There has been no official word or further statement on this, but the Kirby Forgotten Land OST released today in Japan and the attached book lists Kirby series composer and father of Kirby music, Jun Ishikawa as a "former" HAL Laboratory member.
Again, we don't know anything right now, but the most likely situation is that he has chosen to retire. He had previously stated in regards to working on Kirby and the Forgotten Land that he wants to continue making Kirby series music, so a retirement may be a way for him to lighten his workload and focus on himself while leaving the door open to more potential work for the series he gave so much to.
Let us wish him luck and happiness for all he gifted us with and hope that even though he's no longer officially with HAL Laboratory, we might still be able to hear his work in future games.
If it is indeed just him taking retirement at 60 (which I hope it is), it is somehow extremely in character for him to just so quietly retire.
Whatever the circumstances, the man wrote the entire Kirby's Dream Land soundtrack—and 'A New Wind for Tomorrow' is such an important track to me—and then revitalised the Kirby sound at the turn of the millennium through the work he did on KDL3 and K64. Even on KatFL he clearly still had 'it' with tracks like 'Invasion at the House of Horrors' (and honestly 'Through the Tunnel' is a low-key favourite of mine—even though it can get lost in the mix of all the amazing stage themes later in the game). It's also difficult to ignore his role in the overall series sound design—he created some of the most iconic sound effects we know from all the way back in Kirby's Dream Land, like the 1-Up sound and the Warp Star warble.
Ishikawa may be 元ハル研 (ex-HALken) but his role as the 元祖 (originator) of the Kirby sound and its characteristic 元気 (energy) won't be overlooked anytime soon.
ah so I'm going through a major life transition and a lot of my daily schedule right now is cleaning and packing rather than indulging my Kirby hyperfixation, but I did catch the new eps of Disney!Who and my overall takeaway so far is it's fine? not 2023 Specials-tier brilliant? maybe not written to please the people that grew up with old new!Who? but definitely better than where the show was going before?? [extremely mild spoilers below break]
I think compared to the 2023 Specials there's definitely a lot more Series 1/2 energy in the sense that there's a lot of uneven fluctuation between character building, unsubtle social commentary, and toilet humour, and obviously how it fluctuates really depends on the episode (shockingly not every episode of Series 1 was like Aliens of London/World War Three). I almost wonder if he wrote the episodes in the season proper before writing the Specials, because the Specials felt a lot more refined. or maybe he figured that it was more important to get the Specials right (which is true).
still not sure if Space Babies should have been the first episode after the nominal series premiere—which a lot of people are going to skip because they'll have watched it at Christmas—as it definitely has that Aliens of London-type 'we need an episode to scare but also gross out the kiddies' energy. I don't think it's an episode where Internet reactions are going to predominantly come from the target audience for it.
I liked The Devil's Chord a lot more—if RTD wants to have an episode of Disney!Who be a fourth-wall-eviscerating music battle drag show I am honestly all for it. I can see people reacting badly to the drag or the fourth wall evisceration or both but I hope nobody thinks this is anything new (especially breaking the fourth wall, a proud tradition dating all the way back to the First Doctor's tenure).
and that's the great thing about Who that I think the post-RTD showrunners forgot at some point—it has often been an anthology of not just stories and themes but even genre—you don't have to just oscillate between grim/acerbic sci-fi and grim/acerbic historical stories. and in that sense I think making streaming a big thing for Who is a great boon—unveiling multiple episodes at once means you present a better overall expectation for how the rest of the season is going to go. and in this case even if the individual episodes didn't blow me out of the water, I'm not unhappy about the overall direction.
also, I guess RTD's writing has evolved from arc words to arc weather. amazing.
this is the thing that I actually wanted to make work for the 32nd anniversary—an arrangement for piano/uke/Andes—but I completely ran out of time to polish it. but hey it's not an awful demo
I feel like I need to offset the recent non-Kirby programming on this tumblelog so have some photos featuring Kirby in a sailor suit from earlier in the year that I just hadn't gotten around to posting
and with Davina McCall's first appearance in Doctor Who since 2005's 'Bad Wolf', the summoning ritual is complete. we have now fully returned to RTD-era new!Who
in a moment definitely completely unrelated to any Internet goings-on,* I finally watched my used DVD of Shattered Glass and it is an excellent movie about intellectual fraud that I highly recommend.** probably long out of print but maybe your local library has a copy, and I'm sure there's a streaming service out there somewhere that has it. Hayden Christensen's portrayal of Stephen Glass feels eerily spot on if you go watch the television interview Glass did years later (which is included in the DVD). and if you don't care about good storytelling then you get to see people use antiquated cell phones and Windows 3.1 PCs, and that's got to be worth something to someone
[* it would be unfair to not note the source of the inadvertent reminder that I own this movie]
[** meaning I recommend the movie, not the fraud. don't try intellectual fraud kids]
Quick note: this tumblelog will, of course, be monitoring the situation with the Disney+-ified version of Doctor Who. However, I won't be live-tumblelogging or reviewing the specials until we're through everything including the Christmas Special, to avoid rushing to judgement. Count me in the sceptical but hopeful camp for now.
Anyhow, two minutes left until the reboot. Good luck.
"600+ person-years of effort" have not stopped the site from losing $30M a year.
"We are at the point where after 600+ person-years of effort put into Tumblr since the acquisition in 2019, we have not gotten the expected results from our effort, which was to have revenue and usage above its previous peaks," the posted memo reads.
irreversible damage was done to user interests between 2017 and 2019. the site was never going to return to (let alone exceed) its previous peaks in usage. I'm shocked that Automattic thought this was a realistic goal.
The cultural reach and cachet of Tumblr has long exceeded its business prospects.
true enough, which is why I would have thought Automattic acquired tumblr as a loss leader, using it to enhance their overall image and maybe redirect businesses and professional users to other more profitable offerings under their corporate umbrella. again, shocked that they expected to return to peak revenue in any way. Flickr's new owners, on the other hand, are actively embracing the fact that Flickr is an absolute financial albatross but culturally invaluable, so much so that they've managed to spin up a nonprofit organisation to this end. just as you don't treat Flickr as a competitor to Instagram, surely the absolute worst thing to do with tumblr is treat it as a high-revenue competitor to mainstream social media?
anyway, if this site zaps away into oblivion, you won't know where to find me. unless you do. which you might.
I'm working through my second Star Allies save file at the moment and somehow managed to get through Soul Melter EX again. I still don't quite have the timing to get through the 3D shooter segments without being whittled down to minimum health, but I guess when in doubt spam Sparkler Turn at every opportunity???
as a small bonus for myself: I've always imagined that the Void battle should specifically end with Kirby throwing a Friend Heart at Void at the very tipping point, and curiously that's exactly how this run ended, with Kirby reviving an existing friend before trying to make friends with Void. a dream of friends indeed ...
I recently had the occasion of visiting Kraków, and while I had the opportunity to see a number of remarkable sights—including some sobering ones that lend perspective to the tragedies of the Second World War—instead here are some of the best pictures involving the travelling sailor Kirby plush mascot
it’s the 31st anniversary of Kirby’s debut in Japan! unfortunately no art from me this time. to make up for it, here’s Kirby out in the world taking in a range of exciting European sights. many happy returns!
finally the content this tumblelog needed: changing almost every instrument in a Kirby music track to be The Synth and then underlining it with the Amen break
what do you think of magolor soul’s true arena desc? makes me think he isn’t truly sorry.
I wanted to save this ask to write something MUCH more comprehensive about this but, um, serious RL stuff (it's positive stuff, no worries. I'm just kinda anxious about it...) popped up during my break so since I'm going to need to duck away for a few days to cool down (and because I'm currently super mega obsessed with True Arena Magolor) I decided to hit this one quickly.
So, in brief, this game has an excellent translation. Forgotten Land quality. I'd say even a little bit above that, since Magolor's writing in the epilogue is so good. (Biased?)
But there is a slight shift of TONE in Magolor Soul's True Arena description, the 2nd phase, where he talks directly to Kirby. (Honestly, this is probably just an issue of spacing. Magolor talks a LOT and you can see this screen is packed with text. Amusingly, spacing was my guess for the loss of a few details from Magolor Soul's pause screen in the original game.)
(Photo nicked from willidleaway)
Here is a quick "alternate" translation from me:
"Kirby, frankly, I found you a pain to deal with. And the way you looked at me with that blank stare even after I betrayed you? It irks me that I keep having to rely on you but... I've had enough. Kirby of the Stars, hurry up and destroy this thing on my head. When you do, I'll come back and... heheheh...I'll tease you plenty!"
The part TumblingPotatoes is referring to is probably the part I translated as "...found you a pain to deal with." The word in question can mean "dislike" as in "We've invited Magolor to dinner tonight!" "Ugh, I really dislike that guy!" but it really just means someone that, for a variety of reasons, you may struggle to deal with.
The fact that Magolor is a consummate liar but Kirby approaches everyone with honesty and openness is a quick and easy answer for why Magolor might feel that way about Kirby. Not to mention, as he says in both versions, Kirby is SO honest they didn't even react with shock or hurt when Magolor betrayed them. It's hard to say WHY Kirby didn't have that kind of emotional reaction, maybe they just knew better? Maybe Kirby figured, "Huh. I guess it's just time to beat the evil out of you like I've done with all my friends to date!"
The reason I prefer the Japanese slightly is because the English had to combine the "...it irks me to rely on you" and "hurry and break this thing on my head" into one line which, while Magolor is meant to be speaking from a place of pride (he doesn't want to admit he needs help. But of course, he really, really, REALLY needs help) it does sort of give him a cocky attitude in English. (The addition of "Ugh" does something similar. It does a wonderful job showing he's having to fight his own nature to admit this.)
But in Japanese, his desperation ("hurry") comes off better. It makes him sound a little bit more sad too (Something about Magolor using "this thing" in Japanese, 「頭のコレ」, even though it's the same phrase in English... but the context behind refusing to identify the Crown always gives me the feeling that at this point in the soul-consuming process, he's too frightened to even say it's name.)
...And this all hits especially hard because he uses the key phrase "Kirby of the Stars." Any time anyone invokes Kirby's "full name" you know things are serious.
His last line, his "threat" to toy with you/tease you is basically just the same Magolor you see in the epilogue. He can "turn over a new leaf" and still be a villainous & mischievous little egg. Saving his life isn't going to give him a personality transplant. It isn't going to mean he doesn't like playing pranks on people - or that he thinks that hitting a bomb with a frying pan isn't one of the multiverse's greatest games and definitely needs a space in his theme park. ^^
Again, he may also be trying to preserve some of his tattered dignity there. The long and short of it is... Magolor is being "tsundere" (I hope I don't need to explain that one...?)
Yes, he cares about Kirby as a friend. (Will he say it? No.) Yes, he feels bad for what he did. (Will he say that? Also no.)
...He CAN'T. It's not the way he communicates. But remember that Magolor has lied to you throughout the whole game. And it's the Liar Magolor that always tells you how "thankful" he is, how "happy" he is you two met. How "wonderful" and "amazing" Kirby is.
The fact that Magolor is willing to say "yeah, you kind of annoyed me" is a sign that Magolor is giving Kirby something he's potentially never given ANYONE before...
The truth.
So yes, this experience HAS changed him for the good and he absolutely, undeniably cares about Kirby.
--
Last Minute Addition:
It's interesting, in light of the very likely sounding theory that Magolor has already been fully consumed by the crown in this fight (his eyes disappear right as he uses "the last" of his ability to fight against the crown to leave you a single apple) and CANNOT be saved that the English text "...then someday..." and "...I MAY get to toy with you..." when the Japanese doesn't have these vagueties on Magolor's behalf. (I was influenced enough by it that even I included the phrase "when I come back" when Magolor just says "I will again...tease you")
Does he know it's already too late? It kind of gives you the feeling that Magolor is either lying to sooth Kirby from what the puffball has to do (kill him) or he's trying to goad Kirby on into finishing this. Really just makes the whole thing more heartbreaking.
oh my god someone says it! I’m probably going to mostly write in verbose agreement here, but ...
my translation would weaken that first sentence even more, ending up with something closer to:
Kirby, I don’t know what to do with you. Even after all my tricks, you just stare back blankly like that ... I resent relying on you time and again, but ... fine. Kirby of the Stars, quick, break this thing on my head. Then, I’ll be back ... heheheh ... for another prank!
it’s also interesting to look at the Korean translation, which generally ties very closely to the Japanese when Kirby games are concerned.
커비, 나는 너를 모르겠어.
속임수에 당해도 멀뚱거리기나 하잖아.
몆 번이나 네 도움을 받는 건 분하지만… 됐어.
별의 커비, 얼른 내 머리 위의 관을 부숴 줘.
그러면 내가, 크크큭… 골탕 먹여 줄게!
Kirby, I can’t figure you out. Even after falling prey to my tricks, you just stare back blankly. It’s maddening to have you help me out time and again, but ... fine. Kirby of the Stars, quick, break this crown on my head. Then I’ll, heheheh ... play a right trick on you!
there are some minor if interesting differences (like how the Korean version explicitly says ‘crown’, which might just be a grammatical thing), but both the Japanese and Korean versions emphasise the fact that Magolor is just a troll, whose modus operandi is constant mischief and trickery and who lives to see the look on the faces on the receiving end. to me, the JP/KR versions don’t suggest Magolor is insulted by Kirby’s (lack of) reaction—he’s puzzled. stringing along this innocent, kind hero under false pretenses to help him achieve control of the universe?! surely his greatest trick yet! and yet ... no reaction? well, that’s ... new ... and he doesn’t really know how to work with that.
and where in the EN version it reads like Magolor’s taunting Kirby, still trying to test Kirby or at least cause trouble for Kirby one last time with this challenge—in the JP/KR version it’s a desperate cry for help. he tries to save face—how did he, who now should have control of everything, come to rely on this pink puff over and over again?—but in the end the situation is long beyond that and Magolor knows it.
while my heart of hearts leans towards the JP/KR tone of desperation, both these tones are entirely plausible in the end. after all, this is Magolor still under the Master Crown’s domination, and he’s probably flashing between his internal desperation and the aeons’ worth of hate and anger infused into the Master Crown through its previous history. so what he’s truly saying in his original tongue is probably something just a little ineffable in human language that has nuances falling somewhere in between all of these translations into English and Japanese and Korean ...
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