David Chandra's Blog

The Shape of Water is a special movie to reckon.

The movie entails its romantic thrilling view that fans couldn’t expect it would. It gives a fairy tale type of view with a moral overtone sideshow.  The Shape of Water is well-written that breaks through lots of boundaries to achieve its recognition. It has shown its strengths to be recognized around the world.

Del Toro’s Touched & His Wildest Idea in The Shape of Water

Del Toro works well in many genres. From horror to science fiction to gothic melodrama. But as 2006’s brilliant Pan’s Labyrinth, his facility as modern cinema’s most accomplished fantasy filmmaker trumps everything else. The world recognized The Shape of Water when it took home a big prize the Golden Lion at Venice. It shows the quality that the movie brings to the table.

In The Shape of Water, we get to see there is no separation between reality and fantasy. This as shown between the achingly human heroine Elisa Esposito and Amphibian Man. The mind-warping, nameless creature she gets attracted to the amphibian against all reasons. This as a secret becomes disbelief as Del Toro continues to narrate to us that there is a belief in both sides of the equation with equal fervor.

Sharing in that belief are the piece’s actors. These include expert supporting players like Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Octavia Spencer. But most of all the two stars.

Sally Hawkins plays Elisa and Doug Jones plays the Amphibian Man in The Shape of Water. Both get the best credits for playing their roles well. Their impressive acts make them the stars of the movie with no doubts of getting recognized by the world.

A Top-Notch Performance

Sally Hawkins Oscar-nominated for “Blue Jasmine” started her first act on “Happy-Go-Lucky” also featured in an act called “Maudie.” Where she had an impressive run too. But the acts that she brings to “The Shape of Water,” as Elisa is felt beyond the world as she has to act as a mute. Someone who listens but doesn’t speak.

As for Doug Jones, the amphibian man allow him to showcase his strengths in the act. Thus he does give us an amphibian creature in a spectacular costume, which Del Toro ensures to become perfect for the movie.

Written by Del Toro and assisted by another producer called Vanessa Taylor from the Game of Thrones’ crew with Daniel Kraus, being one of the partners who helped them also achieve the goal of ensuring the movie “Shape of Water” is a success.

The movie begins in an ordinary random room, that is completely submerged in water even though the lights are on.

A Captivating Story

As we try to understand what is happening in the first act, there is an alarm that goes off and suddenly we realize that we have been watching Elisa’s dream. Suddenly she wakes up quickly to prepare to go for work but before she does the movie gets to show us a 1962 house with fully furnished rooms and the setting the way it was before the modern era. In the city of Baltimore.

Across the hall lives Elisa’s friend Giles (Richard Jenkins), he is a struggling commercial illustrator whose beautiful paintings always get to be replaced by ads in photography. They share a love of similarly outmoded vintage Hollywood movies. We could say the two of them find each other attractive Elisa usually communicates with her friends and neighbors through sign language since Elisa is without the ability to speak.
Every morning Elisa takes a bus ride to a sinister-looking government facility called the Occam Aerospace Research Centre, where her close friend Zelda (Octavia Spencer), as an interpreter.

Zelda and Elisa work as the cleaning crew. This is because they are usually ignored as they scrub toilets and bathrooms, pick up trash and remove gums.
People never notice Elisa in the room due to the fact she doesn’t talk. Now the facility at one time brings up a massive steel cylinder containing what’s described as “the most sensitive asset ever to be housed in this facility.” The asset comes from the Amazon River origins in South America.
The Asset (Doug Jones) is different from the male human beings. He is an amphibious inhuman. In the hope that the study of his complex respiratory system can give the US an edge in the ongoing space race.

A Perfect Engaging Ending

The war zealot, the leader, seems like an authoritative man is rarely seen without the electronic cattle that he uses to keep the creature on check.
Another scientist is brought to our attention Dr. Robert Hoffstetler. Like many elements in The Shape of Water, he draws out some aspects of the creature that do not neatly pencil out. Soon enough Elisa starts putting interest in the agonizing sounds the creature makes and thus this makes it more interesting to know why this is all happening.
The amphibian can live both underwater and on land. The film’s ability to light and coordinate color provides the shows a great way of ensuring we see reality. As the play continues to remember, the amphibian creature and Elisa do not share any spoken language. But still, the passion for an emotional connection between the two breaks the boundaries. This makes an unforeseen future come up like the way they are. What’s more interesting is echoing some of the personal interests. It brings the element of an amphibian creature being studied for human survival, film noir, Cold war dramas. And even musicals into the film.

The Shape of Water brings a great deal of understanding with a plot twist. Involving racial and sexual differences to deftly work in a subtext about how society treats others in the midst of our lives. And how we view everything about others whom we see as the minority from us instead of ensuring there is equality from both sides.

Read the writer’ss science fiction story: Experimentum, here.

The post The Shape of Water: How Oscars’ Best Picture was picked appeared first on Orixius.

Baby Yoda is one of the most elusive and cutest beings in the Star Wars universe. Where did it originally come from? Why does everyone want it desperately? Before Disney+ launched, The Mandalorian appeared to be a window into the Star Wars criminal underworld.

The series reveals that in the first few episodes that a Mandalorian is a bounty hunter. He is apart from being on a hunt is also protecting a baby that may be the most important beings in the universe.

Baby Yoda already in the first episode makes fans going wild with his role in the series. Most of them have been left asking questions that Star Wars can’t think of explaining back to the audience. The Mandalorian is protecting an unnamed infant that is the same species as Yoda. In the series, nobody yet knows the origin of the baby Yoda species, but yet the audience already intrigued with the tiny being character.

Where did baby Yoda come from? What’s the theory behind baby Yoda and the universe at large? In today’s review, I am going to break down the theories behind Baby Yoda and its origin.

Mandalorian as a Father Figure
[image error]Pedro Pascal Casts as The Mandalorian in the Disney+ series.

If you are new to the Mandalorian series, a Mandalorian called Mando received a job offer to return a 50-year-old alien which turns out to be a baby Yoda to a man credited only as “The Client”. The Client looks like a dictator an imperial. He wears an Empire’s sigil. Stormtroopers are protecting him. We can conclude that his intentions towards Baby Yoda looks evil and has some evil malpractices behind it. This is because he paid the bounty to bring the baby Yoda dead or alive.

This brings us to the question of why would he want the baby Yoda so badly? There are only three canon appearances of this kind of creature: Yoda himself, a character named Yaddle, who was an extra in The Phantom Menace, and the baby from The Mandalorian known only as of the Child.

Besides their physical similarity from the two species, the audience concerns the two of them because Star Wars have never explained it. The second episode of The Mandalorian reveals that the Child is actually Force-sensitive. He is lifting a large alien off the ground with a wave of its little hand. This somehow concludes that maybe all the species could be force sensitive at birth. This gives intel on The Client’s motive.

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Throughout the Star Wars films, the Empire is fixated on Force-sensitive beings. Once the Empire with the Jedi decides to hunt on them species, The whole group with force sensitivity is hunted down all over the galaxy, captured, and killed.

Where are all the Jedi warriors?

Empire hunts down and assassinates all the Jedi warriors all over the galaxy. Now, while The Mandalorian takes place after Return of the Jedi (or after the Empire is collapsed), could the Client still want to murder baby Yoda?

This might be a possibility but at the same, the deal is maybe he wants to do some experiments on baby Yoda? This is also a possibility since the imperial remnants want to know why the baby is so strong with the force.

They think of an idea of maybe they could extract some powers from the Yoda. This could also bring us to another theory that maybe the baby Yoda could be a clone.

In the episode, “Chapter 3: The Sin,” the Mandalorian finds the Child in the laboratory of the Client’s associate, Dr. Pershing. Pershing is a scientist who sports a Kamino emblem on his jacket. This is the same emblem, that clones do wear in Attack of the Clones. This also tells us something about the bounty that was made probably the client wants to clone the child or maybe the child is a clone already and they want to get him back to the lab for reviews and scientific breakthroughs.

Previous Baby Yoda Theory was false

Another theory that circulates over the internet that the Child is actually Yoda himself or a clone is now wrong. But, fans make this theory long when the first trailer came up. It could be a clone and, sure, that technically makes it Yoda, but we’re being quite literal here. It could actually be a baby Yoda through… time travel. Wait, before you roll your eyes and click away, there is actual, definitive evidence of time travel in Star Wars.

The animated series, Star Wars Rebels, does quite a bit to flesh out the universe. Some leaked spoilers through that episode suggest that Protagonist Ezra Bridger discovers some other dimension in the universe. That somehow connects the different points that are in time and also space at the same time using force. The dimensions expect to have a time entry and a time exit in a different world.

This type of breakthrough gets to happen to one of the characters Ahsoka Tano. As Ezra pulls her out of a losing fight with Darth Vader to the present day. This after Ezra exits to one dimension and enters another to rescue Tano on time. That said, this concludes that there is a possibility for baby Yoda to have time-traveled from his origins but still yet explained well on this situation.

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The Baby Yoda has a name!

In the last episode of The Mandalorian, The Jedi, answered some of the questions of baby Yoda. Baby Yoda is an infant of the same species. His name of Grogu. But at the same time, you would ask yourself if the species has a home planet or maybe if they reproduce or maybe create life? Or maybe could Yoda species be a manifestation into existence? While we could be asking ourselves all these questions about the baby Yoda species, we could be noted down that maybe baby Yoda being a mystery makes it all exciting to watch and to discover more about the species in the rest of the Star Wars universe.

The post Baby Yoda: Exciting Theory You Might Never Know appeared first on Orixius.

Interstellar is science fiction. It is not something of a space type of futuristic fantasy. It’s what the term “science fiction” means or represents. It represents a different time in the world where space travel is possible yet  dangerous and uncertain. The Spaceships aren’t firing lasers, zipping from planet to planet only to find a whole new world.

Interstellar: Finding A New World

Main character travels across long distances and use a dangerous and unpredictable method of entering a wormhole, but not making the jump to hyperspace. In this situation it results to some effects happening with time. They call it time dilation. This comes into effect in the presence of a black hole. This type of movie is not like the Star Trek, or Star Wars, or Studio Ghibli‘s Castle in The Sky, and anyone who watches it with that type of expectations will be a bit disappointed. It’s more like Gravity in which it appreciates science rather than ignoring the rules of reality as we understand them.

The Interstellar movie is almost similar to 2001: A Space Odyssey. There’s a good reason for that. Christopher Nolan uses Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece as a template. Hans Zimmer’s score is no less crucial to Interstellar than “Also Sprach Zarathustra” was to 2001. Yet, this is no proof made for Kubrick’s film; in fact, it goes far afield. There’s heroism, a la The Right Stuff. It’s also a warmer, more emotional experience – less stately and abstruse. In fact, found at the core of this big-budget adventure is the most relatable thing imaginable. The feelings of love and trust that bind father and daughter.

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A fusion of Kubrick and Spielberg

Interstellar opens at a modern-day futuristic time in America. Although it doesn’t show the year it was depicted. It’s probably around 2050. The world now has fallen victim to famine because of overpopulation. Blight is killing crops, creating massive dust storms. With nitrogen rising up to the atmosphere, total asphyxiation is the most definite endgame. Earth as a bastion of humanity is doomed. Former NASA engineer and test pilot Cooper owns acres of corn that he farms along with his family: son Tom, daughter Murph, and father-in-law Donald.

They are all Drawn by almost supernatural means to a chain-link fence around a super-secret location. Cooper finds himself face-to-face with the remains of his former employee. Now there comes an underground think-tank dedicated to saving the human race. Led by Professor Brand, NASA has devised some plans to ensure survival to the human existence. Plan A is to create a massive space vehicle to transport as many humans as possible into outer space. Plan B is to involve using frozen embryos to colonize a distant world. Now the thing is there is a problem with Plan A – namely, overcoming gravity to launch the massive space ship – but Brand is convinced he can solve the necessary equations that will make this possible.

Cooper learns that there is a wormhole that has appeared in space near Saturn, probably by the aliens of great minds with entities of great intelligence intent upon giving humanity path of survival.

Hope for Humanity

Just a decade ago, astronauts were sent to space to scout a potential habitable planets for humans to lie. Now another craft needs to make the journey to determine humankind’s final destination. Mindful that his children’s future is at stake, Cooper agrees to pilot the craft. A small crew of four: Brand’s daughter, Amelia, scientists Doyle and Romilly and the sardonic robot TARS, who recalls HAL 9000 accompanied him. Murph is resentful of her father for abandoning her. A wave of anger she nurses into adulthood when she becomes Brand’s second-in-charge working for the same entity that took her father away from her.

Like Contact, Interstellar displays a more complex physics accessible to laymen. The dialogue is somehow dense but it never becomes impenetrable. There are some odd passages, such as one in which Cooper and Amelia discuss the meaning of “love”.

The movie remains Earthbound for its first 45 minutes showing a different type of approach with the way the planet is being depicted on day-to-day struggles for those who survive in this blasted, inhospitable future. Most importantly, however, this part of the film establishes the closeness of the relationship between Cooper and Murph and introduces the mystery of “them” – the mysterious “ghosts” who will have a role to play for the rest of the movie. With this it shows that at the end of the play, Cooper has a role to play to enforce the philosophy that says “the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” He clearly states this to Murph that his word is bond and he will return, knowing he might not keep that promise.

Directing

Once in space, the white knuckle moments begin. Limiting the use of CGI, Nolan relies on practical effects to craft a movie that feels more real. Some actions happen in space which makes it more unpredictable. The movie takes some chances with its endgame, which resolves a lot of plot points but at times seems rushed. Interstellar becomes more complex during the final 20 minutes and even those who pay attention will be left wondering how unpredictable it is.

The movie is nearly an entire three hours but there’s enough story here for something a lot longer. In conclusion, Nolan accomplishes this, ensuring there is a blistering pace during Interstellar’s sections while including the cross-cutting between Earth and space during a powerful “fire and ice” sequence.

Visually, Interstellar looks great. Nolan uses some special effects technology (except, perhaps, old-age makeup) and uses them to their best. Hans Zimmer with the music delivers an operatic score that, although occasionally drowning out the dialogue (more a mixing issue than a scoring one), makes it to an overall experience. Sound is important to Interstellar – when the rocket lifts off around the 45-minute mark, the bass shakes the entire theatre.

Remarkable Cast

I would say, portraying a father figure, McConaughey has had a tremendous year. He won a Golden Globe and an Oscar for the role. Interstellar the Movie does sure looks like an Academy recognition: he’s one of the main actors that make this movie to be good . He’s the human factor in a vast universe. His love for his daughter and his pain when he acknowledges her despair invests this movie with a warmth and feeling that no previous Nolan movie can boast. The supporting cast, which includes Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and Michael Caine, is strong, but McConaughey represents the heart and soul of Interstellar.

The post Interstellar: Is Science Really Divine in science fiction? appeared first on Orixius.

Umbridge, is the most hated one compared to other villain characters including Lord Voldemort. She is the most remember Defense of The Dark Arts teacher in Hogwarts history. From Uncle Vernon to Aunt Petunia. From Dudley to Draco Malfoy, or even Lord Voldemort, where they appear in every book. They are still likable compare to Umbridge.

However, I think every Harry Potter fan agrees that the new antagonist character who took an important role in Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix is the most hated one. Whether you read the books, or just watch the franchise movie saga.

A Control-Freak Teacher

I read Harry Potter for the first time in 2001. I grew up with the Harry Potter stories since my school days. As a genius author, JK Rowling tried to follow her loyal readers as they aged.

For students who are always busy with homework, assignments, and exams, Harry Potter is a world of escape. And at every school, there must be at least one a bossy-control freak teacher. The one who easily to get angry. Scaring the students. Teachers that will traumatize some children. JK Rowling was genius to depict this type of teacher. It’s not like I want to bad-mouthing about women in my writing, but usually, the bossy-control-freak teacher who happened to be a female is scarier than male teacher. They usually very talkative and bossy. And that is Dolores Jane Umbridge.

Bullying

A sane student, a normal human being, will certainly hate bullying. From the first book of Harry Potter, we have shown the character Draco Malfoy who likes to bully Harry Potter and his friends who are not pureblood, or Weasley family who is a traitor and poor.

Umbridge is a bully. In the Prisoner of Azkaban, Prof. Trelawney is a super weird, and extraordinary nerd teacher, who is funny, and good at fortune-telling. Although Trelawney was very well played by Emma Thompson, I think Trelawney’s character in the book is much funnier. She usually makes fans laugh out loud, especially when it’s related to Weasley or her predictions that seem stupid and don’t make sense, but funnily will come true.

When Umbridge arbitrarily bullied and kicked Trelawney out of Hogwarts, fans get crazy. That moment, we hate Umbridge more than ever.

Umbridge & Her Stupid Edicts

Umbridge is a Ministry ass-licker. She forbid any joyful activity in order to rule Hogwarts. She hates students who love to date, or playing and running in the corridors of the school and laughing. As the common enemy, she makes the most loved lesson, Defense of the Dark Arts, like hell.

As Ministry of Magic’s spy, she issued a decree after an edict, making her  suitable to be Mr. Filch’s mother. Or Aunt Marge twin sister. Her satisfaction is to make children miserable. Her satisfaction is to make children suffer.  When she tried to get rid of Dumbledore, her political plays showed how ambitious she was to be in the No.1 in Hogwarts, or even as way to get her a better position in the Ministry.

As Peter Baelish from Game of Thrones said, Chaos is A Ladder. Umbridge made her own ladder, leading to the top of power. But, like Peter Baelish, she too fell as the ladder was too high for her to climb.

Voldemort is Likeable?

Perhaps Voldemort tolerate children more than Umbridge. Voldemort  has followers. Loyal friend. “Bestfriends”. For those who are loyal. Umbridge, however, hates adults as well, not only children. Although her so-called reign was brief, it’s cruel and annoying.

She also appears in Deathly Hallows, because she wears a necklace bought from Mundugus Fletcher which turns out to be a Slytherin pendant and is one of the Horcruxes, and ends up being knocked out by Harry Potter. Where the S on the necklace is short for the name of Selwyn, the surname of her made-up family name.

Responsible for Sending the Dementors to Little Whinging

Harry Potter’s confession at the end of the Triwizard Tournament regarding Lord Voldemort’s return, infuriated many wizards, especially in the Ministry, where Umbridge worked. Before being assigned by the Ministry to spy on Dumbledore, two Dementors attacked Harry and Dudley in Little Whinging. Even though it is not very clear in the novel, JK Rowling seems to suggest that Umbridge is the one responsible for this action, in hopes of expelling Harry Potter before the Ministry of Magic assigned her as a teacher at Hogwarts.

The End of Umbridge

I would rather compare Umbridge’s “end” when she came to power at Hogwarts. Because for fans, of course, when Hermione tricked Umbridge to be entering the forbidden forest, it reveals Umbridge’s true feelings that she doesn’t like children, and would rather loves her cat photos and her pink outfits.

The end of Voldemort and Umbridge would have been guessed by loyal readers and viewers alike, however, the end of Umbridge being dragged away by Centaurus in the Forbidden Forest, and going half-crazy, was far more satisfying than Lord Voldemort’s death.

As explained in the Wizarding World,  after the Second Wizarding War, Dolores Umbridge is sentenced to life and rot in Azkaban prison forever, for her crimes against muggle-born magical society, when in fact, she is half-blooded. Just like Lord Voldemort.

So, do you agree, that Umbridge is the antagonist we hate the most in the entire Harry Potter saga?

Please, let me know in the comment section.

Read also:

How To Get To Studio Ghibli Museum

The post Umbridge… Why do we hate her more than Voldemort? appeared first on Orixius.

Both for loyal readers or those who enjoy Harry Potter through films without reading the books at all, there are some villains or antagonistic characters that may be more hated than other characters. Starting from Uncle Vernon Dursley, Dudley, Aunt Petunia, Draco Malfoy to the main antagonist, Tom Marvolo Riddle or Lord Voldemort, where the characters I just mentioned are always appearing in every novel by the author, the genius JK Rowling, from Philosophers’ Stone to Deathly Hallows. However, I think every one of the Harry Potter fans agrees that the new antagonist character who took an important role in Book 5 or his 5th film in Book 5 or his 5th film named Dolores Jane Umbridge is the most hated by all. fans compared to all the other evil characters when tackled one by one, including Lord Voldemort.

1. Master Killer Hell

I first met Harry Potter in 2001, so I grew up with the Harry Potter stories since my school days, where when the Harry Potter books were published, Harry followed my age as admin Behind the Camera.

For schoolchildren who are always immersed in homework, assignments, and exams, Harry Potter is a world of escape. And for school children, there must be such a thing as a killer teacher. The one who likes to get angry is not clear. Scaring the students. And I really like giving bad grades. Even teachers like this usually traumatize some children. JK Rowling was smart to include a teacher who was more killer than Severus Snape and always sided with Slytherin. And it’s not like I want to corner the girls in my video, but usually, the killer girl teacher is more terrible than the killer male teacher. Because usually the figure of a very talkative mom who is immediately inspired by the killer girl teacher. And that’s Dolores Jane Umbridge.

2. Bullying

Sane schoolchildren, sane human beings certainly hate bullying. From the first Harry Potter novels, we have shown the character Draco who likes to bully Harry Potter and his friends who are not pureblood, or Weasley who is a traitor.

For fans, Prof. Trelawney is super weird, and super-duper nerd, is funny, and good at fortune-telling. And although the character Trelawney was very well played by Emma Thomson, I think Trelawney’s character in the book is much funnier. And it usually makes fans laugh out loud, especially when it’s related to Weasley or his predictions that seem stupid and don’t make sense.

When Umbridge arbitrarily bullied and kicked Trelawney out, there were times that we as Harry Potter fans hated this crazy girl to the heart of it.

3. Umbridge & Her Stupid Edict

Umbridge is a Ministry ass lick. His ambition was to rule Hogwarts, forbidding any joyful activity. Dating, running in the corridors of the school, laughing, a little bit bad to even the most enjoyable lesson, namely the Eradication of the Dark Arts.

Decree after the edict was issued by Umbridge, making her possibly suitable to be Mr. Filch. Or Aunt Marge Dursley’s twin sister. His satisfaction is to make children miserable. His satisfaction is to make children suffer. Even when he tried to get rid of Dumbledore, his political play showed how ambitious he was to be in the No.1 seat of Hogwarts, or even the Ministry.

As Peter Baelish from Game of Thrones said, Chaos is A Ladder. Chaos is a ladder. And Umbridge made her own ladder, leading to the top of power. But, like Peter Baelish, he too fell downstairs that were too high for him to climb.

4. Voldemort is Preferred

Perhaps Voldemort tolerated children better than Umbridge. Voldemort even has followers. Loyal followers. Friend. For those who are loyal. Even so, it’s feared. But Umbridge, like, hates adults, not only children.

Voldemort is like Dutch colonialism. Long, durable, just coming out. Whereas Umbridge, like during the Japanese colonial period, was brief, cruel but annoying.

Although Umbridge also appears in Deathly Hallows, because she accidentally wears a necklace bought from Mundugus Fletcher which turns out to be a Slytherin pendant and is one of the Horcruxes, and ends up being knocked out by Harry Potter.

Where the S on the necklace was composed by Umbridge is short for the name Selwyn, the pure surname of her witch.

5. Responsible in Sending the Dementors to Little Whinging

Harry Potter’s confession at the end of the Triwizard Tournament regarding Lord Voldemort’s return, infuriated many wizards, especially in the Ministry, where Umbridge worked. Before being assigned by the Ministry to be a spy at Hogwarts, Umbridge was in charge of sending the Dementors to Little Whinging, where the two Dementors attacked Harry Potter and Dudley. Even though in his novel, this is not done implicitly, JK Rowling seems to suggest that Umbridge is the one responsible for this action, in hopes of expelling Harry Potter before he is assigned to the ministry as a teacher at Hogwarts.

Humans like Umbridge certainly exist in the real world, where she will try to get rid of her obstacles to power.

 

5. The End of Umbridge

I would rather compare Umbridge’s end when she came to power at Hogwarts. Because for fans, of course, they are very aware when Hermione tricked Umbridge into entering the forbidden forest, and this reveals Umbridge’s true feelings that she doesn’t like children, and loves cat photos and her pink outfit more.

The end of Voldemort and Umbridge would have been guessed by loyal readers and viewers alike, however, the end of Umbridge being dragged away by the centaurs in the forbidden forest, and going half-crazy, was far more satisfying than Lord Voldemort’s destruction.

For fans who don’t know the true end of Umbridge, after the Second Wizarding War, Dolores Umbridge is sentenced to life and rot in Azkaban prison forever, for her crimes against muggle-born witches, when in fact, she is half-blooded. Just like Lord Voldemort.

So, do you agree, that Umbridge is the antagonist we hate the most in the entire Harry Potter saga? Please, let me know in the comment section.

The post Why do we hate Umbridge more than Voldemort? appeared first on Orixius.

Avatar Aang popularly known as The Last Airbender is an animated television series that was created initially by Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko, with Aaron Ehasz as the head of writing. The popular animated series was meant initially for kids. Therefore, from February 2005 to July 2008 it was aired on Nickelodeon for three seasons.

The best thing about this series is that it was made in America, now due to that the humor they have throughout the series can be fully translated to an English based audience, this with the fact makes it easier for most of the English speaking nations to have an easy time understanding the words they speak without any trouble.

The Setting

Avatar: The Legend of Aang is set in an Asiatic type of world in which most of the cultural beliefs and religion are shown throughout the series. In the series called Avatar, they show out different people who can manipulate the four elements of the world i.e. (Earth, Water, Air, and Fire with some telekinetic variants using some Chinese martial arts that is known as bending.

The basic premise on how they view everything is that human civilization is divided into four nations: the Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, the Air Nomads, and the Fire Nation. Each of these groups has a society based on their natural element, water, earth, air, or fire. Within each society, there are special individuals known as ‘benders’. The benders can manipulate pretty much anything containing their element.

The Avatar acts as an arbiter whose duty is to maintain harmony among the four nations, and act as a mediator between humans and spirits. When the Avatar dies, their spirit is reincarnated into a new body, that will be born to parents in the next nation in a set order known as the Avatar cycle.

By tradition, a new Avatar will travel the world to learn all four bending arts, after which they will begin in earnest their role as a global peacekeeper. The Avatar can enter a condition known as “the Avatar State”, in which they temporarily gain the skills and knowledge of all their past incarnations. Although this is when the Avatar is most powerful if the Avatar were ever to be killed while in the Avatar State, the reincarnation cycle would end, and the Avatar would never again be reborn.

Avatar Aang: The Synopsis

Over time, It all starts when the fire nation starts to become quite powerful – and when a comet comes close to Earth, the Fire Lord Sozin (then the Ruler of the fire nation) harnesses extra power from it and begins the wars to ‘benefit’ the other nations with the advancements of the fire nation and his tactics.

Of course, the other nations, who are being decimated and put into pressure don’t quite see it from the fire nation’s point of view (how strange). They fight for their lives and their own cultural identities, whilst hoping against hope that the Avatar will return.

The Avatar is the only one in whom all four bending powers can be mastered. There is only an Avatar, and he or she is actually an extension of the same ‘spirit’ that is reincarnated each time the Avatar dies. The Avatar appears sequentially through the different elements; the last Avatar was Roku of the Fire Nation. After he died, Aang was born into the Air nomad tribe. But when 12-year-old Aang learned that he was the new Avatar, he feared the responsibilities and the thought of being separated from his mentor, Monk Gyatso, before he was ready. Aang fled on his flying bison, Appa. But he was caught in a storm and crashed into the ocean. His protective Avatar state put him into a state of suspended animation within an iceberg.

Avatar Aang in the First Season: Water

One hundred years after Aang was frozen in the iceberg, Katara and Sokka (sister and brother from the Water tribe) accidentally awaken him. Aang now realizes he must fulfill his destiny and restore balance to the world by defeating the fire nation. Being already a master of the air, he sets out to master the other three elements with the help of Katara (who is an untrained water bender) and Sokka – who is brave, full of complaints, increasingly amusing, but not a bender of any kind (he does have a handy boomerang though).

So the quest begins… for most of their trip to the North Pole to begin training in water bending under a northern master, the group is pursued by Prince Zuko (banished son of the current Fire Lord Ozai) with his uncle General Iroh. Prince Zuko believes that capturing the Avatar is the only way he can restore his honor and be accepted back by his father.

Aang is also pursued by Zhao, a Fire Nation admiral aspiring to win Ozai’s favor. When his navy attacks the Northern Water Tribe, Zhao kills the moon spirit; Yue, the princess of the tribe, sacrifices her life to revive it, and Aang drives off the enemy fleet.

Second season: Earth.

In the second season, Aang learns earth bending from Toph, a blind twelve-year-old boy with earth bending skills. Zuko and Iroh, fugitives of the Fire Lord, become refugees in the Earth Kingdom, eventually settling in its capital Ba Sing Se. Both groups are pursued by Azula, Zuko’s sister. Aang’s group travels to Ba Sing Se to seek the Earth King’s support for an attack on the Fire Nation timed to some solar eclipse, during which fire-benders will be powerless. Azula decides to grab the opportunity thus bringing the capital under Fire Nation control and Zuko sides with his sister. Aang is mortally wounded by Azula, but he is revived by Katara. Speaking of Azula, Azula is the one that makes the story started really good! Like Umbridge in Order of The Phoenix, she strives!

Third season: Fire.

In the third season, Aang and his allies invade the Fire Nation capital during the solar eclipse but are forced to retreat. Zuko abandons the Fire Nation to join Aang and teach him fire bending. Aang, raised by monks to respect all life, wrestles with the possibility that he will have to kill Ozai to end the war. When Sozin’s comet returns, Aang confronts Ozai and uses his Avatar powers to strip Ozai of his fire bending ability; meanwhile, Aang’s friends liberate Ba Sing Se, destroying the Fire Nation airship fleet, and capture Azula. Zuko crowned as the new Fire Lord and ends the war.

Conclusion

In Conclusion, Avatar: The Legend of Aang has seen its share of critics and praises all around the table. It has received its share of praise for its soundtrack, cultural reference, humor, characters, and themes. My personal favorite is General Iroh of the fire nation: he is wise, patient, very humorous, and loves tea – he is also a powerful fire bender and so much more than what he appears on the surface…

The series explored many concepts rarely touched on in entertainment these include issues relating to war, genocide, imperialism, colonialism, gender discrimination, and female empowerment.

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Margaret Atwood published The Handmaid’s Tale, in 1985. Hulu adapted it into a remarkable TV series. It’s a dystopian story that might happened to our world, if we don’t prevent it. Starting from the exploitation of women who belongs only in kitchens and beds, to an authoritarian system of government based on a cruel authoritarian using a religion. It’s as depressed as Studio Ghibli‘s Grave of The Fireflies, I think.

In The Handmaid’s Tale, a country forcibly replaced its system from democracy to an authoritarian regime ruled only by men. The new country, called Gilead, changed its whole political system into a caste society, which legalized punishment, like the Jewish camps in World War II or even ISIS.

The Handmaid’s Tale: Woman Exploitation & Low Fertility

This happened as a result of the environmental effects that caused the whole world to experience a child crisis. Similar to Children of Men, by Alfonso Cuaron, female fertility drops significantly. Women, are like property in The Handmaid’s Tale. More like slaves. What I love the most is the idea of possibilty it might happened to us, if we don’t prevent it.

The castes are The Commander, the male rulers who run the world. There are also Wife – The Commander’s wife, Martha — the maidservant, The Eye – the male military guards. Because the world’s fertility has fallen so rapidly, there are very few women who can get pregnant. They called The Handmaids. In Gilead, they arrested them, trained them, by another caste of women called Aunt. More like a pimp. The Aunt will assign the handmaids after they graduated from the bootcamp. They are now belongs to  be placed in the houses of the Commanders and The Wives. The Commanders will fuck them in front of their The Wives, which they call as the “Ceremony”. To make them pregnant.

Resistance & #MeToo Movement in The Handmaid’s Tale

After living in Gilead for a while, the main character June Osbourne AKA Offred began to have a spirit of resistance. With Moira, she tried to escape to Boston, hoping to get out of Gilead. However, June failed and get caught.

The handmaids forcing to blame their fellow due to unforgivable mistakes.

However, June had won Watherford’s heart. He asked her out to Jezebel. In this place, June met Moira. Moira turns out to be a prostitute in Jezebel. There are two other places besides The Handmaids live. Jezebel, a prostitution site, and The Colony, the chemical mine from which dissidents die.

Kidnapping Children from Their Mothers

What is more interesting, is when the government also kidnapped the children as they are belongs only to The Commanders & The Wives.

Janine or Ofwarren, who gave birth to a baby named Angela who was previously saved by Offred because he was almost suicidal by his own mother. It’s not allowed for women to hold a pen and a paper. Hence, the Commander’s wife was a novelist.

June finally learns that there is an underground revolt going on quietly in Gilead. She finally got the task to get a package from Jezebel. June seduces Commander Watherford to go back to Jezebel, asking Moira to take it, but Moira refuses.

At the end of the first season, after finding herself pregnant, Serena takes June to a house where her daughter Hannah now lives. Serena threatens her to take care of “her baby” if she wants Hannah to survive.

June went back to Commander Weatherford and Serena’s house, where she found the package she wanted which Moira managed to send somehow to Commander Watherford’s house. It turned out that the contents were the contents of the heads of The Handmaids, in the form of notes from mothers on papers about their previous life, their present life and their hopes for the destruction of Gilead.

Read more about my reviews on Story That Captivates Us.

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After Mulan and Ghibli, I decided to review Narnia, The Magician’s Nephew. It’s the beginning story of The Chronicles of Narnia. Unlike the Harry Potter saga, they published Narnia in random order.

Diggory’s Adventure in Narnia

In the first franchise of the Narnia franchise, The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe tells a story of Pevensie siblings who have to leave London due to the Nazi invasion. They went to a rural area to the home of an old professor, named Prof. Diggory Kirke. Little Diggory Kirke is the main character in the first Narnia story. It was the summer of 1900. In the colonial era, Diggory’s father may be apart of the colonial army as a Christian missionary assigned to India.

Diggory’s mother was very sick. As an only child, he lived with his sick mother and uncle. Meanwhile, his uncle, Andrew, was a loner so-called himself a scientist. Diggory was lonely. Not until he meets Polly Plummer and suddenly become friends. They decided to take a tour of an old house, which turns out to be two or more houses connecting to each other. They accidentally “annoyed” Diggory’s uncle. This is where the story begins.

Narnia: A Multiverse Concept

What I really love about The Magician’s Nephew is the multiverse concept. In the book, Uncle Andrew trapped Polly to be his guinea-pig to go to another world before confessed he was studying magic. He finally managed to convince Diggory to take another ring, put it on and go to bring Polly back to earth. Later, he finds himself in a mystical forest. Not far from him, Polly was there too. The forest is full of small ponds. Diggory firmly believed that the forest with the ponds was not just a regular forest. But it similar to their houses in England which connected to each other.

Before returning back home, Diggory and Polly agreed to explore one of the pools. So, they go.

This is probably a wonderful imagination created by CS Lewis and remains as one of the best classics. Compare to Alice in Wonderland that provides a sole world, CS Lewis gives us multiple worlds. A multiverse. The Worlds Behind the Worlds.

When Diggory & Polly jumped and entered a pole, they suddenly transported into a world called Charn. Its sun was very dim. Almost becoming a supernova. The world filled with ruins. No trees. No life. As if the war had ended and everyone left the planet.

Jadis & the Planet of Charn

In my opinion, this novel is a bit of horror for a children’s novel. Maybe there is an ambiance like you’re watching Insidious. When there are corpses sat on chairs and covered with white nets. It’s kinda creepy. Diggory and Polly also saw something similar seeing statues sitting in rows on benches in the ruins of a palace. They were all Kings and Queens of Charn from generation to generation with various expressions. It was a tomb.

Not far away from the tomb, there was a bell and a hammer. Poetry was written on the stone.

Make your choice adventurous stranger,
strike the bell and bide the danger,
or wonder, till it drives you mad,
what would have followed if you had.

Thus, this poetry is like tempting the reader to ring the bell with a hammer. I really think a spell was put in it which can affect the reader.

Here, at last, Diggory is tempted to ring the bell with a hammer, even though Polly keeps saying no. At first, nothing happened, maybe a little vibration and echo. So finally, one of the statues from the line of many statues of the king and queen of Charn’s ruler rose. And she is Queen Jadis.

Jadis is the Witch Queen who causes destruction and apocalypse in the world of Charn. She was the last ruler to fight against his own sisters, and in the end, she won. However, she was the sole survivor.

She then conjured herself to sleep as long as possible in order to stay alive. The spell would break if someone rang the bell. And that person is Diggory. Prof. Diggory Kirke that we know at The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe.

Going Back to Earth

These two children know Jadis seems like a bad creature, and they attempted to escape. As long as I remember reading the novel, Charn finally collapsed completely. Jadis went along with these two out of Charn’s World, and the three of them enter London, to our Earth.

However, Jadis’s magic didn’t work in our world. But, she was extremely strong. No one can stop her. She also despised Uncle Andrew for being an amateur wizard. The two then left home with an ego of defeating the world.

They also robbed a jewelry store in London. The police chased them, but no avail. Maybe, the police also shot them, but, because she was so strong, the bullets couldn’t get through her body. Previously, she broke a lamppost near Kirke’s house and used it to beat people.

Finally, Diggory and Polly used Uncle Andrew’s ring one more time to bring Jadis out of the Earth. Uncle Andrew, a taxi driver named Frank, and his wife Helen, and a horse teleported to the mystical forest.

This horse drank the water in the pond and got into and got stuck in it. Diggory thinks it’s Charn, but Jadis says, it’s not Charn, but a world that hasn’t been created yet.

It was at this time that they witnessed Aslan creating Narnia, with his chants. Aslan fascinated them when creating that world as Aslan is like a God. The author made Jesus Christ and the Bible as inspiration anyway.

The Creation of Narnia

They all entered Narnia World for the first time. Diggory and Polly are mesmerized by Aslan’s singing, on the other hand, Jadis is burning with a sense of hatred. She tried to kill Aslan and hit him with a post-cut lamp stick from London earlier but to no avail.

This broken pole lamp stick was the origin of the pole lamp in Narnia and is the only one in that world. The lamp is always there. Alive. Never dies, like a plant.

The Tree of Life, A Resemblance of Biblical Story

Like the stories in the Bible or the Quran, about the apple of the tree of life which was the sole reason God expelled Adam & Eve and sent them down to Earth, CS Lewis took this idea to form The Magician’s Nephew. Aslan asked Diggory to go to a garden. Diggory’s job was to take apples from this tree of life, but not to eat them. But to plant it in Narnia.

Diggory and Polly set off on the flying horse Aslan created, and head to this park. Arriving at the park, Diggory takes the apple, but there is Jadis who had previously run away from Aslan. Jadis took the apple with the hope of eternal life.

Because Jadis is also mirroring the devil who seduced Adam and Eve in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. But it closer to Christianity. Aslan was the son of the King across the Ocean. Just like in Christianity where Jesus was the Son of God.  Jadis tempts Diggory to eat the apple, or bring the apple to earth to heal his mother. But Diggory remembered his mother’s message that stealing was bad, and Diggory didn’t do it. Diggory passes this test, takes an apple, and, with Polly, leave Jadis alone.

Going back to Earth

The apple was eventually planted in Narnia and grew up. Aslan gave a fruit from the new tree to Diggory before they returned to Earth. He gave the apple to Diggory’s mother, and the mother was cured. Frank & Helen decided to live in Narnia and Aslan coronated them as the first King & Queen and rule the entire population of Narnia and protect it from the crimes of Jadis. All animals could also speak like humans.

Uncle Andrew left magic but still proud of his experiences with the white witch. The seed from the apple tree was planted by Diggory in his yard, and grew big, but did not bear fruit. One day the tree fell, and old Diggory made a cupboard out of the apple tree. So, this was the origin of the wardrobe that Lucy Pevensie used to enter the world of Narnia many years later. Opening up new adventures for the new kids after Diggory, to Narnia.

An alternate world full of imaginations.

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No one can ever confirm whether Mulan is a real human being or just a fictional character. However, the first original manuscript from the 12th Century by Guo Maoqian about her story still exists.

For the Chinese people, in their home country, mainland China, as well as for their descendants who are scattered all over the world, Hua Mulan is highly praised and used as a benchmark and idol for someone in maintaining family dignity. Especially for women, who are usually always in the view of second class citizens, in all social settings. Among all Disney Princesses, Mulan could lead the #MeToo movement.

Against the Emperor’s rules, she disguised as a man to sneak into a military camp to represent his aging father. Hua Mulan fights in the vanguard of the Chinese army on the battlefield to drive out Northern invaders.

Do you still remember Princess Eowyn in The Lord of the Rings, who also disguised and managed to kill King Angmar? Long before her, Hua Mulan was already written in 6th-century poetry in the Tang Dynasty, by a poet named Guo Maoqian. Quite similar to Studio Ghibli‘s The Legend of Princess Kaguya to the Japanese, Mulan is one of the oldest folklore in ancient China.

Is She Real or Fictional?

As one of the oldest stories in the Asian Continent regarding female heroism, there is no evidence there once lived a woman named Hua Mulan in the 4th to 6th century. The original story changed over time as new writers added more and more elements. That’s including a talking dragon in the animated film version of Mulan released by Disney in 1998. The original poem does not say whether the father was old or lame. It also not mentioned the household having no son who could represent to go to war. However, her story still inspired many to this day. Not just by the Chinese, but, to all.

Mulan Refers to Mongolia than Northern Wei

The Ballad of Mulan never mentioned the emperor by his Chinese designation, Huangdi. Instead of being called the word “Huangdi”, the emperor was referred to as “Khan”. In essence, Khan is referring to the Mongol leader. Where Mulan’s location is in the Northern Wei Dynasty, historians assume that Mulan may indeed be part of the story in the Mongolian region. However, from the 7th to 10th centuries, Mulan’s story shifted as if Mulan came from the Han tribe, not the Wei tribe, which was closer to Mongolia. Even though, all the Asian Nations, especially East Asia, used to also come from China, if we can trace back to ancient migration.

Mulan Sacrificed Herself for the Sake of Family Honor

Until modern times, most of the nations of the world, adhere to a patrilineal system. Not only for the Chinese, but also the British, and many other nations. Most of us adhere to the patrilineal system, a belief that supports the condition that only boys can continue the existence of a family. The family name will continue until the son dies, and if the son has a son, the grandson will carry the surname. However, this does not apply to girls. If a family only has daughters, the family name will end in that generation. This is a value that has been held by the Chinese people since time immemorial.

Mulan’s father’s dialogue, which says, “I’m blessed with two daughters”, illustrates that Mulan’s father was against the patrilineal system, which was seen as discrediting women and do not accept women to become fighters on the battlefield. Although in the end, he was the one who volunteered to represent his family in the great battle against the invaders to contribute to the Emperor, his dialogue portrays Mulan’s father’s thinking that girls are as valuable as boys.

Mulan also thought the same. When her family fell asleep, Mulan acted by secretly running away from her home, stealing her father’s armor and sword, disguised as a man. Hua Mulan showed herself that women can also be equal to men. It could even be stronger. Can even be a leader.

Mulan spent 12 Years in the Military

Neither in the Disney animated film nor in the live-action adaptation, we can’t catch the idea of how many years Mulan spent in the military. However, in the original poem, Mulan spent 12 years before trusted to lead the troops. For 12 years, she hid her identity as a woman, without getting caught. This is also one of the reasons why Mulan is most likely a fictional story because to hide her gender identity for 12 years is of course very difficult.

Mulan’s ever-changing story

Mulan’s real ethnicity is also questioned, whether she came from Northern Wei, or Han. Her story changed over time. The traditions, the political background, the issues of gender equality. However, the essence of Mulan’s story from the 6th century remained the same. A woman who is willing to risk her life to defend dignity and bring honor to her family. She wanted to prove that women are as strong as men. Mulan’s values ​​that are still upheld until today, regarding loyalty, courage, honesty, and family.

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If you are looking for a fun children film with a happy ending, this film by Studio Ghibli is not for you to be enjoyed. But if you are looking for a true masterpiece that was beautifully hand-painted with a perfect story, The Tale of Princess Kaguya is a story that you won’t miss. The Tale of Princess Kaguya is one of my favorite stories — and films, of all time. Adapted from a Japanese tale from the 10th century, The Tale of Princess Kaguya, The Tale of Princess Bamboo Kaguya, is the oldest work of fiction in Japanese culture, centered on sincerity, love, family, throne, and divine principles.

Japan’s oldest work of fiction

The Tale of Princess Kaguya considered as Japan’s oldest prose narrative – tells the story of a girl named Kaguya, who is found by a bamboo-cutting grandfather in the middle of a forest and raised as his daughter.

One day, the bamboo cutter was harvesting bamboo in the forest as usual, when he found a bamboo that was shining brightly.

“Wait, bamboo shouldn’t shine”, thought the grandfather.

Out of curiosity, he cut the bamboo and found a teeny-tiny baby that could be held in the palm of his hand. He took the tiny baby home, and together with his wife, both of whom had no children, decided to raise her and named her ‘Princess’.

Since then, weirdness after oddity has continued to happen. Whenever harvesting bamboo the grandfather will find small nuggets of gold or a pile of expensive silk cloth from inside some shining bamboo. The little girl grew up very fast. The grandmother even suddenly could breastfeed. They concluded that the child was sent by Buddha for them. The child was destined to be with them, and they raised him with love, like their own biological child. Nuggets of gold after the gold that were collected, and in just 3 months, made the husband and wife quite rich to uplift their socio-economic status.

Coming of Age

As she grew older, Kaguya felt that part of her felt always sad and alone, especially when she looked at the moon. Strangely. Like she shouldn’t be on earth. Like she had the desire to go elsewhere. To go to another world. However, she really likes living on earth, living in a village, living modesty with his mother and father, living a simple life even though seeing butterflies, birds, and flowers. She also felt the seeds of love growing in her heart and soul to her playmate, Sutemaru.

Kaguya’s parents, especially the father, felt that they should no longer be in the village and become villagers anymore, and with the gold that was accumulated by ‘his father’, they decided to move to the city and bought a palace. We can see that money can change a person. Wealth can turn life upside down. This story tries to teach us that. That treasure is also a trial of the world.

Apart from money, Kaguya’s beauty can never be covered up. From a village girl, Kaguya was forced to become a princess. A daughter whom men all over the country talk about. Kaguya grew into a gorgeous woman. Her beauty is difficult to hide. She became famous throughout the country.

A Devoted Daugther

Kaguya was forced by her father to learn to be a real princess. The way she walks is no longer as comfortable as before. The way to smile is now not as sincere as before. How to see life, not as wide as it used to be. And from this moment, we see conflict in Kaguya’s heart who originally wanted freedom. Isao Takahata and Studio Ghibli describe with great detail in the depiction of the characters and stories. Even when trying to animate Kaguya running down the palace hallways, Studio Ghibli included 6 frames of animation in the same exact scene. This makes Isao Takahata’s final work a masterpiece he left behind. As if Isao Takahata predicted his own death.

Even when Isao Takahata tried to describe how Kaguya felt when she was mocked at the changing-party name to Princess Bamboo, we saw the animation of Kaguya breaking a small plate with her hand, deep facial expression, a cry, then ran through the door, threw away all the layers of expensive colored cloth that clung to his body, and left a black and white silhouette, and ran, and continued to run towards the village where they lived. And when he finally arrived at the village under a Sakura tree, Studio Ghibli’s color returned. This scene is so abstract as if it depicts Kaguya’s true identity, a simple girl, who doesn’t need material things to live happily.

Meaning of Sincerity

The story continues when Kaguya finally gives up on the situation. She finally followed what her father wanted. To get married, without pursuing love, without experiencing true happiness. It is said that 5 princes from all over the country had come to ask for her hand. Even just one of the five was enough for the father whose eyes had been covered by the blindness of property, throne, and the world. Unlike the daughter.

However, Kaguya wanted to determine who was the most sincere among the five. He also made the conditions for the five of them to give him an object that was hard to find that was previously compared Kaguya to them, from a Chinese fire-rat robe to a Buddhist cup. But none of the five can fulfill it. Lie after lie being shown in order to get Kaguya’s beauty. Even one of them died while carrying out his mission. Still, in a state of regret and depression when his last candidate died, the Emperor heard the beauty of Kaguya.

The Emperor, who was also blinded by Kaguya, proposed her. Kaguya, again rejecting him, and The Emperor came just to sneaked her out, then tried to sexually harass her. The Emperor realized his mistake.

At the lowest point in her life, Kaguya silently looked at the moon, prayed, complaining that her life was no longer beautiful. Buddha heard her prayer and returned her memory. Kaguya finally found out that she was not from earth. That she is a resident of the moon who made a mistake because she wanted to become a resident of the earth, and was punished by being expelled from the moon,  sent down to the earth. The moon will return to take her. Kaguya told her parents. Her parents finally realized that gold and wealth now doesn’t matter anymore.

The Concept of Science Fiction

As illustrating an early science fiction concept, this may be an early Japanese work on the existence of other life beyond Earth, when the Moon civilized alien sent its inhabitants to live on Earth. Parallel, we can see that there are two different worlds with different civilizations. The backward earth creatures, and the moon creatures with ‘advanced’ technology, hence,  could not feel the happiness that the earthlings could enjoy.

The God of the moon finally came down to earth, along with the inhabitants of the moon, which even the help of the emperor’s army could not stop him. Kaguya returned to the moon without a single glimmer of memory about her mortal life on earth. Her sadness disappeared. Forgotten. Kaguya became the moon princess. From this film, we learn that one day, we will return to God. That one day, we will leave the mortal world, and return to the side of God, the sole owner of everything.

The Legend of Mount Fuji

It is not depicted in Studio Ghibli’s masterpiece, but, in the original story, Kaguya gave an elixir of life that could bestow long life, with a letter of apology to the emperor. However, the Emperor, who had deeply fallen in love with Kaguya, headed for the highest peak in Japan — Mount Fuji, burned the two gifts, hoping that it would be conveyed to Kaguya to the moon. The letters burned in the fire, but myths and legends became a belief when the burning liquid of life turned into magma, and turned Mount Fuji into a volcano, sending smoke to the moon for good. The form of Kaguya’s love from the Emperor who refuses to live forever, without his true love.

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