thank You So Much.. will def never accuse you of callin my stuff mid again..#a tag i wont even be able to find later....#snap chats #snap sketches #ikumi #I PROB LEFT SOME STUFF OUT BUT YEAYEAYAYA TYTYTYT FOR READING AND ENJOYING AND SUPPORTING MY STUFF !!!!#as some Final Comments... absolutely blame my dad for arakawa being Extra Silly in this fic (and in most of my portrayals tbh)#my dad's the silliest guy i know and he def loved spooking me when i was growing up and being Annoyingly Silly #like he'd love pinching my cheek or trying to tickle me and its like Dad Stop I'm 15 I'm A Grown Up <- thats literally baby age shut up #def try to channel that energy when portraying masato and arakawa together..#just as an Extra Tidbit since i meant to put this in my initial fic link's tags: i origianlly wanted to feature a beach wheelchair #but after triple checking the first beach-accessible wheelchair wasnt patented until 1997 #one was MADE in 1994 but p much exclusively for the inventor's wife #and by the time it'd be 1997 masato would've been 19/20 and that's out of the age range i wanted to write for #onward tho... i still am curious as to what you have to say about my other fics tho...#you HAVE left some thoughts on them I DO KNOW THAT #BUT i'm still curious as to what The Bigger Review is.. if it's anything like this review yk- NO PRESSURE OF COURSE NO RUSH #its only natural i be a lil curious tho (╯x╰ ) forgive me (╯▽╰ )#and especially forgive me if i post another fic soon and prompt you to want to write more commentary (╯▽╰ ;;)#even if you dont tho just gettin the simple notice that you did read and enjoy is plenty enough for me (❁´◡`❁)#but i absolutely do enjoy a review like this WAAH still not over it its so thoughtful #i had as much fun and felt as much joy readin this ask as you might have readin my fic LMAOOOO #i was out walking when i saw the notif and i couldnt go home yet so i just kept rereading this ask and bein happy...#so again thank you... i hope to continue making good things in the future (❁´◡`❁)#it is MOST LATE rn tho.. i should sleep... i do have work i still have to do uh oh ☠️#i feel like i left a lot of commentary out but my brain works.. Never... i think i said A Lot As Is tho so we'll leave it at that #SO I LEAVE YOU WITH ANOTHER THANK YOU🙏

3 notes · View notes

neoluca · 1 year

Text

My year in review!! I tried to do a lot of different things this year, and I feel like I drew a lot more than in previous years 💛 I hope you'll all stay tuned for next year as well :3

Template made by HaruRyomaru86 on deviantart: (x)

id also like to invite @loupgawou @pinksthetics @staryanna @skunkes @aishashopkeeper @synthaphone @illegaltruffle @boredchanty to do the same if you haven't already!! id really love to see everything you've all done as well 🥰 (and if you have done one already link me to it please!!!)

#my art #year in art #year in review #2022 art summary #artists on tumblr #i didnt really draw very much in september apparently lmaooo #so its just my cat if he were an animal crossing villager #aside from that one tho im really really proud of everything from july onwards #esp october november i feel like those two months i really did some great work tbh #sadly my oct pic is hella crunchy bc the file was huge lmaooo #i dont know if i even posted that on here!! lmk if you guys wanna see the full of any of these #i mostly only post neo art here so i think 90% of these arent on tumblr #also i debated for like five minutes on whether i wanted to tag people or notttt #im so so sooo shy but i was like......#idk i want to talk to people more so if im mutuals or even have talked with u a few times i tagged u #bc i genuinely do love all of your guys' art and wanna see it!!!!#ok thats enough rambling in the tags lmaooo this is why i cant be allowed to make posts on pc i just go ham w the tags #anyways HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!!!!!! MUCH LOVE

12 notes · View notes

moviemunchies · 1 year

Photo

You know the idea of fantasy creatures in a modern world is a similar premise to the Netflix original movie _Bright_? I don’t know where I’m going with this other than that it was an odd thing to notice.

Onward is set in a world populated by fantasy creatures like elves, centaurs, and satyrs. The world used to be full of magic, but because magic is difficult to learn, the people of this world gave up on it and took up science, and they’ve created a modern world.

Our leads are two brothers Barley and Ian–Barley is a high school graduate obsessed with the world’s magical past and roleplaying games, whereas Ian is a high schooler desperately trying to fit in. On his sixteenth birthday, Ian is given a gift left by his father who he never knew–a magic staff, a Phoenix Gem to power it, and a spell so that his sons can resurrect him for a day. The spell goes wrong and only his legs come back–so the brothers go on a quest to find a new Phoenix Gem so they can get a chance to talk to their dad one more time.

That’s right, it’s a family bonding road trip story!

There was a time when I had a very big weak spot for stories about siblings. Less so now, but I still like these stories. We live in a culture that on the whole, tends to elevate stories about romantic love above all others, so it’s refreshing to see other types of relationship stories. Then again, it’s not as if sibling stories are all that new for pop culture, and definitely not for Disney animated films. Yes, this is done by Pixar, but Pixar has been owned by Disney for ages. They’ve been doing big budget stories focused on sibling bonds since at least 2013, with Frozen.

So yeah, this movie’s certainly good, but it’s not exactly as if it’s doing anything new. This goes to the animation, too; despite being in a fantasy world, it’s also a fantasy world that’s become modern. The result is that while the world has some fun visual design, overall it doesn’t look that different than worlds you’ve seen before. Compare that to something like Zootopia or Coco, and it’s a bit disappointing that we’re given a high fantasy film and the world looks… like a normal world.

I suppose an animated film or high fantasy doesn’t NEED to look like something incredibly crazy and out there, but it’s an excellent use of the medium. The most memorable thing to me, other than the modern setting, is that the elves in this movie are blue and the unicorns are pests? The magic system isn’t that memorable either, which again is fine, but doesn’t make it an outstanding work of fantasy fiction.

I’m still wrestling a bit with the ending, too. I kind of guessed where we were going with it from the trailer, and there’s a point in the movie that you can tell that this movie is more about the brothers’ relationship with each other than with their father (who Ian barely knew).

The result of everything is that while this is certainly a good movie, it’s certainly far from becoming one of Pixar’s memorable ones. It’s good, and it’s definitely well-made, but it ultimately doesn’t feel like it’s changing the game in any noticeable way–in design, in writing, or in storytelling. You’ll have a good time if you watch it, but I don’t know that it’ll make anyone’s ‘Best of Pixar’ lists a few years from now.

#Pixar #Movie Munchies #Onward #reviews

2 notes · View notes

potcpoi · 2 years

Text

Moon Knight Episode 1 Review

“Look at me... you’re not gonna die. Let me save us.” -- Marc Spector to Steven Grant 💖💖💖

Rewatching the show and seeing all of the little details and character beats they set up right at the very beginning and then steadily paid off throughout the show is such a joy! One of my fav things about the show has been how they managed to shift the tone and squeeze in multiple genres -- we start off with a mystery/horror vibe, transition to a fun adventure vibe, throw in some deep psychological character studies and heartbreak for a bit there, and cap it off with an action spectacle. The mystery/horror vibes were perfect to start off with in the pilot episode because they immediately presented us with a puzzle to solve and draw us in!

The choice to open with Steven Grant of the gift-shop as the POV character is what really makes this pilot work. It allows for the mystery tone to be established because poor Steven is just as confused as we are and has no idea what is happening to him. It gives us the thrill of discovering things at the same time that he does and gives us the opportunity to really internalize his character arc throughout the show because we’ve been with him every single step of the way as he navigated his journey towards becoming the hero that we see negotiate their freedom from Khonshu and fight his way through the mooks at the end of episode 6.

Most importantly though, the pilot makes us fall so deeply in love with Steven. It enables us to empathize with his struggles with what he thinks is sleep-walking, it makes us angry when Donna snaps at him, it makes us giggle when he poses in front of the mirror in a full suit+tie and calls himself a knob, it makes us wince in sympathy when we see how desperate he is for connection and how he’s only really able to talk to a golden statue and his one-finned goldfish and via voicemail to a mom who will never call him back, and it makes us sniffle when he realizes he missed his date at the steak house by a whole 2 days and dejectedly decides to order a well-done steak by himself instead. The writers and Oscar Isaac made Steven just such a completely real and endearing character that it makes it easy to buy into all the fantastical stuff surrounding him because Steven is here having a 120% authentic reaction to whatever nonsense is going on every single time.

I also loved what they did with Arthur Harrow in this pilot episode (even though I wasn’t ultimately satisfied with his arc as the villain of the whole story). His entrance opening the show by putting crushed glass into his shoes immediately made an impression and stuck with me. He had a quietly menacing and yet also completely sincere aura where you can tell he truly believes in what he and his followers are doing. It’s a masterful performance by Ethan Hawke.

The direction was also outstanding in this episode. My favourite shot from this entire episode was when that leaf landed on the water and showed that we were watching a reflection. I loved the copious shots of mirrors used as both foreshadowing for Steven being part of a system, and as a super effective method to ratchet up the creep factor when Steven’s reflections didn’t match his own. The smash cuts whenever Steven was physically overwhelmed and Marc had to step in were also well done and served to ramp up the mystery factor. The cupcake van chase was simply delightful and I love that once again Steven was totally sincere in his reactions being terrified and that his fight moves (understandably) include smushing cupcakes into his opponent’s face and throwing his gun at the car... and it was so fucking hilarious for us as an audience. In general this episode managed to hit and balance the different tones between drama, mystery, humour, horror very well.

When I first watched the pilot, my fav scene was the steak house scene and that definitely still ranks super high on the list, but the final scene of the episode when Marc finally reveals himself in the mirror and talks to Steven really hits differently now that we’ve seen the entire show. I loved how they showed Steven descending into complete panic and that his first reaction whenever he is overwhelmed is denial -- “no, no, you’re not real, none of this is real” -- because it serves as a poignant through-line to the same powerful denial coursing through baby Marc in episode 5 at the moment when his psyche first fractured to create Steven -- “it’s not my mom. it’s not her, it’s not my mom”. I also loved Marc trying to calm Steven down and telling him resolutely that he wasn’t going to let Steven die -- the glimmers of the love and protectiveness that is going to smack us across the face when he kneels in front of a frozen Steven in episode 6. These are character beats that we see again and again throughout the show and I really appreciate how carefully constructed Marc and Steven were right from the beginning.

And of course that final shot where we see the jackal trying to run the fuck away from Marc in his Moon Knight armor and being dragged back into an absolutely smashed restroom was fucking badass and an awesome hook to end the episode on!

I have to end this episode review (and probably every episode review lbh) by giving a shoutout to Oscar Isaac’s amazing work. Like I said, this episode works because it’s so easy to love Steven, and a large part of why it’s so easy to love Steven is because of Oscar’s skill in making Steven so fucking lovable -- from the slouched shoulders and wide eyes and adorable smile, to his tiny waves when he meets new people, to the clear excitement on his face whenever he gets to talk about Egyptian history, to him almost breaking down in tears at the steak-house, to the abject terror whenever the bloody pigeon decides to be dramatic, to the physical comedy when he’s trying to give the scarab to Harrow -- there is never a false beat when watching his performance and he really elevates already interesting material to new highs by committing 100% to his characters!

#moon knight #steven grant #marc spector #oscar isaac #MCU #my reviews #meta #mine #the goldfish problem #I've watched this episode (and the whole show) so many times now that I thought I might as well write up my review #this was just a really solid pilot #onwards to episode 2 review!#moon knight meta

12 notes · View notes