Friday, September 24, 2021

Special cut of Violet Evergarden TV series to show on NTV

This post was updated on October 31, 2021 after watching the special cut on TV.
 
There was an announcement today on Twitter that a special cut of Violet Evergarden TV series will be shown on NTV during its Friday "Kin-yo Roadshow" slot (which usually shows movies) on October 29, 2021. Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll will air on the following week on November 5, 2021. The editing for the special cut will be carried out under the supervision of Director Ishidate. I am really looking forward to this special cut to see how they fit the TV series into a 2-hour time slot. This special edition will mainly comprise episodes 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, and 10 from the TV series.

This announcement was picked up by Livedoor, and Livedoor's tweet has since received more than 200K likes and 100K retweets!

Wow! People love this series more than I thought.

There is also an official announcement on the Violet Evergarden website, with a comment from Director Ishidate.
 

There is still some time before the show airs on TV, and with the Blu-ray for Violet Evergarden The Movie  (劇場版 ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデン) being released on October 13, 2021, I am going to try and find time to rewatch the TV series plus Gaiden movie, watch Violet Evergarden The Movie on Blu-ray, then catch the special cut followed by Gaiden on TV, then rewatch the Violet Evergarden The Movie Blu-ray again. This should keep my free time filled for a while.
 
Plus my tear glands hard at work. 😅

Update October 29, 2021: In an interview with a producer at Nippon TV, the Friday "Kin-yo Roadshow" slot is usually for major blockbusters, and the animation films that get featured are usually Disney, Pixar, Ghibli, and Lupin III or Conan films. But the success of A Silent Voice led them to think about expanding to similar anime films, and from other KyoAni works, they decided to air Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll. However, that also means they needed to give some background to the movie, since it is related to the TV series, and that is why they asked KyoAni to come up with a special edition that covers Violet's journey toward becoming an Automemories Doll, then the popular episodes 7 (Oscar) and 10 (Ann), with episode 9 for the war background story.

Update on October 31, 2021:
I managed to watch the special edition of the TV series when it aired on October 29, 2021. Although it was originally said to contain scenes from episodes 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, and 10, the show itself ran only within a 2-hour time slot. Given that each episode takes about 30 minutes on TV (because of time for TV commercials), a 2-hour slot is equivalent to the time for four episodes. The special edition itself thus could not really contain six episodes. Instead, it was quite a compression of the TV series. It had most of Episode 1, showing how Violet eventually came to work at CH Postal Company, although certain minor scenes were cut (like Violet changing in front of Benedict, or Hodgins talking to himself in the tram). Episode 2 was mostly missing, except for the part about sending Violet to the school for Automemories Dolls. From Episode 3, there was the main story about Violet doing well in the academic part of school and eventually earning her badge after writing a letter for Luculia. Oscar's story from Episode 7 was more or less covered in full too, except for the scenes where Violet hid his alcohol. It also showed the part when Violet was told that Gilbert has died, so that led to the scenes from Episodes 8 and 9 which showed the flashback from the war, concluding with Violet getting a letter from Erika and Iris and eventually learning to live with war guilt after Hodgins told her that, while she cannot erase what she had done, what she had done as an Automemories Doll will not disappear too. There was also the part when she helped Roland to deliver letters, and Roland told her that every letter deserves to be delivered. (This is important as she said that same line to Ann later in Episode 10.) The special edition concluded with Episode 10, which was shown more or less in its entirety. Even up to the credit roll, and the post credit scene where Violet cried after returning to CH Postal Company.

My overall thoughts on Violet Evergarden The Movie.

Events:
 
Translations of short stories:
Gilbert Bougainvillea and the Fleeting Dream (unofficial translation of "ギルベルト・ブーゲンビリアと儚い夢")
The Starry Night and the Lonely Two (unofficial translation of 星降りの夜とさみしいふたり)
Diethard Bougainvillea's If (unofficial translation of ディートフリート・ブーゲンビリアIf) 
The Tailor and the Auto-Memories Doll (unofficial translation of 仕立て屋と自動手記人形)
 
Tellsis (Nunkish) translation:
Last line of Violet's final letter to Gilbert
 
Insights on the movie:
 
Audio commentary notes:

 
All posts related to Violet Evergarden.

Posted by Teck at 9/24/2021 11:45:00 PM 0 comments

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Tuesday, September 21, 2021

Mid-autumn Festival 2021

(Photo taken with a Pixel 5A)
 
水調歌頭 (明月幾時有) by 蘇軾 (Su Shi) is really that ONE poem for the Mid-Autumn Festival.
 
水調歌頭 (明月幾時有)

明月幾時有，把酒問青天，不知天上宮闕，今夕是何年。
我欲乘風歸去，唯恐瓊樓玉宇，高處不勝寒；起舞弄清影，何似在人間。

轉朱閣，低綺戶，照無眠；不應有恨，何事長向別時圓。
人有悲歡離合，月有陰晴圓缺，此事古難全；但願人長久，千里共嬋娟。





Posted by Teck at 9/21/2021 09:15:00 PM 0 comments

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Saturday, September 18, 2021

Violet Evergarden The Movie, one year in the cinemas

As of today, it has been a year since Violet Evergarden The Movie (劇場版 ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデン) came out in the cinemas, which I managed to catch on the opening day. The amazing thing is, according to this cinema schedule here, it is still showing here in Japan. Although only at a single cinema in Kyoto. But, a full year and still showing. Wow! (Update 19 October 2021: The movie is still showing at that single cinema in Kyoto.)
 
Over this past year, I watched it 14 times. I just hope it will return to Yokohama again, so that I have another chance to watch it on the big screen. All the better if it is a Dolby Cinema.
 
My overall thoughts on Violet Evergarden The Movie.

Events:
 
Translations of short stories:
Gilbert Bougainvillea and the Fleeting Dream (unofficial translation of "ギルベルト・ブーゲンビリアと儚い夢")
The Starry Night and the Lonely Two (unofficial translation of 星降りの夜とさみしいふたり)
Diethard Bougainvillea's If (unofficial translation of ディートフリート・ブーゲンビリアIf) 
The Tailor and the Auto-Memories Doll (unofficial translation of 仕立て屋と自動手記人形)
 
Insights on the movie:
 
Audio commentary notes:

 
All posts related to Violet Evergarden.

Posted by Teck at 9/18/2021 09:18:00 PM 2 comments

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Thoughts on the U.S. admitting it targeted wrong vehicle and killing 10 civilians

On August 29, 2021, the United States carried out a drone attack in Afghanistan which killed 10 persons, of which 7 were children. The U.S. had said it was a righteous act as they believed the target they hit was planning an attack on U.S. forces still in Kabul at that time.

Today, in a reversal, the Pentagon said that they made a mistake. Basically, none of the 10 killed had anything to do with terrorists.


This is the transcript.

As ex-military, I can understand the pressure those involved in this operation must have felt. If the target was a terrorist and they did not act, the result could be another explosion which may kill more people. The memory of the August 26 attack must have still be fresh in their minds. At the same time, it is this pressure to act that could also cloud decisions. We are trained to fight under pressure, to make decisions under pressure. But we are also taught to keep a clear mind under pressure, to exercise critical thinking at all times.
 
Which is why I am curious as to the actual evidence that the U.S. military had to come up with its final decision to order a drone attack. If the only evidence was an underlying high threat situation, someone driving a vehicle ferrying people around, and bags being passed between people... every taxi or bus driver in a high threat area becomes a potential terrorist.

No, there must be something else that had to act as strong evidence that they had the right target, that it was an imminent threat. Otherwise, claiming self-defence to strike would not stand in any court. And those who were involved in the attack should face consequences. Like manslaughter. Failure to exercise due diligence resulting in 10 civilian deaths... that is negligence resulting in manslaughter.

Those involved in this drone attack... I hope they understand the gravity of their actions. War is not a game. A drone attack on foreign soil is an act of war. Claiming self-defence does not mean one is free to do anything. I cannot go onto the street and shoot someone, claiming I did it in self-defence. I will need to prove to the court that my act of self-defence was justified based on evidence. Failure to provide credible evidence means I am the one guilty of a crime.

In this case, if the U.S. cannot provide credible evidence that the drone attack was an act of self-defence, then the U.S. is guilty of a crime against humanity: killing innocent people. The international community needs to stand up to demand such evidence. We cannot let the U.S. do what it wants just because it carries the biggest stick; that runs counter to the entire rule-based international system that we have been advocating for. We are the ones saying China is undermining the rule-based system, yet it is the U.S. that has time and again failed to live up to those standards. The invasion of Iraq was based on sketchy information on weapons of mass destruction which were never found. How many more must die before the international community stands up and says, "Where is the evidence to support your claims?"

Posted by Teck at 9/18/2021 01:04:00 PM 0 comments

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Monday, September 13, 2021

Ekarte post office staff... Violet's son? (includes spoilers about Violet Evergarden The Movie)

Toward the end of Violet Evergarden The Movie, Daisy walked into the post office on Ekarte Island, where she talked to the post office staff there. (This post contains spoilers about Violet Evergarden The Movie.)

 
My impression (after watching the movie 14 times so far) is that he could be Violet's and Gilbert's son. He looks to be around 50, and at that point in time when Daisy visited Ekarte Island (which is 60 years after Violet's and Gilbert's reunion in the movie), Violet should be 78 years old (if alive) since she left CH Postal at 18 years old. He has hair colour that looks brownish, but could well be a mix of blonde and raven black and his eyes are grayish green (maybe a mix of Gilbert's emerald with Violet's blue). He also has sharp facial features which seem to resemble Gilbert's. Plus he never mentioned Violet's name, but was surprised when Daisy brought it up, and seemed to be thinking of someone when she did so (maybe because Violet passed away recently, since the script said "there used to be a popular Doll on this island").
 
Of course, he could just be yet another inhabitant of the island with no direct link to Violet, except maybe Violet was his boss at the post office. But if so, he should have been listed in the credits. Instead, his name/voice actor is not listed in the credits... This could imply he is one of the younger characters who appeared in the movie, but Yuris's younger brother has brown eyes (and would be in his early 60s), and the kids at school would be around 70 years old by then. Instead, I think this looks more like a deliberate decision to keep his identity secret; otherwise, he should be listed as "Ekarte post office staff" with his voice actor's name, like the "Old man" and "Mothers" listed in the credits.
 
Some have also pointed out that wearing his watch on his right hand implies he is left-handed, like Gilbert. But I am left-handed and I wear my watch on my left hand, so that may not be as convincing an argument. Plus using a person's master hand to say he is descended from someone else is... not a very strong argument.

If anyone has any insights on whether he is Violet's and Gilbert's son, please feel free to leave a comment.

My overall thoughts on Violet Evergarden The Movie.

Events:
 
Translations of short stories:
Gilbert Bougainvillea and the Fleeting Dream (unofficial translation of "ギルベルト・ブーゲンビリアと儚い夢")
The Starry Night and the Lonely Two (unofficial translation of 星降りの夜とさみしいふたり)
Diethard Bougainvillea's If (unofficial translation of ディートフリート・ブーゲンビリアIf) 
The Tailor and the Auto-Memories Doll (unofficial translation of 仕立て屋と自動手記人形)
 
Tellsis (Nunkish) translation:
Last line of Violet's final letter to Gilbert
 
Insights on the movie:
 
Audio commentary notes:
 
 
All posts related to Violet Evergarden.

Posted by Teck at 9/13/2021 10:30:00 AM 1 comments

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Saturday, September 11, 2021

20 years since 9/11

It has been 20 years since the terrorist attacks on the United States that took place on 11 September 2001. I can still remember that day clearly. The attacks took place in the morning of New York, which was night in Japan. I was one of the duty cadets at the academy that day, and I had just finished a meeting for duty cadets. Dropping by the main duty room, the news was on the TV. The first images of a plane crashing into the World Trade Center came in. And as a reporter was reporting about the first crash on the World Trade Center, the second plane crashed into the other tower. This was soon followed by the Pentagon on fire.

I then called my mentor, who was a retired US Navy aviator, and told him, "Sir, are you watching the news? You need to turn on the TV now." Back then, his wife was still a civilian working at Yokosuka Base (she worked in supply), and she subsequently described the long queues outside the gates of the base in the following days due to heightened security.

This event led to the war on terror, and the longest war waged by the United States, who spent 20 years in Afghanistan. Plus the wild goose case for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. These wars drew away resources that the United States could have used to invest in its own people and infrastructure to better compete with a rising China. Instead, the United States had its attention on the Middle East and Central Asia, diluting its focus on East Asia at a critical time.

It is definitely one of the most crucial world-changing events of our time.

Posted by Teck at 9/11/2021 11:00:00 PM 0 comments

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Monday, September 06, 2021

Mapping Muhenkan key to Alt key in Windows and Linux

I use a keyboard which does not have an Alt key, which can be quite troublesome since many keyboard shortcuts use that key. So I usually have to find a way to map the Muhenkan (無変換) key to Alt key.

In Windows 10, there is a software known as PowerToys which comes with a Keyboard Manager that allows you to do such mapping. I gave it a try, but it ended up disabling my Windows key (after it does map Muhenkan to Alt).

So I went back to the tried method of a registry entry that maps the scan code. But instead of having to manually edit the registry myself, I use the program SharpKeys. You will need administrator rights to run this program, since it makes changes to the registry. But it is really helpful. Just add a new entry, type in the key you want to map (in my case, Muhenkan), then on the other side, select the key to map to. For Alt key, you cannot use the "Type in key" option, so you have to select it from the list of available keys. Alt is under "Special".

There is another method for Linux, which uses Xmodmap.
Basically, create a file called .Xmodmap in your home directory. Then fill it with:
keycode 102 = Alt_L
keycode 101 = Alt_R
add mod1 = Alt_R

Then, run
xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap
to activate.
 
To do this whenever I boot up, I created a file called keymapping.sh with the following:
#!/bin/bash
/usr/bin/xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap
and add keymapping.sh to my startup applications.

Posted by Teck at 9/06/2021 02:48:00 PM 0 comments

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