Happy New Year 2023! Has it really been a year since I last updated this blog? I honestly have never really been glad that a year's over, but I guess 2022 has been once of those years. The first third of the year was about recovering from my own personal injury, a broken leg, then the second third was about overcoming a family illness, an even more difficult time, though things seem to have turned out all right. And the last third was a mixture of work stress, mainly dealing with bureaucracy, but also rediscovering some of the things I loved. Yes, it's the Y2K boom, and I love it. I love the turn-of-the-millenium fashion, hairstyles, shows being made about the era. I heard Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card-hen is finally ending next year (I guess this year). I haven't really been keeping up since the anime ended, so I am very much looking forward to its end and finally a Season 2 in the anime.
I know all of you guys are waiting for an actual New Trials main story update, but I posted a Nadeshiko special that's been sitting around for at least 10 years. It's not really the most uplifting story for the start of a new year, but when I rediscovered it, it made me sit down and reimmerse into Nadeshiko, which is why I decided to share it. I enjoy that CLAMP has been delving into Nadeshiko in the Clear Card-hen, because she really was an underexplored character in the original CCS story. Without further ado, "Angel of Death: A Nadeshiko Special" can be found at ff.net. I uploaded it as a separate story because I couldn't really figure out where to fit it in the New Trials chapters. I guess I would read it right after Chapter 70: Eye of the Dragon.
If you guys haven't already checked it out, please go listen to the new New Trials Audiobook narrated by the wonderfully talented Melanie Hardy (and podcast also with our Amethyst Beloved/Preya) over on YouTube @newtrialsthepodcastandaudi2890. They spent so much time planning this out and bringing it to life, and it's also one of my bucket lists seeing (hearing?) NT become an audiobook. Please do give them a like and a subscribe as well!
Also, I'd forgotten I had a cute Christmas outfit for Nendo-Sakura planned out months ago. I still love my Nendoroids very much. Thank you pandemic for letting me discover this strange adorable world of Obitsuroids. Except, Nendo-Syaoran is perpetually scowling at me (and Sakura). I know I update the blog less frequently, but I do post more often on Instagram!
Once again, hope you all had a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and wish all of you the best tidings for 2023!
I realize I haven’t written any new blog posts in a while
though I’ve been giving small updates over Instagram and Facebook. The year
2021 will probably be a “lost year” in terms of New Trials, because I didn’t
make the significant writing progress that I thought I would in the past year. While
there are other factors involved, the pandemic in large has sort of sapped a
lot of joy in life for many, and I think I too was running on autopilot survival
mode in the past year. Meaning, I was (barely) functioning through daily life,
but a large part of creativity has been sapped away. For me, writing New Trials
is a joyous, fulfilling experience, and I was not able to channel that self amid
all the chaos across the globe. There is also the other part, as you all
probably figured, New Trials is in its final stretch and the next section is
the finale, and as a writer who has been working on this story since 1999, I
want it to be able to provide this mega fanfiction the ending it deserves, and
also to meet the expectations of readers who stuck by this long and have been
so supportive and patient. And it’s also my personal desire to have no regrets when
this story ends (when it ends). I also broke a leg and have been in
recuperation mode for the past several weeks, another reflective period of time.
I’ve come to realize I’m definitely not the best type of person to adjust to a
once in a lifetime respiratory virus pandemic, but it might also have to do
with my line of work.
I did manage to fulfill my bucket list of having chibi Sakura
and Syaoran dolls through purchasing Good Smile Company Nendoroids and
modifying them to become Obitsuroids. The first Nendos I got was 918 Nendoroid
Sakura Kinomoto: Tomoeda Junior High Uniform Ver. and Nendoroid 763 Syaoran Li.
I might have gotten some more since. I was never a figure person and was a doll
person since I was a child. As a kid, I used to draw personalized paper dolls
with friends and dress them up in self-designed outfits (yes, I was such a
Tomoyo). I always wanted a Cardcaptor Sakura ball-jointed doll but always thought
it would be too much work to customize and take up too much space. But I love how
tiny and cute Obitsuroids are. They took quite a bit of time to collect, as
they are out of stock and I got mine new from the secondhand market. I at first
didn’t get the appeal of Nendoroids, but oh what a slippery slope when you
realize how adorable they are. My Sakura and Syaoran Nendos are currently my
mascots and give me renewed inspiration toward CCS, and I’ve been sharing
photos on my Instagram account. The thing is, I think even bigger than my loss
of writing inspiration, because I actually have been writing throughout the
pandemic, is a loss of artistic inspiration. So having a photography outlet is
sort of a nice diversion and hopefully a step toward getting artistic
inspiration again.
Because the NT/CCS
community is so diverse and spread across the world, I spent a lot of time
thinking of all the readers and people I’ve been able to communicate with over
the years, and still am in reach with to this day. I am grateful to have this
community, and amid such trying times (no pun on New Trials), I appreciate more
what we have, which is a venue where we can share like hobbies, interests and
creativity. Cardcaptor Sakura going strong after all these years, with
merchandise retaining popularity even now, shows its universal appeal (one
which I think has not been quite replicated in the mahou shoujo/ magical girl
category to date). It’s hard to find a series that resonates so hard because I
think the fast-past nature of anime and media in general these days targets
things that are more sensational and triggering. Hence a lot of shounen hero
type stories, a lot more isekai and big franchise anime and so few good shoujo
series with quality animation.
On a brighter note, have you watched Disney’s Encanto—best Disney
movie in years IMO coming from a complete Disney traditionalist. It’s like one
of three movies I’ve watched in the past year. The songs are also so spot on,
and I can relate to all three sisters. I
think the pandemic has been a soul-searching time for many. For some people, it’s
appreciating family and loved ones, others finding that time to cultivate an
unexplored hobby or a neglected craft. For some, it has been changing jobs,
moving, or giving back to community. For me, writing has always been that
unwavering constant in my life, which I was reminded of even stronger during
the past year. So, in the long run, I may be able to look back on this time as
maybe a “lost year” for New Trials but not one for me in my journey as a
writer.
I hope all of you good
health and better tidings for 2022, the Year of the Black Tiger!
Music Spotlight: Andrew Garfield's “30/90” from the movie "tick, tick…BOOM!"
<;
Along with a lack of artistic inspiration also came a lack of appealing new music to listen to. I've been listening to Joe Hisaishi and piano instrumental collections all year round pretty much, my go to writing playlist. The exceptions were Hamilton and "tick, tick…BOOM!" If you can't tell, I've been on a Lin-Manuel Miranda roll the past half year. If Les Miserables is my favorite musical of all time, Rent is my favorite modern rock musical in a different way. The pandemic's impact on Broadway and the performing arts has been devastating, but I hope in turn people's appreciation and support for artists continue to grow because there is nothing that can quite replace that live performance thrill. As a Rent fan, I've always been haunted by Jonathan Larson's story and thought a movie about him wouldn't do him justice but was very pleasantly surprised by Miranda's directorial debut "tick, tick…BOOM!" Andrew Garfield was amazing as Larson, and a great singer to boot. I've been trying to convince everyone to watch the film and nobody watched it. As I mentioned, it's one of three movies I've watched this year so I don't have a lot to compare to, but it hit all the right notes for any fan of Rent for a Broadway-deprived person.
First off, belated Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I
apologize for disappearing off the radar in all CCS/New Trials communities for
the past two months or so. Work and life sort of took precedent, not that I
ever forgot all of you guys.
Despite how hectic work was, I was able to squeeze in a few
vacation days last week to visit Tokyo, which is also why I wasn’t able to update
anything on Christmas. One of the reasons I did want to visit Tokyo was because
ever since I heard that the Cardcaptor Sakura Exhibition - Magical Art Museum was
taking place at the Mori Arts Center at the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower months
ago, I knew I must visit it when I had a chance. The trip nearly did not happen
because of work and whatnot, but in the end it worked out, and I did get to
visit the Cardcaptor Sakura Exhibition. I thought I might share a little bit of
my experience.
Roppongi Hills is one of my favorite places in Tokyo, and I
try to visit every time I do go there. This is actually the first time I’ve
actually seen an exhibition at the Mori Arts Center, which has a fantastic view
of the Tokyo skyline as well since it is located on the 52nd floor
of Mori Tower. If you do visit Roppongi Hills, do take a look at the fantastic
view of Tokyo Tower. And if you visit during Christmastime, enjoy the annual Christmas
Market and the illumination on the streets.
First off, because it was Christmas season, the exhibition
was really crowded. I heard from my friend though who also visited Mori Arts
Center this summer for the 50th Anniversary Commemoration Weekly Shonen Jump
Exhibition: The 2000s that it was even more crowded then, rightfully so since
there were so many series being covered there, whereas this exhibition covered
not even CLAMP’s artwork but specifically one series.
The CCS Exhibition kicked off on October 26, 2018, so I was
visiting near the end—as it runs to January 3, 2019. Anyone in Tokyo, do go see
it before it closes! I would best describe this as a Card Captor Sakura “experience”
more than simply just an exhibition, accommodating both to longtime fans and
newcomers. The friend I went with while familiar with a lot of CLAMP’s works
never read/watched CCS but she seems to have enjoyed the experience, albeit probably
nobody as much as me. I was going to say I thought there could be nobody who
enjoyed the exhibition more than me, that there is no greater CCS fan than me,
but then again, some fans I saw that day may have proved me wrong. I was so
thrilled to see how much love CCS is still getting after over two decades.
You first enter a general “Library” area which introduces
the series and photography is allowed here. The best part was the giant Clow
Book. This part was international visitor friendly with English captions as
well including a section kindly explaining, “Why is Cardcaptor Being
Rediscoverd Now.” Except, yours truly never left the CCS fandom, hence it’s not
a “rediscovery.” I just realized my smartphone took really good quality photos,
so if anyone is interested in reading the text from this part of the exhibition
and wants me to share the HQ photos, you can probably make it out. There was
also a peephole where you can see original artwork of Sakura and Syaoran’s
date.
Next, you enter a room where you see a screening of short
clip of Kero-chan explaining that Sakura has released a bunch of cards, thus
introducing the theme of the museum, I believe. He was speaking in Japanese,
and it’s not like I really understood but Kero-chan did get me all hyped up!
Then, you enter the “Flower” room, which might singly be one
of my favorite rooms because I believe it started out as a white room, but
visitors are allowed to pick a flower sticker from a booklet and stick in
anywhere on the wall. The exhibition had been going on for two months already,
so you can imagine the room was completely filled. There were also paintings of
pretty flowers there.
The next room is Tomoyo’s studio, or the “Siege” room, and
you get to see a couple of Sakura’s battle costumes brought to life! There were
six costumes designed by Mokona. They are very meticulously done, and I’m sure
Tomoyo approved.
Unfortunately, you couldn’t take photos in the main
exhibition section, showcasing select colored artwork from the 1990s the latest
pieces, as well as original manga artwork. I especially enjoyed seeing the original
black-and-white manga artwork by CLAMP, where you can actually see the indentations
from the pressure from the pen, as well as white-outed spots where Mokono-sensei
corrected her artwork and even the texture and cut-out outline of screentones layered
on! There were lots of people reading carefully each manga panel—awesome seeing
the pages large-scale—but I couldn’t read Japanese so I only marveled at the
original drafts of the artwork.
It was also nice seeing CLAMP’s artwork evolve from the original
CCS series, especially in the early volumes, to the 2000s and then to the
current Clear Card artwork. The currently artwork has rounder lineart, perhaps
less intricate and detailed linework than the 1990s. The Clear Card artwork is
more modern and CCS doesn’t look much aged currently. I can’t really say if I
prefer one style or another—I appreciate both aesthetics. I went with a manga
artist friend, so she told me that the artwork has clearly evolved, but then
again, I have nostalgia for the old art. You also see an evolution in the
colored art work. The 1990s CCS artwork is more watercolor-like, if that makes
any sense, while the Clear Card artwork feels a bit more vibrant. CLAMP seems
to enjoy using gold in their latest colored artwork which is so much more
awesome to see in real life than in print. The perks of going with a mangaka
friend was she told me about how a certain background was comprised of one
entire sheet of screentone popular with manga artists (CLAMP getting a tad bit
lazy), or what sort of gold paints are used for such artwork. It was really
amazing seeing some of my favorite artwork in real life, as well as some of the
iconic CCS manga scenes in print. Some of the most recent Clear Card manga
pages were also displayed.
After you emerge from the main exhibition section, the “Maze”
room, you enter the “Cosplay” section with the gigantic Kero-chan plushy which
you might have seen a lot of pictures of. There is an opportunity to even to
cosplay as Sakura. There are two options, Battle Costume mode (with the iconic
Clear Card pink cape and beret), or the Tomoeda Middle School uniform top. And
a Clear Card mini staff as well. I actually wanted to wear the Tomoeda Middle
School uniform blazer, but then I went with the cape and beret in the end
because why not go all out. The uniform blazer looks like something that would
have come out of my closet anyway.
This room is connected with the Card Room, where the 52 or
however many Clow Cards are lined up on one wall and the Sakura Cards on the
other. Then, the Clear Cards are also displayed at the far end of the room. Truthfully, I wish I could have spent more time pouring over each artwork,
but my friend and I had a dinner reservation, and also, it was really crowded
so I was a bit drained by this point.
The next battlefield was of course the exhibition store aka the
grab everything you can find even if you don’t know what it is section. I think
I will do another blog post if you are interested in the merchandise I did end
up getting. Actually, it might be a special surprise for me as well, since that
whole experience was a haze and I haven’t really opened up my shopping bag to
see what I got then. There were a lot of interesting never-seen before goodies
at the store, and I wish I had more time to pour over them.
I didn’t get to visit the Cardcaptor Sakura café, located
next to the entrance of the exhibition, but did take a peek in. I took a
picture of the menu. Overall, there was a lot of lining up. I noticed that
there was really a diverse blend of Japanese and international visitors, as
well as a wide range of ages, from children to adults. The ticket cost was
1,800 yen, or around $18, which I think was pretty reasonable consider how
thoughtfully put together the exhibition was, catering to fans, making the
whole experience very interactive, including a chance to cosplay. I didn’t rent
out the audio guide, which I believe would have been Yue’s voice since
December. It was Kero-chan’s voice previously, before the switchover. You even
get an exclusive special gift drawn by CLAMP at the end—a clear Sakura Card,
the “Happiness Card.”
The whole experience was sort of a penultimate moment in
my some 20 years of Card Captor Sakura fandom and likely is going to give me
some much-needed morale boosting in writing the finale of the New Trial of Card
Captor Sakura fanfiction. It also seems a bit like my life has come to a full circle
with CCS, because the series was introduced to me during perhaps my most
impressionable years, and it has resonated with me for the past two decades,
helped me grow as a writer, given me some direction on the meaning of life, and
most importantly become a bridge to me and all of you, the readers of New
Trials, and also just fans of CCS in general. The series will always be
precious to me, and this exhibition at Mori Art Center—a contemporary art
museum which has featured numerous famous artists--located in one of the poshest
areas of Tokyo, is a testament to how CLAMP’s Card Captor Sakura has resonated
with the entire world.
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.
I just wanted to wish you all Happy New Year! I can't believe it's already 2015. I still think we are in 2012 sometimes. It's the year of the sheep! I posted a Nadeshiko and Ryuuren fanart, mainly because I was determined to do a none-Sakura artwork. (Well, her mother got the spotlight).
I worked on Christmas day, New Year's Eve and Day this year, and year end's just chaotic with gatherings and whatnot, but hope all of you had a fun end of the year. And I must be aging or something. This is the first time ever I just slept through midnight on Eve since I was like 9 years old. Granted I couldn't sleep much the night before. While I finish the new chapter yet, do read Amethyst Beloved's sweet short drabble here to keep entertained in the meanwhile.
And also Mia from Facebook drew the most amazing Christmas pic of the New Trials crew. I'm psyched to see the final version because it already looks so professional!
Most of the songs I like are not uplifting enough for the start of a new year. But since I could not find myself a cheerful love song, or maybe I'm just more inclined to angst, I decided to go with an all-time classic, U2's "With or Without You." It's a haunting song and rightfully a classic, and I thought it fits Li Ryuuren very well. And I feel like when I choose music spotlight songs for the older generation, I need to stick with oldies. Chapter 70 was a big Ryuuren chapter, and he's such a flawed, messed up man, a Byronic hero to boot. I really like the choral version of this song by Belgian choir Scala and Kolacny Brothers.
But of course you can't beat the original version. It's weird seeing a young Bono.
It's already 2012. Time flies by so quickly that it frightens me. This year has been a busy year, very work-focused. Truthfully, it wasn't the best year at all, and I spent a good portion of it with a horrible cold, but that's that. This coming year is the "Year of the Black Dragon."
I was very excited when I heard that CLAMP designed a wedding dress for the Tokyo Bridal Collection, unveiled Christmas Eve. I think it fits the Card Captor Sakura image very well, though I had envisioned something a bit more elaborate, but I think it's just given that paper does not always translate well to real life. I prefer it modeled than on display. I wish I can see a close up of CLAMP's new CCS artwork.
Anyhow, when I heard about CLAMP designing the wedding dress, I couldn't help thinking CLAMP and I are in sync. It'll make more sense with Chapter 68 of New Trials. As for any New Year's resolution? Finish the new chapters of New Trials of Card Captor Sakura in a timely manner. In fact, the immediate goal: finish Chapter 68. It' getting there!
Happy New Year 2012!!!
I'll leave you with one of my favorite songs from Kokia, Time to Say Goodbye. It has that bittersweet tone befitting the end of one year and starting a new one.
On New Year's Eve, I was at a dinner party with a fortunetelling decor, and each table was laid out with Tarot Cards. I was amused to find the Tarot Cards on my table to be: Sacrifice, Heartache & Loss, Patience and Transformation. Talk about no such thing as coincidence. I'm personally not a very superstitious person, but how can there be a more in-the-face reminder to go finish up New Trials Chapter 67 when the Tarot Card decorations on my dinner table is pretty much spelling out the current chapter's title and themes? Speaking of which, I am in editing process now for the chapter. It's the longest chapter in Arc 4, I think. I couldn't resist taking a photo of the Tarot Cards with a chuckle to myself.
It's 1/1/11! Somehow, time seems to fly by. Happy New Year 2011 and thank you so much for reading my blog and supporting the New Trials of Sakura. I will continue to try my hardest to bring you the best quality chapters!
Song of the day is Ingrid Michaelson's "Parachute," original version of X-Factor's Cheryl Cole's "Parachute." I like both versions, but this one probably is less known. When I write, I usually divide up my playlist into three sections: instrumental (when I can't have lyrics as distractions), mood-setters (songs that get me into the emotion or mood of what I want to write) and contemporary (what ever song is "in" at the moment, songs with good beats. I've been listening to "Parachute" a lot lately since it has a catchy beat, and I do love the imagery of the lyrics as well. Besides, I didn't think I can start off the New Year with an angsty or melancholy song. The tango choreography in Chery Cole's PV is well worth checking out as well, though I admit I'm biased since I've liked Derek Hough since Dancing With the Stars.
