hehe

hunter of recommendations of basically anything any pronouns

[b3lz33bub]

[warning: Enstars brain rot, nerd knowledge]

VALKYRIE - ETERNAL WEAVING

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Lyric analysis *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Before I let myself indulge in this nerdy analysis of the song of my favourite Enstars unit, I have to outspeak for the detail and dedication the creators put into Valkyrie and Shu's character. The language, the references in Vakyrie songs portray Shu and his vision spledid. They really worked hard to maintain the image of an art obsessed eccentric, while still morphing his character development into refined shape.

.・゜゜・　　・゜゜・．.・゜゜・　　・゜゜・．.・゜゜・　　・゜

Now with the actual analysis

(I'm going to use the fanwiki translation as a source)

Eternal Weaving (Song)

[Mika] - green

[Shu] - pink

[Mika and Shu] - blue

.・゜゜・　　・゜゜・．.・゜゜・　　・゜゜・．.・゜゜・　　・゜

"A living soul, veiled with a lump of clay

Is blessed with a miracle. Let us begin here."

Mika is talking about himself, a puppet whose creator and saviour is Shu, the leader of Valkyrie.

"Singing glories of a king carved out of stone

I wonder if our anguish can be heard from afar."

Shu's past self is the king carved out of stone. Glorious and unshakable, untouchable, unchangeable. Unlike clay, which can be easily shaped into form, stone is resilient and hard to sculpt and reshape. It symbolizes Shu's narcissistic and proud persona, but also the fact that people reaching out to him wasn't enough, it was necessary for a humiliating failure to open his eyes and realize his mistakes.

"Fairytales, each distorted by time

Are old myths torn asunder and rewritten."

Valkyrie was going to reborn and for that to happen, the tragic past had to be left behind, Valkyrie to be "torn asunder" (Nazuna had to leave) and "rewritten" not as Shu's scheme, but as Shu and Mika's unit. Notice how "rewritten" is sung by both of them, despite Shu having a strong voice to end the verse. Just like Valkyrie, together, it would just be stronger and more mesmerizing.

[Chorus] "In an eternity that never ends, all things progress without halting."

At first glance, the phrase "eternity that never ends" might seem like a pleonasm, but it is purposefully sung so. The old Valkyrie seemed immortal, eternal, but it came to a crumble and a miserable downfall. Yet, it evolved, it came back stronger than ever, it progressed from the "eternity with an end" people might have assumed about Valkyrie after its tragedy.

"Now please, show me your eyes painted with delight."

Shu is addressing Mika, who has a high insecurity of his heterochromia. Thus, Shu is asking, not demanding, but saying "please" and asking for Mika to trust him. Shu wants to be Mika's comfort zone and be the one to preserve the delight in those eyes, Mika's happiness. In a metaphorical perspective, since the eyes are the gateways to the soul, Shu is asking Mika to be his true self around him, to not act according to Shu's "string pulls" anymore.

"From the cradle of the world tumbles and scatters;

Tears that are nothing but reflections of color,

Used only to weave a

Tapestry"

After the old Valkyrie's fall and inevitable crumble, the members had to endure much sorrow. The "tears" later on became "reflections of color", inspiration for the future reborn Valkyrie and motivation to weave Valkyrie, like a tapestry. We'll later on see the tapestry imagery continue.

Shu is known for being a master at sewing and likes using references into Valkyrie songs, this being the case too. "Weaving is a method of textile production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth." The 2 distinct threads, we will later on find one what are they, are used to reconstruct Valkyrie from its remains.

Furthermore, to weave, when it comes to stories, means to make complex connections. Thus, Valkyrie is a story which underwent many struggles and sorrows, many obstacles and much work.

"We adorn glamorous clothing, becoming nobility the moment

this comedy threads through the weft"

"Tapestry is weft-faced weaving, in which all the warp threads are hidden in the completed work, unlike most woven textiles, where both the warp and the weft threads may be visible." The old Valkyrie is the warp, as its decay let the current Valkyrie shine in all its might.

Compared to the current Valkyrie, the old Valkyrie has become a comedy, an act of aesthetics at the point of faking its genuinity. But Shu still recognizes the old Valkyrie as the backbone of Valkyrie's tapestry.

"The crumbling eternity of this nightmare entwines

with tragedy, strained into warps."

If for Shu, the old Vakyrie was a masquerade incomparable to the artistic heights of the current Valkyrie, for Mika it was "grotesque", a fuel for both his low self-esteem and his adoration for his unit. The tragedy of the old Valkyrie was a true nightmare, as Valkyrie and Shu were everything to him. Even so, he recognizes that the crumbling of Valkyrie is vital to uphold the present Valkyrie.

"As you submerge into that hot bath, let the vision of

A storyteller’s evanesced reality that we created fly free"

Shu and Mika are now addressing the audience to submerge into Valkyrie's story, one that one day will turn from reality to only a legend. "that we created" is sung together, once again, to portray their unity.

[Chorus] "In an eternity that never comes to an end, ideations evolve."

Same as the last chorus :)

"Let us join our embroidering together, misery cupped in our hands."

Mika is conscious that the current Valkyrie can only be embroidered into shape from the misery of their previous fall. That sorrow is an opportunity to arise, and shares it with both Shu and the audience, pain is nothing to be shameful about. They are willing to turn it into art.

"The ephemeral birth of that palace is

A delightful fever dream."

The old Valkyrie has always been meant to be ephemeral, and Shu knows that. He uses contradictory terms to express his feelings for the unit that once Valkyrie was, "delightful" for the great artistic achievements it has reached and a "fever dream" because he knows the suffering it has brought Nazuna and Mika and he deeply regrets it.

"「I am but a fool that struggles within the sorrow and rapture of this mire.」"

The introduction to the theater style monologue is highlighting the true feelings of the speaker, not through a song, not Mika as an idol, but Mika as himself. Mika has very low self-esteem, can't see his worth, his talent. He thinks himself not even worthy as a human, but as a marionette to be directed around as he suffers in his own sorrows.

"「Nay, your handwoven tales are a beauty desired by Epicurus himself!」"

Continuing with the addressed monologue, Shu displays his true feelings. He is hurt to hear Mika speak so poorly of himself. He wants Mika to know he is worthy, he is desired, by Epicurus himself. But why desired by Epicurus specifically?

"For Epicurus, the purpose of philosophy was to help people attain a happy (eudaimonic), tranquil life characterized by ataraxia (peace and freedom from fear) and aponia (the absence of pain)." Knowing Shu's character, the reason why he became an abuser of power in Ensemble Stars!, we can certainly deduce that when referring to Epicurus, Shu is referring to himself. "Epicurus advocated that people were best able to pursue philosophy by living a self-sufficient life surrounded by friends." By associating himself with Epicurus, Shu wants Mika to know that he is an admirable individual and wants to pursue his art and live his life alongside him.

"「O’Light! Why will you not cease creating!」

「O’Shadow! It is because that is precisely what you demand of me, and it is precisely that which makes you human!」"

Mika can't see his worth, his potential, his beauty. Why would the Light(Shu) keeping casting him(Shadow/Mika)? Shu knows in his heart that Mika wants to be worthy, wants to be in the spotlight and have his art shown to the world. As much as Mika is willing to give up, Shu won't cease to try to achieve their dream together. Because Mika having a dream means that he is his own person, not a marionette.

The shadow can't exist without light. Light can't truly exist without shadow, either.

"「We wish to bestow the beauty of art upon this world!」"

Mika and Shu can now announce their dream, they are ready to uptake the challenge in walking that road together, even if more suffering is yet to come. They now have each other, as equals.

"In this eternity that never ends, let us create that of which the Gods desire,

The reverie of an ever-changing creation."

The two of them are now expecting change, they will reach their mighty artistic goal which cannot be truly eternal, but ever-changing, morphing. As long as they keep themselves true to their hearts, the Valkyrie they are mending will remain truly eternal in its own way.

"The walls of this world’s palace, embellished with tapestries abound,

Displays an endless lineage of weavers."

Shu and Mika recognize that Valkyrie is not the only truly achieved artistic act, but there are many unit and idols also struggling to attain their artistic views and goals.

"Now, let us fall heir to that worth and mend it."

As a conclusion, Shu and Mika are willing to uphold the responsibility of mend Valkyrie into a unit worth its potential. Their true journey towards their dream is just starting.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STAYING TILL THE END, NERD! I wrote it twice cause Tumblr is evil and made me think it got my draft deleted.

Jokes aside, thank you for letting me ramble about this majestic song. Stan Valkyrie for clear skin!!

[b3lz33bub]

[warning: Enstars brainrot is back after a whole year, I still ramble like a nerd, spoilers for Raison d'être event story]

Valkyrie - Le temps des fleurs

*:･ﾟ✧ Lyrics, video and story analysis :*✧･ﾟ

(even if it's so obviously gay)

I have resurrected my enstars obsession and I found myself fated to dissect Valkyrie's intriguing songs once again, as it seems their relationship has progressed much since last time I had checked on them. This is one going to be elaborate since the song is heavily tied to the event story Raison d'être and to the stage performance which is filled with plenty of symbolism.

˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚ Relevant links ˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚

Lyrics translation by ForeverAsia

Raison d'être translation by Mika Enstars

Official MV

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ Title *:･ﾟ✧*:･

The title of the song, Le temps des fleurs, which translates to "The time of the flowers", could be a reference to the infamous french song from the late 60s with the same title. The original song sung by Dalida directly derives from a russian romance song and depicts the tale of a woman who misses her lover and commemorates the time when they were together, young and carefree.

This is important to note once we provide context from the event story.

*:･ﾟ✧* Raison d'être *:･ﾟ✧*

In the event Raison d'être, which translates to "reason for being", a common french expression, we discover Shu's grandfather wishes to hold a live funeral and turns its preparation into a competition between the other family members. He creates a rather elaborate scenario in order for Shu to uncover the truth about his youthful days in France. Shu's succesful deduction, with Mika's help, enables him to prepare an opera for the funeral.

But Valkyrie had decided to partially cover the truth from the rest of the family in the narration of the opera. Thus, the story birthed actually ends up as an allegory for the relationship Mika and Shu have. (That is why, I will refer to the characters in the story by whom they represent)

Shu, a foreign student in France, passed by a mansion covered in roses and sighted through the window Mademoiselle, whom he fell in love with. Each time he had seen her, he fell deeper and deeper, ending up entering the mansion, unable to contain his feelings.

To his dismay, the beautiful woman he had fallen in love with turned out to be just a life-sized doll.

But the story isn't simply just that. In the mansion was also, of course, a dollmaker, Mika, who had modelled Mademoiselle after his appearance in women's clothes. Deeply moved by Shu's devotion, who had been sending love letters and had been whispering his love in the night, Mika had fallen in love with him, only having been accustomed with the solitude of his own mansion up until then.

But since the discovery of Mademoiselle's true nature, Shu had fallen depressed. Mika decided to dress up in women's clothing and warmly recognise the man's feelings.

「 Je t'aime 」

"I love you"

Mika thought it would end up as a heartfelt, passing moment and their lives would fall back into monotony. But Shu's wishes had just become true — the woman he loved had loved him back.

Since then, he had visited the mansion time and time again. Everytime there was a knock at the door, Mika would hurringly put his women's clothes and makeup on.

This concludes the first act, a comedic tale about the tumultuous existance of a same-sex relationship in a time that wasn't very accepting of it. (As stated by Shu himself)

The second act is an epilogue of the events. Shu had gone back to Japan to fulfill the duties of his family, but promised himself he'd reunite with Mademoiselle. Years later, upon his return, the mansion of roses had decayed, the flowers withering. The only thing left was an inscription on the walls, written in red as if it were fresh blood:

「 Je t'aime 」

"I love you"

-------------------------------------------------------------

Instictually, you'd think that the roles of the story should be reversed. Since Mademoiselle is an extension of Shu, and Mika is a devout follower of Shu as an artist, wouldn't it make more sense for Shu to be the dollmaker and for Mika to be the foreign student?

That is clarified by the diverse use of the pronoun "I" in japanese throughout the retelling of the story by Shu and Mika. When talking about the foreign student, they use "boku", the pronoun version Shu usually uses. The dollmaker, instead, uses "ore", the pronoun version Mika uses. With that in mind and a little thought put into it, you'd see the pieces falling into place.

The first act depicts the relationship Mika and Shu had up until that point. Shu had fallen in love with Mika, the marionette, but the events of Valkyrie made him realise Mika being a mere marionette in his eyes was inhumane — it wasn't real love, but a devout admiration. Mika, though, had proven himself, slow and steady, to be a real human with free-will, wishes and ambitions, in front of the person he loved — an equal. Thus, Shu could truly love the person he only dreamed of loving previously because love can only really bloom between two equals.

The second act depicts Shu's fears about their future. At the beginning of the event story, he reveals he had already prepared a room for Mika to live in Paris so they will continue their lives together. When Mika told him about wanting to remain in Japan after graduation to maintain Valkyrie , Shu spirals out of control, betrayed and fearful. In his eyes, Mika refused maintaining, or even strenghtening, their relationship. In the opera, that is what Shu imagines would happen if they remain separated; one day, Shu would not find Mika waiting for him, having dissapeared from his life, their love withering.

Unlike the opera, we will discover the song, Le temps des fleurs, "ties the knot" of their thread of troubles and feelings.

*:･ﾟ✧* Lyrics & MV *:･ﾟ✧*

[Shu] - pink

[Mika] - green

[Shu and Mika] - blue

In the stage background is depicted the Eiffel Tower to represent where the story takes place, in Paris. This coincides with the city where Mika and Shu sort out their feeling about their future.

Mistakably compared to a marionette, those blue eyes seem vacant

As this foreign romance spun with a stranger begins to close

Wayfaring through an illusion, traversing on streets of stone

Wandering, endlessly, like melting wax dripping in diurnal rhythms

The two commemorate the circumstances of their early relationship, Shu mistaking Mika, a masterful artist, for a mere marionette, leading to a temporary love that couldn't truly exist this way, that melts with each passing day under the sun rays.

The night burns into the dawn, and the heart that yearns without reward

Has long since overlapped

Even if it’s the same as the breeze, that blows through in its flurry of gales

Even if Shu finds out the truth, that love for a doll can't be truly love, he still holds onto it despite all the misfortunes that have come his way, mainly the rough days of Valkyrie. His love for Mika was a "breeze", a gentle wind, in the midst the despair reminiscent of a "flurry of gales", a circular mass of strong winds that entrapped him.

In the MV, during this part, Shu and Mika hold hands and sway together as they sing. It is a crucial moment since (from my knowledge so correct me if I'm wrong) Mika and Shu haven't made such heartfelt gestures on stage before. It highlights how the songs have gradually become more concentrated on themselves, rather than Valkyrie talking to the audience like in the past.

O city of flowers, this love too can bloom, even on the wayside.

It shall remain as a single song

Sear that gorgeous splendor onto each other’s hearts

As this beloved shadowed silhouette[1]

Turns this into a phantasm tale

From the story of the opera written by the two, we can conclude that flowers represent love. Paris, the city of flowers in this case, is also the city of romance.

Even if their feelings seemed impossible of becoming reality because of the rather troubled beginning of their relationship, their strenght had led the two to believe it is possible to achieve, "even on the wayside". They would even accept it even if it were just a passing moment, "a single song", as long as it was real and satiatied their desires by "searing that gorgeous splendor on each other's hearts". When the moment of love would cease to exist, if it ever does, they believe it will be immortalized in their memory as a "phantasm tale", thus having no regret ever experiencing it.

During this moment, the MV background switches to the Temple of Love on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles. The choreography in front of this place dedicated to the women "loved" by the french royalty[2] is also very suggestive of the ignition of romantic feelings. Mika and Shu reach out their arms to each other's hearts as the camera focuses on their shared gazes during the moment. Not long after, the camera focuses on their hands as they join together in front of the Temple of Love, signifying their romantic union.

[1] The original translation on the fan wiki says "silhouettier", which is a word I couldn't find on any online dictionaries. I will assume they meant "silhouette", like other translations.

[2] The factuality of that statement could be debatable, but I am no expert in the matter, nor is it the focus of my point.

-------------------------------------------------------------

[The following segment isn't in the MV so it will be delimited with red.]

Even if we cling onto such ridiculous prayers

The feeling of hopelessness will never disappear, will it?

In that case, let’s leave the meaning of our encounter behind

As we change the regalia belonging to coincidence and fate

In this verse, they seem to be voicing each other's perception of their new relationship.

Shu is still on the edge about their future, as seen especially at the beginning of the event story. Despite both of them having shared such devotion for each other, he cannot help but feel hopeless that it would all end at any step.

Mika recognizes this and keeps looking forward, wanting Shu to adopt the same way of thinking. He has also been the first push that had led to the rehabilitation of Valkyrie, with the help of his faith in his mentor and the love he harbors for him. In this verse, it is also suggested that Shu isn't quite over their relationship during the ex-Valkyrie, thus the source of his hopelessness. It is also evident in the event story when he keeps mentioning Mika had become a human, probably fearful they would regress to their past dynamic.

Some things are unforgivable

Rather than grieving over those sins

Shall we dance the night away instead?

As I reach out my hand to you

And for you to look back at me

They seem to accept their irredeamable past that had led them to the present moment. If it meant reaching that point where they could share their love, "dance the night away", reach out their hands and look back at each other, it was worth it.

Is it possible to worry about the destination of an endless dream?

Even if it’s something that is not finite in nature

Let’s keep it forever, the shine that lasts only in this world

As we are sought and lured by each other

While having our souls turn into a phantasm tale

Unlike the love for a marionette that would melt with each passing day, this love, the love of an equal, is an "endless dream" and "not finite in nature". This current love that they share is more important that their "destination", meaning that they shouldn't worry about the future, which they did at the beginning of the event story, since their love would triumph even against time. This act of being "lured by each other" is compassionate enough to not just dissapear, get immortalized in their memory as in the first chorus, but instead the devotion for each other would be the one to immortalize them as lovers of a "phantasm tale".

-------------------------------------------------------------

Before the bridge commences, the background of the MV becomes pure white, turning Mika and Shu into mere silhouettes. The atmosphere is heavy. When they try to reach out for each other, they miss each other's embrace, unable to look back at one another. This could represent the moments when they feel lost during their relationship, an example being the opening scene of the event story.

Even if it’s worn and arenaceous

If you lift its casing, its contents will overflow

So even if time is bound, the shades and chromes will still remain

Painting the future in a blinding iridescence

Each verse of the first three is split in half between the two, representing a separation, but proving that, despite the circustances, they share the same feelings about their relationship.

Even if their love is "worn and arenaceous", almost on the brink of dying, "if you lift its casing", its coffin's lid , it will prove to be as strong as ever, "overflowing". Even if their love will die out, its impact will leave an imprint on their lives.

In the final verse, their voices join and their gazes meet. The conclusion is that, no matter the outcome, their love would brighten their future with "a blinding iridescence". Stripping themselves of the worries about both past and future, by embracing the present moment of their love, they have freed themselves.

In the background, the Arch of Triumph is revealed and the stage is filled with blooming flowers, a symbol of their love as established earlier. Then, the second[1] chorus begins.

[1] It is the third chorus if we talk about the entire song. But since this chorus mirrors the first one, it would be more suggestive to call it the second one, like it is in the MV.

O city of flowers, the entire town itself is wrapped in your love

Even the days that passes on by has bloomed and scattered

Let this continue to reverberate forevermore inside each other’s hearts

As this beloved shadowed silhouette

Manifests for this very reason to make you dance

Alongside this song of love, this song of love

The choreography is the same as the one in front of the Temple of Love. If the first time it was about the reciprocity of their feelings that had no clear duration, this time it is the confidence that they are eternal. Mika and Shu are victorious in their love's battle against time and, once again, can reach out for their hearts, look back at each other and join hands.

The final statement is made as their love is finally triumphant over all the hardships Valkyrie had to endure. Their love is so radient, "the entire town itself is wrapped" in it. Even if these moments of love, which have bloomed, would "scatter" in the past, they believe their feelings would keep "reverberating forevermore inside each other's hearts". The song ends with the acknowledgement of its true nature, it being a "song of love".

The MV ends with Mika and Shu looking into each other's eyes, arms ready to reach one another, but far enough to not yet be touching each other — for it is only the first step in their true relationship. The camera pans to Shu's face who, usually, doesn't allow for his affectionate side to surface easily, lovingly looking at Mika.

On a final note, it is really important to mention the outfits. There could be many interpretations for the split appearance of them: funeral and marriage, shadow and light, masculinity and femininity. Either way it may be, the outfits themselves represent union. If in the past, for example in "Eternal Weaving", Mika and Shu were distinguished by a certain symbol, like shadow and light, through their love, they have attained balance. It is both a funeral and a celebration of love. The clothes are the recognition that the lovers are both composed of light and shadow and that they complete one another. They are a symbol about appearance and essence, where one half is seen by the world (Shu in a tuxedo, strong and independent; Mika in a dress, soft and innocent) and the other only by the lovers (Shu in a dress beause he is quite emotional and compassionate; Mika in a tuxedo because he is strong-willed and would do anything for their hapiness together).

In the silence that follows, we can only have faith their love would prevail over anything in their way of looking into each other's longing eyes.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

Thank you for bearing with me! I am so crazed by their love story I had to go all out. I don't think straight romance has achieved this kind of depth yet, I am afraid. (Don't try to prove me wrong, I am right).

[dooppo]

[b3lz33bub]

(spoilers for s1-s4)

You know WWDITS is good when throughout the whole series, sprinkled on top of all the comedy, there is a pattern of not truly achieving anything that doesn't regress back to its original state. It all reflects the condition of the vampire: alive for an eternity, capable of doing almost everything, but stuck with one thing for the end of time, being a vampire.

It has been explicitly shown in the arc when Nandor was brainwashed by that fitness cult, how they only pretended to have become human when in reality there was no return from being a vampire, but it is conclusive in many more arcs. How the rebirth of Colin Robinson resulted in being himself still despite any efforts done in his childhood stages for him to be different. How Nadja's nightclub was almost fated to be not be fruitful for long. How Guillermo's attempt at having a boyfriend never worked, seeping back into his loneliness. How Nandor tried to sleep off for decades but never got back on it. How Nandor married but it just resulted into an awkward separation back into his lack of romantic life. How they all separated, but came back to the house much sooner than anticipated.

Its a constant. Everything surrounding the vampiric main cast is circling into itself (Guillermo being dragged into it by his relationship with them). Because being a vampire is permanent. There is no room for change; change is unachievable. If they weren't going to accept it, the universe would make sure of it.

(when I saw Lazlo find out Colin had forgotten all about his time as baby Colin, I was shattered and I have to cope, like Lazlo also needs to cope)

[samd1o1]

My experience with queer media lately:

[rexalogy]

[b3lz33bub]

I don't draw often but the demons in my head tempted me.

Ineffable Wives

˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖♡︎˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖

˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖♡︎˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖

Reference photos:

[bestbountyhunterinspace]

can't spell autism without u and i

[b3lz33bub]

Mom: Stop lazying around and do something important for once!

My dramatic ass: The importance of our actions is, from a societal perspective, dictated by the populace, which we are unwillingly part of since our first breath. Tell me, Will... Are we birthed on this Earth to constrain our innermost urges so we can let ourselves be enslaved in favour of communal productivity until God brings judgement upon us?

Mom: What are you- Who are you talking to??

Hannibal, popping out of the fridge: Yes, who are you talking to? >:(

[b3lz33bub]

[Warning: Enstars brainrot, Shu levels of rambling like a nerd]

VALKYRIE - Uruwashi no Nightingale

⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ Lyric analysis ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆

I am keen on Valkyrie's lyrics and, since I am an absolute fanatic for symbolism in arts, why not babble, yet again, about how marvelous Mika and Shu's relationship is, like a nightingale's song? I am indebted to Shu for making me learn new English words every time he has a dialogue, thus this is my compensation. He'll be one of the people I'll thank for my C2 (hopefully) at CAE.

˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖♡︎˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖♡︎˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖♡︎˖⁺‧

Now, to the analysis

(I'm going to use the Ensemble Stars fanwiki translation)

Uruwashi no Nightingale (Lyrics)

[Mika] - green

[Shu] - pink

[Mika and Shu] - blue

˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖♡︎˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖♡︎˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖♡︎˖⁺‧

"The crescent moon's dragee floating in a spring

At the bottom of this dormant forest"

"Dragée" is a small silver-coloured ball used in decoration of desserts, usually cakes. It's an obvious contradiction regarding the moon's shape, since it is mentioned to be crescent. Knowing the crescent moon, in alchemy, used to symbolize silver, it might confirm the moon and the dragée are one and the same.

The crescent moon could represent Mika. In the character profile on the fanwiki, it is mentioned that the name Mika might come from 三日月 (mikadzuki), meaning "crescent moon", deduction made from the pun in his solo song, Rondo of Amber and Lapis Lazuli. In Greek mythology, the crescent moon is a symbol of Diana, the goddess of the moon, representing the female principle as a juxtaposition of the Sun, Apollo, the male principle. Knowing Mika is often associated with femininity, even by his name, and that Shu is "his light" to him (him being the shadow, indicated by his last name Kagehira), as stated in Eternal Weaving, we can quite easily deduce that Mika is the crescent moon, missing something(his self esteem and his independence; he thinks he is not complete enough to be anything but a doll), but presenting perfect(Shu's perfect doll) on stage, to the "dormant forest" of art-consuming masses.

"Find out in this frail

Swaying grove, the feeble tune wandering in this night breeze"

These lyrics are simply referring to the nightingale's song, wandering the forests during the night, the time when less birds are awake and it is the most prominent. Apparently, the only ones who sing regularly at night are the unpaired male nightingales, thus the nocturnal song might serve to attract a mate. (suspicious, isn't it? HMMM... )

"Let's sing

(Tica-ling)

To this clear sky

(Tica-ling)

Till the breath of dawn, in the joy of life."

This far it is clear, Shu and Mika are the nightingales. In culture, the nightingale has become not only a symbol of poetry, but also "a master of a superior art that could inspire the human poet". Knowing Valkyrie's purpose, as stated by Shu, is to inspire people and the future artists through its artistic acts, the analogy seems fitting.

The nightingale singing at dawn is assumed to be important in defending the bird's territory. Valkyrie is using the message in their music to preserve the hope and their artistic relevance.

Always loved when Valkyrie uses turns to sing verses and then sing together. Valkyrie is rooted in individuality and miscommunication, but has come together as a homogeneous whole in the end.

"Such a beautiful

Ah nightingale, ah nightingale, with that singing voice of yours

Let Tica-linga-lira Tica-linga-lira guide us

Ah nightingale, ah nightingale let's sing together

Tica-linga-lira Tica-linga-lira open your eyes to the world"

Mika and Shu are addressing the audience, how their music brings both the artist and the enjoyer together and opens their minds to new horizons, perceptions.

"Let go of your fears from that terrifying childhood of yours

Inside this defenseless dream"

It can be unclear who Shu is addressing to because both have suffered their great deal of trauma in their early years, Shu being bullied for his affinity for dolls and Mika feeling like he has been abandoned. Either way, it is clear that Valkyrie is their "defenseless dream" which allowed them both to let go of their past fears.

"I who was waiting beside the window

For you to save my light"

Like in the last verse, it matches with both characters. Mika and Shu regard themselves each other's light and savior. Shu has given Mika an ambition to hold to and a reason to not feel abandoned anymore, while Mika has stayed with Shu after Valkyrie's tragedy even in their most miserable times. Though, I have to say I am more inclined to believe this verse is about Shu, since after the tragedy, he has locked himself into his room "waiting beside the window" for someone to save him from his failure.

"It's time

(Tica-ling)

To wipe your tears

(Tica-ling)

In this horizon we won't be separated according to the song"

Valkyrie's rebirth has given Mika and Shu enough strength to heal their emotional wounds. Through their music and passion for Valkyrie, both won't be anytime soon separated. The horizon is the line that separates, but also binds the Earth to the skies, the arts to the people, Valkyrie to its fans, Mika to Shu and Shu to Mika.

"It will come out

Ah nightingale, ah nightingale, your inner power

Tica-linga-lira Tica-linga-lira to make your wishes come true

Ah nightingale, ah nightingale let's live together

Tica-linga-lira Tica-linga-lira in this coloured world"

Alike the previous chorus, Valkyrie is singing to the audience and to themselves, how their music gives them strength, motivation to live in this vast world, composed of both brightness and darkness, it's multi-coloured.

"This opaque moon dedicated to eternity, burned my fate

As time passes by, all signs of equal rebirth, can be done by a prayer

In this pure morning."

This time, the moon represents the old Valkyrie, opaque — didn't let the light penetrate it —, which was supposed to be eternal but brought ruin, yet also rebirth to Shu's fate as an artist and as a person. Despite having his fate demolished, time mends things and has proven that both Shu and Mika were slowly healing into a better self with the help of their determination, their "prayers". A new morning, a new beginning, is waiting for the rebirth of a healed and even more magnificent Valkyrie.

"Ah nightingale, ah nightingale, with that singing voice of yours

Let Tica-linga-lira Tica-linga-lira guide us

Ah nightingale, ah nightingale let's sing together

Tica-linga-lira Tica-linga-lira open your eyes to the world"

This time, the chorus is sung like a pre-chorus and separately by Mika and Shu, as if they are reminding each other of the reason they are "nightingales", each other's savior through their song, before merging into one voice and passing down the message to the audience.

"Ah nightingale, ah nightingale, your inner power

Tica-linga-lira Tica-linga-lira to make your wishes come true

Ah nightingale, ah nightingale let's live together

Tica-linga-lira Tica-linga-lira in this colourful world"

Same as the other chorus :)

"Resonate with this performence..."

A powerful endnote and conclusion, to indulge into the salvaging song of the beautiful nightingale.

˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖♡︎˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖♡︎˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖♡︎˖⁺‧

YOU READ ALL THE WAY THROUGH, NERD! HAHAHA.

Thank you for wasting your precious time and good luck y'all on the Sanrio collaboration banner. My Mayoi 5star shall bless your souls!

Update: If I'd actually have done my research, this would have been more indepth. Apparently the song also references the fable The Nightingale by Hans Christian Andersen which portray's Mika and Shu's relationship on point. I am truly uncultered, my apologies!!!/hj

[b3lz33bub]

[spoiler alert]

Farewell, my concubine

・~*- An appreciation post -*~・

This movie has struck me, visually and story-wise. Not only is the cinematography majestic, worthy of portraying artists and their lives, but also features an insane amount of themes in the span of only 3 hours.

The main theme would be the struggling artist, the one who loses themselves in their own creation. The movie walks along that thread throughout the protagonist's entire life and brings a conclusion: an artist, no matter what, remains always with their art. Hardships endured in childhood, love, success, political oppresion and the flow of society, they were all intertwined with the protagonist's passion for opera, thus resulting into an utter obsession and blur of reality.

Early childhood physical and sexual abuse and forced feminization

Not remaining the first place in your loved one's heart, at the point of betrayl

Addiction and "prostitution" as the result of the performer industry

Political oppression and cultural erasure from both far right wing (japanese imperialists) and far left wing (chinese communists)

I couldn't have asked for more. Truly a movie depicting the entirety of a life which has lost itself between reality and Beijing Opera.

Here is one of my favourite portrait shots in the movie. The final stage of despair: giving up. At that point, he had lost his soul. And when he, at last, got a glimpse of it back once he performed one last time, the concubine had to die.

[b3lz33bub]

[Spoilers for NBC's Hannibal]

Why is autistic representation in popular shows just not it? Idealization and dehumanization over proper portrayl. The matter of being gifted.

I have seen a lot of autistic people comment on Extraordinary Attorney Woo and one thing is for certain. Woo Young is not necessarily bad representation as it is the usual "genius person with autism that has a special ability". The trope is used for the autistic protagonists of all popular shows. This overused type of representation is harmful because it only represents a small fraction of the community and it teaches the neurotypical audience who isn't educated on the subject of autism, how to perceive autistic people, as genuises whose worth is solely on their superhuman abilities.

But this is no new stuff. As I said at the beginning, many people have issued it through their own words and perspective, much detailed and knowledgeable in the subject than I am.

Because of these discussions that have been going on for some time, I remembered that Will Graham, the protagonist of the TV series Hannibal, fits the problematic archetype. But the way the show handles it, the protagonist "somewhere on the spectrum" dissolves the potential bad representation.

Will Graham is introduced as a likely autistic person with an empathy disorder, that leads him to be able to highly empathize with killers and reconstruct their mindset. That is his "gift". Later we will discover that this said gift is the prime reason of Will's psychological collapse and moral deviation.

Like other savant autistic protagonists, relationships are built on the protagonist's ability. Will's crush, the psychiatrist Alana, initially claims to be interested in him "professionally". Will's boss and somewhat friend, Jack, keeps using and pushing him for his ability so that the FBI would solve the murder cases faster. Other coworkers view him as this tool, a walking "empathy disorder" (if I remember that correctly, Will mentioned that himself). Even Hannibal gets interested in Will because of his ability that offers our protagonist what's necessary to understand Hannibal. Because of other people's label, of the glorification of his gift beyond himself as a person, Will gets pushed to the limit. Hannibal has noticed such and took advantage of it.

The same behaviour of the people surrounding the protagonist, as well as of the audience, brings one success and idolatry, while in Hannibal it is a source of torment. Why is that? Because, in most shows, autistic people aren't people and their "gift" can only bring them happiness and no consequences. That idealized situation, repeated over and over, becomes ignorant. The series Hannibal shows the omitted side of these savant autistic people through a horror-thriller dramatization: their humanity. How, despite being genuises like no ordinary person can be, they are still humans who are prone to suffering like any other person.

Despite the main focus of Hannibal isn't Will's autism, it plays one of the most important roles in the main plot and his character development. While the shows which are clearly labeled as having "autistic protagonists" barely issue half the experience of said protagonists as neurodivergents.

💅Stan Hannibal💅

MENTION: Autistic-coded characters are indeed great representation than the offically marketed characters. For me, Will is the first character offically autistic which, despite following the autistic archetype of television, can't be considered bad representation. That's why I especially mentioned him as, in my definition, good representation.

[b3lz33bub]

A homophobic guy I know keeps babbling how his favourite movie is The Lighthouse and how genius it is. I do agree it's a great movie of symbolic value. But then the amount of homoerotic imagery comes into the discussion,,,, Let's manifest he comes out of the closet and accepts himself one day🥹🙏 💖

[themthistles]

love when a show hands me a seemingly normal protagonist who becomes a little more morally grey and a lot less heterosexual as the story progresses and then sprinkles in lies, murder, manipulation and yearning

[b3lz33bub]

literally a whole as genre for me

[b3lz33bub]

Idk about y'all but those who recommend Dorian Gray (2009) film probably haven't read the book. To me it just doesn't have the proper vibe of Wilde's writing. Or my lesbian ass just doesn't like the actor,,, You decide which one it is.