Demon Slayer Mugen Train, Haikyuu Movies, and Anime Arc Films

This has been on my mind lately. I am only counting onward from Mugen Train so no Digimon Adventures tri here as it ended the pre-release of the anime film that kicked off the trend. 

This is specifically about arcs adapted into films, not canon-adjacent films like One Piece Red and MHA Two Heroes though the cameos I have seen in the latest chapter as of writing all the movies are basically canon now while characters are canon less so the timelines. While MHA World Heroes’ Mission was released after Mugen Train, that MHA is the very last MHA film at this point so honestly I don’t count it any more than a side adventure that featured Rody, a movie-only character that prove so popular to the point of ranking in the popularity polls that his fellow movie-only characters never had a scratch of. There is a difference between making cameos from movie-created characters and making them relevant after all. Detective Conan is notorious for taking movie characters and making them canon like Shiratori no ever which way. MHA just confirmed those movie events as canon whereas DC/CC made them plot-relevant but in no way have I heard the movies are canon as I heard from many including official sources and fans these are canon; I think I heard Rody became so true to Horikoshi that he wanted him plot-relevant but I don’t know about that honestly. I mean Takagi was just some background character until the voice actors improvised that using the seiyuu’s name is a must now albeit Gosho Aoyama changed the meaning of the names with some character changes to best for the detective theme. The whole police force with the exception of a few were created first for the anime or the movie and is now used to tell stories. I don’t think we would’ve gotten the Sato x Takagi love story if it weren’t for the improv and Gosho even liking the character to the point Takagi had a connection with a guy who got a connection to a very plot-important Amuro Ray reference character. Hey when Shuichi is the Char Aznable reference, I can like all the Gundam references I want. 

I’m digressing but arc films, prequels, finales, and entire canon arcs squeezed into a one to a nearly two-hour film. Mugen Train was nearly two with an hour and 57 minutes of runtime to be exact. And even then Mugen Train was adapted into episodes including a deeper look into the events including Rengoku, acting as a bridge to the future arc and complimenting the film.

Mugen Train’s method of using the film is totally new. Usually, anime films are compilations (by the by, I don’t recommend watching the Code Geass compilation films because outside of some good scenes, the way it made Lelouch be the fanon version rather than the canon is horrid and it’s better to watch the series than the movies), anime originals, adaptations, or non-canon. Sure there might be references or just taking the characters from there and then utterly ignoring the events or canon-adjacent because of mangaka’s involvement or liking the films or characters so much they made it canon. 

And I can’t stress this enough: They still made it into episodes and used it as a bridge point for a future arc and complimenting the film version. 

Haikyuu is essentially making the films the finale, with over 100 chapters compressed and even cut less than important scenes to fit two two-hour films. 

Jujutsu Kaisen made a film based on the prequel and for all intent and purposes, it was a success though criticized for the underdevelopment of some characters. 

Just to be clear, there is a difference between this and YOI Adolescence. YOI is an anime original and thus follows different rules than a straight-up adaptation. 

Since Haikyuu had announced the finales to be movies as previous seasons had been impacted by the pandemic, are other studios watching? Are Bones watching Haikyuu to see if they could make the final arc of MHA movies too, considering they said S7 but not the final season? Attack on Titan made the final season into batches of parts rather than movies. Would Bones take that route instead?

Haikyuu split up the first movie as the Garbage Dump match while the second movie will cover the entire time skip. Just why? Make it three films because covering over a hundred chapters for a barely two-hour movie would not cut it. I know Haikyuu anime while still loved had been in a spiral since the pandemic that hit its quality. 

I mean the P3 movies were exactly three parts but split into four. Even then, they made the social links background while concentrating on the development of SEES and the other plot and character development stuff. P3 movies are decent according to the fanbase. 

I haven't even mentioned the Kaguya-sama movie and the SAO Progressive movies. I heard good reviews for the latter, particularly in the West, when the anime itself is so notorious for just bad storytelling. Both are canon although SAO Progressive was more of a retelling. 

It’s more in line with the EVA movies where it’s a new timeline where we see Hideaki Anno’s process from his depression that still occurred to the happiness he has for himself at a better place. 

However, EVA is entirely dependent on Hideaki Anno’s mindset rather than a new retelling. It’s still the same story but much happier. For the most part. 

Just of note, SAO is immensely popular. I don't think Trash Taste realized just how popular SAO is in Japan because their hatred of it clouded why a salaryman can just buy a bulk of Kirito figures. 

I have mixed feelings about entire arcs adapted into films when it’s still so new. Batch releases kind of make sense but with the whole Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures and Attack on Titan, that is still new. 

Everything about this whole thing is new, canon-adjacent, and canonical arcs, are primarily the targets here. Apparently, as long as it’s canon, adaptation into a film is a must when it has lots of material to work with. 

Non-canon films to big IPs can and will happen. Sure the characters are canon but less so are the timelines. Detective Conan isn’t bothering with the trend as I heard nothing about the upcoming film even being canon in any capacity. Yeah, the characters are canon but you can watch or read the original without ever knowing those characters were movie originals. Shiratori was a movie original yet here he was playing a role in the Sato x Takagi love triangle and the blossoming relationship with Kobayashi. I haven’t heard any of the BO members' movie originals were ever remotely hinted as canon or even adjacent like a name drop. 

Even Pokémon didn’t bother. We haven’t gotten a side adventure movie featuring a legendary and/or a popular Pokémon since Kalos. Yeah, there’s a Galar one but it was after years of a remake of an alternate timeline and CG of the first movie. Even then in the miniseries finale where Ash didn’t seem to have fond memories of his dad or any memory of him but was still excited to meet him especially juxtaposed by a father who dearly loved his deceased son whereas the Galar movie had that fond memory. Really after the finale miniseries, Ash fans were decidedly not happy with Ash’s dad as they had mixed feelings about him beforehand even after the seeming retcon of Ash’s memory of his dad in the movie. 

The movies are canon as that's not disputed. The Lucario Aura references had been made canon since Sinnoh and especially Journeys. Drew was from LaRousse City thus Destiny Deoxys is canon. 

Hey, unlike Gon with Ging and Usopp with Yasopp, Ash wanted to meet his dad after so long and was disappointed by him. Ash just wanted to meet his dad and experience the fatherly care Haruto had. At least the anime knew that Ash’s dad had never been great, effectively leaving Delia to run the restaurant and raise Ash alone. They just continued on that instead of that seeming movie retcon. 

I know fans were disappointed there was no SuMo movie. Instead, legendaries were involved since the beginning of the series so yeah… I don’t think anyone expected a Galar movie after so long with the soft remake films. 

Hell, the Legends Arceus specials are just specials, not a movie. Yet it was Zarude who got the movie. By the by, released two months after Mugen Train and we don’t know if Liko and Roy will star in their own movie. 

So even with the release of the new series of Pokémon with our new leads, we don’t know the movie future of Pokémon. The miniseries finale ended and now the start of a new series and chapter in Pokémon anime history. 

So I don’t this counts. The Galar movie and the miniseries finale contradict each other just by the mere mention of Ash’s dad in its context. We just haven’t had a Pokémon movie that was something we would see usually that isn’t a soft remake. 

Anyways, canon films. 

One Piece Red got into the trend by essentially making it canon. That means it’s not just a side adventure in the creative world but a genuine canonical event that happened at the very least. Unlike the other Oda-involved movies, this is close to the canon you can get. The others have canon characters but the timelines are off. Yeah, Red couldn’t possibly be taken after Wano due to events but it’s still the closest thing we got, more so than Strong World, Z, Gold, and Stampede. 

I don’t know about any other IPs getting into the action of adapting entire arcs yet. It’s still too new when popular IPs are more outliers. 

Given the popularity of the films adapted, it’s more outliers that they even achieved the box office they have, much less the limited theaters. 

Of course, it’s gonna be released in the United States here because the market here is large. Anime demand had increased after all. 

For what it’s worth, while the anime community is divided about the batches release and the arc movies, all people see is money from up top. 

Would it last or it’s just a phase? 

Anime is changing for better or worse. This new change would go on for so long and not just the streaming services and all their ways even though we are still getting simulcasting and simul dubbing. The entire issue of Union voice actors and the whole live-action anime push is another thing. I’ll rather watch any of the anime musicals than any Netflix live-action anime. You know it’s bad they’re using animation for a live-action adapted from animation in just the opening alone of Cowboy Bebop the live action. There’s the live-action of Your Name in development apparently and I have so many mixed feelings. 

Yeah, we’re getting live actions from Attack on Titan to FMA. This is utterly hilarious now that we have the live-action Moana to deal with as those live actions are in the span of two decades. The Disney Renaissance remakes were made in the late 2010s which is an obvious close. 

Seriously, all the advertisements that anime and celebrities have in East Asia are seen as good. BTS’ faces are literally everywhere in Seoul which fills me with glee knowing B-free will see them no matter what. It’s why I wasn’t surprised to see the collaborations with BTS at all. 

We have anime reboots with FMAB kickstarting them. Don’t watch the first episode of FMAB, just go to the second or watch FMA 2003 the canonical expansion but not when it departs from the manga canon. I seriously don’t want people watching the basic foreshadowing and it’s a weak episode too even though at first glance it’s an action to have the foreshadowing pieces. Also, listen to FMA 2003 anime OST over FMAB OST because even to this day, nothing from the latter’s soundtrack stuck with me. It was just so common rather than the emotional pieces that provided more iconic music. 

There had been great ones (Fruits Basket, Trigun Stampede) and not-so-good ones (Sailor Moon Crystal, Tokyo Mew Mew). It’s still a mixed bag.

Not to mention Bleach returning where it left off, showing canceled shows can make a comeback. This is still too new. While KHR is at the forefront of speculation, we don’t know. Black Butler is continuing with the school arc after so long. 

I would have to mention a movie-like premiere of the first episode of the series. Yeah, I’m talking about Oshi no Ko. ONK had been anticipated for an anime adaptation with the prologue being the main point of interest for the manga even reaching the status it has. 

Whether or not studios want to follow especially when the premieres of longer episodes of 50-70 or so minutes felt more like two or more episodes mashed together. A starting premiere of the first episode of a highly anticipated series might set the fires off for similar projects of that caliber. 

This one is still new and whether or not it will kick off a new trend or just a fad or for special occasions we just don’t know yet. 

CGI anime is still new. All of Studio Orange’s works so far are a labor of love but it’s hard enough to make it work to expand more than just openings, scenes, and objects. Notice I just say Studio Orange and not other studios that use CGI animation extensively. Demon Slayer uses CGI a lot of the time. When anime uses CG, it’s incredibly obvious so when these guys praise Demon Slayer yet criticize Studio Orange and other CG-focused anime studios for doing something even though they have their own creative visions that allowed the CG to work. These guys have no grounds to stand on and it’s laughable for them to think so. Anime and any East Asian studios for that matter still haven’t reached the levels of Western 3D animation or even the levels of the animation revolution we’re having with many different styles and frame rates and all that jazz. Spiderverse didn’t invent as much as they innovate (nobody thought making a comic book movie in all its glory was possible as now we got TMNT Mutant Mayhem as taking the comic art into the film) and make people aware of the techniques of animation. I love Spiderverse but I’m fully aware that it was mainstream enough outside of a growing niche and a medium often derided as for kids even if it’s an animated movie that is aimed at kids yet is simply it’s derided as not being this or that when the medium doesn’t have to be all serious to be accepted. Sometimes it can be a fun ride but in others, it can be a serious exploration. Seriously, does anyone expect the same thing out of the comedy genre? There are dramedy and tragicomedy for a reason. Why is Western animation have moving goalposts when animation is a medium that deserves respect? 

Seriously, Promare has quieter and slower moments to show character moments and progression but at the end of the day, the plot is very simple albeit convoluted. It’s not the best but it’s not the worse. 

Why is the Mario movie suddenly the breaking point? Sure criticize the thin plot and characters as they don’t create the cinematic experience but sometimes thinness can be worked with if shown just enough sincerity. At the same time, white knighting a movie simply because the critics hate it and aggregate sites ranks it as mediocre at best with bizarre rants that hit the score, not the least RT is not trustworthy. As a film with a story, it’s minimal but as a Mario movie, it’s a fun flick. Why is it so hard to understand? The entire mess was just eye-rolling to sit through before and after release as if a singular movie will make or break something. Seriously, why people are trusting RT scores when it’s manipulated? Letterboxd is far more accurate in audience rating. 

I don’t count sequels such as CCS Clear Card but honestly, I don’t count those. 

Hunter x Hunter is finally returning, not in anime obviously but the continuation at last for an arc at least. 

The anime competition has been changing. Some things are still way too new while others had been going on for years. 

Mini-Review: One Piece Live Action

When I made my OFMD review post, I commented that pirate media wouldn't come back in a big way. While I still think that, pirate media is having a comeback this year with OFMD season 2, Assassin's Creed Black Flag is remaking into a new game, and the One Piece Netflix live-action show. It's not huge but there is strong word of mouth. I mentioned One Piece in my OFMD review because normal people would see the length and drawbacks against it, not knowing they would fall down the rabbit hole. 

The One Piece Red movie was a rounding success here in the US due to both the strong fanbase and word of mouth so I hope the same would do for the live-action adaptation. 

I do watch the live-action adaptations of animanga. I want to see how it would adapt and do the source material justice. I even managed the bad ones despite knowing they were the bad ones. Of course, low expectations aside, I was still gonna watch the live-action Netflix show adaptation of One Piece. 

I want people to get into animanga but the stigma still remains even with the rising popularity. As much as live-action adaptations tend to just be there (looking at you, FMA), a good adaptation could draw people into the source material to check it out at the very least. A very bad adaptation can at worst tell people nothing and make them avoid the source material thinking that it would be just as bad as the live-action adaptation they just watched. 

Now the show only adapted barely past Arlong Park but not Loguetown because according to one of the interviews, they would need more money and time to film. They wanted to but considering this show is as expensive as Game of Thrones at this rate, they need to stop at one point for now because if it's a success, then they can go all out. The show is even more expensive than any original shows on Netflix combined. 

Initially, I was wary about it when the script presented a seemingly heroic Luffy. However, as the cast, trailers, teasers, and especially the clips came out, it made me excited though I try to tamp it down because I want to keep my expectations that as long as it feels like One Piece, then I'm happy. I was trying to keep my expectations low because when anime adaptations that do great can wow me, it's great. I mean the Death Note live-action movie Netflix bored me because at one point I kept half an ear while scrolling through my phone. 

If it really worked out well and proved a critical success among fans, then it would hopefully teach Hollywood and any entertainment monopolies that with time and the right people involved, it will pay off for them and for the fans. One Piece Netflix could walk so future live animanga adaptations could run. 

I know Rurouni Kenshin exists because it has been deemed as the best of the live-action animanga adaptations ever. Please note that the movie series doesn’t have Watsuki’s influence at all outside of providing the source material (the fact so many including Oda support him after Watsuki used his influence and connections to escape punishment. Yeah, still disappointing because Kohei Horikoshi wouldn’t support Watsuki but Horikoshi has his own flaws such as Momo and Hagakure…ugh, that cover… I mean Horikoshi still has Oda’s support in the final leg of MHA because Horikoshi is tired just not as bad as Kishimoto who bends to the executives and editors. That’s why I don’t really try to care about authors, especially after the JKR debacle but we shouldn’t hold them up as idols either, simply as a creator. At least the ones who haven’t done crimes or shown themselves to be asses to everyone.). If One Piece could do that, then it could mean anything. 

When video game adaptations are working very well now with the latest of the lot doing well, the curse has very well ended though people argued that there have been good video game adaptations even if they are more on the low-key reception. That’s the same with animanga adaptations too since Alita had done pretty well but it’s low-key. If it’s for an IP that isn’t well-known or made in a foreign country, unless it does Squid Game and Stranger Things numbers on a streaming platform, it’s not gonna be known or registered as part of a curse.

Even now the Bleach live-action movie while received nicely is low-key nowadays. The One Piece live-action have huge promo even in the strike through weird promos. 

Tumblr promos are pretty bad but hating on the show, the animanga, and their fans will get them nowhere. The adverts are ridiculous even by the standards of Tumblr adverts but people shouldn’t shout at the people who made the show or the fans but yell at the staff instead. The One Piece fandom on Tumblr is lowkey especially when Zosan scored around the 60s on the AO3 ships. I should add that they aren't crossing the picket line when they aren't even in the industry itself, just advertisers. It's still pretty bad though they seem to be siding with Netflix so it's best to send them disapproval about the adverts during the strike. I want to ask: Why are they bending over backward over a silly clown that amounts to a billboard because Tumblr isn’t actors and actors aren’t coders? They went so far to defend Barbie’s adverts but when it comes to One Piece, it’s pitchforks. I’m asking why they’re more upset about One Piece. 

Also, I can't believe I have to say this: One Piece content creators are gonna make reviews about the show because the work itself is not struck when again the people behind them would've said something by now about not seeing it. The point with the strikes is that they want people to see and give positive reviews to the stuff they made, just not work with the struck companies. The OP content creators and other random people online aren't gonna take the side of Netflix when all they're doing is reacting to the one thing that has been anticipated for years, especially in the times of the strike. The content creators aren't scabbers because they aren't with the unions but they side with the unions by giving positive reviews and demanding a second season with rightfully paid actors and writers. The strike will say something about what not to watch and One Piece is not one of them because that's jumping the gun on something that had been in the works for years and the ones that the strike will say to boycott have not even been released. The strikes are important but please understand the nuances instead of taking everything negatively in the worst possible way when the media that are released nowadays have been made years prior. 

Fuck, people are so fucking excited for OFMD which is not struck because the cast and crew would've said something by now, and fucking HBO is a fucking struck company but no, people don't understand that because apparently, it's best to jump to conclusions that by watching Netflix and Max, they are basically supporting the struck companies when these had been worked on prior to the strike and isn't counted as a struck work but the struck companies are. What people are doing and spreading misinformation is hurting the cause rather than helping. 

The struck shows are the ones ongoing in production. The Drew Barrymore mess is one such thing. One Piece S1 was done well before and isn’t struck.

Actually, I think I should talk about that. The people involved and the strike did not say to boycott shows that are already made. Netflix in their video promos made it clear that it was filmed before the strike and the producer and team involved had interviews with people who aren't involved with the industry to promote. If the strike said which show to boycott, it's definitely not this show because they would've said something about it by now. Stephen Amell is a scab willingly when his coworkers definitely aren't. The people involved with the strike will tell people what to strike and to jump the gun on One Piece made me question you because it seemed you hate One Piece in particular while saying nothing about Barbie and Oppenheimer at all. 

It would be amazing that One Piece out of all things would get a good live-action adaptation out of this. Now two of the Big 3 have good adaptations, Bleach, One Piece, and now it's Naruto's turn. I'm waiting for Naruto's turn now because One Piece turned out to be solid. 

There is just so much passion and love for One Piece in every nook and cranny. Easter eggs and everything feel One Piece. On that note, I was not expecting references and foreshadowing to future arcs at all. As a hint, Noland. Holy fuck, I wasn't expecting Noland to be referenced as far back as the East Blue Saga which I should be expecting now that I think about it because One Piece is so far along that later arcs should be foreshadowed at this point because why not? 

Besides the easter eggs leave tantalizing hints for newcomers who are utterly unfamiliar to One Piece's famous foreshadowing. It's so fun to see newcomers speculating whether or not Shanks got a Devil Fruit because that is how much the fandom used to speculate too. It's not only a great recreation but also a great way for newcomers to get invested in mysteries that won't be revealed until later. Besides, I'm cackling at newbies and casual watchers wanting to know the basic structure of Reverse Mountain because they got their first taste of the world and want more. I cannot wait to see their faces when season 2 happens and we get to the Grand Line! 

The characters, the writing, and the world feel One Piece which is more than I say about Cowboy Bebop which the world feels not like the anime at all. On its own, Cowboy Bebop live-action might be a story that could do well even if it's doing more telling than showing but as an adaptation, it's piss-poor. They actually kept the world and characters campy. It felt like a good mix of Hook, Muppets Treasure Island, and Pirates of the Caribbean. 

The Strawhats are the Strawhats. The found family comes through strongly as well as the individual characters even if there are changes. I felt like I was back reading and watching One Piece all over again and falling in love with the characters. They definitely aren’t 1:1 (I can tell you flat the OPLA Luffy is not animanga Luffy but it’s not a bad thing because the essence of Luffy is still there; Animanga Luffy is selfish but he is kind and a great judge of character. He’s just not good-good, you get what I mean, right? A lot of things got lost in translation as well as making it friendly to Westerners. The core of the characters in addition to acting the shit out of these characters does not detract from that.) but they are close yet their own spin. 

The actors are fantastic as they have done a great job making the characters their own but not losing the essence. Special mention goes to Jeff Ward as Buggy who is a wonder to watch; he doesn’t overstay his welcome too as a bonus. Please if people are surprised about Buggy fuckers, they haven’t seen his Impel Down arc yet; whether people like it or not, Buggy fuckers have always been a thing. Buggy isn’t even my favorite character in any incarnation but Jeff Ward’s performance certainly deserves an award. Godoka, I want him to interact with so many characters and Impel Down and to see Jeff Ward as Buggy the Warlord. The Failing Upwards as Buggy always is per the guy. 

The music is definitely an A plus. The We Are motif and Bink's Sake in the background made me so happy. 

There is a mix of practical and CGI but it will get more CGI-heavy given this is One Piece we're talking about here but since we haven't reached the Grand Line Paradise yet, we have yet to see how they are going to continue that mix. 

The costuming looks natural, not too cosplay but natural enough. I cannot believe Zoro’s green hair looks so natural. In some parts, it could’ve done better but when Mihawk looks like an utter badass, I don’t know what to say? Please we are in a world of merpeople, fish people, furries, islands that are stuck in one climate or have the ability to have wild stuff, and so much more. 

I definitely like the expansion of a tiny Transponder Snail that acts as a Bluetooth earpiece. It’s both modern yet it still feels like One Piece. The sets are beautiful like Going Merry and Baratie; the bar at the fish’s mouth makes me want so bad to visit and eat there. If possible, they could make a museum out of the sets because I want a damn theme park. 

It does say a lot just how fantastical the series is because of course Baratie needs a dock and uses as much space as possible for the restaurant-boathouse for living space and the restaurant itself. Of course, Going Merry is gonna be small with just enough room to relax because it’s a caravel that is meant for simple cruising in the East Blue, not the treacherous waters of the Grand Line. 

The story can get wonky and could do better in some parts. There are parts where I think the original is better. Not once did I think it was ever going too fast or too much going on. In fact, I think I was enjoying it outside of thinking parts of the story could've been better or the original was better told. If that isn't a mark of an adaptation instead of a 'everything sucks' that I see often, then I don't know what is? 

I think that because of time constraints, they couldn’t let the arc breathe in just a tad to build the arc just a little. The emotional moments didn’t feel impactful. Then again I had this same problem in the Episodes of Nami/East Blue too so there. I just hope that come season 2, they are allowed to breathe in just for a while since unlike East Blue where you can skip Gaimon, you can’t skip the entirety of the Alabasta saga because Little Garden is so important. 

But the live-action adaptation cut too much of Nami, Usopp, and even Sanji's pivotal moments in East Blue Saga to the detriment of uplifting Koby as the future of the Marines and Garp. I have no problem with the Marines getting a B-plot as a concept but when it cuts into the pivotal moments off, it felt not necessary, particularly with Cocoyashi Village as a whole. Genzo getting demoted really does not help that secondary parental figures for the Strawhats are not getting the screen time with the exception of one character probably due to another character's status as being raised by said character. At least those who are interested and want to start over would look at the differences with clear eyes as to why fans aren't major fans of those changes even if it was signed off by Oda. 

If I do have a major criticism, it’s that the world doesn’t feel lived-in enough. In the manga, the cover and background made the world feel so much. Because of the show cutting the minor characters, that lived-in aspect is going towards those who know the Strawhats. The sequel book on the final episode of season 1 shows a wider world than the endings of the Strawhats leaving the islands.

There are changes to be streamlined and made palatial for casual fans. I understand that but sometimes I miss some parts of the story that I love so much that ended up being easter eggs. 

At the end of the day, it's an interpretation of the story that it respects in a live-action format that works so well because it's still One Piece. It has a reason to exist which I can't say the same about Death Note 2017 where those changes made it no reason to exist on its own such as the constant thought of why the fuck is this happening? Those story changes made no sense to the themes if they had any because Justice never made any examination except surface level. For CBLA, they spell out the themes without showing them. 

In the end, it felt like the Strawhats were heading to Reverse Mountain. However, since producers had stated they wanted to make Loguetown, it's still likely we'll see Loguetown in the second season until just past the Alabasta arc where Robin joins because Alabasta is so expansive that it's needed to fill that much. It's just that this time Smoker will have more of an idea when Luffy finally arrives in Loguetown and the execution where he will get the feeling Luffy will become Gol D. Roger's successor. It's likely Logetown will be reduced to one episode instead of two episodes unless Netflix agreed to let them have more episodes this time around. 

God, I want to see so many characters in the second season: Ace, Laboon, Chopper, Robin, Vivi, Smoker, Tashigi, Crocodile... It makes me so happy because aside from Enies Lobby being my favorite arc of Paradise, I just want to see the Alabasta arc in all its glory and why fans love this arc in particular. As for the New World, it's a fight between Whole Cake Island and Zou; again, I haven't watched/read Wano in its entirety yet so that's why it's not in the running. 

The thing I could see biting them in the ass is the non-existence of Hachi. Given how important Hachi is later on, it's necessary they still need him around if they plan to finish the entire series in live-action. 

The colors are muted which is compared to OFMD which is basically Muppets. OFMD didn't exactly try to build every single ship or village. It's expensive surely because of the period wear but they still use virtual production. I just wish there were more colors in this rather than the color grade we ended up getting. There are still colors but more dull except when it’s in the bright sun. It got better but the color grading can be pretty bad at times. 

The show still feels like a swashbuckling adventure mixed with Looney Tunes. While I was still disappointed in the color grading, at least it feels like that. 

I don't jive with all the changes but every aspect still captured the spirit of One Piece and it's solid enough to stand on its own. 

If I have to give it a score, a decent seven out of ten straw hats is pretty good for an anime live-action adaptation. While no Rurouni Kenshin, it still squeezed out the score that is by all means a C plus. 

Honestly, the Rotten Tomatoes Score for both critics and audiences are pretty good parameters. Just a heads up, the few negative critic reviews are pretty bad, saying that it’s too close to the source material which is just nuts when that’s a good thing. I haven’t seen the East Blue Saga in years but I recognize the story beats as it’s second nature and I can tell them upfront that the adaptation is an adaptation and definitely not 1:1 as they imply. 

It makes me laugh that One Piece out of all things managed to get a good adaptation and will make other future adaptations run. The curse on the Western anime adaptations has finally been broken because now Netflix found the formula to help future adaptations. Notice I said Western because the curse on Japanese anime adaptations was broken long ago by Rurouni Kenshin. However, there are just bad adaptations released before and after the trilogy but the fact still remains: there are still good Japanese anime live-action adaptations as long as they give the story its dues. 

Really, when Cowboy Bebop and Death Note, the latter of which is grounded in reality, couldn't be adapted properly, then what about One Piece? How is it possible that the cartoony One Piece managed that? 

As it turns out, a balance of realism and fantasy, a central story that respects the source material while changing it to fit the live-action medium. 

I am going to say this especially when I saw it during the leadup to the release: Do not mess with people who just want to have fun and enjoy something. Sure, you might dislike One Piece or think the live-action might be good or just think the live-action looks bad but that does not mean you can be mean to others because you think your opinion means more to someone's enjoyment. 

Also, One Piece fandom, don't even try to gatekeep. Fans of the live-action have their first exposure due to this. They aren't gonna be 'true fans' just because they haven't read the manga. Give them room to explore the animanga without spoiling the fuck out of the rest of the series. We want to introduce them to One Piece and the live-action can provide as a mediator until they choose to explore the wider world. With One Piece drawing near its end in a couple years, the live-action should act as the same core story but in a different medium. 

I am endlessly entertained by non-readers/watchers of One Piece getting introduced to the world, seeing the wild clothing with regular and historical clothing, and snail tech with weirdo captains with hyper fixations that crews just went along with, falling in love with the Strawhats. If they think the East Blue is weird, then they haven't seen anything yet. They haven't yet witnessed the craziness that is the Paradise and that's nothing compared to the New World. 

No, really I've never been so proud to see newcomers cry about Shanks and Luffy and the backstories. 

With One Piece ending in a few years, the live-action opened itself and the source material to a whole new audience who never considered watching/reading One Piece, either uninterested or put off due to its length and art style. I was there since Dressrosa around 2015 because I was waiting for Zou's chapters. Just like I know I was there for the MHA Dormitories arc because it was just after the Kamino arc when I got into MHA. This is the only way I knew when I actually got into manga I was interested in was when an arc was either just still ongoing or starting a new one. I mean how else did I know when I got interested in KHR during the Future Arc when I knew I was waiting for the Inheritance Ceremony Arc? 

I am here for it. 

Actually, the live-action is a great litmus test for newcomers. If they like it, they should check out the series from the beginning since the live-action changed just enough that there will be confusion. If they don’t, they just don’t vibe with the series. That’s how it is. 

The show isn't without criticism but taking that length to gatekeep and hate others when one should ignore the live-action piece out of respect for the people who are passionately involved. 

The people who made the series still deserve respect for their art. It’s not perfect but it’s hell a lot better to give credit when it’s due. The people are on strike but this is a work before the strike began and deserve that.

With the success of the release, animanga will definitely be fast-tracked to film and television soon after the strike is resolved with writers and actors getting their dues. One Piece Live-action Season 2 would definitely be greenlit but until the strike resolves, there is no one going to work on it. 

However, there should be a completion rate and making GOT/Stranger Things numbers. Hopefully, with strong word of mouth, the completion rate might be done within weeks. From what I heard, while Sandman did have great reception, it didn’t pull great numbers on par with Stranger Things. Squid Game was the most-watched show but I haven’t heard if I pulled Stranger Things numbers considering the stretch between seasons. OPLA has to make those numbers and continue to make those numbers every single season if it has the chance to make it to even Enies Lobby and at best the final saga. 

Netflix wants to make money and adapt animanga into a live-action format. If it all goes well for all parties, we might reach Enies Lobby. At worst, it would be canceled due to not making the numbers.

A lot of potential merch would be OPLA-themed. While it is still Oda’s work, they would like a slice of the cheese of their own products. 

Because that’s the final obstacle: it needs to make and continue making GOT/ST numbers. 

Besides, Netflix has a lot to lose if they cancel it now. Not only did they spend so much money, but they also wanted to have a good reception for a live-action animanga adaptation. After having earned it, they want to keep that given the positive reception from newbies and casual watchers, especially from the fans and animanga watchers in general. They after all cancelled CBLA after the backlash and they want to try again with Death Note. 

Considering this is GOT money here, these seasons might be enough for the entire series if each season made Stranger Things numbers. I mean judging by that, it's up there with GOT in terms of seasons, just with more episodes, let's say twelve episodes seasonally. Twelve is too generous but ten is a good bet too considering that Loguetown was originally supposed to be the last two episodes of S1, a ten-episode season is a chance for future seasons if it comes to that. I don't see it going for the double digits here, folks, just within the GOT seasons. The bigger arcs should get multi-parters like Alabasta. 

I would love it to get that far with the cast since all the material is there. I want OPLA fans and casual watchers to understand there is just so much more. Unfortunately, I don’t see it going that far maybe Thriller Bark but when non-fans like Dan Murrell suggest that it wouldn’t end up like GOT, he’s still a non-fan who doesn’t know that the budget would go over GOT and needs more budget than even the most expensive show now to realize the world. I just hope that non-fans hope that we might get a start to finish OPLA from East Blue to the Final Saga.

At the moment, they might have surpassed Wednesday and ST S4's premiere numbers but that's all it is, premiere numbers within the first days of release. From what I'm hearing, there are good numbers so far but it needs to do more than enough in its second week to secure its renewal. And it was renewed not even two weeks later. 

Getting good reviews for the cast and crew would make the big studios reconsider and actually pay everyone. That's the point of the cast and crew's excitement to announce the second season through Oda. The team wants to get a good reception so that they can continue that success all the way through because the work itself is not struck but the company is! The team so desperately wants to promote but only those who aren't actors and writers can promote it hence the costume and set departments give interviews on BAFTA. 

Don't work with the studios in any capacity but review the show from the outside and give the cast and crew the support by praising their hard work that is beneficial to the strike. 

Because the strike would've said something about boycotting an anticipated work already if this is the case! One Piece and OFMD are releasing during the time of the strike as we're heading into the Autumn of the Strikes. Why are you not supporting One Piece and supporting OFMD when they are the same case of 'support the cast and crew by watching and giving praise to review, don't partner with the studios until we say which TV/Movies with actual scabs and AI which is years to come by the way'? Again, they would've said something by now to boycott any of these releasing now but no, the strike said nothing about boycotting what has been released!

Considering that the strike is going to end soon, OFMD may or may not be a so-called boycotted attack from people who don't consider that the cast and crew want good reviews and want to celebrate the success alongside the fans. I will forever loathe how people who want to help are unintentionally hurting the cause by hurting productions that had years of development behind them and were just released during the time of the strike. 

It’s the writers’ strike that is ending soon, have not heard anything from the actors’ strike yet. OFMD is releasing on Thursday from Monday where negotiations are gonna be made for the actors so is OFMD gonna still air during the strikes or not? So it probably still is going to be released during the initial talks. 

Don't hurt the movement by jumping to conclusions just because a work is being released in the times of the strikes when said work had been anticipated for a long ass time. Get your head out of your ass!

Because it's the second season's success that will determine the show's continuation. We might even get all the way to the final saga with Enies Lobby being the one to pull the big guns that will show just how emotional and dark the series can be because Enies Lobby to this day remains many people's favorite arc. 

Now I heard apparently from a producer of the show that at best they hope to make it to Enies Lobby where they might end on a high note which...come on, considering how much I love Enies Lobby, I don't think fans of the live-action and newcomers will be satisfied after that. The moment I heard Enies Lobby was like 'Uh huh, yeah, good luck with that' because Enies Lobby is a fave arc for many people even to this day, and stopping it there for non-animanga fans who only watch the live-action would only make them crave more what happened next. 

I know everyone is worried about shows getting canceled due to the whole writers not getting paid enough to live by studios canceling shows anyway and tax write-offs. It hasn't been that long since Batgirl was trashed hence all the worries of the shows released on streaming services getting cancelled. I know people fear OFMD season 2 might be the last season due to all the LGBTQA+ media on HBO Max or Max now getting canceled. The strike will ensure the writers and actors will get paid from then forward and fave shows won’t be canceled so easily. 

We are likely going to get multiple seasons. Considering CBLA was intending to be multiple seasons with John Cho moving to New Zealand just for that alone, I think we are getting that for OPLA...just Eventually it might get canceled. There is a chance of getting to the end but it's a slim chance only. 

The producers are hoping to make it to twelve seasons with six and six being both pre and post-time skip. It depends if the second season stuck the landing and made people more ravenous. 

It’s not the best season and series right now but the series has the chance to grow as fans know the story only gets better from here. Why else am I hammering about Alabasta and Enies Lobby or hell Wano right now? However, it still opens the door to getting the parts it needs to be the best series ever or what could’ve been had it stuck to the themes. ST and Wednesday are new stories that started off great but then try to recapture with innovations and occasional good storytelling with the skeleton there. 

If we somehow made it a complete story from the East Blue to the Final Saga, I would cry ugly tears of joy worthy of One Piece. 

As for awards, while I don’t care even though they give prestige however artificial but sometimes deserved, I don’t think we’re gonna get more than VFX and set design. Sorry but even with all the praise, it’s not gonna happen for more than that. 

As for me, I should get back to reading and watching Wano because like Whole Cake Island, Wano needed to be finished first before I could do that. As the anime is now relatively finished with the Wano arc as Gear Five and all, I can now go on that route motivated with the live-action to finish Wano at this point. With the final stretch in reach, the TV show will benefit because Game of Thrones did not when not even they have insider knowledge of what the author wants. 

Pokemon AUs and Crossovers Fic Recs

Pokemon AUs are really malleable. You can drop whatever crossover into the said world or fuse it. It’s one of my top AUs to catch my eye alongside Cardcaptor AUs. Like, I’m mostly eh on popular AUs like a coffee shop, modern, and mafia. 

The fun part is the selection of Pokémon teams. For nearly every fandom I came across, I saw fans put together Pokemon teams. 

Developing Pokemon teams for fictional characters is fun. Most of them have themes. For example, I saw a team for Wei Wuxian being Ghost Pokemon or yokai inspired teams like Ninetales or Absol. Another would be Lan Wangji with his Flying Pokemon, specifically Altaria. Not surprising given the cloud motif. 

The Pokemon world is an open sandbox for headcanons. I have my headcanons on how trainers manage to maintain their livelihood as trainers with their bank accounts and so forth. 

Step To The Left: In one world, the Tenth Generation escapes to the world of Heroes. In this reality, they flee to a world of Pokemon. 

This one is more comedy-based with the point of having these KHR characters react to the world around them. Unlike the other crossover fic the writer did for KHR, this one was happier and they could go under the radar because the Pokemon world is far more accepting of weirder things. 

Ryohei screaming Extreme and having training montages every morning? Normal. They got extraterrestrial Pokemon like Deoxys. Which is recorded in the Pokedex. Gokudera must be awed, knowing that for the people in this world, aliens are true and even lived among them in the form of supposedly the Cleffa and Elgyem/Beheeyem lines. And that's not getting into dragons. 

Hibari being a Pokemon Master team build cute Pokemon with his fighting skill to match theirs? They got Legendary Pokemon capable of wreaking havoc in their world due to their connection to it. For the love of Arceus, they got Celebi and Jirachi, a fucking time-traveling and a wish-making Pokemon respectively. Mew is the original Pokemon created after and by Arceus in-universe. On another note, Hibari is now the Pokemon Protag, competing against trainers and bad guys alike in his trek to become a Pokemon Master. 

What makes it hilarious is that only Gokudera, Fuuta, and Hibari are the only ones who actually look through the Pokedex. Meaning they know what Teddiursa and Magikarp evolve into. The Magikarp part is in which only the people in the Pokemon world and the three aforementioned kids know it when the rest of the people at Takesushi don't. Magikarp is not normal, Tsuna and Tsuyoshi! A normal Pokemon to choose as a starter or even a second Pokemon would be an Eevee or a Caterpie even! I'm sure after the Gyarados incident, they will be careful about it, helped by the fact they could look it up anytime and the daycare is filling up with many different types. 

I mean they are interested in learning new things to adapt like seeing Pokemon in everyday life. Training isn't the only thing used. Breeding, Doctor, Researching, etc are common in regards to Pokemon. I can see Gokudera considering going into Pokemon Researching and studying under a Professor of his choice. Since he's basically living in the world of UMAs, he would want to learn more up close. I like his Eevee to evolve via Friendship or Love which means Espeon, Umbreon, or Sylveon. Since Sylveon is taken by Hibari, he can have Espeon with the Psychic skills to help with his research. 

As for future Pokemon for Hibari, I can see catching Corsola as one of his many Water Pokemon. Maybe it's because my Misty love is going, but it fits with his image of the adorable Pokemon team builds. About three of his team are pink - Sylveon, Wigglytuff, and Skitty. I can see him picking sweet-based Pokemon - Milcery, Slurpuff, Vanillite, etc - since they look non-threatening but he will train them. I can see him getting Goomy and Swablu for one of his many Dragon-types (maybe it's my love for Swablu there since, in my headcanon, May eventually catch the Swablu she befriended, and why not? Maybe Swablu after talking to the flock went off to find her in the Johto region after her trek to Sinnoh). I can actually see him catching more Fairy and Normal types since most cute Pokemon are there. 

Because Hibari is so gosh darn happy in the Pokemon world. It's his dream come true. Animals including the fucking God of the world are capable of fighting and the many competitions in the world required training them to battle each other! And I think he really has no regrets about leaving Namimori to Kusakabe and his disciplinary committee. 

The Pokemon world is really a place he can abandon his Namimori for. I can see him getting all those special transformations like Mega Stones, Gigantamax, and Z-Crystals.  Maybe consider sending a Gyaradosite to Tsuna because he evolved a Magikarp without training. And Gokudera would like to research there too since most transformations rely on bonds. I'm sure he could find academic papers and videos by the Professors as they discuss them. 

I wonder whether or not Dino, Shouichi, and Spanner would ever go to visit via Byakuran. I can see Dino getting both Ponytas later evolved into Rapidashes - Kantoian and Galarian. Shouichi getting Psychic Pokemon and Spanner getting machine-based Pokemon. If Bianchi was there, she would love the Poison and food-based Pokemon a lot. 

Outsiders: When Louise attempted her summoning, the last thing she expected was being brought face to face with an angry God. Now forced into an unknown world vastly different from her own, she must prove herself to be the very best like no one ever was. 

I enjoy outsider POVs a lot. For the Pokémon world, outsiders tend to be in awe albeit dubious about the fact children as young as ten are allowed to roam the world. Ten-year-olds in the Pokemon world are more mature and likely to know basic stuff to travel the world on foot if they can. 

This time, Louise was reverse summoned instead. It was kept ambiguous whether or not Saito was supposed to be dragged there or if he even was one. 

Now with Henrietta joining them, it's all the more fascinating a fic. 

While I likely won't bookmark the story until at least I see more of Henrietta's path because we won't be seeing back at Halk for a long time, it's in the lead above those in my Marked For Later. Icarus' Dilemma is in my Marked For Later to see updates. 

I like the exploration of the Pokemon world. While the show had shown not just battling but also coordinator as a viable route as a competitive route should go that route, the fic is dedicated to worldbuilding and showcasing the bond between Pokemon and humans. 

As a fact, the world of Pokemon is designed for travelers so public transit is free. It's understandable why when trainers are such a large faction with the League and all. Tourists will have an easier time not spending the most ridiculous amount of money to travel. Even a cruise ship for trainers is considerably less expensive. 

It’s still a capitalist world where monopolies are very frequent. Even with well-intentioned guys, I think there aren’t enough laws in place to prevent them. Yeah, Silph is great he is our primary inventor of modern things but then we get Cosmos who runs so many things. 

It’s still a utopia despite its problems I think people are far more willing to solve the ills of the world or at least prevent stuff from repeating again. It still has its own history while still paralleling our world. 

Platinum Pirate: "Looks like we're going to be partners from now on. Together, we'll see all this world has to offer." When Incumbent Champion Lucas was called in to investigate a mysterious buildup of psychic energy in the Solaceon Ruins, he didn't expect his wish from so long ago to come true, in potentially the worst (or best) way possible.

An OP crossover which is surprising really. The modernity of Pokemon clashes with the golden age of piracy steampunk of OP. 

While OP has its own BS medicine, it's still not Pokemon medicine in which medicine could heal flesh wounds of any kind. It might not cure cancer but it's enough for an emergency patient. 

I wonder how long this story will last? Would Lucas go to the New World before the Strawhats or he’ll go home before the time skip? 

Lucas and his team are comparable to Warlords and on par with Vice Admirals. They can hold their own against Admirals. 

I’m pretty sure Lucas and the team won’t take kindly to Akainu. Hey, one of the authors of This Bites is assisting this author with this fic. I don’t like Akainu either but I really want to see it just because TB left on the cliffhanger about Punk Hazard and the Fleet Admiral thing. Godoka, OP is so juicy and the changed stuff in TB and this fic will be so awesome. 

Lucas and Co changed a lot. Crocodile escaped. 

Honestly, I want to see how the Pokemon world wrecks the One Piece world. Arceus has been hinted at for a while now and holy Godoka, I want more minds breaking.

Call Out The Difference: After Ingo's impromptu journey to Hisui (and back again), the Subway Masters has had enough of space-time shenanigans for a lifetime. Unfortunately, they're due for another set, in the form of an entirely new universe crashing into theirs. One without Pokemon. On the other side, the Avengers are definitely not ready to face the Masters of the Battle Subway and the chaos of their world.

I'm not a huge superhero fan. Though I technically kept up with MHA and T&B, I haven't been up to date with the MCU since Spiderman No Way Home with the return of Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire. I haven't seen most of Phase 4 outside of the only Spiderman movie on that phase. The only other thing I saw was Wandavision. 

That said, this fic is a good entry for people who don't know that much. I only have basic knowledge of what happened in the first Avengers movie and I was able to pick what happened so far in the textual information the author gave us. 

I enjoy a world that only knows the Pokemon world as fiction suddenly crossing with just as technologically advanced and more open-minded due to having lived with them for so long. The culture clash was interesting, seeing as we're only getting twenty chapters. 

Just to be clear, the MCU got a wholly different Pokemon franchise with anime first then the games created later. Apparently, they got up to Unova but not much farther or close to Nimbasa. That means they don't know the craziness of later series including PLA's battle styles. The games universe doesn't have Ash Ketchum and Pikachu isn't as popular which means it takes place in-game, not in the anime universe. 

Honestly, I don't want to spoil it. Just read it. 

Mihoyo and their Handling with Genshin Impact and its Community

 

Please note that I wrote this well before Sumeru. I have not heard anything about fan reactions or anything really. Seriously, I was not invested when I heard MHA spoilers up to the last few weeks. I mainly read Dabihawks Bachelorette and Moulin Rouge AUs over GB, Sing For Me, or the Dabihawks Groundhog Loop (not same-day) fic. The Dabihawks fics even when it got upwards of 10000 fics on AO3 were just not interesting so that cut the fumes too; yeah, it regularly updates but the fics just aren’t catching me. I’m far more interested in Steddie and how fics managed together better themes than the actual show even if the themes are just so nascent on the show the final season better showcase the poor writing decisions as to why; the jocks vs nerd and the friends don't lie are probably the most consistent alongside monster-fighting and trauma except they don't do that with Steve because Steve is their moneymaker. At least MHA and Genshin have themes. My interest in them is shot thus the investment is just not there. 

So, Mihoyo, I heard about Genshin Impact. I never played gacha games because I have so much bad luck. I'm not playing it. A post I have done was reviewing the Inazuma archon arc while I heard secondhand about the newer things in the Inazuma post-archon quest. 

Mihoyo is a new beast in China. Even Tencent is wary of them because they came out of nowhere and now have this huge power in China though not powerful enough considering how much the censorship laws impacted the Inazuma arc. 

Mihoyo is still so young. In comparison to veterans such as Cygames and Devsisters, their breakthrough hit showcases just how new they are to the gacha scene or at least the team behind Genshin Impact. Honkai Impact and their community seemed to do well and everyone's pretty much celebrating over there. 

However, from the anniversary onward of Genshin Impact, everyone is not happy. The PR disasters are explosive and permeate a sense that the dev team doesn't understand the player base at all. From what I heard, they don't listen to players' feedback, even the Chinese players' feedback. 

Let's go down the list, shall we?:

• Anniversary 'gifts' amount to 10 pull on a limited banner. Listen, I don't play gacha games and even I know that's low. From what I know, gacha games at their anniversary would spare no expense in giving their player base pulls to last them power-ups and valuables necessary. Mihoyo eventually relented and gave decent rewards. Look, the player base isn't looking to be treated like royalty, just want their rewards to equal the amount of time they poured into their games. I  
• The bizarre Elon Musk Twitter follower post. 
• A silhouette guessing game with the winning prize being 1 out of 300 chances among millions of players to get 100 primogems. 
• Now the KFC Twitch in which in order to get the wings, you must subscribe to Twitch gamers approved by Genshin, forcing players to buy and subscribe to gamers they don't know, can't play any other games for two weeks, no money but exposure (the worst kind of payment for any content creator), the global community isn't even mostly on Twitch but spread to many other platforms, the rewards including the KFC glider wings are measly and useless. 

Look, I have seen the Pokemon fanbase angry at Gamefreak. But even then, at least the general excitement for SWSH, New Pokemon Snap (not developed by GameFreak but Bandai Namco Studios), BDSP (I think people are forgetting ILCA is the one making the game, not GameFreak while The Pokemon Company is the ones making the executive decisions), PMKM Legends Arceus, and PMKM Unite (again, I think people are forgetting Tencent is in charge of this, not GameFreak) was there with the vocal minority being that and we can separate that from the constructive criticism. From what I saw, Gamefreak at least listens to its player base as Nintendo clearly did for the Animal Crossing community. 

Time and time again, Mihoyo has been out of touch with their community, making marketing decisions that only flare up tensions in the community and bring dissatisfaction to their long-time players. 

The KFC Gliders incident is just another mess. 

The Elon Musk post was so bizarre I question what makes them think this would work. Seriously, that would be a red flag for anyone.

Then again the game does have problems that outside of grinding and farming, there isn’t much content to do. Events are only limited time only so newer players won’t be able to play events like Fischl’s quest, the Golden Apple Archipelago, and more. Just boot up the game to collect resin but nowhere else much for gamers to do except catch animals for your Teapot. 

I don't know if the intent was for Genshin to have 2-3 hours of gameplay per day. While my previous games have all been JRPGs and role-playing games, I did not have much experience with gacha which I only know the basics about. 

Just have something that isn’t grinding and farming. Think of something like a fun continuous side mission we can do like:

How about something like a food challenge that the Persona series got? But this time, it’s Xiangling’s cooking and you have to stomach her weirder foods. Or a food-eating challenge where you can eat at restaurants where you have to eat their biggest meal orders. 

Rhythm games like Xinyan and Venti because we already got these events. However, these events have not gone over well and the sound is off. Just don’t make it events but continuous mini-games that can increase something! I have seen single-player music mode in which they play whatever song they have. 

The customization of the Teapot can produce great results but at the same time, it can feel hollow because it’s still too open and not enough activity or kinetics. Animals could help with the new Pokémon capture. Maybe, it’s the theme park exposure but kinetics would be helpful to make it feel more alive as in AC, villagers NPCs walk around and dialogue. Just our party in the Teapot walking around in the room rather than standing there and doing their idle animations or sitting down. Add I don’t know unique animations or new dialogue about the party getting to know each other or anything at all snarking like in FE3H. Tales series’ skits! Persona people weekly hangout spots depending on the weather! 

Hangouts are fine but when the female characters got the short end of the stick they end up more dating sim rather than having it be an option like in the Persona series. It's one thing if it's a romance simulation but it's another if it's optional. 

Events are events therefore it's not there for new players unless they were there for an event. Events are off-limits to new players, letting these guys off the loop and they don't know which important plot point such as Scaramouche being in charge of the Inazuma factory because Inazuma certainly didn't play Scaramouche to his fullest potential at all, and worst, Scaramouche deserted the Fatui when we were told by Childe. Just have these areas open for new players or even have these areas be replayable by old and new players because there isn't much content. 

These guys are otakus, right? Even the main theme got that Final Fantasy prelude arpeggio! They even made an insult towards the isekai genre at one point. They knowingly took wholesale things from BOTW. 

They could make things more excitable outside of events and grinding. BOTW is so acclaimed because there are just so many things to do even with the story in mind. You could do different things and it’s all applicable as seen by Razbuten’s non-gamer wife trying BOTW. 

There isn’t much at all as doing different things in the same obstacle. No plunge outside of Archons and no fixing up kits. I know Childe mains wanted the Hydro melee plunge. 

I have seen arguments that it's meant to be played 30 minutes per day unlike the hours poured into a JRPG. Still, just having a casual player base playing that many minutes per day isn't that sustainable when the important events would tell more story and characters than limiting it to the main plot that isn't expanded much. I heard old players wanted the new ones to experience the old events instead of being forced to watch them without being able to play them. When the events are limited instead of being available all the time, it means new players won't experience much of the world. 

I doubt new players know Venti kicked off a mountain into the sea to create an island. I mean just knowing that and hearing it from Albedo would be fun. 

All I can say about Genshin is that they got plot development at all, unlike Miraculous Ladybug. 

Mihoyo is still new to the worldwide thing that Cookie Run and Granblue Fantasy are already used to. It makes me think they should track their veterans and even look at Honkai’s team because their team is pissing off the global community much less due to their horrendous writing that many don’t have much faith in after Inazuma. 

The writing - waifu writing for the female characters, telling more than showing, lore on the back burner or worse as flavor text instead of in the main story - has fundamental problems even before the Inazuma arc. The new writers, though they have their triumphs after the Inazuma arc, just made the problems worse. 

Still, even with these fundamental problems, another enemy is the draconian censorship laws. The Inazuma archon quest was hit hard complete with the cracks made by the new writers. The redesigns in the CN server say everything - hence the Chinese players are compensated - while internationally it’s a free skin I think. I’m more concerned about the laws impacting the writing than I am about the redesigns no matter how much I do like it. Just because I like the redesigns does not mean I support the censorship laws. Censorship is bad no matter what.

Yes, there’s a problem with the character design where it looks like the female characters are not wearing pants and it doesn’t blend well with their top but would I want censorship to come in and wreck it? Fuck no! Instead of censorship, I’ll rather they do it by choice and allow it as a skin. I really do not care if these female characters are showing skin because it’s their choice anyway and they are humans and it’s a freedom of creativity and speech thoroughly destroyed. If they want to show skin, let them! I never made a fuss about the fanservice. Or even care if women are wearing revealing clothes when it’s their choice. I like the redesigns because at least they look like they’re wearing pants when the tendency to make them look like they aren’t wearing pants. Baal was the biggest offender.

The only things consistent are the animations and music. The writing team, the PR team, and the executives have ups and downs. The dev team has a tendency to not listen to their betas as even the Chinese betas can't get through to them. Everywhere else though, the Chinese players can get through to Mihoyo. See when the Chinese players gave just as much of an outcry about the Zhongli and Geo thing. After the Inazuma archon quest, Chinese players made it known just how stupidly written the story was. 

I'm not good with math but I have seen the ratio of the male to female playable characters, even mentally adding the four new characters, there are still more female characters with Pyro being most of all. 

The game has a plan for the story within five years. It’s just that not a lot of things in the current state of things are just floating for lack of a better term. I heard the writing recently is doing well so nobody is letting up the terrible writing of past chapters. I mean when people are saying outright that the writing is good now and begging these writers to take part in the main arcs, then yeah. 

For what it’s worth, Genshin isn’t entirely bad. While it’s still close to being the pile of wasted potential and terrible storytelling in the likes of Miraculous Ladybug, VLD, and RWBY, Genshin still has things going for it. 

At the same time, whether external forces censor the story, the writing still has its failings even though the Inazuma Archon arc made it more obvious with the CCP thrown in for good measure. 

At this point, the second anniversary should decide whether or not they learn from the last anniversary where they tried to make money off of their foreign market more than the Chinese base. The Chinese base is where they're far more likely to listen. It's only because of the review-bombing that hurt the publicity that gave them the half-hearted apology in the form of another prize. Some fans seem okay with that but others aren't. 

And it seemed the second anniversary was far more welcomed than the mess that was the first anniversary. 

I haven't heard about Sumeru and any fan reactions outside of the mashing of cultures and light-skinned which is bad enough on its own. I just don't know enough about the current land visited to know what are the fans saying about the story. 

Edit: Apparently, now that we're in Fontaine and that Sumeru is long past now, it seems that Genshin's colorism doesn't matter much in the end. While Asian countries are still under scrutiny for their racism against SE and Eastern countries, at this point Sumeru is on the lighter end of things since I heard it probably doesn't matter now. 

Genshin is not perfect or it will ever be. 

Jukebox and Movie Musicals

 

I don't consider myself a Baz Lurhmann stan. I like his style, especially in the current greyscale slop and photorealistic animation trend. Thank god, we are heading for a most stylized animation as I have seen more of what animation medium could achieve and be over the 'look how many strands of hair Rapunzel and Merida have?!'. I have witnessed mocking posts on Tumblr about Disney and Pixar's reliance on photorealism. 

His maximalist fingerprint is everywhere. As soon as I see it, it’s obvious it has to be Baz. 

For example, I had seen the Red Curtain Trilogy before the Great Gatsby which I have seen since my high school senior year. My classmates and I discussed it at length as I remember one complained that modern music doesn’t fit with the roaring twenties era. 

Honestly outside of the music, Baz told the story well instead of changing too much as in the end, it’s a simple story. I mean he certainly made the gay scene between Nick and McKee straight but at least he's open to it. With the book now public domain, hopefully, we'll actually see the scene fully realized one of these days. It’s stylized but this is Baz. Honestly, at this point, I think people are unable to get past stylization if certain directors stick to it.

It’s not even one of the best books, sure a book to teach how literary devices work in a narrative, but it’s not something I would call Fitzgerald’s masterpiece. 

Baz works best with simple stories but has enough substance and depth to it. He’s best with tragic love stories of Star-crossed lovers. Baz can utilize tonal shifts from zany goofy hammy comedy to sincere love to dark cruelty. He can tell a scene with his quick editing just as the emotions are vibrant and intense. Other common elements are his anachronistic play with time (past and the present with modern music or clothes mixed with the time period's music and clothes), personal human desires vs artificial mask/public persona, a heightened world, and a framing narrative via a character telling the story hence the hyper stylism. 

Seriously, that last one is the only way I can justify Elvis the way it was told. Elvis was almost there in terms of getting mediocre but not quite there. I can't say that it's all the way bad the way BoRap was but it definitely isn't my favorite Baz Luhrmann film. All I can do is cheer that Elvis walked away with nothing at the Oscars because Elvis is definitely one of his weakest films when the Great Gatsby is better. 

Honestly, if the dialogue wasn’t poorly performed in an otherwise accurate adaptation of the lines closest to the original text, stage directions, and relayed emotions because the campiness is Shakespeare, R + J would’ve been one of the best as it’s the closest thing to accuracy. I didn’t mind the crazy sets and shots as I was able to accept the suspension of disbelief. Believe it or not, Baz actually kept Juliet's pivotal soliloquies whereas Zeffrelli's Juliet's soliloquies were not kept. That was a red flag because those soliloquies are pivotal to the character and the plot, showing that Juliet is the true protagonist.

I recommend the Red Curtain Trilogy because even now, those aged better with time just on sincerity and conviction. Really, if I were to have any movie collection, it's this one. 

At least, two of the Red Curtain Trilogy have been influential. Romeo + Juliet for making teens the audience and their success with the demographic leading the modern Shakespearean adaptations from She's the Man to 10 Things I Hate About You and Moulin Rouge for the movie musical revival which is still felt today. 

Seriously, seeing him release new movies still takes me by surprise. I don’t keep up with any movie news except animation. And even then I want to see the teasers and trailers because announcements can be just that. I have seen Disney not make any animated movies they announce and cut down on movies that were made by other studios before shutting them down. Disney, you fucking monopoly, I hope one day the returns on the current trend you’re chasing instead of the timeless themes will be worth it. 

Anyways, I haven’t seen his other movies. Aside from The Great Gatsby, I haven’t heard as much fanfare as I did Elvis. Ugh, Elvis, aside from it being a biopic, Elvis is just controversial given how he took black music and didn’t credit them or bring them more recognition. Yeah, he got his own style but it’s still black music that white people appropriated. I’m just wary but I think I can make it through it because at least I like Baz Luhrmann's style. 

Baz Luhrmann is a divisive director with equally divisive films. It's a love it or hate it when it comes to his famous works. His filmography is small compared to his peers but to his credit, he wants to make art even if it did seem like he's desperate for an Oscar with his biopic outing. If nothing else, I would like to give an award for kicking off trends and impactful works with MR and R+J. It got to the point he got two stage adaptations of two of the Red Curtain Trilogy, MR and SB. 

Moulin Rouge is such a unique and important piece of film and musical. Regardless of its cliche melodrama, it’s a piece of art that references other art from film to theatre to make something only Baz Lurhmann can create. It’s a story full of archetypes but it’s just so unique despite that. There wouldn't be a dedicated fanbase to actually make the stage adaptation and keep it running for years now and all the AUs although the actual MR tag is a very small amount in comparison. 

Blonde was just horrid and seriously, can we stop exploiting Marilyn Monroe after her death if she wasn’t able to have peace in life? Just let the woman rest in peace, not to further exploit her legacy in demeaning ways from Kardashian to the new biopic. Can we get an Eartha Kitt biopic that is on the level of Frida? Women of color need biopics more than another Marilyn Monroe biopic. If we were to have another Marilyn Monroe biopic, could we have one that actually uplifts her and all the phenomenal stuff that she had done? It would be far more interesting to see her build her production company as well as her friendship with Ella Fitzgerald than the misogynistic eyesore that is Blonde. 

Disney Cinderella is probably my first Disney musical, The Little Mermaid animated is my first Disney Broadway musical, and Moulin Rouge is my first movie musical and jukebox musical. Cinderella 1997 is probably my first introduction to a live-action stage musical first probably but it's made for a television movie, not a full-on movie musical. 

Moulin Rouge brought back the movie musical back in a big way. Its success showed that audiences still want musicals and boy do we get them. Not only had people grown up from Disney musicals, but early movie musicals also played a part with Moulin Rouge showing a revamp of what the movie musical could be as well as what the jukebox musical could be at its best. Seriously, people mention Chicago all the time and how it's the best without mentioning that Chicago wouldn't have been well-received if it were not for MR although I still think its success would be independent of MR if MR wasn't released first; it came a year right after it. Chicago wouldn’t have won Best Picture if it were not for Moulin Rouge’s results. The movie musicals of the last two decades are trying hard to emulate the best of the best movie musicals. Whether they fail or not is up to personal interpretation. 

I mean there was a hint that people still want musicals with Brandy and Whitney Houston's Cinderella 1997. It got the highest rating for a TV musical and got major nominations and awards. It was a hint but not much that people think that it could work for the big screen because TV and film mediums are different. I remember watching the 2004 Phantom of the Opera but I know it’s after. 

The only movie musicals that existed are from around the time like Rocky Horror Picture Show, Cabaret, and Little Shop of Horrors. Notice they aren't exactly mainstream but rather relegated to cult classic status than anything the Disney movies that have been recognized for keeping the musical theatre formula in the public eye even when the movie musical was killed off by Hello Dolly. Even Grease and SNF count as outliers as they didn't exactly open the doors after Hello Dolly's failure. I still consider Xanadu on the same line as LSOH and RHPS. 

The entire musical genre was sustained by the Disney Renaissance and really Disney is the only thing keeping the musical genre both then and now. I have so many mixed feelings that while the live-action Disney musicals are generally lifeless (I don’t consider Cinderella 2015 as a musical, more of a fairytale romance drama), they are still musicals that follow the traditional Broadway songs like I Am, I Want, Villain, etc so I guess the new generation knows at least the traditional musicals alongside the jukebox musical process however toothless the live-action and loads of current modern jukebox musicals are. The best modern jukebox musicals that are known to the wider public are Moulin Rouge, Mamma Mia, and & Juliet at the moment. LaLa Land is a good original musical but The Greatest Showman is entertainingly original but with no flow between the story and the songs. Mamma Mia definitely connects the world between ABBA and the world it sets in great and is one of the better jukebox musicals, but the story is less than impressive admittedly. The original movie musicals are not well-known just like stage musicals. The Hollywood ones are Broadway stage-to-film adaptations but the directors lacked the understanding of the theatre medium or why those stage musicals work in the first place to adapt it to the big screen. Looking at you, Tom Hooper, you must never step foot near a stage musical again. 

Growing up with musicals in the first place will blindside others that in spite of musicals being one of the many Oscar baits musicals just aren't the tentpole titan they used to be prior to Hello Dolly. Even now, the musicals that tend to garner attention in Oscar talks are the Tom Hooper musicals with the exception of Cats. The gritty realism and the question of why everyone is singing just don't jive with the emotionality and vibrancy of musicals. The suspension of disbelief is cut between the screen and the theatre and how do they cope with a happy medium such as in animation or internal logic of the world. 

Out of all Baz’s films, I hold a soft spot for Moulin Rouge! the most. Perhaps it was my first entrance into a live-action movie musical (Brandy's Cinderella is my first entrance to TV musicals and indirectly stage musicals and what I saw first before MR) but it’s still an okay movie. I’ll give it three stars. Admittedly, not one of my fave movies but in terms of musicals and romance, it holds a major spot. 

It has its problems like the racist play (I know Bollywood is one of your inspirations but it shouldn't have to be played out like that. I mean I was fine with the Broadway making a new play without the Indian trappings though everywhere else was fine.). The secondary characters don’t get development like the Bohemian troupe and Nini. I know it isn’t the best movie but think of MR as a grand romantic gesture embodying Bohemian ideals, silly grand romantic yet deep showing freedom beauty truth, and love in all its showiness. 

The Broadway version, while expanding the secondary characters and getting rid of the cultural appropriation, butchered the love triangle, made weird decisions with the couple, failed to make the Duke the entitled menacing clown that he is instead of just relenting at the end (because that’s not the point? Why the fuck is he singing money when he has the money? Why is he the only consistent male lead? Still evil but he didn’t come off as the true villain in the end. That honor went to his rival, Broadway Christian. If anyone thought the movie Christian was a piece of shit and/or disturbing, then you haven't seen the Broadway version because that Christian was the worst in the second act.), the Satine and Christian's romance just wrecked (nothing against older Satine finds her home in MR as opposed to the caged bird younger Satine. Just different flavors with different vulnerabilities. I just have a problem with Christian's arc overall as he seems different from the genuine gentle romantic soul; why is he this whiny loser than an actual romantic? Act 1 Christian was fine but the rest of the time Christian was not my Christian. Maybe the music just doesn't have the Orpheus and Eurydice element which is the point.), Broadway Christian just not being a wide-eyed romantic idealist but some guy who is definitely not Christian I know, and the crucial musical numbers from the film receive downgrades. By making the Duke likable, they don't seem to understand why the movie made it clear that we root for Christian and Satine. There is nothing wrong with developing the Duke to be more than the incel creep from the film. Still, when the Duke is by far the most fun and believable character in the whole show and fucking up the love triangle and the romance centerpiece, all we are left with is a hollow love story that isn't self-aware outside of the happier ending I guess. 

My Godoka, Elephant Love Medley, El Tango De Roxanne, One Day I’ll Fly Away, Come What May, and Your Song, you deserve so much better than what Broadway had done to you. I swear I’ll cry if I have to listen to the Broadway version over the sincere story-relevant songs. Seriously, the El Tango de Roxanne Broadway version just makes me cry with frustration and crystallization of just how poorly done the love triangle is on Broadway. Because Broadway clearly doesn’t understand the point. Why did they remove Queen’s The Show Must Go On when they clearly got another Queen song in their version of ELM? Just why while Crazy Rolling was just acceptable but no dice on being compelling? Even if Satine’s motive had changed, Firework is not the song to go especially as the emotional One Day I’ll Fly Away equivalent. Satine wouldn’t have all the bird motifs if the song doesn’t mean anything. Your Song is now the secret song rather than Come What May which I have many opinions about. There’s a reason why it’s the only original song and for the show making the only original song not be as impactful despite having the reprises is just weird. There’s a different context for the song but given Come What May’s reprises, it should’ve made more impact. Somehow it just doesn’t land because it was just another duet than the importance an original song in a jukebox musical has. Nature Boy (and Lady Marmalade and Because We Can) was the only song not ruined by the musical version! 

Even when they used older more timeless music like Aha's Take on Me, Elvis's' Can't Help Falling In Love With You, Beatles' All You Need Is Love, etc aren't doing anything creative with it or building/maintaining focus on the fucking story with it or using it like the emotional songs that the movie had done because their main problem was mashing it up without considering how the movie did it. I laugh because no matter what era, there are just too many songs but not enough development on the romantic centerpiece - and when they did focus on the romance, it's horrid because Christian and Satine didn't look like they want to spend the rest of their lives together. Because it sure as hell confused on what direction it wants: is it a satire, tragic melodramatic love story, comedy, or naughty cabaret? It didn't have a straight line that knows what it is like the movie which is aware it's a melodramatic tragic love story with tight tone shifts from comedy to tragedy and draws attention to it. The Broadway played things so fucking straight that it's tedious to sit through. 

I have zero issues with Broadway needing more numbers as well as replacement numbers for songs they couldn’t get. I understand that in traditional musical theatre, there are required numbers such as the I Want and Villain songs. In the end, the Broadway soundtrack in its entirety is merely serviceable but far too many numbers at the expense of the romantic centerpiece. 

Fuck making Christian emotionally manipulative so Satine had to admit her love just to save him! What the actual fuck when Christian walking out of her life forever is enough for Satine who was overcome with love can't help but sing out how she really feels! Fuck Broadway Christian is just so disappointing. No matter how good the Broadway actor like Aaron Tveit is, the Broadway arc for Christian is just so disappointing and not the Christian I know, the gentle yet passionate Christian who genuinely loves Satine and shows how much he loves her by treating her like a person because that's the point. This one just feels disappointing overall. 

The ending felt too celebratory. It’s a party because why not?! The movie respects Satine’s death more than this mess. I understand the Moulin Rouge establishment and everyone else got a relatively happier ending but the Broadway never respected Satine’s death in the finale and it’s just disappointing. 

There’s nothing with a romp. It’s just that the dignity of the darkness isn’t given its dues and won’t stand against its contemporaries and the movie itself. 

Technically, I know that any of the Broadway singers are far better technical performers at their jobs than the celebs who were selected (regardless Ewan Mcgregor and Nicole Kidman are good singers or pitch-corrected when that isn’t the point as it’s the chemistry and the heart of the performances make the romance great) but Godoka, the film version, and the film soundtrack have so much heart rather than having songs going in and out. Talented singers or not, when the songs felt more like they were there for popularity to the point my thought is 'what song is next?' than advancing the story, the Broadway soundtrack is more serviceable than anything I'll play over and over again. Like, there is a reason why I'll listen to the film soundtrack and the film versions than the Broadway soundtrack. 

Perhaps there is something wrong with the Broadway version's libretto. Or might as well be one of the worst librettos on Broadway. The romance no matter the actor and actress just off with lackluster chemistry (believe me, I have seen bootlegs of different casts and still cannot see the romance. Next up, Jamie Muscato and Melissa James!). Individually, they’re fine but together it’s just off. The movie's chemistry and performances are fantastic because pessimism and optimism sparked into the flirty banter while on Broadway the vague anti and pro-love are just that and don’t show enough of the romance. It seemed so focused on the music rather than using the music to advance the story. The only thing in its favor is really its incredible set and costume design with great performances that probably didn't matter it's a terrible book. 

One thing in MR’s favor is just how self-aware the movie is. It doesn’t take itself too seriously yet when it comes down to the love story, it feels genuine, and the fact that the music shows that they still want to tell a story. 

It honestly feels like the Broadway version isn't self-aware and played things so straight that the goofy yet genuine version felt more willing to push all emotions out than having it so staid. Just be big and loud because that's the point of Moulin Rouge with an exclamation point! 

Elephant Love Medley is a medley that seamlessly makes pre-existing songs into a cohesive song that tells a story. The focus was a conversation and the couple finally acted on the love at first sight as well as their previous encounter with Your Song. Broadway failed as an organic medley, shuffling love-related songs as if its life depended on it. Again, Broadway failed to tell a story. 

El Tango de Roxanne is the benchmark that the jukebox musical aspires to be, turning a pre-existing song and turning it to an evocation of emotion and atmosphere. The lyrics are telling a story while the music and its arrangement expressed and heightened the characters' emotions. The song is also layered with original lyrics for Christian, showing that the team knows where the heart belongs because why trust the emotional daggers to someone else when you know how to wield it yourself? (This is the same thought process behind Shrek's soundtrack as well with the pop songs as the external pressures while the original sound is the true selves. Because the original music would not have worked if it weren't for the pop music.) The movie version with the addition of Come What May was just so wonderful. 

And this is one of the many reasons why the Broadway version failed as Christian is only supposed to sing the original lyrics while the Roxanne tango must only be sung by his friends trying to tell him that they know better than he knows. Fucking up the performance of the song which should never be messed with just to give Christian more lines that made no sense according to the narrative. It should’ve never been Christian’s song. By reverting back to the original aka not the movie version but the Police thereby making it a straight-up cover for the lead’s belting showcase, the transformed song is now a plain cover and just not good. The movie cut out ‘put on the red light’ wisely after the first time and kept it in a minor key with Christian’s counter melody playing off it completely transformed the song into musical theatre. Just basically repeating 'put on the red light' was not how the song worked in the movie! The movie wisely cut it to keep it in a minor key and to keep the energy of the song! The Broadway El Tango de Roxanne is mangled to hell and back! The so-called musical theatre arranges the songs as direct covers with no changes except for belting but not as the musical theatre the movie does for the emotion. Winning Best Orchestration is an insult to the movie's complete transformation of the music. Outside of some gems, the Broadway overall isn't doing anything new or inventive, just covers when the film transforms the music. 

Ya know if you wanted to give the Bohemians more, then give Santiago his shining piece! Christian already has a part in Crazy Rolling which is The Show Must Go On equivalent (I have so many words for that change regardless of its acceptability in the song quality. I adore the opera version of The Show Must Go On and just wish there is something better for the Broadway.) but at that point, I just want Christian to have the right amount of songs, not to take up songs that are other characters' rightful shining moments. Just let Satine and Zidler sing that damn song! Just let Santiago loose with his defining moment! Just do anything at all so that the poorly-written Christian has the right songs to illustrate his pain! Do anything else at all to illustrate the emotion rather than have poorly done covers that do not do well against the movie! The jukebox quality is so bad on Broadway I wanted to grab it by the scruff and point it to the movie. It really doesn’t know how to take a breather and let the emotional songs where the not-so-contemporary 70-80s (or older since we're also counting on Tanguera by Mariano Mores here) rock/jazz ballads era came from and keep the nightclub/comedy songs on the modern era popular songs from the past decade. Broadway tried to be emotional but failed at the crucial moments because it’s all contemporary instead of placing them in categories. It doesn’t know how to use contemporary music.

Honestly, I wish jukebox musicals are like Moulin Rouge where the songs were chosen thoughtfully in the context of the music, their lyrics, and the role they play in the advancement of the story. Elephant Love Melody and El Tango de Roxanne are what the jukebox musical's untouchables that none had been able to compare, challenge, or stand beside. 

Honestly, I think Moulin Rouge doesn’t follow the rules of a jukebox musical if there were any tight rules. Baz knows when to use original music to show the characters’ true feelings. The secret to a jukebox musical is in the best, the most memorable, and most powerful song must be original hence we see the glimmer of Come What May and Christian's lyrics in El Tango de Roxanne and Come What May itself. 

We also see this with The Book of Life with original songs I Love You Too Much and The Apology Song. Again, the secret of a jukebox musical is the original that is powerful and memorable. 

Moulin Rogue transcended the trappings of the jukebox musical. That's how great the Moulin Rouge movie soundtrack (the official soundtrack is just disappointing on just how little it offers in terms of how the movie played it out because we want the movie renditions) really is. 

Honestly, the only jukebox musicals that came close are Mamma Mia and The Book of Life yet Moulin Rouge the movie remains the crème de la crème what a jukebox musical could be in its best form. 

I don’t think you can’t unsee Moulin Rouge as some jukebox musical. All the songs are character and plot-relevant, advancing the story forward. In a typical jukebox musical, the music is haphazard and just there for the audience to point out they know that song and like it which the Broadway version doesn’t make that genre of musicals better when the movie reinvigorates what the jukebox musical could do, and do well. Though, unlike the movie version, the music seems still brand new instead of choosing from songs that are for the story. From what I always hear from the movie version, songs are not chosen at random and the love ballad wasn’t chosen willy-nilly because they exhausted their search. I just wish they look at every song written and see if it’s character and story while seamlessly blending the melodies. Broadway doesn’t do that one well in ELM though there is some good in this version with the mixing when everywhere else was fine. Hey, at least Backstage Romance, Shut Up and Raise Your Glass, and Freedom Beauty Truth Love are great. There is some good music on Broadway but it’s not enough to tell the story that it should’ve done and largely failed to transform the songs into a new context or do something new/inventive with it because covers are the bare minimum of a jukebox musical and only rearranging songs just for belting (instead of transforming it into the musical theatre of any kind like opera) along with swapping upbeat to ballad and vice versa or just in a different key but little change too much else are another things that are just minimal. Firework is the worst here. Transform the songs into a new genre nobody thought of, recontextualize them into something new, rearrange them into a new genre that nobody thought of, drop certain keys to keep it in a certain tone, make counter melodies, combine it with a classical song, add original lyrics, make it exciting, do what the Moulin Rouge movie had done! 

Musicals are driven by emotions, not by logic. Tom Hooper dragging the musical theatre genre kicking and screaming into realism was pretty bad to watch as he's too blinded by the awards and praise for his film style to even bother understanding the musical genre just as Kay Cannon seemed embarrassed that Cinderella 2021 was even a musical. I was disappointed by the Broadway version of Moulin Rouge precisely it plays so straight instead of leaning into the melodrama the more self-aware movie version had done. Moulin Rouge wasn't supposed to be so staid, but full of kinetic powerful emotions. 

Please I’ll watch Moulin Rouge Broadway over the Dear Evan Hansen movie anytime. At least, you can laugh at Cats the movie despite its pure lack of understanding of the musical and just music in general (one song is all the movie got right! One fucking song!). Dear Evan Hansen the movie was pure ego for Mark towards Ben instead of telling the story well on the silver screen; aside from one upgrade from the musical, it’s literally bad to sit through because you can’t laugh at it. Honestly, because of Evan's youth and the play know Evan’s actions are inexcusable, the music is great out of context while they are so uncomfortable in context. DEH isn’t a top fave or even remotely bad by any means, just a story that is more uncomfortable than mediocre or plain bad. 

I might seem really harsh with the Moulin Rouge Broadway but this is the same opinion I have with fanfic (and other fics) I won't name at the moment as well as other media (Bridgerton). I am willing to watch/read it again but it's not something I would consider putting on my fave list any time soon. At least the MR Broadway version is enjoyable. I just prefer the movie version while accepting MR Broadway's expansion on the secondary characters and diversity without the cultural appropriation only because they fucked up character-wise with Christian & Duke (by making him lovable and hateable yet the most consistent main cast lead) and romance-wise with everything else. Individually, Broadway Satine is fine with more agency. Still, caged bird Satine made sense with her lack of agency or what little she has (her affair with Christian, her desire to run away with Christian, planning to sleep with the Duke but chose not to yet her self-sacrifice attempts are always destroyed, choosing Christian at the end of the movie, using her last words for her last request). I just do not want her with either the Duke or Christian on Broadway. I will root for her and Christian in the movie but will not root for them in the Broadway version. 

It's not likely my critique especially as a lover of the movie would mean much to the tourists. Broadway is sustained by tourists and a wealthy East Coast base. The Broadway version of Moulin Rouge is a huge tourist draw that is doing just fine without any big stars as Aaron Tvelt and Karen Olivo are taking their final bows, Derek Klena taking a hiatus, and more cast announcements coming out for the leads. Even the recent announcement of Jojo as Satine was just the right amount of interest but not the type of stunt casting for box office needs; she hits the nostalgia factor for millennials yet is a fantastic singer so she'll be doing the holdover until summer sales. 

Anyway, Baz Lurhmann revitalized the movie musical genre and his influence reigned till this day. I mean we wouldn’t have all the imagined spots and play with time so much in musicals, won’t we? 

As much as I don’t like the closeups of dance numbers when all I want to see is the choreography, it’s still the movie musical genre. At least in Moulin Rouge, the snappy editing as well as seeing the choreography makes it worthwhile because the editing serves a purpose. The editing of close-ups is not that story-driven. At least MR lets you see the choreography. 

You can see the influence of the new and old; the fantasy and the reality; the showstoppers and the emotional. The blending of modern music and old times isn't anything new. However, in modern times, it's more felt. 

Even in non-musical forms, we got oldie songs in OFMD. Like Moulin Rouge the movie, the era used timeless orchestrated songs. It's not there to be belted out but to be sung on those featured at the endings. Compared to the golden era of piracy, those songs aren't modern but still timeless. Because that's the point OFMD and MR the movie are aiming for. 

Bridgerton got the instrumental modern songs though I have mixed feelings about certain songs. 

It can be done well as those examples are recent. If not done well, you get audiences laughing in the emotional moments as seen in the Broadway version of MR and the thought occurring is ‘I know that song! I like the musical now!’. I’m sorry but as much as I like Thank You Next and Wildest Dreams and didn’t like Girls Like You, my first thought isn’t that for actually liking the soundtrack. I was far too concerned with how the story and characters are going in conjunction with the music. I like Stranger Things soundtrack despite my many problems with the show. 

In The Greatest Showman, Rocketman, and so much more, you can see the Moulin Rouge influence. 

The Greatest Showman was trying to be the Moulin Rouge for the next generation albeit with originals. The major difference is that outside of two songs that move the story forward in any way even after Rewrite the Stars came after three minutes after the romantic subplot characters met because at least the romance impacts the story forward, the majority are inspirational songs. It's all extravaganza with no thought process behind the original songs for the thinner story than Moulin Rouge. At least Moulin Rouge's story was helped by its self-awareness and the fact that the songs are plot-prevalent including the softer songs that can be featured in just a single scene that does have emotional weight like Some Day I'll Fly Away and A Fool to Believe. The movie in itself was a hollow commercial montage with less than fleshed-out characters and relationships and really don't think too hard about it. It's all about the entertainment and sensation of being at a circus than the atmospheric heightened world of Moulin Rouge. I don't hate the film as I'm more eh and not sure about even liking it. About two and a half stars, the only way I could imagine the film even working outside of its poor narrative is the real Barnum piecing together a fictional version of himself that was so accepting and saintly because he would do that. It does have its strengths as a feel-good movie just as long as you are not thinking about the story or any historical detail. The difference between Moulin Rouge and The Greatest Showman is that Moulin Rouge knows it's heightened and the audience knows it's a heightened world, buying into the love at first sight easily. The Greatest Showman for all its pizazz doesn't have enough of that heightened world to buy into when the songs only have two songs that are plot-relevant while the other songs are there for inspirational acceptance. It's a heightened world but when we don't even get the interactions we do get with Christian and Satine from the brief dance they shared and the conversations they had after the Duke went out of the boudoir briefly as well as the Your Song and the misunderstanding they had prior to Your Song, the star-crossed interracial couple shared three minutes prior to their love song. There just wasn't enough for the trope of love at first sight to set in because it's all about the sensation when we barely know these characters whereas we got to know the characters of Christian and Satine both in and out of their relationship. Even Elephant Love Medley still took some time as we even got the conversation leading up to said medley including Some Day I'll Fly Away. When Moulin Rouge got three stars, yeah. I was kind enough to up it one star for its strengths and a half for the two songs for story progression in any way. I mean the secondary characters don’t have that much of a role in MR but at least we see their personalities and what little they do get whereas Broadway expanded them to the romance’s detriment. As much as I shut my brain off regarding this movie, it's admittedly entertaining because at least I can analyze Moulin Rouge and enjoy other fandoms using the MR AUs to tell what they want whereas the surface-level everything in TGS is just there. 

Like, musical numbers are trendy pop music fare than musical theatre. Moulin Rouge actually made an opera version of The Show Must Go On and puts more effort into the arrangements than Pasek and Paul who had more recent pop music than actual identifiable musical theatre identity. At least in La La Land, the music actually fits even though the homage to the golden age of musicals is so superficial. 

I don't mind the musical numbers. Heck, it's even the highlights and entertaining but make no question there is no connection between the emotionality and characters beyond the shallow. Because I know the difference between art and entertainment and how it can be both, I think it's just sad I just can't bring myself to like it more than just a mediocre piece of work that is more determined to entertain than to have a decent story coupled with it. At least Moulin Rouge for all its cliches is actually self-aware of its melodrama and leaned into it. TGS focused so much on the entertainment the 'heart' suffered as we do not get to know the freaks in which these songs all proposed the diversity to focus on the white male lead. 

Heck, even Chicago the movie musical used editing in its musical scenes to tell a story. 

Baz opened the door to a vibrant and impossible world that can be achieved as the modern movie musical. When the oldie movie musical is in doses and homages nowadays, the colorful world the movie musical could be in the future. 

Movie musicals from The Greatest Showman and West Side Story showed what the modern movie musical could do now. Generally, from what I have seen in modern movie musicals, the convergence between musical theatre and film must be either realism or dreamlike stylism. The Greatest Showman and Rocketman can show the dreamlike stylism still work just as Into the Heights and West Side Story leaned more toward realism so much that musical numbers do not detract from the central story that is told in the film medium. 

Dear Evan Hansen the movie leaned so hard onto the realism that it actually hurt it, not the least of the loss of so many numbers. It looked more like an indie flick where they could use the musical numbers as imagined spots with the important talks that were sung be sung to each other. 

Cats leaned into realism as per Tom Hooper's Les Mis. Tom Hooper, like Joel Schumacher, is a director best not to direct movie musicals. Seriously, the heteronormality of Rum Tum Tugger and Mr. Mistoffelees is turned towards the so-called protagonist Victoria. It's one of the major problems for sure but when paired with the bad music that just stopped because the director is outright embarrassed by these numbers, it's just rotten to sit through.  

And that's on the most recent turnout I can remember. Mamma Mia movies are just fine chick flicks made for women and as far as combining jukebox with the world goes, it's one of the best examples for a non-biomusical but for the oeuvre of a musician.

So far, we are ranging from decent to utter trash when it comes to modern movie musicals. 

While I don't think musical theatre should want to get validation from Hollywood it wants them for awards bait, Broadway on its own is just for tourists. It's a tiny slice in which the award show dedicated to them is myopic and whatever awards are marketing bait. Who cares Moulin Rouge the Broadway musical has one of the worst librettos, it's still well-performed! Cats have a terrible libretto too but who cares when it's just so out there! Phantom's story is flawed but there is no getting around that the songs are just catchy. 

There are more jukeboxes now there but there is a future coming and hopefully more innovative music than just Lin-Manuel Miranda. 

While people have built on what the modern movie musical could do, the jukebox musical doesn’t have that many gems. 

From ego vanity projects to focusing on the jukebox aspect than the musical aspect to failing at writing altogether, jukebox musicals don’t have the best of pickings. Even the slightly better ones are usually slim. There are individual moments but it’s exactly that. The latest James Corden and Camila Cabello’s Cinderella 2021 is just an example of how the selection of songs is less about the plot and characters and more about the names because I really think they just look at the name of the songs and their popularity than actually thoughtfully picking songs and elevating it into a new context. Even their original song did little to advance the story when the original song in a jukebox musical is an important piece. 

The hilarious thing is that both Cinderella and Moulin Rouge are cliche simple stories but one is self-aware yet creates a genuine romance and musical from thoughtful choices and the other doesn’t try and pick what’s popular while being self-aware to the point of obnoxiousness. I seriously cannot name a number that advances the story in any capacity, not even the original song that just blended altogether rather than stick out and is memorable. In terms of a first look, it’s mediocre. However, upon scrutiny with the addition of not having good costuming, score, soundtrack, and writing, it turned from mediocre to bad that it’s not worth it to put behind as white noise or even watchable as I could watch other mediocre Cinderellas even Ella Enchanted the movie which I have problems with due to my love for the book. Even The Book of Life is a self-aware simple story as well but uses its songs to push the story than to stop it in its tracks just for some number that made no sense in anything. 

Glee has songs that were initially for the story and characters with episodes dedicated to particular artists or mashups. However, for better or worse, the songs are made by a streamlined factory than anything that was made by a producer. I like some songs but a lot of it really sounds more like a token you get at an arcade to get prizes than anything of substance. MR has substance simply because of the thought behind the song choices hence it’s so iconic. 

I'm amazed Glee chose to use the film version of Come What May the first time I heard it including the instrumentals rather than the soundtrack version. I mean the movie versions will always trump over all the covers I heard and the Glee version is just serviceable even when we are having a gay couple here. I'm demi bi but I'm wary to use the Glee version in my wedding. Glee’s music is serviceable and not anything to write home about outside of a few numbers. Made worse that it just covers that don’t further the story and failed to elevate into a new context or use in inventive new ways. The mashups are rarely good which are just as bad as MR Broadway. 

They used the soundtrack version of Sparkling Diamond more than the movie version though. Considering that Brody was supposed to sing El Tango de Roxanne...yeah, I think the sex worker actor-in-training is singing that instead of anybody else says a lot of missing the point of the song. 

Glee is just ‘Let’s throw the top 40 and maybe some indie songs while we’re at it?!’. It’s a musical show but the substance is clearly without direction, just popular songs with no rhyme or reason instead of being a decision to tell the story effectively. I know they don’t have much time to film in between choosing the numbers but Godoka, it could’ve been more than just a fast-paced but overall poor story that failed in its messages by the finale. On one hand, I can see where Glee does deserve praise but on the other, I cannot forgive its unapologetic hate while parading around as if it can speak (not examine as it rarely does that) on serious topics that it tossed at a canvas like a Jackson Pollock painting. Sure there are original songs but like everything else, the originals aren't even that memorable outside of a couple numbers.  

It’s camp but it's just so bad at it. More exhausting than anything else. The crazy sets that in no way a high school glee club can afford cannot be imagined spots for these kids because they had to be real. Couldn’t it just be imagined spots than school money the glee club spending frivolously? 

Godoka, when Glee is bad, it's bad. But when Glee's good, it's really good. 

Let's just sum up what makes a great jukebox musical: 

• Must advance the narrative from the plot to the characters' emotions 
• Songs must be chosen thoughtfully as the context, lyrics, and role they play in the advancement of the plot matter not just originally but into the new context. The story is key. It must fit the context of the scene and elevate the song into a new context such as a simple love song turned into a declaration of love. The song choices must be airtight in their relevance to the plot and characters. 
• Changes such as gender pronouns are usually spotted easily and stick out. However, if it is seamless that it seemed like it was written for that exact purpose, then it wouldn't stick out because it's seamless. Sticking near verbatim to a song should be noted as again changed gender pronouns unless done well stick out. 
• Emotionally resonant songs must be chosen carefully. It can be modern like & Juliet. Moulin Rouge used rock/jazz ballads from the 70s-80s (Nature Boy, Your Song, Some Day I’ll Fly Away, El Tango de Roxanne, and The Show Must Go On) and older (because what gave El Tango de Roxanne's oomph was the 50s Mariano Mores' Tanguera) but the Broadway version failed in this aspect to use modern music in the fashion of & Juliet and failed to see what kind of eras the movie version was using. 
• Modern songs must be chosen carefully. In Moulin Rouge the movie, the nightclub and comedy songs used songs of the last decade at that time; it knows when to step out of that and into the orchestrated traditional songs that are not used for belting showcases. Look at & Juliet for how to use modern music carefully for emotional resonance. It can be done but if not done well, you’ll likely have people laughing at these emotional moments. 
• Creative and inventive new ways the songs can be adapted. The songs are recognizable yet the arrangements made it a standout and more than just a straight cover. 
• Straight covers are a no. By intention, a jukebox musical is a cover compilation. However, it's just a covered song compilation but not nothing inventive or newly done with it. Unless it is seamless to the story in question, the covers will stick out and won't be good no matter how well-performed it is. 
• Add original lyrics, particularly if some of it could be from the original song(s) present or new lyrics representing the internal conflict/emotions, into the newly covered song itself. Because the emotionality of one's character differed from the character singing the covered song to tell something to that someone. Because wielding the emotional daggers yourself rather than having the words to someone else is what matter. Give the original lyrics in this newly rearranged song the importance it has. 
• Make counter melodies, make it into a genre nobody thought of, make it musical theatre, make new accompaniment/notes/etc, rearrange the songs into something new, and transform the song! 
• Drop or add keys and/or lyrics to keep it a certain tone. For example, El Tango de Roxanne is entirely in a minor key with the counter melody from Christian's tenor, dropping 'put on the red light' after the first time, only mixing it in the tail end of the song with Christian's lyrics. 
• The original song must be the best, most powerful, and most memorable of them all because it's the secret of a jukebox musical. Give the original song the significance and dignity it represents. Heck, even contrast the original songs in comparison to the other songs. For example, the gentle Come What May and the original lyrics sung by Christian in El Tango de Roxanne were soft for the most part but they contrast greatly with the fast-paced songs. The Book of Life's I Love You Too Much and Apology Song is so memorable in its jukebox music. 
• A marriage of the modern and the world. This rarely happens in the jukebox musical world but when it does, it's magnificent as in the case of Moulin Rouge the movie. 

I mainly used Moulin Rouge the movie as an example but it's not my fault that the movie soundtrack is just so fantastic in its arrangement and complete transformation of the music they used, elevating it into something new and making it their own. You can tell that it's a Narcoleptic Argentian singing El Tango de Roxanne, not Sting, and the original lyrics in it as well as the countermelody and keeping it in the minor key and cutting certain lyrics out to maintain the energy made it fantastic. 

To call the movie's jukebox musical all fluff is an insult to how the songs are for the story and its advancement. Seriously, I can tell you which number is supposed to do in the story. 

Godoka, is the Book of Life's jukebox musical all fluff if that was the case too? I Will Wait isn’t exactly a typical I Want song. The closest thing to an I Want song and probably the I Want song in Moulin Rouge is Some Day I’ll Fly Away. 

A jukebox musical isn't exactly traditional musical theatre. Yeah, there can be mimicking of an I Want and Villain song as I have seen this happen in the Broadway version of Moulin Rouge - you already know my opinions about that as I completely understand expanding the roster of songs to include the I Want and Villain songs if only the songs were transformed and used correctly which the Broadway failed - and & Juliet but that does not immediately constitute Moulin Rouge the movie's use of the music they selected as all fluff. 

Moulin Rouge the movie cut through the stereotypes of jukebox musicals that didn't even exist yet and remained the best and most important jukebox musical in film and theatre history. Moulin Rouge is a one-of-a-kind movie that is hard to duplicate. The movies that followed tried but it’s only at the surface level rather than understanding Baz was celebrating the film and musical mediums he’s appreciating. Even Baz Luhrmann himself tried to do that but failed. 

Just as how to not do a jukebox musical: 

• Song choices out of popularity and song name. Cinderella 2021 is the worst here, giving no thought to the context of the songs they chose nor do they choose to elevate it. No song role in advance of the plot here. These songs are just there less for the story and more for the song name than anything else. 
• It's the stars whose obviously singing it, not the characters. If I see Idina Menzel and not the stepmother, that's the script's problem. 
• Too much of a jukebox. When the priority is to throw in as many songs, then the story will be taken for a backseat.  
• Straight covers. No changes, nada. 
• Gender pronoun changes stick out like a sore thumb. No fluidity. 
• No transformation of the song. The Broadway version of El Tango de Roxanne is the worst here. Reverting it back to the Police and rewriting it just for a belting showcase is a no-no. Not only it shouldn't be Christian's song, but it's also horribly mangled and nothing inventive was done outside of just making it a belting showcase. Fuck that. 
• Blending original songs all together with the covered songs. 
• The marriage of the world with the music just did not work. The songs stick out instead of doing something with the music and providing nothing as a result. 

Cinderella 2021 is one of the worst jukebox musicals out there. There is no thought process behind them beyond just popularity. Just look at the name and that's it. What few original songs it has - the Lin-Manuel Miranda-esque royal announcement raps, that one original song, the King's serenade for the Queen - blended together and isn't memorable at all. Seriously, the royal announcement raps didn't show any creativity that Lin-Manuel has. 

I don’t think Dear Evan Hansen the movie will kill the movie's musical genre. Seriously, we’re getting Wicked after this many long years. 

I do not want to think about what would kill the modern movie musical. With how old musicals are referenced, I see something new done. 

I mean when the new West Side Story was received well by the general public seeing that it could stand beside the original film and actually played by actual Hispanic actors who can sing and dance. Probably because the film medium and the Spielberg touch show it could be done and done well and can stand beside the originals proudly. I love the original West Side Story and do see how just like how Moulin Rouge the movie impacted the musical scene, West Side Story did as well but people have to admit that the cast is all white instead of the Hispanic cast it is supposed to be like the Puerto Ricans aren't there for the backdrop. I'm Vietnamese but I can see the impact just by having the cast be Hispanic and allowing their identity to come through. Cultural pluralism is where we're supposed to be going, not racial assimilation (looking at you, Bridgerton. The only way I could take any of that is pure fantasy, not an alternate universe kind of, just fairy tales. I'm sorry but like Hamilton, my history-loving heart could not take it as any more than just fantasy set in a world where there's no antiblackness or racism except homophobia is still prevalent but Hamilton only gets an upward point because at least it's using its music and cast to commentate as well as knowing Hamilton himself isn't really a good person to root for). 

If that’s received well along with Tick Tock Boom showing how to adapt musicals well into the medium, we have many movie musicals in the future to look forward to. 

With LMM showing how to innovate the movie musical and RRR being a different beast with their usage of musical numbers, there are signs we are getting into better adaptations complete with triple threats that Hollywood is now looking for. I just hope it would be better or pro shots would be in higher demand than they already are. 

Bad Cinderella lashing out at bootlegs and especially TikTok which can help with a show’s popularity is just a terrible decision. Broadway is for and sustained by tourists and a relatively wealthy East Coast base but whoever is behind ALW’s new show where it’s clear he’s phoning it in is in for a reckoning. 

Because the worst movie musical adaptations (Les Mis, Into the Woods, Rent, The Wiz, Phantom, Cats) are terrible and failed to capture what made the theatre work by non-theatre professionals who seemed to not only fail to understand musical theatre but avoid it altogether as they are respected filmmakers for serious movies. God, you think people would be against Tom Hooper as a musical theater director after Les Mis but nope, hopefully, Cats sealed the deal that he will and must not be within ten feet of a musical adaptation. I'd trust Baz Lurhmann to make another jukebox musical than trust Tom Hopper with a movie musical again because Baz certainly understands the theatricality and emotionality that is absolutely central to the musical concept. He completely understands the emotionality and theatrics of musical theatre because people sing out of emotions. Tom Hooper seemed embarrassed about musicals and tried his best to interrupt the music any chance he can even with the best and only number he got with Steven McRae. Not that there aren't any serious musicals but the musicals are all about the emotions and theatrics for the stage. And translating it to the big/small screen is hard with its different mediums. This is opposed by those who do know how musical theatre works and made it into enjoyable fests (Cabaret, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Little Shop of Horrors, Chicago, and even Hairspray). TV live musicals are a different beast and differ from professional shots. 

It’s sad when a movie production is embarrassed they are even a musical in the first place, leaning into realism when the film medium demands realism and logic at the expense of people singing and dancing out of sheer emotion. There’s nothing wrong with the difference and the suspension of disbelief but a musical isn’t embarrassing when it can tell a story in a different way. Looking at you, Les Mis, Cats, and Cinderella 2021. It's really terrible to see Tom Hooper isn't comfortable and outright disinterested in the musical medium that it's pretty obvious he should never be handed a movie musical in the first place. 

Tom Hooper and everyone behind the movie version of Cats are so engrossed in their hubris to win awards. Why else would celebs sign on if it were the fact that it's an Oscar-winning director behind the wheel and could get away with changing so much of the material it's unrecognizable just because they can't share the spotlight when that's the point of Cats? Why else is Tom Hooper willing to drag the musical genre kicking and screaming to the realm of realism just because he wanted more awards when his last musical stint won awards? Why else is the studio pushing for a Christmas release, forcing the animators who have to work with the stupid no-mocap thing which is just as bad as the music being kept offbeat and repeatedly piled on with crunch? 

Considering his Les Mis is basically what people who hate Moulin Rouge see it for me, yeah...Tom Hooper, shoo, you must never set foot near a musical manuscript ever again. Steven Spielberg, yeah, I want you to make another musical again. I mean Tom Hooper failed to understand VFX and animation so I'd prefer watching James Cameron talk about how he is willing to partake in innovative technology. Even now, I am still in awe of his Titanic. 

I’m hesitant about the Wicked one but that’s because the last Oz movie failed to capture the feminism of the original books and why the fuck Wizard is a fraud, not some goddamn chosen one. 

Say what you will about Moulin Rouge or R+J or Titanic, there is no denying their influence. While Titanic was actively aiming for awards, the other two weren't at first. Well, the Broadway version of Moulin Rouge certainly campaigned hard for the Tonys. Whether they deserved certain awards is subjective as I certainly think they don't deserve some of the awards they were given when those should be handed to the film. 

Honestly, with more and more movie musicals to come, both jukebox and original, I hope the future is in good hands. Epic the musical seemed to be in such a good line from what I heard. 

From Ratatouille and Bridgerton the musicals (though I don’t like the latter), we now have Epic and showing a new path. With TikTok being a breeding ground for theatre kids, professionals have kept a keen eye for scouting simply because the Ratatouille musical brought together a homegrown community just for creation. Basic as those shows and their songs are, there is no question that they bought together people. Until Barlow and Bear wrecked any goodwill they had with the fandom and doors are shut from them with the Grammy not even a fandom contribution trophy. 

With jukebox more frequent than originals, the originals stick out and not just the popular ones like Wicked, Hadestown, and Hamilton. Epic could mean the future as a step forward since their predecessors. 

I heard good things about & Juliet's jukebox musical though with MR Broadway's poor approach to using Katy Perry's song Firework makes me wary. I have nothing against Katy Perry, it's simply her lyrics that have that self-absorbed aspect that even her best songs have and it's hard enough to connect to her music outside of enjoying it as bubblegum pop which I have nothing against. I mean I can enjoy BTS' English tracks which are fun and meant to uplift some serotonin than having to do with the vast expansive discography that tells their story. The soundtrack largely tracks the hits of Max Martin and friends. I heard there is an original song in there too albeit from a pop singer but still an original song. From what I heard, it fits/changes the context with its seamless incorporation and sticking near verbatim to the originals that it feels like it was written for the show. Right now, going through the soundtrack before tracking down a slime tutorial. At least, it's keeping to 32 rather than the 70 MR Broadway has. When even the movie soundtrack didn't list every single song in the movie, Moulin Rouge has fewer songs than the Broadway version. 

Again, this is about the movie musicals rather than the tv musicals, not the live tv musicals. I heard good things about Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Even Schmigadoon and Galavant show a love for musicals as well. Heck, even the latter know the importance of an emotional song. Glee is unfortunately the worst even when it did some good albeit limited. 

While musicals as a whole are still popular today, the modern movie musical's potential hasn't been fulfilled yet. 

With gems like Tick Tock Boom and West Side Story showing how cinematic language can interact and elevate the medium of the theatre, there are duds like Cinderella 2021 that showed how to not do a jukebox musical or a musical. 

Originality is hard to come by these days in musical theatre with jukebox musicals all the rage. Either they are terrible (Moulin Rouge the Broadway, Cinderella 2021) or they are great (& Juliet). However, the Epic musical has all the things going for it to make it great. 

And even then while there aren't a lot of original plays with original music, there is just a simple lack of innovation. 

LMM is one such person showing that musicals don't have to remain the same thing over and over again. Showtunes are great but it's heading the same way as opera which hasn't moved on or innovated at all, remaining where it is for such a long-ass time. 

LMM really shouldn't keep writing songs for Disney films whether animated or live-action though his output for the latter is genuinely terrible but compared to others trying to cop his style without understanding anything, it's still better but not that good. He really should just focus on movie musicals and musicals in general, just not in the corporate Disney sphere which will force him to write songs for their live-action flicks. He really should just take a backseat to everything and just direct movie musicals and help as an advisor for people in need of help with movie musicals. His songwriting isn't on a downhill spiral or anything like that but he should only pump out songs that he has a passion for, not what others in the corporate Disney wants him to do. 

I noticed that there are just so many belting from the shows including Moulin Rouge when it shouldn’t have to. Sopranos and dance leading ladies don’t have much now outside of revivals pre-2006. It really was getting tiresome as I watched MR the Broadway whereas the movie version doesn’t belt. 

Just any experimental music than just doing poor arrangements ala Moulin Rouge the Broadway musical. Yeah, I am never letting go of that even though it sounds great, the soundtrack on its own is just serviceable but in no way does it serve the story in any way the movie had done and remained timeless. I see & Juliet remaining relevant over Moulin Rouge the Broadway in terms of longevity, especially when the movie version remained so timeless even now. 

Now, I know this in-universe Broadway was probably bad on purpose. Think of it this way, not only they had to contend with real-life events that forced changes (Spiderman not it due to the whole Mysterio thing) and fun changes (Antman) and just not knowing classified information. The people behind this musical won't know a dang thing about the personal stuff as well as the classified information. This is understandably the result of the lack of knowledge. 

If we were to have our Rogers the musical, it would be information we already know made into a musical. 

An in-universe play where Broadway has to make do with the little information they do have and they don't have access to tech to make it look just as real so they have stylized streetwear mimicking Spongebob the Musical's costuming and implied silhouette and Starkid's own costuming is just brilliant if you know. It might look shitty from an outsider's point of view especially since it's specifically written to unsettle Hawkeye in question who probably never understands Broadway or musical theatre with all the comic book set staging but given its in-universe popularity, it might be loved because it's campy. 

And campiness is something we need. 

Musical comedy shows are gems. The Schmig- series are love letters to subsets of musicals in certain time periods. 

Galavant was such a good time as it came way before CEG. 

I consider the Schmig- series either just lucky or a cult following among musical fans. It is after all made by musical fans for musical fans, understanding the tropes that made musicals work in the first place. Honestly, I was surprised to see the second season greenlit at all. I still haven't seen the second season yet or heard any of the numbers but it's something I want to get to. 

Godoka, we’re in the era of Cats now in the second season. Hope to Arceus we see the next decade or so with the next season if it comes to pass. 

A musical comedy just has so much potential. CEG shouldn’t be the only example but it was well received to garner that the story’s ending was made satisfactorily the same way. 

I want more musical comedies. Galavant should come back because, with Schmig- series and CEG, the series can thrive. Disenchanted just made me miss Galavant more. 

While this one is on a dubious stage, we got triple threats returning to the big screen. Hell yes after Russell Crowe and Gerard Butler, this is all the better. 

Let's just hope whoever is behind the Disney live actions lets the cast sing with all their emotions so that we can hear it, not the stupid stuff Bill Cordon and Tom Hooper did with BATB and every musical Hooper has done. Richie didn't understand musicals so that's why the movie with the fun coming from the cast saving it is not a good musical. 

I'm not blaming Emma Watson when it was whoever was behind the scenes ruining her vocal performances. It's just sad that she wasn't able to sing as decently as she could've all because of fear or whatever the producers feel, not helped by the fact Hooper want them to sing on set while the orchestra had to keep up with the singer instead of the other way around. Hooper doesn't know shit about performances and CGI so why do I bother with him? 

Hopefully, with the successes of CEG and the cult following more or less with the Schmig- series, there is more to come with the musical comedy genre. 

We do need more camp and just the embrace of tropes that doesn't necessarily mean it's just bad just because it embraces the joy of musical theatre.