Drabble Geeks

Geeks…Being Total Geeks.

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Let’s Solve a Puzzle Pt 1

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Happy Spoopy Month, everyone. In honor of the best month of the year, I have started my annual rewatch of the English dub of Ghost Stories, and more importantly for you, I’ve decided that I would begin to watch that famous series Saw, starting with the first one and then slowly working my way through the movies available to me. Spoopy Month is the perfect time to willingly terrify myself for the fun of it, so let me begin making my way through this classic series.

Even though this movie was made upwards of two decades ago, it is still beautiful, in a horrifying, hiding part of the screen with my hands, and needing to pause sometimes type of way. Watching it, I know why it is considered a classic. While it doesn’t evoke the stereotypical monster or supernatural horror vibes, I would definitely classify this as a psychological, ‘is this even real?’ horror. For those who don’t know, and without spoilers, Saw follows two guys in an escape room, and they’re not having fun. Everything is, unfortunately, at times, very grounded in reality as you delve into the depths of human desperation. At all times, I was wondering if there was another choice for characters to make. Some, yes. Others, no. I’m very interested in how the rest of the series unfolds, as it seems that the horror is not necessarily in the puzzles, but in the extent and desperation of the will to live. Also, as a Criminal Minds fan, I’m very interested in how the victims are decided. It feels like there should be more exploration of that and I can’t wait to see.

Going Ghost Hunting

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This is a bit early for Spoopy Month, but I was just so excited to play this game. Not only has this series been on my want-to-play list for a while, but I also got access to one of the games on the better Nintendo brother. The game is Luigi’s Mansion 3. Now, I will go back to the previous games if I ever get access to them, but for now, let’s discuss the third game.

First, let’s start by discussing how relatable Luigi is. If I found out there was a ghost haunting about, I would nope right out of there. Then, after discovering that I was trapped, I would put on my brave cap and get to work. Maybe that’s from years of watching Supernatural, but it’s my basic stance: leave and get someone clearly more qualified. Unfortunately, you are the most qualified person in the game, although the quick and simple tutorial with a cute ghost puppy wasn’t bad to refresh our anxiety-ridden memories. I will also mention that I am really sensitive to jump scares, so every little bump in the night I was not expecting got my heart racing. This isn’t supposed to be a horror game, I don’t think, but it was a horror game to me, except this time I couldn’t hide my face since I was the one at the controls. Don’t get me wrong, I do love a good or had horror film or gameplay, but I will be watching from behind a pillow or between my fingers. Every level being different and having different themes kept everything from getting too samey, so I never felt too comfortable roaming around this “mansion.” I was always inching my way around everywhere.

The one thing that did get annoying was the unskippable boss cutscenes. I know I’m bad at video games, but I don’t need to see every boss’s “monologue” and amp-up four different times, as that was usually the minimum for me to truly get some of the later ones’ three-phase patterns right. There were also some boss “tells” that were hard to see on my tiny switch screen, so it did take a while for me to notice some things. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed my time playing, but I am aiming for an A rating now. I got a B on my first try, and that clearly is not good enough.

This may take a while.

Saving Fairy Tales

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I’m going to make a strong statement: I love mahou shoujos. For those not in on the lingo,
I love magical girls, of all types. Now, I am an aunt to a young niece and trying to find shows that I would be willing to watch and be age-appropriate with her. This led me back to LilPri (the short version because the name is atrociously long). Now, I first watched this anime years ago, when I was first getting into anime, so I was hoping that it was as appropriate as I remembered, because you can never be too sure with anime sometimes.

LilPri follows three elementary school girls, who are the reincarnations of Snow White, Cinderella, and Kaguya, who transform into an idol group known as LilPri to increase happiness in humans’ souls and save Fairytale World from destruction. They do this by helping different people with different troubles they may have in their lives, whether in the real world or the magical one. This is your quintessential musical magical girl with strong “girl power” and “believe in yourself” vibes. The other interesting thing I enjoyed was learning about some of the Japanese fairy tales and their take on some of our traditional fairy tales. Also, there are magical animal mascots, a must in any type of magical girl show, in my opinion.

Overall, this was a cute anime that I wouldn’t mind watching with a smaller child, or apparently enjoy in my free time, following people with no real troubles in their lives. (If only I could be worrying about absolutely nothing.)

An Entirely New World Pt 7

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I have officially done it; I have finished a series that I guess I could technically say that I’ve been reading since I was a child. That’s right, I have officially finished the Chronicles of Narnia. I honestly believe that this last book, The Last Battle, is one of the best books of this series and does not hold back with the religious allegory. If you weren’t sure before, well, you’re sure now.

Overall, I think the series is… okay. Some books are definitely more memorable than others, while some I sometimes feel were not worth my time. And because I don’t want you to waste your time, I’ll tell you the ones I think are worth it. You may disagree, but you’re allowed to. My top books of the series are the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, followed by the Magician’s Nephew and the Last Battle. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is a great introduction to the world and the magic that surrounds it. The Magician’s Nephew is a wonderful prologue that delves deeper into the creation of the. Finally, The Last Battle is a fantastic ending. Yes, if you are only reading those books, you are going to miss some information on some characters, but I think it’s worth it if you just want the main sense of what Narnia is. There are some interesting series of events that occur across the other books, but I think those three are “the books” to read in this series.

While I may not have enjoyed some of the plots, I loved the world development and the thoughtfulness Lewis put into everything. I had to go back through some of my religious knowledge to catch on to everything. Also, because I read the series in publication order, there were some call-backs that would make me gasp as I remembered the stuff from the previous books and put some of the pieces together. Maybe some fans will disagree with the order I have read everything in, but I definitely enjoyed my travels into this new world.

The New Charon

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It’s been a while since I’ve posted about a game on here, and I think it is time. I have just gotten through what I would consider my absolute favorite game for the sixth time. Spiritfarer has a lot of what I absolutely love in a game: beautiful animation, amazing story, personable characters, and a fishing minigame. (I’m not joking, I love a fishing minigame. In Spiritfarer, you follow Stella and her cat, Daffodil, who are the new spiritfarer after Charon passes through the Everdoor, where souls go to their final resting place. Yes, this game is quite literally and figuratively about death, but it is still one of the most moving and heart-warming games I have ever played.

This game, on top of the amazing story, there is a bit of a resource management game as you race across the map trying to keep your passengers as happy as possible. Do I forget to feed them? Yes, but they’re fine; trust me. Also, along with the subject of death, you eventually don’t get a choice but to let some of your passengers go. It’s a requirement to continue the story. Even though I’ve played this game several times, for some characters, this choice does not come easy. I’ve tried to keep them, but the game forces this choice upon you sometimes, and letting them go is the best choice.

Anyway, please check out this amazing game. Grab some tissues for your journey across the sea. I truly believe that you are going to love it.

Patterns on Our Skin

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This will probably be the only time that I admit that it took me too long to watch something. Usually, I stick to my gigantic list to “Want to Watch” and the time comes when the time comes. I will admit that I was completely and utterly wrong about K-Pop Demon Hunters. I thought it was being overhyped, but it wasn’t. If you search around my blog you know that I love Japanese media. When my dad said I should watch it, I blew it off because obviously he confused the two countries. He may have had a point.

K-Pop Demon Hunters may quite possibly be my favorite movie of the year, and not just because I don’t really watch new movies. It has everything. Amazing animation, lovable characters, action, drama, and a dash of romance. Going further than the understanding of three Korean pop-stars who fight and save the world from a demon takeover through song who be too many spoilers for this amazing story. I am also sometimes skeptical of in-universe soundtracks, but the songs are beautiful and heartwarming. I’ve either had them on repeat or stuck in my head for days now. Check it out, if you haven’t, because at this point it is a complete sin. Seriously, drop everything and run, don’t walk, to your nearest Netflix account.

Another thing that I’ve done since watching this movie is find the Korean translations and a couple of people who are speaking on some of the aspects of Korean culture that I, as an American, would not get. It’s been really interesting how much deeper the story gets with some of the extra background people are supplying. I would explain it, but again, spoilers… Just know that I am expecting some amazing cosplays for these characters. I make no promises, however, since my cosplay game is sorely lacking.

Graveyard Journal

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Often, when people are writing on their deathbed, they are usually old and are speaking on the decades of life that they’ve experienced. It’s not usual that the deathbed is actually the jail cell two days before an expected execution. It’s also not usual for so much life to have in a decade or two. The book that does this is The Life and Times of Persimmon Wilson by Nancy Peacock, following the writings of Persimmon as he waits to hang for murdering his former master and bedding the woman whom the world thought to be white.

Peacock did such a wonderful job reimaging a world that is about a century and a half past. The characters were realistic and were gripping, especially as we follow Percy’s retelling of his life story to the love of his life, Chloe. While sections of this book were hard to read, it was real. The things discussed really did happen, and Peacock does not sugarcoat a single thing. I read an early edition of the book, from which I do not remember getting it, so things may have changed, but I hope not too much did, other than some grammatical errors. Take care when reading this deeply emotional text; there are many discussions about how brutal humanity can truly get.

Grey’s of the Sea

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I usually don’t watch shows as they come out. I don’t have a TV nor cable. The only things I have are Hulu, Netflix, and Crunchyroll accounts; I usually am binge-watching shows. Imagine my surprise when my friend, Panda, told me that I needed to watch this show that was coming out every single week: a medical drama that takes place on a boat. Well, call me intrigued. That show is “Doctor Odyssey.” Some may have heard of this show from the aside John Oliver made on “Last Week Tonight,” but I was there from week three or four.

Anyway, “Doctor Odyssey” is about a Doctor who seems to be running from his everyday life because of a wake-up call from being a “patient zero” for COVID in his hospital. Enter the two other medical staff on the boat, sorry, ship. Anyway, we know how most medical dramas typically unfold and eventually lead to romance. I really thought this show would be interesting, since from the very beginning it was hinting at an OT3, or one true threesome for those not in the know. There was chemistry between everyone. Unfortunately, at least Panda and I think, the networks got involved, and nonsense started happening. While the medicine and medical aspects were still good, I would not stand the relationship as the show kept going. I eventually started skipping anytime our favorite characters were not doing their jobs. While I enjoyed the show and where I thought it was going, I don’t think the show will continue. There were lots of plot points that would keep that from happening unless there is a time jump, and everything was resolved in the season finale. Maybe start with another group. Either way, it was a good weekend binge if you’re looking for something quick to watch.

Fighting for Death

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I don’t often read shounen manga, but this has been on my list for a while. I was told that it was amazing, and I couldn’t wait. The manga of interest today is Bleach by Tite Kubo. Very simply, you follow a boy named Ichigo, who is able to talk with ghosts. One day, he stumbles across a Soul Reaper, hijinks ensue, and he becomes a Soul Reaper himself. I think that’s all I can really say about this three-arc story without giving too many spoilers.

While the fights were interesting and the transformations were gorgeous, the story was a rollercoaster in terms of plot. The first and last arcs were amazing and kept my attention. The second arc, while each individual volume was good, I couldn’t have cared less about that story. I can’t really get into why I don’t care without spoilers for everything else, but honestly, you can just get away with reading the outer arcs. It also didn’t feel necessary. I had a friend tell me that Kubo may have been forced to write the second arc, and I completely believe it. The story could have ended after the first arc, and I would have been happy. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the last arc, and it was beautiful and gripping, but I could have lived without the drag that was the second arc. Overall, it’s a fantastic story, and I’m eager to see what the anime is like. Perhaps the show performed better with the second arc, given that they had more time to develop the story.

The New Extinction

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As I was reading, I thought it was quite timely that news about the “re-emergence” of an extinct species was announced: the dire wolf. I will go a bit into that later; however, I want to discuss The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert first. One of the draws that led me to this book was our current understanding of extinction. It was just amazing that there was a universal belief that no species ever died out, up until the 1700s, when people would find fossils and bones that did not match any species that were alive at the time. We also didn’t have the meteoroid hypothesis about what killed off the dinosaurs until the 80s. It just blew my mind how recent it was. Next, the author covered the more modern extinctions and how the migration of Homo sapiens aligns with the extinction of several species, and how to current activities may lead to the next mass extinction without a random catastrophe.

Now, onto the subject of making a species come back from extinction. As it may not be such a surprise with the dire wolves, we have not brought a species from extinction. As far as I know, science has not gone that far yet. The dire wolves are just grey wolves with some genes edited, but they are very cute, nonetheless. Even if they did come back from extinction, the species would still be considered functionally extinct, since the scientists are not trying to breed the wolves together. Also, as was brought up with Jurassic Park, I’m not sure that we should consider bringing species back, as cool as it would be. Evolution has continued without the existence of these species, so there would be no natural protections, unless you consider humans poaching them, which, I believe, would inevitably happen. Any de-extinct species would, in my opinion, be a glorified invasive species. In this example, wolves are considered top predators in their environment and would probably have no natural failsafe to keep the ecosystems aligned. I personally believe that we should focus on keeping the species that are still alive alive, rather than trying to create new species for us to protect or protect against. (But that might be none of my business.)