Tag: Empathy
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Brothers: Reflections on Family, Trauma, and Redemption
Read more: Brothers: Reflections on Family, Trauma, and RedemptionToday marks my brother’s birthday—a day that reminds me of the unique bond we share, shaped by family complexities and moments of love, resilience, and reconciliation. Five years my senior, my brother was not only a guide but a model I often followed in childhood. Our family faced its share of challenges, particularly due to…
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The Power of Connection and Support: Reflections on Final Fantasy IX
Read more: The Power of Connection and Support: Reflections on Final Fantasy IXFinal Fantasy IX, released by Square Enix in 2000, stands as the ninth opus of this beloved RPG series. This installment not only marked a nostalgic return to a “super-deformed” (SD) character design, reminiscent of earlier games, but also showcased the team’s refined experience on the PlayStation platform. The results were spectacular, delivering a captivating…
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Dreams in the Snow: A Reflection on Noi the Albino by Dagur Kári
Read more: Dreams in the Snow: A Reflection on Noi the Albino by Dagur KáriI watched Noi the Albino on ARTE, a unique French-German channel known for broadcasting lesser-known films and documentaries. This film, set in Iceland, tells the story of Noi, a 17-year-old teenager living in a small, remote fishing village. Noi’s appearance, marked by alopecia totalis (a complete absence of hair), sets him apart visually, but it’s…
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Look Back by Tatsuki Fujimoto: Reflections on Art, Loss, and Society
Read more: Look Back by Tatsuki Fujimoto: Reflections on Art, Loss, and SocietyLook Back, Tatsuki Fujimoto’s emotional one-shot manga and recent anime on Prime Video, explores deep themes of friendship, purpose, and loss. When my wife recommended the manga a few years ago, I didn’t expect how much it would resonate. The adaptation, which spans less than an hour, portrays an intense bond between two friends and…
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Finding Connection and Resilience in Toumei Ningen by Tokyo Jihen
Read more: Finding Connection and Resilience in Toumei Ningen by Tokyo JihenTokyo Jihen’s Toumei Ningen (Invisible Person), released on their 2006 album Adult, portrays the delicate, sometimes paradoxical journey of someone who feels invisible to the world around them. The Japanese band, led by vocalist and lyricist Sheena Ringo, is known for blending various musical styles and complex lyrics. Toumei Ningen is no exception, weaving difficult…
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Life, Identity, and Euthanasia in Me Before You
Read more: Life, Identity, and Euthanasia in Me Before YouMe Before You, directed by Thea Sharrock, delves into the transformative relationship between Louisa “Lou” Clark (played by Emilia Clarke) and Will Traynor, a once-successful banker and adventurer who, after a tragic accident, is left as a tetraplegic. Though the film falls into the typical tropes of a romantic drama, it raises relevant issues of…
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Embracing Change and Growth in Final Fantasy VIII
Read more: Embracing Change and Growth in Final Fantasy VIIIThe 8th installment of Final Fantasy by Square Enix has been both celebrated and criticized, primarily for its romantic storyline featuring Squall Leonhart, a “SeeD” from Balamb Garden, and Rinoa Heartilly, a member of a resistance group against Galbadian forces. This game marked a major shift in the series, from the character design featuring realistic…
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“Departures” and Life’s Hidden Lessons: Reflections on Work, Death, and Family
Read more: “Departures” and Life’s Hidden Lessons: Reflections on Work, Death, and FamilyDepartures by Yōjirō Takita, originally titled Okuribito (“one who sends off”), follows a cellist who loses his job and returns to his hometown with his wife. He unexpectedly finds work “assisting departures,” which he assumes is in travel. Instead, he prepares bodies for cremation ceremonies. This thought-provoking film examines themes of prejudice, our relationship with…
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Exploring Romance and Self-Growth Through City Hunter
Read more: Exploring Romance and Self-Growth Through City HunterCity Hunter, a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tsukasa Hojo, was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1985 to 1991. The story follows Ryo Saeba, a “sweeper” and flirtatious gunman, who runs the “City Hunter” business in Shinjuku, Tokyo. At first accompanied by his partner, Hideyuki Makimura, Ryo’s world changes dramatically when Hideyuki…
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Rediscovering Life’s Purpose: Reflections on Living by Oliver Hermanus
Read more: Rediscovering Life’s Purpose: Reflections on Living by Oliver HermanusIn Living, directed by Oliver Hermanus and adapted from Akira Kurosawa’s Ikiru, Bill Nighy portrays a bureaucrat in a public works office who, upon learning of his terminal illness, confronts the monotony that has defined his life. Once called a “Zombie” by a former colleague—a woman he admires for her lively spirit—he realizes he’s lost…