July Round-Up '23
Welcome to my first post!
Something I'd like to do on a monthly basis is blog about things that happen in my life! This could take place more frequently if I'm making something I'm excited to share, or even less if I'm just not feeling it, but my current goal is to talk about cool stuff that I've been enjoying or creating at least every four weeks. Thanks to my partner Chris for inspiring me with his old newsletters - I always loved reading his thoughts, and hope you enjoy mine as well!
Projects
Speaking of my partner... Chris made a really neat little Bitsy game earlier in the month called Cherrywood that you can play in your browser here! He completely learned how to use Bitsy & constructed this sweet teeny walk down memory lane all in one afternoon, which is super impressive to me. To see a few scattered memories in a familiar-looking location gives me such joy, and I've replayed it several times because it pleases me so!
I finished up a small project that took a surprising amount of effort: my Summer Foods Zine! I put together full-color pages depicting and detailing how to make 8 different seasonal recipes that pair perfectly with the warm weather (I've actually been making my Peanut Butter Noodles recipe quite frequently thanks to the blazing heat). I appreciate every person who has checked out this little project! Thank you!!
I also completed a physical medium project to submit to the Power in Numbers Show at my favorite art spot, Gallery Nucleus! I made 3 pieces, and since the submissions don't close until early August, I'm waiting until they judge all the entries before sharing what I created. Even though I don't think they'll pick any of my artworks, I'm honestly glad I made what I did and like how the final pieces came out. I hope you look forward to seeing it soon!
Games
If you know me, you know how much I adore games... especially video games!! I experienced quite a few this month, so here are a couple of the biggest highlights.
Coffee Talk was one of my most favorite games that I played last year, and since Coffee Talk Episode 2 had released earlier this year, I shared myself playing through the entirety of the first game on my Twitch channel (where you can watch the VODs of my playthrough!) so I could be fully immersed in the world before trying the second. I absolutely adored it!! The character interactions were just as interesting and real as the first entry, with new faces adding pleasant voices to the colorful cast. I enjoyed the expanded variety of drinks you can prepare, as well as the addition of a social feed-like part of the phone where you get an even more intimate peek into the characters' lives. I was certainly craving a delicious drink after each session of play!
The drinks are so gorgeous in this game!
I had the great pleasure of watching Chris play one of my favorite games of all time, Ghost Trick, as it's newly released on PC and every console! I had a blast re-experiencing such a grand and wacky story through Chris' fresh eyes, and even though some of the puzzles could be a little rough due to needing precise timing, he seemed to enjoy it overall. Please give this game a try - there's a demo available on every platform, and I'm certain you'll be intrigued by how unique it is!
I watched my good friend Spacey play the brand-new indie game Gravity Circuit, which is an excellent love letter to the Megaman X series filled with its own sense of personality! With a catchy soundtrack, engaging gameplay, and expressive character portraits, the game is overflowing with endearment and excitement. Check it out!
Chris has been playing through the very first game in the Legend of Heroes series, Trails in the Sky, and seems to be enjoying it a lot!! I've liked how silly the quips in the game can be, especially from Estelle, one of the protagonists; she's kindhearted, but with very sassy comebacks and won't hesitate to beat someone up if they mess with her... truly aspirational. It started off a little slow, but I'm interested to see where this series goes.
And finally, we completed Final Fantasy XVI, which I tried SO hard to like... but... just couldn't!! This game goes beyond not being for me, into the realm of "why did they make it like that" with confusing design choices (poorly structured levels and pathing, having to run back & forth across needlessly huge maps for fetch quests that add nothing to the story, etc), terribly boring characters, a distasteful edginess, reusing the same 3 songs for the entirety of a 60+ hours game, and a story which had features that absolutely did not need to exist. The only reasons I would say this was worth playing is for Nektar the moogle, who's very cute despite barely having a presence, and the Eikon battles, which played out like super cool Kaiju-style fights. Otherwise, this is hands-down the worst Final Fantasy experience I've had (and I've played most of them).
Not even sweet Torgal could save this mess...
Anime
I keep up with anime seasonally, and the Summer Season of shows kicked off at the beginning of this month! Here's what I'm watching:
Jujutsu Kaisen's 2nd Season has been off-the-walls fun, hilarious, and heartbreaking within the span of just the first 3 episodes, so color me impressed!! JJK is by far my favorite Shounen that I've watched (especially for the sake of the characters not just talking about their attacks for episodes on-end), and MAPPA continues to astonish with gorgeous visuals, fluid animation, and effective storytelling. I'm very excited to see more!!
Undead Girl Murder Farce came as a surprise - here we have a story that centers on monsters as detectives, featuring a showboat of a half-oni named Shinuchi as the immortal Rindou's sidekick (and carrier, as she's but a head in a birdcage). It's been a little slow to start, lingering on what seems to be the first mystery at the beginning of many, but the way the scenes are set - the close-ups and action shots - and the cheeky humor interspersed in the dialogue makes it worth watching so far. The opening and ending songs are also pretty fun!
I'm (maybe not-so-)secretly a sucker for horror, especially good zombie fun, and Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is totally up my alley!! Featuring highly cinematic introductions of each character, I love how color is used to showcase the excitement of a new life. This show is bonkers and I look forward to seeing how the characters change (hopefully not into the undead!!)
I'm still not entirely sure what to make of Dark Gathering, but after 3 episodes I'm still interested! With delightfully creepy set pieces and a funky protagonist in skull-eyed Yayoi, the few-seconds-per-episode action shots have been what I've looked forward to in each new part of the story.
One of the silliest character designs I've seen, but it's also pretty unique.
All good things must come to an end, and at last, the first cour of NieR Automata Ver1.1a has closed. This anime adaptation of the beloved game is an anomoly, with the first episode being universally hailed as awful - a mediocre clone of the game's opening sequence - and then from the second episode forward formed its own identity in surprising ways. Not only does it draw from the game itself, but ALSO from Replicant (its prequel), the novels, and radio plays. Each tiny nod to a different media was incredibly refreshing, including how the many "joke" endings of the game were showcased. I was taken by complete surprise and honestly think it's the best animated adaptation of a game I've seen. For a show that started in January, even though the production was unexpectedly halted after extended periods of time with only blanket statements to keep viewers waiting for months, it was totally worth the wait! I look forward to whenever the second cour releases!
Pictured: 9S is pointing at someone cool (you!!!)
Assorted Media
I read and watch a lot of things to pass time - here are just a few of the standouts from this past month.
The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich is a graphic novel I'd been anticipating for awhile! The creator is half of the creative force behind a webcomic I enjoy (Blades of Furry, which you can check out here). I appreciate the emotion they put into their characters' expressions, the beautiful art, and the charming yet true-to-life storytelling that's infused with a big heaping of silliness. If you have the opportunity please get a copy of this book at a bookseller near you!! It's got cheese... it's got romance... it's got cheesy romance!!
Nimona was a comic that I read as it released many years ago, so I was very excited to see how the story was brought to life in animated form. I'm so glad this project was saved from being doomed by Disney because it was magnificent!! They kept the heartfelt meaning of the original project at the movie's core, and though there were moments where I wasn't as invested as I wished, the parts that cut to the heart of the story are what made this movie shine the most. Very worth a watch!!
Chris recently bought the first two paperback volumes of Witch Hat Atelier so I've been re-reading it, and I adore it just as much as when I'd started it last year!! Each page is truly remarkable, with delicate art that's absolutely mesmerizing to behold and a lovely story about a young girl learning magic. I haven't caught up to where it's currently published, but I'm very ready for more!
That's all for now!
Were any of these blurbs surprising to you? I'll always give my most honest impression of what I encounter, though I try not to dwell too heavily on negative things I engage in (sorry to any FF16 enjoyers that come across this post hehe). I'd love if you tried something new that I listed here! And if you read all this, please reach out to let me know - I'd appreciate hearing what you thought, and also about what you enjoyed this month too!
I'm wishing you a happy day; let's make August even better!!