The Problematic of the Unproblematic

Chapter 47 written by TVAddcit & kakashi - NSFW edited by LigayaCroft and Panda “Who gave me this, Nǎinai?” Mei Lin held the wooden hairpin close to the old woman’s face. To her own annoyance, she sounded weepy and sullen as she asked, like a petulant child. Was it because she already knew the answer and because she did not want to deal with what it meant? “Gun Gun,” the confirmation came. The old woman did not even have to look. “He made it.” He made it? Nǎinai snickered. “He asked Fu Gang for instructions. As if he had not enough on his shoulders already with A-Li and Xiăohŭ gone! He sat here hunkered over, carving away every night, cutting his beautiful fingers again and again…”

Chapter 20b written by kakashi & Panda edited by LigayaCroft 279’800 years ago She made a mistake, a small one, but it was all he needed. He sprang forward, about to strike, but then he hesitated - I cannot hurt her! - and paid dearly for it: her sword pierced him deeply, almost cutting off his arm. He fell to his knees with a groan, his own sword dropping from his hand, leaving him wide open to another attack, the pain too debilitating to do anything about it.

JoAnne: I don't know about y'all but I'm feeling really good about this current batch of dramas - About Time, Come and Hug Me , and Lawless Lawyer are particularly promising new starts, but Suits , Rich Man , and Secret Mother seem to be doing okay, too, and we've got more coming. PLUS let's not forget how much we're enjoying Moonshine & Valentin e! To balance it all out, none of us seem to like Wok of Love and we're feeling pretty bad about that because we like the actors. Trotwood: I really wanted to like Wok of Love because I love the actors (especially Jang Hyuk's voice), and I really wanted a comedy to match the warm weather. But there always seems to be too much trauma for my taste in these rom-coms. Is it too much to ask for something light and frothy? I've got my revenge drama quota filled so far. kakashi: Dramaworld is so vicious. I'm behind on everything . Panda: I am in love with two fox minions. I forgot it was Monday...

Chapter 20a written by Panda & kakashi editing/consulting by LigayaCroft “Shifu. Excuse me, Shifu? It is time for your treatment,” Tian Gu called out cautiously to the still figure sitting under a sandalwood tree. She was very reluctant to disturb her Shifu when he was meditating, but she thought it was necessary that she did: they were nearing the Green Kingdom and she knew it would be far more difficult to find the peace and quiet she needed to do the procedure properly once they had reached their destination.

kakashi: Yay! A birth secret!!!! JoAnne: There had to be at least one or if they have to turn in their KDrama Weekender union card.

Chapter 13. A desire so acute, it becomes despair ***Graphic content warning (gore, disturbing acts of violence) written by Bunny consulting/editing: Le, LalaLoop, LigayaCroft, kakashi One minute— He’s on top of me. Bearing down, his presence is so overwhelming, it engulfs every ounce of space between us. And I am crippled by it. Vision blurring from panic. Throat clamped.

Episode 5   This episode’s cold open has us back again in 2012 at the airport with Shimazaki guarding the famous soccer player, Kuono. We hear--before we see--that damn screw fall to the ground and multiple ceiling beams fall. For some reason, Shimazaki is not right behind Kuono, who gets completely covered by the beam and loses consciousness. Shimazaki rushes to his side. Kuono grabs his hand and digs his fingers in until Shimazaki bleeds, but he can’t free his hand.  Kids, it's bad news if a screw falls from the sky. Almost always.   Well, just based on this open, Shimazaki was bad at his job in the past.

Chapter 46 Written by LigayaCroft Editing by Kakashi and Panda Consultant Bunny Xie Guchou did not stray far from the hall but stayed just outside the huge doors, pacing to and fro as he waited for the First Prince of the Celestial Realms to finish the task at hand. His stomach seemed filled with hundreds of butterflies as he wondered about the repercussions of his request, and the inquest that would take place afterwards if it were ever known that he had endangered a royal.

Trotwood: A week in which I rage eat because of a show. JoAnne: What? No rage-baking? Too tired. kakashi: You sound like me.  Thank goodness those walnut brownies stuffed with Ghiradelli dark chocolate & caramel squares are now all gone. What I need to do is download Monte Cristo Haku and watch it at the gym. Nothing to eat there, and I'd be too tired to rage eat once I got home. Walnut brownies stuffed with Ghirardelli dark chocolate and caramel squares? I could be so tired that someone else had to lift that brownie to my mouth and manually move my jaw to chew - including massaging my throat to swallow - but I'd still find the energy to move my eyes and beg for one. SakiVI: No time for anything except two shows, and barely those. I really want my Cheekos, though.  And I'm confused. I almost fell asleep but then remembered it's Monday and I need to put pictures into RAWR! Panda: I think I need to start Lawless Lawyer and SoT3K but for now, I am pacing m...

Chapter 19 written by Panda edited by kakashi & Ligayacroft Bright light roused Bai Qian from a deep sleep. Reluctantly, her eyes fluttered open and she turned towards the glare, still in semi wakeful state of confusion, as for a brief moment she wondered where she was before her memories came flooding back.

kakashi: Yeah, well... anything I should say about this episode JoAnne apart from the fact that if you're still watching this show, just skip it? JoAnne: Not really.  If you're having a busy week, you can save 30 minutes here.

SakiVI: I know, I've been taking ages with these. Quick recap: Butler Hu is now locked up for drowning Shopkeeper Wang in her jail cell with a pig bladder, and Master Guo, Butler Hu and Ding Dad all knew each other as army comrades fighting Mo Gu Dao back in the day. They also knew that Xianwu turtle statue from back in episode one. It's an old friend. Also, Master Guo has disappeared. So, moving on...

Chapter 12. Asking to be devoured written by Bunny consulting/editing: Le, LalaLoop, LigayaCroft editing: kakashi One of the earliest memories I have of my childhood is that of my Father, the Fox Emperor Bai Zhi, stumbling into our fox den one night, drunk as a bat, and annoying my Mother half to death. It’s also the first time I can recall ever hearing the words ‘God of War’ being uttered. Or ever hearing the name, Moyuan.

kakashi: In case you have not yet noticed, this show is about family and making money. And working hard (=good) / not working hard (=bad). JoAnne:  But maybe also about the value of work in other ways than money, by the end?  Perhaps?

Chapter 45 Written by Ligayacroft Editing by Kakashi and Panda Consultant Bunny Dìyù. What a dreary place. It was not one designed for comfort, no matter how Yánwáng had tried to make the place more cheerful. Even with its golden fixtures and the never-ending flow of food and offerings that flooded the hallways from the mortal worlds, the Underworld Overlord’s Tianzi Palace was unnaturally dark as it naturally sucked the beauty and life from anyone who stepped within its walls.

JoAnne: YES. I created the post EARLY this week so people have plenty of time to kibbitz in between the ranting and raving. Trotwood: I'm too tired to kibbitz about anything. I'm not watching much either and with all the new stuff coming out, it just makes me more tired and not ready to watch anything new. Are you feeling better, at least? No. But I've got dramas and Issei commercials to watch. I also feel like I will only be picking up Japanese shows for awhile. I'm finding it hard to get in the mood to be emotionally manipulated by other dramas. SakiVI: FYI, everyone  I'll be off Rants and Rawrs, mostly, after next week, until third week of June, because Ramadan is starting. I'm cutting my dramas down to two - if I can keep up with them. That's Happy Sisters and Secrets of the Three Kingdoms. Please note that I spoke of Rim recently and lo and behold, he is IN A DRAMA that starts airing THIS WEEK! Yes, I do take credit for it. kakashi: I'm ju...

kakashi: Finally, I thought, Tae-il is becoming interesting and dark! But no, he's just throwing empty beer cans against the wall. JoAnne:  I do like thinking about what trajectory he might have, though.  It could go several different ways, and we see flashes of resentment  more this week, so I'm leaning dark right now.

Trotwood: I like to think of this episode as the one where we get back story on PM Tachihara that makes me completely sympathize with her manipulative selfishness disguised under wan beauty. But this doesn’t happen. It should. Her story should make me feel badly for disliking her so much, but it doesn’t. So there. (picture me sticking out my tongue at you all). kakashi: Well, you know how I feel about her, so this doesn't change much, it only confirms that I really appreciate this character. So not the female character we usually get! She knows how to manipulate and yet, has deep vulnerabilities. I really like her. panda: I warmed up just a tad. Like literally just a tad and I do not want  her getting any closer to Shimazaki. What this episode does do is give us a set up for more reveals later about Shimazaki’s past and allows me to write a shorter recap since not as many things happen in this episode as in the last two.

Chapter 18 written by kakashi edited by LigayaCroft & Panda  When Shao Wan took one last, shuddering breath and her heart stopped beating, Mo Yuan jumped forward and started pouring cultivation into her without restraint and entirely without thinking. Mo Yuan, the God of War, was a very powerful Deity who had a lot of cultivation. In the Immortal Realms, it was the most powerful of Gods that should understand the consequences of cheating the Laws of the Universe best because they had lived the longest, which they would not have, had they not obeyed it.

kakashi: Many editing issues aside, things happen in this episode even though they happen slowly and I can't believe this is only episode 16 of 100. JoAnne:  Well, would it help to think of it as the end of episode 8?

kakashi: I present to you... Kim Ji-hoon's bed hair! JoAnne: I'm more interested in Kim Ji-hoon's bed shoulders.

kakashi: Boring, boring, boring, then, something happens to finally move the story along. Hooray. JoAnne: Psst...if you keep saying it's boring above the break, no one will bother opening the post, and then we'll be bored because no one comes to visit and chat! What! But our recaps are NEVER boring. In fact, they get better the more boring the material we're recapping is. Come READ THIS!  

Spring is here! Everywhere, it's here. Finally.  I don't think a lot of dramawatching happened, overall, but there are some really good new discoveries at least! SakiVI: This time, I can say what I've been watching: Secrets of the Three Kingdoms.  So addictive.   Trotwood: I'm exhausted from RL and all the activities of this time of year, so I can't watch or do much. I couldn't resist starting a new Japanese drama, but that's probably okay because I'll probably have to wait several weeks in between subs. Also, Jo!! Jo, do you feel it? I felt warm wind. I think spring is finally here to stay. kakashi: I'm in love with my flowers. They smell so nice! I went and bought Saxifrage for my back garden this weekend. Planted it all on the stone wall... love the little beauties. Have I watched anything? Nope, not really. Panda: Still rewatching old bollywood movies. Only new thing I watched was Delicious Dean

Chapter 17d written by kakashi editing by Panda/LigayaCroft “Why did you not alert me?” Ye Hua felt quite furious. In fact, his anger was so strong, he had difficulties keeping his voice steady. His Da-Ge had done it again. He naturally seemed to think he had a right to solve dangerous situations all by himself. But this, this concerned Ye Hua more than anything else. This time it was about his family, his own flesh and blood and Mo Yuan had done very wrong to deny him the opportunity to be of use in solving the crisis.

kakashi: Kim Dad rages on. Nothing else happens. JoAnne: Way to reel them in, Sensei!

Chapter 44 Written by Ligayacroft Editing by Kakashi and Panda Consultant Bunny and TVAddict There were people who were born to live just as there were people who were born to die. Huo Zheng had known early on that she was the latter. Her parents had stopped believing in gods after she was brought to the temple to be blessed and had her future told after the first month of her birth. It was said that the priest took one look at her tiny face and her hands — and had prophesied she wouldn’t live past fifteen summers and that she would live to see her elders die before her.

Trotwood: The only preamble needed here is that I guess we need to believe in leather belts. kakashi (joining the team officially): and handcuffs. panda: and arm and upper body exercises. Are they truly that magic??

Chapter 17c written by kakashi editing LigayaCroft & Panda “Why did you choose to become a Demon?” Mo Yuan asked Shao Wan as he twirled a lock of her hair around his index finger. “Seriously? You need to ask me that?” she stretched, yawning loudly and extensively. Mo Yuan looked at the inviting curves of her body and simply forgot what he had just been curious about. Wetting his lips he inhaled deeply. She was so intoxicating. He could not get enough of her.

Chapter 11 - The more beautiful the illusion, the more pain written by Bunny consulting/editing: Le, LalaLoop, LigayaCroft editing: kakashi “That’s good. Now, spread apart.” “But it’s too tight…” “Keep going. It’s going to be tight the first time.” “This is really as far as I can go, Shifu… it hurts…” “You’re tensing up too much. Try to relax.” “I think this might be too big for me.” His hand reaches for the middle of my back and I flinch. “Right now, you’re only using arm strength, that’s not enough. You need to employ your core.” Squeezing the end of the makeshift arrow between my blistered fingers, I try to draw it back again, but I can barely make this rigid bowstring budge; my arms are shaking from fatigue. I feel his fingers pressing into my scapula. “Keep the feeling right here between your shoulder blades when you pull the string to your chin.” Another attempt results in the arrow slipping out of my fingers completely and landing in the snow. I am up to my eyeballs in f...

JoAnne: In which Song Jae Rim makes an appearance despite not being in a drama in forfuckingEVER. kakashi: Fangirling over Rim is no fun without Mary TT____________TT  Trotwood: Well, he's in a show that was supposed to come out this summer, but has been pushed back to the fall because they're taking time off so Kim Yoo Jung to recover from her hyperthyroid condition. Still, I'm trying not to be excited because he isn't the lead (Ahn Hyo Seop is), and his role was written for the series; it's not in the original webtoon on which the show is based. The positive me thinks "great, this might be an interesting twist." The negative mean thinks "they just couldn't have a drama without a love triangle, could they?" SakiVI: Did I watch anything?  My mind is a blank. Panda: I watched and rewatched a whole bunch of old and new Bollywood movies - Main Hoon Na, Dil Dakne Do, Padmavat, Secret Superstar amongst others. It felt quite nostalgic.