#Japan#Film Festival Online 2024 will be Weds 5th-19th June (starts & ends noon JST so effectively the 18th for UK).
It's a great opportunity to see Japanese films which can be hard to find.
I'm going to watch as many as I can and post brief thoughts under #JFF2024 with the aim of helping those with busy lives choose one or two. Happy to have conversations as well.
Please follow the hashtag if you're interested.
Available here: https://watch.jff.jpf.go.jp/page/jffonline2024/ #JDrama#JFilm
The Lines That Define Me -
Lighter than I expected and an often gorgeous film about finding your own lines in art and traditional forms, the ones that express your own emotions and the life in them
The lines of this film shift from delicate to joyful to bold to struggle to fulfilling. In that, it embodies the ethos of its story.
About acceptance of difference and problems caused by those quick to judge. Cho-san has both learning disabilities and autism, needs his routines and works in a supported facility. He also has a great mum and difficult neighbours.
Single8
Another youth film focused on creativity, a visual art and finding your own voice. High school students work together, with the help of a uni film student and a history teacher, pushing themselves, their skills and ingenuity to make a short science fiction film with meaning.
It's left me with a big smile 💖
Beautiful, poetic melodrama depicting a romanticised and idealised life of an idealistic young man who, after his death, became one of Japan's most loved poets and writers.
Now to read some of his writings while this is still fresh in my mind.
Not sure how well the Hoshikuzu Telepath anime did in sales, but now there is a JDrama for it coming this summer.
The other Manga Time Kirara manga that received one that I am aware of is Yuru Camp and Gakkou Gurashi But if there is Japanese subtitles, I can watch it.
An interesting difference between #JDrama and #KDrama fandom. Every.Single.Time I jwatch a K-actor's Insta live, there are ALWAYS commenters saying stuff like "Speak English" - no "please", and no acknowledgement that the celeb has the absolute right to use their L1.
I've been watching a #JDrama actor's Insta live for the last 10 minutes, and it's all Japanese. I don't speak or read Japanese but I love that J actors aren't hassled by entitled fans demanding they speak English
Just finished chapter 46 of volume 3 of "Heaven Official's Blessing" 🌸 The kiss scene came out of nowhere ❤️ but the calligraphy scene seems even more intimate because it was understated. After arc 2 it is nice to see the main plot moving along.
@emmaaum Pity that I missed that but that is exactly what I was getting at. Have you see "My Happy Marriage"? It's not BL but it is Japanese and there isn't even kissing but there is a beautiful love story.
Watching a Korean drama years ago playing in modern times, an installation in a coffee- bar intrigued me . It appeared to be a way of coffee-making used on Dutch trade-ships in 17th C. to Asia. Called "Dutch Coffee". Ice-brewed coffee taking hours . Still popular in Asia, very few know it in Holland. ( Although a certain coffee-chain sells "cold brew).
Looking on the net, S.Korea and Japan pop up most for using it.
Watched “Don’t Call It Mystery Special” Japanese film and Masaki Suda with his fluffy hair had very Cho Byeong Kyu as So Moon in Uncanny Counter vibes. Gonna watch the series now. #jdrama
For my animanga #DecRecs today, I'm gonna recommend manga that has a jdrama I enjoyed! (this is actually a #jdrama rec)
Juhan Shuttai!
The main character, Kokoro was a judo player who had to quit because of injury. So she went for her next dream, working in the manga industry! She joined a publishing company as an editor, learns the ins-and-outs of the industry/promotions, helped encourage mangaka, etc.
The jdrama is very feel-good, wholesome, like a hug. A warm blanket and hot chocolate in the winter. It's only 10 episodes (jdramas are usually quite short compared to the many, many episodes of cdramas).
If you like Ikuta Toma and Oguri Shun, childhood friends working on opposite sides to achieve the same goal together, police x yakuza, tragedy, injured men looking pretty watch this. It's darker than my first rec (corruption in the upper ranks and all). It's also not the most tightly plotted, but I enjoyed it! It's also 10 episodes only!
... I'm not sure where you can watch this though. You might have to sail the seven seas for this.
Nadeshiko and Rin spends time with Aya, Nadeshiko's childhood friend. I find it funny how the JDrama depicts Nadeshiko when she was in middle school being a bit overweight from eating a lot of food, until her older sister, Sakura forced her to lose all that weight from biking. I wondered, how the JDrama will depict this scene from the anime/manga. While it looks kind of exaggerated, it doesn't disappoint.
What is surprising is that tents for dogs are pricy for what it is, at 9334 yen, or $62. But if it allows one to bring their pet. Still, it's funny to see Ena use a cute voice acting like Chikuwa to convince Rin into seeing it. Of course she can't resist, despite denying it.
After all, it was Lucy Maud Montgomery 's "Anne Of Green Gables" who lured me to the Feminine side of All Culture around 1999.
Doubling my "scope for imagination ".
I remember photos on "bird" before and around Christmas 2019, from bookshops in South Korea and Japan.
Many had a central display in the store with everything " Anne".
Like usual.
I wonder if they still do that ?
Many Kdramas and Jdramas have a Anne & Gilbert-theme 🙂
As expected, the main character, Akagi Madoka goes to the big city to work at some small creative agency, The funny thing she takes part in a presentation competition that nobody want to take part in for a company that is a bland name of Zojirushi, but replaced with a Rhinocerous.
It all started when her mother sends a care package, including a tin can containing a Gameboy Pocket (it's the same color my little sister had) and a copy of Pokemon Red.
Yep, I find it funny how she tried to play it, but it has no batteries, but it happened to show up in her bag, Of course, there was two AAA batteries that were in her drawer and of course she spent time playing the game... and choosing Charmander, because of course, got to get that Charizard. (You know, I pick Squirtle). Also, she couldn't find a Pikachu and can't beat the first gym, because normal moves aren't good against rock.
As expected, she met her friend, which is basically her rival that works at a bigger creative agency. Also, I find it funny how the whole presentation competition game sequence is basically a Pokemon battle literally with herself and the company president of NOT Zojirushi. She managed to win as she did her research.
But hey, I feel nostalgic watching this as it's been a long time since I first played the Gen 1 games in third grade (but on an atomic purple Gameboy Color)
I guess a more in depth review on my side blog, maybe tomorrow.
This is a fun episode. Yep, it's funny to see the antics of Chiaki and Aoi. Chiaki's reasoning in rejecting Nadeshiko is funny because the room is so narrow. Also, it's funny to see Aki break one of the tent poles and Nadeshiko scream... and of course Nadeshiko finding out that Rin goes to the same school. I guess it’s bound to happen as Rin gives a face of disapproval.
Of course, Rin went camping and sees some cute Shiba Inu dogs. Not 100 of them, but at least two. Also, it's funny to see the reaction from Rin when she saw Nadeshiko out of nowhere.
I just love the expressions the actresses give, It's so funny.
I will stop here and write my impressions on the first two episodes for now before going on.
As part of my Japanese practice, I started (slowly) working on the live action of Yuru Camp, which is basically a live action adaptation of the manga.
The first episode doesn't have many differences, although Rin and Nadeshiko especially are cute. Since there are 12 episodes, I guess it will be closer to the anime maybe with some differences, but not abridged.
I will share my thoughts about it, eventually on my blog.
The #fandoms on #Twitter are definitely having a very hard time. I think this is a very good opportunity for #Tumblr to launch their #ActivityPub integration and open their platform to the #fediverse.
Fandoms, especially Asian ones, are familiar with Tumblr already. Tumblr can position themselves as the new place for fandom content.