Some Disclaimers: This post is fxckin long This post will cover both technical aspects of rapping and some more critical analyses including my own personal opinion. I will try and justify my opinion as best possible but in the end, the opinion belongs to me and only me, if you enjoy a rapper I don't, or if you don't enjoy a rapper I do, that is all ok! Additionally if you are uncomfortable seeing your faves criticized this might not be the post for you! All of our faves have flaws and room for growth and pointing them out does not diminish their talents or hard work. If you disagree with my analysis I'd love to hear your thoughts! If i get something incorrect please feel free to correct me in the comments! I am open to criticism and correction! !!!!!!I will do my best to point out both an idols strengthsandweaknesses, but I will not water down my opinion to do so. !!!!!! My preparation for this post was listening to ALL the tracks the group had available on streaming, if the rappers have their own subunit or solo work i looked at that too. I didn't watch all of their live performances although I usually will watch it for tracks I'm curious about. I'm not an expert, My word is not gospel. My opinions don't hold some special authority. The only qualifications i have are a lot of time spent researching and a lot of listening to better smarter people talk about rap. Also please note I have changed the format of these posts slightly, so rankings are now listed at the end of each rappers analysis rather than the beginning. This is in order to, i hope, take some of the focus away from the exact letter grade and onto the thing I actually spent the most time on and what I think is most important.
(Lmfao this was originally supposed to be a part of the first post but it became SO long and I didn't wanna skimp on details. A testament to the amount of work 3racha has already put out and the overall quality of it that I couldn't edit down my thoughts at all. Stays win this round because I ended up with a LOT to say.
Stray Kids: Bang Chan + Han + Changbin
Notes about SKZ as a whole: Stray Kids is one of the 4th gen groups that has actually based itself around its rapline. 3racha members have been involved with both the lyrics, production, and arrangement on the majority of group tracks including title tracks (the first two title tracks had first line producer credits to other artists but since then they have taken the lead) since debut. On 3racha's predebut tracks they have did all the writing and production besides tracks that used other artist's beats (note: this is fine to do on free mixtapes, it is common practice in hiphop as long as you aren't profiting) Although I can't say for sure that 100% of the lines they individually rap were written by the person rapping because i wasn't there to watch the process, that is the assumption I will go in with, i assume they probably collaborate to some degree or workshop lyrics with one another, but I also get the sense that they take a lot of pride in writing for themselves. At just over 2 years old they are already nearing 100 songs (over 100 if you count all the SKZ2020 rerecords), which is extremely impressive especially when considering that 3racha is lead on writing and production on almost all of those songs. Before debut they released ~40 tracks across a Mixtape and 2 EPs, some of those tracks would end up getting reworked as full group tracks but many remain soundcloud-only releases. Lyrically the majority of 3racha and early SKZ songs lean on a "we are young and passionate/we are overwhelmed by self doubt in our passions" type of lyrics often focused around trainee life and anticipation of debut. As a very young group this still makes sense although it can become a bit one-note if you're trying to read the lyrics but they have expanded their lens somewhat in more recent albums. Stylistically SKZ's group songs tend to lean heavily into EDM but unlike a lot of other groups they pull from MANY subgenres of EDM for inspiration (as opposed to sticking to House/Techno/Trap) they have used EDM genres from Psytrance to Drum and Bass. Their b-sides take on some of these styles but also do more casual electronic hiphop tracks and even a few more melodic ballad songs. The rappers are usually central to their tracks however as time has gone on Han especially has made a switch to being about half and half vocalist and rapper, making room for Hyunjin+Felix to be the larger rap presence on their tracks. This means his verses are now usually shorter or sometimes nonexistent, to make room for the other two. Changbin's lines have also been shortened overall and Chan has essentially switched into a fulltime lead vocalist. In 3racha they went pretty wide for influences and styles. Of particular note is a song like Eunseoki which takes on a 3rd person narration which idol rappers don't usually tackle but which i was very excited to see and usually a pretty important step for lyricists (being able to tell other peoples stories not just your own). Their emotional range (or at least the range they attempted) from love songs, hype songs, emo songs, and braggadocios songs is pretty diverse. There's no doubt some extremely impressive stuff in their predebut work, I'll point out Peer Pressure, Don Qixote, ID:a, and 작은 Dragon Three 마리, as some examples of songs where everything lined up and everyone sounded excellent, I think the production really elevates both songs and it's clear they are all much better able to perform if they have a juicy beat to get into (note: that ID:a is a sample of a Logic's Fade Away) One full group track i feel obligated to mention here is N/S which absolutely shocked me when I first heard it, I'd truly never imagined I'd be hearing a Big Shaq type flow over a near-remake of the Mask Off beat. Honestly, I laughed. There are a few issues that consistently bug 3racha and SKZ tracks some of which I will tackle in the individual breakdowns but one of which I should mention here. Namely that the transitions between rhythmic and melodic sections of songs (from rapping into a sung hook or from a rap verse into the prechorus for instance) are often sloppy or jarring. Luckily this issue doesn't have as much of an effect on the rap sections themselves but it is something I notice overall and it does affect a lot of the tracks I'm going to mention here.
Bang Chan/CB97:
On full group songs Bang Chan rarely a strong rap presence. It is clear that his focus is a lot more on the production aspect and he often lends himself to the vocal delivery of group songs rather than the rap side preferring to let members like Hyunjin and Felix take over in those places. On 3racha tracks he is also usually the one delivering the fewest bars, but he sings a lot of the hooks. Overall Bang Chan clearly leans more into the production and lyrical side rather than the rapping itself. When he does rap he is almost always melodic in his delivery, sometimes this follows a clear tune but other times he's not really following a clear melody line all the time but he jumps pitches a lot. Bang Chan has a lot looser adherence to beat than the other 3racha members, his bars tend to be a lot slower tempo and plays around on shortening and lengthening vowels a lot more. He reminds me of a lot of American rappers in the cloud+trap genres, like internet rap. Although i am not familiar with SKZ's process of production if i had to guess it seems as though Chan is heading up a lot of the songs, I say this mainly because production of the bulk of 3racha tracks was credited to him and I imagine that travelled over to group songs as well. Strengths:
Chan's focus on melodic delivery has meant that he's really developed in interesting sound in that area.
Awkward Silence is a more basic version of this but it works well! Simple but sweet.
This melodic delivery is especially at home on an east coast style beat such as in Don Qixote When there's jazzy or melodic elements front and center in the beat Chan plays really really well off of them.
On Shhh and Cloud 9 Chan shows off what i mean by his cloud sensibilities. The melodic movement in this verse is really compelling and it's something i'd love to see more of and the much looser beat adherence only adds to the effect.
When he goes intentionally dissonant from the track like here on Go Live it's killer, a REALLY interesting sound and it brings immediate focus and interest. Just generally i like idol rappers more the weirder they get, but with Chan especially i want MORE weirdness all the time.
Sometimes that melody line he chooses just WORKS especially on chiller beats, Subway Pt II has a lovely Chan verse especially when he switches to a sing song delivery
He feels totally at home on a trap beat like the original Double Knot. His style fits in damn near perfect.
Chan probably has the most emotive voice of the three and he's worked to be able to deliver differences across different emotional beats.
Probably his greatest strength is just the way he contrasts the other rappers in his group. I actually think this is a pretty overlooked quality of both vocalists and rappers, but sometimes it's not as important whether you're objectively great, but rather that you provide and interesting and intriguing counterpoint for the other members. In this way Chan's melody-driven style is a great addition to the group.
Weaknesses:
Reliance on very basic flows for the majority of his verses for instance in Alchemistry, nothing stand out or interesting going on flow-wise and the verse ends on "forever" which has no paired rhyme to it.
The man is an English speaker and writes lines in English so I can actually critique that lmao...
Some truly just baffling lines.... what does this mean ??? Why would that hurt my feelings??? Why are orcas walking??? What is happening
Maze of Memories evokes even more questions. Although I like what he's going for with dense multisyllabic the lyrics simply don't hold up on closer inspection. What is an open fair? What do Citadels have to do with this and why do you want to tell it to dream? More importantly was "dream" really the only rhyme for "dream" that we could come up with?
just some exceptionally corny bars, Start Line's Lyrics are full of them. And I honestly love how he starts it like pretending he's giving a graduation speech that's clever but.... ok first of all \a problem throughout is having hanging rhymes, basically words that should have a rhyming pair but just don't, "heart" "opinion" "myself" "instinct" "curious" are all left awkwardly without pairs. He also does the linguistic gymnastics to make feline and saiyan rhyme (barely) overall it's just a really oddly structured verse. This verse also happens to be really flat in terms of flow It definitely relies on the audience actively caring about Bang Chan as a person and just loving the story he's telling, but you should be able to tell a good story and deliver it well at the same time, that is LITERALLY the job of a rapper. I'm not a purist in the sense that I think every ending word needs a clear and precise rhyme, i think choppier styles can be effective, but i wouldn't call this choppy i'd call it sloppy (which, coincidentally sounds like a bar Chan himself would write)
His hooks are very very juvenile in a lot of 3racha's early work and even in some recent releases (hooks are incredibly important to rap songs just as much as beats are so I don't feel out of place bringing them up). He is clearly getting better but at the time they were melodically and delivery-wise very bland and sometimes unpleasant enough that I don't wanna hear the song again. For instance I personally really love the "blessings wait for you" hook from For You on paper, but his problem is that the first time it is in a range that is really uncomfortable for him and sounds rather unpleasant, the second time which he sings in falsetto is much better. Hooks, especially rap song hooks, need to be TIGHT and this is something i think he still struggles with.
More of a complaint than a weakness and I know 42 is a track people really admire for it's openness (as do I) but>! "suicide" shouldn't be an adlib you throw into a song like that. It's just not right my guy!<
So in summation... i have some pretty major issues with Chan's work thus far and, since he's moved his focus towards being a vocalist, it is unlikely we will see the return of a fully rapping Chan at any point in the near future. Despite what I've pointed out, however,I would call him a competent idol rapper, capable of being enjoyable and compelling when he tries hard enough. but i have not seen him take it far enough or show consistent engagement for me to rank him higher. His strengths have clearly always been more on the production end and that seems to be where he's keeping them for now. Ranking: Low/Mid C-Tier
Han Jisung/J.One:
Han is a highly rhythmic rapper, meaning he has a pretty strict adherence to the beat and easy to follow divisions and subdivisions. He rarely if ever travels over beat or subdividing lines with his syllables, though his lines do occasionally. His preferred delivery in the beginning was to have clear and precise diction and enunciation makes his words and consonants pop, more recently he's been moving towards a gruffer delivery in certain songs but he still seems to favor the cleaner sound. Strengths
His biggest strength here is rhythmic dexterity between fast and slow and switching between different subdivisions. I think this is what most people pick up when they talk about how great he is. As I said in my overview post, speed by itself is not the key to being a good rapper but it is certainly an indicator of skill in areas like diction and rhythmic awareness which Han has.
Han is exceptionally gifted at high speed delivery and has been roundly praised for this and rightfully as he's probably one of the strongest fast-spitters in kpop right now. Maze of Memories has an excellent example of this, he sounds great here especially the second part of his verse, Complain also has some excellent bars in that same vein (also god that Pusha/Kanye beat is just *chef kiss*). Basically, speed for Han is not just something he pulls out as a party trick or on a verse here or there, it's highly integrated into his style and structure.
He has a lot of energy in all of their tracks and never sounds bored or disinterested even when he's rapping slower like on Shhh he still delivers with quite a bit of energy.
His softer delivery is still really charismatic and he knows when to pull back on rhythmic dexterity to let the lyrics breath. Even the shadow needs light he goes for a really simple delivery for the entire verse and it really adds to just how... heartbreaking it is? Simple flows aren't always the wrong choice and I think this was an example where if he'd tried to add a lot of flourishes it would have detracted from the message.
Another example of a more laidback great delivery from Han is on Easy, probably my fav verse of his off Go生 despite how short it is.
Han is known as a freestyler. Now i take some issue with this because "freestyle" is usually used to refer to delivery off the dome (off the top of ones head) without prewritten lyrics and all of the freestyles I've seen from him have been either clearly prewritten or getting more preparation time/prewritten material (like there's the idol radio one people reference a lot where he had 2 minutes of hearing the beat to prepare + he used lyrics from Double Knot). HOWEVER! I am still very impressed with his ability to come up with verses under a tight time limit and make them match a beat. He also plays around with rhythmic changes during his freestyles a lot more than other artists might be willing to. I think if he spent time training that skill he COULD absolutely have honest to god freestyle skills.
He just has mad potential. SKZ is still a very young group and I think Han is what? 19 now. I don't think he's at his peak potential by any stretch.
Weaknesses:
Probably the biggest criticism I have with Han is that his vocal quality is so similar to other idol rappers as to be almost indistinguishable. Unlike his groupmate Changbin, he doesn't have a tone that immediately makes him stand out from others.
Even within his group and even after MULTIPLE listenings of their albums I still found myself on occasion struggling to differentiate Hyunjin and Han. There are a few tells that I can usually pick up, namely that Hyunjin always throws his voice up at various points and Han is much more likely to add speedy rhythm sections, but in terms of timbre my ears still have a hard time telling them apart. When it is only 3racha performing this issue is much less noticeable as both Chan and Changbin are far different from Han, but in full group songs the issue becomes quite pronounced.
I want to make clear, as I did with Ateez's Mingi last post, that having a common sounding vocal tone is not something people can usually control. Having a naturally unique tone is something only some performers are born with. Additionally, having a common tone doesn't stop someone from being a good rapper HOWEVER a huge component of being a rapper is having a unique delivery which unique vocal tones can create. Han does not naturally have this which puts him at a disadvantage (similar to how having really long limbs might be a disadvantage to a dancer) but there are ways to overcome it.
The job of a rapper in many ways is to create their "voice" which usually means experimentation in their tone, pitch, and vocal chord strain/relaxation, additionally if the vocal quality itself isn't something they can/want to modulate a rapper can find other ways to distinguish themselves through rhythmic signatures or styles that they stick to. I actually think Han has done this in the past with the speedy rhythmic flow as i mentioned before being his signature. But this isn't something he keeps up all the time and it is difficult for him to stay dexterous on tracks if he needs to be fast in order to make an impression. Speed is good but it isn't always appropriate, and i would push Han to find other ways to make his voice stand out
The most distinctive delivery style I've heard him use is actually a slightly slower one with drawn vowels and heavy nasality but that gets really sticky in a different way as i'll mention in the next bullet point.
Ok, this is where I'm going to get myself into some of the weeds, Stays please do not read this the wrong way, i don't say any of this out of hatred, it is observation and critique not a character judgment: Han tends to be the most derivative of other artists out of the 3 there have been a number of occasions where Han has sounded distinctly like he is imitating another rapper, Suga probably being the one he noticeably draws from the most. A few examples of this I have found are Runners High, Rock, Awaken and 0325 where both rhythmically and the way he's delivering vowels match completely, (honestly if you just played me his part of 0325 and asked me who i was listening to I'd think it was Suga). I don't think it's coincidental that this has happened quite a few times over multiple tracks, albums, years, and eras is.... concerning. Part of this is stylistic decisions that line up like the half-laugh through some lines that Suga is very known for or specific intonation. There have also been times like here in Cypher 1, where he sounds like he's imitating Zico. I hesitate to call it flow-jacking because I know the implication that carries and I really don't know if this is intentional but it IS an issue, and with Suga and Zico being perhaps the most well known Idol-rappers ever, and having many years seniority over Han, it is Han's problem to fix.
A better example of him leaning closer to this voice without sounding derivative would be here. I think it's because he's still keeping it dryer and higher and not so oily (describing human voices is hard but I hope you can hear the difference) It plays to his strengths of diction and speed without sounding like a copy of another person's voice.
There are times when he tries to play around with rhyme placement presumably to mix things up but it just doesn't quite hit. 1Million Won has a good example of this, no matter how I slice it that flow doesn't make any sense (unless a korean speaker wants to tell me some lyrical reason why it might be happening). The stretch out of "u - top - i - a" is especially awkward.
Han's singing has improved immensely overtime but he definitely still had issues predebut, so his verse on tracks like Placebo are noticeably out of tune and clearly too high for his voice. He needed to find a lower pitch to deliver. With rapping, "out of tune" might sound weird, but considering he's staying on the same pitch (as opposed to how Changbin does on the same track where he is closer to speaking and therefore changes pitches but without a clear melodic profile) it's really clear when he doesn't hit the right note so to speak.
He does this thing quite often where he ends a line/verse by yelling a single word or sound, often before the final beat of the verse I don't know how to describe it but here are some examples , this is a big pet peeve of mine as it is usually used as a kind of shortcut to emotion or hype but actually ends up shortchanging the listener of a) a rhyme and b) a satisfying ending. Also it is rarely as hype as it's supposed to be. Anyways Han does this a LOT here are a few examples 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 he even did it in that freestyle lmao... at this point i think it might be one of his stylistic quirks but i strongly dislike it for the reasons I laid out already. JUST GIVE ME A FULL VERSE DAMMIT. I'm not saying it's always a bad decision but it's such a cliche at this point not just in idol rap but for Han specifically
Overall Han is an extremely competent rapper, capable of being truly excellent on certain tracks. My main problem, and what holds him back from a higher ranking is the difficult to distinguish vocal tone, and the tendency to derive style from other artists. I want and need to see more of his unique flair in order to rank him higher, that said his core competency for rapping is extremely high and his innate understanding of rhythm, subdivision, and flow is clear and operating at a higher level than most idol rappers. Ranking: Mid/High B tier
Changbin/SpearB:
Changbin has a mid-low tone and HEAVILY textured voice with a ton of gravelliness and growl added and a tendency to lean into the rougher and even "uglier" facets of his tone. His delivery is often fast and chopper-like, chopper being a genre especially popular in the midwest US relying a lot on aggressive flows and focus on consonant placement and heavy alliteration. You can hear this quality in Changbin both in his speed but also in his enunciation of plosive consonants (p, b, g, d, t, k) where he adds a ton of punch and breath. When he's being less aggressive his voice falls into a mid-tone extremely nasal sound. If i had to put a comparison point for Changbin's voice out there he reminds me a lot ofEminem (himself a student of Midwest Chopper), the closest voice to his in kpop is slightly higher pitched and more aggressive version of PO from Block B or Bigflo's main rapper Hightop (yeah bet you didn't think you were getting a Bigflo reference when you clicked on this post) But otherwise his vocal quality is pretty rare. Strengths:
Changbin's unique vocal tone without a doubt one of his best assets and being part of the production and a central member of Stray Kids is a great benefit for him, where a lot of other idol rappers would probably need to tone down their delivery or try and soften the edges of their voice if it was like Changbin's he is REALLY able to have songs that push his style to the forefront, especially when the songs have a bit of rock, grunge, or industrial influence. Grrr, 3Racha SKZ:Player, and Gods Menu and also the intro to My Pace which is just the definition of hype shit
Changbin is particularly good at flow-switching, including while already going at a fast pace of delivery, and his breath control to push through long phrases is very good
This can be seen here on the original Double Knot where he does a couple of longer sections in one breath each one right after the other. Unfortunately there isn't a live version of this verse which i would have loved to see.
His verse in District 9 is also one of my favorites especially the flow-switch into double time with two low unstressed + two high stress syllables, (would we call that double-time iambic or is that pretentious) it's such an unexpected an interesting turn to take the music in but it falls right into place especially with how he ends the verse a bit slower to lead into the chorus.
This section in Easy is a great example of a less aggressive delivery from him that totally works. As he talks about how things come easily to him he switches into a much more casual laid back flow after being in his standard gruff delivery. It works for the song and i like this cleaner sound for him.
He has a tendency to use really unexpected rhythmic patterns to switch things up. His opening verse to Mirror has a good example of this, it is a similar delivery to district 9 which is a good way to connect the two tracks next to each other.
Along with this he also makes unexpected choices in rhyme placement, including going beyond bar lines and finishing the rhyme in an off kilter fashion like here in Eunseoki
His voice pairs well with autotune and other vocal effects like on Gone Days and Cloud 9, something SKZ have been getting more into every comeback,
Unexpected and absolutely DELICIOUS rhyme schemes carrying across songs like in the song Alchemistry where he uses the "-ae/-wae" rhyme for the ENTIRE VERSE he puts in some other little couplets + rhythmic switches too but he keeps coming back to it the whole verse i just.... bro THAT is how you make a verse feel effortless
Some excellent use of consonants for rhythmic effects (and makes me wish I spoke Korean just so I could talk about wordplay), examples of this in Broken Compass with the b, d, and n syllables delivered in rhythmic yet still unexpected ways.
His laid-back delivery has some issues that I will explore in the next section but when he hits it, wow. Don Qixote especially fits so well
Changbin on a jazz beat? Changbin on a jazz beat Ok fuck i have to fan about this because jeez so the first 3 lines end with the "-illa/-iller" rhyme and then you expect it for the 4th and there's a word in there that has the "illa" sound (or something similar) BUT THE line KEEPS GOING ！！！ Little things like that just absolutely thrill me.
I'm sure some people might expect me to say that his shouty aggressive delivery is too much but honestly.... if you have a style and it's really truly YOURS i can't be mad at it. All my problems with shouty boy rap are that they are often a substitute for style or artistry or as a quick substitute for skill or training, but Changbin gives me all of that not despite his aggressive delivery but through/because of it. I don't find it grating, nor do i find that he skimps on dynamics. The style feels natural to him rather than something forced, it feels like something he arrived at after a period of exploration and experimentation, and it is a truly additive component to SKZ's work.
Weaknesses:
When he isn't spitting hard and attempts a more laid back delivery i think he has a tendency to lose a lot of his power to the point that he sounds quite uninterested. That would be ok if the songs he were doing that to were about boredom/nonchalance but in songs that don't it can sound out of place, Pacemaker, the song after Easy, has an example of this... he's talking about lifting you up with 10 thousand troops but he sounds bored as hell.
Most melodic deliveries he's tried in the past and they have been, middling, not bad but nothing that stood out. I think there's a lot of room for growth here and he might still find a sound in that lane that works better for him, but as of now it's not at the same level as his other styles.
In the context of a group song where he only has 4 bars to express himself Changbin sometimes struggles to deliver on the versatility he is capable of. This was especially apparent on the Go Live album, He clearly thrives in longer verses where he is able to develop a full arc, but these are very rare in a group context and he hasn't been as effective in adapting his delivery to fit that.
Also like... clearly this man was not meant for softer heartfelt tracks because his default is just... kinda mad sounding. He does well in songs where the primary emotion is anger, pain, grief or frustration but other emotions he still struggles to employ fully
Here on For You where his slightly-to-very angry emotional range feels really odd and out of place, that said he does have a different and, to my ears, more appropriate sound later that same song. While I've already made clear i love his rough delivery there are times where he relies on it even in songs where that is simply not the appropriate sound. another example is On Track also his verse on Awkward Silence verse.
I so wanted to love his SKZ-player solo but that cheesy beat is simply not meant for him. He's not skipping on the flows but the beat simply does not serve his strengths. Give the man some grit!
Before writing up this post I actually hadn't dived very deeply into SKZ music (because the title tracks were never enough to really grab my interest tbh) but in doing this I've been extremely impressed by Changbin at every turn. Not only does he have a ton of technical skill and competency but he has one of the most unique deliveries of an idol-rapper period. His vocal tone is really unique in the kpopverse and, after listening to many many idol rappers who start to all blend together, hearing something that sounds so purposefully distinct was so refreshing. While there are some group tracks that don't play to his strengths and where he sounds a bit disconnected from the feeling of the track, this is far outweighed by the number of times he is the total standout. This opinion might change if Stray Kids started releasing only midtempo, upbeat and bright tracks, but as it is now there is about 1-2 tracks per SKZ album where I feel Changbin doesn't fit as well and then the rest of them he stands out as the best part of the song. It is really rare for me to feel like one rapper consistently steals the show (scene stealer if you will), but Changbin does it, i think he is clearly not just the best in his group but one of the best idol rappers active. Easily top 10 for me. I'm not heaping this praise on him easily, I do still have issues and areas for further growth, but I find his sound and confidence extremely engaging on every single track. Changbin seems like he would be a great candidate to put out a solo mixtape, I'd love to see how he handles more hardcore beats (think ones like Tony Montana from Agust D-1), anything with a good guitar riff or a heavy sub-bass, he also does really well with industrial hiphop, but all of that said I also want MORE jazz Changbin and MORE east coast hiphop Changbin, give the man a hardcore hiphop beat plEASE. The way for him to rank higher at this point is simply to show me some solo work, do some collabs, and take it beyond the kpop-sphere. Ranking: Mid A tier
Must Watch It A trawling, mechanical goliath. Creatures filled with important green goo. The era of the post-apocalypse. Deca-Dence combines these three base elements with expert ease, crafting a very promising project from the get-go. And that statement is true across the board. Natsume leads as a growing protagonist, developing the relationship with her mentor Kaburagi amidst her own flaws and his own troubles. The plot takes on a ton of intrigue that drives it forward with mettle and challenge aplenty. Its themes on escaping the cog-in-a-machine lifestyle find parallels in multiple areas: the contrasting nature of the situation, the free-flowing anti-gravity combat, the control the characters have over their destiny. Similarly, the production values reach nice heights. From the details and styles of the art itself to the fun designs and reaction faces to the movement and the directing of the scenes, the visuals provide the show another boost. Same goes for the music, effects, and the voice acting on stage. Truth be told, the anime sits atop a precarious spot, for it has (more so than usual) a high chance of crashing and burning at any given moment when considering the premise. Until then, though, it can rest well knowing that it holds onto some form of opulence.
Must Watch It In a world invaded by hostile creatures, you live inside a huge moving fortress with the remnants of civilisation. Do you accept your predicament, or will you fight for lasting peace? That is the premise of Deca-dence. The story revolves around Natsume, a young girl. She wishes that the war with the Gadolls would end as soon as possible. Yet, her injuries forced her to be relegated to cleaning the Deca-dence, under Kaburagi's supervision. Determined to fight for humans' survival, she begs Kaburagi to teach her how to fight, thus embarking on a journey for Natsume, Kaburagi and the Deca-dence. The main cast has been outstanding so far. Natsume is very positive and has high hopes for the future. Meanwhile, Kaburagi is down-to-earth, believing that there is no use trying to end the war. These contrasting ideologies make for very interesting interactions between the two and their surroundings. Couple that with funny scenes and facial expressions, and you have a highly engaging show. The story itself is intriguing too. Despite the common dystopian theme, there are many new elements to make the story refreshing. In fact, Deca-Dence Major Spoilers! So, if you are a fan of dystopian stories, or want to see how different personalities interact with each other, Deca-dence is the anime for you. Even if you don't, watch an episode or two! You'll be surprised at how much you can enjoy in this anime.
Drop It You can’t spell “hero” without “ero”, and so Retto, Kirara, and the other forces for good in Dokyuu Hentai HxEros step up to fight for humanity using the only tool for justice they know: an overwhelming sex drive. The anime takes on the form of a lewd Power Rangers setup. The five color-specific-design leads channel their inner libido to defeat evil monsters who seek to disrupt and ruin the erotic desires of civilization, forcing the world into an emotionless lifestyle. And this campiness works in its favor when Retto’s clothes explode off his body from his sheer might or when the enemies literally die in a single hit without much cause for fanfare. But the anime doesn’t lean into this campy feeling enough. Not only does the comedy not have enough of that punch but also the ecchi content fails to be either interesting or different to warrant such a ridiculous situation. Not to mention that the uninspired art, the weak music selections, and the lame characters further suppress its chances. To be fair, Retto and Kirara may go against the norm of this medium with a realized romantic relationship down the line, but that possibility is highly unlikely given the format of the show and their general aptitude for the status quo. That is to say, “ero” is needed to spell “zero”, too.
Consider It Honestly you should wait until the uncensored version before giving it a try. The show is basically ecchi power rangers but the censorship is rampant. Basically an evil race of bug aliens have come to Earth to steal our erotic energy. Luckily for Earth a team of Super Power (horny) teenagers assemble to defeat the invaders. Of course they all live together and with only 1 guy to a group of girls you can bet hijinks will ensue. Wouldn't be ecchi without a harem thrown in. Nothing too complex going on in the show, best to just kind of turn your brain off. As the villains motivation is fairly inconsistent and nonsensical. The power system also makes very little sense when scrutinized. If you are considering it I must reiterate to wait for the uncensored version. Large portions of the show are covered in beams of light, steam, or just outright starbursts. It is pretty disruptive at times. A good example is in one episode the protagonist is looking up a girls skirt (typical ecchi stuff) but all we get to see is a bright light. It takes like 15 seconds of the shot panning before you realize what you are looking at. So if you don't mind ecchi and need something light to watch give it a try.
Drop It In Gibiate, the Gibia monsters have forced humans into hiding as they attack and turn them into more of their grotesque kind. With a potential vaccine on the way, the present time still requires help. So, a samurai, a shinobi, and a monk are whisked from the past and flung to this future to fight the new war. But this show pretty much has no future. Indeed, this project is going down the route of history (or more specifically infamy) in the making, for its current trajectory pins it as one of the worst anime from recent seasons. It has a nonsensical plot filled with odd decisions and ridiculous scenarios. The cast are beyond hopeless in their characterizations, personalities, and motivations. Action sequences are a mixture of terrible setups and lackluster events. Comedy and drama fall flatter than chalk on the sidewalk. Not to mention the horrendous artistry on display. Still frames. Wonky CG. Stiff movements. Off-model representations. Awful camera usage. This hodgepodge of abysmal mishaps and horrible decisions are downright inexcusable. Suffice it to say that the audio pieces fare about the same, what with their ineffective music, bland voice acting, and coarse sounds. In short, this one deserves only to exist among the other discarded giblets of the medium.
(Based on the first two episodes) Drop It Imagine this: You have an anime about a samurai and a ninja being send into the future in an apocalyptic version of tokio where a virus that turns humans into monsters has infected the whole world and now the samurai and ninja have to fight against the monsters and virus to safe humanity. Well at first the premise sounds like a random word generator having a stroke, it also sounds like the most dumb fun premise ever, but it somehow manages to be ungodly boring. This is mainly due to the lackluster characters and the awful animation. The characters dont really have a personality and they make really odd decisions that only frustrate the viewer. The voice acting doesnt help either since some dont even sound right for their character designs. And then the animation. It is a slide show with loads of CGI that look like they belong on the PS2. I guess I am supose to be threatened by these CGI monsters but I end feeling nothing for them. I would be lying if this anime didnt make me laugh at times, but that is because I laughed at the anime, not with it. “So bad that it is good” anime are fun to watch, but this is less “So bad that it is good” and more just bad. Don’t waste your time on this.
Must Watch It Cunning thieves can make a pretty penny by swindling unsuspecting folks. Makoto Edamura believes himself to be a star in such a field based on his successful exploits. But after a chance encounter here and a forced hand there, Great Pretender finds him in a rather unpredictable place with thrills galore. This anime has achieved fantastic status already. One can hear it in the audio where the chaotic energy of the jazzy music complements the pace and the fervor of the narrative extremely well. One can see it in the artistry when the colorful setting and the awesome cinematography create splendor on the screen. One can feel it in the clever storybeats that test the acuity of the audience currently watching. The show doesn’t stop. The main cast have distinct strengths and charisma that fit the tone and the purpose of the plot. It blends dramatic backstory and comedic timing without worries. And its thematic basis on truth and truths reinforces both the characters and the story at large. It’s mature. It’s fun. It’s interesting. With top-tier execution every which way, there’s no need to pretend about the greatness of this project.
Must Watch It “Great Pretender is one of the most underwatched anime I’ve ever seen in my time watching airing anime. Everything about it is just fantastic, from the characters, the plot, and even the production values. The story follows a group of conmen as they try to pull off a heist against a mob boss, stealing a lot of his money in the process, but constant hurdles get in their way making it way harder than it would appear to be. This show will keep you on the edge of your seat constantly as you’re trying to figure out how the characters could possibly get themselves out of each bind, as they just keep getting pulled further and further into this lie they’ve weaved for themselves. In addition to the tension, the show Great Pretender Spoilers and am continuously blown away by the schemes that the mastermind Laurent pulls off, even if they don’t all work immediately. You will never know just how much planning and preparation he’s done in advance until it all hits you like a truck. So definitely watch Great Pretender. It’s a shame it’s stuck in Netflix jail where it will never be as appreciated as it should be, but it’s worth it 100%. It’ll be on Netflix outside of Japan on August 20th if you would rather wait for a legal way to stream it.” And also, it has a Freddie Mercury song as the ED.
Watch It Being in love often brings happiness and joy. However, when that love is lost or not reciprocated, darker thoughts usually win over. Kazuya Kinoshita is experiencing the latter circumstance, and so, refusing to wallow in complete despair, he rents himself a new girlfriend. Thus begins Kanojo, Okarishimasu. The anime is doing things right. A college environment brings in a more mature, more realistic environment for the scenes and the relationships to play out. Moreover, the designs for the ladies are no doubt attractive. And, perhaps best of all, Kazuya is a peculiar person due to his major thematic roots in loneliness and failure while he upholds his “loser” status as a dejected, disheartened, and damaged individual. But it’s also doing things wrong. The number of conveniences and just-so-happens are off the charts, causing many plot woes and eyebrow-raising moments. It also doesn’t help that the comedy doesn’t quite counterbalance the drama and tension going on. Yet it goes back to doing things right with the unabashed portrayal of “frustrations”, a clear motif on facades, and the palpable second-hand embarrassment that fills the air. Some good voice-acting performances and music offerings further improve the show’s chances. This combination of right and wrong is rather volatile and can explode in either direction indefinitely depending on its next few choices and inclusions. For now, though, it’s at least worth renting.
Consider It At first glance, you might be inclined to write off ‘Kanojo, Okarishimasu’ as a romcom harem that, like most others, is filled with girls slowly falling in love with a loser protagonist, a narrative carried by misunderstandings, and loads of semi-sexual implications. Saying ‘Kanojo, Okarishimasu’ is nothing like that would be a lie, but there is appeal in the series even if you’re not into that (like me). Being about rental girlfriends, ‘Kanojo, Okarishimasu’ does a pretty decent job of portraying the protagonist’s desperation for romantic contact, and the social pressure at that age to be romantically- and sexually active. The protagonist's self-loathing and self-awareness for using the service clashes with the feelings that led him to use it in the first place, which is decently well-portrayed. This aspect is what makes ‘Kanojo, Okarishimasu’ somewhat notable, in addition to its decent presentation. Its bearing on the narrative is minor but prominent enough that I can appreciate it, even if it means sitting through the show’s more mediocre romcom/harem aspects. These other aspects are pretty decent considering the low standard for this type of show, but are unlikely to carry it for you. Three episodes in I’m not confident it’s worth finishing (as it could go downhill), but if my description above sounds reasonably appealing then I’d say at least try it. You might surprise yourself.
Watch It Rom-com that is based around falling in love with an escort. This one isn't set in high school which gives it a breathe of fresh air, but still has lots of typical Rom-com scenes. Another bonus is one of the love interests dislikes the protagonist, but not in the tsundere way. This is the main item that item that could bump this anime from a watch it to a must watch for Rom-com fans. The two main characters don't bring anything new to Rom-com, but seeing how they react to this wrench being dropped into the system will be interesting. The animation, sound, and music are all lovely, but they are not rememberable. It is all crisp and clean but doesn't push or test any boundaries. There are some scenes where the texturized background, the sort that the American show Chowder was known for, is used and it feels off, but not terribly so. The story and pacing are set at a regular speed for a Rom-com, and would feel very natural for those who enjoy the genre. If you like Rom-coms you will enjoy this piece, if you dislike them this will not be the show for you
Drop It Watashi, an independent woman leading a myth-centric television program in lieu of her passed father, requires a new concept to keep their struggling ratings afloat. Simultaneously, she learns of so-called EVOL users who have impossible abilities during everyday life. Coincidentally, Koi to Producer EVOLxLOVE has her crossing paths with this unknown side in her determined pursuit. Sadly, while the show earns points for the attractive designs of the men and a clean setup for its art, much of the rest of the show does not impress. Watashi is a weak lead who contributes very little with her actions or on a writing front. Those four main men likewise seem less like strong characters and more akin to partitioned cutouts that fit a quota. The slight supernatural angle isn’t misplaced, but the events and the situations surrounding them are not all that entertaining. Other problems include other major items. Mediocre thematic ideas. Forgettable music. A boring mystery plot. While the anime may have a pretty outer layer, digging deeper here simply reveals that there’s not enough strength to carry its choices, queen or no.
Watch It The phrase "adapted from a Chinese mobile VN" might not inspire confidence, but the fine people over at MAPPA have taken the source and turned it into a weekly bit of soapy fun. Our protagonist Watashi is a smart girl with a wardrobe of cute outfits, and the four male leads (a brusque CEO, a cop who doesn't play by the rules, a pop star, and a genius scientist), all easy on the eyes in the typical reverse harem way, provide fun interactions with Watashi and even have a few secrets for us to discover. Add to this an intriguing, slow burn mystery plot about people who have access to a special power called EVOL, Watashi's struggles to keep her late father's internet show about the supernatural and unexplained afloat while forging her own path as a business woman, and an easy to look at visual style, and you have the recipe for a solid, entertaining show. This won't be the best show of the season, but I'll easily consider it overlooked if it stays the course. At the very least, you can tune in for your weekly dose of demeaning Tomokazu Sugita.
Consider It In a rustic land of fantasy and magic, Lapis Re:LiGHTs follows a girl named Tiara who has traveled from abroad to study at a prestigious academy. There, she teams with her childhood friend and a set of eccentric ladies, building friendships and discovering her path in life. Maybe surprisingly, the anime has been rather deliberate in its first three episodes. It has taken the time to build its world by showing off various magic uses, provided a look into the setting itself, and brought in more side characters and bonds between the cast. Doing so has established a neat trampoline from which the narrative will surely bounce off of for the remainder of the season. Yet the major drawback right now stems from that trampoline possibly not providing enough height. That is, there’s been an awkward handling of what is meant (or at least what appears) to be the focused premise of the show: idols. Hints and displays of this focus have occurred, but, since it has not been incorporated into the crux of the story, the entire show comes off as a barely average slice-of-life anime instead. Thankfully, the visuals, the comedic script, and what music has been heard bolster the trampoline, lighting the way for a positive experience should it find its footing.
Watch It Lapis Re:LiGHTs bills itself as a show that “blends fantasy, magical girl, and idol elements”. So far, it’s leaning more towards a CGDCT show with magic than an idol one. The show follows Tiara who has travelled to Mamkestell in hopes of joining Flora Girls’ Academy. There she reunites with an old friend, Rosetta, joins her group of friends, and CGDCT antics occur. A CGDCT show heavily relies on its cast and while Lapis’s characters are fairly archetypal, they all feel unique and fun. The show has a large cast that gets introduced at a very fast pace, which is a bit overwhelming. The supporting characters have each had some funny moments and the main casts’ antics have been great fun. The world itself is just unique enough to be interesting. The overall production values of Lapis have been mostly great so far. The character designs are all unique and really stand out with the beautiful art style. The backgrounds are stunning, showcasing a range of architecture at both the academy and the Mediterranean-inspired buildings of Mamkestell. The OST is great both on the BGM and idol side of things. The show walks a fine line between being generic and uninteresting, and an enjoyable show that’s great fun to watch. Personally, it lies on the latter side, but I could easily see it going the other way for people.
Consider It Anos Voldigoad was the once and future ruler of the demon forces 2000 years ago. He still is, too, for his reincarnation has finally occurred. In this era, people do not know his name, but that matters not to him as he will make them remember in Maou Gakuin no Futekiousha. Indeed, it’s almost impossible to ignore when his methods exceed the capabilities of everyone nearby. That’s not an understatement; Anos is one of the most overpowered dudes ever. It results in ludicrous moments that are fun to watch and in some comedic asides that work as a contrast to the dark tone of the show. But it also damages the plot because, despite his actions, nobody seems to understand or to care that the person they’ve been searching for has blatantly appeared. Even disregarding this odd sidestep, Misha and Sasha, the main female leads, are nowhere near as intriguing as the show would have the audience believe. Nevertheless, the anime boasts good lighting for its scenes, and his parents make for nice supporting cast members that keep the anime grounded, even if only a teeny tiny bit. Altogether, this anime remains at the minimum entertaining for now, avoiding a misfit label.
Watch It As a new season comes out, we find ourselves once again submerged into a fantasy world. After 2000 years, the Demon King Anos Voldigold has finally reincarnated and went to the academy for Demon King candidates, but to his surprise, he was found “inadequate”. Now Anos will have to use all of his power and knowledge to once again, make himself the demon king. Anos is OP and he knows it, he has that face of “no one can even make me tear a sweat” and it becomes really fun to watch how he is better than everyone at everything, he’d beat the strongest student easily and would correct a teacher for making mistakes. He just knows everything and does it better than everyone, even though he is inadequate. This is one of the few times where it doesn´t matter that the main character has an absurd power, it is pretty hilarious to see him just how he is, a cynic, honest, loving, over powered (emphasis on over powered) demon. Without a doubt it is really fun to watch and you get to emphasize with Anos and his ideals, lets say he is not what one could expect from a Demon King these days. If you take on this journey you will be laughing out loud and will enjoy it to its final minutes.
Drop It In another land and another time, humans and monsters coexist in peaceful harmony. Glenn (a human) and Saphentite (a lamia) prove this statement at their clinic where he works as a doctor and she works as his assistant. Together, they look after various monsters and their well-being, giving Monster Musume no Oishasan its apt title. Admittedly, the show holds onto some interest with its descriptions and procedures related to the many animal terms and biology that the two handle. While not exactly educational or thorough, there’s knowledge to learn. If nothing else, their explanations curate some world-building opportunities. But that’s about it; the rest of the anime flatlines. Glenn is far too straightforward of a protagonist with his low emotions. Saphentite and the other monsters are similarly tiresome and below-average. Its artistic direction is a bit rough in spots. The sparse ecchi content is neither erotic nor relevant. Narrative aspects like comedy and drama are an afterthought. There are simply too many negatives piled onto this project, keeping health professionals away with or without apples.
Consider It “When talking to my Dungeons and Dragons group after a session, we stumbled upon the topic of a daily life of a werewolf. Would their hands burn if they touched silver coins? Would they ask restaurant staff if they used silver cutlery like an allergy? These “what if” scenarios are what drew me into this show. This is the main premise of Monster Girl Doctor, “What would a doctor’s visit be like for a non-human creature?” This harem, slice of life, borderline ecchi show is more than simply fan-service to the monster girl community; despite offering that in spades. You will find world building that answers the niche questions of what living as a non-human creature is like. The formula for this show is pretty clear from the get-go: Dr. Glenn Leitbeit and his lamia assistant Saphentite Neikes (who is clearly in love with him), help monster girls every episode; exploring medical issues that plague them. The monster girl falls for him too, rinse, repeat. The good doctor is either fantastically good at deflecting every girl’s advances or blind as a bat. While this pattern is predictable, the interesting world building surrounding the girl’s lives are enough to keep me satisfied. If you can overlook the fanservice for what it is, ask yourself “what would life be like as a ____?” and give this show a try.”
(English Title: Peter Grill and the Philosopher’s Time)
Banjo’s Perspective
Drop It Peter Grill to Kenja no Jikan stars the titular Peter Grill, the newly crowned strongest man in the world. By winning the tournament, he believes he has certainly secured his future with Luvelia, the love of his life. However, other women from other races have learned of his victory, and so they seek him out for their own genealogical desires. At about twelve minutes per episode, the anime has a quick runtime that does help in keeping events on topic and to the point. It can even get some comedy going with its willingness to be more upfront with sex or with particular characters such as Luvelia’s insanely protective father. Otherwise, the show has a tough time justifying its numerous other decisions. The premise itself is rather bizarre and off-putting with just how aggressive and mean-spirited the advances reach, especially when his romantic relationship is not only established but also understood by the other women. Moreover, the legitimate ecchi content is tacked on and devoid of staying power despite the length of the episodes. And both the visual and the audio quality aren’t anything noteworthy whatsoever. So, in this case, there’s no need to spend time musing over the philosophy of this show.
Drop It “To preface this review, I am going to critique this as I would with Interspecies Reviewers – not as a hentai but an anime. Lets start off with what I liked. The guildmaster / dad is funny. Now onto what I disliked about the show. All of the other characters and the (nonexistent) plot. Unless you really like the sex scenes that make up 7-8 minutes of the 12 minute episodes, I can’t recommend it. This is coming from someone who loved Interspecies reviewers, because the sex scenes were important to the story and world, and not just fanservice. Now to address the biggest issue I have with this show, rape. Because Peter is the strongest man in the world, every lady lusts for his seed. He has no interest however, because he has a fiance. So they blackmail or straight up rape him in his sleep. Now rape scenes in general don’t inherently condemn a show, take Goblin’s Slayer rape scene; Goblin Slayer Spoilers Same with Plunderers panty peaking scenes, as it not only sets up initial dislike for the main character, but also Plunderer Spoilers. Those anime show off scenes in a way that actually add substance, as apposed to this show which is glorifying it.” Thank you all for reading my first ever hentai review.
Drop It Only the best fighters in the world have a shot at claiming total victory within the The God of High School as techniques and stances clash in tournament-duel fashion. The winner will have their wish granted, and the trio of Jin, Han, and Yu will do what they can to see their dream become a reality. To its credit, the project contains a lot of nice art for the designs and neat animation for the sparring and choreographies at play. Nevertheless, this all-style-no-substance anime cannot deliver in its other areas. That’s by its own design, for the show foregoes a substantial story in favor of a bunch of fights stringed together one after another. The pacing is way too fast for its own good, skipping over narrative tidbits or ruining buildup for the battles (or both). In turn, powers are all over the place and lacking proper comparisons. Which then causes the main and side characters to miss out on stronger foundations. And so on and so forth. Arguably, it can teeter into outright disaster territory if the quality of the fighting ever dips later in the season. It’s not quite at such a bottom-of-the-barrel level yet. But, with tacky, overt in-universe ads for “Webtoon” and “Crunchyroll” acting as ominous flags already, it is on the floor, praying to a higher being for much-needed guidance.
Must Watch It This anime follows Mori Jin, a Korean high schooler, and his two friends Daewi Han and Mira Yoo, as they battle it out in a fierce martial arts competition—The God of High School—for the chance to have their greatest wish realized. However, this competition seems to be hiding something far more sinister... From the start, we are introduced to Mori Jin, our main character, and we are instantly hit with the two other important characters in the series (quite literally). GOHS doesn't waste its time to establish that, yes, this is a fighting anime, and there's going to be a lot of it. Yes, not that much has really come together story-wise, but we're shown small moments that foreshadow some potentially big events in the near future. The animation is fluid and the fight scenes are beautifully constructed (no less from MAPPA). With each punch, throw, and kick executed, you can really feel the weight behind each movement, which brings it all to life. Of course, as another webtoon adaptation, GOHS gets compared to TOG from the spring season. I can tell you for a fact that GOHS is much more promising, and seems to be doing a better job at fully adapting the webtoon into an anime. Whether you're an anime only or a reader of the webtoon, you'll definitely enjoy watching this fun and action-packed adaptation.
Consider It Shinichi Sakurai has no qualms with his lonesome college experience – but Hana Uzaki cares a lot. So, as the title Uzaki-chan wa Asobitai! describes, she goes really out of her way to meetup with, talk to, or otherwise befriend him (much to his chagrin) with her never-ending teasing nature. A slice-of-life format follows these two disparate personalities, their feuds fueling the comedy as they go about their daily activities. It’s quite simple, but this simplicity works, if only because the supporting characters don’t get in the way, the grounded, university setting aims for realism and maturity, and they have good chemistry together (even if a romantic pairing is so beyond unlikely to happen given the focus and intent). Uzaki herself can be seen as intrusive, but her heart is in the right place. Shinichi can sometimes be harsh, but he still appreciates what she does for him (when she isn’t being completely obtuse). In combination, they create a bunch of cute scenes that again aid the anime. Average art, missing themes, and a stretched runtime work against this project. However, solid voice acting, visual meta jokes, and modest ecchi content ensure that hanging out with it may, in fact, be an okay want.
Watch It “Hana Uzaki is excited to start her freshman year when she bumps into Shinichi Sakurai, her senior by one year who she knew in high school. While Uzaki is excited for the college experience she notices that Sakurai spends his time being a loner and not participating in college life. After a montage year goes by Uzaki is determined to hang out with Sakurai to help him become less introverted. I started this show because of memes, expecting it to rely entirely on ‘hurr durr oppai.’ While that is still present to some degree, Uzaki-chan is actually a strong character driven show. To some, Uzaki-chan is a bully, but she clearly cares for Sakurai and values their friendship. Uzaki is still a bit childish, which some interpret as bullying, but I find her teasing adorable. Sakurai, on the other hand, intimidates people with his stony gaze, but also has goals and emotions he merely keeps to himself. This juxtaposition of extroversion and introversion drives the plot and their adventures. Uzaki and Sakurai bicker constantly, but they are also positive influences on each other, pushing each other toward being well-rounded adults. These characters feel real, more real than a lot of SOL shows, which makes me want to follow their innocuous fighting as they grow and develop as people.” Banjo's Top Three Picks: 1 Great Pretender 2 Deca-Dence 3 Kanojo, Okarishimasu Volunteer Consensus: (General estimation based off every potential volunteer and their feelings across all anime) Tier 1 (Mostly “Must Watch It” Range): Great Pretender Tier 2 (Mostly “Watch It” Range): Deca-Dence Tier 3 (Mostly “Consider It” Range): Maou Gakuin no Futekigousha: Shijou Saikyou no Maou no Shiso Tensei shite Shison-tachi no Gakkou e Uzaki-chan wa Asobitai! The God of High School Kanojo, Okarishimasu Lapis Re:LiGHTs Monster Musume no Oishasan Dokyuu Hentai HxEros Tier 4 (Mostly “Drop It” Range): Peter Grill to Kenja no Jikan Gibiate Thank you so much for reading! Also, give the volunteers a round of applause for their efforts!! I hope that the community continues to enjoy this Summer 2020 anime season to its fullest!!! :3
So this is my review roundup of the first time I’ve attempted Bingo now at the halfway point (more or less). To be more precise this is a mini-review of every single fantasy book I’ve read during the first half of the Bingo year. Everything below was listened on Audible. They are listed in Chronological order by finish date. A final note, these reviews are terrible. They don’t tell you much of anything about the plots of the novels. Instead you are going to hear thoughts on tone, characterization, and world building, but it's more judgment and less description. City of Blades - Robert Jackson Bennett (Book 2 of Divine Cities) BINGO: Not picked for Bingo, but qualifies for Novel with Chapter Epigraphs (Hard Mode) Rating: 4 out of 5 Summary: Fantasy Noir, set in an age of steam world dominated by an Indian themed stand-in for the British Empire. A retired female general is sent to find a missing secret agent. Review: So first, I greatly enjoyed this series. I started it right after finishing the Licanius Trilogy, which I found…. A bit meh. And this was a refreshing change of pace. I tore through City of Stairs, and immediately plunged into this one. I personally loved Mulogush in Book 1, and so although surprised by the change in focus, I was happy enough with this book's protagonist. This whole series has extremely good characterization, and this book was no exception. A weakness in the first and third book in this series is generally boring villains. In book 1 you will recall that the human ‘villain’ is largely offscreen the entire book, with his minions harassing our heroes, while he himself shows up only briefly. In this book, the two human ‘villains’ are much better fleshed out, even if both are a bit one dimensional. I also enjoyed the lovecraft-ian aspects of this story. Without getting into spoilers, there are some great dark god appears on cliff over sea scenes, and a couple of our characters questioning their own sanity was fun in that grand old lovecraft tradition. On the negative side, some of the plot twists here are pretty obvious, and I don’t really think it's that subtle who is going to end up the bad guys. So the ‘mystery’ itself isn’t that clever and is worse than book 1 in that respect. Having said that, I’d much rather have a mystery in a book that can be guessed, rather than the modern impulse to just be surprising for its own sake. The Return of the King - J. R. R. Tolkien (Book 3 of The Lord of the Rings) BINGO: Not picked for Bingo and a re-read. As far as I can see doesn’t fit a single Bingo square– does this book feature ghosts? Or since Sauron is ‘the necromancer’ could I use it for that square? Rating: 5 out of 5 Summary: High Fantasy set in a middle earth knock off. A classic tale of short fat people destroying jewelry that doesn’t belong to them, and in the process murdering a dead guy. Review: What to say? You should obviously read all these books. I think it's funny to tag spoilers for LotR. I wonder if there is a single person on this sub who hasn't at least seen the movies. (If you are such a person dear reader, stop reading this and go watch the movies). But rules are rules! Also, Vader is Luke's dad, and the Titanic hits an iceberg and sinks. So first: the Rob Inglis narration is amazing -- if you like these books and have not heard his reading of them you absolutely absolutely owe it to yourself to seek them out, if for no other reason than the singing. Not all of that is excellent, but none of it is terrible and when it's good, it's amazing. Also it's kind of fun to listen to an audio book this old, there are like… noises in the background sometimes, like this book wasn’t recorded or produced in a real studio, but really I think that added to the charm. I hadn’t read LotRs since the late 90s, although I’ve obviously watched the movies a number of times. Re-reading them I was struck by how strange they are. The sections with Aragon, from when he joins the hobbits in Bree, until the ring is destroyed, are the ‘normal’ epic fantasy blueprint. The rest of the story is just totally weird in an awesome way. Sam and Frodo killing and cooking a rabbit (I know that's technically two towers), 100 pages of diversions into history and lore that truly go nowhere. The structure of Return of the King especially is strange… like… the ring is destroyed maybe 2/3s of the way into the book!Which, okay, nowadays when a fantasy epic spans a minimum of 5,000 pages, maybe having 100 pages of post climax material is ‘normal’ but like almost 1/5th of the Lord of the Rings is wind down. This is all the more shocking when you realize that another, at least 1/3rd of the Fellowship of the ring is just wind up. Regardless, I truly loved it, so many authors borrow so much from LoTR but I feel like what writers imitate is the Aragon arc. I wish someone would copy the 30% of the series that can be summarized as: hobbits go on a long walk and sing some songs. Sometimes the walk is nice, sometimes it's not nice. Regardless, they do their best. p.s. I think I never read the appendix when I was a kid. Man there is some good stuff in there. The Legacy - R. A. Salvatore (Book 1 of the Legacy of the Drow) BINGO: Not picked for Bingo. I guess this satisfies the Magical Pet Square. Rating 1 out of 5 Summary: Sword and Sorcery set in the DnD forgotten realms. Five friends who constantly talk about how much they value friendship suddenly forget to talk to each other and get attacked by some Drow or whatever. Review: So, I never read any of these as a kid. I started reading them in 2018, and I’ve gotten this far. This is the 7th? book in the series. I read the first trilogy in 2018, the second in 2019, and was planning on knocking out the third trilogy in 2020. But honestly, I’m not sure I’ll go further. I enjoyed the first three books pretty well, and the Icewind Dale was so classic sword and sorcery it was hard not to like. But this book… MAN, everyone is just so earnest it's impossible, even like the drow mercenary guy, and the assassin guy. I sort of liked Drizt’s brother in the first three books so I was sad to see him done so dirty in this one. I also love Regius, who is also done dirty in this book. Also also, I don’t approve of what happened to the barbarian guy. He’s like a quasi complex character in as far as these books go… at least he has real flaws. Anyway, the writing, the plotting and everything, is pretty basic, the book tries… maybe... to take on a darker tone than its predecessors, and I didn’t really like that, or think it worked. I was hoping for fun and light popcorn reading, and it was, but it was not nearly as fun and popcorny as for example, the Dresden files, or Murderbot. I’m a big DnD fan, so I wished I liked these better, and really wished I read them 20 years ago. I dunno, maybe I’ll slog on. Sometimes when I’m listening to an audiobook and I’m wavering about whether to finish it or not, I’ll increase the replay speed. (I did that a bunch during Licanius—turns out you can understand someone saying ‘inclined their head’ at a high rate of speed) and I found myself doing that with Legacy, I think at one point I caught myself listening at x3. Coupling that with the fact that these books are pretty short, it's just a REALLY bad use of an audible credit. The Thousand Names - Django Wexler (Book 1 of the Shadow Campaign) BINGO: Not picked for Bingo, but is a book with a number in the Title. Rating 3 out of 5 Summary: Military FlintLock Fantasy. A bunch of army guys (and a few secret army gals) wage a campaign against long odds to reinstall a puppet king, but that's a cover for trying to steal indigenous religious relics. Review: I loved the first 3/4s of this book, and liked the last 25% much less. I’m in a real mood for low key magic these days, and this book does a great job of that for most of it. Both PoV’s are good. Side note, I always think its… an interesting choice… when a male writer has one female PoV character and decides to make her a lesbian, it makes me wonder: Is this how you decided to make it easier to write a lady character? Make her like other ladies so you can relate to that? Regardless! I like military fantasy with training arcs and I liked that none of our protagonists are anything special when it comes to actually killing people, even though both are obviously exceptional in other ways. I’ve seen this criticism before, but for a book that is so much about colonialism, and is literally about trying to steal another cultures artifacts, that stuff is not dealt with by the book at all. I mean I don't think a book HAS to address that kind of thing, but it is surprising that it is essentially ignored. Nevertheless, I liked the show don’t tell world building here, with some totally reasonable fill me in exposition much later in the story. Now once the magic leaps to the forefront I liked this less. There was a ‘superhero’ feel to this magic, which I have developed a real personal distaste for in my fantasy reading (A criticism I have of Licanius as well). Also one of our POVs: Marcus is annoyingly ‘nice guy’-ish, but at least he gets what's coming to him in that department. City of Miracles - Robert Jackson Bennett (Book 3 of Divine Cities) BINGO: Not picked for Bingo… Can’t reuse an author, might count as Ghost square if you STRETCH IT, otherwise I think this book is BINGO USELESS! Rating 3 out of 5 Summary: Fantasy Noir, set in an age of steam world dominated by an Indian themed stand-in for the British Empire. A retired spy comes out of hiding to solve a crime. Review: I think this is the weakest entry in the series. The villain gets a lot of screen time and he’s just not interesting. His main lieutenant is not interesting either. I kinda liked the assassin guy… but he’s not in it THAT much. I loved Sigurid, everyone does, I think, so having him as the central character was gonna be good I thought, but maybe too much of a good thing, as he’s not the most dynamic of guys. Without descending into spoilers, again I thought the ‘twists’ here were predictable, but not in a way that was necessarily bad. Having said that, I liked all three of these books, seeing the world change and develop over the time period of the series was great. The ending (last chapter) was a really good conclusion for Sigruid’s arc, and I think this book featured some great action sequences. Sigrud fighting on the cable car was truly memorable. I didn’t like the ‘arc’ of the gods story all that much. Honestly, I kinda wish the last book had !>featured another god or two from the series pantheon as the antagonist, then we could nicely summarize this series: Sigurd and friends kill saints and gods with guns and bombs. Three Parts Dead - Max Gladstone (Book 1 Craft Sequence) BINGO: This book marks the beginning of where I decided to do Bingo this year. Picked for the necromancer square. Also would work as a book with a number in the title or maybe a book featuring ghosts? Are dead gods ghosts? Rating 2 of 5 Summary: Urban Fantasy, not modern: lawyer necromancers work towards a good restructuring of a bankrupt god, other not so nice necromancer lawyers want a bad restructuring of said god. Review: Definitely would have DNF’d this if not for Bingo. Maybe It's because I’m a lawyer for a living that this book annoyed me? I don’t know -- although it's not like anyone is trying to actually imitate the actual practice of law in this book. I didn’t like our main character, I didn’t understand her motivations, or whether she had any. She doesn’t really have an ‘arc.’ She is a really skilled necromancer at the beginning, and she is just ‘skilled necromancers about’ throughout the book. I also didn’t like our supporting cast, except for the junior fire priest, he was pretty okay. There was a ‘superhero’ feel to the magic and mythical creatures in this book, which again I’m ‘off’ presently. I can’t imagine I’ll continue with this series. If I do it will be for world building which is pretty novel. I will also say that I profoundly disliked the first half of this book, and liked the second half more… so even without Bingo if I’d somehow pushed my way through the first half I totally would have finished it. There is an almost YA feel to this book even though it definitely isn't. Is there a genre name for books that are somewhere between YA and adult? As a final note, I didn’t really like the narration on the audible version, she just made all the characters seem so --- flippant? -- but maybe that is just how they are written? Ninth House - Leigh Bardugo BINGO: Picked for Bingo, specifically, University setting (Hard Mode) would also work as story featuring a ghost (And I’d argue Hard Mode) AND Chapter Chapter Epigraphs. Rating: 4 of 5 Summary: Fantasy Noir, Yale student from the wrong side of the tracks who can see ghosts poorly investigates a disappearance and two murders. Review: This book is obviously trying to be a bit more ‘literary’ than the rest of the stuff on this list. Alex Stern is a very refreshing protagonist. Damaged in ways that are believable and interesting, with motivations and limitations that make sense. She makes bad choices often for reasons that are very understandable. And although she verges on the annoyingly incompetent she doesn’t cross that line. The setting is super fun and I personally really liked the non-linear story. This book does that Rivers of London thing except with New Haven instead of London, which even as someone with 0 connection to New Haven, and no desire to ever go there, was still very interesting. The supporting cast is excellent, the author has such care for her three protagonists. Although this book is obviously setting itself up for a sequel, I kind of wish it hadn’t done that. Exploring the world and this magical Yale is what makes this book so fun, and now that it's ‘done’ I’d be very worried a squeal won’t be as interesting. Also, this book has a good mystery, not like Agatha Christie good, but still very good. This is also true Noir. The brash outsider protagonist who doesn’t play by the rules, the not evil but definitely not good authority figures who are ultimately incapable of providing justice. Not all the bad guys get punished etc etc. I like Noir so that's a plus. Honestly if I was doing half stars I’d give this 4.5 The Unspoken Name - A. K. Larkwood (Book 1 of Serpents Gates) BINGO: Picked for Book Club Bingo Square. Also qualifies as a 2020 book (Hard Mode). Would have also counted as a necromancer book. Rating: 2 of 5 Summary: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, a young orc girl is brought up by an aloof and power hungry wizard over the course of three, only somewhat related short stories. Review: I’m glad I read this book, even though I didn’t love it. The setting is interesting. There are a bunch of ‘worlds’ some of which are dying, and main characters pilot spaceships sail ships between them. There is also strong characterization in this book, except maybe from our main character, Csorwe. She reminded me a bit of Shadow from American Gods—just kind of there. Now what I’m going to say next is going to seem like a non-sequitur: she has a super believable romance subplot in the book which I do think was handled extremely well. I loved the supporting character of Tal. He’s a truly unique protagonist. Selfish, rude, sullen, petty, shallow, a boot licker. He’s like… Jezal from the beginning of “The Blade Itself,” mixed with…. Ricewind from Disc World? mixed with Rimmer from Red Dwarf? Something like that? Anyway, I like him. I wish he was in it more. His ending is my favorite part of this whole book. I think the problems with this book lies with the plot. There is too much going on, and too little happening at the same time. There are so many places and settings visited, and none are properly fleshed out, the action is kind of dull, and the writing can be too. Too many characters are thrust on you that genuinely don't matter. This feels like 3 books in one, none of which are interesting enough to be their own short story crammed together. I could see this series, if that is what it's going to be, getting better now that the setting has been crammed down our throats, so even though I only gave this a 2/5 I’ll probably read the second one. Prince of Thorns - Mark Lawrence (Book 1 of the Broken Empire) BINGO: An Unsuccessful Break from Bingo, Bingo useless, although maybe necromancer? Rating: 2 of 5 Summary: Grimdark, Your angsty teenage brother’s idol wants to be emperor. Review: My first crack at Mark Lawrence. I liked First Law a lot (although I DNF’d ‘Best Served Cold’), and have not done any of the other standalones, or started the new one. I like Black Company tons. So I’m fine with grimdark. That first chapter was unique, not in a bad way, made but in a way that was quickly undermined by the rest of the story. I think it's fine to have hate-able protagonists— see my discussion of Tal above— but that’s not really what Jorge is. I think he’s more or less presented as a plain old hero, almost right from the beginning. The book just info dumps on you what a morally bankrupt person this guy is right up front, and then basically he’s fine the rest of the book. There is something like the beginnings of a redemptive arc in his story, but really not. And I want to be clear about what I mean by that, the book is setting everything up for such an arc, but at least in Book 1, there is no pay off. The guy is ‘getting better’ but as close as he gets to thinking, gee rape is bad, is concluding, paying a prostitute is more fun. Then he wonders…. Maybe it would be even more fun to have actual consensual sex. That’s Jorge growth. I guess if Lawrence is writing from an unredeemed teenage perspective, that's probably the level of insight such a person would have, so credit where credit is due. Having said all that, I think Lawrence is great writer. The story is fun, and has some great moments. I think the Jorge dueling his dad's champion is as good (maybe better) than Brom dueling Ser Vardis in ASOIF. The Post-Apocalyptic setting is well done (something I tend to like— fantasy set in this is our earth, but we really messed it up). The action is great, and the plot moves at a blazing pace. I might get around to the rest of this series, or I might just try something else by Lawrence. Honestly, this is more like a 2.5 than a straight 2. The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien BINGO: Bingo useless. Do the Eagles count as Magic pets who talk -- hard no! Rating: 5 of 5 Summary: Young Adult? The one and only OG Hobbit, Bilbo M-Fer Baggins goes on a questionable holiday. Review: Gotta five star this thing. Can’t really say much about it other than echo what I said above about RotK. I’ll say I’d forgotten how much less fleshed out Tolkien’s world building is in this one. Also I think it's funny how dwarves, who are basically badasses in LotRs are totally feckless in the Hobbit until the end. I mean seriously, 13 dwarves go to kill a dragon and they start out with 0 swords/axes between the lot of them? what was the plan— politely ask him to leave? Also there is a dramatic tone change in the book. The Hobbit goes from children’s story all the way through when they get to Laketown, and then shifts to being like an extra part of the Lord of the Rings during the battle of the five armies and its surrounding events and aftermath. Anyway, this is just a darling story, and a great contrast to Price of Thorns. Anyone know of YA books like the hobbit? (other than, I guess Narnia) -- let me know in the commentssss! MurderBot Short Stories (all 4 of them) - Martha Wells Bingo: picked for ACE/ARO (Hard Mode) I guess this is also five short stories (Hard Mode?) Rating: 5 out of 5 Summary: SCI-FI: Security cyborg hacks his way to freedom, ends up doing… basically what he’d been programmed to do before freeing himself afterwards. This was great. Just great. Last year I read Ready Player One (1 of 5 stars). Martha Wells could give a class on how to integrate pop culture into your setting in a way that is interesting and refreshing, and she did it without using a single actual pop culture reference. Murder Bot is darling, the stories are light hearted and fun with enough depth to be interesting without massive exposition on the relationship between man and machine. There is a kind of upstairs/downstairs dynamic to the way the robots and constructs interact with each other in this book, and super interesting dynamics between human → augmented human → construct → robot → dumb robot. On one level these stories are about the prejudice that Murderbot faces, but Murderbot is prejudiced too, not just against humans, which is like the funny joke, but also against robots he views as ‘lower level’ than himself. Anyway, binge reading these might not have been the best way to do it, but it was amazing. I managed to stop myself from diving right into the full length novel, but I promise you I’ll get to it before Bingo 2021. If I was going to criticize these stories, they are all sorta similar in terms of structure and pacing—after the first one that is. I am concerned the novel might drag if it's more of the same, that's partly why I’m waiting, give me three months and even if it is the same I’ll love it. Eric - Terry Pratchett (Book 9 of the Discworld) Bingo: Bingo break! but a book to make me laugh, easy mode. Rating 4 of 5 Summary: Satirical Fantasy, wizard is accidentally summoned instead of demon, hijinks throughout time and space ensue. Also there is a parrot. Review: When I was maybe fifteen I read Small Gods. Had somehow never heard of Pratchett or the Discworld, and even though I liked it, I never read any more Pratchett until maybe two years ago? Now I’m slowly working my way through all of them in publication order (although I accidentally read witches abroad out of order somehow)... anyway, I’ve reached Eric, a (I think) less well liked Pratchett short(er) story featuring Rincewind, who is probably a less well liked Discworld protagonist. But I really liked this one. My favorite Rincewind story to date. I loved the character of Eric, our teenage demonologist. Many it was reading Eric so close to reading Prince of Thorns, but I mean…. Isn’t Jorge basically Eric? They’ve each got the same number of letters in their name, they both want power eternal and pretty girls. They both are getting jacked with by powers both seen and unseen and are none too pleased about it, they both have bad relationships with their fathers, and are obsessed with their moms. And before anyone in the comments says something smart about how Faust obviously influenced Prince of Thorns, and Eric is a straight up parody of Faust so of course they share something in common, to that I would say… Mephistopheles never eats half an egg and cress sandwich. Eric is a bit on the nose, even for Pratchett, but the demons re-doing hell as corporate culture is really funny, and it's just so charmingly Discworld to think that the demon overseeing Sisyphus is encouraging him while he pushed the rock up the hill. Also, while I’ve always disliked the luggage, there is so little story to Eric that the luggages’s general antics didn’t annoy me like they sometimes do. Malice - John Gwynne (Book 1: Faithful and the Fallen) BINGO: Not picked for Bingo, but I guess this is Magical pet (hard mode) Rating: 4 of 5 Summary: Epic Fantasy, stand-in AngloSaxons and stand-in Vikings set the stage for three more books, in a well executed trope and trope subversion fest. Review: I need to stop taking Bingo breaks if I’m ever going to get to blackout! So I picked this up after reading a review on fantasy, and I liked it, well enough that plunged into Book 2 right afterwards -- although I probably should not have, I'm slowing down in Valor even though it might be objectively better than Malice. This is as typical modern-esque epic fantasy as you can get, Wheel of Time, Malazan (not really), The Farseer Trilogy (is series from 25 years ago modern?) etc etc.... This book features so many fantasy tropes, it should be terrible, but it's not. It is actually pretty darn good. One thing I liked about ASOIAF is that you get POV chapters from people who are maybe villains and certainly on the wrong side. Here we get a smorgasbord of POVs showing us all sides of the coming conflict, generally from pretty sympathetic characters, even when they are on the wrong side. People praise John Gwynne for his action scenes are they are very strong (even if they do get a bit repetitive after a while). But like MY GOODNESS the tropes, (1) chosen one who is the blacksmith’s son (2) mean old lady witch who is actually nice with a talking bird; (3) upcoming battle between good god and evil god; (4) magic pet wolf (5) mysterious older sword master trains hero. I mean… you can tell things are not going to well for the village in which this kid grows up! Honestly, the most predictable thing about this books is thinking: oh, I bet really bad stuff is going to happen to all these reasonable authority figures. But each of these tropes is either really well executed or twisted just enough to make it truly unique. I mean these books have TWO Gandalfs in them, but there is an evil one and good one, and no one knows which is which! Which actually is kind of like Lord of the Rings… a lot… but it's different and well done I promise! Conclusion: I need to read the Murderbot Novel and a novel with color in the title to get to my first ever BINGO, and I've got a lot of work left for Blackout. (or wait... is Eric not a short story? do I need one more for 5?) Also I cannot fathom how people are already done with Bingo.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure OC Tournament #5: Round 1 Match 12 Alexis and Cybil Vs Admiral Pineapples and Rudolph
“届けて, 切なさには名前をつけようか ‘Snow halation!’” The harpoon lodged itself into the Ocean Soul’s chest following a powerful toss from Pork Soda, the beast desperately trying to hit the tether to destroy it and release the harpoon, to no avail. The Ocean Soul had underestimated its opponents, who were currently singing some sort of song, perhaps a sort of war cry, meant to display their superior strength. “想いが重なるまで待てずに, 悔しいけど好きって純情” It had to do something! It released the Calamus Root in store within its mouth, ready to spit it out, before Sayonara Kodoku picked the Ocean Soul up, shut its mouth tight, and tossed it over to Pork Soda. With a thrust of its fingers, the porcine stand pierced the Ocean Soul’s eyes, blinding it. Then, the two stands rushed at it, sending forwards a barrage of blows, breaking bones, claws, and disorientating it, before getting ready for a finisher. Pork Soda picked the Ocean Soul up by its tail and began spinning around, the rapid movement disorientating the fish and sending it closer and closer to its doom. No, no! It couldn’t let this be! The Ocean Soul was a hunter, and even if its prey had gotten a leg up on it this time, it wasn’t going to give up! It could barely remain conscious under the pressure as the porcine stand spun it around, its already severe wounds getting exacerbated, but it had to do something! Just one shot! Just one precise shot and it could use the opportunity to escape, to recover! The porcine stand was spinning it around by its tail, so the Ocean Soul could calculate the stand’s position! It just needed to regain its bearings, focus on getting a shot aimed, and it could use its spit to- SLAM! With a brutal impact, the Ocean Soul was slammed into a nearby rock. It felt itself sinking in the water as the two stands approached it, its imminent doom coming closer and closer with every movement they made. It needed to escape, but it couldn’t bring itself to move. The two stands made their way towards it, floating above the ground as they loomed over the barely conscious beast. Was this going to be it for the Ocean Soul? “微熱の中 ためらってもダメだね, 飛び込む勇気に賛成 まもなく start!” Like hell it was. Gathering the little remaining energy it had, the Ocean Soul spat out the Calamus Root stored within its mouth, mixed with its saliva. Hitting the ground underneath the two stands, two long spikes quickly sprouted out of it and towards their bodies. Though Sayonara Kodoku’s tough skin didn’t get pierced, the force of the growing spike sent it flying into the air, incapacitating it, if only for a moment. Meanwhile, Pork Soda wasn’t as lucky as it, the spike piercing through the left side of its body, tearing through its left leg and shoulder. The Ocean Soul couldn’t hear anything from underwater, but it was sure that its user was reeling in pain right about now. Using the remainder of its energy, the Ocean Soul bolted away, desperately trying to remain conscious as it swam away from what it once considered its prey. It didn’t even look backwards, fearing that doing so would give its opponents the time they needed to finish it off for good. It didn’t even keep track of how far it swam, or for how long its opponents had chased it, or if they had done so at all. Its body was searing in pain, broken bones and wounds all over it. Eventually, it couldn’t bring itself to swim any further, losing consciousness and sinking down into the ocean, not even the searing pain keeping it awake as it began to rest. The Ocean Soul had lost, but this wasn’t the end of the beast. Though barely, it had managed to escape this encounter with its life. The results are in for Match 10. The winner is… ‘Agnes’ Bayley and Prince Cosmo, with a score of 80 to the Ocean Soul’s 60!
Category
Winner
Point Totals
Comments
Popularity
Players
25-5
The word of the voterbase was clear: the vast majority felt that the Ocean Soul was handily defeated by the players.
“AAAAGH! GODDAMIT, STUPID FUCKING FISH!!” Agnes screamed in pain while clutching his leg, body strewn onto the nearest island, carried by Sayonara Kodoku. “IT STABBED THROUGH MY GODDAMN LEG!! FROM THE FOOT, TO MY WAIST, TO MY FUCKING SHOULDER! AAARGH, DAMMIT, WHERE’S JENNY WHEN YOU NEED HER!!” “You should be happy we got away with our lives. The Ocean Soul isn’t going to come finish us off any time soon after what we did to it.” “OH, REAL RICH COMING FROM THE ONE WHO DIDN’T GET STABBED IN THE FUCKING LEG BY THAT MONSTER. DO YOU WANT ME TO STAB YOU AS WELL SO YOU CAN SEE HOW IT FEELS?!” Agnes started rummaging around his surroundings with his right hand, searching for a sharp object to use for his “demonstration”. “Frankly, you deserve it. Don’t forget that you are the cause for this all. Were it not for your foolishness, Webb would still be alive, and this would not have happened to you.” Cosmo chided. “PFFF- WHATEVER!” In between his heavy breathing and pained cries, Agnes let out an audible sigh. “Fffffuck this, I’m gonna check my phone to see if there’s any connection here so that we can get the hell out of this place ASAP!” Agnes picked up his phone and pulled it up, taking a look at it. “That will not be necessary. There is no connection here anyways, and I am certain that a helicopter has been sent out to retrieve us, or at the very least ascertain what might have happened to-” “Shut up, I’m getting a message from Cairo. ‘Don’t worry, Agnes, we have sent your location over to Vitus, and help should arrive in about fifteen minutes.’” Agnes looked at his phone in confusion. “Vitus? Who’s that asshole?” “Vitus is the man who sent the helicopters out. The one which you indirectly crashed. Nonetheless, let me see that - I have a hard time believing that your phone is capable of picking up a signal when we’re so far away from any cellular towers.” “And why should I care about what you believe, huh? Here, take a look for yourself!” Agnes shoved the phone in front of Cosmo's face, the dog looking intently at it and seeing… nothing beyond a simple homescreen. “What is this supposed to be. This is your phone’s home screen, and though that horrendous chimera at its center is an affront to anything and everything I believe in, there is no notification here. Could it be that you are perhaps hallucinating from the pain?” “Wh- you can’t see it?! Don’t fuck with me!” Looking at the dog’s deadpan expression, Agnes could tell that that wasn’t the case. He looked over at the phone, spotting it right there, as clear as day - a notification for an sms from Cairo themselves, containing what he read out loud! “Fuck you, I’m not hallucinating! If anything, you are!” Cosmo was about to retort, when he spotted something over the distance - a sailboat. It was old and decrepit, seemingly having gone through significant damage and yet still remaining intact, somehow. It clearly didn’t belong to Vitus, and likely wasn’t Cairo’s either. On the boat, he saw a silhouette of a haggard man, but the distance meant that he couldn’t exactly tell exactly what he looked like. “Someone is coming.” It wouldn’t be much longer before Agnes and Cosmo were able to get back onland, learn what terrible things they’d missed, even if they still had a wait and a talk ahead of them. Left to nurse grievous wounds, this seaborne menace has seen this chapter of aggression momentarily closed, but further inland, the waters of a laundromat are being braved by a time traveler and a woman in chains. Scenario: Sound’s Garden Eastern Strip - A Golden Limousine The evening was beginning to set in, the lights of the islands of the area beginning to flash on and dot the sky as two women rode through the city, looking out through the windows as they relaxed in luxury. Cybil Antoine was one to travel in style, and now, with a companion in tow, was no exception. “A strip that absolutely comes alive at night… Makes me feel almost nostalgic for Vegas,” her redheaded travel companion mused as she looked out, “speakin’ of which… you ever play anything like that, Cyby? Cards, slots, so on. We could try Heartache Casino, maybe, if we have time sometime… I bet you’d just have to throw your name around to get up on its higher floors.” “It’s Cybil,” the wealthy woman emphasized, with an exhaustion begotten by this having been far from the first time, “or Miss Antoine… Either way, I am not a ‘Cyby.’ Get it right next time, alright?” “Right, yeah, I know you’ve told me… I’m just a nicknamer by heart. Cross my heart, though! It won’t happen again!” Alexis Williams seemed… As serious as she could get about something like that, as curiously carefree, even devil-may-care, as the performer could get. “Commit it to memory, then. Despite how much a fool you can act, I’m sure you know how much I had to pull to get you onto this stage.” “Believe me, I do appreciate it!” Alexis answered, focus now turned away from the topic of gambling and onto that. “Putting on a show at one of the biggest stages in Los Fortuna, bigger than anything I’ve done before… I know our group has had some bad luck lately, with Bucket causing that trouble down at the fish market, and how down on herself Leo has been since that dumb show she said she got roped into, but we’re still the freakin’ Judecca Highrollers, right? I want to show the world that, and from their box, I want to show the rest of our team that we’ve got no better option than to face it all with a grin.” “How very like you,” Cybil answered, neutral in her tone, careful not to betray the affection in such a statement as she pondered their current status, where they would be playing. Alexis wouldn’t be headlining, unfortunately, though admittedly, her act wasn’t the sort of thing that did that anyway. Rather, a certain piece of immensely beloved local talent, a rocking performer who went by TD/MD, would be having her play immediately before her at the Alexander Dickinson Amphitheater, just a drive over a rapidly approaching bridge away. Cybil had been a little annoyed that one of her statues had been overshadowed by a plane crashing near it, not to mention had a desire to spread further the local influence of their team, and so she had arranged with the heads of the entertainment industry of Los Fortuna to see to it that her personal favorite performer among the allies and associates she’d made was onstage at the best possible place for a person wanting to be noticed. She curled her lips at a cell phone which found its way to its hand, then, narrowing her eyes at its screen. “No word back from your backing band… Where are they? How inconsiderate not to send word on this, especially at how that Mr. Sins recommended them so glowingly.” “I’m sure they’ll show,” Alexis answered, “and if not… We can make do, can’t we?” “Of course,” Cybil answered, only to have her eye finally drawn back out the window by the sight of a vehicle which had pulled into the lane directly next to theirs as their limousine crossed the bridge. Another golden limousine was directly next to them now, this one almost pointedly bigger, longer, more decked out in jewelry, and it seemed to be headed exactly the same way. Cybil, rather than confused or alarmed at the coincidence, simply thought aloud, “that would probably be Mr. Sins… Speak of the devil.” “Amazing how quickly his casino recovered from nearly burning down…” Alexis mused aloud. “I heard that one of the people who trashed it sent him to the hospital, too.” “An overreaction I’m certain, from what I know about the man. Absolutely terrified of a little pain, a little elbow grease… I’m not one to gossip, but I can’t help but wonder how a man like him even managed to become so prominent, so consistently successful.” “Right,” Alexis answered, smirking and putting her finger up to her lips, “I won’t spread that around, then. I know how to schmooze with that type if the need arises.” Los Fortuna Canals - The SS Sledge Sister Admiral Pineapples was more comfortable on his own boat, but as far as the fleet of the Masters of Funky Action went, there was no real reason to send out more than one boat for this right now. “Man, I can’t believe nobody else is ridin’ with me,” his companion, Rudolf Pavlova, said after downing an entire bottle of water in a single gulp, on the tail end of an hourlong keytar solo. “The rest of the Masters better at least make it to the Alexander! It’d really bum me out harder than when Wrenn shot me down if none a’them made it!” Sorry, but I’m really more the headlining type! Playing second-fiddle to a man in a speedo opening for some local star sounds fun and all, but, I’d totally just overshadow them, I bet! So I should really probably stay out of it! That sentence, clear in its passive-aggressive scathingness, had put Wrenn Aflight’s declining of this gig pretty succinctly. As the man more or less everybody on the team could tolerate, listen to, and generally have a good time with, Admiral had been tasked with asking the other star performer of the team to join Rudolf on the gig he’d accepted opening up for locally beloved rock star and all-around idol TD/MD. Not wanting to break Rudolf’s heart, he more or less told him the short version, ‘he couldn’t make it,’ and then volunteered his own services for the younger man. “You won’t be out there with none of your allies, though, Nureyev! For I, Admiral Pineapples, will aid you in coordinating every moment of your work! This will be one of the worthiest usages of my tactical mind in a long time, I’m sure!” “I hope you’ve gotten those hour-long solos out of your system now, Nureyev,” Pineapples warned with an amused, lax tone, “you’re only going to have thirty minutes onstage before the headliner has to get ready, and there’ll be trouble if you bleed into that.” “I know, I know,” Rudolf answered, casually, as he slipped into an open-chested bathrobe mainly meant to function as the legal requirement of public decency until it was time to perform, “I’m not one to step on anyone’s toes, let alone the star of the show. Live and let live, yeah?” “I’m curious, though, and you never told me…” The Admiral asked, cracking open a beverage of his own and taking a sip, “how did you manage to get such a part as this in the first place?” “Oh, that’s simple!” Rudolf said, the thought to answer having simply not occurred to him. A few weeks ago - A beach in the Waterfront District. “Alright! Thank you, Los Fortuna! I’m here all day, and all night, and all tomorrow too, baby! Party never stops!” Rudolf had just finished the latest of his performances to a small crowd of beachgoers, shredding through the end of his one-man keytar rendition of 2112 and transitioning into a truly epic medley of the extended Family Guy, American Dad, and Cleveland Show OPs. As the crowd dispersed, a corporate suit-looking type of guy, bronze-skinned with neatly-groomed hair, remained, eyeing his keytar curiously and smiling artificially. “That was an excellent show, Mr… Pavlova, I think it was? You have such an undeniable energy about you that I can see when I lay eyes upon you… You’ve star material.” “Am I being poached?” Rudolf asked, tilting his head, “‘cuz I assure you, I am a free agent! Not about to be scooped up by some label and forced to chill out the party churnin’ out music I don’t feel in my soul.” “Nothing so abrupt, no… I’m a Manager, representing TD/MD. You can call me Thutmose. Anyway, she has a concert approaching rapidly, and we’re struggling and scrambling to find local, new talent and performers to open for her. We’ve managed to secure a lot of artists already, but the most important spot… Playing right before her… That, still, we have a particular need for, and I think you would serve it perfectly.” “So I accepted!” In the present day, Rudolf finished, “why not, yeah? I can spread the party to tens of thousands at one of the biggest venues in town!” “Scouted on the street, hm… That’s awfully lucky.” Something about this struck Admiral as odd, but he supposed it was all the more reason it was good he was backing his friend and ally up. He had a strong hunch there was more to it than appeared. Rudolf’s party yacht would disembark soon, ported on the central-most island of the places which made up Sound’s Garden, and the party would make their way forward from there. Sound’s Garden West Side - Outside the Alexander Dickinson Amphitheater At the same time, a self-important first step was taken out of a pair of golden limousines, one a heel clacking first out of it and a short, stocky woman in pinstripe emerging, the other dress shoes leading up to a tall, lean man in a gold and yellow tux, grinning and running a hand through his slicked-back hair. Cybil Antoine hadn’t had the “pleasure” of a personal conversation with Tigran Sins before, but had happened to overhear some of him during her meeting with that Thutmose man, and then and there, she had known everything about him, and knew that she had already had the displeasure of knowing dozens of men like him. Still, though, one needed to be cordial in times like this, so as Alexis came out behind her, and a very strongly built-looking, mean-looking man with brown hair and a nice vest, attached to the lapel of which was a Heartache Casino brooch (a bouncer? A bodyguard?) stood by Tigran waiting to see what he wanted or what he did, she approached the man who dared to try and be more golden than her Stand. “Mr. Sins, I believe… I believe we’ve crossed paths, briefly, but we didn’t really have a chance to speak.” The man tensed a bit, only to relax slightly again when he saw that Cybil intended only to speak. “Cybil Antoine, right? I’ve heard you’ve been making a hell of a lot of waves around town lately, so I must say I’m excited to meet you too.” He looked back past her, towards Alexis standing and stretching outside of her team’s limo. “Would that be your star you’ve got going on? Certainly she’s got charm.” “Hi, right in front of you,” Alexis answered, teasingly passive-aggressively waving, “yeah, I’m going up before TD/MD.” “She’s a very important star around here, you know… So you’d better put on a show that leaves them wanting for more of the best.” Tigran’s attendant spoke, then, sounding dead serious as he looked them over. “A lot of people have come here just for this, just for her sake… It is completely imperative you keep that in mind.” Tigran simply nodded, concurring, “couldn’t have said it better myself, Fox.” Shortly after that, the pairs went their separate ways, shifting through VIP areas of the area of the main structure of the amphitheater, series of comfortably shielded stadium halls that it was. “Still no sign of the band… Still no word from them either. I’m cross now.” Alexis, then, stopped in her trail, looking at a schedule which had been printed out and emblazoned upon a green room wall. “Uh, Cybil, you’re gonna wanna take a look at this.” “Hm?” Cybil raised an eyebrow, turning to face what her partner was pointing at, and then glared again. “Who the hell is Nureyev, and why are they listed at the same time as you?” “There’s gotta be some kinda mixup or somethin’, man… I know about this ‘Alexis Williams’ it talks about, and hear she’s a Vegas Performer, damn fine one at that who can really strut her stuff. But we ain’t in Vegas at all, so what gives?” Rudolf himself was gesturing at a printout version of much the same piece of programming, he and Admiral Pineapples having wandered much the same series of halls. “Hrm…” Admiral, now, took a look at the sheet himself, combing over the names before Rudolf on the list and speaking names aloud. “‘Arancini,’ ‘Tenacious-er E,’ ‘Guy and the Fieris’ Heavy Metal Barbershop Quarter,’ all as scheduled… What the hell? Yeah. We’re the only acts double-booked like this, and you say you don’t know this woman personally?” “Not in the slightest,” Rudolf said, “never laid personal eyes upon her! So maybe there’s a typo, yeah… I know! We could track down Thutmose! But, uh… Where the hell’s Thutmose right now?” A distorted voice shout-whispered, “I heard that he was visiting TD/MD’s green room.” “Huh? Oh, thanks!” Rudolf accepted that advice uncritically, beginning to make his way, but Pineapples looked, at least, in the direction it came from, seeing then flashes of a short-looking person in a maroon turban, face bandaged but mouth section bulging with something hidden underneath, and a pair of aviator goggles, as well as a tunic, trousers, and many bulky scarves adorned in the forms of climbing stick figures. Looking at the man, Pineapples couldn’t help but feel suspicious, but hell, there was a lot shady going on here. “Yes, thank you, Mister… Who am I thanking?” “No,” the figure answered dismissively, “think little of it… I’m just another interested party watching the show. If there’s confusion, then, I want to see it resolved fast! If you’ll excuse me, though, I need to make my way to my box…” “Strange man…” Pineapples shook his head, not wanting to leave Rudolf alone to deal with this strange situation. He knew from hearsay and rumor that there were some truly dangerous things lurking in the bowels of Sound’s Garden, and Rudolf, more heart than head, was bound to be barreling into it. Sound’s Garden - The largest and nicest green room in the halls of the Alexander Dickinson Amphitheater. Metra Doria sat before a makeup chair as assistants fussed and fussed with her hair, her face, her clothes, occasionally being met with polite thanks, compliments, or idle chit-chat, representing a sort of familiarity the team had had with the pale, short-dark-haired girl with a single blue streak through her front left locks. She stared at her own dressed-up eyes in the mirror, one silver, one blue and at once black-striped through the iris. As she sat here, initially clad pretty casually and low-key, she was Metra, but as the outfit she had selected was put together, she would become TD/MD. She was being cordial before now, but all of the small talk had ended as soon as her manager came into the scene, knocking, being invited to come in, and then doing so. “How’s the show going, Thutmose? I wish I could see Guy and the Fieris do their thing, but… Makeup, I swear.” “There’s… People insisting upon speaking, Metra. They’re performers, the ones before you, and they seem annoyed. I tried to shoo them away and tell them to work it out, but that only incensed the old-timers with them, and now they want to speak to you. I tried telling them it was a waste of your time, but-” “This close to going on?” Metra narrowed her eyes at the reflected form of her manager. Always, it was one thing after another with this guy. Though most of the time, one might assume there was something not worth it going on here, she knew Thutmose well enough to know there might be problems. She sighed, shutting her eyes now. “It had better be important… Let ‘em in.” And like that, a quartet of two twenty-somethings, a middle-aged woman, and an old man barreled in through the door at once, all talking over one another and expressing confusion with the other’s very existence and presence. It was making the half-prepared girl more uncomfortable than sitting in a chair for awhile just to get ready for a show often did, so she raised her voice, calmly but authoritatively, literally seeming to drown out their babbling in the process. “Quiet down, alright?! One at a time.” There was a little more whispering among the four, then, and it was the pinstripe-suited woman who stepped forward among them to speak the crowd’s mind. “TD/MD, I presume… This ‘Thutmose’ man, he has made a grave mistake in the scheduling. My associate Alexis here, and this half-nude man carrying a keytar around, they have not met before today, and they certainly did not intend to collaborate before you. Your manager has refused to listen to reason about this, so we are taking the matter straight past him to you… Resolve it at once, and we can be on our way.” “What?” Metra, facing them all, blinked, shaking her head and glaring at Thutmose. “Again? How does this keep happening? You overbook acts right before me, and it’s such a disaster I’ve started to need to allot extra time to cleanup guys after those sets… It was bad enough before, but it’s seriously getting out of hand, man. I can’t keep dealing with you if you treat everyone else you deal with like this. You’re done working with me. We’re through.” “B-but… But Metra..!” Thutmose was flabbergasted, looking almost terrified at the prospect. “Please, be reasonable..! I need this job, understand? I’ve got gambling debts, and-” “Whoa whoa whoa,” the keytarist (Rudolf, or Nureyev, according to the program) interjected then, “let’s not ruin a man’s life over me and Lexy here, yeah? I looked into the history of this place, the Alexander Dickinson… Named after a big dead deal Philanthropist, so basically a dude from the 90's who gave his all to culture in this city, funded all kinds’a stuff! Would a man like that want a man to be fired in his own memorial stadium?” The logic seemed to confuse nearly everyone there, not least of all Metra, whose response, after a moment, was, “Huh? You… Are you saying it doesn’t bother you?” “He’s saying that!” Thutmose pleaded. “I am certain he’s saying that!” “I don’t mind, either…” The redheaded Alexis said next, nodding and looking around at nothing in particular. “Yeah, I think we can work with that… The band he set us up with bailed on us anyway, right? So… Music might help, and it’s not like the things we do step on each other’s toes, yeah? So whatever, I’m sure we’ll still leave a bigger impression.” Cybil, then, pursed her lips. “If it doesn’t make a difference to you, then, and we’re all on the same page… But still, this is so very inconvenient.” “Agreed…” Pineapples looked to Thutmose. “Be more responsible in the future, aye? I think even if you keep your job right now, you’re gonna be on thin ice for now. And give up on gambling, if it’s sunken you this far.” Metra nodded. “Agreed. I can’t guarantee I won’t start looking for a new manager, but… You’ve been good to me, at least. Clean up your act.” Then, she looked over the quartet. “I’m seriously sorry about this… You say you had backup, but they’re not showing up now? I, uh… I don’t know what happened to whoever those were, or why they fell through, but I have something I can do to help both of your shows exist at once: six of the best stagehands I've got.” At that, the star snapped her fingers, and from the shadowy corners of the room emerged two trios, three men in a pose one well-versed on incidents in the early 20th century Roman Colosseum might compare to Awakening One’s Masters appearing before the Masters of Funky Action, three women in turn also sliding in before the Judecca Highrollers in perfect sync, stepping in with the coordination one might associate with, as a weird example, teenage mobsters jazzed about a dude being sent to the ninth circle of hell. All six were muscular, clad in black sleeveless shirts, leather gloves, pants, boots, and bandannas over their heads, and all around, they gave off auras of immense reliability. “Harry, Mark, and John, and Thorn, Dusk, and Luna… I kid you not, these guys can basically do anything and everything you ask of them. If they didn’t much prefer supporting other people to being in the limelight themselves, they would be as big as I am. Treat them well, they’ll learn fast, and they’ll be invaluable to making your bits work. But, uh… I’d hurry it up. Guy and the Fieris probably only have a couple more encores in them, and then you’ll have fifteen to set up. I wish you all luck..!” Metra Doria had been a bit of a miracle for the grateful performers and put-off older supporters, who had in turn both begun to explain their intended strategies and how those might change to their crew members, who understood alarmingly fast. “Man…” Rudolf whistled in relief, chuckling. “What a scare that was… But you, Lexy? You’re alright, actually.” “Thanks,” Alexis answered in turn, still trying to figure this guy out, “you don’t seem bad yourself… I almost kinda feel bad that we’re gonna totally eclipse you out there.” “Y’think so, huh?” Rudolf answered with a grin, pointing forward with a friendly competitiveness. “Well, the party don’t get drowned out by a damn thing! I’m gonna get all these good people pumped as hell, and they’ll be cheerin’ for me even when that Metra chick goes on!” “Ooh, I’m starting to feel a bit competitive…” Alexis answered, good-naturedly chuckling and folding her arms. “Wanna see who gets the crowd more pumped? Loser, uh… Buys the winner overpriced concert t-shirts. These things need stakes, right? Heh…” At the somewhat tongue-in-cheek suggestion, Rudolf nodded. “Sure, yeah! That, and the pride of bein’ one of the best in the city! May the best team win!” OPEN THE GAME! Location:The Alexander Dickinson Amphitheater, one of the biggest outdoor venues in the entirety of the Metropolitan area, in the buildup to TD/MD’s headlining act, wherein both of your teams have had a performer set to open for her. The place is packed at a capacity of tens of thousands of people. The stage is a competently designed semicircle which is roughly 30 meters across for length and maximum width, with plenty of room all over and the various necessary fixtures upheld off the ground. It is raised up about 2 meters off the ground. Its back half is partially covered by the overhanging roof of the backstage area a dozen meters above. The backstage area spreads out about 10 meters from both sides and the back of the stage, being somewhat indoorsy and absolutely full of things one could expect an excellent stage production to have, including, of course, sturdy rafters which lead up to the ceiling area overtop the stage. Both sides have had time to arrange for some extra things to be brought in. Goal: With a leadup of fifteen minutes before acts, and a half an hour where both of your performers are onstage at once, you have a show to put on, and that is not getting ruined by this overbooking. So, with Rudolf and Alexis up on stage, and Pineapples and Cybil each operating their abilities and managing a three-person stage crew, outperform your opponents! Given the vastly different skill-sets of the competitors, the goal is to execute on your vision better than your opponent executes on theirs. You will be judged and voted on the following criteria, in decreasing priority:
Feasibility - Whether your performance is actually within the bounds of what your Stand and Stats would imply.
Skill Use - A close second in relevance; how well you integrate your User Skills and Stats into your performance. While your Skills will help in completing this objective, they do not provide an automatic advantage by merely existing and must be woven into your strats, as per usual. Even the best of artists can have abysmal live performances.
Stand Use - Similar to the above, and similarly important. How cool, creative, and well-integrated is your Stand use. Put another way, wow the judges, voters, and viewers at home! This is more or less just the same as before.
Environment Use - How well you use and integrate the auditorium - its features, its backstage, its stage, and the hearts and passions of its occupants - into your performance.
Efficiency - How much quality footage you obtain and how well you use your time. This does not mean that setup for more complex performances is automatically penalized, but do try to minimize ‘deadtime’ and maximize the amount you perform.
Additional Information: There is a huge simp for TD/MD in the audience of the match, and he is connected enough that he will have both of you successfully and canonically killed if you ruin the show before the headliner can go on; therefore, murdering your opponents or audience members (“the ol’ Abraham Lincoln Tech” as they say in the biz) on an audience member is a loss condition. Not at all a moral thing for the record. Stage Crew members for the respective teams (Harry, Mark, and John on the MFAs, Thorn, Dusk, and Luna on the Highrollers, if you care about their names) have 4s in strength, agility, endurance, Stagehand, and Backup; pretty much, anything their associated team asks them to do, they’ll be able to do, at minimum, competently. Though they won’t, like, murder for you. Generally you can use them for moving props on/off stage, extra bodies or on-stage back up performers, speaker and soundboard control, and/or on-stage camera crew as well as managing any other stage controls. Pretty much everything save for pyronetics and lighting is in their purview. There are also dedicated lighting guys, totally neutral in your squabbles, who are going to do an entirely too good job adjusting their focus and making things work exactly as is needed so attention is on the stars of the show. They will also be coordinated with a third party camera crew that will be streaming the live feed onto screens for the audience. These feeds can be replaced or split screened with your own crew’s footage, but otherwise they will generally be in control of what is shown on-screen. Players can be assumed to already have well-rehearsed their plans of action, the in-universe basis for the modified plans of the match, and have knowledge about every aspect of the stage, even if parts of their initial plan obviously need to be modified to account for new challengers also occupying stage space. If something performance related isn’t insanely, “years of training to do competently required” level hard, but would still require some practice ahead of time, they have had it to, at absolute max, somewhere between a 2 and a 3. Players, don’t overly-game this, though; the ‘stars’ of your performances should be the sheeted unique abilities of you, your skills, and your Stands. All stands can be seen on camera and on the live feed for the audience's viewing pleasure.
“This one is for the guy who keeps yelling from the Balcony, and it’s called ‘We Hate You, Please Die.’” Gymnastics is a sport of rhythm and pace, this performance should be no different for keeping your momentum. Make as seamless transitions as you can between the acts of your performance!
“Prepare to have your minds obliterated by… The boys! And Crash!” You have a whole crew of people working for you here, no need to do any heavy lifting by yourself. This is their job after all, better put them to work since that’s what they are here for. Make the most use out of your stage hands in your performance!
“What is with this band? They’ve… changed. Have you noticed they don’t have instruments? Where’s all this amazing noise coming from?” Keeping the audience’s attention for a full 30 minutes should be a piece of cake for the world’s greatest dancer, you can keep the party rocking even between your different acts. Make as seamless transitions as you can between the acts of your performance!
“You and your fireballs and your demon hipster chicks / you’re talking the talk and it’s pretty slick / You think you’re so great, but you’re missing the point / You gotta have friendship and courage and whatever!” You’re all in this show together, you and your crew of stage hand. Everybody should be contributing here, no man left behind. Make the most use out of your stage hands in your performance!
Link to the Official Player Spreadsheet Link to Match Schedule As always, if you would like to interact with the tournament community and be among the first to get updates for the tournament, please feel free to PM a member of our Judge staff for an invite to our Official Discord Server!
My journey of getting to know SHINee as a baby Shawol (Pt. 1 and 2) - Replay, The SHINee World, AMIGO and ROMEO
Hey there! As of late I have been delving into the SHINee world, so I would probably consider myself a baby Shawol now. I'm pretty late to the party, but rather late than never! I shared my first experiences on kpopthoughts and many people over there told me that I should post over here as well, because they thought my fresh thoughts and experiences might be fun for you too and that you might have some more intell and suggestions for me :) Just for your information- before I wrote all of this, I made a post about how Key used to have some kind of power over me, even when I didn't knew him at all then. This is a cross-post of my two posts over there, so please don't mind that I just copied them (because I am sitting on my third review to celebrate Onews return from his military service). I would love to hear your thoughts as well (if someone is interested enough to read all of this)! On another note- I really don't know if my flair fits ^^" So here we go: Pt. 1 Hello, it's me, the girl who made a post gushing about Key. Some of you said there will be no escape for me, so I'm not even trying to, but diving in head first. After months of thinking about it, I finally decided that I should explore Shinee a bit more, since I only knew Replay, View, Odd Eye and Everybody well before. The only reason that made me hesitant was Jonghyun and my fear of falling in love with him without a chance to ever appreciate him how he deserved it. But I thought to myself that I would rather get to know and love him -even if it might hurt- than never be able to experience this mans beauty and artistry. I just watched a little guide on them and am now ready to delve into their music. So this is my plan: I will listen to all their albums chronologically to get a sense of their roots and of their growth. I thought my fresh expercience and reaction to their songs might be interesting to some Shawols (or other people who still hesitate to get into Shinee) and that's why I'm posting this here. Just fyi, I don't know anything about music theory, so this will only be my personal opinion. I'm planning to make my reactions to each of their albums a seperate post, so I guess I'll be here for the long run. Each post will include the innitial reaction that I first had when listening to each song. I will then proceed with my thoughts of some live stages, probably the comeback stage as well as the b-side of each era and a newer performance of these songs (if I find them). Naturally I will include links of the stages I saw. Lastly I will deduce who -in my opinion- did the best in each era (and I will try to not be biased towards King Key). So anyone who reads this should be prepared for very long posts. Before I start with my album "review" of The SHINee World, I would like to ask any Shawols how I can get to know the members better. I'm happy about anything- you can recommend me guides or your favorite live stages as well! Give me anything or rather everything. And should I also do the same for their solo albums when the time comes? Now onto my reactions to the songs. 1. The SHINee World (Doo-Bop) First listening: First of all, before listening, the title of this song reminded me of that song of this American boy (/kids) group that consisted of brothers (I'm not American, so I don't know who they are, I just heard a snippet of them on some German TV show once). So this song is nothing like I expected it to be! I thought it was going to be upbeat and happy-go-lucky, but no! I was greeted with some sick beats! And they are sooo the 2000s, I love it. This is something I would've listened to back then if I knew they existed (my 9 year old self liked Hip Hop movies back then). Jonghyuns vocals were a stand-out in the beginning. Later, I immediately noticed how they referenced a line of REPLAY, very interesting since both songs are such a contrast of each other. Onew and Jonghyun were so great, Jonghyuns bridge was chefs kiss. Also- now I know where that meme of Minho ("My name is Minho) comes from. God bless. 2. Love's Way First listening: So this is some kind of ballad, huh? Pretty singing from the get-go, but the beat is somehow throwing me off? Their voices and the melody of their voices are pure bliss though. Oh my god, the run that Onew did! Yes, that was my thought while hearing it. This is a very chill song. The raps contribute to this vibe. Oh, I love the part after the raps. And then they ruined it with the robotic voice processing and then they saved it again. This is a roller coaster ride. They brought the robots back... please stop. 3. Love Like Oxygen First listening: I already know that I will like this, the beat is exactly my style. I like how powerful their voices sound in this one after their softer voices before. It gives me the feeling that there is actually a reasoning behind the order of songs, like the album is really meant to be heard in one sitting. I really like the instruments they use in the chorus and once again their voices build the melody, not the backtrack. I love how the bass is their base for this song. Until now, it's definately my favorite until now! MV: I didn't know this had a MV, so let's see! The choreography with the chairs is pretty neat! It's not very common anymore (right?), but some other groups back then did it as well if I'm not wrong. The dance definitely made the song even better to me! I can't say much about the MV itself, since it's mostly dancing and close-up shots. But this is really a song to groove to imo. Newer performance: Oh, the suits! End me! Wow, Taemins visuals are shocking me this time! How could I not notice in all this time? Btw- I would let Jonghyun fire me any day. I'm not kidding. And they finally let me see Onews hair, he looks so good! They all exude this sexy energy now... How? AND WHY DID TAEMIN SMILE THE WAY HE DID AT THE END?! Don't test me! 4. Romantic First listening: Ugh, please... don't be cheesy, And again... The adlibs saved my impression of the first beats. Now I actually like it, the guitar is nice. Now it's not cheesy anymore, just a pretty song. I would love if a guy would play this for me. The guitar makes me feels this way. Onews voice is really shining again (if it's really him). Jonghyuns adlibs are my new life fuel as well. I really like the contrast that Keys deeper and nasally voice has, it's very different from the genius main vocals. Romantic might have replaced Love Like Oxygen as my favorite song for now. I think I'll return to this song in the evenings when I get ready to go to sleep. It's relaxed, but still fun. I just enjoyed the rest of the song, so there is not much to say anymore... 5. One For Me First listening: A chill song again, I like it. This song really gives me nostalgia of the boygroups back then, even if I don't remember too much. Their soft "hah" is really nice, it adds to this relaxed atmosphere... she said while one of the main vocals spat powerful adlips. On another hand, it's a guitar beat again... and I like it... again. The adlibs are on point again, or rather like always. Nice to listen to, but I still kinda like Romantic better. But this is only my first listening, things might change. 6. Graze First listening: Another chill song with a guitar beat. This is pure bliss, why are they doing this to me? They are starting of with beautiful singing once again. End me please. This time the raps don't feel as forced anymore as well. Jonghyuns and Keys harmony is great! I love me some harmonies! The raps aren't as forced in this song anymore, but I like the singing better, sorry Minho, sorry King Key. Their singing is god tier. 7. Last Gift First listening: And now a piano beat... How did they know?! I love these... While listening to this song, I remembered the intro. Funny how the rest of the album is mostly chill and vocals based until now. I won't lie, I'm not a big sucker for ballad, so I don't think I will place this one in my regular playlist, maybe in the "I'm depressed" one. I don't think I have to mention their vocals again. But Onews pretty vocal color still catches me off guard sometimes. 8. Best Place First listening: This is totally a vibe song to chill to... again. Oh, I like the melodies they create with their voices. I guess this is a SHINee thing, I already like this song a lot better than Last Gift (like I said, I don't really like ballads in the beginning, they have to grow on me). The playful piano is right up my ally as well. I actually like the little raps in the background as well! This song also gives me those nostalgic vibes of the time back then... It's a nice and relaxing feeling. Now in the end, it kind of feels like acapella because of the voices that over-layer each other. 9. Y Si Fuera Ella First listening: Okay, I take back my statement about ballads. This one has taken my soul already. Everything is pretty. I love pianos, I love the voice (is it only Jonghyun?). For some reason it reminds me of the Ballads in Mamma Mia. This is totally my style. It's kind of dramatic as well. Y Si Fuera Ella really has that musical feeling. Wow, I'm blown away. I can totally imagine the lead role running up a hill in distress or something. And now after being dramatic, it returns to this homely melody. Yes. I really get those Mamma Mia vibes. I guess I will be the only one though. Also- this reminds me of sitting in my grandparents' kitchen for some reason... sometimes the songs their radio played had a similar feel. I think I am already attached to this song, because it reminds me of so much of my childhood. So great! Y Si Fuera Ella is now my favorite song of this album. Live Performance: I'm blown away. He just fills up the stage while just standing and singing there. Why am I even saying "just"? He just cast some kind of spell on me. Wait- he dropped on his knees! Dramatic screaming? Wait, He was shot?! I told you! This song is for a musical, his acting is insane! I can just say... this is what you call a legendary performance... 10. Four Seasons First listening: To be honest, I don't expect much after Y Si Fuera Ella. The vocals are really nice again and this song is like a break from the emotional roller coaster of the mentioned ballad. I actually don't have much of an opinion of this song... It exists. For me it's the most forgetable until now. But I can't expect to love every of their songs. It's also their debut album, sooo... 11. In My Room First listening: It seems like this is another ballad. I at first thought it was a solo for Onew, but then Key appeared. I am kind of confused, but it's okay. Once again, I'm not a ballad person, but I can enjoy some good violins and voices. Probably another song for my sad playlist. The last line was soooo good. Other than that, I don't have much to say again... 12. Replay Actually not my first listening: I have been waiting for this! I absolutely love Replay! A bop! It makes me so happy, because it's so fun. I was actually introduced to this song by TXTs performance of it and Replay immediately caught my attention. I checked out the original and loved it even more. I don't know why I like it so much, but I can say: Those powerful voices, once again! Yes please! The song structure is so much fun as well! It's not repetetive but catchy and that's hard. Definitely the best debut song I ever heard! After listening to an album of mostly chill songs, it was so refreshing! Replay is song of the century (SOC), thank you. MV: I won't say much about the MV either, because I already saw many parts of it, but this is the first time seeing it as a whole. First of all- cute. Second of all- Taemin dancing after the girl... funny. This is meme-worthy stuff. That's some Michael Jackson shit, my boy. So I guess they are all after the same girl... adults and a literal 14yo. I could laugh, but I won't. Because it's 11pm over here. Oh and now they are dancing with hearound her... wholesome. That's my take on this lol Live performance: So this is their debut stage - I'm excited! Omg, the introduction has me wheezing! The voice, The English! Oh, they all look so young and cute! I love the dance as well (at least what I saw until now). Taemins smile melts my heart, such a baby. So they did live vocals back then, I dig it. The outfits are kinda cringy, but still okay. Except Onews fedora, burn it before he tips it. This stage is very different from debut stages today... I kinda like it better. Now everything has to start of epic, so I really love this fresh feel of their Replay debut stage. They all look really happy to be there, it's so cute. Also- Taemins face while he did his "solo dance"... It screamed "I'm a prince and I know". Newer performance: Aw, the throwback to their debut stage is so wholesome! Okay, how can I like this live version better than the original even in the first 10 seconds? Ears, please explain yourselves! Their singing must've gotten a lot better, I don't know any better explanaition for this! I love the outfits! Taemins cap and hair, Jonghyun as a whole! Damn! But why do SMs stylists to put hats on Onew? I wanna see hair god dammit! Minho is a real snack, I can lie. I won't talk about Key, because of... reasons. The remix of the song is nice as well! All in all, this is such a nice stage! They seem to have a lot of fun and their vocals are on point as always! I bet this stage is really special to some of you guys! :) Oh no, Jonghyun was crying in the end :( The last lines... sooo beautiful when they sang along with their fans. I'm soft. Now I will have to end my first journey into SHINee world, because I'm tired and overwhelmed. In conclusion I was surprised of the album itself. I thought it would be very different. In my thoughts it would've been a lot more of Pop like Replay, but I got chill songs and a masterpiece of a ballad! My personal top 3 songs until now are: Replay, Y si fuera ella and Love Like Oxygen (Replay and Y si fuera ella are just god tier, while Love Like Oxygen is.... king tier?) Who caught my attention this era: Jonghyun. He is such a good vocalist, who sadly doesn't get mentioned as much as he should be when discussing top vocals. After that probably Taemin, he was just so cute. My bias: Still Key, but who knows what might happen... Thanks for bearing with me! Let me know any suggestions or criticism, your own reactions... anything! Bye~ Pt. 2 Hello guys, I'm back! After all of your nice feedback and recommendations I'm even more motivated to delve into SHINees releases. For anyone who reads this and hasn't read my previous post yet, I'll include a link for it (there you can read how I'm planning to go through this journey and how I reacted to SHINees first full album). As a little update: After my second listening, all songs have grown on me a lot! I already included Graze, Y Si Fuera Ella, Love's Way and Love Like Oxygen in my regular playlist. I bet some other songs will find their way there as well! My innitial reaction of Y Si Fuera Ella has only grown stronger. I genuinely love this song and it really is like a musical song now that I read the lyrics. It's so dramatic, but in the best way possible. The SHINee World is stuck in my head now btw... It's some kind of love-hate relationship between us. I don't dislike the song... I would just rather have Y Si Fuera in my head (which is the other one stuck in there with Graze and Romantic). I watched three live stages yesterday, including Keys performance of Born To Shine (thank you to the person who recommended this, it changed my life), Taemins performance of Replay and a live performance of Graze which all were recommended to me. It was like some demon possessed Kibum... his smile during this stage might be my end (but I realized that I like natural make-up the best on the contrary). How did the girl survive this?! I really like the song as well, I'm just still shook :') More of this please. Taemins stage was very sweet on the other hand :) I really love how he changed the instruments up in this one, I like trumpets a lot! Also- He looks so ethereal with blue contacts, I've not seen anyone pulling them of as well as he does! And he really dances similar to Michael Jackson sometimes, huh? Cool! I really liked the choreography with the chairs in Graze, just like the user who recommended this specific stage to me! Once again, I can only praise SHINees live vocals! That's king behaviour lol. And can someone explain to me why Keys English is so good? I need to know! And, wow... Minho is so good-looking. His exposed forehead... more please... for research purposes. I watched SHINee visiting Weekly Idol and The Knowing Bros as well. What I learned from those two episodes: Taemin is actually the one in charge (evil maknae) and he is rutheless when it comes to meat. Also his reactions to Heechul teasing him are so funny! (On a side note, Heechul was so handsome in that episode!) Minho is appearantly annoying (according to Doni and Coni) and he's so competetive! A true athlete, I was like this for a long time as well. His cringy video from the past really was... cringy. I genuinely hated it lol Key can fluently speak pout (and I'm here for it) and seems really witty in Weekly Idol. I sadly don't remember much of him from these episodes :( Just that my eyes were drawn a lot to him (and to Jonghyun). To me he is just so cute (even when Born To Shine has proven me wrong). Jonghyun is seriously handsome and TXTs Taehyun resembles him a lot imo. I also love how he just has no chill with Doni and Coni. I will never forget Jongmi, even if I want to. Her broad shoulders are to die for lol No wonder all the guys want her, she's so strong! Onew is so handsome as well! I'm sorry that I didn't notice it before! He seems to be more calm than the others in these episodes, so I took away from them that he loves chicken and can sit without a chair. The way he couldn't comprehend that he got beat at his own game was really cute and funny though. Now to some new songs. Since I missed songs from their first mini album Replay, I will react to those before I continue with AMIGO (or rather the songs on there that I don't already know from SHINee world) and ROMEO. Replay: 1.Real Oh, I already like this one! The mix of the violins and the electric beat is so interesting! And finally something fast paced that I can bop to. Yeah, Real is a fun song. I actually like the Raps as well! But that one line after the raps is probably my favorite of the song! Or I guess not, Jonghyuns adlibs again! Damn this man! Real is the kind of song I would've expected on the same album as Replay. I dig it. 2. Love Should Go On So this one starts off with Key rapping, not too bad. It seems like this is a song to shine for Key and Minho, until the main vocals open their mouths again lol I really like the vibe when the chorus starts up, it's just.... pure vibe. Onews "love forever" line really is gold! Yeah, Love Should Go On is more of a rap heavy song, that explains the vibe. I like this one, the mix of rap and vocals is good! I also really like funky beats! AMIGO 1.AMIGO: First listening: Wow, this one is really different compared to all their other songs until now! I guess it's supposed to be sexy when they mention the word so many times lol To be honest, it's not really my usual taste, but the chorus with AMIGO really digs itself in your brain and I think this song has SHINees best rap parts yet! You know, I already know that the lyrics of this song are cringy without even knowing Korean lol MV: Huh, so the MV starts off in black and white... Don't tell me that everything will turn colorful after Minhos and the girls eyes meet. Okay, It didn't what a relief. But I think she might've stolen his heart? If that's what the golden light is supposed to be... Oh, is he chasing her to get it back?... On another note... I need more Key as the center of the choreo... thanks. Good stuff. Their outfits with those "mirrors" on them are ridiculous in the best way ever lol. The MV somehow made Minhos and Keys raps cooler? I guess it's the gestures, but they were pretty awesome. To be honest, I don't understand the MV lmao... Sooo... She stole Minhos heart (?) just to give it back to him when he catches up to her? Weird. But I like the song a little better now, so that's a plus. 2. Forever Or Never This is so different as well! It's so fierce! Even though I don't like the processed vocals, their vocals in the line in between the choruses are so interesting! It's kind of like rapping and singing at the same time with this specific rhythm of singing! I will have to listen to this one more to form an actual opinion though.... ROMEO 1.Talk To You Talk to you starts with rapping again and I can't make a lot of the beat yet. But it's expanding and getting better, kind of like evolving. I'm just missing a nice melody to be honest. It's again their singing that creates it, but I'm the kind of person that really likes instrumental melodies. That's why I actually really liked the bridge of this song! It's different from the rest od the song. And now I like the rest of the song better? That's so weird! 2. Juliette First listening: Oh, an electronic beat! The way the first lines are song remind me of Micheal Jackson again... And I really like the pre-chorus. Let's see where this goes... Oh! It's nice! Juliette is a little funky! The beat is just so 2009 lol. I just really like the pre-chorus and chorus, so I don't mind how outdated the rest sounds! I feel like this is a song that I will really like after listening to it a few more times! Ooooh... The ending is sooo goood! I'm excited for the MV now... because it's basically a second listening lol MV: The set really fits the sound of the song, I'm not gonna lie. And why do Onew and Jonghyun have to pull these facial expressions? I'm still (kinda, but actually not) innocent! On the other hand... Jonghyuns hair... I won't say more. Tbh, I kinda dig Taemins long hair though! And what's with me not understanding their MVs?! So now Jonghyun is meeting some girl and it's at a theme party with masks? Oh, the choreography of the chorus is so pretty! Makes it even better! WHAT IS THAT ON KEYS HEAD?! He looks like that dude... Saurons tounge in the extended edition of Lord of The Rings... WHAT?! Oh wait.... It's supposed to be themed after Indians, right? And those are glasses and not a mask... I'm confused. OMG Taemins mask lmao. The kid is a transformer! Cuuute! For a second I thought Minho wasn't invited because I didn't see him in his mask (or I just didn't notice), but he seems to get the girl again. Until now it seems like in each MV all the guys want that one girl... Let's see if this will change. 3. Hit Me The adlibs in the beginning are so good! Will Hit Me be a more vocal heavy song again? I like it's simplicity until now. Is the underlying beat a heart monitor? It only seems to appear in the chorus though... This is a chill song for my evenings once again! I think I'll be able to relax with this one well. I like it! And the song fades away with the heart monitor, a nice touch. Let's see what I'll think of Hit Me in my next post, when I listened to it some more times. 4. Senorita Senorita seems to be more hip-hop heavy, but the guitar somehow says otherwise. Again, a guitar is giving me life. And wow, the vocals in the pre-chorus are so nice! The chorus is my taste as well! I can nod my head to this. That's a good sign. And the pre-chorus makes me excited again. I think is my favorite of this album yet... but I didn't like the flow of either rap :( wait. It's not that bad. I reversed the song and the second time the raps are okay lol Ooooh, the last chorus is so cool! Senorita is a fun song! It will probably be in my playlist soon. 5. Please, Don't Go The first ballad! Now I'm actually excited for SHINees ballads! Especially when they are simplistic with a piano. Wow, the vocals are heavenly... This is a really sad song, I can hear their emotions! The chorus is so pretty! Wow! I really like this ballad! It could be such a nice OST for a dramatic scene of romance drama. Is this song only for Onew and Jonghyun? The chorus again... It's so good. Their voices work so well together! I love the way they are so different and complement each other so well! Wow... An actual ballad that I liked at my first listening... Only Someday by Pentagon did this to me yet... Now that I think of it, these two songs are pretty similar (featuring the main vocals and heavy on piano and violins). Anyone who likes Please, Don't Go should check out Someday. Sorry, I'm done with my Penatgon propaganda. 6. Romeo+Juliette A fun beat to start of with... paired with weird vocal processing. Good, that it's over, because now the song is really nice... and then they made Key a robot. Now it's good again lol. WOw, I really like Onews voice! And I kinda like the raps! That's so nice! I like it. Romeo+Juliette, a good song. I can't say much more. I'm enjoying it while ignoring the processed vocals. Because the actual ones are godly! I love the string instruments as well! Just... stop the robots SM, thanks. I really wanna see a live performance of this one, so I can hear it without auto-tune! Can someone recommend me a nice one? I'm tired again, so I won't do 2009, The Year Of Us in this post like I first planned to. So this will be the end of my second part of entering SHINee world. In conclusion, all of these songs were completely new for me, so I didn't know or expect anything going into the songs I missed as well as the ROMEO album. The songs were very different then my first songs. A lot of ballads got exchanged with funkier or more technological beat- which is not bad at all, because funnily enough... I really liked the one ballad they did this time! My personal top three of this post are: Please Don't Go, Senorita and Romeo+Juliet (this might be a subject for change in the future though) My personal top ten out of all the songs I reviewed yet: (1 and 2 and 4 and 5 are interchangable, the rankings might change here later on as well)
Y Si Fuera Ella (yeah... it's THAT song for me)
Replay
Please, Don't Go
Senorita
Love Like Oxygen
Romeo+Juliette
Graze
Best Place
Juliette
Real
Honorable mentions: SHINEEE WOOOORLD Who caught my attention this era (ROMEO): Definitely Onew! I really appreciate his vocals in all these songs. And Minhos eyes. Just the eyes lmao (Don't kill me, I'm kidding). My bias: I don't even know anymore... Key? Yeah. Still him... The other guys though... But Key is still on top! He might never leave my brain after Born To Shine... Thanks for reading my second part! Please give me some more recommendations for live performances and maybe solo variety appearances for each member, so I can get to know them better! Give me anything you want! I'm excited for your guys opinions again, so until then- Bye~ That's what I already got. I will post my third review here as well if you want to! Bye!
The final 20 of American Idol season 18 are here. Well, almost. The latest episode of American Idol left things somewhat up in the air, with the show’s loyal audience having to wait for the live shows to find out the concrete finalists.. Unfortunately, nobody really knows when that will come. ABC has yet to decide how to proceed, as the next two show slots will be of the re-run variety. Rounding out the final odds on American Idol is Hollie Cavanagh, who is the heavy underdog of the group. Cavanagh is going off at 18/1 to pull of the biggest upset remaining in the, and is the only singer considered a longshot still to win. Be sure to check out the odds to win American Idol at Bovada, as they are shown below. The 18th season of American Idol began earlier in February, betting odds for American Idol close on Sunday.; Odds of the final song of the American Idol season have even odds of being written by a male or woman. A total of seven women and 10 men have won American Idol so far in the past 17 seasons. American Idol Top 6 performances betting odds. This is the 17th season for the long running reality show. ‘American Idol’ was on Fox for the first 15 seasons, this is the show’s second season on ABC. Odds to Win American Idol - American Idol betting comes in a few different forms, with odds presented throughout the Idol season. You can bet on which male is most likely to win, which female is most likely to win, as well as an overall winner even before the show really gets off the ground.
American Idol 2020 Front Runners Prediction, Who’s your ...
Welcome to the official YouTube channel for American Idol on ABC! Subscribe for American Idol performances, clips from the show, interviews and vlogs from Am... American Idol on ABC Season 2 Auditions #AmericanIdol #TalentRecap #TheNextIdol For more HD videos, news, analysis and recaps of American Idol – please s... Top 7 American Idol 2020 Arthur Gunn, Francisco Martin, Just Sam, Dillon James, Mikayla Philips, Julia Gargano, Jonny West Pick your favorite! Performing a medley of "Vision of Love", "Make It Happen", "My All" and "Hero," our very own Mariah Carey hits the stage. Relive her breathtaking performance! Who Will Win? ⭐️ American Idol 2020 Top 5 Contestant Prediction Ranking Welcome to the Top World today I will show you the best top 5 contestants of singi...
