Reign Season One

22 Eps
Historical Fiction (apparently criticised as more fiction than truth, or even more honest, a historical fantasy)

LEFT TO RIGHT: Kenna, Lola, Aylee, Mary, and Greer

Mary , Queen of Scotland is off to wed the next King of France., yet with a prophecy that blames Mary for the King 's death unto marriage, prevents a wedding and makes Scotland or somebody more vulnerable for something. Set in the 1500s, the only accurate thing may just be the castes and the attire. 


It's been half a year since I watched half of Gossip Girl Season One. Strangely appealing to watch, Reign has a similar atmosphere with better actors. Mary, played by Teen Wolf's Adelaide Kane, is a girl that anybody would fall in love with- wild , beautiful (she looks like Anne Hathaway most of the time.. at least to me !) , smart, and powerful. For most of the season, Queen Mary schemes to help loved ones , but then gets drastically worried after somebody leaves and returns, as well as the death of a friend.

Is anybody relatable? Perhaps Mary's ladies. They all have different live life preferences that are quite enjoyable or adorable . It bothers me that these five ladies always gather and discuss Mary's struggles as she wonders of she should complete an alliance with France, as well as her own stress with a [side story] love triangle that hasn't gotten steamy yet.

I SUPPORT::
Bash and Mary
Leith and Greer

Mary's not the main spotlight - the episodes pan around many sides of the kingdom from the bedchambers of the king to a girl living in the shadows of the castle, there's got to be someone's life that you'll be interested in viewing.

The fashioned dresses and loose shirts are a detail that the producers have obviously sought out precision. When someone's undressing, anyone but Kenna, there's a corset or nude undergarment. There is one moment of an attempted murder with a dress that makes one feverish that leads to collapsing. I'm not sure if this has been a method in ye olde Times, but if it was, --cool ~


 What bothered me was the lack of sex, but oh well, guess royals really are quite busy. Another annoyance was perhaps Mary's quick decision to wed her fiancee who had just returned over the bastard-born freespirit (hint:: Bash!)

Don't question the animated pic. Still working on my skills!

No one to despise yet, but nearly every episode is action-packed, or at least, somewhat of a tense environment.

Grade : 7.8/10 

Downfall of Excitement for show: Episodes 18-20

Nobunaga Concerto and I BAKED A CAKE

Hello , you miss me already.

Lately...
  I've been skimping on kdramas!  I know, what a crime.
  I'm only watching Orphan Black Season Two and Pretty Little Liars Season Five.
  I'm struggling to start a series or season (it's been a month and I haven't seen season two of Breaking Bad or Once Upon A Time)
  I GOT ME SOME COOKING DONE!

The recipe is Bea Vo's Apple Bourbon Pecan Cake from her pastry bakebook, Tea With Bea. I had to substitute the bourbon for 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract ,dried cranberries instead of pecans (don't, okay?), and Gala apples instead of Granny Smith. It has a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, holiday pie combination, so be aware.    

Check out the book - the recipes  pretty simple (if you have a well-stocked baking corner) I was able to pull this off without a mixer...

Okay, you can keep reading or look at that book! 

Nobunaga Concerto

10 Episodes

Historical 

Saburo falls off a fence and somehow ends up in Japan's Warring States era. He takes the place and responsibility as Oda Nobunaga, who conquered (and or united) japan. 

I am currently watching the drama that's starring Shun Oguri (does he look better as a 30something playing a high school boy?) Anyway, I haven't seen the film nor have I read the manga that's ongoing. 

From Nobunaga Concerto jdrama

This Anime bored me. I had high hopes of a tense battlefield, a funny average kid, and a pretty realistic ending. Ha, no. Didn't get that at all.

I felt that the characters are shallow, except the elders and traitors in the Oda clan. The show may have been handsomely narrated by Shun Oguri himself, but the story isn't handsomely done.

All I can praise is the art and Young, the (black) baseball player from modern times. 

The eyes and Oda's wife are quite like those Asian drawings on paper fans. Just beautiful.

Look at those rain drops.
I did a fruit drawing of grapes with a few falling drops. It was a less-than-decent sketch.
Grade: 5.7 -6/10
I finished it, but I couldn't stay interested for the majority of the duration...



Above: Half and Half Pencil "Charcoal" Sketch original

This week, I am changing the reviews for 20s and Hope For Dating. Other shows that will have revised reviews are:
-My Love From the Star
-Secret Garden
-07-Ghost


These shows contain uncited pictures and lack a "critic"" review. These revisions are expecting to place better understanding of my opinions and may or may not persuade you to watch the show. 
Until the next,
K. H. L.

Kuroshitsuji {Black Butler}

24 Episodes - WUBS DUBS (DUB APPROVED) 
* first Historical Fiction anime series I've seen -- achievement unlock!
~~Contains Blood/Mild Gore 


On his tenth birthday, the Phantomhive manor went up in flames. Ciel Phantomhive survived, yet he faced a month of torture by his kidnappers. He returns to the manor as a young earl, with a seemingly loyal butler, Sebastian Michaelis.  

Black Butler will be on all or many fangirl lists of ... fandoms and fave series. Well, I wasn't able to ship (person x person) anybody nor Sebastian and Ciel.

 The artstyle pertains to Victorian England backgrounds; note the dark color contrasts and the body frames. Ciel Phantomhive is a very recognizeable character- partly or mostly because of the patch over his right eye which secretes Hell's symbol - a pentegram. Is Ciel a secretive person? Well, he doesn't leave the house much - he only leaves by the Queen's orders. Henceforth, he's like a chess player - he may show his strategic thinking, and he never tells. I loved every line ~ the young master says , "Etch the pain into me... It's proof I had a life worth living" and I'm just like,

Keep t-t-talking ~ I'm all ears here!

The script -- every bit of it -- is beautiful and clever, depending on who's speaking. Humor is rare in this series. There are actual London-England events such as The Great Fire of London; the main characters don't seem to be affected by this, but with the inclusion of the angels-and-demons, the Fire is bestowed by the heavens. I know, it wowed me , too.

There seemed to be a whole 5-7 episodes that involved a pretty barbaric angel, Angela/Ash and our favorite butler from Hell, Sebastian. I loved this mini Arc ~ not all angels are pure... of mind, yet his/her ideas about extinguishing uncleanliness in the world are legitimate.

Some historical figures and a few shady or seemingly inhuman characters.. There weren't any stupid or pointless episodes -- it was like a quilt. Watching it will make you feel fascinated by England's history of the 17th century. Tears? The ending forces your eyes to water; or at least, the show expects you to cry... yes, THE SHOW WILL EXPECT THAT TO HAPPEN ^^

7.8/10 
Couldn't come to terms with the fangirls ~