Happy Birthday Sakura 2021!!! (And a bunch of other holidays.)

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A post shared by Wish-chan (@wish.luv)

 

First off, slightly belated Happy Birthday to our one and only Kinomoto Sakura! This marks my first blogpost of this year, and I missed a bunch of holidays since the Halloween post. But the past year, as I think for many people, is sort of a black hole in my mind, hence maybe such a void is represented here as well. Still, things are looking up, aren't they, one year and some later? There was much lost because of the pandemic, but it has also been an opportunity to remind us of the things we are blessed with. Mind you, it's been difficult to remember this at times for me, as it must have been for everybody around the globe. For me, a part of the difficulty was trying to carry on with a semblance of normalcy when things really aren’t normal. But speaking of blessings, I had the New Trials community on my mind a lot during this time, because for me, it is the most global network of friends that I have, so my thoughts were with this community (despite my lack of updates). It has also been a source of solace for me, to see all of you doing well and going on.

I think I experienced perhaps the greatest lack of creative inspiration I have ever experienced in my life in the past year. Some people during quarantine and social distancing rediscovered or got in touch with their creative sides, and it was a time for much fruitful outcome. That was definitely not the case for me. I thought creative inspiration came from within, but I guess it must have been more external influence than I had thought it to be. Funny thing is, it's not like I spent the last year watching tons of Netflix either. All my friends list off all these Netflix shows I have to watch but maybe I'm the last person left on earth that is not subscribed to Netflix (because I know I'll never get off if I get started). The thing is, I think I have not really enjoyed anything that I usually enjoy in the past year, whether it be writing, art, listening to music or discovering new shows. I enjoy fashion and makeup, for example, but haven’t even opened up the fashion magazines I am subscribed to in the past year. My writer's block wasn't just toward New Trials but also related to work. I just wasn’t feeling inspired at all. So, kudos to everybody who was able to increase creative productivity during the pandemic, but I guess I learned that in times of duress, I'm the type that shuts down the creative juice when going into survival mode. I've always thought that if you take away writing from me, I will be empty. And it a sense, I did feel rather empty during this period. I did read a lot though, which I guess is a part of stripping down to the basics in survival mode for me. Of course, I live in a country that didn't really lock down and continued on with life and work, albeit limited social contact, so I feel like I moved through this past year in a haze, and here we are in the spring of 2021, sort of emerging from the fog, into a new frontier of a post-pandemic era. 

I did get over my writer's block, or fundamentally lack of any creative inspiration, earlier this year and am eager to get back to New Trials and other projects, but then workload’s been overwhelming because three of my juniors quit in the past three months. I exploded at my boss for the first time last week and finally told him something along the lines of, "I have human limitations, and there is a limit to how much I can cover for everybody else's slack." I'm not usually the type that speaks out, but I guess I had my breaking point too. Anyhow, I felt a whole bunch better afterwards. I am sort of a workaholic in that I feel responsible to do well in my job, or any assignment I am given, but I also need plenty of my “own time” and Asian work culture and general culture really just doesn’t appreciate that unfortunately (don’t let me get started on family). 

The latest fanart of Sakura is me trying to prove to myself that Sakura can look good in lavender and realizing again it really isn't her color. I always took to heart a comment someone once left on my Sakura and Eron fanart on devianart that lavender really isn't Sakura's color. I think I finally realized it’s probably because Sakura is warm-toned with her hair color and green eyes, and lavender is a cool-toned color. Personal color is a bit trend in K-Beauty. This was supposed to be a really quick fanart just to mark Sakura’s birthday and then suddenly the flowers exploded everywhere. It took as much time drawing flowers as it did the rest of the fanart, hence this is slight belated. Am I the only one who wishes April Fool’s Day can be declared an international holiday? I hate it when it falls on a week day so I can’t properly celebrate Sakura’s birthday, being an otaku at heart. Also, I don’t think I’ll be drawing flower wreaths again unless it’s someone’s wedding in the New Trials-verse. The thing is (mumbles) I was supposed to have a grand new update in time for Sakura’s birthday but I didn’t and considered disappearing even longer but that’s just not right. I missed New Year’s Day, the Yahoo New Trial Community’s anniversary in February, plus Valentine’s Day and White Day, so I will also mark those here as well! And this is a fanart for Christmas since I didn’t write a separate Christmas blogpost. 

Music Spotlight: IU – Celebrity I especially loved the lyrics to this song, and found it very healing when it came out. It's less about stardom and more about how each individual is unique and special in their own odd little way. “Byul” means star in Korean and the song rather reminds me of Sakura as well.

 

Happy Birthday Sakura 2020!

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Happy Birthday Kinomoto Sakura 2020! #ccs #cardcaptorsakura #newtrials #wishluv #cardcaptor #카드캡터체리 #카드캡터사쿠라 #カードキャプターさくら展

A post shared by Wish-chan (@wish.luv) on Apr 1, 2020 at 12:35pm PDT

Happy Birthday to our dearest Kinomoto Sakura (and a bunch of other CLAMP characters)! This is just a short post because I am still working on other things, but I didn't want to miss Sakura's birthday. I think I mentioned before that I don't like drawing Sakura with her staff because CLAMP draws plenty enough solo Sakura artwork with her staffs. That's also an excuse because I find staffs and swords a pain to draw. It's actually a part of a much bigger group fanart that I was working on for the 20th anniversary of New Trials last year that I have been sharing little snippets of. My favorite staff will always be the star staff but what is your favorite staff? The bird staff is probably the iconic and the dream staff from Clear Card a version I am never going to draw. There, I said it.

I know the entire world is going through tough times right now, and we need all the cheering up we can get at the moment. Some of you may be undergoing social distancing and prolonged quarantines at home, others may be essential workers out on the front lines, some of you may be in areas of the world less affected by the global pandemic. But I hope you are all maintaining a good balance of public awareness and following your local government policies while trying keeping good spirit because a global pandemic is overcome through collective effort. Stay safe, healthy and happy.

And in the meantime, I leave you with a song that inspired the New Trials Sakura's Birthday Special "Pink Ribbon Trees" from so many years ago.

Today's music spotlight is an oldie, Dawn's "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree." Sometimes I miss days when lyrics so effectively told a touching story as opposed to repetitive hooks and catchy phrases that are meaningless (which are addictive nonetheless). There is a reason why you always end up going back to classics at times.

Happy (Belated) 20th Anniversary to New Trials and Happy International New Trials Day!

Merry Christmas/ Happy New Year S+S unfinished fanart!

I don't how to get started, and this is not really the first blog post that I have started  in the past couple months. This might have been the longest period that I have gone off the radar in recent years. As the end of the year approached, I was overwhelmed in general with work and life. Nothing terribly bad but just had to prioritize things to get done because as I grow older, I realize that my energy and time is unfortunately finite. Once I missed one self-imposed deadline, I think the pressure grew stronger on me not to come back to the community until I had a substantial new update. And yet I don't have an update ready for today, but I just wanted to drop a note because of the situation of the world, combating a global pandemic perhaps in a crisis a lot of us haven't seen in our lifetimes. Because of my line of work, that's all my attention has been focused on over the past month and a half on the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, has only been named a global pandemic last week. (Initially I had been aiming for a February return to the New Trials Community because it's an important month for us, but that is mainly the reason for the delay). I know all of you are coming from across the world, some more affected by others, but I hope you are all take care of yourselves and your loved ones. My country was one that was affected by the virus earlier than some other places, and so we have been dealing with this for more than a month now. It's important to maintain a sense of balance, practicing caution and exercising good judgement in terms of hygiene and social distancing, but also, not to panic or go into a state of hysteria. After all, most of us aren't really scared for ourselves and more for our loved ones, maybe grandparents or parents who can be more affected by the virus. Because of my line of work, I need to keep going to work and am busier than ever, but the perks of social distancing is general social life has been minimized/cut off giving more time to reflect on other things, I suppose. But after more than a month of living on the edge, I slowly realized that all the joy in life was being sapped away from me. (It doesn't help that I've always been an extreme germaphobe, though I am pretty good at hiding that in everyday life.) Then, I wondered what is something that gives me join and happiness, and of course, that is writing and you guys, the New Trials of Card Captor Sakura community. And it hit me how much I missed being a part of it.

On a brighter note, I would like to properly mark the 20th anniversary of "The New Trials of Card Captor Sakura" here in the official blog and thank you all for your undying support. This whole experience, interacting with other Card Captor Sakura fans and just finding kindred spirits out in the world globally has been a life-changer for me, and an inseparable part of my formative years and the path to becoming who I am today. There are really no words to express the gratitude I have for everyone for sticking by all these years, and of course the best way to show my thanks is through action, which in my head is updates, which I have been bad about. The amount of my gratitude is always paired with my apology for how long it takes me to write and for those times I go missing.

In terms of productivity in writing, 2019 has sort of been a failure, in every aspect, but if readers will see it in a kinder light, it's been an important year architecturally to set the foundation of the end of New Trials. Amethyst Beloved (who in my head I call my chief editor who has been a major force in driving me all these years), in 2018 told me that I can finish New Trials to mark its 20th anniversary, and somewhere in my head, I've been pressuring myself into thinking I have to finish New Trials by 2019. I think somewhere in late autumn, I realized that it's just not happening. I missed posting on a lot of important occasions over the past several months because as long-time readers know, I oftentimes go on self-imposed exile when I am really trying to crunch down on finishing a chapter, or in this case, the whole series. This time around though, I think it's had a negative effect. I enjoy all the positive energy, and I really missed being a part of the NT/CCS community real-time (which I was so good about in 2018). I apologize for this, and it's not because I put New Trials any lower on my priorities or wasn't thinking about it, but consider it as my self-imposed punishment for not meeting my own deadlines and also what I think readers expect from me. I spent last year realizing and accepting my own limitations but hope 2020 can be more about trying to overcome this.

Happy Halloween 2019!

I was devastated to hear that Yahoo Groups has gone under while I was MIA. But then, Amethyst Beloved let me know that a group of longtime followers have set up a new backup account: https://groups.io/g/newtrialsring. Thank you again to Natasha Gibson, Serenity Shields, Jiri-chan, Kirei-chan, Mesel Tzegai and Amethyst Beloved! I love the NT community, the best group in the world, and am so grateful. Happy International New Trials Day!

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Valentine's Day, Happy White Day! All these special occasions I missed while I was away. But my heart was still with New Trials nonetheless. Just sharing a few doodles I drew to mark the special occasions and ended up not posting.

Please take care, everybody! 

Happy Birthday Kaitou Magician aka Criminal No. 603! (His birthday is March 6)

Music Spotlight: "For Good" from the musical Wicked.

Happy Birthday Syaoran 2019!

Baby Syaoran and His Father by wishluv on DeviantArt

Poor Syaoran's been stuck in his birthday for over a year now. I was meaning to update the whole Hong Kong arc by July 13, but when will I ever learn that is just my hubris? I'm still aiming for a release pretty soon, but I'm working late hours all of this month unfortunately. Sorry to keep you all waiting for so long! I really miss being able to post updates as well. If I have a secret confession to make, sometimes, I actually like stepping away from writing New Trials just long enough to have forgotten some of the details and have fun rereading it with a "fresh" take. I know, it's silly, but it all comes down to the fact that I first started writing this fanfic for self-gratification and got greedier and dared desire a readership as awesome as all of you. Just wanted to reassure you all that my passion for CCS and New Trials is greater than ever! I also have an Instagram account mostly focusing on NT fanart and CCS merchandise for now but likely to expand in the future.

I was sketching an sexy, smouldering Syaoran when I suddenly found that I had doodled Ryuuren holding a baby Syaoran. There are many fanarts with a young Sakura and Nadeshiko, but you don't really see any with Syaoran and his father. I sketched and roughly colored this fanart in around two hours. I sometimes worry that there is really not much difference in my thoughtless doodles such as this and artwork that I spend weeks or months working on such as the Dragon Syaoran piece. I love seeing a masculine-looking man carrying something frail and like a baby. Ryuuren is a bishounen sort though he has the heart of a weary old warrior.

I love all my original characters and whomever I am focusing or featuring on at the moment usually can be called my favorite, but if I had to pick an overarching favorite, it just might be Li Ryuuren (sorry Kai!). Probably because Ryuuren's been with me the longest as well, and I have sort of watched over his growth as a teenage boy to adulthood and death, in a sense. I have a feeling Syaoran would have fought with Ryuuren a lot had Ryuuren lived since both of them are so hot-headed and stubborn. Ryuuren was a lot more cynical and poison-tongued than Syaoran as a teen, since Ryuuren grew up under fierce competition with his older brothers who tried to undermine him and degrade him every moment they got (especially Li Wutai). I contrast, Syaoran, while his mother was strict on him, grew under four doting older sisters who wanted to pamper him very badly--but he would have none of it. I think I have a soft spot for Ryuuren because of how flawed he was, how doomed his love for Nadeshiko was, and what a horrible husband and father he ended up becoming. 

Music Spotlight - amazarashi - "Karappo no Sora ni Tsubusareru" 



If I had to pick the band I've been most obsessed with over the past couple months, it would be amazarashi. They might be initially best known for writing Mika Nakashima's "Boku ga Shinou to Omotta no wa" single but their discography is amazing in a haunting way and their lyrics are also dark yet with an uplifting message mixed in somewhere oftentimes.  

"Karappo" is a song probably better befitting Syaoran during his birthday the previous year in Hong Kong circa beginning of Arc 4. Sorry for a depressing song, Syao-chan. For this year, I also included "Sakura"  below. Well, it's not that much cheerier, actually. But isn't it absolutely beautiful, especially the end "Sakura sakura ima demo sakura saku kienai?" The cherry blossom is such a lucky flower to have so many wonderful songs paying tribute to it.

Happy Birthday Sakura!!! Shirtless Syaraon fanart up!

Chosen One Li Syaoran with Dragon Wings by wishluv on DeviantArt


Happy Birthday Kinomoto Sakura (and a bunch of other CLAMP characters) and April Fool's Day! 

Yes, I know it makes sense for me to draw Syaoran for Sakura's birthday.This fanart was actually finished for Halloween, except for some final details, but I held it off because I was stuck on the background, which I didn't end up changing after all. It has a combination of everything I love, shirtless Syaoran, ripped pants, dragon wings, sword, and even the Li Clan seal ring on Syaoran's finger if you zoom in enough.

This is a scene I've been dying to draw since I wrote it, and I'm glad to have gotten that out of my system. I'm not sure if I will ever draw another shirtless Syaroan artwork though because I think he's generally too bashful to go around shirtless. Though apparently Clone!Syaoran from Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle isn't. I really enjoyed the whole Dragon Isles arc a lot because it's probably the most cinematographic of the whole New Trials series--hence the movie poster-like theme of this fanart. 

I have so many CCS-related things I want to share, but for now, this is it. I am also working on the next chapters albeit rather turtle-paced. Funny story--my worst nightmare scenario, I lost the whole New Trials Word file the other day--it wasn't in my folder and freaked out especially because I did write quite a chunk recently. I haven't been even saving it anywhere else lately. Luckily, I found it mysteriously moved into a different folder and have saved backup versions of it. Whew. I saw the first cherry blossoms of the spring today though. Spring is so beautiful and work is so burdensome, and time so fleeting. 

Music Spotlight:

Imagine Dragons - "Demons" 
 


I already shared the Boyce Avenue cover of this song a few years ago when I uploaded the "Eye of the Dragon," but it fits this fanart so well (since it's based on those chapters), and this is the original version of course.



///SPOILERS FOR NEW TRIALS CHAPTER 71///

They saw Li Syaoran, with a pair of magnificent black dragon wings sprouted from his back, fly up into the crimson sky gracefully. The wings had ripped through his black shirt. A gust of wind blasted from below, whipping off the tattered remains of his shirt to reveal his chiseled torso.

Syaoran held up his hand and the seal ring, blown up by the wind, landed on his extended palm. He held it up for them to see and slipped it back onto his finger. “Let me repeat one more time. I have traveled to the Dragon Isles and have passed the dragon’s test to become the 77^th Great Elder of the Li Clan. Anybody who wants to challenge me can do so right now, or rest your case.” He glanced down from the sky at the Li Elders, the younger henchmen who had followed, at Leiyun, Jinyu and Wei, watching from not far off, and at Meilin standing off with the rest of the Star Alliance members. For just a brief second, his eyes lingered on Sakura, before turning back to the Elders.

Daifu had reached Wutai and dragged him back onto the rooftop. Doubled over to catch his breath, with his brother supporting his weight, Wutai stared hard at Syaoran, winged like a demonic angel, staring down at him with a strange look of pity, not anger. He was no longer the vulnerable boy who cowered from the Elders, who had knelt before Wutai in the Great Hall to be given another chance a year ago, maimed both in body and spirit.

Wei first dropped to his knees. “I, Li Wei, pledge my allegiance to serve and honor the new Great Elder Li Syaoran.”

With a thin smile, Leiyun also lowered his head, followed by Jinyu, Jingmei and the other younger Lis present.

One by one, the Li men and women dropped down to their knees, right arm on their chest, in a sign of deference.

Meilin stared hard at the strange sight of the proud and mighty Li Wutai glance around him helpless, watching even the haughty Daifu kneel, before finally dropping on his knees. But she did not miss the resentful gleam in his beady black eyes.  

Syaoran lifted his sword up into the sky, and a jet of lightening zapped from the clouded sky, to the tip of his blade. “By the power vested in me by the Dragonlords, I, Li Syaoran, son of Li Ryuuren, pledge my allegiance to the Li Clan, to protect and guide my bloodline as the new Great Elder and Chosen One.”  

Anybody with magic saw an etching of a great dragon facing upwards blazing in gold from Syaoran’s back. Then, the light faded, and the dragon mark disappeared.

From somewhere, Wei produced a long black silk robe with golden embroidery and placed it over Syaoran’s bare shoulders. The robe of the Great Elder.

- Excerpt from The New Trials of Card Captor Sakura Chapter 71: The Alliance of the Stars

Happy Valentine's Day and Happy 15th Anniversary of the Yahoo Group!

Syaoran's Birthday Omake #5 by wishluv on DeviantArt

I've always wanted Sakura to wear a statement green evening dress at one point in New Trials, especially after seeing Keira Knightley's green dress from the 2007 film Atonement. I still haven't watched the film, but the shade of that green dress really was alluring. I'd forgotten this thought for a while, however, until I was trying to decide on a dress for Chapter 73.5: The Hong Kong Encounter. Sakura's dress was supposed to be gold in the first draft, but it didn't feel right, and then I remembered I had been "saving up" a statement green dress all this while. Below is a concept art I did of Sakura's green backless dress when I was writing Chapter 73.5.This is an artwork I do plan on coloring eventually. I don't really share WIP frequently, and I wasn't quite sure I was convinced on the dress design, which is why I never finished this up last year.

The fanart I draw for the particular holiday never seems to really match the holiday and I have to scrap it (like the angsty Meilin and Kai artwork I was sketching for Valentine's Day). I doodled a Yue and Touya piece for Christmas last year which I never finished. Yukito's birthday is on Christmas Day, which I rarely remember. I'm never inspired to draw Yukito, for some reason. Yue on the other hand I do enjoy drawing, but his outfits are so hard to put together. I think he might be the hardest character in CCS to draw (besides Cerberus and Spinel Sun). 

I was just looking back and realized how quickly the past year passed by and was a bit taken back. This year marks the 20th anniversary of New Trials. It's all thanks to you guys that New Trials existed for 20 years, growing alongside the marvelous Card Captor Sakura franchise which has also made an awesome comeback. Again, belated Happy Valentine's Day and Happy 15th Anniversary of the Yahoo Group! The Yahoo Group really has been such an important support system, and despite it's somewhat outdated (and unreliable) platform, as a creature of habit, it really is my security blanket in a sense.



Music Spotlight:

I haven't gotten over my "I'm sick of everything on my playlist" ennui since last summer--I don't listen to as much music anymore in general lately because of this (I mean, I still do listen a lot, mainly when writing), but I have been seeking opera and then cycling back to my favorite musicals just to get through. And I supposed Korean drama OSTs because that's most readily available to me. I actually had a few more depressing songs picked out, but I realized this is the first "Music Spotlight" of 2019 (the Year of the Pig), and this is technically a Valentine's Day post, so I decide do share an uplifting song. 

Junggigo (정기고) - "D-Day" 



This song was from the Korean drama "My ID is Gangnam Beauty" and it was my rare groove last summer during my music dry spell. It's a feel-good song that puts you back into that excited campus crush, first love state of mind. Junggigo has a really soothing voice as well.

Happy Birthday Sakura 2018!!!

Sakura and Syaoran Prepared for Battle by wishluv on DeviantArt

I probably shouldn't gave scrapped the Sakura and Syaoran artwork that I was working on and start on a new fanart right on her birthday, but I felt like drawing a fierce Sakura, so I am satisfied. I was really tempted to draw a scene from the April Fool's Day Massacre, but I didn't think you guys would appreciate it for Sakura's birthday out of all days. I like how shoujo-esque this picture turned out.

I was supposed to also have Part 1 of Chapter 73.5 up by today, and it's actually almost ready, but I'm holding it off because I want to move further along in other chapters first. So I promise I'm working hard on the next chapters (plural)! 

Once again, Happy Birthday Sakura 2018, Happy April Fool's Day, and Happy Easter!

Music Spotlight:

Radwimps - "Mountain Top"



I think I've mentioned Radwimps several times before, from years back, and their music never fails to impress me. "Mountain Top" is one of my favorite songs recently, and it's so beautiful and haunting, slightly different from their other works, in my opinion.

 

Belated Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Lunar New Year!

Living Together: Sakura Blow-drying Syaoran's Hair by wishluv on DeviantArt

This one's a little bit late, but I sketches this for Valentine's Day 2016, I believe, but never finished it. I decided it to color it up for Valentine's Day this year but am slightly late because it's been so busy at work, but luckily now it's Lunar New Year break. It's junior high Sakura and Syaoran from Arc 2 era, when they were living together, which sort of makes me feel nostalgic. I feel like it's been a while since I posted actually completed artwork instead of sketches or chibis!

Happy Valentine's Day 2018 and Happy Lunar New Year!

Music Spotlight:

Cheryl Cole - "Fight For This Love"

Happy 14th Anniversary to the New Trials Yahoo Group!!! (And mini-review of CCS Clear Card Manga Chapter 20)

Beauty and the Wolf: Sakura cheers up Syaoran by wishluv on DeviantArt

I think I have been writing more blog posts in the past month than I have in the past two years combined! I would have forgotten if Amethyst Beloved didn't remind us all, but today is the 14th anniversary of the creation of the New Trials Yahoo Group by Kirei Blossom on February 3, 2004. There are many of you out there who have been great support to me and the New Trials of Card Captor Sakura community, but these two individuals can be especially considered the pillars of the New Trials fandom, both in terms of dedication and longevity. So many thanks to them, and to all of you! I wouldn't have been able to remember the history of the Yahoo Group, without a reminder from Amethyst Beloved's lovely fan website. For some reason, 2004 doesn't even seem that long ago, but here we are, 14 years later. New Trials has seen Geocities and Bravenet guestbooks (remember those), a forum, and so on, but really it's the Yahoo Group that has endured for all this time, and sort of what we always ended up going back to.

The Yahoo Group, in modern times, can be considered quite a dinosaur, by all means. It sometimes eats up posts and at least for me is a bit clunky to navigate. Yet, at the end of the day, it's still the best place for in-depth discussion of both CCS and New Trials, (especially for those of you who want to avoid in-your-face spoilers in Facebook) and there is especially revived dialogue recently for those of you who haven't joined already. Facebook is great for posting updates, reactions, and photos, but it's really hard to keep track of conversations, after all. 

The fanart of Beauty and the Wolf is chibi-art, I know, but it actually took a bit longer than I expected. Maybe because I like the subject matter so much. I love Beauty and the Beast, and when I was writing about the play for Sakura's cultural festival, I so was set on doing Cinderella, but also wanted to do Beauty and the Beast, hence that disastrous play came to be. Actually, I had wanted to write a Goth Cinderella with Tomoyo as Cinderella and Eriol as the Prince, but I just couldn't wrap my eyes around Eriol playing the Prince. Not that Li Jinyu made any better a prince, I suppose. Anyhow, we were all talking about how we miss the grumpy, scowling, suspicious Syaoran from the original CCS series. I think what made Syaoran so distinct was what a lone-wolf he was, so here is Syaoran-Wolf and a bubbly Sakura-Belle trying to get him to come out of his shell.

So Happy 14th Anniversary to the New Trials Yahoo Group, but more importantly, today's a day to appreciate all of you guys, because all of you make New Trials possible! 

I'm also including a brief Card Captor Sakura Clear Card-hen manga commentary below, so skip if you don't want to be spoiled. I actually haven't read a whole chunk of chapters in between but was captivated by a Nadeshiko cover. I love her blue dress and that she's holding sakura branches, and she looks somewhat younger here to, as does everyone in the Clear Card Arc, but for me, it felt like Amimaya Nadeshiko of New Trials was looking out at me, so I went ahead and read the chapter.

The other reason I had to read the chapter was because I saw in spoilers that Syaoran and Sakura both get to meet Sakura's great-grandfather (Nadeshiko's grandfather). That was extremely cute, and something that goes beyond my imaginations. Sonomi and Tomoyo's mother-daughter bonding time was really cute too, especially, how Sonomi remarked how Amamiya Masaki-ojii-san wanted to meet Syaoran because he's the guy that close to Sakura (aka boyfriend). This is especially significant because if you remember, Nadeshiko eloped with Kinomoto Fujitaka, hence didn't have the approval of her grandfather and family. It seems like Masaki is trying to right some of the wrongs of the past, but who knows, because the chapter cut off short. For the first time, I wondered if Masaki-ojii-san also has special powers like the vision, for who else would have Nadeshiko earned inherited them from. In New Trials canon, of course, Masaki as a descendant of Amamiya Hayashi would probably have inherited some sort of powers.

And why is poor Touya part-timing as a lobster? Can't he just tutor students or something if he needs to earn his college tuition? I probably won't be reading the manga first because I like being surprised by the anime first and then reading the manga for the details and beautiful art, but I might have to read next chapter as well to find out what's going on about Sakura's great-grandfather and what he has to give her (likely to be related to Nadeshiko). 

Music Spotlight: Beauty and the Beast - "Something There" 

   

I can never get enough of Disney's Beauty and the Beast--of course the original animated feature film would always be my favorite Disney movie ever. But I've also watched the musical on the Broadway and of course the 2017 live feature movie with Emma Watson, which I watched 4-D (which kind of made me sick). I watched it as a play at Disney World in Orlando as well and never will get tired to the music or story. In the original animated version, "Something There" is the only time we here the Beast singing. When I was little, I loved Belle's winter outfits, especially the maroon cape and the green dress she wears when the Beast shows her the library. I listened to a lot of Beauty and the Beast soundtrack, both original and movie versions while writing Chapter 73 of New Trials.

I was chocolate shopping today and realized that Valentine's Day is coming up soon , and I groaned to myself. I have started the year on such a good foot with updates, and had to question myself if I will have Chapter 73.5 ready in time for Feb. 14. I thought for a second, shoot, I should have saved Kaitou Magician Origins for Valentine's Day, and realized, wait, that's a horrible fanfic to celebrate the day. 

New Trials Update: Kaitou Magician Origins Chapter Six

Kaitou Magician Origins Leon Reed Character Sketch by wishluv on DeviantArt

I posted over on the New Trials Yahoo Group that Kaitou Magician Origins Chapter Six: Leon Reed would be updated, and for the first time I actually kept my promise! Truthfully speaking, this chapter was mostly written out and nearly ready to release when I wrote Chapter Five: Mizuki Mayura, but I only held it back for possible spoiler reasons in the main New Trials of Card Captor Sakura storyline. 

Chapter Six marks the second half of Kaitou Magician Origins, Thief of the Night, where Mizuki Kai officially begins his training as a thief and also may be marked by a darker tone than the first half, Prince of Light. I'm definitely excited that Leon Reed finally gets introduced in the KMO storyline because he probably is the character most full of intrigue in the Nadeshiko generation. I find KMO Part Two more interesting than Part One, so hope you guys can enjoy as well, while waiting for New Trials of CCS to get finished up!

You can find Kaitou Magician Origins Chapter Six newly updated on my New Trials website's Kaitou Magician Origins page: http://wishluv.com/kaitoumagicianspecial.htm.

KMO Chapter Six is also up over at: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4670496/1/New-Trials-Special-Kaitou-Magician-Origins.


I don't do it often, but I posted on devianart a rough character study sketch of Leon, because I did that for Kara Reed years before she was introduced in the New Trials story line at the end of Arc 3. You guys probably saw a roughly half-colored version of it in my WIP collage posted a couple years back.  

I also corrected some typos in New Trials Chapters 1 to 3 which had a few Kero-chan-chans because of my careless editing attempt some years ago, which Amethyst Beloved kindly pointed out to me. If you guys spot weird typos like that, or broken links, do let me know! 

And don't worry, I've been working on the New Trials final arc as well.  

Music Spotlight: X Japan - "Rain"



I am pretty sure I must have featured X Japan before, though I can't remember clearly. The main reason I chose X Japan today was because there is a scene in New Trials Chapter 73 where Kai is listening to the band in the classroom during the cultural festival, and he probably was listening to this song. The reason he listens to X Japan was because it was one of Leon Reed's favorite bands, though it probably isn't his own taste in music. 

X Japan probably bears no explanation since they are that famous, even if Japanese heavy metal is not your usual genre. "Rain" composed by Yoshiki is probably X Japan's most emotional ballad, as it was written about the death of his father. Check out the lyrics here. I think it rather fits Kai and Leon's relationship as well. X Japan has its links to Clamp because of the X anime. I've probably listened to X Japan while writing New Trials since Arc 1, because it is one of the first Japanese bands I have known, since I was introduced to them through "Rusty Nail." I also love "Crucify My Love" equally as much as "Rain." It's too much to listen to frequently, but every once in a while, I do go back to their hits.

I was asking the Yahoo Group for music recommendations because I've really hit a stump with my current playlist and would also welcome any suggestions here as well! Similarly, I asked the Yahoo Group if anybody has any trouble when searching for New Trials on Google. My wishluv.com domain didn't seem to show up for me right for a while, (and rather the wishluv.revolutionhosting.net site did) but it seems to be okay now. Still, just wanted to make sure because I'm never sure how the Google algorithm works.

Merry Christmas 2017!

Syaoran puts his coat on Sakura by wishluv on DeviantArt

This is the longest period of time I have gone without drawing anything--it's not just that I haven't been posting artwork on devianart, but I haven't been drawing straight out. I'm not sure why. My fingers hurt from using my tablet drawing this picture--I guess my finger muscles haven't been used in a long time. I'd forgotten that both Sakura and Syaoran's hairstyles are a pain to draw and color. But I drew young Sakura and Syaoran for the first time in a long time to celebrate Card Captor Sakura Clear Card Arc anime airing on Jan. 7 2018--which is next week! I've actually held off on watching all of the previews and the later manga chapters, but I might give in and watch the previews next week. I don't know how I feel about this fanart, actually. I actually haven't come to terms with the time warp in Clear Card Arc, where Sakura and Syaoran are younger than when we left off with them at the end of the original CCS manga. I know it's clearly for merchandising/brand issues, since a younger Sakura is iconic and adorable, and I'm okay with that, but in my head, sometimes I can't help just think of Clear Card Arc as another alternate reality where Syaoran returns to Japan in just one year (as opposed to the original ending in the manga, where Syaoran appears to be around 14 years old, which I deduced from their designs being comparable to the Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles counterparts). I'm fine either way though, I'll take more CCS in any form I can get it. I actually like the new character design for Touya an Yukito better, but I prefer Syaoran's original design where he was less shouta-fied and more angular. Which is why my fanart is a hodgepodge of designs and something seems off in my mind. 

I was actually planning on releasing Chapter 73.5 Part A for Christmas, but all of you know, my self-imposed deadlines are just my fanciful thinking. I guess the good news is, Chapter 73.5 Part A is nearly done? All of you guys know by now that a chapter being done to the chapter getting edited and released can face delay, but I've feeling back in the New Trials groove these days. Darn it, I was supposed to have finished New Trials before Clear Card Arc anime aired, so I could just focus on watching it undisturbed. Knowing CLAMP, they'll probably spend another five years finishing the manga and the anime probably will get rebooted in another 10 years! I really wish I can finish New Trials in 2018 (even if I do finish it, there are a whole bunch of side stories that I would like to complete as well, such as Kaitou Magician origins and the Legacy of the Five Forces.)

I feel like I'm always a date late but nonetheless, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! 

I've shared this song before, but there is quite no song like "Itsuka no Merry Christmas" by B'z, my favorite J-Rock band ever, during this time of the year.

Happy New Year 2017!!!

I made a joking remark today that I can't believe it's already 2017, for I left my heart in 1999. Only later did I realize that it was the year that I began writing the New Trials of Card Captor Sakura. I began writing New Trials when the third season of the CCS anime was on air in Japan, and I believe I will wrap it up around the time CCS anime sequel will air. How things come to a full cycle. I've spent more years of my life writing New Trials than I have not writing it. And longtime readers of New Trials, we have grown up together in a sense, while new a new generation of readers join in, and I am sure more fans of the CCS franchise will grow with the new sequel.

A business trip in December threw me off schedule for my posting schedule for New Trials but I am really nearly finished writing Chapter 73: The Other Side of Midnight. This one is a fun chapter, and I don't think writing this chapter took so long per say, compared to the realization that this really is the last chapter before the final mini-arc of New Trials and perhaps I want to relish in it a bit longer. Frankly, I envisioned completing New Trials next year, which I guess is technically this year, in 2017, though knowing the pace I write at, I don't know how long feasible that would be. I've already written the ending several years ago, and as I mentioned, even as I was writing the past several chapters, I've spent some time writing ahead. Fun fact, through New Trials Arcs 1 and 3 I never really wrote much of an outline, and had everything in my head, though starting Arc 4 I began writing out chapters and plot summaries because truthfully, my memory is just not what it used to be like. I apologize for ever making fun of my friends with bad memories--I used to be the one who remembers everything, but now it's no longer the case. Though I swear, I went to a college reunion Christmas, and I can say my memory serves better than most people there including fresh graduates who can't remember building names for heaven's sake. 

Thank you for supporting New Trials another year, and while I know I am bad with deadlines, I can promise you that 2017 will be an awesome year for New Trials, and 2018 an awesome new year for the revival of Card Captor Sakura, with the new Clear Arc anime coming out. We know it will be good because CLAMP's Nanase Ohkawa-sensei will be in charge of the scripts and series composition. She is the reason why CCS is the only anime where the "fillers" are even better than the manga sometimes. But I believe that the CCS anime did not have any fillers but rather expanded on the manga version and made it better. Card Captor Sakura is a series I will always hold dear in my heart, and if I ever have any children in the future, it's a story I would gladly share with them. The reason I grew to love anime in the first place, besides the fact that Korean children all grow up watching them anyway, is because my mom rented me all sorts of anime series from a video rental store when I was a kid, back when video rental was a thing. She also drew me lovely 1970s-style shoujo style girls, always wearing puffy lace dresses and ribbons in their hair. And that style has influenced me to this day. 

So, Happy New Year 2017! I hope this new year brings in good tidings to all of you, and I also thank you from the bottom of my heart for standing by!

http://wishluv.deviantart.com/art/Merry-Christmas-2016-Sakura-and-Syaoran-653293848

Music Spotlight: Ryuichi Sakamoto: Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence Trio version
 


I already included this song in the New Trials Christmas Soundtrack before, but I love listening to it this time of the year, more than carols. I like listening to carols in the summertime, I am odd like that. I really love this piano, violin, cello trio version of the song. But I love the simple piano solo version the best. 

Yuri!!! on Ice Anime Review: Best Anime of 2016

Yuri!!! on Ice is undoubtedly my favorite anime of the year, if not past several years. Just when you think that nothing new, impressive, or original in anime can be made, this jewel of a show shot into the scene. I was intrigued by the premise of the show, a male figure-skating sports anime, when it was announced, but nothing prepared me for how good it actually would be. I was expecting light entertainment, but what we all got goes way beyond, it's an ambitious show but it sticks to its routes--figure skating. And I always believe, characters drive a show, and you get so much character development in the course of 12 episodes, not only of main character self-purported "dime-a-dozen" figure skater Japanese Yuuri Katsuki but world champion and coach Viktor Nikiforov of Russia and 15-year-old rival Yuri Plisetsky--as well as a bunch of other interesting competitors as well. I don't know if there is an anime where I've liked all the characters in the show so much since Card Captor Sakura. It's a rare show that I want to rewatch the moment I finish watching the episode, over and over again and puts a stupid grin on my face for the whole duration of the 23 minutes. Kudos to both director Sayo Yamamoto and writer Mitsuro Kubo for putting together an outstanding anime that remains authentic yet visionary. And of course, the choreography throughout the show is lovely since Japanese figure skater Kenji Miyamoto choreographed it. There may be some spoilers below if you haven't seen the show already. 


Viktor Nikiforov: Loss, Loneliness, Love, Life by wishluv on DeviantArt

From the first few seconds of the first episode, I was hooked to this show, that moment where young Yuuri is looking upon his idol Viktor skating, first the younger version with long hair and then the current version. The shadows in the animation, the sound of the blade hitting the ice, everything is so satisfying. I don't think there can be a more perfectly made first episode, from Yuuri's narration and flashbacks to his childhood, skating Viktor's routine for his childhood friend Yuko, to that penultimate seen in the onsen with the arrival of a naked Viktor. 

My favorite sports anime to date is Slam Dunk by Takehiko Inoue, which I think is the golden standard of all shounen sports manga and anime. Yuri!!! on Ice I believe is in its own genre, because technically it is a sports anime, which is not usually my favorite genre but occasionally I can really get into it, but because the characters are generally older and more mature, and it is a late-night anime. It almost narrates rather as a life a slice of life show. The hints of nostalgia, that heartrending moments when Yuuri declares this Grand Prix Final will be the final season of his skating career, the fact that Yuuri himself is not a teenager but a 23-year-old adult (considered old in figure skating age) who has come far but is finding his place as a figure skater, lets the show avoid all the common cliches of a sports anime. It's an odd comparison, but it hits similar notes for me that Honey and Clover did, my favorite slice of life anime ever. Yurio, or the other Yuri, would make the typical shounen anime protagonist as a 15-year-old prodigy/brat, but he too is developed beautifully. One of my favorite Yurio moments is that moment after the Agape short skate piece where he is staring at the ice, exhausted and disappointed in his performance, but then looks up at the audience with a smile, showing professionalism. The anime's note to these tiny details makes it so great. 

And of course, 27-year-old Viktor Nikiforov is the most enigmatic character and we don't really get into his head, his motivations and what makes him click until his full narration in Episode 10, though we get a little insight starting from Episode 5 during Yuuri's free skate routine. There was always the lingering question of why Viktor chose to coach Yuuri when he did, and also, the question of whether he was going to return to competitive figure skating, and I am glad they addressed this issue straightforwardly in the last episode. In my head, I was certain Viktor would return to competitive skating, especially since he is said to be partially inspired off of real-life figure skating champion Evgeni Plushenko. And it was clear in Episode 11 when he watched Yurio break his short skate record that he wanted to skate as a competitor again. Viktor's loss of motivation after being a five-time Grand Prix champion, his desire to continuously surpass himself, push the limits and shock his audience, his awareness of his popularity and legendary status paired with an introspective nature, makes him a fascinating character to analyze. Again, Episode 10 was one of my favorites, though there are many to choose from, since it was one devoted to character exposition off skate in Barcelona before the Grand Prix. It's a rare anime episode that I caught airing live because I was in Japan that time. I can't believe I stayed up till 3 a.m. to catch that episode and was sitting in a hotel room squealing by myself.That scene by the beach, when Yurio kicks Viktor's back numerous times, a move that would send Yuuri flaying over, can seem like a comedic moment, but rather, it symbolized that Viktor, who does not budge, is staying put. That line Viktor thinks, about how if he stayed in Russia as a competitor, neither Yurio nor he himself would have been as motivated, was very poignant. It wasn't touched upon earlier in the story, but Viktor, decided to take the season off, could also be seen as his gesture to let Yurio, the next-generation of skaters of Russia, to take the limelight and also grow as a skate in his senior debut. And of course, I love that revelation of the banquet after the Grand Prix Final the previous year where Yuuri gets drunk on champagne and proposes a dance-off with Viktor, asking him to become his coach. And how fun is it that the director switched up the ending theme to photos of the dance-off and pole dancing with Chris, and that light in Viktor's eyes at the end is just about the most heartwarming reaction ever. But perhaps the most poignant line by Viktor is how he recalls that he has been neglecting two L words for nearly 20 years: Life and Love. It's a pleasure to see Viktor go from the troubled, distant, lonesome man who has lost motivation in life, hiding behind his flirty, jovial facade, fill that empty void in him through being by Yuuri's side. Again, a sign of a healthy, mutual relationship.

Finally, the relationship between Viktor and Yuuri is developed organically yet fabulously, from Yuuri idolizing Viktor, learning to trust him, standing up against him, at time rebelling, and then standing on equal grounds. Their love for each other can be seen through the animation, the sparkle in the eyes, their gestures, and again, that shows the importance of animation and directing. I am not as devastated as I thought I would be that Yuuri did not win gold in the end, because I believe it sets stage for a second season. I started this show thinking I can fully be satisfied with one season, and these 12 episodes give more character growth and exposition than you would get in 200 episodes of some shounen anime, but I would be ecstatic for a second season, OVAs, or a movie (or all) with Viktor and Yuuri both returning as competitors, Yurio undergoing puberty and overcoming changes in his body as a competitor, an important issue raised in the first season, more insight into his burgeoning friendship with Kazakhstan skater Otabek Altin, and some more development for the rest of the skaters who did not get much air time because all the characters are so much fun and I especially love their dynamic together. 

Some other things to note is that the show makes seamless references to 2016 technologies and social media including Instagram and Yuuri gaining Viktor's attention through a Youtube video of his performance of his idol's routine "Stay With Me" which is probably the best animated routine in the show. I was thrilled that we get a duet version with Yuuri and Viktor in Episdode 12's ending credits, as if Sayo Yamamoto was granting everyone's wish to see the pair skate together.

The music for this show is amazing, as expected from a figure skating show, from the iconic "Yuri on Ice" piece for Yuuri's free skate routine to that catchy rap piece for American skater Leo de la Iglesia's short routine "Still Alive." The opening theme of the show, "History Maker" by Dean Fujioka is so fun and the best OP of the year in my mind. Plus, Dean Fujioka, also an actor, is really hot if you didn't know, and fluent in English. I don't think there has been a figure skate choreography anime OP ever before, and I love how the anime switches up the OP each week to make it more colorful--again the attention to the details. I never want to fast forward through the OP. And the ending theme, "You Only Live Once" by Wataru Hatano, is almost as catchy, but I do love episodes where they forgo the ending all together for more air time, such as Yuuri's press conference in Episode 5 (by the way I love that this anime does not forget earlier jokes and Viktor does end up buying Yuuri a whole new suit later after declaring he wants to burn the unfashionable tie), or the Episode 10 banquet scene, or Episode 12's duet exhibition to "Stay With Me." 



I think this opening captures the show so well. These characters really were born to make history. 

Happy Halloween 2016!!!

Happy Halloween 2016! I was supposed to have New Trials of Card Captor Sakura Chapter 73, Part I ready by today in my head, but of course I don't. Fear not, I've not been slacking off. I do try to allocate quite a bit of time a week to writing, but I'm not sure why this chapter is taking so long. I guess I'm cherishing the fluff while it lasts.

I haven't been working on any new fanart because my top priority is Chapter 73, but I am sharing an unfinished doodle from a certain scene in Chapter 72. It is very shoujo-esque and also the reverse of the thunderstorm fanart from year's ago.

I had an awesome dream over the weekend, CCS related. Maybe it's because of the Clear Card Arc and the anticipation of a new movie. But I had a dream I was in a theater and was totally not expecting it but ended up watching a new, never-seen before Card Captor Sakura feature film. The animation quality and cinematography was amazing. Even in my dream though, I knew it was just a "preview" not a whole full movie. I was not expecting it at all, but then Syaoran showed up in the movie too, looking very cool in a new battle costume. That was about it. I came out of the movie and there was a darned long line to get the movie merchandise. How realistic can my unrealistic dreams get? The next night, then, I had an awful but interesting sci-fi dystopian dream of being stuck in a time loop over and over again, where everybody ends up getting killed and I need to find a way to stop the cycle. But it turns out everybody is connected to a pod and the world is just a dream world. What a befitting birthday dream.

Maybe it's because I fell asleep listening to Coldplay's Scientist last night.