Aokuro-san

(I have nothing more to say. Ego is my favorite character for a reason (or, well, one of my favorite characters from all of Blue Lock).

Blue Lock never gets less than six stars for me (obviously).

PS: I'm adding this a bit later after, obviously, seeing several comments about the chapter. Of the three players who (in my opinion) made mistakes (Karasu, Isagi, and Rin) in this match, Isagi is the only one who acknowledged his errors and even offered to stay on the bench to improve as a player. That kind of maturity from Isagi already makes him more necessary and more capable on the field than Karasu, who first admitted his mistake in front of his teammates, but then pointed the finger at Ego as the one who had to fix it (honestly, his attitude has really disappointed me). That's not how things work in life! I almost would have taken him out, given how much he's annoyed me in these chapters, haha. But, if I analyze it, I think I understand why Ego is going to take Rin out. The last thing Ego says is that there was a player who didn't strive to be the best, and he points to Rin. And… well, it's kind of like that. Rin doesn't care about being number one. He just wants to get Sae back. And that's what stopped him, what drove him to fight against Isagi and, consequently, to cause Blue Lock's defeat (we'll never know if Isagi would have scored and if we would have come back THANKS TO HIM). Because he wasn't looking for the goal for himself, but to avoid falling behind again like in the Under-20s (where Sae himself ruined it for him again by saying that Isagi was the future of Blue Lock. What a terrible brother, seriously! xD).

So, for my part, of course I understand why Ego took Rin off the field and I'm not offended (I've had time to process my anger, but Ego hasn't, you know? xD). I love Rin. But we have to be fair. It's a danger to victory right now. And I don't see any flaw in Ego's logic right now (it just sounds worse because he's angry… and rightly so, I think).

Even before finishing ZOMBIE, I already wanted to share a selection of my May reads with you. Because, in general, May has given me some incredible books. And I thought it would be a good idea to share them this way.

The flowers of evil, by Charles Baudelaire. 5/5

This was both a new reading and a rereading, since I had already read Baudelaire in high school. However, this second time I came across much.

And it saddens me greatly that students can't delve into the true power of this collection of poems because of the great fondness all the teachers seem to have for the mediocre L'albatros (good, but bad compared to the rest). The truly raw nature of The Flowers of Evil begins a little later, when you start to see, more and more, the hell that is Baudelaire inside. His inferiority-superiority complex. His pettiness. His absolute obsession with women whom he refuses to understand. His inability (and lack of drive) to evolve without blaming others. Baudelaire was quite horrendous. But, at the same time, you come to feel sorry for him. And all of this is poured into this work, about which I agree with almost all the reviews I've heard so far. A classic for good reason: IT'S REAL IN THE MOST UNCOMFORTABLE WAY POSSIBLE.

Frisk and The sluts, by Dennis Cooper. 4/5

Thanks to an Instagram post, I discovered Dennis Cooper! He's a worthy successor to the Marquis de Sade, but much shorter and, at times, even a bit harsher (perhaps because Sade used so much dark humor in his critiques/writings). If "The Sluts" is a prime example of how people hide behind online profiles to do or say the worst things that come to mind, "Frisk" is a direct dive into the mind of a person with such profound existential emptiness and loneliness that it ends in a pit of unimaginable violence (Dennis is one of those unforgettable characters, which is also somewhat what he's aiming for). And always, always, everything is tinged with that ambiguity I love so much; so skillfully employed that it makes you mull things over and want to reread and discuss them long after you've finished reading them. I loved both of them. And I'm eager to read more by this author.

PS: These books are VERY DISTURBING AND GRAPHIC (just like Zombie, but… I haven't looked at a man's ass the same way since, haha). And I wouldn't recommend them to anyone who hasn't read other extreme books beforehand (like Sade's, which I mention directly).

Run away with me, Girl, by Battan. 4/5

This manga was very popular in its time (I don't know if it still is), but until a recent review I read, I'VE NEVER BEEN SOLD IT AS IT REALLY IS. Forget the vibrant covers and the synopsis. RUN AWAY WITH ME, GIRL goes far beyond a simple "will they be together or not?" It masterfully explores abusive and opportunistic relationships, and the worst aspects of each character stemming from various social and individual factors (Midori is an incredible character because, even at the end, she's both a victim and a perpetrator, and the manga portrays her as such. There are no embellishments beyond the biased perspective of the other protagonist, who acknowledges her weakness in her presence).

A very mature manga that, if it hasn't earned five stars, is perhaps because I didn't love it as much after the first volume (although its development made perfect sense), but that doesn't diminish its quality, and certainly not how surprising it was for me.

Tender is the flesh, by Agustina Bazterrica. 1/5

If I was afraid to read it, it was for a reason. And that is, despite its brevity, TENDER IS THE FLESH was an absolute DISAPPOINTMENT. I abandoned it after 41 pages. An interesting idea, again, ruined by what seems to be laziness. The brutality everyone talks about never appears; the author never directly shows us the horror. And she displays an aseptic prose that she not only doesn't know how to use (which is understandable, because it's difficult, but…), but also doesn't suit the reading experience, because she constantly beats around the bush and focuses more on the boring protagonist than on the reality he lives in and that affects him (which, if so little has happened as claimed, is far from normal. In fact, everything is very strange (in a bad way). I'm starting to hate this current trend of wanting to write about harsh things but only skimming the surface, without getting to the bottom of it…).

A rip-off. Plain and simple.

PD: Para aclarar, respecto a la brutalidad de TENDER IS THE FLESH : Desde las primeras páginas, se nos introduce en el mundo y el trabajo en el matadero del protagonista y otros carniceros, lo que brinda amplia oportunidad para ver cómo la Transición ha afectado a las personas y al mundo. Sin embargo, como dije, el autor no es lo suficientemente "valiente" como para profundizar en ello y hacerlo genuinamente crudo y aterrador (que es lo que vende el libro y tantas otras reseñas). I also don't feel that it was a reading in which you could be subjective.

Zombie, by Joyce Carol Oates. 5/5 👑

After the bad taste left in my mouth by TENDER IS THE FLESH, and wanting to read more books in the same vein, I finally got around to reading ZOMBIE by Joyce Carol Oates (of whom I had only read one short story and one novel until now). And not only is it an incredible book, but it has been crowned the king of May (for me). ZOMBIE is very disturbing and realistic (every time I started reading it, I remembered my days studying psychology in high school). Because the author nails everything. And Quentin is much scarier than Jeffrey Dahmer (on whom the character is based, and if you know his story, it's obvious). I found it much harder to read than it seems because, even though you know how it's going to end, Quentin never stops scaring you with his perversion. And it always escalates to a higher level, and the next, and the next (and, at the same time, you see how everyone ignores his condition for their own convenience. There's a strong critique of the system, but also of the families who refuse to see reality. Although it's very understandable…).

A truly somber book.

PS: And regarding Zombie, I should add that the book isn't just dark because of everything mentioned, but because Quentin's own mental deterioration is caused by Quentin himself, who is not a good person at all (and he deliberately stops taking his pills—I realized this throughout the book—to carry out his increasingly terrifying fantasies and acts of violence—which reminded me more of John Wayne Gacy than Dahmer, I have to say, but oh well, it's all the same). That's one of the most shocking things, because you can't excuse the character's delusion. He's one of the main perpetrators. And I found it magnificent on Joyce Carol Oates' part (as always, I'm surprised by its low rating on Goodreads…).

Well.

May's over. We'll see what June brings, I suppose.

Coming to think of it, they're lucky Ego is the "boss" and not me… xD (Karasu, Isagi, and Rin would have serious problems with me, hahaha. But hey, we made a bet, and bets always involve risks. The worst part, as I already said in another message, is that they disappointed us in front of everyone).

PS: I know Isagi is wondering if Ego's theory is wrong, but personally, I think (for now and in my own opinion) that if Ego's theories have worked so far, it's not so much that Ego's theory failed, but rather that the players themselves failed (I hate to say this, okay? But if a plan is poorly executed, it doesn't necessarily mean a theory is wrong. At least, that's my opinion). Karasu especially, because he lowered himself. By lowering himself, France gained strength, and Isagi clung to his inherent insecurity. Because of what happened with the U-20s and his own personal issues, Rin attacked, obviously (if you can even call it that), but it only undermined BLUE LOCK'S OTHER GOAL, which is TO WIN AT ALL COSTS, and which everyone seems to have suddenly forgotten. Right now, I think it wasn't Ego who failed, but them as players. But maybe I'm still letting my anger get the better of me, haha, and I'm not thinking clearly.

I feel bad because this month it's going to seem like I'm complaining all the time, haha. But, broadly speaking, LOVE THROUGH A PRISM, the anime series created by Yoko Kamio (author of the infamous HANA YORI DANGO and the fabulous CAT STREET), which caught my attention after seeing it so highly recommended on social media (and because of its plot, which I thought would follow a similar artistic style to CAT STREET), has disappointed me a little. And yet it had everything I needed to love it. And in some parts, it did (very much so). But, in the end, I feel like it fell short.

The anime transports us to an art academy in London at the beginning of the 20th century, where a Japanese student has just arrived and must work harder than anyone else to fulfill an almost impossible promise to her strict mother: to succeed in just six months. However, her encounter with Kit Church, the school's top student, could change everything.

That's the premise. And it delivers on that promise. The problem, I think, lies elsewhere. Well, not just think, in my opinion, the worst thing about this anime is its protagonist: Lili, who lacks absolutely everything to be a real character. She's more of a caricature that the creators manipulate however they please; as flat as a sheet of paper (she has by far the worst dialogue in the series. She never contributes anything, if you think about it. Not in relation to Lili herself, nor to the conversation taking place at that moment). I was wondering where all that artistry of hers came from, with so little substance, really (or why two such incredible men as Shin and Kit (who are truly talented and incredibly romantic. There have been scenes just from them that have completely moved me) would fall in love with her. It's striking that, with a cast like this, Lili, around whom everything and everyone seems to revolve (seriously, I'm not kidding), ends up in absolute nothingness. Or in the most unbearable irritability. Because the series doesn't make the necessary effort to make me care about her or understand why she behaves the way she does (even if they're bad decisions or she does horrible things to others. WHICH SHE DOES. Especially to Kit. But she's always excused with excessive leniency) and she only seems to improve slightly in THE LAST EPISODE, when it was already too late (and that supposedly repentant change was hardly believable. As I said, they do whatever they want with her, without any naturalness).

However, and like him That said, I finished the series for a reason. Aside from the gorgeous animation and a clear love for art, evident even in this animation (though I would have liked them to delve deeper, because art is very important and a driving force for many things in the cast, and sometimes it felt like they glossed over it a bit… Or reduced Lili's supposed passion for art to painting simply because Kit is or isn't present in her life, which I find awful), it has some truly great moments, fantastic characters (beyond the disastrous Lili) (especially Kit, whom the series has developed so well that he didn't need to say a word; everything was written in his eyes. But I also have to mention Shin, another point of this love triangle who gave me goosebumps (not just because of his personality, but because of the Spanish voice actor's incredible performance, hahaha), and the female characters: Catherine and Dorothy), and a good story to tell (although it sometimes overuses silence (I think it could use a bit more reflection. A deeper understanding of Lili's character would have been beneficial, for example, and it doesn't dare to truly show the ugly side of the things it portrays, since I get the feeling that World War I is only touched upon superficially, as if it didn't have the impact it truly did…)

But, as often happens to me lately, the love story and its protagonist have left me hanging again. I can't take it anymore, hahaha (in fact, there was a thousand times more "love" between Kit and Shin, haha).

Even so, if you want to watch a pretty series, it's not bad. But it's a real shame, given its potential.

I give it 3/5 because the good elements are good, but when I think about it, it's like opening a window to see the landscape and constantly hearing a creaking noise that ruins the whole thing.

(PS: My uncle doesn't think the same way, in case you want to know. He liked it a lot, for example. He says It's different from anything we've seen so far, precisely because of the romance and how Kit and Lili are unable to tell each other they love each other, and how that undermines the plot. I could agree if it weren't for that poor execution, in my opinion. Just in case you want to know other points of view^^).

Prime Video recently announced the adaptation of one of the most popular series: Boys of Tommen by Chloe Walsh. I read four books in the series; two were good (or more or less good), and two were pretty awful (or an absolute disaster), so I ended up abandoning it. However, the idea of ​​an adaptation piqued my interest again because I have some faith that they'll improve on aspects of the book that bothered me and made me doubt Walsh's writing ability.

Some of the actors chosen to play Johnny Kavanagh, Shannon Lynch, Joey Lynch, and Aoife Molloy have already been revealed. And people have shown, once again, how superficial they are about this saga they love so much (well, and that they try so hard to sell us as profound, because it goes beyond the surface and blah, blah, blah. Empty words, as we've seen). Because as soon as the actors' photos were released, the insults and unnecessary whining began (there are people my age, almost thirty, for God's sake!). Complaints about how they don't look like they imagined, that it's April Fool's Day, that they're ugly (literally. Of course, they're Adonises, get it!)… And that they were already off to a bad start, when we haven't even seen anything beyond their physical appearance.

And I ask myself, where did that audacity come from? Because then we talk a big game about mental health.

Okay, they don't exactly resemble the characters described in the book (or, well, that's your opinion, very poorly expressed, because, for my part, the more I look at them, the more they resemble the characters), but I think that was already obvious, because, like many things in Boys of Tommen, the characters' appearance is very unrealistic. Especially given the Lynch family's circumstances, for example.

Personally, I do feel that they capture the essence of those characters, and that has already told me a lot about the actors. I await the adaptation with the same expectations and enthusiasm as at the beginning (that is, without putting myself on an absurd pedestal, but also without falling to the ground of disappointment xd).

All these comments, in fact, only demonstrate why they like Boys of Tommen so much. And that if this book series were truly realistic (which it is in many ways, of course, but not in that many), they wouldn't touch it with a ten-meter pole. Because Boys of Tommen hasn't tackled topics that NO ONE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT (as I've seen some say), it's simply integrated them with the aesthetic they love so much. And that's why they're surprised when they see (real) reality. Because they avoid it even in stories like this. And I think some of us are old enough to know that we shouldn't fall for that kind of childish nonsense.

Or not?

It seems that if someone doesn't have the physical appearance to walk a runway, they're not worth it.