May Queen and Young cast

Sat, 15 Sep 2012 18:19:09 -0400

May Queen and Young cast

dramaddict: one guacamole is equal to 6.0221415×10²³ guacas

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 23:35:08 -0400

dramaddict:

one guacamole is equal to 6.0221415×10²³ guacas

addicted-to-drama: I liked who I was when I was with them....

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 22:00:12 -0400

addicted-to-drama:

I liked who I was when I was with them. [Shuuji | Nobuta wo Produce]

fyeahkurokonobasuke: SL@生無可戀

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 21:22:02 -0400

fyeahkurokonobasuke:

SL@生無可戀

Live-action xxxHOLiC drama

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 20:43:30 -0400

spidersky:

Coming to WOWOW in 2013 will be a live-action adaptation of CLAMP’s xxxHOLiC manga!

Keisuke Toyoshima will be the director.
Shota Sometani has been cast as Watanuki.
Anne has been cast as Yuuko.

Comments by the cast and more info can be found at mantan-web

source: clamp*news / mantan-web

NATSUME YUUJINCHOU CHAPTERS 60-62 (not 62-64 as previously thought because apparently the Nishimura...

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 22:50:18 -0400

NATSUME YUUJINCHOU CHAPTERS 60-62 (not 62-64 as previously thought because apparently the Nishimura and Kitamoto chapters are special and unnumbered in the tankoban)

OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. Midorikawa-sensei is just going all out with the plot and character development lately, and I…!!

Kudos to the lovely translations and summaries by the lovely luthien_ikari, hikari318 (translation in the comments of next link), and harumi. Also to the Chinese scans here.

Where do I even start with how amazing this arc was? Because it was. Scream-worthy, perhaps, but I’ve just come back from a wedding and am high on good food, sweet perfume, dancing, and just a little bit of wine. Okay. Deep breaths.

The plot development and worldbuilding in this arc is huge. Really ginormously huge. And this arc was only the exposition to the real meat of this particular subplot! For those of you who haven’t actually read the chapters and are just a little curious as to what happens, the gist of it is this: Natsume and Natori are invited into the home of an exorcist who has lost his sight by his daughter, who is afraid of the youkai haunting her own and hates her own powerlessness. The real meat of this arc comes into play when a misunderstood youkai attempts to coerce Natsume into helping her, and accidentally announcing him, in front of Natori, as the holder of the legendary Book of Friends. This particular bit is put aside until the very closing of the arc - when Natori says to Urihime (one of his shiki):

Sometimes Natsume looks like he’s very concerned about something in his belongings, doesn’t he? Look into that for me. If Ginro’s hints are anything to go by, it’s something dangerous enough that it would be perilous for an exorcist like me to know about it. It might be something that our kind and reckless Natsume… shouldn’t have.

accompanied by the expression that has caused anxiety in the Japanese, Chinese, and English readerships alike:

Yeah. That is literally the second to last panel of this arc. Followed by an image of Natsume’s back in the distance. It’s much more dramatic actually reading it, believe you me. At first it seems like everything is nice and well, Natsume and Natori are okay with each other, and then BAM. This.

Don’t get me wrong - this doesn’t dispute the fact that Natori cares deeply for Natsume. It actually enforces it while reminding us of a facet of Natori’s personality that we forget all too soon: his distrust of youkai and his penchant for working among the shadows. In the anime and manga, Natsume is both the main character and the narrator. These are two very distinct things. Because of Natsume’s naivete, he often fails to see the more deceitful motives of people (be it ayakashi or human). Natsume is insightful to motives of kindness, because kindness is what he has been seeking all his life, whether to express it or be shown it. He understands the difficulties involved in it, and the pain that is experienced when kindness is misunderstood. Midorikawa-sensei has so carefully constructed each important character in this story that Natsume Takashi has a very distinct role: he is the “pure” character, unable to understand the deceit of others. Natsume Takashi is the unreliable narrator.

That finally being said, the strong reminder of Natori’s role as the developing-yet-still-very-morally-grey character really pleased me. Natsume Yuujinchou has a habit of lulling us into a sense of false security and peace and then shocking us with the darkness that the world actually (really really) does have. Through Natsume’s narration, we came to believe that Natori was much softer than he actually is. Natori deeply values his friendships. He wants to protect his friends. However, Natori is not Natsume. He is willing to do underhanded things to achieve his ends. He ripped Matoba’s letter, he was willing to destroy the youkai if they hurt the man who helped him through the exorcist world, and he will look into the Book of Friends without Natsume’s knowledge if it means that Natsume might be harmed. Natori is no stranger to subterfuge and lying - as established in this chapter, he was introduced to the exorcist world at 17 (currently aged 23), and he makes the other part of his living as an actor. If that doesn’t say anything, I don’t know what does.

Though, don’t think that this reminder regresses him to his original state. He has changed for the better, and that is really well reflected in Chapter 62:

Natori’s old mentor: “Haha, you’ve changed a little too, haven’t you?”

Natori: “…You think? I wonder…”

This little exchange happens over Natsume’s head, as Natori worries over Natsume’s constant recklessness. Natsume too has changed, becoming more assertive and unafraid to speak his mind.

I also absolutely loved loved LOVED the worldbuilding in this arc. Yes, it may have been rather blatant, but this series starves us so much of actual confirmation of information that I’ll take anything. Anything. New things learned in this arc (in a convenient list because I am so longwinded that I am actually tiring myself and taking the wind out of my own sails):

Exorcists do have jobs even after/if they lose their sight
Exorcists have their own rules, some interestingly enough to the youkai’s benefit. In this arc, it was revealed that it is forbidden to forcefully obtain and enter a contract using a youkai’s true name, as it will be unable to ever disobey, and the destruction of its recorded name spells its own destruction. Doing so contrary to this rule leads to punishment by the exorcist community. It also takes immense power. Most contracts are done by giving a youkai a false name and carving it into an object.
Basically, the Book of Friends is something blacklisted by the exorcist community. Basically basically, Reiko was doing something even the exorcist community dared not do. (hahahaha)
A technique to allow normal people to see youkai is also forbidden and legendary, lost to the ages. (I spent about ten minutes laughing about this, Taki omfgajhsfla; Natsume’s reaction to this news I almost cried how influential was Taki’s omnyouji family back in the day holy fuck)
If an exorcist enters a contract with a youkai, the youkai may only be released upon the exorcist’s will (providing he still has spiritual power), his death, or through his blood related family. This is reflected even with Reiko, Natsume, and the Book of Friends.
The exorcists’ methods are surprisingly thorough, which speaks of a long, long history.
Exorcists can be kind too, and not all shiki are unwilling slaves. The dynamic / relationship between Takuma and his three shiki was so incredibly fascinating to me. He thought of them, treated them well - he would even take them out to movies. In return, his shiki loved him and wanted nothing more to protect him. When he lost his powers and could no longer see them, they stayed. Two of them became disillusioned when they were accidentally locked outside by his daughter, but they still thought of nothing but him. Ginro, his third shiki, loved him most of all. She watched over him and his daughter, and at the conclusion of this arc, she stays and will stay by their side for forever. This arc was so enlightening and I would really love for more exploration into the various degrees of human/ayakashi interaction, especially on the exorcist side.
This is less of something specifically said, but more of something slowly realized: bloodlines really matter. The construction of families and the hierarchical organization of spiritual power and age of those families within an otherwise unrelated clan - everything depends on predecessors and successors. It’s demonstrated acutely through Reiko and Takashi and even more through the exorcists. I’m only mentioning this here because I’m so very interested in genealogy and it could be important to Reiko and Takashi’s origins. If the Matoba can be considered pedigree with their spiritual power, then what the hell are Reiko and Takashi?

I’d like to talk more about parallels between the Takumas and Natsume and Natori and the whole emerging theme of change and transience but ugh I think I’ll just save it for next time. And next time… whoo boy. It seems as if Hiiragi suspects Natsume, and I can just see her character development in the future as she decides between keeping the Book of Friends secret for the sake of the ayakashi or fully devoting herself to Natori and telling him about it. The latter is kind of unlikely, seeing as it’ll be Natsume who will be having a little heart-to-heart with Natori (I can just tell), but her thought process will be delish.

I so very much adore plot development in Natsume Yuujinchou, and lately Midorikawa-sensei has not been pulling her punches with it and it is GLORIOUS. I cannot wait until the day that Natori’s-ayakashi-lizard-tattoo-never-going-to-his-left-leg thing is resolved. For all I know, it could have just been Matoba freaking Natsume out, but I’M STILL NOT GIVING IT UP.

Also, I want more Taki. ;_;

UNTIL THE NEXT CHAPTER AND HOPEFULLY THE START OF A SIZZLING HOT NEW ARC

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Mon, 03 Sep 2012 00:19:32 -0400

blinkanditsover: London-based sculptor and illustrator Arran...

Sat, 01 Sep 2012 22:01:12 -0400

blinkanditsover:

London-based sculptor and illustrator Arran Gregory recently opened a solo show entitled WOLF at Print House Gallery in London. The exhibition which runs through September 6th, includes both illustrations and a pair of gorgeous faux-taxidermy animals including a wolf and rhinoceros head sculpted from mirrors.

Do you believe in magic?

Sat, 01 Sep 2012 00:51:00 -0400

Do you believe in magic?

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Wed, 29 Aug 2012 23:15:05 -0400

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Tue, 28 Aug 2012 22:51:57 -0400

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Mon, 27 Aug 2012 23:30:51 -0400

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Sun, 26 Aug 2012 22:42:53 -0400

me when i lend a book to someone: bend the spine i bend your spine

Sat, 25 Aug 2012 23:41:41 -0400

me when i lend a book to someone: bend the spine i bend your spine

hitsuyo: Scenery appreciation post | Tari Tari

Sat, 25 Aug 2012 00:38:52 -0400

hitsuyo:

Scenery appreciation post | Tari Tari

わたしちゃんの日常 / ani@兄屋さんのイラスト - ニコニコ静画 (イラスト)

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 22:42:04 -0400

わたしちゃんの日常 / ani@兄屋さんのイラスト - ニコニコ静画 (イラスト)

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Tue, 21 Aug 2012 19:40:06 -0400

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Mon, 20 Aug 2012 21:54:11 -0400

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Mon, 20 Aug 2012 00:35:08 -0400

sonicspinexe: Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita - Episode 08

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 00:24:44 -0400

sonicspinexe:

Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita - Episode 08

up! and down! and back again

May Queen and Young cast

dramaddict: one guacamole is equal to 6.0221415×10²³ guacas

addicted-to-drama: I liked who I was when I was with them....

fyeahkurokonobasuke: SL@生無可戀

Live-action xxxHOLiC drama

NATSUME YUUJINCHOU CHAPTERS 60-62 (not 62-64 as previously thought because apparently the Nishimura...

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blinkanditsover: London-based sculptor and illustrator Arran...

Do you believe in magic?

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me when i lend a book to someone: bend the spine i bend your spine

hitsuyo: Scenery appreciation post | Tari Tari

わたしちゃんの日常 / ani@兄屋 さんのイラスト - ニコニコ静画 (イラスト)

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sonicspinexe: Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita - Episode 08

わたしちゃんの日常 / ani@兄屋さんのイラスト - ニコニコ静画 (イラスト)