KDrama: Mirror of the Witch 2016

Main Characters:

Yoon Shi yoon as Seo Joon

Kim Sae ron as Princess Seo ri/Yeon hui

Lee Sung jae as Choi Hyun seo

Yum Jung ah as Shaman Hong Joo

Kwnk Si yang as Poong yeon

 When I first found out that Kim Sae ron was leading in a new drama, I was instantly sold. I loved Kim Sae ron on High School Love On! so I was excited when Mirror of the Witch was announced. I started watching it when a subbed episode was uploaded on Dramanice and right then and there I was hooked. It has an intriguing premise but to be honest it was kinda scary to watch alone. 

The story focuses on Yeon hui, an unwanted and cursed princess, who is believed to be the cause why the royal family is cursed. It all begin swhen Queen Shim, a royal queen in the palace, finds out that she is unable to conceive a child and fearing that they won't have an heir to the throne, she seek the help of Hong joo, a Shaman who uses black magic. Hong joo tells the Queen she would help her but she needs to deceive a young shaman named Hae ran by telling her to sleep with the king to become pregnant. Trusting the Queen, Hae ran agrees and later on becomes pregant. Hong joo then uses her black magic to transfer the fetus from Hae ran to the Queen and plans on killing Hae ran. But Hae ran finds out about Hong joo's plan and before dying she senses that the Queen is carrying twins and as if it isn't bad enough, Hae ran curses both the twins. Later on, Queen Shim gives birth to the twins, Crown Prince Soon hwae and Princess Yeon hui but has to give up one because of the curse. Expectedly, the Queen abandons the princess and keeps the Crown Prince. The Chief of Imperial Taoist Temple, Choi Hyun seo, is tasked to burn the princess with his holy fire to end the curse. It is seen that he did but later on revealed that he actually saved the princess as per the king's request. Years after, Yeon hui grows up to be a beautiful young girl but is forced to live in the black forest alone, in a house surrounded by talismans. Aside from Hyun seo and the members of the Imperial Taoist Temple, Poong yeon, Hyun seo's son, is the only one who knew about Yeon hui's existence. He also develops feelings for her which his father greatly disapproves. Then a young scholar named Heo Joon accidentally finds Yeon hui's house when he is dared to get the kite everyone believes to be owned by a witch. Joon and Yeon hui's meeting doesn't end their because their fate seems to be tied together as things unravel and they work together to lift Yein hui's curse.

 Yeon hui's curse is that all the people she loves and all the people who love her will die when she turns 17. Hyun seo works hard to protect her and everyone who loves her but when Yeon hui crosses the talismans border and goes out with Poong yeon on the night of her 17th birthday to see a festival, the curse is activated and it immediately takes effect by marking Poong yeon and making him ill. Yeon hui still doesn't know about the curse but when the black magic starts to hunt her and her hair turns white, she realizes that something is wrong. When she finds out that Poong yeon fell ill, she asks Yoh kwang, a member of Imperial Taoist Temple, to accompany her to see him. But Poong yeon suddenly becomes afraid of her, telling her to go away from him. It breaks her heart and more when her mother, Hyun seo's wife, tells her it's because of her curse that she can't love him and now Poong yeon is ill because of her.

Meanwhile, at the palace, the Crown Prince's curse is also activated because Yeon hui is still alive. Hong joo feels it and her body weakens, letting her know that the princess is actually alive. The Crown Prince falls ill and the Queen asks Hong joo to cure him. But there's only one way to save the Crown Prince and it is to kill the princess, Yeon hui.
 

 Not sure how to find and kill the princess, Hong joo flees from the palace for now, taking the Crown Prince's spirit with her.

Another person who becomes close with Yeon hui is Joon. Before finding out about the curse, Yeon hui is used to being alone but when Joon shows up, saying he needs to take her kite, Yeo hui welcomes him to her house. It's an unexpected friendship with all the cuteness and banters and despite starting off on a wrong foot, they learn to like each other.

 
It is really heartbreaking how Yeon hui struggles to break the curse by distancing herself from all the people she loves. It hurts enough to be alone but knowing that people are dying because of her, it kills her that's why she's determined to break the curse. After Hong joo's attempt to kill her, she flees with Hyun seo while Yoh kwang tries to stop Hong joo and her female warriors. We then see Yoh kwang gets killed and later on Hyun seo dying in the hands of Hong joo. Before parting with Yeon hui, Hyun seo tells Yeon hui to go to Chungbing Temple and light all the candles there for it is the only way to break the curse.

Five years later, Yeon hui is now Seo ri, living in Chungbing Temple with Yoh Kwang. It turns out that Yoh Kwang was revived and was able to save Yeon hui when she was shot by an arrow and fell into the water that day when Hong joo's female warriors cornered her by the cliff. That same time, Joon also saw her and tried to save her by using his body to shield her from the arrow.

Now Seo ri is trying to break the curse by lighting candles at Chungbing Temple by granting a person's wish.

Due to some circumstances, Yeon hui happens to meet Joon again when Joon accidentally fell on a cliff but is saved by her. This time she tries to hide her identity from him but Joon surely remembers her.

Joon's mother is a slave and wanting to free his mother from their cruel master, he works hard to earn money. But knowing his plan, Heo Ok, his older half-brother, tries to stop him and tells his mother about it. They then scare Joon by showing him what they will do to his mother once they try to escape. But Joon can't take it anymore and decides to flee. He and his mother sneak out one night but while Joon is buying tickets for them to China, Ok finds his mother. His mother tries to explain to Ok, saying that it is her idea not Joon's, but Heo ok is nothing but heartless so he ends up beating Joon's mother which then leads to the accident of the place burning. Ok desperately finds a way out leaving Joon's mother inside. When Joon comes back, the place is still burning and he's able to get his mother out but it's already too late.

Five years later, Joon is busting bad people for Ok, who is now a public servant, which, it turns out, Joon is only doing just so he could expose how good for nothing Ok is. He's gathering evidences he can use against Ok like proofs of all bribes Ok received and the gifts he took in exchange of overlooking some incidents. It could've worked if only a murder didn't happen. Joon is accused of killing Man wol, a gisaeng who has a crush on him. Before Man wol is murdered, she leaves a note for Joon saying to meet her somewhere that night but that note doesn't reach Joon because Ok intercepts it. Later, when Ok is brought to prison for his wrong doings, he tells the head guard that Joon is lying and is the Red Gentleman's Robe who has been murdering people. With the note on his hand, Ok uses it as a proof that Joon met Man wol that night and killed her. It leaves Joon no choice but to run and that same day he meets Seo ri.

When Seo ri comes out of the temple, her curse is activated again, causing Poong yeon to faint because he is marked, and it also alerts Hong joo that she is near. Hong joo begins searching for her again but fails since Yeon hui comes back inside the temple where she also brings Joon with her. Yoh kwang asks if Seo ri knows Joon but she lies, telling him no. When Joon wakes up he wanders around the temple, reading the Grimoire of Curses which Seo ri uses to make elixirs, and accidentally burning it. Yeon hui and Yoh kwang become furious and decided to execute him but fortunately he drank the memory potion which enables him to remember everything inside the grimoire.Yeon hui and Yoh kwang then agree to give him a day to rewrite the grimoire. Along the way, Yoh kwang warms up with Joon and accidentally sees the mark on his chest. It is from a piece of some shield that he found years ago which has also saved him a couple of times before. Later on, Yoh kwang realizes that the mark is some kind of human boundary that they can use to protect Seo ri. Because of it,  Joon is tasked to always stay by Seo ri's side. 

After some time, Poong yeon, who is now the head of the Royal Guard, finds a lead about the Red Gentleman's Robe. The Red Gentleman's Robe has been murdering everyone whose wish is granted by Seo ri, including Man wol, Joon's friend, who wished to be beautiful. When a person's wish is granted, Seo ri is able to light a candle but when they get killed, the candle dies too. It frustrates Seo ri so much because it's been months since the last time she was able to light a candle. Little does she know that Hong joo is behind all this. Not wanting to give up, Seo ri decided to bring the next elixir herself to the person who wishes for it. It just so happens that the next person is Poong yeon. It surprises them both and remembering how her older brother reacted the last time he saw her, she runs away.

Poong yeon knew all along that Yeon hui and his father are still somehow alive and he's been looking for them all this time. And seeing Yeon hui now makes him happy. He genuinely cares for Yeon hui and since then he already liked her.

Meeting again after five years, they talk and Yeon hui tries to explain everything to him, telling him about the curse. But when Poong yeon sees Yeon hui's cursed form, he becomes scared of her again and, again, it breaks Yeon hui's heart. It then changes Poong yeon's feelings, making the mark of the curse disappear, meaning he doesn't feel the same way towards Yeon hui anymore. Soon after, Yeon hui brings him and Sol gae, his right hand woman, to the temple and shows them how she's been trying to break the curse by lighting the candles. And while Poong yeon is too busy looking for Yeon hui, he doesn't notice that Sol gae cares for him, too. She's loyal to him and Poong yeon trusts her.

On the other hand, Hong joo continues to hunt down Yeon hui by sending her female warriors to look for her. Eventually, one of her warriors locates the temple and they march right into it, catching Yeon hui, Yoh gwang and Joon off guard. Hong joo stabs Joon on the chest, on the mark that enables him to protect Yeon hui. It angers Yeon hui making her unleash her powers and sends Hong joo's warriors flying away while she holds Hong joo around the neck, lifting her off the ground. She's ready to kill her if only Yoh gwang doesn't stop her. They escape from Hong joo but now Joon has lost the human boundary mark and he's now marked by Yeon hui's curse. Somehow he develops feelings for her and is now suffering.

*Joon: The you that I met at the Black Forest that day and the you that I met once more... and... the you that's in front of me right now are all just Yeon hui to me. Whether you're cursed, or have a black or white hair, or are a princess or not... you'll always be just Yeon hui to me.

Not wanting to scare Joon like what happened with Poong yeon, Yeon hui decides to leave but as she does, Joon stops her and asks her to stay instead.

At the palace, King Seon jo is also suffering from the curse. He's a distant relative and became king when the late King Myeong jong chose him as his successor. But later on, it is revealed that Hong joo has actually planned it all and he was chosen because Hong joo knew he was weak and people will always judge him. As for the said curse, thorns are growing out of his body and no doctor can cure him. And when Hong joo approaches him and promises to cure him if he would just lets her back to the palace, he agrees. Queen Shim greatly opposes but since the King hates her too, he doesn't listen to her.

Hong joo also convinces the king that the curse is caused by the princess and she must be killed in order to stop the curse. So then he orders Poong yeon, his trusted and loyal guard, to bring the princess to him. Still caring for Yeon hui, Poong yeon refuses and is removed from his position.

When Hong joo and the Queen meet again, Hong joo tells the Queen that she's planning to give the Crown Prince back to her. The Queen, wanting to see the Crown Prince again, gives in eventually. But soon after, thinking that Hong joo must be planning something again, she decides to side with Hyun seo who turns out to be alive after all. He's been held captured by Hong joo and unfortunately, he's only alive because of black magic.

 While Hong joo tries to kill Yeon hui every chance she gets, Hyun seo tries his best to protect Yeon hui to the extent of sacrificing his life just to make a talisman that would keep Hong joo from harming Yeon hui. Hyun seo used to be Hong joo's teacher and thinking that he failed as a teacher because he wasn't able to stop Hong joo from using black magic, he feels like it's his fault. So now he's doing everything he can to help Yeon hui break the curse and stop Hong joo from destroying their country. But when Hong joo binded him with her just so he lives after sacrificing his life, he doesn't have a choice but to do everything Hong joo tells him to do.

Back to Yeon hui and Joon, they now look for a way to defeat Hong joo and break the curse. And since Hyun seo is now under Hong joo's black magic, they can't ask him for help anymore. So they try to convince the King that Hong joo is not to be trusted. They prove to him that the Red Gentleman's Robe is working for Hong joo and that Hong joo is the one who cursed him. Joon also tries to heal him by giving him the truth elixir. They believe that the only way to break the spell is to make the king be honest with his feelings and face his fears that make him doubt himself.

After breaking the King's curse, they capture Hong joo and imprison her. Now they think that things will be normal again since Hong joo with her black magic is locked away but little do they know that she has another plan. Just because she knew that they won't kill her because of the princess, she acts like it doesn't bother her being locked away.

Still working under her spell, Hyun seo does the dirty work now. He tries to give the Queen, who we found out earlier is pregnant, some black magic while sleeping but thankfully Yeon hui shows up just in time. Earlier, Yeon hui also dreamed of Hae ran, her biological mother, warning her that the baby is in danger. At first, Yeon hui didn't know what it meant but when she heard from Queen Shin that the Queen is pregnant, she realized that the baby Hae ran mentioned is the Queen's baby. Later, when a plague is threatening the life of the citizens, Hong joo's female warriors secretly put up posters saying that the plague is caused by the princess. Queen Shim then suggests that Poong yeon, who is now the head of Imperial Taoist Branch, to offer prayers to the gods together with Yeon hui so that the people will see that Yeon hui is not what they think she is. But while praying, Hyun seo and Hong joo's female warriors suddenly show up, pointing arrow at the royal family. Yeon hui is tempted to use her power but Queen Shim stops her, not wanting the people to see her with her power. But when Hyun seo tells them that he's there for Heo joon and Yeon hui refuses to let him go, Hyun seo orders to fire the arrows at them which gives Yeon hui no choice but to use her power. The people, seeing that Yeon hui has powers, become furious and call her witch. Hearing the cries of his people, the King decided to talk to Hong joo and find out what she's really planning this time. Hong joo, ever wicked and shameless, tells him that since the royal family is used to disposing people after using them, he should just let the people have the princess. And since he has so much to lose especially now that he's about to have a child, Hong joo tells him to give her Yeon hui and she'll take care of the rest for him.

After the incident, Joon grabs Yeon hui away from the people but Yeon hui pushes him away, telling him not to follow. She ends up at the Chungbing Temple where Joon follows her anyway. Back at the palace, the King now disowns Yeon hui and of course Queen Shim oposses but can't do anything about it. Poong yeon also tries convincing the King but it's already too late because he already made up his mind.

Yeon hui is still shocked from what happened and without thinking, she tells Joon she wants to run away. Joon, hearing from Yoh kwang that the royal family already disowned Yeon hui, suggests the same, that they run away.

 Yeon hui: I want to run away. To a place where I can be alone. I want to hide in a place where nobody can find me.
 Joon: Yeon hui. Let's run away. Run away with me. To a place that's far, far away.

Meanwhile, Hong joo is pressuring the King again, demanding that he lends her his soldier so they can capture Yeon hui. Hong joo also tells him to command Poong yeon to execute Yeon hui using his holy fire once they find her. Poong yeon asks the king not to command him to do that but the king tells him that his hands are bind too and he can't do anything about it. Then he asks Poong yeon not to disobey him this time because if he does, then he'll kill him with own hands.

*I'm yet to watch the last two episodes so I'll stop here for now. But I promise to come back once I finish watching episodes 19 and 20.*

Please Don't Say You Love me by Gabrielle Aplin ♫♪

Summer comes, winter fades
Here we are just the same
Don't need pressure, don't need change
Let's not give the game away

There used to be an empty space
A photograph without a face
But with your presence, and your grace
Everything falls into place

Just please don't say you love me
'Cause I might not say it back
Doesn't mean my heart stops skipping when you look at me like that
There's no need to worry when you see just where we're at
Just please don't say you love me
'Cause I might not say it back

Heavy words are hard to take
Under pressure precious things can break
And how we feel is hard to fake
So let's not give the game away

Just please don't say you love me
'Cause I might not say it back
Doesn't mean my heart stops skipping when you look at me like that
There's no need to worry when you see just where we're at Just please don't say you love me
'Cause I might not say it back

And fools rush in
And I've been the fool before
This time I'm gonna slow it down
'Cause I think this could be more
The thing I'm looking for

Just please don't say you love me
'Cause I might not say it back
Doesn't mean my heart stops skipping when you look at me like that
There's no need to worry when you see just where we're at
Just please don't say you love me
'Cause I might not say it back

Please don't say you love me
'Cause I might not say it back
Doesn't mean my heart stops skipping when you look at me like that
There's no need to worry when you see just where we're at
Just please don't say you love me
'Cause I might not say it back

Just please don't say you love me
'Cause I might not say it back

 

-azlyrics

Book Review: Smut by Karina Halle

★★★★/★★★★★

“At this point I’ve probably kissed Amanda a hundred different ways but this kiss is different. This kiss reveres her. In this kiss she should know she’s a goddess, a fantasy priestess, a ruler of my world.”

Okay, so this is just a quick review of Smut but know that I loved this book. It's witty, nerdy and well, smutty!!

I'm new to many romance/new adult authors but I'm happy whenever I read a book from an author for the first time and instantly liked her because of it. I've never read a book by Karina Halle before and the only thing that convinced me to read Smut was all those good reviews I've read about it. And honestly, at first I felt bored reading it but as I read on, well, let's just say I'm glad I read on. 

We can say that this is enemies-turn-to-lovers kind of story. Amanda Newman hates Blake Crawford the moment she sees him in her writing class. Blake, knowing that Amanda hates him, takes every chance he gets to annoy her even more. That said, they can't tolerate each other and it's just their luck that they get paired up for their final project in their writing class. Now they have to work together and though they can't stand each other's company, they have to endure it for the sake of their project. 

I know there are million other enemies to lovers books but you wouldn't help but love this book! It's witty and steamy and I like how Amanda and Blake worked out their relationship. At first they try not to work together as much as possible but as they start to enjoy each other's company and discover how their writing complement each other's, the tension between them, and I mean sexual tension, also start to rise up. And I think they couldn't really help it since Blake is super hot and Amanda may be a nerdy (with red hair and eye glasses) but she still has her own charm, like her ass, as per Blake. When they finish their project and finally submit it, they both know it's the end of their temporary friendship, meaning no more reason to meet up or something. But when Blake realizes that earning money by writing smut could save his father's failing bookstore business, he knew that he needs Amanda's help in writing once more.

There were times I found myself grinning then the next I was laughing out loud! This book will surely give you all the feels especially those, you know, smutty scenes. Haha. But this book doesn't only focus on that because it also shows the struggles of aspiring writers like Amanda. It just goes to show that writing is not for everyone but when you choose to write, you have to give it your all.

I also like how Blake's character developed so well from being a fuckface to a sweet loving man! Beneath his cocky bravado is a nice step-brother and a caring son. He may tease Kevin, his step-brother, but he deeply cares for him. He also worries about the bookstore that he embarks on writing smut just to earn money. And let's not forget about Fluffy! Who knows a tarantula could make me laugh so hard? Lol. Anyway, when it comes to Amanda, he knows exactly what to do with her. They may have started on the wrong foot but he knows how to make things right. That includes writing smut and yes, doing smut.

"It's not new to want to keep shagging a girl-if the sex is good, how can you not? But when she is all you think about, every moment of every day, well then buddy, you have a problem." 

Amanda can be bossy at times but she's endearing. She's a closet nerd and has her own fantasies. After turning down her ex-fiance, she's resolved on just focusing on her studies. She loves writing and wants it to be her career so she works hard. Or write hard. When Blake makes his proposition, her first thought is 'no way I would write smut' but thinking that it could be a way to improve her writing, and since she misses writing with him, she agrees. And then next thing she knows she's living her wildest fantasies thanks to Blake. 

“My idea of romance is a guy who will take me to see an Avengers film and doesn’t mind dressing up like Loki afterwards.”

 So, maybe this is not a quick review after all. Anyway, I recommend this book if you like a good romantic comedy with charming characters and sexy scenes. It's an entertaining read that will make you laugh and laugh some more. And oh, it's smutty too!

"No one should be judged by what they read, nor should authors by what they write."

- Karina Halle

Anime: Psycho-Pass Season 1

 ★★★★★/★★★★★

"This is a world where the mental state and personal tendencies of a human can be quantified. While all sorts of inclinations are recorded and policed, these measured numbers used to judge peoples' souls are often called 'Psycho-Pass'"

Psycho-Pass has been on my anime watch list for a while now and since I was preoccupied with books, tv series and kdramas I didn't have time to watch it until now. And man, I was hooked right away!

So, so, so! Psycho-Pass takes place in an authoritarian future dystopia under Sibyl System where people's Psycho-Pass is continuously scanned by sensors which measure their mental health, emotional state, stress level and more importantly their probability to commit crime or crime coefficient. When a person's Psycho-Pass exceeds the acceptable level, the Public Safety Bureau will be alerted which will then sends Inspectors and Enforcers, a special group of latent criminal, to investigate that person. Inspectors and Enforcers carry a Dominator, a large handgun designed to fire only at those with a higher-than-acceptable crime coefficient.

The story mainly focuses around a new and young Inspector, Akane Tsunemori, who on her first mission shoots an Enforcer, Shinya Kogami, when he tries to shoot a girl whose Crime Coefficient immediately rises when she is taken hostage by a latent criminal. Instead of getting angry, Kogami thanks Akane for stopping him on becoming a murderer. It motivates Akane to stay on the team and from then on she works along side Inspector Nobuchika Ginoza, a strict man who looks down on Enforcers, and other Enforcers, Tomomi Masaoka, Shusei Kagari and Yayoi Kunizuka, each has their own story for becoming a latent criminal and later on being an Enforcer. Together they hunt down criminals.

[CHARACTERS]

Akane Tsunemori 

(c)
"Protect the things you believe in till the end."
 I like Tsunemori because she's headstrong, smart and always does what she knows is right. She has a strong sense of justice, always wants to do things by the book. After shooting Kogami on her first day, though ashamed, she's resolved to continue working as an Inspector so she can go after latent criminals who disrupts the system. She works hard to protect the system even after learning its true form, which she hates, because she knew that without it, society cannot live peacefully. I also love her relationship with others especially with the Enforcers. She treats them with respect so in return they trust her.

Shinya Kogami

(c)

"Be gentle to others but strict to oneself."
Kogami is the kind of character I always always love. Intelligent, instinctive, but he always does things the risky way. He used to be a skilled detective, always keen on solving cases but due to an incident involving an Enforcer, Mitsuru Sasamaya, dying, making his Crime Coefficient rise, he was demoted to Enforcer rank. Now he works as an Enforcer under Tsunemori, solving cases and hunting down latent criminals. Later on, something lead them to Shogo Makishima who they think is behind all the incidents that are happening lately. Kogami also believes that Makishima has something to do with Sasayama's death. When they confirm that Makishima is behind all the incidents, and Sasayama's death, Kogami makes it his goal to kill Makishima himself to the extent of leaving the MWPSB.

Nobuchika Ginoza

(c)
"The fool learns from experience while the wise learn from history."
 Ginoza is strict and somewhat cold but behind that scowly face is a good man. He's an effective senior officer to Tsunemori, an excellent detective and despite distancing himself from the Enforcers, he cares for them. He warns Tsunemori on her first day not to get attached with the Enforcers, saying it won't do her any good. Later on it is revealed that Kogami used to be his partner and Masaoka is his father, now both Enforcers, thus Ginoza having feelings of abandonment. He feels like Kogami and Masaoka left him on his own by becoming latent criminals. He also works hard to protect the system and like Tsunemori, he wants it to work so society can live in peace. At the end of season 1, his Crime Coefficient exceeds acceptable level after witnessing the death of Masaoka.  

Tomomi Masaoka

(c)
"Do good deeds without expecting things in return."
I instantly liked Masaoka the first time he appeared. He's nice to Tsunemori and he tries to defend her when Ginoza is doubting her capabilities. He's the father figure of the group, always giving advice and making sure to watch their backs. Masaoka also used to be a detective but when the Sibyl System was introduced, he disagreed to follow it. He doesn't agree that people should solely rely on machines when determining one's criminal tendencies. Over the time it made him more frustrated and angry which eventually led to the rising of his Crime Coefficient. Now he works as an Enforcer and though he's not a detective anymore, he still believes that 

Shusei Kagari

(c)
"Whatever you do, you have to enjoy the process."
Of course there has to be a group clown and that titles belongs to Kagari. He was flagged by the system as latent criminal when he was only five so since then he was locked up. Until he was offered a job to be an Enforcer, which he had no choice but to accept otherwise he'll be locked up forever. Kagari is easygoing, always teasing people and carefree. He's somehow more serious when working but still, he finds time to joke around and others always need to remind him not to be reckless, since he has a tendency to be, especially when working on a case. I'm growing fond of his character but then by the latter part of Season 1 he faces a tragic end. *frowns*

Yayoi Kunizuka

(c)
"Do not make trouble for others." 
Before becoming an Enforcer, Kunizuka used to be a musician. Her band was Sibyl-authorized but when she met and befriended Rina Takizaki, a member of non-Sibyl-authorized band that is anarchistic in nature, her Hue suddenly got darkened. Eventually she was flagged and was sent into a rehabilitation center where Kogami tried to recruit her to be an Enforcer. At first she was reluctant but the thought of seeing Takizaki again dominated her. She agreed to help and on a mission, it turned out that Takizaki was a member of an anti-Sibyl System group who was planning on doing something dangerous. Kunizuka tried to stop Takizaki but she didn't listen. Emotionally devastated, Kunizuka tried firing the Dominator Kogami issued to her but to her surprise it didn't work. It gave Takizaki time to escape and after that incident, Kunizuka agreed to be an Enforcer in hope that one day she would see Takizaki again and by then she's sure to get her.

Shion Karanomori

(c)

"Believe your instinct."
Though Shion has a physician's license, she works as a lab technician in the Analysis Department of Public Safety Bureau. We always see the members talking to her, always asking her to do this or that. Haha. She's a smoker, always complaining that the Bureau is overworking her and she's bisexual. I'm not sure why I need to state that but given that we saw her and Kunizuka together a lot of times, I think it's just that. Anyway, she works best with computers and she provides back up whenever the team is working.

 Shogo Makishima

(c)

"To live is not merely to breathe; it is to act."

 Makishima is the main antagonist and Kogami's nemesis. He's a manipulative bastard and a sociopath who uses his charisma to persuade people to do what he wants. He's criminally asymptomatic meaning his Psycho-Pass can't be measured and so the sensors can't flagged him. He believes that the Sibyl System is ruining people's true nature of thinking, deciding on their own and doing the things they want. In short, he wants to destroy the system. He has a plan but to execute it he needs the help of some people like Choe Gu sung, a korean immigrant hacker and some other pawns who later on he kills if deemed worthless after they've done their part. This plan includes chaos, deaths and some other horrific acts that surely keep MWPSB busy. For a long time Kogami and the others hunt Makishima down until finally they figure out what his final move is. By this time Kogami no longer works as an Enforcer and is determined to kill Makishima. 

At some point it is revealed that the real reason why Makishima hated the system is because he felt rejected by the system. Being able to control his Pshycho-Pass, the system is unable to recognize him and it somehow makes him like an outcast. So the feeling of being different from the others compelled him to destroy the system.

---

I really enjoyed this anime and now I can't wait to start with Season 2! I've seen that there's also a movie so, so, so! I'm very excited to watch that too. If you haven't watch this yet, you better watch it now. Like, seriously! It's a really good anime (a bit scary thinking that it might, just might, actually happen in the future), thought-provoking, addictive and suspense/action packed! Highly recommended if you're into post-apocalyptic-though-provoking kind of anime. 

August 2016 Music Videos

 Love Triangle - RaeLynn (Aug 2)

We Don't Talk Anymore - Charlie Puth (Aug 2)

Rise - Katy Perry (Aug 4)

No Limit - Usher ft. Young Thug (Aug 8)

Snakehips - Cruel ft. Zayn (Aug 9)

Another Night On Mars -The Maine (Aug 10)

 Kiss the Sky - Jason Derulo (Aug 11)

On Purpose - Sabrina Carpenter (Aug 12)

 

Superlove - Tinashe (Aug 12)

  This House Is Not For Sale - Bon Jovi (Aug 12)

Goldmine - Colby Caillat (Aug 14)

The Hurt Is Gone - Yellowcard (Aug 17)

 

 Hit The Reset - This Wild Life (Aug 18)

Cool Girl - Tove Lo (Aug 19)

Anywhere - Passenger (Aug 19)

 Pieces - Rob Thomas (Aug 22)

 

War - Sum 41 (Aug 24)

 

Activated - Cher Lloyd (Aug 24)

 

 Kids - OneRepublic (Aug 25)

 

Poem: I Will

It's okay, I'll be alright
Just one more song before I move on
It's okay, I'll do what's right
Just one more tear before I let go

I'll be fine, my tears will dry
Just let me cry before I forget
I'll be fine, my heart will try
Just let me shatter before I heal

It'll get better, time will come
I'll just close my eyes so it won't hurt
It'll get better, time will pass
I'll just hold my heart so it won't break

I'll move on, after these words
Just give me a second so I can breathe
I'll let go, after this line
Just give me a moment to say goodbye

Sometimes we get hurt but instead of moving on we choose to feel the pain a little longer. We hold on to it until eventually we can't feel it anymore. And sometimes it just works that way. Because sometimes we just need to feel the pain a little more to realize we need to move on

- dez

Book: Summer Spark + Fall In Love by Ginnie Carmichael

★★★★/★★★★★

"I wasn't sure if I was ready to give a man a chance. I was used with my celibacy by now, but I knew I also wanted someone to prove me that love did exist. I wanted someone who wouldn't break my heart and stay by my side forever, but that was hard to come by."

Summer Spark is the first in the Four Seasons Serial by Ginnie Carmichael. It's a quick but sweet and lovely read, just 60+ pages of fun and cute story. I found this book by accident while looking for some chick-lit and I'm glad I did. 

 

All Elsie Anderson--34, children's book writer, single mother-- wanted for Sophie, her adoptive daughter, was for her to get away from the bad influence in her life, that were her friends. Being a teenager and all, Sophie started hanging around the wrong kind of friends and Elsie absolutely didn't want that. So when an incident happened that involved Sophie, her friends and the police, it was all the reason Elsie needed to move to Smithfield, Virginia. Sophie wasn't happy about the move so being a stubborn teenager to her mother, she refused to talk to Elsie. Thank universe Elsie had Apollo, her dog.

 

The move wasn't only hard for Sophie but also for Elsie because it meant leaving her father behind. But she knew moving to a new place would be good for both of them. Moving to a new place also meant meeting new people. A few days after they moved, Elsie took Apollo for a walk and they found a park near their house. There, she met Debbie and Jack, a four year old who got smitten by Apollo. Next thing Elsie knew, Debbie was inviting her to a club and she was saying yes. Then Debbie introduced Elsie to her brother, Alex Becker, and that was when Elsie started to feel the summer spark.

Summer Spark was a really sweet read! Elsie wasn't really looking for love but when she met Alex, she just can't help but fall in love. Alex was Jack's father, a total gentleman and a firefighter. And who doesn't fall for a firefighter, anyway? Elsie and Alex couldn't deny their attraction with each other but Elsie was kind of afraid to let a man in in her life again. She was afraid of getting hurt again but with Alex she decided to take a risk. Over time, Elsie's relationship with Sophie also began to improve especially when an incident. involving fire, unexpectedly happened.

If you want an easy and cute read, you should pick up Summer Spark! It's a nice story about new beginnings and finding new people who could make you happy. And oh, it ended in a cliffhanger.

 ---

★★★★/★★★★★

"I guessed that was another thing that Alex could do to me. When everything was bad, he was there to make it better."

 

Fall In Love is the second book in the Four Seasons serial and loving Summer Spark, I decided to read it right away (which I got free over at Ginnie Carmichael's website).

Picking up where Summer Spark left off, Fall In Love continued with Elsie and Sophie moving into a new house after the incident that happened. Elsie and Alex were still seeing other and it seemed like their relationship kept on improving. Alex was there when Elsie needed someone especially after what happened. Sophie, Jack and Apollo were the best of friends and Elsie was happy to see that they were all getting along well. But when Elsie found out that her father got a heart attack, she had to go back to Seattle to see him. And she needed to go back for a scheduled book signing anyway. 

Elsie flew to Seattle and instead of Sophie, she was with Alex. Sophie chose to stay to attend Josh's birthday party (Josh was her new friend) but promised to come with her the next time. The trip gave Elsie and Alex more time together and it was a chance for Elsie to introduce Alex to her father, who instantly liked Alex. She also brought Alex to the places dear to her which was like showing him a part of her past. It all started great but when she brought him to have a dinner cruise, it seemed to have triggered something inside Alex. And that was when we heard the story of his wife, Elena.

I'm loving Elsie and Alex's story more and more! Now that Elsie was ready to love Alex with all her heart, it turned out that Alex wasn't ready to forget Elena yet. He knew he loved Elsie but with every day he spent with her he started to forget about Elena. It wasn't a bad thing, loving again, but I think he felt guilty because he was replacing Elena with Elsie now.

This series just keeps on getting better and now I'm patiently waiting for the next book! I'm excited to know what happens next with Elsie and Alex and to find out how they're going to work things out.