【episode comment】i left my a-rank party to help my former students reach the dungeon depths episode 12

Now that is a little bit intense for an episode. But even when I was reading the web novel, I felt the same way. So no surprise there. But at least we're progressing here, especially when Niberune (this was how it was spelled in the anime while in the web novel, it was spelled Nibelung) woke up and glowed like that. I forgot who the voice was, even when I knew I read the web novel. So I'll not worry myself about that in the meantime. The answer will come as I continue watching, anyway.

Cutting a human doesn't really feel right regardless of the reason. And in two episodes already, Marina was feeling it. Not that I would know what that feels, though. To be honest, when I first read this, it bothered me. But this was the clear issue about the dungeon that I clearly remember from reading this part in the web novel. The issues that Silk and Rain mentioned didn't stay in my mind, for some reason. But I didn't think that twilight seemed to have some effect on those who would encounter it in a dungeon as mysterious as that shown in Glad Shi-im and even in Achromatic Darkness. Crazy, huh?

And now, the culling had began. Now Yuke has a bigger duty to fulfill on this one. Him, a hero? That's something that he wouldn't usually accept, obviously. In this case, though, he doesn't have much of a choice. He was chosen for the role by someone who knew about the Twilight City. Of course, I don't remember how this arc would end, to be honest. Now let's see what exactly will happen as this goes on.

By the way, I only noticed it when I watched the opening credits in full. But they actually included Jamie in the party. I did know that she would be joining, but unsure at which point she would. But I knew it's within this arc. I haven't read that point in the web novel, by the way, as I stopped for some reason I can't remember now. But this is better for now since I would be able to watch this second arc of the anime with no knowledge from the original material. I know I'd still read the web novel, but maybe not at the moment. So you could say that I'd be able to watch this in a blank slate — if that was even the right term for that.

【episode comment】no. 1 sentai gozyuger episode 6

April Fool's Day... But this one isn't a prank. Or at least, it was just a game for Tokonatsu since he decided to side with the No-One after getting fired as a Prime Minister. Kind of crazy how things turned out here, you know.

I love the interaction between Hoeru and Ryugi on the first part. Especially when Ryugi was making Hoeru walk while he was holding the back of his clothes. For some reason, a lot of people say that they wanted this one to be a running gag of the show. I mean, I do agree on that one since Hoeru looked like a runaway puppy. As Sumino already pointed out. 😂😂

So one thing is sure now. That woman who said things to Hoeru about not making wishes was not his mother. But someone who was with him in the homeworld of No-One together with his brother. This must have hurt him to some extent, especially after returning home, only to see that your family moved on without you. Then again, I can't blame the parents on this one, as well. Ten years is way too long. Hoeru must have wished and wished, only for his wishes to remain ungranted. I really don't know what to think with this backstory, though. At least, in the end of this crazy shenanigans, Tokonatsu got his wish to have a friend whom he considered as his equal. But Hoeru would definitely have second thoughts about having a friend as hyperactive as this guy, though.

But this episode showed something about one common theme among the ring warriors that appeared so far — at least those with longer interaction with the Gozyugers. Loneliness. Though I have to question Rikuo's take on this one, by the way. Maybe next week's episode will show something about that.

So another Bridan general appeared to attack everyone. And Fire Candle seems to have taken a sort of rivalry with Hoeru while Bouquet... was just busy fangirling. Can't blame her on that one. 😂 First appearance of Tega Sword Black. The last part was definitely surprising since this is the first time that any of the Sentai Giants (as I'd like to call it) appeared. There is a possibility that the Gozyugers were not even aware of their existence. But does it have to appear with a cape, by the way? Just something I thought was a bit fascinating.

【episode comment】i left my a-rank party to help my former students reach the dungeon depths episode 11

Finally get to doing this before I end up not doing it at all. But why is it that this episode seemed to be going a bit fast than how it was in the web novel? I'm pretty sure Clover still explored the inside of Glad Shi-im before encountering Loge. And it was supposed to be a little bit similar to a ruin, not a ghost town. Not sure if they were supposed to mean the same at this point, though.

Of course, that issue with Rain's relatives trying to get her to return to them just to practically sell her off and marry her off to a prince. The first time I read this, though, I was so ready to hate the people involved here. But, yeah. Looks like Yuke still has some plan left in his sleeves. In my opinion, though, this only solidifies fans' expectations that Yuke and Rain are going to end up together. Then again, the web novel almost mentioned that part. So who knows what they will do in this adaptation.

Things are going to get crazy in the next episode, it seems. Especialy with that cliffhanger, although I do remember that they were supposed to encounter that thing in a church and not by the entrance of that city-like dungeon. Hmm... More differences, huh? Oh, well. Let's see what happens.

【episode comment】from bureaucrat to villainess episode 12

The last episode! I can't believe it. I actually reached this far in doing this. I mean, I rarely finish reviewing an entire series like this before, you know. So this is indeed an achievement for me.

Then again, this series was definitely a cliffhanger for me and would definitely in need of Season 2 just to see more adventures of Kenzaburo as Grace. Like what she said in her last line here — her journey as the villainess has just began. If there was even a light novel version of this, or even just the web novel version, then I could continue reading this. But alas, that's not the case here.

So this episode basically showcased the events leading up to the play that the student council had prepared for the festival. And several questions were answered... in a way. One was about Anna's mother who attended the festival. It looked like Grace's father knew her, from the looks of it. But she was playing mysterious here. And then Grace's mother who appeared to be more than aware of what was going on with Grace prior to the presentation of the play. Not to mention, the indication that Jacqueline Auvergne appeared to have some sort of precognitive ability, if Kenzaburo had to analyze everything that had transpired. And of course, that rainbow orb that Jacqueline (who looked eerily similar to Grace) was talking to. What the heck was that? For some reason, it has similar voice to Prince Lucas, for some reason.

At least, the play went well. So does the campus festival. But even through all her effort of staying away from Anna and anything that could cause another intimacy boosts aimed at her, Grace seemed to have underestimated all of her efforts and deeds that has transpired ever since Kenzaburo reincarnated inside her. Even with all of that, all's well that ends well for all of them, I guess.

Now I really want a second season soon for this anime. I enjoyed it, overall. Without a doubt. I might read the manga, but maybe some other time.

【episode comment】no. 1 sentai gozyuger episode 5

This was a bit more serious than the previous episode. But it did make me realize that there seems to be conditions to accessing Tega Sword's power to Engage. At least, that's what I noticed about Sumino's case in this episode. You got to have a true (and maybe also pure) reason to fight and receive Tega Sword's power. Sumino lost that reason because of her desperation to find her sister who had been missing for so long. I initially thought that she was gone for only a year or so. But eight years? That's already a long time.

And that clue she mentioned about the kidnapper. Why did they have to show Rikuo with the gray eyes as soon as she said those words? I mean, seriously? Their rivalry over getting the rings even when they were supposed to be teammates already was intense enough as it was. And now this? You've got to be kidding me. To think we're only on the 5th episode.

At least they're gathered... for now. The next episode would definitely be a crazy one since they would be dealing with the Prime Minister who just turned into a terrorist? There has to be something going on behind the scenes here, even if it was to have the fruition of the PM's desire — whatever that would be. Now let's see how Hoeru and the others would have to deal with this in the next episode. 😁✌️

【episode comment】i left my a-rank party to help my former students reach the dungeon depths episode 10

So this is basically just a preparation for the adventure that Clover would be encountering in that new dungeon in a new city. It was called Duna, which was a trade city, and no name was ever made to that new dungeon. I still managed to read this part in the web novel version, so I'm still keeping up.

I still found one part funny about Yuke saying that Marina and the others as his wives — or specifically, his property — just so they wouldn't be taken by some Samultarian people. Not sure if they were adventurers or knights or something else. I guess I wasn't paying attention when I was watching it.

In my opinion, Clover looked like they were given some sort of preferential treatment by the guild even before they arrived, considering that the Guild Master Maniella had prepared everything for Yuke and the girls. By the way, I really imagined Maniella as a lot wrinkly and sort of short. So she didn't resonate with me the first time I saw her in this episode. But hey, she was capable, without a doubt.

I did notice, though, that the ending song was changed. I guess this was an indication of a new story arc that would be unfolding, considering that Jamie was in the sequence and the girl Nibelung. Honestly, I imagined her a bit younger when I was reading this arc. But let's see what the heck was actually happening at this point since this arc was just starting. 😁✌️

【episode comment】from bureaucrat to villainess episode 11

Second to the last episode. I never thought I'd be able to consistently do this for one show, you know. But hey, I made it!

Now things got a little bit trickier here that added more pressure to Grace, even as Kenzaburo. All because of the script that Grace's mother, Jacqueline Auvergne, hs written 30 years ago. And to think no one had actually performed that script for that long, if I interpreted Francette's words right. That's crazy, you know. This has only made Grace's mother a bigger mystery here, to be honest.

As for the play that the student council would perform, they really had to do gender-swapping on this. And it seems to me that it was like a gender-bender version of "The Prince and the Pauper" with hints of magic and stuff. Gosh, that makes it even more confusing with the soul-swappind the like. This has just gotten even more chaotic. The real problem now would be Grace as she would recite her lines when she had to act as Toby and the other casts unable to actually practice properly. Then the real pressure would come because it looked like Grace's mother would be attending the scampus festival for the sake of watching the play. Talk about real pressure!

Now let's see if Grace would be able to really pull this off somehow. 😁✌️

【poem】Where Love Chose To Stay

So this is the poem I wrote for the third part of "I'll Hold On To You". It's another villanelle and maybe I'll be making this a pattern for each arc of the stort. This was (I think) describing a bit more about the emotions that the pair were dealing with as they (finally) come in terms with their feelings for each other.

Here's the poem:

Here's to that love that bloomed between us since day one
As I whisper more I-love-you's now that I can hold you like this
The flowers that conveyed my feelings smiled at us with the sun

The world becomes scary as soon as I turned my back to run
But I want to hold your hand more so I won't ever miss
Here's to that love that bloomed between us since day one

Our past will give us more pain and won't let it be done
Yet your smile that's meant for me gives my heart so much bliss
The flowers that conveyed my feelings smiled at us with the sun

More nightmares continue to haunt me that I can't outrun
But hearing your voice soothes my heart before I could even notice
Here's to that love that bloomed between us since day one

Even as I continue choosing you, life with me won't always be fun
But every darkness that surrounds me, I can fend them off with your kiss
The flowers that conveyed my feelings smiled at us with the sun

Another journey begins now that we become each other's special someone
And love chose to stay with us as it burns brighter for us to cherish
So here's to that love that bloomed between us since day one
The flowers that conveyed my feelings smiled at us with the sun

【poem】Now That You're Here

New villanelle alert! Yes, I made another one. This is still for my story arc division and a sort of summary for the story arc of "I'll Hold On To You". I didn't think I'd start making this a habit, for real. But I guess this is a good outlet, whether I admit it or not.

And of course, more things that I can post here as part of variations that I intend to do here in my blog. 😊✌️

Here's the poem:

We start our new journey here, now that you're here with me
With each smile and hug that makes our hearts beat fast
As this love that remains hidden continues to bloom for us to see

I can't believe that everything led us here with glee
But here we are, together with you as someone I can trust
We start our new journey here, now that you're here with me

In your eyes, I envision a beautiful future that feels so free
In your embrace, I imagine a life in which my heart I can entrust
As this love that remains hidden, continues to bloom for us to see

Since you came to my life, I wish to the stars reflected in the sea
All I ever want was for these beautiful moments between us to last
We start our new journey here, now that you're here with me

Let me forget the worries in my heart that I still carry
Even without knowing what continues to hover in our past
As this love that remains hidden, continues to bloom for us to see

Each day between us may not always be a one big party
But in time, we know that our life together will be a blast
We start our new journey here, now that you're here with me
As this love that remains hidden continues to bloom for us to see

【poem】The Pain That Brought Us Here

I'm pretty sure I was in 3rd year college (maybe 2nd semester) when I last wrote a villanelle — mainly for a school project. I think the subject was World Literature and we were tasked to create poems using the different styles. We had to do haiku, sonnet, quatrain... Those kinds of poems.

But the one that really stuck with me was the villanelle. I don't know why, but that was the poem I enjoyed writing the most back then.

By the way, that was back in either 2012 or 2013 ( I really can't recall the year I wrote that). And now, after more than a decade, I finally got to write another one. Wow!

I placed this as an introduction for the first story arc of "I'll Hold On To You" and I only placed a bouquet emoji as a chapter title. But I'm making it different here.

Here's the poem:

We met when each of us were in pain
As if it felt like reality was never there
I never thought we'd be freed from it ever again

It all started abruptly, even fate can't explain
Yet the flowers still tell us it's a destiny that's rare
We met when each of us were in pain

All efforts we do to get out seems to be in vain
But we knew that we both have to be aware
I never thought we'd be freed from it ever again

Can we still believe in a freedom that we can attain?
We knew we can, even when it's becoming heavy to bear
We met when each of us were in pain

Each of the hurt we run away from gives our heart the stain
But it's making us the people we are that's beyond compare
I never thought we'd be freed from it ever again

I don't know where our journey will lead us in between its sun and rain
But we have each other now, as if life answered our one great prayer
We met when each of us were in pain
I never thought we'd be freed from it ever again

Just started that new journal! Crazy that I'm already on my 15th journal when I couldn't even finish one journal when I was studying. But here I am! And it really feels amazing.

I only realized that I never paid attention to the number of days that I've been journaling lately. I even feared that I missed another journaling milestone again. I might have to check my notebook once again for me to be able to check.

I just continued counting words on my quotes list and added more lyrics prompts on that other list. Yikes! I'm really giving myself a lot more to work on with what I'm doing.

Finally finished watching all episodes of Rescue Mediums that I downloaded. Man, that was one crazy watching marathon for me. But at least I'm done with it.

[wrote something around this part, but choosing not to type it down. 😁✌️]

We were all busy preparing for the early black-out tomorrow. I mean, from 5 AM to 5 PM? I still have to cook rice for my sister's lunch box around that time using a rice cooker. So the solution? I need to cook rice an hour earlier. I don't mind boiling water for her bath at the usual time since it doesn't use electricity, anyway.

Well, I've finally watched "Royal-ish" and here I am, just repeating scenes I liked. Now let's see if I could read the book version soon. Sure, there would still be differences. But I still want to see.

Why do I feel sleepy the whole day? I didn't even realize I fell asleep until my mom woke me up. Weird. 😕

【episode comment】i left my a-rank party to help my former students reach the dungeon depths episode 9.5

Honestly, I wasn't even planning on watching this when I realized that this was just going to be a recap of the first arc. But here I am, writing down this short episode comment. They actually made it like a livestream and an interview-like feature on Clover. Which is kind of amusing, by the way.

There's nothing much to say, though, as it was, in fact, just a recap of what happened. Mainly focusing on reintroducing the members of Clover without ever mentioning the other parties, even the scandals and such. I thought they would mention that, but didn't. So this was just like featuring the new adventure party that really rose from below with their skills and achievements as a party.

So, yes. This was just a light one to watch. Nothing disheartening or even annoying. They actually had to do interview and such. This one featured Rain, Marina, and even Yuke made an appearance near the end.

Now, let's see what the next episode is going to feature. But if I'm going to be honest, I haven't even finished reading the web novel version of the next arc to be featured here. So you could say that I'll be watching it with no clue how it would end in both the anime version and the web novel version.

【episode comment】from bureaucrat to villainess episode 10

Half part was about summer vacation and the other part was the preparation for the academy's campus festival. Both parts were chaotic in more ways than one. That's all I can say about this.

But both parts does show/mention the two girls' respective mothers. And both does air some sort of mystery in each of them. Like, when Anna's mother was able to point out the "commoner" disguise that Grace had put on when she visited Anna's hometown. And then there's the issue about Grace's mother that Kenzaburo hasn't met yet because the storyline mentioned that she was recuperating in a villa. I did read some interesting theory about Grace's mother, though. But honestly, I doubt if I'd be able to learn much about it in this season. Then again, we'll see.

At least, their preparation for the campus festival was going well. And then there's the plan to make a cross-dressing play, based on the hidden rule that Grace's mother had surprisingly formed during her time as the student body president. Now let's see how this will actually turn out. Or if this will even succeed.

【silent vlog】recording in the morning

This was just something random while I put the dogs out for their usual morning routine. I mean, the sun was rising and it was beautiful. So, yeah. You could say that this was a spur-of-the-moment kind of silent vlog I decided to create and post.

I just realized something today. I never really gave a damn care about what was happening in the politics of the country. I mean, the former president was arrested and basically exiled in The Netherlands. And maybe a large rally (with the possibility of another People Power?) could occur because of what happened. This info was something I only obtained because my mom won't stop talking about it since it started. I mean, yikes! Seriously?

(*something I don't intend anyone to read was originally in this spot*)

I don't know why, but I felt like I wanted to sleep the whole day. I just wanted to lie down and sleep. That doesn't usually happen to me and I couldn't help questioning what was going on. I felt like I walked the whole day without rest. Weird.

Watched some more episodes of Rescue Mediums that was on my phone. But I think I've only watched about 4 or 5. Not exactly too many. But this will do.

One more page and I'd be able to fill that journal up. Finally! But I'll celebrate once I actually got to write on it. Right?

Starte reading a new light novel called "They Don't Know I'm Too Young For The Adventurer's Guild" and I was able to read 46% of it. I mean, it's okay. I'm liking it in a way. Not sure if that even mean anything clear.

Ended up changing the covers of the original stories I posted on Wattpad. You could say that it would allow people/readers to distinguish which are fanfictions and what are the original ones. That means there would be no visual casts or anything like that on the original stories.