Novel Bits: Japanese Theater Soundtracks and their Effects on World Building and Character Development

Cover of "SPECTER"

I've said before in like a post waaaayyyy back when that I didn't really want to divulge too much information about the novel I have (still forming) in my head. I mentioned that I have tons of world building completed but there's still so much more that continues to form in my head. I love what I already have fully developed and it definitely helps fuel me toward wanting to develop the other aspects of this world just as much. I'm pretty sure that I've mentioned working with different soundtracks when developing a character or when world building. One of the first soundtracks I ever spoke about was the soundtrack for the Japanese play, Lilium. It's a spectacular play and I would love to say, "oh, here's a link to buy the soundtrack" but I can't. The only way to get the soundtrack is to buy the DVD. Although I would totally recommend buying the DVD because again, it's an amazing play, but 1. it's entirely in Japanese without subtitles and 2. It's quite pricey. But regardless, I do own the DVD and therefore, also own the soundtrack. This is a good thing, a very good thing because it has provided me with countless inspiration.

Ok, so why are we talking about Japanese theater and my novel? Well because some of the best and most elaborate world building I have done has come about from my listening to soundtracks from plays made by Suemitsu, the man who wrote and directed Lilium. By itself, Lilium is amazing - sad,  scary and mind twisting all at once. But, paired with its predecessor TRUMP, Lilium becomes the second installment in a world where the truth is muddied by the perceptions of each individual character. TRUMP makes it clear that Lilium is not only sad - it's tragic; it's not only scary - it's terrifying. I have not watched TRUMP in its entirety because I plan to watch it all once I buy the DVD. I will admit to watching the first 15 minutes (which are up on Youtube) a good 30 or so times. I understand basically everything going on and I can't wait to watch the rest of it for sure. But just the music played in those first 15 minutes has helped me detail a setting and visualize a character and his/her character traits. It was just recently that I learned a third installment had been released and that all together, about 6 or so plays are meant to be released in the series. The third installment is SPECTER and it's just my luck that I happened upon a preview of the soundtrack on Youtube. And basically: IT'S AMAZING. Go ahead, click on the soundtrack and give it a listen, I'll wait :)

Anime Talk: Black Butler Book of Murder

Before we get started, just a quick disclaimer: I am a big fan of the Black Butler manga/anime series. So be prepared for a (likely) biased review.

"There's nothing more deceiving, than an obvious truth."

I don't quite remember why I first started watching Black Butler. I think it had something to do with finding out Yuya Matsushita would be in the stage play. Whatever the case, I watched the original Black Butler anime and Black Butler II. When Black Butler: Book of Circus was released in 2014, I watched that too and patiently waited for English subs for Book of Murder. I loved the original Black Butler series, and I quite liked how Black Butler II ended. It was unexpected and I loved that about it. However, I quickly learned that the ending seen in BBII is not the official ending to the manga series; it was just an ending made for the anime only. Well, with great demand, the studio that animated the original Black Butler released Book of Circus, which continues the manga storyline. Book of Circus is my favorite of the 3 series related to Black Butler so naturally, I decided I was absolutely going to watch Book of Murder. Well, without further ado, let's take a look at Book of Murder. 

Manga Review: Mermaid Saga

I was recently browsing Youtube and stumbled upon a video of one of my favorite animes as a teenager: Inuyasha. Wondering if the author had published any other stories since, I decided to look her up. Turns out, Rumiko Takahashi is currently working on another series, her first since Inuyasha. Browsing through her previous works, there was one in particular that caught my eye: Mermaid Saga. I read that it was a different type of comic than what Takahashi usually published in that it was dark/macabre. Intrigued, I decided to look up how many volumes there were (3 in English!) and settled down to reading them!

Mermaid Saga was written over the course of many years: one chapter here, and one chapter there. Therefore, since it was not a constant publication, Takahashi did not face the same pressures that she did with many of her other works wherein she had to publish the next installment before a deadline. This translated into a very concise and well written short manga that properly does its job of offering the reader a glimpse into the strange and ultimately sorrowful lives of Mana and Yuta.