Red String of Fate | Your Name

The mind can forget, but the heart will always remember
I remembered the day I knew about "Your Name"

What will you do when you woke up as an opposite gender?
Is it really just a dream?

Ladies and gentlemen, behold the remarkable of-

Your Name / Kimi no Na Wa

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

When a connection forms ,will distance be the only thing to keep them apart?

(Trailer)

So this movie is leading in list of all time top grossing japanese-animated movie worldwide,

Beating movie named "Spirited Away", which is the top grossing japanese-animation movie worldwide before "Kimi no Na Wa", is unbelievable since that the movie before lasted to be the top in the list for 15 years. Meanwhile in Japan, it is listed to be the fourth top grossing movie of all time.

Your Name / Kimi no Na Wa is a 2016 masterpiece of director named Makoto Shinkai, a popular author in production of japanese animation. 

It is said that we can easily find this movie's advertisement as the poster is advertised in almost all retail shop and convenience store. We also can found the poster in some universities in Japan.

MY OPINION ON FIRST LOOK

In my first look based on the trailer and the start-up movie, it is true that the main plot is about a boy name Tachibana Taki who lived in Tokyo shifted his body with a village girl named Miyamizu Mitsuha who lived in Itomori. It seems like they are having a fight as they need to maintain their daily routines so that their shifting does not interrupt their daily life. I am expecting that they would eventually fall in love and have a happy life together.

BUT THAT'S NOT MAKING THIS MOVIE A MASTERPIECE!

A simple story line as I mentioned earlier could not make this movie to beat the previous box office.  Actually this movie's genre is romantic fantasy, which a mystical phenomenon occurs making Taki and Mitsuha switching their bodies due to the "Red String of Fate", a belief of Miyamizu Mitsuha's family and the residents of Itomori. 

Their connection to switching their bodies is related to the comet that can be seen in most of the movie's poster. Makoto Shinkai is a detailed person as he will try to show scenes in this movie as detail as what he wanted it to be appear. 

(Some scenes in the movie)

One of the charm of this movie is the beauty of environment visualised in it. I remembered the first time watching the comet scene. I felt goosebumps and I can say that all of the scenes made in this movie can be a good laptop/phone wallpaper. I am too excited as I jumped from my chair saying "This is the movie that I've been waiting for" on that time. Maybe it is because I am too busy with my life, making myself distracted from enjoying the beauty of nature. The scenes made in this movie are too visualised in details even I cannot figure any japanese-animation can beat this.

Another charm of this movie is the unexpected plot twist that started midway through the movie. I am trying not to spoil the movie, but I can say that no one can expect that kind of plot twist will happen in the movie. A disaster comes making the connection of "Red String of Fate" between Taki and Mitsuha becomes loosen from time to time. 

The storyline of this movie is not too heavy which I think it is easy to understand the plot through it. From the success of this movie, I can say that this is the legacy of Makoto Shinkai and japanese animation. It might takes more than a decade to beat this in box office. Makoto Shinkai's magic touch is magnificent making the visual fits the character's development well through the movie. 

Tributes given to people in charge in production of this spendid movie. 

Credits given:

Nodachiiiii, "Kimi no Na Wa. Your Name: Movie Review"

          https://manga.tokyo/anime-review/kimi-no-na-wa-your-name-movie-review/

Metaphor of Deaf | A Silent Voice

I'm back!
As usual at late night | 4.04 AM
I was thinking of wanting to post about more music review
But not purposely, I heard one song of a movie that I used to watch before in 2017
A Japanese-animated movie that is one my my favorites

A Silent Voice / Koe no Katachi

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

Let's dive into a world that won't hear you, will you fit through people easily?
Sooo for a movie that is qualified to be nominated for Oscar in 2017, this is a must-watch movie

(Trailer)

"A Silent Voice" or "Koe no Katachi (or is translated as a shape of voice)" is a 2016 Japanese-animated movie by Kyoto Animation. It is based on a manga(japanese-style comic) written and illustrated by Yoshitoki Oima and the movie is directed by Naoko Yamada . The movie is nominated to win as one of Excellent Animation of the Year titles in Japanese Academy Award 2017. More awards can be seen through this LINK

MY OPINION ON FIRST LOOK

In my first look based on the trailer and the start-up of the movie, I thought that the movie is about a deaf girl(Shouko Nishimiya) being bullied in school, and the protagonist(Shouya Ishida) who used to bully her before wanted to ask for forgiveness from her when they grow up and probably fall in love.

BUT ACTUALLY IT IS NOT

It is too cliche for me to like that kind of movie.

"Apologising is hard.
Forgiving is harder.
Forgiving yourself is near-impossible."

So actually the movie wanted to tell you that it is not necessary need to be a deaf to be actually deaf. Definition of "deaf" in this movie is a metaphor to show a reality look of people who actually close their mind from the "sound" of the world. In this movie, Shouko Nishimiya as a girl who is deaf, is not actually defined in the movie's title, "A silent Voice", but it symbolizes protagonist himself which is Shouya Ishida. The movie tells us how hard can communication be, things that going to happen if communication is not implemented in right way, and how desperate people are going to make things right after failure. This movie creates some scenes that might make you think twice before you speak.

The movie's plot is made nicely but for people who enjoys action movie may feel bored of this since that this movie is drama-based. The message delivered in this movie is indirectly implemented, so in order for you to understand, you need to re-watch it again. For me, to find it is hard to understand the message delivered in arts is to be enjoyed by the author. This is because curiosity makes us want to learn more, so we will read more.

Characters that are friends of the protagonist made in this movie have their own personality, these are several personalities that I have found from them through the movie, there might be more from this depends on our own understandings.

1. Person who likes to judge people
2. Person who always run from problems
3. Person who is afraid of not being perfect so he/she finds people's mistakes
4. Person who likes to know about people's problem

Different personality characters added in this movie harden the difficulties for the protagonist to determine the best way to fix what he has done to the deaf girl, Nishimiya. 

There are several Japanese cultures and belief that are featured in this movie which I must said that these cultures are still practiced in Japan.

1. Fireworks in Japan (Hanabi Festival)
2. Culture Festival
3. Butterfly belief 
4. Koi fish belief

The way message is delivered is presented beautifully. Real movies have several barriers of delivering message to audience, but in this film, the animator illustrates beautiful sceneries and displays flashbacks at the same time through them followed by appropriate musics and background sounds such as fireworks, river flow and so on. For me, they did a good job in making appropriate scenes to deliver messages at the best way to audiences.

Thank you for peoples who are involved in the making of this movie, it was beautiful.

Credits given:

anitrendz.net, "A Silent Voice to Qualify for Oscar Nomination"

          https://anitrendz.net/news/2017/08/31/silent-voice-qualify-oscar-nomination/

M. G., "A Silent Voice - Review"

          https://www.accessible-japan.com/a-silent-voice-review/

The Hoopoes Poetry | Tanya Sama itu Hud Hud ( M. Nasir)

Have you heard of the hoopoe?
Today is a cold night | Sunday, 1.50 AM
I am having a cup of iced Milo while looking for songs for the night
There is a song that i used to enjoyed it, old stories
The song's name is- 

Tanya Sama itu Hud Hud | M. Nasir

By this song, M. Nasir won in the "Anugerah Juara Lagu ke 9" in category of Pop Rock and Overall best song. It is said that this song is also inspired from famous Malaysian song writer Loloq ( Rosli Khamis).

It is religious-based song but is taken to another level!

I used to sing "Tanya sama itu Hud Hud" happily before, so i think it's the exact time for me to know the meaning of this song. Let's go through it!

First of all, this is based on Google as everyone has their own translation through the song. I am just searching for the meaning of the lyrics and found out this may be interesting to be shared to people.

"Tujuh puluh tiga pintu 

Tujuh puluh tiga jalan 

Yang sampai hanya satu jalan"

In Islamic view,  there is hadith which said that Islam will be divided to 73 groups, but only one group will be going to heaven. This is because other groups are not based on Al-Quran and Al-Sunnah as taught in Islam.

"Ribu-ribu Margasatua 

Mencari raja si Muraq 

Yang sampai hanya tiga puluh"

This part is based on Persian poem "The Conference of Birds". In this poem, all birds of the world gather to decide who is to be their sovereign. The hoopoe that is the wisest of them all, suggest that they should find the legendary Simorgh (which stated as "Si Muraq" in the song). The hoopoe tells the birds that they have to cross seven valleys in order to reach the abode of Simorgh. Margasatua in the song is actually the birds. Only 30 of them managed to find Simorgh. Actually the poem symbolizes about the journey of the poet himself to seek the meaning of life.

"Uuh... Sang Algojo 

Uuh... nanti dulu"

Sang Algojo means executioner or hangman that has the authority to legally kill people that is proven guilty in law. But, in this song, Algojo refers to Azrael the "Malaikat Maut" which is also called angel of death in English. In this song, the listener is asked if they can actually postpone their death so that they can ask for forgiveness if given the time by saying "nanti dulu" (wait).

"Lihat dunia dari mata burung 

Atau lihat dari dalam tempurung 

Yang mana satu engkau pilih"

This part says that we should be open minded, widen our view of thinking like birds that see everything from the sky instead of being egoist.

"Dalam kalut ada peraturan 

Peraturan cipta kekalutan 

Di mana pula kau berdiri 

Di sini"

This part tells us that rules and regulation are created from conflict. Then from time to time, people are making new rules causes new ideas to manipulate the rules for their own good. The judgement in law is not really based on justice this time but it is the battle of the mind. It creates confusion as people sometimes use the law not in the right way. The listener is asked at the end of the line "Di mana pula kau berdiri" which the author asked which side will we stand in this mind play.

"Berikan ku kesempatan akhir ini 

Untuk menyatakan kalimah sebenar 

Berikan ku kesempatan akhir ini"

Can we beg for a delay in our death at the end of our life? In Islam, to declare the truth which in to "untuk menyatakan kalimah sebenar" actually refer to us doing the right thing that is taught in Islam. In my opinion, the author is trying to say to the listener that it is to be regretted if we only want to be better in religious only at the end of our life.

"Tanya sama itu hud-hud 

Lang mensilang 

Kui mengsikui 

Kerana dia yang terbangkan aku ke mari"

Back to the poem of the "Conference of Birds" , the query in this song is started by the hoopoe since that it suggested for all the birds to find Simorgh (Al-Muraq). Lang mensilang kui mengsikui is inspired from Chinese word which means "it is neither human nor ghost". 

As I said before, this poem symbolizes the journey of the poet itself to seek for the meaning of life. To fully understand the true meaning of this song, we need to read and understand the poem of Conference of Birds. In my opinion, this song is beautiful and encourages us to seek more knowledge from reading and it is hard to find rich local songs like this nowadays.