Media Blog
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The 7 Shapes — Reflected in the Stories We Love
Not only in the magical world of Esperia, but right here on our beautiful planet Earth, we can also find echoes of the 7 Shapes—hidden in plain sight.
While we may not possess the magical powers of the Espers, we carry within us a human equivalent of their StarDust:
our incredible brain.
What if we looked at the world around us with greater awareness?
What if the stories we read, the movies we watch, the anime, manga, and books we cherish…
were more than just entertainment?
Each post below explores the presence of wisdom, balance, willpower, empathy, and more—through the lens of popular culture.
Let’s rediscover what inspires us, one tale at a time.
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Rediscovering Nature and Harmony: Lessons from Princess Mononoke
I just realized that this marks my 100th post on Instagram, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to share something close to my heart. During my first year of high school in France, I watched Princess Mononoke (1997) in the movie theater. It was the first Studio Ghibli film I encountered, as
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The Power of Dreams: From Warcraft 3 to Global Unity
Dreams, often overlooked as mere byproducts of sleep, hold remarkable potential for creativity and self-discovery. Over the past few months, I’ve immersed myself in self-help literature and podcasts, particularly those focusing on sleep, such as Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker. Many of these resources highlight the benefits of maintaining a dream diary, especially for
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Finding Purpose in Redemption: Lessons from Ordinary Angels
During a recent flight to Paris, I stumbled upon the movie Ordinary Angels, starring Hilary Swank. I hadn’t heard of it before but decided to give it a try—and it spoke to me deeply for numerous reasons. Inspired by a true story that took place during the 1994 North American cold wave, the movie follows
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Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai – Manga Lessons on Friendship and Growth
My short trip to Paris to visit my dad also gave me the chance to reconnect with my best friend from middle school. We met at a prestigious middle school in Paris, located near the Eiffel Tower, surrounded by stereotypically wealthy French students. He comes from Algerian ancestry, and I am of Chinese descent, which
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Eminem’s Stan: Addiction, Obsession, and the Path to Recovery
Being back in Paris for a few days to reconnect with family and friends brought back memories of Eminem’s song Stan, featuring Dido, released in 2000. Although I don’t know much about Eminem and rarely listen to rap music, this song caught my attention when it was heavily played during its release. I’d be lying
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Kickboxer, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and the Power of Awareness
I met a good friend recently, someone I’ve known since we both joined the same IT course 12 years ago. He’s not just a friend but also a martial arts champion of France, which immediately brought to mind a movie I loved as a child: Kickboxer, directed by David Worth and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.
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Exploring Cultural Perspectives in “The Cat Returns”
I met some friends from high school yesterday, and it reminded me of the time we watched The Cat Returns, a Studio Ghibli movie, together in theaters. Back then, I didn’t know any Japanese, but I noticed something fascinating: the English and French titles of the movie were not literal translations of the original Japanese
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Dream Theater’s Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence: Mental Illness, Music, and Brain Health
Today, I wanted to delve into the sixth song of the album Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, released by Dream Theater in 2002. It’s actually a 42-minute epic divided into eight distinct parts. I listened to Dream Theater quite a lot in my 20s, and this particular song holds a special place in my heart.