The Egg Tray: All the Bright Places, Supergirl, Adult Coloring Books, and More!

It's been such a long time since I've written my last egg tray post. So I think it's time for you to know, what I've been into the past few months. So brace yourselves, it's going to jumbo-packed.

Movies and TV

Unfortunately, I haven't been very active in the cinemas lately. I was only able to watch one movie and it is called Blue Is the Warmest Color and it is a French film directed by Abdellatif Kechiche. The story is just really simple. It's about a girl named Adele (Adele Exarchopoulos) who just discovered that she is a lesbian and forms an intimate relationship with Lea Seydoux's character (sorry I forgot her name). That's it. I cannot say much because the plot is very simple and revealing too much will probably involve spoilers. Although I have to warn you, the movie is really long for a slice of life drama. It is three hours long. So the story line will sometimes become dragging because everything in this movie can get nitty gritty because every scene is detailed. From the dinner scenes to the dramatic ones, there's not a single pass through. This film took so much time with its montages and what is going on in these girls' lives. Plus the acting is very superb. I give kudos to this film for having the most realistic setting, from the make-up of the actresses to the transitions of each scene. Everything is not very glamorized and it looks like a story of a person that you would normally see everyday. It's a really nice, but a sad film. It ends on a very low note, though. And I'm kinda expecting a sequel for this.

Another film that I saw was in my Spanish Elective class and it is entitled, All About My Mother. It is directed by one of the most famous directors, Pedro Almodóvar. The story begins when Manuela (Cecilia Roth)'s son dies in a car accident on the night of his birthday. Her son's birthday wish was to meet his father, whom Manuela never wanted to mention. However, Manuela decides to search for him in the place they met, which was in Barcelona. Then it is revealed that Manuela was not some bland motherly character. She actually had a very interesting past. It took a very long time for her to find the boy's father, but in between, you will be able to see Manuela reconnecting to her past, which involves another world of theater and transvestites. I honestly did not expect this film to be that good, and I was totally invested in it. The following films that I watched have similar elements, and I recommend this to anyone who's willing to know more about the LGBT community. 

I'm also hooked with two series, lately. The first is an anime which I made a blog about, it is entitled Baccano! And it is centered on the incident that happened in the transcontinental train, the Flying Pussyfoot.  The episodes explained how the events came to be and how they were related and knotted into the present timeline. It's not just your typical mystery thriller, because it also involves supernatural themes. It has been my guilty pleasure for a week, and I loved all the characters in it. They were random and unique. Plus the soundtrack is great. 

And last not but not the least, there is a brand new DC TV show called Supergirl, which was shown last week! Although it is too soon to say this, but I loved the first episode. I like how it is taking on this "Girl Power" vibe, making it much more different from the existing DC TV show. Also I've been a fan of Melissa Benoist since Glee and I cannot wait to see more of her in this show. I think she played her character, Kara, very well. So far, the plot tells us that even though Kara knew that she was a Kryptonian, she hasn't bothered using her special abilities and tried to lay low for a very long time. Then disaster strikes, and she decides to use her powers to save the people she loves from further danger. That was just the beginning, because her new problem was that the prison facility her mother handled was also destroyed and the villains wanting Kara's mother's head went to Earth to satisfy their vengeance by trying to target Kara. Now it is up to Kara to stop these guys and put them back to prison. It's a bit similar to Flash, so I'm curious to see how this series will turn out. But again, I really liked the first episode. So I cannot wait for more. 

Games & Apps

It's been a while since I've done an Otome game, so I browsed through the Play Store till I discovered this sucker. It's called Midnight Cinderella. The story is kinda like The Selection series. Your character accidentally finds herself included in a small competition where they select the next ruler of the kingdom, and for no reason, your character gets chosen. To make matters even more interesting, your character needs to select a groom to rule with and that's where your suitors will come in. 

There are more than five suitors and once you pick one, your story officially begins. You can also change your suitor in the middle of the story, as well. And like all Otome Games, your play time will be limited. In this case, I can only access the games five times using five Chapter Tickets. Once I run out of Chapter Tickets, I either have to wait for the next day or purchase one. I also can customize my character's appearance and make actual friends with other people playing the game. Also there will be instances where I have to pick what my character has to do next, which will greatly affect the ending I have with my suitor. 

This Otome game will also feature bonuses, prices, and many opportunities to glamorize your account. And every month, there will be special side story events which you can participate with other suitors in the game and not just with the one you selected for the main story. It's quite a productive game, so I think you won't get very bored with it because of the many gifts you will receive each day. On top, you can see that I selected King Byron, the ruler of my rival kingdom, as my main suitor the story. So yeah, you can imagine how intense my nonexistent love life is. 

The art in this game is fantastic. Plus I love how the narration of this game is so fluid and detailed. It feels like reading from a romantic novel, but with actual pictures of attractive looking men dominating your phone screen. This app is for free in the Play Store and the Apple Store, so if you're looking for an unrealistic romance and a man that will fit your ridiculously high standards, then you might as well try installing an Otome game. Particularly this one. 

This game is recommended by CutiePieMarzia on Youtube. It is called Zombuster and I believe this game is designed by her brother. The game is very easy; all you have to do shoot the zombies and not shoot the people. For me, this game is perfect whenever  I need to pass the time between classes or when I am just bored out of my mind. Also if you accumulate a good enough score, you can change your shooting avatar. Currently, my shooting avatar is a Jedi and there are a few more available in the shop. So yeah, install this game and it will change your life. 

Books

Of course, I had the time to read! The first one is entitled All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. For a very long time, a classmate of mine in college has been recommending this book to me. I also discovered this book in a book list that I saw in a Candy Mag online article. This is the very first YA novel of Jennifer Niven, but it is written very well. It's a boy meets girl story, but the most interesting thing about their relationship is that it tackles a very serious issue in our society today; mental illness. Both deal with depression and anxiety in their own way, and I think Niven was able to display what depression is really like and was able to explain why it's something that needs to be treated like any other physical sickness. This possibly the first slice of life novel that I read, where I am convinced that the characters were almost real. They weren't glamorized, the writer did not bother to explain how someone is attractive or ugly. Niven was just able to fill in what was happening with very emotional details. It's a book where you do not fangirl about how hot the main guy is, but it's a book where you actually discuss what happened and why it happened. This story was definitely written from the heart, so it was able to touch me. Many say it's the new John Green, but I think it's a book that is barely comparable to his work. However, if you're a fan of him or even Jay Asher, then this book is definitely for you. It will hit you right in the feels, in a way that you can never imagine.

The only way for me to get over the series of Percy Jackson was not to read Rick Riordan's new series, but to read a brand new fantasy series. Ironically, I discovered this title in Rick Riordan's list of book recommendations. The book is called Magisterium: The Iron Trial and it is a book collaboration between one of my favorite YA writers, Cassandra Clare, and Holly Black. The story is everything that you would expect in a Middle Grade fantasy series. A boy who refuses to be a part of something mystical and special, him getting himself into a Golden Trio, they struggle with magic together, and they also deal with bullies and other puberty issues. However, knowing Clare, I knew there was something big going to happen in this book and there was (unless the big reveal was Holly Black's idea, I will never know). Also, I like the chemistry the main character has with his friends. They formed a great Golden Trio bond, that I never encountered that much in any fandom before. Their friendship is so cute and beautiful that it makes me cry. Also the plot twist drove me nuts, so I decided to get the sequel. The verdict? Well, there are many cliches, but you will still enjoy them. I mean, the most amazing thing about Fantasy novels will always be about the setting. The world told in every fantasy novel will still follow the same formula, but the world will still be new and exciting to you. And the world of the Magisterium is definitely beyond exciting. That plot twist will make you pee in your pants. It's amazing. Read it. I mean it. Go. Seriously. Plus it features a character who has the exact name as me. So yeah. Go read it. It has a good story too. 

Beauty and other stuff

Believe it or not, I'm a girl so I like girly things including cosmetics. For the first time in my life, I bought a red lipsticks. You know you're entering adulthood, when you decide to get yourself the bold statement shade of lipstick. And it is the Auto Lip Crayon from Yadah, a South Korean Brand (because for some reason, I trust South Koreans and their expertise in make-up and anything that involves the word, "beauty"). It is in the color "Dazzling Red" and it is well, a dazzling red. It has a matte formula, which I normally do not like because of my dry lips. But this matte lipstick works really well. Either because I've been starting to take care of myself lately, or it just has a really good matte finish. It doesn't really dry your lips and it is also very long-lasting. Actually, maybe it is a bit too long-lasting because even after hours of going out, the color will still stick unless I forcibly remove it with a damp cloth. It also really good for people who are on a budget and still want to look like a random celebrity. Don't limit yourself, they have four more shades. 

Weirdly enough, I've been enjoying using this black pencil. What's so special about it, you ask? Well...it's just a pencil. That is completely black from head to toe. I don't know with you guys, but I have this huge thing for anything that is stationery. So when I see some cute pen or notebook, I know I just have to get it. And this was one of them. Also, I did not regret this purchase--even if it is just a pencil that is a black color-- because it is really cheap. It will not exceed ten pesos, which probably only a few scents in American dollars. It even looks really good with my Lego Journal, which is color black as well. And it smells good. Yeah, my taste in stationery is something nobody can understand. 

    

  

Yup, you guessed it. I entered the Adult Coloring Book craze, as well. Let's just say my mom got into it, so she encouraged me to try it out because she knew how stressed out I was with life, recently. The ultimate dilemma in this craze is to pick which coloring book would suit me the most. So it took me some time to decide which stuff I wouldn't mind putting a bit color into. Also, the sketches in these books are fantastic. It kinda made me not want to color some pictures and I nearly convinced myself that the only therapy I needed was to stare at a couple of some old intricate sketches of buildings and cupcakes. If you decided to buy an adult coloring book, then there is no worry. It may be or may not worth your money, since they are pretty pricey. But if you think coloring is fun, then you are more than welcome to try one out, especially if you a whole lot of vacant hours on your plate. Also, coloring does take your mind off things. Because your mind will be occupied on thoughts about which color you are going to use next. To make myself even more relaxed, I would accompany my coloring session with a bit of music from Spotify. 

And that is it for my Egg tray! I told you it would be very long. And there are many other favorites that I wasn't able to mention, but I will save it till the next Egg Tray post. If you made it this far to reading, first of all thanks and I will see you till the next post~

Let's Review! BACCANO!

Hello everyone! I am back with a brand new anime review after so long. So without further adieu, it's time to review one of the most mind-boggling anime I have ever seen, which is Baccano!

WARNING: This post contains spoilers.

Plot

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Okay let me break it down for you; Baccano is based on an ongoing light novel series written by Ryohgo Narita and it is illustrated by Katsumi Enami. The story revolves around a hold-up situation in a transcontinental train named  Flying Pussyfoot ( Yes, seriously. That's the name) and this took places during the early 1930s of the United States of America. The train was taken over by three major gangs and one psychotic killer.   There were other more suspicious persons on board, as well.  So basically, this anime is focused on multiple points of view. The entire series goes from one timeline to another to explain the mysteries and motivations surrounding the incident in the train. The story slowly comes together as the episodes gradually explain who the suspicious figures were, what their motivations were, and  how they were able to survive the massacre that took place within the train ride. 

I have to admit, the first episode can get very confusing because it jumps back and forth to the past and future. Not only that, the anime has many subplots to keep track of. As one mystery is revealed, another subplot opens. And as you can see, there are many characters involved, so you can imagine how many stories are explained in only thirteen episodes. Also, this anime does not really have a main character unlike most multiple POV anime such as Naruto. To top it off, not all of these stories are connected to each other. Plot-wise, my concern for this anime is that there are so many arcs involved and none of them had a dominant storyline that weaves all of them together. Perhaps the light novels managed to do that, but the anime wasn't able to do so. The way the multiple points of view was handled was only passable for me. I'm impressed that the anime managed to provide backstories, as well as strong conclusions for all the characters. But at the end, I was at total lost on what the real problem was. Yes, it would seem that the anime tackles the immortality theme, and it looked like the major plot, but I don't see how it involves other major characters such as Jacuzzi Splot's gang or even the Russo gang (and these two only seemed directly connected to each other, assuming Vino is out of the equation). So hopefully, this anime would have a sequel because the weaving part was a bit weak, to the point that some of the other subplots almost didn't matter and were only there for entertainment purposes. Apart from that, the setting was well done. The themes were also very interesting. It felt like I was watching Sherlock with a mixture of Hannibal. Aside from mystery and gang violence, there were themes on murder and the supernatural. This actually caught me by surprise when the anime managed to put supernatural into the mix. As if the anime was already complicated, enough. Nonetheless, that aspect was very good. The history of the immortals had a very eerie tone to it, and I like how the immortals are only scared of each other. However it was not the most interesting element in the entire anime. I love how Narita took advantage of the idea of coincidence and inevitability, making them strongly connected. It was done way better than Tsubasa, to be honest, because it was more fluid and well explained. It heavily tapped into the "it's a small world, after all" concept, and it somehow worked well in this show.

Characters

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A multiple-POV show will involve many characters. The difference between this and other animes that only have a lot of characters, is that all these characters matter. And since this is a mystery story, you can see the clues being revealed through each POV. Now this is different from the usual anime because the usual would normally give this character an arc in order for you to understand them better. But in Baccano, this character gets an arc so you will be able to understand what's going on and why the events in the anime are happening. And since it's very concentrated in the Flying Pussyfoot incident, then don't expect drastic character development. 

baccano.wikia.com

Although it is not that important, the development for many characters are well done and the best part is that their development fit well in a certain situation. A perfect example here would be Ennis, who is a homunculus created by Szilard Quates. Random cliche but in the beginning of the anime, she appears to be this entity who is expected to simply follow direct orders from her master and to show no emotion. However, Ennis reveals that she actually does have feelings and she gets touched whenever Isaac and Miria treat her like a normal person. Aside from Ennis, there is also Czeslaw Meyer, the youngest immortal who had this dominant fear of being harmed and eaten by other immortals. He exercised this mindset until again, Isaac and Miria prove to him that not everyone in the world is after him.

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Basically, Isaac and Miria not only serve as light comedy for the show, but they were also mediators. They may seem like the most random things ever to walk upon the anime space, but if it weren't for them, then not much character development wouldn't happen and more people would most likely die. So they have every right to call themselves "lucky".

Top L-R: Issac, Claire, Chane, Miria

Middle L-R: Laforet Follower, Lua, Ladd
Bottom L-R: Czeslaw, Jacuzzi, Nice
baccano.wikia.com

Unfortunately, the rest of the immortals did not have much screen time. They all had one comprehensive episode together, and that is it. So it's hard to tap on these guys without knowing that much about them. But I can talk about the gangs involved in this story. They're just as many as the characters involved in this story.  There are the Runoratas, the Laforet followers, Russos, Gandors, Genoards, Martillos, and the gang of Jacuzzi and Nice's. So this anime is not only Sherlock meets Hannibal, but also Game of Thrones. Just imagine the Known World progressing to a much more industrialized era, and boom. There you have it Baccano. Roll the credits. Since it's only focused on the gangster aspect of the United States, expect the term loyalty lurking about in almost every corner in the anime. All these gangs are united and it's hard to say if they're all diverse. The only gangs that showed a whole lot of diversity were the Martillo family and Jacuzzi's gang. They not only exercised extreme loyalty to each other, but they showed how light and fun they can be. Also, I am very intrigued by the idea that Jacuzzi is the leader of his gang, in spite of his fragile personality. Although he proved himself, he's the most soft-hearted gangster and I am quite frustrated that the anime wasn't able to explain his motivations for leading such a life with Nice and the others. I also kinda wished that the other gangs also had certain trademarks that they can be remembered by just like the Martillos, to prove that they're not just all about violence.

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Then there was another mind-boggling villain, who was Claire Stainfield. He's also known as Vino or Rail Tracer. He has everything that you can ask for a psychotic killer. He randomly kills, he enjoys torture, and he's quite the misogynist, but I am afraid that's just it. Again, it's because the anime left on a hanging note. It was very obvious that he had major plans involving Laforet, but within the time duration of this anime, he's just another so-called mysterious crazy murderer. Nothing more, nothing less.

Music

The music is amazing. I love how it is just purely made out of jazz and reggae. It perfectly suited almost all of the scenes in the anime. Here I have a sample of their music, which is also the opening song for the show. It is entitled "Gun's & Roses"by Paradise Lunch. And this alone represents what the entire soundtrack of the anime is like.

Art

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I have to admit. The art was kind of underwhelming for me. It was not terrible, but at the same time it was not that impressionable. The style was detailed but it was enough for us to take a look at what the characters are like. First of all, the gory scenes or scenes that contain blood were not as intense for me. It looked like the blood came from Microsoft Paint. However, I think the clothing and setting designs were done very well. What left a lasting impression for me would always be the clothing because they also served as trademarks for most of the characters. For instance, Firo is Firo without the green suit and green fedora. Chane is Chane with the lacy dresses, and I can say the same for Lua. The clothes were all very appropriate for the timeline that they were in. I just well, fell in love with the setting and I appreciated every detailed contributed to create such a dark and gloomy atmosphere.

I give kudos to the anime for being able to explain what simply happened through a number of amazing but less diversified POVs, but the questions of what is really going on and why these events happen still remains. With that, I shall give this anime three eggs. So it's a scrambled for Baccano!

Please do try Baccano, if you are searching for an anime with a Sherlock-vibe or if you're into shows that has a dose of historical fiction and mafias. That is it for my anime review, and I shall see you till the next post~