2022 Already?!?!

Hello, hello! It has been a whole year and what a year it's been! I know a lot of people have shared similar thoughts to 2021 as they did 2020, but honestly, my 2021 was actually pretty good - if not so much better than my 2020. So, let's get reflecting!

Shows Watched (34)

Legend of Fei (Ch) - Cherry Magic (Jp) - Bling Empire - Gokushufudou (Jp) - The Story of Minglan (Ch) - Duoluo Continent (Ch) - Giri/Haji - Wandavision - Crisis: Special Investigation Squad (Jp) - Word of Honor (Ch) - Jujutsu Kaisen (Anime) - Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens (Anime) - 9-1-1 - Lupin - Falcon and the Winter Soldier - Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood* (Anime) - LOKI - Fruit Baskets 2020 s3 (Anime) - Nigehaji NY SP (Jp) - The Untamed* (Ch) - You Are My Glory (Ch) - Made in Abyss (Anime) - Shiguang Daili Ren (Donghua) - Brooklyn Nine Nine: S8  - Sex Education S3 - Never Have I Ever S2 - Squid Game (Kr) - Love Death and Robots S2 - Marvel: What If…? - Samurai Champloo* (Anime) - Cowboy Bebop (Anime) - The Wheel of Time - Luoyang (Ch) - Hawkeye

Books Read (13
The Three Body Problem - The Dark Forest - Death's End - Gregor the Overland - Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane - The Last Wish - Legend of Fei - The Wizard of Earthsea - The Tombs of Atuan - The Farthest Shore - The Body Keeps the Score - Raybearer - The Trials of Apollo: Tower of Nero  Fanfic Counter: ~250

Movies Watched (38)

Promare - Soul - Isn't it Romantic - To All the Boys: Always and Forever - Pitch Perfect* - Charlie's Angels (2019) - Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer - The Emperors New Groove* - Godzilla (2014) - Kong: Skull Island - Godzilla: King of Monsters - Raya and the Last Dragon - Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon* - Parasite - Internal Affairs* - Howl's Moving Castle* - Tales from Earthsea - Hidden Figures* - Nezha: Reborn - The Hitman's Bodyguard - Kimetsu no Yaiba: Mugen Ressha - Edge of Tomorrow - Shang-chi: Legend of the Ten Rings - Evangelion 2.0: You can (not) advance - Evangelion 3.0: You can (not) redo - Evangelion 3.0+1.0: Thrice Upon a Time - Mortal Kombat (2020) - Luca - Godzilla vs Kong - Little Women - Rurouni Kenshin  - Rurouni - Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno - Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends - Rurouni Kenshin: The Final - Love Hard - He's the Man - Black Widow - Princess Switch 2

Games Played (21)

Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Stardew Valley - FFVIII - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney* - Phoenix Wright: Justice for All - Phoenix Wright: Trials & Tribulations - Katamari Damacy: Reroll* - Persona 5: Strikers - ABZU - Enter the Gungeon - The Witness - Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town - Bioshock[PT] (Dansg08) - Bioshock 2[PT] (Dansgo08) - Mass Effect 1* - Mass Effect 2* - Hollow Knight - Limbo - Undertale - Resident Evil [PT] (Dansg08) - God of War (2018)

* - not my first time playing/reading/watching the item.

[PT] = watched a playthrough

 

And onto the questions!

 

Legend of Fei (C-Drama) Review

What's this? A new post???? 

So I know it's been a while since I've posted anything - my year end reviews not counting. I mean, let's be real here - 2020 was a shit show. I did actually have posts planned, but eh. Life. A quick re-cap since I never ended up posting about The Untamed/CQL and my thoughts on Wangxian (tldr: I love them. They are my OTP of OTPs): I became a huge fan of Xiao Zhan right off the bat after watching CQL, and then about half a year later also became more interested in Wang Yibo--at least as an actor (although I do think he's hella cute in a "didi" sort of way). 

Which leads me to Legend of Fei! Which was a drama where Wang Yibo played the male lead, Xie Yun, opposite Zhou Liying who played Zhou Fei. 

I know it's been a while since I've done a drama review of any kind, but I really wanted to do one for Legend of Fei because it's one of those dramas where objectively it was not a great drama, but I loved one (1) thing about it so much that subjectively I don't care that it was not a great drama. Like enough that I would watch episodes raw because I was too impatient for subs and can't stop refreshing AO3 in the hopes that people start writing fic for this. 

Now. For those who don't know - Legend of Fei is based of a web novel by Priest who is famous for mostly a bunch of BL novels (Guardian,  Sha Po Lang, Mo Du, Tian Ya Ke). Guardian has also been adapted into a drama and the other ones I listed are already getting their own adaptations made, or will in the future. Legend of Fei is one of Priests few het novels, and was also widely popular. Unfortunately English translations of it so far only go up to chapter 6 out of 170 so I will never be able to read it, but from what I could tell people really loved it. When I saw the trailer for this drama and read the premise and details for it, I also got really hyped because it seems like the type of story I would love. Interestingly, even though the the name of the drama and novel appear to be the same when written in English, it is not the same! The TV drama is 有翡 and the novel is 有匪. It doesn't make a huge difference necessarily, but it does already kind of show that the adaptation... was definitely an adaptation. 

Onto my review (warning: potential spoilers for the entire plot - both from the drama and potentially the novel).  

We Survived! Onto 2021~

What the actual fuck was 2020 eh? It's honestly a bit painful reading my post from last year - I had so many hopes for 2020 and here I am ending the year, once again, jobless.

Honestly, I was a bit hesitant about even making this post. Partially because I am coming off 5 hours of sleep after having said farewell to Arashi, but also because... I mean. What the fuck 2020? But ultimately I think I do still have things I want to reflect on and think about, so without further ado: how did I survive 2020?

Reflecting as we enter 2020

I think for everyone 2019 has been a rough year just due to things happening in the world, but in particular, 2019 really was quite a rough year. At the same time, I feel like I can only make this statement precisely because towards the end of 2019, things have started to turn upwards and I am actually able to look at 2020 with a semblance of hope, renewed energy, and a sense of contentment that I think I've definitely lacked since I moved here to Toronto.

I feel like there are actually so many things I want to say, and to reflect on, but I honestly don't know where to start, so I'm just going to do my usual and see where the questions take me and if I have anything else to add at the end, I'll add it.

Without further ado though, let's look back at 2019 and see what happened!

Sexy Zone - そばにいるよ [Eng Translation]

(Translation Index: Here)

そばにいるよ - I'm By Your Side

灯りが消えてくビルの影
月のカーブが 次の夜に架かるよ
MailはOffにしようか
握りしめた手に 熱くなる「いま」がある

The building's shadow cuts off the light,
and the curve off the moon continues into the next night.
Let's turn our mails* off,
Because there's this heated moment "now" while I'm holding your hand.

ただ知り過ぎてきた さみしい言葉
もう忘れてかまわない wow Baby

They're just sad words that you've come to know too well now,
it's fine to forget them, wow baby.

君とFace to Face
そばにいるよ
ほんとうのことは愛でわかる
いつもI Love You
どんなときも
大事にしていたい 心にふれるから

I'm face to face with you,
by your side.
You'll know what's real through love.
I love you always,
no matter when,
and I've been touched by your heart, which I want to hold precious.

誰かが書いた本は閉じて
白いぺージを いまめくってみないか
僕らだけの物語
光のインクで 思うままはじめよう

Why don't you close that book that someone else wrote,
and open up a new blank page.
Let's start writing our own story
in shining ink, just as you want it.

まちがうときもある 怖くはないさ
そこからまた強くなる wow Baby

Sometimes you'll make mistakes, but it's nothing to be scared of.
It'll just make you stronger, wow baby.

君とEye to Eye
見つめてるよ
変わらないものは夢にできる
いつもI Love You
どんなときも
大事にしていたい 心にふれるから

I'm seeing you eye to eye.
In your dreams things can become unchanging.
I love you always,
no matter when.
I've been touched by your heart, which I want to hold precious.

流れゆく時を
この胸にとどめて
ふたりを確かめてみよう

Even as time moves on,
my heart remains constant.
Let's make sure of the two of us.

君とFace to Face
そばにいるよ
ほんとうのことは愛でわかる
(I wanna be your dream)
いつもI Love You
見つめあえば
大事にしていたい
心にふれる

I'm face to face with you,
by your side.
You'll know what's real through love.
(I wanna be your dreams)
I love you always,
and as we lock eyes,
I am touched by your heart,
which I want to hold precious.

君とEye to Eye(Eye to Eye)
見つめてるよ(Everytime)
変わらないものは夢にできる
(I just wanna keep on loving)
いつもI Love You
どんなときも
大事にしていたい 心にふれるから

I'm see you (eye to eye)
eye to eye (everytime).
In your dreams things can become unchanging.
(I just wanna keep on loving)
I love you always,
no matter when.
And I am touched by your heart,
which I want to hold precious. 

-

Translator Notes:
*Mail in this case means text messages. 

Sexy Zone - 青い恋人 [Eng Translation]

(Translation Index: Here)

青い恋人 - Young Lovers*



夕焼けに映ってる　二つの影が
すれ違っている　君と僕の　精一杯の距離だね

Our two shadows emerging from the sunset,
reveal how hard we're trying to keep a distance.

一度だけ鳴って切れた　着信音に
慌てて飛び乗る　バスの中で　思い出すよ　夏の夜

On the bus I had jumped on in a panic,
the sound of my ringtone going off surprised me and made me remember that summer night.

街の灯を見下ろす　赤いテレビ塔
あの秘密の場所に　僕はまだ　鍵を掛けたくはないよ

That red TV tower lighting up the town,
I don't want to lock up that secret place yet.

繋いでいたはずの手と手が　音も立てず解(ほど)けてく
ごめんねの一言さえ　出てこない
「君を幸せにする」なんて　ちょっと茶化して言ったけど
伝えに行くよ　今度こそは、「愛してる。」と

Our hands which should have been together, suddenly fell apart without a sound,
and an apology just wouldn't come to my lips.
Jokingly, I told you "I'll make you happy"
but this time I'll let you know properly, "I love you".

真っ白なTシャツで　はしゃぐ砂浜
打ち寄せる波を　よけて遊ぶ　君の姿に恋した

I fell in love with the figure of you in a white shirt,
fooling around on the beach trying to avoid the waves.

帰り道少しだけ　遠回りした
隣でほほえむ　君がいれば　他に何も欲しくない

While heading home I'd take a bit of a detour,
because I don't want anything else when you were smiling beside me.

初めて手が触れて　伝わる温もり
この時間がずっと　続くよう　星空に願ってたよ

The warmth I felt the first times our hands touched,
it made me wish upon a star that this time would continue forever.

重ねてきた思い出たちが　胸の奥を締め付ける
はねた髪　大事な時笑う癖
素直になること出来なくて　つよがりばかりだったけど
今はこの手で　君を強く抱きしめたい

I've stored the many memories we've made deep inside my heart.
The way your hair would bounce when you'd laugh during special moments.
I struggle to be honest, and am always pretending to be strong,
but right now I just want to hold you tightly in my hands.

気付いたんだよ　僕以上　君は僕を　いつも愛してくれていた
これからも
君の代わりは誰にも　出来ない
お揃いの未来を　見つめていたいから

I've noticed you know. You always gave me more love than I gave you.
From now on
I'll never find someone to replace you,
Because I want to look for a future for the two of us.

止まっていた時計の針が　音を立てて動き出す
ごめんね今日まで少し　待たせたね
「君を幸せにする」なんて　ちょっと茶化して言ったけど
伝えに行くよ　今度こそは、「愛してる。」と

The hands on the clock that had been stopped before, suddenly start moving with a sound,
Up until this moment, I've made you wait a bit, sorry.
Jokingly, I told you "I'll make you happy"
but this time I'll let you know properly, "I love you".

Translation Notes:
*Young in this sense means along the lines of something being new/fresh/green.

Kingdom Hearts 3 Review [spoilers]

So, I literally just beat Kingdom Hearts 3 about an hour ago and boy do I have thoughts on the game.

First, my overall one-liner: Fun, but very flawed game. Now. Onto the details. (Warning, spoilers!!)

I'm going to start with the flaws first, and then end on the positives because... I think you'll realize that is just going to make a lot more sense. Here we go!