Notices by Katztronaut (katztronaut@treehouse.technopagans.de)

@liztai Been loving season 1 a lot so far. It feels like a really fresh take on the superhero genre, even if a lot of well-known tropes are mixed in. Absolutely looking forward to season 2! ^^

@liztai I so wanted to watch this drama, but with these English subs, impossible. They made me rant here the other day, too. I doubt that German & French are better, so no chance but to step up my Mandarin learning. Well, motivation is motivation, I guess.

Flourished Peony is a heavy topics show... whew. They really should add a content warning for domestic violence, honestly. The story is well told, don't get me wrong, but wow, is this a cold fictional world it takes place in. I think the self-righteousness and self-pity of the abuser is very realistically depicted though. I need a break now. 😵 #cdrama #chinesedrama

@liztai It broke me how Zhao Mo Er's heart was broken twice in a row. 😭 Er Ge is the character I relate most to out of all the shows I've watched until now I guess. 😅

And then comes episode 14 of Riverside Code at Qingming Festival and hits you right in the feels. 😭 Both Zhang Yao and Hao Fu Shen are superb in this episode, definitely 2 young actors to keep an eye on. #cdrama #chinesedrama

@liztai I think the definition of censorship that makes the most sense to me is that censorship is moderation used not to avert harm from people, but from a power system. Hence, what some western billionaires are doing on their platforms when they are attacked is censorship, too, what they are not doing to protect vulnerable groups is missing moderation.
I definitely agree with you, that we need better social media rules and regulations, and they have to be designed to avert harm from people first and foremost.

@liztai 😊 It's getting better and better. I so love the anti-hero/hero main! He's really wonderful. When he tries to follow his wife onto the roof... so good. xD I really want more shows like this.

Riverside Code at Qingming Festival has captured all my attention right now - it's a fantastic show. It's wonderful for many reasons: for the main couple that is not in their 20s. For the realistic portrayal of the younger brother on the spectrum who is *not* there for comic relief, but as a part of the team/family. For the dignified depiction of the powerlessness of the poorer classes and their fight to survive or get justice anyway. The show was a slow build up, but when it gets going it has quite some storytelling heft. #cdrama #chinesedrama

@liztai
You're making me want to take another look! xD
Btw, I don't want to talk you into liking Fangs of Fortune. ^^ If we'd all agree on everything, there would be no interesting conversations. ^^

@AnnaAnthro

@liztai Ha! I cannot let this go unchallenged! ;-)
Plot twist: Fangs of Fortune is about the same topic. It contrasts the two main "opponents"* by this - one is able to rid himself of obsession, self-importance and hatred, even if it is meant to be his fate to be the vessel for the 'malicious energy' of the world - the other is destroying everyone and everything in his path because he can't give up his obsession with being slighted by the human world.

*(opponents in "..." because they also used to be best friends who still feel deeply for each other)

I also want to humbly say that there *are* people in the West who understand and value the Buddhist worldview. ^^

I think I feel drawn to the style of FoF because I like mannerism in art and movies, aestheticism is not a slur in my book. ^^ My understanding of art/movies was shaped among others by David Lynch's films and I learned to decode symbolism as deeply meaningful - while to others it may seem artsy nonsense. Yet, symbolism and style is also still deeply personal.

While we still get a set of specific cultural norms in our education in different parts of the world, our age is so full of access to knowledge and material from around the world that I think it's not easy to determine why a certain style appeals to people from a certain culture. For example, droves of 30-somethings in Germany grew up with Manga and Manga/Anime culture and Japanese video games. They have a completely different understanding of Eastern culture than people just 10 years their seniors. I guess I'm an outlier being 20 years older even and still started reading Manga and getting interested in Asian culture around my 20s. 😆 But we're here, we definitely exist. 😏

@AnnaAnthro

@liztai @AnnaAnthro I'm the other side of the coin in this one. I gave it up. 😅 I love Fangs of Fortune, which has admittedly all kinds of flaws that you have to look the other way from, but I couldn't in Snowy Night... it's strange how it's so personal that some dramas just click and others don't. ^^

@liztai First and second episode are already ... phew. Very painful. But also very good storytelling so far, and a nice basic idea - not new, but well implemented. So I'm torn... let's see how far I make it. 😅

Watched the first episode of Blossom and it looks really, really good, but also very high on the pain and suffering scale. #cdrama

@Sollenbum @liztai ⬆️ This. At a certain point in Game of Thrones one stops caring for the characters because they are only there to provide shock moments or body parts to gawk at.

@liztai I started with Hong Kong movies in the 1990s (A Chinese Ghoststory was my first love), then Korean movies in the 2000s (Bin Jip, Old Boy), but Cdramas have been a new addition since last year. So I'm still a baby novice, but I have some knowledge about the different narrative style from my studies. ^^

@liztai Wait, wouldn't it be the other way around? 🤔 *gets lost in overthinking...* But "burping with excitement" sounds way less cute... hmmmm.

As I feared, Fangs of Fortune is dropping the plot left and right from episode 25 on. The crying scenes are reaching near parodistic levels. And yet I still love it, because its images are so stunningly beautiful and the whole cast is playing their hearts out. And it did inspire me to bring out my oil pastels again after a long art-ing dry-spell. (The painting is still in WIP stage) #cdrama

@liztai @AnnaAnthro @Sollenbum Personally, I think it's good that everybody has different tastes and likes different things, otherwise the creative landscape would be very small and boring! ^^
I don't really care if a drama is popular or not, I'm only starting to notice these things atm. I go after what visuals I like and if I think the story has potential most.
What I like about Fangs of Fortune are the stunning visuals, and they haven't slaughtered the story... yet... :P I think the acting is good quality, not top scores from everyone but most are really good. Costume & make-up people did a REALLY good job, I love the look. Except maybe for Zhuo Yi Chen's Rhinestone Cowboy outfit. 😆 I love how the magic works and how they made it look. They did invest wisely in the special effects and that's quite rare. ^^ And, a thing that I find really rare in drama series is how deeply affectionate the whole group acts towards each other (except Miss Brooding Archeress -.-) I wonder where they're taking this. But... I'm only at episode 15... plenty more to possibly pour it all down the drain... or make it fabulous. It's always kind of a lucky bag situation with cdrama, I found. :P

@liztai @AnnaAnthro @Sollenbum Oh nooooo! 😆 You can resist the moody goth Great Yao?! And the cute half mountain god? 😱 You're stronger than me! 😛 I've quite fallen for the whole ensemble I think. ^^ Except child prodigy doctor and grumpy archeress.

@liztai @AnnaAnthro @Sollenbum *whispers* Fangs of Fortune... 😏 take a look, I think you won't be disappointed ^^