Summer Ghost(サマーゴースト) Japanese Anime Thoughts

 

   Summer Ghost is a film that was created and directed by an artists named Loundraw. Flat studios produced the project while Hirotaka Adachi(He also wrote the novels) wrote the script. The film was released in 2021 in Japan, then debuted in England the same year. Many people had the chance to see the trailer during different Anime Expos. A manga was also created after the film's release in Japan. 

  Three people from different walks of life come together to see if the legend of the Summer Ghost is real. She is said to come out when you light sparklers at night in a field where she is said to have died....

    Summer Ghost is under an hour in length, so the story is pretty straightforward about getting to a steady conclusion. The film spends most of the film's duration going through arks that are specific to each character. You will find that each character has his or her own problems. These ends up being the reason for why they seek out this ghost in the first place. Normal people don't go seeking ghosts for no reason. However, I enjoyed the shift from a film that starts off light before becoming dark in subject matter really fast. I'm not going to spoil anything since this film isn't that long and you should be able to experience the masterpiece that this film is. If you're an emotional person like myself, you will probably cry. There's some sad scenes that will make you value your life as well as value the idea of death. 

   Loundraw put his all into Summer Ghost and boy, does it show. The animation will be like no other project you have done before. The cover of the Blu-ray caught my eye when I first heard about this film. I'm really glad that the film loos has beautiful or even more beautiful than the cover art. Loundraw sketched every scene using a digital pen so, that shows the distinct stroke in the lines on the character designs. All the coloring for the backgrounds look flushed out in a neat fashion. Even the way the shadows show up on the characters has a dreamy vibe.  He made some great choices, such as using a pale color for the world of ghosts that contrasted with bright colors in the living world. 

   Summer Ghost defiantly set the bar high for short anime films. Not many films could follow the beauty that was presented here. I'm interested in seeing more films from Loundraw.       

Wet Season(热带雨) Chinese Film Thoughts

 

    Wet Season is a 2020 film that was directed by Anthony Chen. The film stars Yeo Yann Yann and Koh Jia Ler.  Most reviews for the film are positive and the film garnered six nominations at China's Film awards.  It only won a best actress nomination though. The film was also selected as Singapore's Best foreign film nominee for the Academy Awards but wasn't chosen. 

   A middle aged Chinese women lives in Singapore with her husband and works as a Chinese teacher at a local school.  Her days are always the same. They never change until she bonds with one of her students during a daily rainy day...... 

    I really enjoyed the different prospectives in this film. Most people would think that because her student is young, that he still doesn't have life figured out. However, the person who really doesn't have control of her own life is the teacher. There's a strong power dynamic in her relationship with her husband and her in laws, where she's trapped in a reoccurring cycle.  Not to mention the challenge of her wanting to get pregnant. She kinda drifts through he life until her student comes along and shows her that she can take control of her own future. She's a women that's allowed to be happy and while the Teacher/student themes were a bit uncomfortable, these emotions were important for the teacher to have her emotional break through. Whew.... The shock in the second to last scene had my mouth wide open..... 

   This is a low budget film that relies on the performances like many other indie films. The two did a fantastic job together in their scenes. Their chemistry was so real that the mix of emotional term oil  sends you over the edge a little bit. The mix of English and Chinese used in the film was like a reflection of the different cultures of China and Singapore bouncing off of each other.

   Wet Season is one of those good films that really makes you accept that there's still good films out there to watch. The director didn't have much to work with. Still, a masterpiece was created. 

Roy Kim(로이킴) - ,And(그리고) Album Thoughts(K-ballad,Indie,Pop,)

 

Tracklist:
1. 괜찮을거야
2. 그대에게 닿을 때까지
3. 그때로 돌아가
4. 어른으로
5. 그냥 그때
6. 시간을 믿어봐
7. 들어봐
8. 오늘 밤만큼은
9. 결국엔
10. 괜찮을거야 (Inst.)
11. 그때로 돌아가 (Inst.)

    I had stepped away from Roy Kim for a few years after it had come out that he was involved in one of the biggest scandals to shake the Korean pop world.. His involvement wasn't as big as some of the others and he has since, been cleared of the charges saying that he share any media in that chat room. Now, let me say this. I never hated Roy so much that I would call his college to have him expelled.... I just stopped supporting him with my money until I saw the proof that everything was a misunderstanding.  ,And is Kim's comeback album after all he's been though. 

     I wouldn't say that this album is vastly different from Kim's other albums. His penmanship has become even more emotional focused on himself due to he having a lot to say. None has actually heard Roy Kim's side of the story as in how he felt during that time. ,And is pretty much his journal for fans who care enough to listen. Track such as "I'll be alright" show Kim singing out more as he strums his guitar over booming violins. He sure does love those violins because they keep being heard all throughout this album. I believe they help showcase Roy's emotion during the last few years. He made this album so full of his emotions that ,And is mostly a ballad album. A ballad album that will keep you listening for the different nuances that Roy has included in his music this time around. The may not be always super noticeable, however, They're there in the little bit of autotune that he used or the chorus of voices that he leads toward the end of one of his tracks. People who still appreciate music will know that good music is still around somewhere. 

    Normally when Korean singers go away for a little while, then come back, They tend to come back singing their hearts out. Roy Kim did just that. Especially during his busking live shows the he did to promote this album. Kim has a deep rich tone to his lower register. He also has good control of his falsetto range, that he uses to pull listeners in. I love how his vocals can lull me to sleep no matter what he sings about. I'm sure his past girlfriends loved when he would sing for them at night.    

     I enjoyed Roy Kim's new album for what it was. Not every Kpop fan will enjoy this album due to t not being super poppy. Still check it out if you have time. Roy Kim's most pop album in my opinion was Love Love Love.   

Ovan(오반) - Star(주연) Album Thoughts(K-indie)

 

Track List

01. Celebrate
02. So I’ll be a star
03. Olympic Park
04. Do I Do
05. Our Dating is
06. Untitled
07. My Night
08. It’s LUV
09. Cold World
10. Hometax

       

  I've been hearing Ovan's name in the South Korean music circle for awhile now. He had a big scandal awhile ago where his song became number one on the Korean digital charts ahead of big name acts who are more known than him. It was being said that his label paid for his chart placement. While this does happen, I will say that Ovan has good music and I'm not sure if his success was earned or bought. What I do know is that after being pretty much a singles artists, he's finally released his first full album titled, Star. 

   Ovan comes across to me as an RnB Pop singer. Then he goes against this all of a sudden with this album. He opens the album with Celebrate; a pop rock number that feels a bit cheesy on first listen. It's still feels like Ovan though. The rest of the album has solid harmonies that are tie ends to choruses that seem incomplete to me. Ovan could have wrote more lyric for tracks like "So I'll be a Star" because the overall song falls a little flat, even with Ovan passionate vocals. He also didn't add any of his previous singles on the album, which would have given him a bit of breathing room to fall into his creative process. He only added one song and that song his probably the best on the album. Other album tracks that have the same sound feel more like mini versions of "Do I Do". Star is kinda all over the place like BiBi's album. The only difference is Ovan has more enjoyable tracks on his effort overall than BiBi did. Both singers need to find a really good producer to bring out that chart topping album I know they both can create. 

     Ovan's vocals are his winning feat. He can sing anything while still keeping that buttery quality in his vocals. I don't like when he tries to rap. Rap isn't for him but I don't mind it if it's only for a short portion of the track. His voice is more suited for RnB or pop in my opinion. 

   Star and Ovan's older music are worth a listen. Some of my favorite songs by him are the songs he did two or three years ago. I'm not sure why he's taking part in Fighter matches...... Hmmmmm

BIBI(비비) - Lowlife Princess: Noir Album Thoughts(K-indie)

 

TRACKLIST:

01 Intro

02 Blade

03 BIBI Vengeance

04 Animal Farm

05 MotoSpeed 24

06 Sweet Sorrow of Mother

07 Loveholic's hangover (feat. SAM KIM)

08 Wet Nightmare

09 Witch Hunt

10 Lowlife Princess

11 JOTTO

12 City Love

   BIBI is a singer that I don't know too much about. She has a lot of respect in the South Korean music game right now but she isn't quite a mega star yet. I've heard her singles on and off. Some of the tracks I like, while others aren't my style. She finally released a full length album led by single "Animal Farm"; a pop rock track with a hip hop flare concluded using a mean guitar solo. Noir is an album that feels like BIBI hasn't really found herself as an artist yet. Her music bounces all around genres without creating a solid idea for her vision musically. I've heard this girl be cute in songs only to strip the whole image for a street girl concept that she also wears well. The album has wonderful moments such as "Witch Hunt" as well as BIBI Vengeance where she sings as a cool collected vocalist who knows what kind of artist she wants to be. Then again we have tracks on the album that don't feel like her. They are overproduced using autotune with Rap punchlines that feel more fitted for some other artist. I can't say I really know BIBI after listening to her first full effort. What I can say is that she's talented and has a future in music. 

   BIBI has a foxy voice that's suggestive, yet girly when need be. It's a vocal quality that demands attention because there's no other female singers in Korea that sound like her at the moment. She will be a totally knock out when she truely finds herself musically. 

Jirisan(지리산) Korean Drama Thoughts

 

 

 

   Jirisan or Mount Jiri is a 2021 Korean drama that was directed by Lee Eun Bok and stars Ju Ji Hoon(Kingdom) along side Jun Ji Hyun. The drama was aired on TvN's cable netework for it's 20th Anniversary.  Mount Jiri's first episode had the highest ratings for a debut drama on the network during the time. 

    Mountain rangers meet many different people as they protect Mount Jiri. Some visitors come to see the sights, others come to end their lives, and some come to end the life of whoever they come in contact with. These are the events that take place on Mount Jiri. 

   Korean drama fans who know, Ji Ji Hoon will understand right away that this actor doesn't take on regular roles. Almost all the dramas he's in have storylines that diverts from the norm in K Land. Mount Jiri is no exception to his rule. This is the first drama that was filmed in the famous mountain's park and the story has many different layers of genres such as suspense, mystery, romance, and the supernatural. It's a drama that starts out running, never to really stop until the end of it's sixteen episodes. I enjoyed how the drama keeps you wanting to find out more about the mountain because of the character's involved. There's always this question of "why?" whenever something shocking happens. Not to mention the story, jumps from the past to the present day a lot and you as the viewer have to pay attention to certain details in order to identify what time the characters are in. I don't want to give too much away for people who might want to watch this drama. Viewers also learn a little bit about mountain rescue in life threatening situations. Boy were there a lot of situations that required people to be saved. All the while, a murder is running around the mountain killing people under the cloak of the natural disasters. If you're looking for a typical romance drama, then you won't find that here. You will find romance but it's more on the mature side since both of these actors are forty or in their early forties. I was so afraid that this drama would end on a disappointing note..... 

     The sights on location looked so realistic to me. I enjoyed to spooky atmosphere of the mountain during the early morning fog. There's really only forest for miles when you look at the overhead shots of the scenes- which makes the drama even more interesting. Oh gosh, that cliff view with the stone is so pretty. It was a great place for the finally scene of the drama. 

    The whole cast was phenomenal, from the kill scenes to the everyday events that happen on the mountain. It's hard to act as a romantic couple without actually kissing or touching each other constantly. I liked how I could feel the love between the two leads by a glance they shared with one another. 

    Mount Jiri isn't a Korean drama that you can put in the same boat as all the other dramas you've might have seen. Jirisan really is one of a kind. Just like the tourist destination itself. 

       

The Policeman's Lineage(경관의 피) Korean Film Thoughts

 

   The Policeman's Lineage is a 2022 South Korean film that was based on another original plot by Joh Sasaki. The Korean screenplay was directed by Lee Kyo-man and stars Cho Jin Woong along side Choi Woo Shik of Parasite fame. As of this year, the film was the ninth highest grossing film in Korea. 

   A new cop teams up with another cop, who has been said to use any means to find a criminal. He's like a gangster in a police uniform that will bulldoze through anyone to get what he wants. Will the pure intentions of the new rookie be tainted? Or will he change the bad to good? 

     I don't have much to say about this film that other people haven't said already. You can look up the reviews to see that most of them aren't very favorable. I believe that a lot of people had an idea of what this film was going to be like based off the trailer. While the trailer is misleading, Lineage does a good job adding the peak tension of action scenes into the film at the right moments.This film is still more of a drama/thriller than anything at the end of the day though. However, Both leads hold this film up by it's coattail and leads it to a clean cut conclusion we as constant Korean cinema viewers have seen many times before. Lineage has a plot line that's easy to follow once you get over all the ping pong ball back and forth display with past events. A fight for a balance between good and evil was more interesting to me than the actual fight scenes. The Policeman's Lineage shines most bright when a discussion involving the main characters is being had about what is right or wrong in crime law. It's a film that does the job if you're looking for a Choi Woo Shik follow up project after Parasite and The Witch....... 

    Like I stated above, The two leads are the bread and butter of this film. They both are like the lifejacket that kicks in the help right as you're about the drown. The scenes of them together with their good feel of rhythm for each other's characters is cinema gold. I wouldn't want this film any other way. 

   The Policeman's Lineage does nothing to reinvent what South Korea as done for the crime genre. Unless you want to count a trick trailer that promotes the wrong idea about a film. I'm glad that I still watched it for the performances at least. 

Hyperventilation(과호흡) Korean BL Manhwa Thoughts

 

   Hyperventilation is a Korean manhwa written and illustrated by Bboong Bang Kkyu, who is a a well known BL animator. This short story was actually an animation first and most people have seen the story in that formate first. The original story was also released years ago online. It's just that now manhwa is becoming more popular internationally, hence the English printed release. 

   Two men haven't seen each other since they were eighteen but they suddenly reunite at a high school reunion. One man has loved the other since High School. While the other's feelings are unknown.... Or are they?! 

     Hyperventilation is a quick read that can be either enjoyable or confusing depending on how one comprehends comics. I for one am an art person, who strives to find the best visual aid to enhance a good story.  So, this manhwa was everything to once I real digested the overall atmosphere and underline message. My biggest question going in was why was this manhwa titled this way? Was it because of the sex scenes or was it a deeper reasoning? I noticed that many people wrote off this story are something that looks pretty without much substance. These people normally aren't good at comprehending a story unless it's spoon fed to them in detail - Which not every comic book will be like that. Bboong choose to tell the progress the story using art deprived of words. Much of the story also goes back and forth between the present as well as the past. In this way, you learn about the two character's motives for their actions. You also learn the real reason this story is titled Hyperventilation to begin with. I thought the plot was solid while leaving room for the future of the two men. Korean culture is taken into account for the last ark of the plot. Many Korean gay man live in a more underground world in fear that they will lose their jobs or be outcasted from their families. A lot of down low men even get married just to abide by societal norms. 

   There's a couple beautiful moments that are shown just as full page art with on words, that I think are amazing parts of the story. If I didn't mention it already, the manhwa is in full color. I don't believe that they story would have had the same effect on me in black and white. 

Baby Assassins(ベイビーわるきゅーれ) Japanese Film Thoughts

    

   Baby Assassins is a 2021 film that was directed by young twenty something year old: Yugo Sakamoto. The film stars Akari Takaishi, Stunt actress Saori Izawa, and many more upcoming young talent. The film has received praise from critics and film festivals for the plot's youthful charm. 

   Two high school girls are forced to live together as roommates. One is a quiet girl who struggles with social interaction while the other is a psychopath. Both must decide what to do with their lives as they near close to graduation. 

    One big thing that you will notice about this film right off the bat, it the fight scenes. These scenes look and feel very realistic. They don't give off a choreographed vibe but, instead are bloody and raw. It's really easy to get carried away with the action that transpires in Baby Assassins. However, this film isn't about these two girls's strong ability to kill people at the drop of a dime. Not to mention the comedic quality that's added to the two leads stupidity to only know how to kill and that's about it. These two must go into society in order to survive adulthood, even though they are already committing "adult" crimes. Inside all the added layers of the plot is a core definition of these two just trying to figure themselves out. Then there's Yakuza lingering in the background, waiting to start trouble. I honestly don't think the motivation for fighting the villain in this film was the strongest, nor do I find this film to be the best action film ever made. Baby Assassins actually sets out to tell it's viewers something about the growing pains of having to take responsibility for yourself. You may not like all the things you have to do so you can survive in society.... Though, Some jobs just must be done to earn a pay check. 

    It's more so the cast's performances that carry the film more than the action or story. Those small moments of the two girls working a part time job or living under the same roof are the highlights of this film. The assassination scenes are funny because the girls kill like they are doing something so simple. I guess it's just another day in their lives. 

Kamikaze Girls(2004)

  I was reminded of another occult Japanese film from the early 2000s called Kamikaze Girls when watching Baby Assassins. Both films have that theme of going into adulthood, that's portrayed with comedy and action. I defiantly see Baby Assassins as an occult film already.