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我不喜欢这世界，我只喜欢你。–Jeremy Cheng on the memoir “I don’t have a crush on the world, only on you”

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Fashion & Food Critic and Blog Poet Jeremy Cheng reacts to the novel I don’t have a crush on the world, only on you, by QiaoYi, published by Hunan Children Publishing Company.

QiaoYi is not a proper writer but a recorder of normal life. She had a brother named Guanchao, a dog named Dollar, and a lover named Mr. F. She had the best girlfriend named Hao WuYi.

 

This book follows Yi and her lover from school uniforms to wedding dresses. Although the writing technique used is not a traditional Chinese writing technique, she uses many Chinese characters and makes them into elegant words to narrate her story.

 

I like this book because of its graceful writing, which not only shows a desirable life but also shows the style of writing and intoxicating vignettes.

Why QiaoYi wanted to publish her story

Microblog, a Chinese Twitter, had posted the question, “How do you define your relationship with your boyfriend?” QiaoYi provided an answer which attracted many readers. People wanted to learn about her story.

Many readers went to her Microblog and found out she recorded fragments of her life with a Mr. F. Many people said that her life was so sweet and adorable but the articles were too short. In that period, she only wrote three pages of her life.

The day after the influencer re-posted, her post was mentioned by many other influencers. More and more people said, “Please don’t stop posting about your lovely life. It is so sweet.”

See, I wasn’t alone. I was so moved by the pursuit of pure, warm, loving and beautiful love. In this chaotic and complicated world, how precious it is to get a simple and deep feeling of I don’t have a crush on the world, only on you. This is the warmest and most adorable love story I’ve ever seen.

I don’t have a crush on the world, only on you is a loving memoir of a couple, which records the warm and budding love story between two lovers. In a light-hearted and humorous style, the author truly records all the problems a girl encounters in her youth, gradually becoming strong, and independent. From the naive times of students to the sweet and interesting things after marriage, it is ordinary but not plain. It draws the love and vitality from the drip of life, and makes the readers smile. It is understood that love can be really sweet and life can be really warm.

Warm! Adorable! Sweet! Almost every paragraph can make readers laugh, but there are also tears.

Some people wonder that why QiaoYi called his lover Mr. F. QiaoYi said F is instead of Fu Jun which is a more endearing way to say “husband.”

Elegant Sentences

*When Mr. F was young, he asked his father where he came from. His father was different from other fathers who said kids were picked up from the rubbish dump. His father said,

     “You are the angel from heaven. The God thinks your mom is the most beautiful woman in this world; therefore, God sends you to protect her.”  

     “What about you?” Mr. F asked.

     “When you grow up, you will leave her. So I will stay with your mom until we get old.” -Mr. F

*He said that he stands in front of the emergency room, and thinks really hard. If I had gone, he will change his name to mine and continue to live for me. -GuanChao.

*Life is too long, so we need to stay with an interesting person.–QiaoYi

*The most regrettable part of growing up is that we always meet the best person in the most naive years, but we don’t know it. –QiaoYi

*In front of me, you do not need to be strong. –QiaoYi

*Some people are full of anger and malice because they have never been treated with gentleness. I believe I can always be gentle because I met a good person when I was young. –QiaoYi

 

Editor: Holden Hartle

horror movies you should’ve seen

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By Makena Behnke, Horror Movie Expert and Enthusiast

 

since halloween is over, here are some horror movies that you should’ve watched

  • Halloween. a classic. seriously, everyone needs to see this. no questions.
  • The Hills Have Eyes. it’s not as scary as it is creepy. the storyline could be clearer and the acting could definitely be better, but what can you do? it’s from 1977; give it a break.
  • A Nightmare on Elm Street. one of my favorite movies ever. you have 1) young Johnny Depp, 2) a crazy dream murderer guy, and 3) the iconic orange and green sweater. the storyline is interesting, but your understanding of the movie isn’t dependent on being super focused throughout the entire movie. (if you get up and get a snack, you won’t feel like you missed too much).
  • Friday the 13th. there is an entire series of Friday the 13th’s, any one of those movies will be just fine. the first movie does not have good acting and the overall theme of the movie reeks of  “classic horror.” if you’re in the mood for mindless killing, check this out.
  • Jigsaw. yikes, this was weird. the killer basically lets his victims go through an obstacle course of death. it’s gross and gory, but sometimes that’s what you’re looking for in a horror movie.
  • The New Daughter. this  has a really good story and it’s super interesting to watch. it’s not as scary as you would expect it to be, just creepy and interesting.
  • Hush. this has such an original story, and i really haven’t found another movie like it before. the killer and victim relationship is really unique, and there’s really nothing like it. there’s also some gory parts, so it automatically improves the horror aspect of the movie.
  • Scream. i love this movie so much. it’s just really good, and i don’t know how else to explain it. good watch.
  • The Amityville Horror. specifically, the 1979 one. there’s lots of slow parts in this movie so just be aware of that. the acting isn’t good, but it’s a must watch movie. plus, the dad reminds me of a werewolf, so that’s cool.

Editor: Leo Milmet

Top 5 Most Extreme Powerful Anime Heroes of All Time

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By James Zheng

Hey guys, today I bring you all a different sort of post. I‘ve made a character review/ranking based on my own opinion, and maybe it’s not what you may have expected, but there are still some great new characters to become acquainted with. For all of you guys who like or are interested in these anime figures, make sure to check them out after you read my review!   

 

No. 5 Sakamaki Izayoi, from “Problem Children are Coming from Another World, aren’t they?”(Mondaiji Tachi Ga Isekai Kara Kuru Sō Desu Yo?) Produced by Diamedea.

Izayoi was invited to Another World (a fanciful world that is trapped in a parallel universe) by a secret letter. Said letter was sent to a select few individuals who harbor unmatched psychological powers (Izayoi included). In this world, these powers are referred to as “gifts.” From the time he got there, his gift was so powerful he could not even be identified as a human being (his gift is classified as “Unknown”). Not only is he physically strong, but he is also incredibly knowledgeable.

 

No. 4 Touya Mochizuki, from “In Another World With My Smartphone” (Isekai wa Sumātofon to Tomo ni) Produced by Production Reed.

Touya’s experience sounds quite ridiculous to anyone first hearing about it. To be honest, one would never imagine how a single smartphone could be used to dominate an entire world. Since he was accidentally eliminated by God while living on Earth, as an apology he was given immense strength and sent to another world. He then goes on to become an extremely powerful fighter and conjurer of all kinds of magic. The only equipment that he relies on is… his smartphone.

 

No. 3  Kirigaya Kazuto, usually known as Kirito, from “Sword Art Online” produced by A-1 Pictures.

Sword Art Online is about a new and popular virtual reality (VR) game. However, during the game launch, it turns into a much more “real” situation. Very quickly, players begin to realize that the “logout” button has disappeared, and there is no way to leave the game. On top of that, if a player dies in-game, the VR headset sends out shocks of electricity and fries the player’s brain. The game is set inside of a tower with 100 floors, and to get to the next floor, player’s must defeat the “main boss” of that level. In order to survive and leave the game, one must either reach the top of the tower or defeat the game’s creator. It becomes an arena of death in which if you don’t fight and get your level up, you will be stuck on floor one forever.

As one of the victims, Kirito has to survive in this game. He was known as a “beta tester” (known later to other players as a “beater”: beta + cheater), a player who had played the game since the early access phase. Therefore, in the game, he starts at an insanely high level. He can easily beat up a ”main boss” which would usually require at least 20 players to defeat. He even obtains one of the most powerful special abilities to which only he has access.   

 

Note: “Sword Art Online” is recommended for those who are fifteen or older.

 

No. 2 Diablo/Takuma Sakamoto, from “How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord” (Isekai Maou to Shoukan Shoujo no Dorei Majutsu) produced  by Ajia-do Animation Works.

Takuma is a master at playing RPG games (Role Playing Game) as an undeniably powerful Demon Lord. Takuma never imagined that he would be summoned into the RPG world by two mages. He is confused and questioning until he realizes that he has become his character (Demon Lord) in this world. Before he figures out how to get back, he uses Diablo as his new name and learns everything there is to know about this new world. Shockingly, his level is… MAXED OUT! He specializes in casting any kind of magic, which means he could easily obliterate a medium-sized city-state (which is like an independent country). He also has the ability to rebound any kinds of magic. He is able to defeat any monsters or even a a city-state’s Lord without harm to himself. His powers are so strong that he himself can be referred to as a large army!

 

Note: “How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord” is recommended for those who are sixteen or older.

 

HERE COMES NO. 1! Saitama, usually known as Saitama Sensei (means master or teacher) from “One-Punch Man” produced by MADHOUSE.

Saitama used to be a vagrant who had lost everything. Despairingly, he was forced to live in an area full of monsters (nobody wants to live there, so it’s very cheap…. aka, it’s free). He almost got killed by one of the monsters, and, on the edge of death, he recalled his childhood dream to become a hero. He hated being weak and useless. After fighting and defeating the monster, he became determined to train himself into a hero. By exercising in an “insane” (according to him it’s insane. He should not have become as powerful as he did by just exercising) way; he did 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and 10 miles of running everyday. He persists in this crazy exercise for 3 years. Finally, he becomes a… bald superhero (he became so powerful that he lost his hair). Ahem… actually, I mean: He became a superhero who has immeasurable power above all else…. even if he is bald.

Here is a little about his ability. Try not to be too shocked while reading this part! Saitama usually remains in a “normal” state, and when he becomes irritated or focused, he enters his “serious” state. Saitama can make an ENORMOUS hole in the middle of a mountain without even touching it! To be more specific, when he punches in front of a mountain, the wind from his punch is so powerful that it can create a hole of considerable size. If he actually touches it with his powerful fist, the mountain would be devastated to dust. His physical structure is so far beyond the limits of any normal human that there is literally nothing that could ever damage him.

Unfortunately, as a result of being invincible, he never has any challenges, and thus, he’s always terribly bored. He does not fear anything anymore, and doesn’t need to take any fight seriously. He lost his passion for fighting because he only needs one punch to win any fight.

Note: “One-Punch Man” is recommended for those who are sixteen or older.

 

I hope you enjoyed reading my character reviews!! You may think, “Hey, I’ve seen some of those guys before,” but you may not know all of them! And, if any of them catch you eye, you’ve got to check them out!

 

Editor: Bella Bier

Review of Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands

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By James Zheng, Game and Anime Review Expert

 

Nowadays, to fulfill a variety of demands from gamers, the realm of games has been developing rapidly in many different aspects. There are many factors that determine the quality of a game and its reputation. One of the most important factors is having an open-world, which refers to a massively sized virtual world that players can openly explore and do whatever they want. An example of this is Minecraft. Minecraft was definitely an incredible product and showed the world that many people are interested in an open-world game. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands is one of the best examples of a successful open-world game.

 

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands, which is usually known as Wildlands, was produced by Ubisoft Paris (one of the subsidiary branches of Ubisoft) and published by Ubisoft. Ubisoft is an international game company which has already released plenty of outstanding games such as the series of Assassin’s Creed, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six, and Watch Dogs. The title says Tom Clancy because Wildlands is adapted from the novel written by Clancy. A majority of the games produced by Ubisoft are adapted from Clancy’s novels.

 

Basically, Wildlands is a tactical third-person game. Unlike first-person games, you have a third-person perspective in Wildlands. The game also has high quality graphics. Sometimes you feel like the images in the game are reality. Wildlands is a game that supports single-player and multiplayer. You could play against other players, or you could cooperate with other players to fight computer-controlled enemies. It depends on your preference. You could also choose single-player and explore the land with other 3 NPCs (non-player-characters, characters not controlled by players). I  strongly suggest that you play with your friends! It is way more fun than playing alone.

 

Wildlands is set in Bolivia, South America, which is absolutely not like the Bolivia in real life. The “Bolivia”  has been given a special background in the game. Here, players are carrying out several missions with their team, Ghost. You are here to save Bolivia from total control by drug cartels. The player must find out who is behind all these cartels and stop them. In the battlefield,  the player has to make every decision in a split second. Players can go straight into drug-cartel nest and have a war with them. Or, you could be more strategic by using your drone to detect the position of enemies, and then be a sniper to eliminate enemies from far distance. The best part about the game is that players can come up with so many different options to attack; it’s a tactical game. And again, whether to be aggressive or strategic depends upon the player.

 

There are not many examples of game producers adding an open-world to a shooting game. Although some of them tried to make it work, they have failed in the overall quality and playability. Wildlands is an exception for that. I have played Wildlands with my friends for at least 50 hours.

 

You can play Wildlands on XBOX, PS4, and PC. If any of these details about Wildlands attract you, you should give it a shot! The classic version is $49.99. If you want to enjoy extra content, you should look into buying the advanced version.

 

Note: Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands is recommended for people who are seventeen or older.        

 

Editor: Luke Langlois

Review of the Anime Steins;Gate

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By James Zheng, Anime Reviewer

Today I have a new type of anime for you guys. Steins;Gate is a slow rhythm anime, an anime with a story that moves step by step. But, don’t be disappointed immediately, as this anime achieves an outstanding rating–about 9 out of 10 or even higher on the majority of websites, and it definitely deserves that reputation. Regardless of the rating, it has a really logical storyline even if some of the elements of Steins;Gate are fantastical.

Steins;Gate is an anime that was adapted from a visual novel game of the same name that was developed by 5pb and Nitroplus (a visual novel game is a type of computer game that has a story that is told to you in the form of a graphic novel, but it is online, and you can make decisions within the novel, which is more like a video game; therefore, it is a visual novel game) . The game had overwhelmingly positive reviews. Then, the anime adaptation of the visual novel game was produced by Mika Nomura and Yoshinao Doi while White Fox, an animation company, was working on the anime’s various episodes. Finally, Steins;Gate was released in 2011; it was distributed by Frontier Works.  

In the crazy world of anime, there is so much content released that is absolutely terrible. In fact, we are totally inundated with anime that is god-awful. Unfortunately, there’s so much anime out there, bad and good, that eventually, even really incredible animes can become “old” and lose their influence on the anime community after three to four years. But that is not always the case, and I’m happy to say that Steins;Gate is an exception to the rule. So, how can an anime that was published a full 7 years ago still influence plenty of animes nowadays? If I could only explain one reason as to why this is an exception to the rule, I would say that it is because most science fiction anime is absolutely ridiculous, and this one is absolutely plausible. Honestly, there is much more ridiculous and implausible science fiction anime than there is good anime. Usually, when you are watching a science-fiction anime, most of its content is ridiculous and only very little of its content seems to be plausible. Again, that is not the case with Steins;Gate. Anime is not reality; however, it could fill with realistic matters, and when you are trying to add something realistic in anime in science-fiction, it becomes so boring. Well, Steins;Gate avoids that completely so that the story is fused with science-fiction and reality, and it also keeps balance in both so as not to ruin this anime.

As I mentioned earlier, Steins;Gate has a logical storyline. And before I get into that, there is one thing important I need to tell you: Steins;Gate has twenty-five episodes in total, but the real story begins at the thirteenth episode. The previous twelve episodes set the stage for the main plot ahead, but that plot only really begins to show its true colors in episode thirteen. You might think it is meaningless to watch twelve episodes and wait for the “real show” to start, but I don’t suggest that you skip those 12 episodes since all of the plot threads introduced in the first twelve episodes are later paid off in the last thirteen episodes, making for a much richer experience. So, fair warning: you might be totally confused at the beginning, but, wait; everything will make sense after the thirteenth episode.

The story is set in Akihabara, Tokyo. In it, Okabe Rintarou, a college student who believes so strongly in himself as to believe he is the best scientist in the world, dreams of building a time machine. He sets up a lab, calling it the “Future Gadget Laboratory,” to conduct research that is necessary in order to achieve his seemingly impossible goal of time travel. One day, by pure accident, he takes a huge leap forward towards his goal, and eventually even builds the time machine. When built, the time machine causes many miserable tragedies that would have otherwise been avoided.

What makes Steins;Gate brilliant is how the plot logically turns around and how the main story at the end links with the first twelve episodes in an unexpected way. For anyone interested in anime, it will be very astonishing to watch!

 

Note: Steins;Gate is recommended for those who are fifteen or older.

 

Editor: Leo Milmet

The Unquestionable Ranking of Every Pixar Movie

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By Luke Langlois

Pixar has released twenty movies. If you are looking for a proper and critical ranking of all twenty of those movies, this is not the place. However, if you are looking for my highly opinionated ranking of all twenty Pixar films (because who isn’t?), then this is just the post for you. Warning: Some Pixar Spoilers Below

  1. The Good Dinosaur: This is a good movie. While the big lizards known as dinosaurs frequently emerge from extinction to grace the cinematic universe, they are usually characterized as big meanies. This time though, they were friendly big lizards. I rank it as the worst Pixar film because I forgot this was a movie, until now.

 

  1.  Coco: This movie was good and, of course, critically acclaimed. However, I thought it was kind of “bleh.”

 

  1. Finding Dory: Pixar has lived off of the fame of Finding Nemo for fourteen years now. When a studio releases a sequel to an excellent movie, the pressure is on to somehow raise the bar. This sequel was great, but it did not live up to my set expectations. Therefore, #18.

 

  1. A Bug’s Life: A Bug’s Life is essentially the cult film of Pixar’s empire. This is an awesome movie, and it inspired one of the greatest attractions at Disneyland, the “It’s Tough to be a Bug” production. I put it at #17 because nobody should ever sympathize with ants.

 

  1. Cars 2: Critics really hate this movie. But, it’s a spy thriller with cars! This movie has been the recipient of a lot of flack, but I really do not think it is warranted. The critics are wrong. Go Tow, Mater!

  1. WALL-E: This is a great movie minus one thing. It’s too realistic. How am I supposed to enjoy a movie that depicts something so awful?! Therefore, I’m not a huge fan of it. Although, who can truly resist the story of two robots falling in love in a post-apocalyptic world?

 

  1. Monsters University: James P. Sullivan and Mike Wazowski in college! This is probably the most average movie Pixar has made. I do not believe anyone actually wanted or asked for a prequel to Monsters, Inc., but it was done, and it was done well.  

 

  1. Toy Story: This was the first movie ever to be released by Pixar, which gives it a special spot in the heart of all. Released in 1995, this movie set new precedents on just about every law of cinematic animation. Pixar said, “This is what we can do. What can you do, other movie studios?” The characters have definitely proven to be timeless. The animation is showing some age, but this does not take away from the enjoyment of the movie.

 

  1. Cars 3: When I was watching this movie in theaters, I really enjoyed it…until the end. They ruined a possible classic with the ending of this movie. I expected an epic comeback from the greatest Pixar character in existence, Lightning McQueen. What ended up happening was his trainer finishing the race for him. It was a lame ending to an otherwise thrilling movie.

 

  1. Brave: Brave, to me, is the most underrated Pixar film. The red-headed archer, Merida, is probably the most down-to-Earth protagonist in the Pixar universe. Plus, the Scottish medieval setting is my FAVORITE setting in any Pixar film. “If you had the chance to change your fate, would you?”

 

  1. Finding Nemo: Similarly to Toy Story, Pixar has been riding off of the coattails of Finding Nemo for years. The plot is oh-so heartwarming (if you forget the annihilation of 500 fish eggs along with the mother of said eggs), and it is the only Pixar movie to take the audience to the upside-down country known as Australia. Overall, this movie is a classic for a reason.

  1. Toy Story 2: I like this movie far more than I like the first one. Pixar managed to make a sequel that not only was on par with the first one, which is quite the achievement. Unlike most sequels, it simply feels like a better movie all around, with regards to animation and storytelling. My one gripe with this movie is the inclusion of a ridiculous sequence in which a toy horse is able to keep up with a real-life, full-size airplane going full speed on a runway.

 

  1. Ratatouille: Only director Brad Bird could make an excellent movie about a chef in Paris, who happens to be a rat. Besides the uniquely comedic and well executed storyline, this movie is another one that stands out due to its setting. I’ve never been to Paris, but my limited (yet extremely accurate and unquestionable) knowledge of Paris comes largely from Ratatouille. Somehow, watching a movie about a rat in Paris makes anyone feel elegant.

 

  1. Inside Out: After a series of Pixar “misses” (such as Cars 2, Brave, and Monsters University), Pixar took a two-year gap before putting out another movie. The movie they put out was Inside Out; it did not disappoint. I think this film is going to continue to be the best original universe of the “modern” Pixar era. It is also the only Pixar movie to include hockey, and I am a big hockey fan.

 

  1. Toy Story 3: In a critical ranking, I would give all the Toy Story movies the exact same ranking. I put Toy Story 3 above the other two on my list because Pixar again manages to improve the franchise, even with the third movie. Again, I bring up the fact that sequels usually do not top the original. However, the Toy Story franchise once again proves to be an exception to the rule. After all, the strawberry bear villain is without a doubt the most menacing villain the toys have ever faced. On June 21st, 2019, Pixar is releasing a fourth Toy Story film. We will have to see where that is destined to end up in my rankings.

 

  1. Up: Up is such a critically acclaimed movie due to how well it seems to touch the “human” part of being a human. The first few minutes of this movie are beloved by most and bring many to tears. While that’s great and all, I simply like the main character, Carl, and the dog, Dug. Plus, I could listen to the main theme all day. ♫♫♫♫

 

  1. Cars: For some reason, many people dislike this movie. They are wrong. The movie is just short of perfect. Lightning McQueen has brought forth joy to millions, perhaps even billions. He could not have done this without this fantastic addition to Pixar’s collection. Owen Wilson, the voice actor who played Lightning McQueen, would say one thing about this movie, “Wow!”

 

  1. Monsters, Inc: Monsters, Inc. brought the green, one-eyed Mike Wazowski and the big blue dude James P. Sullivan to the spotlight. The fresh monster universe portrayed in this film almost feels like science fiction. The whole concept of an entire monster factory having doors that lead to different locations is, as an understatement, clever. The scene near the end that has the protagonists running from the law through a massive factory of doors will always be one of the most iconic scenes in the Pixar universe. Also, monsters use the screams of children to power their cities. Who knew?

 

  1. Incredibles 2: I am not often excited about movies being released. I was incredibly excited for Incredibles 2. I have been waiting for this movie for as long as I can remember, and it fully lived up to my expectations. That should say something by itself. The animation is gorgeous. The soundtrack is art. The plotline was dark enough to keep both kids and adults entertained. The true achievement of Incredibles 2 is its ability to maintain all of the characters of the film. Not a single beat was skipped between the original and the sequel, regardless of the 14-year gap.

 

  1. The Incredibles: This movie not only tops Pixar movies, it tops all movies. The Incredibles is an enthralling film that brings in family turmoil, high-flyin’ super-powered action, and a rich backstory that is jam packed into a movie less than two hours long. I could probably write an entire post about this movie, so I’ll send it off with one word: incredible.

Editor: Leo Milmet

Review of “Your Name”

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By James Zheng, thebirdonfire.org Game and Animé Reviewer

Hey guys, today I bring you a different type of animé–which I call, the most successful animé movie ever! As you see, “Your Name” (or Kimi no Na Wa) is a really simple title. But it achieved several awards and a highest rank on the history of animé. It achieved the first prize of the eighth Newtype Animation Award, the Best Animated Film from the 42nd Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards; plus it won more than ten other awards. It’s not exaggerating; it’s the fact that “Your Name” is truly amazing.

“Your Name” was published by Toho Company, Limited, a major Japanese film company. It took three years to prepare the story and script of “Your Name.” Production was led by a really famous director, Makoto Shinkai. “Your Name” is a masterpiece. Shinkai thought about every detail and design of character for a long time. It reached the expectations of many people.

“Your Name” has a realistic style. Most scenes in “Your Name” are taken from the image of Tokyo. The imagery is so real it appears a picture of Tokyo. There is intense presentation on the changing of color and combination of color.

“Your Name” is a romantic animé. But the story of “Your Name” is not hackneyed. It has some fantastical parts, which could actually catch an audience’s attention. Let me tell you more; the story between hero and heroine is really dramatic. The story is set in a small village in Japan; a girl who lives in that village is weary of living in a such tiny village with old traditions. One day, she dreams that she becomes a boy who lives in Tokyo. She is confused, and she suddenly has some unfamiliar friends. At the same time, the hero also has a strange dream. What happened in the dream brings them together.

 Well, when you start to watch this animé, you will notice that it is even more fascinating than what I have described! Although there are no fighting scenes in “Your Name,” it can still shock you with the storyline!

Editor: Makena Behnke

Review of “The Good Place” — Becoming a “Good” Person

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By Dayton Kennard

The Good Place is an ongoing NBC/Netflix show that’s currently in its third season, with each new episode being uploaded to Netflix a few hours after its original airing on NBC. The series starts off with Eleanor Shellstrop waking up in “The Good Place,” a heaven-like town where only the kindest of the kindest people go when they die. She’s introduced to the town, shown her new home (which has been made and styled to perfectly match her personality), and matched with her soulmate, Chidi. In this perfect place, the only problem is her. Eleanor quickly figures out that she’s been mistaken for someone else, as the memories shown to her are not her own and there’s no way that she was as good a person as anyone around her.

This sets up the main theme of the show: becoming a good person. As Eleanor doesn’t belong in “The Good Place” due to her actions when she was alive, she sets out to become a good person and fit in with the rest of her neighbors. Each episode will have a specific problem that needs to be faced, and there will be flashbacks that allow us to see the difference of how she handled a similar problem in the past compared to how she’s handling it now. We get insight into how she’s evolving emotionally as she feels guilt over bad decisions and actions rather than just passing it off as someone else’s problem. Without spoiling much, I can say that these flashbacks are often amusing and absurd, providing a good break between the serious situation and the attempts to fix the current problem. Even though this seems like just a comedy at first glance, the show does teach its viewers better morals, whether it’s little acts of kindness or learning when to take one for the team.

I don’t want to spoil anything about the show, but I can tell you that they pack tons of action and plot into the 22-minute episodes, and the plot twists at the end of each season leave you shaking in your seat anticipating what will happen next. I recommend taking a day of relaxing on the couch with your blanket and snacks to binge the first two seasons in around 10 hours if you’re watching on Netflix with no ads. I hope you have fun watching it, and remember, you’re constantly being watched and judged for your every action to determine if you’ll spend your afterlife eternally suffering! 😀

Editor: Makena Behnke

Review of the Anime Fate/Stay Night [Unlimited Blade Work]

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By James Zheng, Anime/Game Expert Reviewer for thebirdonfire.org

Hey guys, today I bring you another impressive anime. Before we get into the review, I need to tell you why this title is so long. Well, this anime, Fate/Stay Night, has a previous edition, which was actually terrible. And since this anime is a product of a series, not a single work, and the official announcement says that they will remake this anime, it becomes Fate/Stay Night[Unlimited Blade Work]. This action saved this anime indeed, as it has been improved a lot in many aspects.

Fate/Stay Night, which is also known as FSN, is actually edited from a visual novel game, so it is originally designed by Type-Moon, and it is published by three companies: Aniplex, Notes, and Ufotable. In fact, Ufotable finishes most of the work such as the scripting and producing of the episodes. FSN is also directed by Takahiro Miura.

FSN generated an artistic performance from the game that gives you a sense of fantasy. The strong special effects and 3D animation are perfectly presented in this anime. When all those elements are mixed together in a fighting scene, it displays an exciting moment with realistic feeling. Also, the soundtrack plays a significant role in FSN, as it always fits in at a key moment.

The story of FSN is full of supernatural elements. In other words, this anime is designed based on fantasy. The storyline begins with a war called the Holy Grail War, where there are seven participants who are selected by the Holy Grail (The Holy Grail narrative is developed after the legend of King Arthur). Their purpose is to eliminate each other in order to obtain the Holy Grail, which can fulfill any wishes the winning participant desires. Those seven participants are called Masters, and they have to summon their own fighter to fight for the Holy Grail. Those fighters are Servants, and each of them will have different abilities. Therefore, there will be fourteen participants in total. But the fifth Holy Grail War, which is about to be held, is not going to follow the normal routine.

So finally, to make sure that anime won’t be spoiled, my review is over here. To know more details and enjoy more appealing moments, start to watch FSN[Unlimited Blade Work] right now!

*I recommend you catch FSN[Unlimited Blade Work] on 9anime.to.

 

Note: FSN[Unlimited Blade Work] is recommended for those who are fifteen or older.

                     FSN[Unlimited Blade Work] has a prequel called Fate/Zero, but it doesn’t affect anything if you just wanna watch Unlimited Blade Work. You can also watch both if you want to.

Editor: AJ Patencio

Review of The Grisaia Trilogy

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By James Zheng

Hey guys, this is a non-popular anime for you all. Well, I mean a non-popular anime that is absolutely fabulous and extraordinary. You might be wondering, how can a non-popular anime be fabulous and extraordinary? Let me tell you three things–this anime was not published nor developed by a famous company; the company did not advertise the anime; and I can tell you that there is not even a Wikipedia about this anime. After I finish this, you may have even more questions to ask, but the popularity does not really affect the quality of an anime. Just watch it first before you give comments.

The Grisaia Trilogy includes three seasons: the Labyrinth of Grisaia (Grisaia no Meikyuu), the Fruit of Grisaia (Grisaia no Kajitsu), and the Eden of Grisaia (Grisaia no Rakuen)–ordered according to the time of publishing. And the most important thing before we go into the introduction, I am not a spoiler! I only tell the attractive elements in this anime instead of telling you the plot or the details.

The Grisaia Trilogy was actually edited from a game produced by Front Wings when it was published by Geneon Entertainment. The figure of characters and making of episodes are designed by 8-bit, which also has designed a few animes such as Infinite Stratos and Rewrite.

The Grisaia Trilogy has an ideal performance of art. It does not look quite realistic but gives audiences a sense of comfort since the artistic style shows characters’ faces and actions that are not tense. In other words, the style of its art does not give any excitement but rather a sense of relaxation as you watch it. Also, each season of Grisaia gives you a different story. It makes you feel like watching three separate animes, which is not a weird thing because the stories are connected to each other. At this point, what really makes an anime too boring to watch? Since other animes are too long (over a hundred episodes), you don’t even know which episode is going to be the last. Or it is lack in creativity? You might say, “I have watched a similar one before this.” Well, those issues won’t apply to The Grisaia Trilogy because it gives you three separate stories to watch. The first season has thirteen episodes; the second season is only one episode (about forty-eight minutes), and the third season has ten episodes. Each episode is an outstanding work, and you won’t spend a long time finishing it.

Let’s go to the story part. Briefly, this anime tells a story between a boy and five girls. To be more specific, it’s how the hero helps those girls to extricate from the shadow of their dark past. Well, that is what the first season tells. The second season introduces the prequel to the first season. But, in the last season, it’s how the girls save the hero from his shadow, which is opposite from the first season. To summarize, the most attractive piece of The Grisaia Trilogy is the detailed expression of psychological emotion of characters in the first season, and the humanity is perfectly presented by several figures of character in the third season. Those are the most excellent aspects of the trilogy.

After all those deep introductions, if you are interested in this anime, watch it right after you finish reading my review! Whether you are interested or not, watch the first episode. Then, decide!

 

Note: The Grisaia is recommended for those who are 17 or older.

I recommend you watch the Grisaia Trilogy on a website called 9anime.to by searching its Japanese name.

Editor: Holden Hartle