Monthly Archives: May 2020

Good things that have happened to me since quarantine Part 2

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You can read Part 1 here.

Today was supposed to be my graduation ceremony. I have gone through it once already when I got my BA in Psychology in 2018, but I was still looking forward to it. I’m glad that it got cancelled because it’s not safe to do it right now. At the same time, I’m a little upset. I’ve seen classmates write that they are grateful and other positive things, but I’m allowed to be mad, aren’t I? Sorry, but I’m not as cheerful as others.

Anyway, perhaps writing this post will brighten my mood.

8. I’m grateful to be able to work from home.

I quit one of my jobs, and I was able to do that because of my other jobs! I feel fortunate that I can shop online (one of the things that brings me joy) and more importantly, pay my bills during this time.

9. I have more time to watch shows.

If it wasn’t for quarantine, I wouldn’t have the time to watch this many shows. Watching a show is like exploring a whole new world. I’ve learned a lot about various topics through different series… Now to think of it, I think I’m quite knowledgeable about a wide range of topics.

10. I have time to replay my favourite video game.

My brother is still doing high school online and he uses my laptop to complete his assignments. I naturally ended up playing on the Xbox 360 whenever he went on my laptop. I’ve started replaying Lost Odyssey and I’m having a lot of fun with it.

11. I have time to try out new recipes.

Cooking is quite fun. It’s satisfying when your food and drinks turn out good. I think I’ve improved as well.

12. I’ve improved my driving.

Since public transit isn’t super safe right now, I’ve been waking up at 6 AM six days a week to drive my mom to work. I also pick her up from work and do all the driving for grocery shopping since I’m the sole driver in my family. My sleep schedule is not ideal, but it is what it is.

C-Drama Boyhood (2017): Mid-Series Impressions

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Where is the baseball??

Synopsis: Ban Xiao Song is passionate about baseball, but his school’s baseball team is terrible. They miserably lose against a rival school. To make matters worse, Ban Xiao Song’s baseball team gets disbanded due to a lack of funds. Wu Tong from the rival school transfers to Ban Xiao Song’s school and together, they try to start up the baseball team again. Along the way, they try to recruit Yin Ke and other classmates.

Episodes watched: 19/39

Thoughts: I started this series because of the cast. The baseball coach is played by Chinese singer Joker Xue and the three main characters (Ban Xiao Song, Wu Tong, and Yin Ke) are from the boy group, TFBoys. Joker Xue and TFBoys are incredibly famous in China. Danson Tang, another popular celebrity, plays one of the teachers.

There are two main storylines in this drama:

  1. Ban Xiao Song recruits classmates to help him start the baseball team again. It focuses on his friendships with Wu Tong and Yin Ke.
  2. Tao Xi (the baseball coach and gym teacher) and his rivalry against An Mi, the new staff member at school, who is also his next door neighbour. We also see his home life with Guo Guo, the child he takes care of.

I’m loving this series. However, I have one complaint and it’s a big one. Where is the baseball?? I’ve seen half of the series and the first episode showed us the most baseball. There hasn’t been any matches after that.

It made sense for the start of the series to focus on friendships. After all, the baseball team got disbanded and the friendships between the main characters were not formed yet. It also made sense for the characters to work through their issues first. However, I expected a focus on baseball once these things were all taken care of.

Instead, the story then focuses on a girl classmate (who is not on the baseball team) in love with a celebrity (also not on the baseball team). What does this have to do with baseball? This drama seems more like a teacher-student series like Great Teacher Onizuka, Gokusen, or Assassination Classroom instead of a sports series, except Tao Xi isn’t as involved in the students’ lives.

One thing I like about the Chinese drama, The King’s Avatar, is that there is a really good balance between friendships and gaming throughout the show. After all, the series is about a E-sport team. Since this drama is about a baseball team, it should have more baseball scenes, shouldn’t it?

I’m going to continue watching this drama because I’m still enjoying it regardless. Hopefully there will be more baseball.

I’m watching this series on the official YouTube channel. Only the first two episodes have English subtitles.

“Ordinary Person” [Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi]

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Sekai Ichi Hatsuko Episode 8

I’m 23, just graduated from university with two degrees and feel this way for everything I do. Blogging, cosplaying, photography, drawing, school, work… I can’t even remember when I did not have such feelings of just being ordinary. Shouta Kisa from Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi is 30 and feels this way. Is it bad that I’ve felt this at a much younger age? Have I ever felt gung-ho about anything?

Truth be told, my Why Do I Blog? and Why Do I Cosplay? posts were written to help myself decide if I should continue to blog and cosplay. Like Kisa, I don’t feel depressed about this. I’m just being realistic.

RE: My What’s Your Ultimate Talent? (Danganronpa Inspired Post!) Click HERE to read it. I now have an answer to my own question I wrote at the end of that post. I used to be unsure, but now I think I would rather be the best at one talent instead being kind of good at multiple talents.

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OK, this may all sound pessimistic as heck but since I’ve wrestled with these thoughts for a long time, here’s what helped me:

I think about my favourite singers and bands. Some are very popular and famous, while others are lesser known. Don’t I like them all the same? Isn’t it just personal preference? I don’t see anyone giving up, either.

I am not the best at anything I do, and it’s not something I’m striving for, either. I just want to continue to do my hobbies because it brings me some joy. That’s all.

When we keep our expectations of this world and of ourselves low, there will be less disappointment and heartache later on.

Anime Quote: Fune wo Amu

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This is a continuation of my << Tonegawa’s Speech [Kaiji] >> post. In that post, I talked about how I realized that I am living my actual, real life at this very moment, at all times. For more context, read the post…

However, when I finished writing that post, I was still confused because I didn’t have enough information. What does living a fulfilling life look like? Did Tonegawa follow what he preached?

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Then I watched Fune wo Amu. It’s a highly underrated anime and I don’t have anything negative to say about it. Go check it out.

Fune wo Amu follows the life of Mitsuya Majime. Majime dedicates his life towards creating The Great Passage, a dictionary that will always remain incomplete. Why incomplete? Because words are alive and are constantly changing, so the dictionary will need to be continuously revised and edited. It is Majime’s life’s work. The Great Passage will help people better understand one another and make society a better place.

This line is from the last episode. I feel a lot of respect towards people who have something to live for, people who dedicate their entire lives towards something they are passionate about. When people pour their hearts into a piece of work, it’s very admirable and honourable. Perhaps this is an answer to what I’ve been thinking about.

Unwrapping: Your Name (album)

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Your Name. | 君の名は。| Kimi no Na wa. by Radwimps (2016)

soundtrack for Your Name

Anyone else still listen to CDs? This just arrived in the mail.

One of my favourite things about CDs is the cover art booklet. The cover art booklet for this one is gorgeous.

Review: Someday or One Day (2019)

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In my last post, I reviewed a drama and gave it a lower rating. I thought that I would review an amazing drama this time. Someday or One Day is a Taiwanese drama.

Synopsis

Huang Yu Xuan is a 27-year-old woman who misses her boyfriend Wang Quan Sheng, who went missing two years ago. She is unable to accept that he is gone and is still searching for him. One day, she receives a walkman and cassette from a mysterious sender. As she listens to the music, she wakes up in the year 1998. She is now a 17-year-old girl named Chen Yun Ru, who looks exactly like her. In Chen Yun Ru’s body, she meets a schoolmate who looks exactly like her missing boyfriend, except… he’s not her boyfriend. His name is Li Zi Wei!

Huang Yu Xuan soon discovers that Chen Yun Ru will die in the year 1999. She needs to find a way to prevent Chen Yun Ru’s death before she dies in her body.

Thoughts

Three words: Just watch it.

For you anime fans out there, I know what you might be thinking. It’s kind of like Erased, right? Kind of! It’s different from Erased in some ways because Huang Yu Xuan goes into someone else’s body instead of her own. I think that this is really unique. There is also a heavy romance component in Someday or One Day, which is done extremely well.

You’ll most definitely like this series if you like the Taiwanese movies, Our Times and You Are the Apple of My Eye.

What I like about this drama is that it is not predictable. As someone who has watched a lot of anime and Asian dramas, I can practically guess how shows will end. This drama kept me on the edge of my seat.

When I watched the first episode, I felt like I was watching a movie. The cinematography is on-point, the music is memorable, and the acting is realistic. I felt very emotional and balled my eyes out… just by the first episode.

This drama covers mature themes so I wouldn’t recommend it to younger audiences. It covers topics that are taboo in Asian culture and you don’t see many dramas talk about these topics.

As mentioned earlier, the music is memorable. The songs are so good. A lot of the scenes are pleasing to the eyes and look really aesthetic.

Final verdict: 9.5/10 This is hands-down one of the best Asian dramas I’ve seen.

Note: There is an extra scene on YouTube, which is meant to be watched once you have completed the series. Be sure to watch it after you’re done!

Review: My Fantastic Mrs Right: Season 1 (2020)

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Episodes watched: 6/12

Synopsis: Mi Xiao Qi drops from the sky and lands in Bei Yue Kingdom of Kun Peng Continent. She’s a young woman, except she’s turned into a fat cat. When she transforms back into her human form, she must meet her fated lover and make him fall in love with her. Together with her fated one, they must find the four pieces of the magical jade. Otherwise, she will die!

Thoughts: This kind of drama seemed like my kind of show. I really enjoyed the historical comedy drama, The Eternal Love, so I thought that I would love this one too. The first couple of episodes were funny, but it became less funny later on.

My main problem with this drama is that there is no flow. The writing is all over the place. Things progress quite quickly and it seems so unrealistic. I feel like the characters do have good chemistry, but the drama does not do a very good job at portraying that. I understand that this drama is meant to be fun and silly, but the flaws take away from the enjoyment of the show.

On the flip side, I really like the characters. Xiao Qi in her cat form is adorable. The idea of the drama is hilarious, but the execution was poorly done.

Final verdict: 6.5/10 Dropped.

Six Fan Arts Challenge

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Rize Kamishiro from Tokyo Ghoul & Jin Guangyao from Mo Dao Zu Shi

These side characters are essential to the plot! Sure, they’ve made the protagonists of their respective shows suffer… but what would the series be without them?

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I only drew Rize and Mengyao/Jin Guangyao for this challenge. Then I got preoccupied with other things so… I filled this with some of my older (but still kind of recent) fan art.