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genshinconfessions · 3 years

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It’s unfortunate that I only understand English and thus, most of the media I gain in fandoms is the Western side of things. I do my best to watch the original language of content, which is why I watched the Chinese trailer first, but without subtitles or the dub for it, I was pretty much left clueless. So, while I’d love to continue a discussion on the “Ei” situation and whether it is a name or something other, I don’t have enough knowledge on the Chinese language to form a proper response.

The most I can say is that in the English version, Yae’s line is, “Surely you don’t think your ambition alone is enough to shake Ei’s will? Do you?”. In the English version (the subtitles, at least) Ei was not in quotes, which is disappointing since it leads to both the Western side of the fandom and the Eastern side having completely different takes on it.

I do agree that the Kokomi and Sara situation is definitely some twist. It makes me wonder if the Fatui are using the Shogunate, or vice versa. I haven’t processed this part of the trailer enough to formulate any sort of analysis, or even a theory, besides the fact that Sara might have her own separate reasons for fighting than just her loyalty to Raiden.

Now, your Scaramouche theory/analysis had me completely taken aback. I hadn’t even thought about that, but it makes a lot of sense! I think it’s well thought out, but I don’t have much to say on Scaramouche or his personality since I didn’t play during 1.1 and I haven’t watched the event he appears in on YouTube yet, so I don’t know whether or not certain information one him was released that I don’t know that would help me agree with the theory.

I’m going to go off topic for a second, but in the end it will correlate back to Scaramouche and your theory. During one of the scenes in which they “leaked” certain dialogue from the act, the very first one talks about how Baal fought in the Archon War (glad that was confirmed, but leaves me with more questions that I’d have to make a separate ask about another time) and towards the end of the dialogue, the solider that was speaking mentioned how it’s said that Baal lost something dear to her during the War (paraphrasing a bit).

Aether and Barbara’s voice actor gave quite few hints (if not spoilers) away regarding this specific dialogue discussion. Aether’s Eng VA mentions how we all likely have different beliefs as to what it was Baal lost, but that if we picked up with what has taken place in Inazuma it’s be more obvious to guess. (I’m 99% sure they’re referencing Saiguu). Aether’s VA goes on to say, “All I can say is that the gradual process of losing things and facing changes over the years had a big influence on the Shogun.”

Barbara’s Eng VA then cuts in and talks about how the “dear loss” Raiden faced was the catalyst behind her decision in the Vision Hunt and Sakoku Decree, and so while I love your theory, I think that whatever it was that happened in the War also has a play in everything. Seeing as how the livestreams are scripted and the VAs already know what’s happened, I find it weird that this was mentioned and such.

Kaeya’s Eng VA even goes on to mention how, “I [he] can’t help but wonder if the Raiden Shogun is really the cold-hearted character that we saw in Version 2.0.” (I honestly sighed so hard at this reveal, not that it was unexpected, but to be said so casually.)

Skipping towards the last scene of dialogue they “leaked” (I can’t find the right word for it) the confrontation with Raiden this time round seems to be a lot more well mannered and conversational than the last time. (I wonder if this takes place after the scene showed in the trailer where Yae comes in and talks to Aether while fighting Baal.) I don’t have too much to say about that dialogue, to be honest, everything seemed pretty straight forward with what was going on.

While I don’t really have anymore I want to hyper analyze right now- that we haven’t already -I do want to mention Baal’s voicelines that was given after her mini-demo. When she says, “I command the thunder in all corners of the world to cease. Rest well tonight.” If this voiceline didn’t throw me for one big loop. I suspected that she was going to be a kinder soul than what we had seen originally, but wow. This voiceline really had me feeling, well, calm in a way. Like a sense of at ease was washed over me through all the overwhelming information. I think that’s mostly due to the gentle tone that it was spoken in, which leaves me to wonder when this voiceline is said (my guess would be in the teapot).

-Baal anon

Whoops, I replied to your reply before I saw the edit, but I agree, Yae is totally sus and I can’t tell if it’s in a “she’s using traveler” kind of way or a “she’s using Baal” kind of way. -Baal anon

i gotta say, i wasn't paying attention during the dialogue 'leaks' so i had to go rewatch them AHAHAHA

yes you're right! it seems the war definitely had a much bigger impact on baal than whatever i was thinking. as for kokomi and sara, i guess the only thing we can do is wait lol. and i think the only important thing about scaramouche in 1.1 was that he was introduced and he saw that the sky was false (late spoiler alert).

the chinese stream was hosted by wei and a couple of writers, i think, but they basically said the same things regarding the dialogue (scripts scripts).

i think baal's 'leak' is probably right before we fight her again. it certainly gives off the vibe, and i think there'll be more developments after we defeat her (maybe with help?).

and one of the writers mentioned that even though the archon quest would be resolved, plenty of other things wouldn't, so there's definitely more content coming soon hehe.

yae.... i think if we're really getting MCU (mihoyo cinematic universe), honkai and genshin are definitely connected more than we think. i mean, we're already getting crossovers, right? yae miko herself is suspected to be yae sakura's reincarnation (and the worlds seem connected anyway), so it's possible that yae's using either or both for her own purposes.

all remains to be seen, though~

- katheryne from liyue

#genshin #genshin impact #genshin confessions #genshin headcanons #genshin theories #genshin lore #genshin baal #raiden shogun #genshin yae #yae miko

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nadziejastar · 5 years

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—In KH BbS, Master Xehanort's goal behind opening Kingdom Hearts was to "create a new world." But in this game, he says it is to "reset the world." Why the difference?

Nomura: What was revealed in this game was another piece of the truth: his goal was "this world is no longer any good, and we have to recreate it from scratch."

—We are interested in why Xehanort would come to such a conclusion.

Nomura: At first, I did want to use a next game to dig down into how Xehanort went from that simple boy playing the chess-like game to an admirer of the darkness. But, if I do that, then the Dark Seeker Chronicle wouldn't have ended with KH3 after all (laughs.) Some ideas had solidified to a degree, but it's shelved for now.

Definitely. He was handled horribly. Even the interviewer didn’t know why Xehanort acted the way he did. You know your story is messed up when the main villain’s motivations are a big question mark at the end, lol. He desperately needed a fleshed out backstory, just like Lea, Isa, and so many other characters.

The basic concept of Xehanort seemed to be summed up by the above quote. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if Nomura actually had that famous quote in mind while writing Xehanort’s character. It IS about darkness, after all. I feel kinda bad that Nomura gets bashed for how Xehanort was handled when that clearly was not his intention. People think he planned it that way. “Lol, silly Nomura”. But he said he wanted to explore Xehanort’s past.

— About the World of Darkness and such, you haven’t gone into detail. Could you possibly talk about some of these things? Does the beach at the beginning and end of KH II have some connection to the World of Darkness?

Presently there are 4 main untold stories to consider: “the period of the King’s absence”, “the period of Riku’s absence”, “Roxas’s time in Organization XIII” and “Xehanort’s past”. In this case, the story of “the period of the King’s absence” is set in the realm of darkness. I am examining a way to tell these 4 stories so I might be able to find a way to tell them soon. —Another Report KH2FM+

In fact, he had plans for this ever since KH2FM+. Now, he could have changed Xehanort’s final scenes to be more consistent with what the players actually saw: a relatively one-dimensional evil megalomaniac. But he chose to leave it the way it was---Xehanort was trying to bring about a world of light---because he considered it the “truth”, even if it made no sense to us players. He did that with the other Xehanorts, too.

To me, that speaks to his level of frustration over how the story was handled. I believe if Nomura had his way, he would have explored ALL the stuff from 0.5 in the next game, after KH3. But he wasn’t allowed to do that because the Dark Seeker Saga needed to be over with KH3. It was out of his hands. I’m glad he left it the way it was because it makes it easier to see his intentions for the story.

— Mr. Nomura, since you are the one that is writing the scenario this time, how is the progress coming along?

Since we are arriving near the conclusion of Xehanort in KINGDOM HEARTS III, the outline of the story has been solidified but not necessarily the direction where the KINGDOM HEARTS series is continuing to head. We are still trying to decide where to go from several choices.

— What is that specifically?

In the KINGDOM HEARTS series, I don’t think there has been an actual happy ending. KINGDOM HEARTS II is close to it. Since most of the titles have ended in cliffhangers, we’re worried about what we should include in KINGDOM HEARTS III. —Dengeki Playstation June 2015

When I would try to talk about some of this stuff on other forums people would get so defensive. Who was I to question Nomura’s vision, blah blah blah. But there’s so much evidence that KH3 did NOT actually follow Nomura’s vision. That is my biggest complaint. KH3 is a botched game with a troubled development history, that suffered from extensive executive meddling. Even as late as summer 2015, two years after the game was announced, they were unsure of the direction the series was headed. But Nomura wanted a true happy ending for the first time, without cliffhangers...

Can you tell us about the meaning of 0.2’s title, “Fragmentary Passage? As far as content goes, we can’t include a full volume of content to play with like the second chapter of KHBbS, so it’s just a “fragment,” and we left that part of the subtitle. 0.5 is one of the letters and numbers that appeared in the secret episode of KHBbS FM, and that meant full volume, so we decided on 0.2 this time, to indicate that there will be more content to come. However, the remaining passage will be told in KHIII, so we wanted to show that this production is closely related to KHIII. —Dengeki Playstation September 2015

And as late as September 2015, only a couple of months after saying that, Nomura said there were actual PLANS to incorporate the lost story of 0.5 into KH3, albeit in a condensed manner. Of course, we all know that didn’t happen. It appears there was a very last minute change of plans to just throw out all the unused concepts from 0.5 and rewrite the story to eliminate all connection to them.

That’s why the plot was switched to instead focus on sequel-baiting and Union X characters. Those things are mostly irrelevant to the Xehanort Saga, so it didn’t matter if KH0.5 was cancelled. But that wasn’t the original plan. This is why it is my sincere belief that Nomura was very upset with how the story of KH3 turned out. And I don’t blame him one bit.

“I actually don’t sympathize or empathize with Sora at all,” Nomura says. Instead, he relates to the game’s mysterious villains, Xehanort or likely Ansem, anyone who’s fallen prey to their dark natures. “I think I’m closer to those characters, so Sora is like my enemy,” he says.

I think Xehanort’s backstory was going to paint him in a very different light, otherwise he never would have gotten such a warm ending scene with Eraqus. Nomura said that he could relate more to a character like Xehanort than Sora, so I am led to believe he was going to be a character with many shades of gray. KH3 Sora was obnoxiously black-and-white, which is why I think Nomura disliked him so much. I also don’t think that was Nomura’s original vision.

Xehanort: So...you know the “Lost Masters”?

Eraqus: Who?

Xehanort: They’re the ones who started the Keyblade War.

Eraqus: Never heard of ‘em. Where’d you hear about that?

Xehanort: Or...they’re the ones for whom the war started.

Eraqus: I’m not following you.

Xehanort: You can drop the facade.

My opinion is that when Xehanort was young, he got involved with a secret society with access to knowledge that was kept from the general population. Stuff involving the Keyblade War, the Book of Prophecies, etc. Scala ad Caelum is very Freemason-y. The name Stairway to Heaven is a concept in Masonry. This was supposed to be an actual explorable world. There was a trailer shown off at a private event, that was never made public. But it actually showed Sora visiting this town. Of course, after the "alterations” made to KH3′s story, this town was eliminated and the trailer was never mentioned again. This town was tied to the Recusant’s Sigil and all the missing lore KH0.5 would have delved into, so I guess it wasn’t needed anymore.

Ansem: Take a look at this tiny place. To the heart seeking freedom this is a prison surrounded by water. And so this boy sought out to escape from his prison. He sought a way to cross over into other worlds. And he opened his heart to darkness.

Sora: Riku!

Ansem: Don’t bother. Your voice can no longer reach him where he is. His heart belongs again to darkness. All worlds begin in darkness, and all so end. The heart is no different.

After learning the hidden knowledge, he felt like he had to start the world anew. He became obsessed with darkness. We never even learned how Xehanort left Destiny Islands. My guess is that he had such a strong will and desire to leave the islands, he opened a dark corridor. He didn’t have anything to protect him. He just went into it and arrived at another world.

Our Master instructed us to don armor while traveling between worlds, so that we might shield ourselves from the darkness. But there, in the Lanes Between, I could feel the force of it—the power—and from then on, I forwent my armor's "protection." I had been told the darkness would devour me, but what terrors could it possibly hold, so long as I found the strength to control it?

The experience seems to have given him the confidence that he didn’t need protection from darkness.

At present, the lanes and corridors that run between the worlds may only be traversed by us Keyblade wielders, and those who have given themselves over to darkness. As the former, our duty is to cross the chasms between worlds and guard against the latter, whose darkness corrupts and contaminates, so that no world need ever be lost again. Few Keyblade wielders remain now; I have heard of but a handful of others outside my circle. But the World is vast, and more of our kind may be out there. Now, in addition to the realm of light in which we reside, there is also a realm of darkness, and the realm between which connects the two. The realm of darkness is most forbidden; I am told none who set foot there have ever returned.

He didn’t seem particularly evil as a kid or anything. Just very intelligent and cynical about the world. But he seemed charming and likable. Eraqus obviously had a great deal of affection for him, which blinded him from seeing his true motives until it was too late.

That’s where the whole story began…as did the glitches. And for good reason—because nothing ever happens by chance in our stories. Everything is connected. This is where someone else set off on a journey, too, long ago. Does this world feel small to you, Sora? Or does it feel large? Who will be the one to unravel the secrets of this world—of the Destiny Islands?

I’m sure he was possessed. We never even learned how Xehanort got golden eyes and pointy ears. Maybe Xehanort was simply the first vessel.

THE MAN’S BLACK CLOAK FLUTTERED BEHIND HIM as he marched forward.

The present, the past, the future.

Human, Heartless, Nobody.

Xehanort, Ansem, Xemnas.

His plans had already advanced past the point of no return.

With Demyx’s demise, the group calling itself Organization XIII had lost more than half of its members.

Vexen, Lexaeus, Zexion, Marluxia, Larxene, Demyx. And Roxas.

All the fallen ones—do they bear a grudge against me?

But they were Nobodies. They had no hearts with which to hold any ill will. They couldn’t even understand what the heart is.

Nomura said there was something like a beacon inside Xehanort, guiding him where to go and what to do, even if he wasn’t quite sure of it himself.

Somewhere in this cyclical history of bequeathings, a chosen one will appear and reenact the Keyblade War. When this scapegoat arrives and takes my Keyblade in hand, this will be the time to take the stage and finish my role. The Lost Masters will awaken.—Unknown

I don’t know if the Lost Masters were always meant to return. But I definitely think Xehanort was always meant to be just a pawn in somebody else’s game.

“Students do take after their teachers. Any apprentice of yours would be a fool,” Xemnas sneered, then raised his eyes to the light of Kingdom Hearts. “After all, none of this would have happened without you. It was you who brought the Heartless into being. Your research inspired me to go further than you ever dared.”

You saved me when I wandered without memories—or rather, saved Xehanort, Xemnas added to himself.

If you hadn’t found me that day and helped me… If you hadn’t been studying the mysteries of the heart… Things would never have come to this.

Does that mean it was all inevitable? Or is someone’s will at work? A will greater than ours…?

This was the plan for a long time, because even the novels allude to it. It annoys me when people try to say the novels can’t be taken seriously. They wrote about Xemnas’s regret over his fallen comrades YEARS in advance. They were obviously written with knowledge of the whole story in mind.

It almost sounded like Xemnas was angry with Ansem for being the catalyst that started him on his path. He said he was past the point of no return, as if he was only continuing on with his plan because he couldn’t turn back even if he wanted to.

“I admit, my recklessness brought chaos to more worlds than one. But what is it you were seeking?” Ansem demanded. He was asking the shell of his former apprentice, though he might ask the same question of himself. “You erased me from this world only to take my name and continue research better left forgotten… And is this the answer you’ve been after?”

“Indeed. I am carrying on what you began, creating a new world brick by brick—heart by heart.”

But even as Xemnas said it, he wondered. Really? Is it really what I sought?

The inexorable pull of Kingdom Hearts, so strong that even he no longer understood what he’d first been seeking, and the longing for the heart he had lost… But what was a heart?

What I lost when I became a Nobody…I don’t even know what it is.

He didn’t even know what it was he was after.

He concentrated his frustration back on Ansem. “Once I thought I’d earn your praise. But all you’ve ever done is hold me back. I understand—unlike me, you have a heart. And you are powerless to control it. Consumed by your jealousy of the student who surpassed his teacher.”

Ansem sadly shook his head.

That young scientist who had once shown so much promise in the town of Radiant Garden—where had he gone? Was this what it meant to lose one’s heart? Or…had he never had one to begin with?

It’s...sad.

“Hey, do you fellas think that maybe the journal is trying to tell us something?” Goofy wondered. What exactly was going on with this little book?

Whatever Xehanort was being used by, it was heavily connected to the Demon Tide.

“The world is aching?” What exactly did “the world” refer to? Maybe it meant the world they were seeing on the monitor now was in pain. “Not just ‘the’ world. ‘Our’ world…” Jiminy seemed to have the same questions.

We never actually learned what was meant by the world’s aching. Who’s world?

“…Can’t you hear the world’s screams?”

“Screams?”

Axel finally turned around, and looked up at Saïx standing on a stairway.

“The time when we should move will come soon.”

“I dunno, whatever.” Axel turned his back on Saïx, and opened a dark portal in front of him.

Saïx could actually hear the world’s screams, probably because Isa was one of those people who needed their hurting mended. I’ll bet that Xehanort was one of those people as well.

Ansem the Wise: That light of the heart that everyone had when they were a child - simple, honest thoughts - that is the strength of a pure heart, in which Sora believes and cannot doubt. If someone feels a heart there, a heart exists. Even if a heart is lost, maybe it can once again be connected. Up to this point, he has felt, accepted, and saved many hearts. And now the many hearts that sleep within Sora’s heart have fallen into darkness, been stolen by darkness, sleep in darkness. The hearts dissolved in Sora – to save them, you must act as Sora has up until now, move forward as a heart in order to succeed. His thoughts are the only way. Or to be precise, what is within them.

If I had to guess how I think Xehanort’s plot would have been handled that was consistent with the Dark Seeker Saga’s themes, it would be this: After Xehanort was defeated, his heart was lost in the darkness. Maybe he couldn’t handle the pain of his defeat. Or maybe it was because he was possessed all along.

Ansem: You see, darkness is the heart’s true essence.

Sora: That’s not true! The heart may be weak. And sometimes it may even give in. But I’ve learned that deep down, there’s a light that never goes out!

Sora, a person who possesses an extraordinary degree of love for other people, actually decided to use the power of waking on him rather than just snatch the X-Blade from him and call it a day. He genuinely wanted to save him. Sora was able to believe that deep down, there was a light that never went out, even in someone as immersed in darkness as Xehanort.

Those simple and honest thoughts enabled Sora to connect with Xehanort’s heart, reminding him of what it felt like to love and be loved, like when he was a child. He was able to reunite with his beloved friend Eraqus, and decided to give Sora the X-Blade of his own free will. Not because of Sora’s amazing ability at persuasion. But because Sora showed him love. That is what made Ansem choose Sora in the first place.

#kh3 #kh xehanort #kh xemnas #KH Eraqus #kh

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burnouts3s3 · 5 years

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Citrus, a review

(Disclaimer: The following is a non-profit unprofessional blog post written by an unprofessional blog poster. All purported facts and statement are little more than the subjective, biased opinion of said blog poster. In other words, don’t take anything I say too seriously.) Just the facts 'Cause you're in a Hurry! Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price for Season (MSRP): 48.74 USD How much I paid: 32.88 USD (I pre-ordered it when there was a New Year's discount). Animation Studio: Passione Licensed and Localized by: Funimation Entertainment Audio: Japanese Audio with Subtitles and English Dub available. English Cast: Megan Shipman as Yuzu, Amber Lee Connors as Mei, Margaret McDonald as Harumi “Harumin” Taniguchi, Kristi Rothrock as Matsuri, Terri Doty as Umi, Number of Episodes: 12 Episodes Length per Episode: 25 Minutes on average. 21 Without Intro and Ending song. Number of Discs: 4 Discs in Total. 2 DVD Discs and 2 Blu-ray discs. Episodes per Disc: 6 Episodes per DVD Disc. Episodes 1-9 on the first Blu-ray disc with Episodes 10-12 on the second Blu-ray disc along with the special features. Bundle also includes: Digital Copy to redeem. (which doesn't work because when I enter the code provided with the discs, I get the message 'The Digital Copy is not yet Active'.). Also on: Amazon Video, Funimation Now, Funimation’s streaming service that requires a subscription and Crunchyroll, a subscription based service that allows streaming for shows. Free streaming is available with ads. Bonus Features: Textless Openings, Textless Ending and Trailers for other Funimation Licensed Shows. My Personal Biases: I actually saw Citrus a while back but never reviewed it. I like other shows in the Shoujo Ai genre such as Mai Hime, Mai Otome, Maria Watches over Us, Strawberry Panic and yes, even Kannazuki no Miko/Destiny of the Shrine Maiden. I am not fond of Citrus. My Verdict: Citrus is trashy, exploitative, gawdy, and mainly exists for the titillation of its audience. And while other Shoujo ai shows have done this as well, there’s also a lack of a narrative structure to the point where older works like Kannazuki no Miko look like the Godfather compared to this. If you lower your expectations, you’ll find a good deal. WARNING: SPOILERS FOR CITRUS AND OTHER YURI SHOWS AHEAD! Citrus, a review

Yuzucchi “Yuzu” Aihara is a new girl about to transfer schools. She’s never had a boyfriend and hopes to break that curse once and for all. But, when she realizes that she’s been transferred to an all-girls’ school, Yuzu’s outlandish behavior, clothing and voice captures the attention of the ultra-strict Student Council President, Mei. After a heated first day in which Mei confiscates Yuzu’s cellphone and Yuzu sees Mei kissing a teacher, Yuzu has one final revelation: her mother’s new husband is also Mei’s father, making Mei her step-sister. And to top it all off, Mei kisses Yuzu and steals her first kiss. Citrus is one of the few Yuri manga that not only managed to sell a number of books in Japan but also make the New York Times’ Best Seller list. It’s a series so successful, it’s spawn drama CDs, a 12 episode anime and a spin-off series after the manga’s conclusion, Citrus Plus. It’s also been criticized as a schlocky teenage soap opera with numerous peripheral characters that add nothing to the plot, and for depicting things like Mei forcing herself on Yuzu as sexualizing rape. For a number of viewers, the depiction of, yes, sexual assault is going to turn them off, and I can’t blame them. archive.is/DRUN8

But it’s not a problem for me. This is because (and yes, I’m aware of how this sounds) I’m of the party that says you can make a good story out of anything, including, yes, rape. The Late Roger Ebert once said “It’s not what a movie is about; it’s how it’s about it”. It’s a quote I’ve come to appreciate as of late. You can make a good work out of any subject material, but you have to use it well. One of the most influential shows of my youth was Kannazuki no Miko, in which one of the main characters, Chikane Himemiya, sexually assaults Himeko, her love interest. But, I give that series a pass (again I can only speak for myself) because it was one of the first depictions of a Yuri couple in an anime after Utena and Sailor Moon and serves a purpose to the story: the good girl becoming bad and the friend character wanting more (as well as a convoluted plot with weird universe rules explaining in great detail why Chikane did what she did). While Citrus uses sexual assault, it’s more for titillation and premise. It’s clearly there to hook the reader in by generating cheap unearned drama. Again, if that were the end all be all issue with Citrus and said work gave me a fulfilling story, I would give it a pass. But even pushing aside the scenes of nonconsensual assault, there’s way too much going on with way too many characters to the point where the story’s structure resembles more of a weekly soap opera rather than a romance between two girls. 9 years after the anime release of Sweet Blue Flowers and Whispered Words and THIS is what we end up with? What’s interesting is that Yuzu, despite being the usual blonde in a Yuri anime (a loud, expressive extrovert who’s unclear of her sexuality), actually receives a lot of character development. While she does make mistakes (a lot of them), there’s a strong sense of justice in her and she attempts to right the wrongs she committed. It also helps that for the majority of the story, we’re given internal monologue from Yuzu’s point of view and we see there’s a girl struggling with her newfound sexuality. One of the highlights is Episodes 5-6, in which Yuzu starts to see Mei’s unresolved father issues becoming a part of her character and realizes the last thing Mei needs is romance and avoids it so she can better help Mei become a healthier person. But on the other side of the relationship, Mei, is little more than a reactive drama magnet. Mei, at least in the 12 episodes that adapt the early parts of the manga, has very little character. I get that’s the idea; this is clearly an introvert who’s been so focused at school and extracurricular activities that she has no life and her first sexual experience would involve assault of some sort. But in execution, she’s little more than a plot device that’s meant to generate problems to prevent Yuzu and Mei from being together. First, it’s an overbearing grandfather that doesn’t approve of Yuzu. Then, it’s a childhood friend who likes to sip tea. Then, it’s an absent father figure who stopped being strict and decided to be a traveling wanderer. It also doesn’t help matters that when Mei does take action, it’s either downplayed or shown off-screen. Do you not have enough plot going on with the fact these two are step-sisters? What next, is Seto Kaiba going to be Mei’s half-brother and kidnap her and tie her to some train tracks until Yuzu beats him in a card game? The plot contrivances start from the very first episode. I’m not caught up on Japanese culture so I’m willing to accept that Mei and Yuzu have never met each other until after their respective parents got married, but the contrivances keep piling on. Now, Mei and Yuzu share a double bed! Now, Yuzu has a childhood friend, Matsuri, who’s really into her and is an expert blackmailer. Now, Yuzu meets a really nice girl who has a crush on Mei. And of course, where would we be in a romance series if we didn’t have two characters having a conversation about their crushes when they’re unaware they’re referring to the same person? The pacing of each contrivances are so smashed together it makes it seem like a wacky sitcom or one of those dramas found on the CW. And all the while, Mei barely changes from her introvert self. Christ, this makes me sound old. I can’t believe I’ve come to a point where I can say Kannazuki no Miko had a better sense of Story Structure compared to this. What makes this really frustrating is that other side characters continue to be way more interesting than Mei. Harumin, a girl who quickly befriends Yuzu, remains an energetic bright spot as well as a shoulder to lean on who actually has more chemistry than the main pair. Matsuri is actually very entertaining when she’s allowed to be. Funimation Entertainment did the localization and the script mainly remains loyal to the source material (for better and worse). Amber Lee Connors as Mei does the best she can when saddled with the role of a mopey, emotionally constipated introvert and manages to wring out some emotion out of the character when the story doesn’t. But it’s Megan Shipman as Yuzu that carries the series. Shipman gives Yuzu just enough energy and fire to make us empathize with a loudmouth and her internal dialogue really does help us understand the character. JAPANESE AUDIO WITH SUBTITLES IS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO PREFER IT. All things considered, Funimation’s offering a pretty solid deal for Citrus, giving all 12 episodes on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital Copy (which doesn't work because when I enter it, I get the message 'The Digital Copy is not yet Active'.). It’s too bad it’s wasted on a series that, even with the trashy exploitation and inevitable thinkpieces about consent scenes, the narrative itself settles for villain of the episode melodrama. And while characters like Yuzu, Harumin, and even Matsuri, Mei continues to be less of a character than she is a plot device. CAVEAT: For a lot of people, Citrus was ‘their first Yuri anime’, as in it was the gateway anime that led them to discover other works. And in some ways, I can understand how said nostalgia can affect one’s perception of the show. After all, shows like Strawberry Panic, Kannazuki no Miko and My-Hime were ‘my’ gateway shows that led me to a bigger and better genre. But, just as time goes on, so does the genre grow. So, I would hope fans wouldn’t limit themselves to just one series and start exploring other and older works. Shoujo-ai and Yuri anime has a long history of balancing fanservice, sex appeal and story. Even older, more lurid works that DO use sexual assault to progress the story, such as Kannazuki no Miko, make up for it with strong story structure and character development. But compared to works that truly do attempt to weave a complex narrative about girl’s romance such as Sweet Blue Flowers, Whispered Words and Simoun, Citrus remains as shallow as the fountain Mei and Yuzu fall in.

Verdict: If you’re a fan, pick it up. But if you want the genre to get better, maybe wait for a sale or watch it for free on Crunchyroll first.

#citrus #yuzu aihara #mei aihara #yuzu #mei #shoujoai #shoujo-ai #yuri #anime #review #kannazuki no miko #chikane #himeko #chikane himemiya #himeko kurusugawa #saburouta #funimation

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theabominableblogger · 6 years

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Rewatching “Batman” (1989)

Decided to rewatch this classic before I watch the new Justice League movie that’s out this week

I, for one, am so glad Danny Elfman brought the Batman theme back into “Justice League”

*jams out to the Batman theme*

JACK NICHOLSON

Billy Dee Williams! And he’s only in it for like 5 minutes

Jack Palance!

Oh my gosh, I forgot Prince did music for this movie

Aaaand it’s the Batman symbol!

Matte painting! Matte paintings everywhere!

Why do they always portray Gotham as freaking packed? I know it’s supposed to be a bustling metropolis but this is too much.

Why yes, random family, let’s take a shortcut through a shady ass alleyway.

What the...

Batman, brought to you by American Express

*Batman floats down behind the robbers* Eeeyyyy!!

*Batman gets shot* Welp, he’s dead. End of movie. Cue end credits music.

Gotta take your sweet ass time revealing your cape...

He raises his arms so high in the air in order to do it.

“I want you to tell all your friends about me.” “What are you?!?!?” I’M BATMAN! DAAAA NA NA NAAAA NAAAAA

Lando?!?

Mayor Borg?!?!?

“People of Gotham City, I [Harvey Dent] am a man of few words.” Nah, he’s a double-crossing, no-good swindler.

All righty, unpopular opinion time: I don’t like Jack Nicholson as the Joker. I just don’t. He’s just... Jack Nicholson in clown paint. Plus they establish him as a character before he becomes the Joker.

Oh, and of course, they name the Jack Nicholson character “Jack”

So who’s the Lieutenant character again?

Heelllooo shady lookin’- oh it’s Jack Nicholson.

Bob the Goon!

Matte painting!

This movie should be subtitled “Matte Paintings: The Movie”

Oh my God, Lando, what did they do to your hair?

Eeeeyyy!! Bob Kane!

“Vale, will you marry me [Knox]?” “Nope?” “Wanna buy me lunch?” “Maybe.” “I eat light!” Pffftt....

Story time: the Quidditch coach/captain of the team here at college (who is notorious for being a flirt) asked me to buy him supper one time before practice. I knew it was a joke but I told him “Nah, you gotta earn it” and I was applauded by the team

Obligatory purple Joker suit!

Obligatory Joker card!

Why is it such a big deal that Jack Nicholson is involved with that one particular moll?

You gotta hammer it in that Jack Nicholson’s gonna become the Joker

Why is there a casino set up in Wayne Manor?

Michael Gough!

Why is Vicki Vale dressed like she’s getting ready to be married?

I like that we don’t actually meet Bruce until like 20 minutes into the movie. Plus they establish him as a mystery character- technically the main characters at the beginning of the movie is Knox and Vicki and then it shifts to Batman. And then again, we don’t get a lot of background on either Batman or Bruce.

I never really had time to appreciate how great Michael Keaton is as Bruce Wayne but dang he’s good. And I love the reasoning behind this casting: there’s no way he could be seen as Batman and when we do find out, it’s a big shock.

Holy crap, how many cameras are set up around the manor?

Oh my gosh, Bruce has reading glasses!

Sound stage!

FreEEEZZZEE!!!

AN: I’m only 25 minutes into this movie. We gots a bit to go because I’m such a motormouth

Boom goes the dynamite!

Yes, let’s have a police shootout in a chemical factory! Great plan, guys!

Man, Gary Oldman’s Commissioner Gordon would be on the ball when it came to this situation. Pat Hingle’s Commissioner Gordon just stands around and gives orders

Um, officers, you’re walking into a puddle of toxic chemicals...

In all seriousness though, I want Jack Nicholson’s hat

Never have I seen a smirkier Batman than Michael Keaton’s Batman

Well there’s also Kevin Conroy’s Batman

*Jack Nicholson falls into the chemical vat* Welp, he’s dead. End of movie. Cue end credits music.

AXIS

Why were Jack Nicholson’s fingernails dyed green from the chemicals? I know it’s comic book logic but still...

This scene in the dining hall is my dad’s favorite scene in the movie.

That is an impossibly long dining table.

Aaww, they’re having dinner with Alfred in the butlers’ quarters!

“Alfred’s great. I [Bruce] couldn’t find my socks without him.” Cue in Batman: The Animated Series, Joker literally cannot find his socks because Harley’s not there.

That is no way to take bandages off properly, Jack...

Mirror... MIRROR!!

“You see what I have to work with here.” Yeah, those are some shitty surgical tools there, buddy.

Oh, throw that shoe, Bruce

“Who the hell are you?” “It’s me [the Joker].” *sings* IT’S MEEEEEE

“Jack? Jack is dead, my friend. You can call me.. Joker! And as you can see, I’m a lot happier!”

This freaking circus music though

*Bruce and Vicki cuddle while sleeping* Cue Bruce going “Aw man, I can’t enjoy spending time with this awesome lady because I gotta brood, man.”

WHY IS HE UPSIDE DOWN?!?!?

WAIT ‘TIL THEY GET A LOAD OF ME!

Why the hell is Jack Nicholson dressed like that?

What kind of hand buzzer is that?!?

HAVEN’T YOU HEARD THE HEALING POWER OF LAUGHTER? NOW GET OUTTA HERE!

YOUUU... ARE MY NUMBER ONEEEE... GUUUYYYYYY!!

How does Bruce Wayne AKA Batman not notice Vicki trailing him from his house to Crime Alley?

Random mime... more random mimes...

Why is Bruce just standing there? Ooohhhh... wait a minute.. there’s this whole schindig about him recognizing Jack later in the movie

There is literally no reason why Jack Nicholson becomes the Joker since he’s already been established as Jack Napier before the whole ACE Chemicals thing.

THIS TOWN NEEDS AN ENEMA!

Alfred just wants some grandkids, gosh dang it

How the hell did you get those pics, Vicki?

Oh my God, I hate that this Joker has this weird crush on Vicki. I hate it so much.

“I’m in a mind to make some mooky.” Ugghh...

Oh my gosh, the Smylex commercial

Oh my gosh, the newspeople aren’t wearing any care products... pfftt...

What kind of cake foundation does Joker have? That’s like the stuff we had to wear in high school

That waiter just addressed Vicki as “sir”

Did Joker write that message in crayon?

That elderly couple is dead after falling off the balcony like that

LET’S BROADEN OUR MINDS!

*jams the crap out to “Party Man” by Prince*

*One goon paints over a bust* Hey look, it’s the Jared Leto Joker

What the crap is this music that plays? It plays during one of the trailers for “The Shape of Water”

Oh wait, it’s the theme from something called “A Summer Place”

I quote the “one dollar bill” quote all the freaking time at my house.

The prosthetic work on Alicia looks pretty sweet, I gotta say

Oh, a little song.. a little dance... Batman’s head on a lance...

Oh my gosh, I forgot how much Kim Basinger screamed in this movie

They even color coded the cars for Joker’s goons

*The police get involved in an accident involving a farmer’s market truck* NO, NOT THE CABBAGES!

There is no way in hell that Vicki only weighs like 108

Remember when the Batsuit was made out of rubber, you guys?

*Crazy, sword-wielding guy goes after Batman* Seriously? Did you not see “Raiders of the Lost Ark?”

For the Batmobile, it looks like they made the toy first before constructing it for the movie

Gotta love that Danny Elfman score...

*Vicki tries to see under Batman’s cowl* Yo, Vicki, don’t distract Batman while he’s driving

The Batcave!

Why is there just this one random bat hanging out in a bird cage?

Forgot that Michael Keaton literally could not turn his head in the Batsuit

Oh my gosh, how short is Michael Keaton here?

Oooohhh nice transition!

How the hell did Vicki end up back there?

Gotta admit, that’s a nice apartment

“You see, my life is really...” Batsy!

JUST TELL HER YOU’RE [Vicki] BATMAN!

I like how Bruce walks right by the fire poker in order to get a freaking tray to hit Joker with

YOU WANNA GET NUTS?!? C’MON, LET’S GET NUTS!

EVER DANCE WITH THE DEVIL IN THE PALE MOONLIGHT?

“Never rub another man’s rhubarb.” What?

There is no way in hell that Bruce deflected that bullet with the tray

Matte painting!

“Can you hear me? Just the two of us.” *sings “Just the Two of Us” by Will Smith*

Gotta admit, Michael Keaton’s Batman has an awesome thinking/pensive face. It’s probably the eyebrows that help

What is it with families being targeted by random gun-wielding criminals in abandoned alleyways?

There’s no way that that’s Jack Nicholson playing young Jack Napier

Nevermind, it’s some dude named Hugo Blick

*scats the Batman theme obnoxiously out of tune*

Batman’s belt just slipped. Never gonna un-see that

Why is it that every time this Batman is in the Batsuit and glaring at somebody, he looks like he’s really constipated?

Seriously, is there not a bathroom in the Batcave?

Is this another Prince song?

So where exactly did Joker find the time to find all of this stuff and prepare for an impromptu 200th anniversary parade?

The Batplane!

Matte painting!

“Me? I’m giving away free money!” And it looks faaaaakkkeee...

Something is up with that clown balloon’s nose... just saying...

Yeah, lets go after the Joker’s goons with a baseball bat, Knox. That’ll go well.

I love the sounds all the buttons make on the Batplane dashboard

“My balloons. Those are my balloons! He stole my balloons!” Iconic.

Hahaha he [Joker] used Bob the Goon as a step stool off the parade float!

*The Batplane pauses in front of the moon* Eeeeyyy!!

*Joker pulls out the gun with the really long muzzle out of the front of his pants* No comment

Again, why is Vicki Vale dressed like she’s either getting ready to get married or go to a wedding?

“Better make it ten [minutes].” What makes this awesome is that ten minutes actually goes by both in-universe time and movie run time. My dad actually timed it the first time I watched this with him.

Mad respect to Tim Burton for the aesthetic in this movie, I gotta say

The eyebrows on Batman’s cowl strangely match Michael Keaton’s. Was this intentional?

*Joker “dances” with Vicki* Now see the last time I recall Joker dancing with somebody was the 5 second long Alex Ross scene with Harley Quinn in “Suicide Squad”

Unpopular opinion time: I like Jared Leto’s Joker better than Jack Nicholson’s Joker *gets bombarded with hate mail and darts*

Eugghhhh Vicki’s pulling a freaking Jasmine from “Aladdin”

“You wouldn’t hit a guy with glasses now, would ya?” Cue Wreck-It-Ralph

How the hell did Joker pull Batman and Vicki off the roof like that?

Oh my gosh that 80s falling effect

Yeah no, from that drop, the Joker’s body would be a freaking mess

“The reign of crime [in Gotham City] is over.” BWAHAHAHAHAHA

Oh hi Billy Dee Williams!

You know what would be awesome: if Kim Basinger had a cameo somewhere in the Batman solo movie directed by Ben Affleck. Just saying

Yoooo....

#batman #1989 batman #jack nicholson #Michael Keaton #billy dee williams #danny elfman #vicki vale #joker #commissioner gordon #kim basinger #the blogger reacts #bruce wayne #prince #Tim Burton #jared leto

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daleisgreat · 5 years

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Avengers: Infinity War

Last night was the soft opening for the 11 years in the making MCU phase/season/arc/whatever finale that is Avengers: Endgame, but today Friday, April 26th is the official opening day. Yesterday I went to a friend’s place who has a big ‘ol 4K TV and I watched my first UHD in the form of last year’s Avengers: Infinity War (trailer) as a nice refresher going into one of the biggest cinematic releases ever this weekend. I am glad I did experience it again in 4K HD because there were so many little things I forgot and so much transpiring that it made the two and a half hour runtime breeze by before I knew it. Like with my entry on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 yesterday, I will probably tiptoe into light spoiler territory for Infinity War so reader beware! Unlike the previous Avengers film, Age of Ultron, Infinity War does not kick off with the Avengers on another routine mission kicking ass. It is a polar opposite where quintessential Marvel villain Thanos (Josh Brolin), yes that same Thanos who was teased in the post-credit scenes of the previous two Avengers films has finally arrived and lays immediate waste to Heimdall (Idris Elba), Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth). It is in this opening scene where it is established Thanos is after the six Infinity Stones that were seen scattered throughout previous MCU films to gain ultimate power and use it to instantly eliminate half the world’s population. The dark nature of the opening scene foreshadowed what would be the grimmest, darkest film yet in the entire MCU. While this is a more serious, high-stakes film, there is still a fair amount of witty exchanges and zingers throughout, especially once the Guardians of the Galaxy and Spider-Man (Tom Holland) get in the mix.

Infinity War sees Thanos and his children travel to all reaches of the galaxy to acquire all six Infinity Stones. This leads to many awesome CG battles involving nearly the entire roster of the MCU sans a handful of characters who are explained why they are absent. This also leads to the fun dynamic of experiencing heroes from different films interact with each other for the first time and sometimes putting differences to the side to combat Thanos or at other times getting in a dispute of 1ups-manship in the case Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) and Thor. I will give props to the masterful MCU directors Joe & Anthony Russo for experimenting and segmenting off the traditional teams in order to see how new hero mash-ups play out on screen, and they nearly all gelled wonderfully together and resulted in a ton of awesome ‘What If’ scenarios coming to fruition on the big screen. A couple quick favorite team-up scenarios that stood out for me was early team-up scenes with Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr) and Hulk/Bruce Banner colliding with Thanos’s forces. Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), ‘teenage’ Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) and Thor venture out in their unique arc in order to find the ultimate weapons to take on Thanos in what was an odd, but fun pairing to see unfold. When we get to the final act two huge battles play out simultaneously. A huge battle on the planet, Titan unfolds with Iron Man, Spider-Man, Nebula (Karen Gillan), Peter Quill, Drax (Dave Bautista) and Doctor Strange as they attempt to combine forces in one last gasp to takedown Thanos in one-against-all war that was one of the top highlights of the film.

While the battle on Titan is happening, almost every other MCU hero imaginable teams up in Wakanda to engage in a gigantic war with Thanos’s army. This was a CG delight to consume as almost every hero no matter how big of a lead or periphery they were in past films gets a chance to shine in what is easily the biggest confrontation of any MCU film. I thought it was awesome the Russos’ gave the women time to shine where Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Okoye (Danai Gurira) rally up against Proxima (Carrie Coon). This Wakanda War has a finale and payoff that will be one of the most memorable for not just comic book movies, but nearly all of cinema. Needless to say, JAW-DROPPING MOMENTS OF CONSEQUENCE occur from the fallout of the end of the Wakanda clash and it all builds up perfectly to get everyone primed and ready to see the follow-up to this in Avengers: Endgame. It would not be fair for me to go this whole time without one little quibble, and it is a feint one that I cannot fully get behind, but bears mentioning. This is a star-studded cast, and props for Marvel Studios for squeezing almost everyone in. Unfortunately, this expectedly has the side-effect of some standout stars getting short shrift so everyone can get a modicum of screen time. I was surprised Captain America (Chris Evans) came off as a bit player compared to others and ditto for at least several others. I still am stunned that Nick Fury (Samuel Jackson), who is a constant for many past MCU films, is only in one scene. For what it is worth it seems at least every person I felt who got slighted in screen time at least has a moment or two to have the spotlight on. It oddly reminded me of recent Wrestlemanias where WWE’s roster got to be so enormous the last couple installments went on to be nearly seven hours in order to cram almost the entire roster on the show in some way or another.

While I watched the 4K UHD at a friend’s, I made sure to pull my BluRay out of my backlog box to dive into the extra features. Coming right off GotG2, I love how Infinity War follows the same format for extra features with a making of special, gag reel, deleted scenes and a commentary track. The Marvel gag reels are always a riot, but this one clocks in short at only two minutes! The deleted scenes are worth checking out because it is the only place where Happy (Jon Favreau) makes an appearance and it is where Quill and Drax have a fun argument for control of music over Quill’s precious Zune player. There are four brief making-of specials that combine for just over a half hour. A couple of the specials that focus on the huge cast and another on Thanos feel more like extended trailers with brief interview snippets, but the back half dealing with both of the final act battles are worth checking out as the cast and crew have a lot to show in how they pieced together these huge battles on the big screen. Finally, the commentary with the Russo brothers and writers Christopher Markus and Stephan McFeely is a recommended commentary track worth your listen, or read which I will tip my hat to Marvel to for being one of the few companies out there to subtitle their commentary tracks! Commentary highlights are constant fascinating reactions to the unique hero pairings throughout, love for Brolin’s acting in his mammoth mo-cap setup, interesting insight on why the Russo’s were determined to make sure they got one specific hooded Infinity Stone protector back into the MCU and hearing all four react to the powerful scene between Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and Thanos. Other than the making-ofs being a little on the lacking side, this is another fine set of extra features from Marvel Studios.

I realize I am many weeks late to saying this, but I highly recommend giving Infinity War a viewing again before going into Avengers: Endgame. I absolutely loved this film from beginning to end, especially on this second viewing. With a year going by after seeing it in the theaters there was so much I forgot that transpired in these two and a half hours. I have not seen such a fast-paced film of at least this length since Inception. Somehow, I have managed to avoid all trailers for Endgame as I did not want a hint of what to expect out of it and I am insanely amped up to see this MCU event that has been building to this finale all the way back since 2008! If you do not have time to give Avengers: Infinity War a re-watch then I hope this entry has at least brought you back up to speed on the broad strokes of it going into Endgame. I cannot think of a better way to wrap this up by quoting what the man, Stan, would say: Excelsior! Other Random Backlog Movie Blogs 3 12 Angry Men (1957) 12 Rounds 3: Lockdown 21 Jump Street The Accountant Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie Atari: Game Over The Avengers: Age of Ultron Batman: The Killing Joke Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Bounty Hunters Cabin in the Woods Captain America: Civil War Captain America: The First Avenger Captain America: The Winter Soldier Christmas Eve Clash of the Titans (1981) Clint Eastwood 11-pack Special The Condemned 2 Countdown Creed Deck the Halls Die Hard Dredd The Eliminators The Equalizer Dirty Work Faster Fast and Furious I-VIII Field of Dreams Fight Club The Fighter For Love of the Game Good Will Hunting Gravity Guardians of the Galaxy Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 Hercules: Reborn Hitman Indiana Jones 1-4 Ink The Interrogation Interstellar Jobs Joy Ride 1-3 Man of Steel Man on the Moon Marine 3-6 Metallica: Some Kind of Monster Mortal Kombat National Treasure National Treasure: Book of Secrets The Replacements Reservoir Dogs Rocky I-VII Running Films Part 1 Running Films Part 2 San Andreas ScoobyDoo Wrestlemania Mystery The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Shoot em Up Skyscraper Small Town Santa Steve Jobs Source Code Star Trek I-XIII Take Me Home Tonight TMNT The Tooth Fairy 1 & 2 UHF Veronica Mars Vision Quest The War Wild Wonder Woman The Wrestler (2008) X-Men: Days of Future Past

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