Greetings, and welcome to all, anime lovers! 💗

Saludos, y bienvenidos a todos, amantes del anime! 💗

Hello everyone, anime fans, I hope you are all doing super well, I think the time has come to talk about an anime that I am sure many of you will know, as you know, I am not the biggest fan of isekais, but it has been a while since I decided to watch: Konosuba, well, the full name is Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!, and today I am going to give you my opinion... well, we have all seen like a thousand isekais, they are like the most cliché and typical, typical, the character who dies, boom!, they send him to a fantasy world, he becomes super OP, builds his harem, saves the world, blah, blah, blah... yeah, ok, the little formula is getting tired, right?

The truth is, I'm already fed up, but... I started Konosuba a little... mmm... without much enthusiasm, really. Someone out there, a few years ago told me it was fun, but I saw some screenshots and thought: "Oh no, another generic fantasy, probably even with too much fan service".. I almost passed on it, almost! But, it's a good thing I didn't, Konosuba takes all that isekai stuff, looks it in the face and... starts making fun of everything to its face, it's not another isekai, it's a complete parody of the genre! And you die laughing sometimes... things start off pretty normal, or so it seems: our protagonist, Kazuma Satou, is your typical hikikomori gamer, he dies... and he dies in the least heroic way you can imagine... when you see how it went, you're going to pause the chapter just to laugh. Then he meets a goddess, Aqua, who makes him the usual offer: you either reincarnate here or go to a fantasy world to defeat the Demon King, and you can take home a "cheat" thing or ability, super broken, well... the usual, right?

Hola a todos, fanáticos del anime, espero que estén super bien, creo que ya ha llegado el momento de hablar de un anime que seguro muchos de ustedes conocerán, como saben, yo no soy el más fan de los isekais, pero hace tiempo que decidir ver: Konosuba, bueno, el nombre completo es Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!, y hoy voy a darles mi opinión.. bueno, ya todos hemos visto como mil isekais, son como lo más cliché y típico, de lo típico, el personaje que se muere, ¡pum!, lo mandan a un mundo de fantasía, se vuelve súper OP, arma su harén, salva el mundo, bla, bla, bla.. sí, ok, ya cansa la formulita, ¿no?
La verdad, yo ya estoy harto, pero.. empecé Konosuba con un poco de... mmm... sin muchas ganas, la verdad, alguien por ahí, hace unos años me dijo que estaba divertido, pero vi unas capturas y pensé: "Ay, no, otro de fantasía genérico, seguro hasta con fan service de más".. casi lo dejo pasar, ¡casi! Pero, qué bueno que no lo hice, Konosuba agarra tooodo eso del isekai, lo mira de frente y... se empieza a burlar de todo en su cara, no es otro isekai, es una parodia completa del género! Y te mueres de risa algunas veces.. la cosa empieza bastante normalita, o eso parece: nuestro prota, Kazuma Satou, es el típico gamer hikikomori, se muere.. y se muere de la forma menos heroica que se puedan imaginar.. cuando vean cómo fue, van a pausar el capítulo solo para reírse. Después conoce a una diosa, Aqua, que le hace la oferta de siempre: reencarnas aquí o te vas a un mundo de fantasía a derrotar al Rey Demonio, y te puedes llevar una cosa o habilidad "cheat", súper rota, pues.. lo típico, ¿no?

Kazuma, being a very cynical and kind of dumb guy, and being mad at Aqua for making fun of his painful death, chooses her as his "super powerful item"! Haha, bad decision! Because Aqua is... well, yeah, technically she's a goddess. I mean, on paper her stats are crazy, but in real life... she's super arrogant, cries over everything, wastes all her skill points on useless party tricks (seriously, her main contribution is making water and clowning around!), and is almost always more of a hindrance than a help, like the perfect mockery of the powerful sidekick or helpful goddess – completely useless when things get serious! I spent half the episodes thinking "why doesn't Kazuma just leave her in a corner?!" And that's the genius of this show, people: the joke comes from the fact that they are absolutely useless, but seriously! Kazuma can’t get a super broken magic sword or godly powers, he’s stuck with this half-assed goddess, and they’re broke.

And the team only gets worse (or better, if you want to laugh) from there, they need more people, right? So they recruit Megumin, an Archmage from some weird clan, the Crimson Demons, who looks cool and talks like a charlatan. Her special power? EXPLOSION Magic! Just like that, a ridiculously powerful explosion that destroys everything on screen… sounds awesome, right? The catch is that she can only cast it ONCE per day… and it leaves her so drained of mana that she passes out, just lying there like a lump! And the chick refuses to learn any other spells because she’s obsessed with the fact that Explosion is the best… a single-shot weapon that needs to be carried on the way home after every battle… and to top it all off, Darkness arrives! Oh, Darkness…

She’s a Crusader, a noble, with super high defense! Seriously, she can take anything, she should be the perfect tank, well nooo, they’re wrong again, the chick has the aim of a blindfolded Stormtrooper! She doesn’t even hit the air! But the real twist, the craziest thing, is that… she’s super masochistic, she loves getting hit! She loves being insulted and being a punching bag… so, instead of having the noble knight who protects everyone, you have this super pretty blonde who goes around looking to get into the most humiliating and painful situations possible, it’s so wrong, but at the same time you laugh a lot at how they turned the typical “protector paladin” character on its head.

Kazuma, que es bien cínico y medio tonto, y como estaba enojado porque Aqua se burló de su muerte tan penosa, ¡la escoge a ella como su "objeto súper poderoso"! Jaja, qué mala decisión! Porque Aqua es... bueno, sí, técnicamente es una diosa.. o sea, en el papel, sus números están altísimimos, pero en la vida real... es súper arrogante, llora por todo, se gasta todos sus puntos de habilidad en trucos de fiesta que no sirven para nada (¡enserio, su mayor aporte es crear agüita y hacer payasadas!), y casi siempre es más un estorbo que una ayuda, es como la burla perfecta del compañero poderoso o de la diosa que sí ayuda – ¡completamente inútil cuando las cosas se ponen serias! Yo me pasé la mitad de los capítulos pensando "¿¡por qué Kazuma no la deja botada por ahí en una esquina y ya?!"
Y ahí está la genialidad de esta serie, ¡gente!: el chiste viene de que son absolutamente inútiles, pero en serio! Kazuma no consigue ni una espada mágica súper rota ni poderes divinos, se queda atascado con esta diosa medio hueca, ¡y no tienen ni un centavo.. Y el equipo nomás se pone peor (o bueno, mejor, si te quieres reír) a partir de ahí, necesitan más gente, ¿no? Así que reclutan a Megumin, una Archimaga de un clan medio raro, los Demonios Carmesí, que se ve cool y habla como merolico. ¿Su poder especial? Magia de ¡EXPLOSIÓN! Así, con mayúsculas, una explosión ridículamente poderosa que destroza todo en pantalla.. suena increíble, ¿verdad? ¡Pues el truco está en que solo la puede lanzar UNA vez al día.. y la deja tan seca de maná que se desmaya, ¡queda ahí tirada como bulto! Y la tipa se niega a aprender cualquier otro hechizo porque está obsesionada con que la Explosión es lo máximo.. un arma de un solo tiro que necesita que la carguen de regreso a casa después de cada batalla.. y para rematar, llega Darkness! Ay, Darkness...
Ella es una Crusader, una noble, con una defensa ¡altísima!, en serio, aguanta todo, debería ser la tanque perfecta, pues nooo, otra vez se equivocan, la tipa tiene la puntería de un Stormtrooper con los ojos vendados! no le pega ni al aire! Pero el verdadero giro, lo más loco, es que.. es súper masoquista, le encanta que le peguen! Le fascina que la insulten y ser un saco de boxeo.. así que, en lugar de tener a la caballero noble que protege a todos, tienes a esta rubia súper bonita que anda buscando meterse en las situaciones más humillantes y dolorosas posibles, es algo tan incorrecto, pero al mismo tiempo te ríes un montón de cómo le dieron la vuelta al típico personaje del "paladín protector".

So, imagine the team that is put together, you have the main character, who is a cynical, half-perverted guy whose main powers seem to be luck and stealing things; a useless goddess who is obsessed with being praised; an explosion-mad woman who only knows how to use one spell; and a masochistic tank who can't hit anything... this is not a team of heroes that is going to save the world, not at all! It's a dysfunctional group mess, and watching them try to do even the simplest mission (and almost always fail)... is what makes it so funny... that's another important thing: Konosuba cares way more about comedy than a super serious plot. Don't start watching it expecting the big epic adventure to defeat the Demon King, yes, okay, that's supposed to be the goal, but the series focuses much more on the problems and craziness of this group's day-to-day life.

The episodes might be about them trying to scrape together money to avoid starving, dealing with giant frogs, accidentally blowing up a nobleman's castle, or "purifying" a lake full of monsters, but the story barely moves forward. By the end of the season, they're practically back in the same filthy place they started. But who cares? I spent the whole time laughing at how they get along with each other and their spectacular failures. It feels like there's a weird connection between them, a kind of bizarre, kind of toxic bond, but one that you actually kind of like, you know? But the epic adventure? Nah! That's not the point here... besides, it's full of references and mockery of RPGs and other anime clichés. They show you stat cards, skill points, quests they grab from a guild board... all very online-game-like, you know?

But the series spends its time making fun of all of that, like Aqua spending points on useless tricks or how ridiculous some missions are... it also pokes fun at anime clichés: the super-dramatic speeches before fights (which almost always get interrupted immediately), the typical characters taken to the most absurd extreme, even breaking the fourth wall from time to time. Look, I'm sure I didn't get all the references; maybe someone who's seen a thousand anime will understand it even more. But even if you're not an isekai expert, the main humor works perfectly because the characters and situations are hilarious on their own.

Así que, imagínense el equipo que se arma, tienes al prota, que es un cínico, medio pervertido, cuyos poderes principales parece que son la suerte y robar cositas, una diosa inútil que está obsesionada con que la alaben; una loca de las explosiones que solo sabe usar un hechizo; y una tanque masoquista que no le atina a nada.. este no es un equipo de héroes que va a salvar el mundo, para nada! Es un desmadre de grupo disfuncional, y verlos intentar hacer hasta la misión más sencilla (y casi siempre fallar)... es lo que hace que de mucha risa.. eso es otra cosa importante: a Konosuba le importa muchísimo más la comedia que una trama súper seria. No la empiecen a ver esperando la gran aventura épica para derrotar al Rey Demonio, sí, ok, se supone que esa es la meta, pero la serie se enfoca mucho más en los problemas y locuras del día a día de este grupo.
Los capítulos pueden tratar de cómo intentan juntar dinero para no morirse de hambre, de cómo lidian con ranas gigantes, de cómo vuelan sin querer el castillo de un noble o de "purificar" un lago lleno de monstruos, la historia casi no avanza nada. Al final de la temporada, están prácticamente en el mismo mugre lugar donde empezaron. Pero, ¿a quién le importa? Yo me la pasé riéndome con cómo se llevan entre ellos y sus fracasos espectaculares, se siente como que hay una conexión rara entre ellos, un lazo medio bizarro, medio tóxico, pero que hasta te cae bien, ¿sabes? Pero ¿la aventura épica? ¡Nah!, ese no es el punto aquí.. además, está llena de referencias y burlas a los RPGs y a otros clichés del anime, te muestran las tarjetas con los stats, los puntos de habilidad, las misiones que agarran de un tablero en el gremio... todo muy como de juego en línea, ¿saben?
Pero la serie se la pasa burlándose de todo eso, como Aqua gastando puntos en trucos inútiles o lo ridículas que son algunas misiones.. también se ríe de los clichés del anime: los discursos súper dramáticos antes de pelear (que casi siempre los interrumpen al segundo), los personajes típicos llevados al extremo más absurdo, hasta rompen la cuarta pared de vez en cuando. A ver, seguro yo no agarré todas las referencias; tal vez alguien que se ha visto mil animes le entiende todavía más. Pero aunque no seas un experto en isekai, el humor principal funciona perfecto porque los personajes y las situaciones son chistosísimas por sí solas.

And the thing is, the series knows it’s ridiculous, that’s the cool thing, it realizes it, it goes all in with the absurdity… anything you say “oh, this character is so annoying” or “this doesn’t make any sense”, it’s probably on purpose! It’s part of the joke, the series makes fun of itself and the isekai genre all the time… visually, it’s super well done! For a comedy that is sometimes based on somewhat… simple situations, it looks pretty good, you recognize the character designs immediately and you don’t forget them (Aqua’s blue hair, Megumin’s eyepatch and hat, Darkness’s armor)… the world is super bright, full of color. But where the animation really shines is in the faces they make, they are super exaggerated, haha, Kazuma’s ‘I can’t take it anymore’ face, Aqua’s whining, Megumin’s satisfied and smug face after her explosion, or Darkness’s blushing face between sadness and… weird emotion… ugh, they really add the finishing touch to the jokes!

And yes, Megumin’s Explosion magic, it really looks super impressive every time she uses it… yes there is some fan service, obviously, especially with Aqua and Darkness, but even that feels like part of the mockery, not like they put it in just for the sake of it, you know? Honestly, I was really surprised by how much I liked Konosuba... I started watching it thinking "ah, this is going to be another run-of-the-mill isekai", and I ended up dying of laughter like I haven't had with an anime in a long time, it's really silly, super exaggerated, but that humor, kind of goofy, she handles it really well! It gives you that vibe of when you're playing an RPG with your friends who are all really bad, but they're having the time of their lives, so what do I say in the end? My verdict?

Look, if you like isekai and want to see how they make fun of the genre with everything, or if you just want to sit and laugh until your stomach hurts at the nonsense of the most spectacularly useless group of adventurers in existence… you have to watch Konosuba! It’s fun in the best way, I give it an 8/10! I’m lowering it a little because the plot barely advances, and it’s very likely that not everyone will like it, and I admit that Aqua sometimes does go too far as… boring! It can be desperate, but how funny it is and how brilliantly it makes fun of the isekai genre, uff, makes up for that and more! Then, in the following seasons, the plot advances a bit, introducing us to more secondary characters, more enemies, and expanding the world a bit more... but the essence of chaos and ridiculousness remains, so it's definitely worth checking out. And well, that's all for today. We'll see you in the next reviews. Take care! Bye!

Y es que la serie sabe que es ridícula, eso es lo chido, que se da cuenta, le entra con todo a lo absurdo.. cualquier cosa que digas "ay, qué molesto este personaje" o "esto no tiene ni pies ni cabeza", ¡probablemente es a propósito! Es parte del chiste, la serie se burla de sí misma y del género isekai todo el tiempo.. visualmente, está súper bien hecha! Para ser una comedia que a veces se basa en situaciones medio... simples, se ve bastante bien, los diseños de los personajes los reconoces al toque y no se te olvidan (el pelo azul de Aqua, el parche y sombrero de Megumin, la armadura de Darkness).. el mundo es súper brillante, lleno de color. Pero donde de verdad se la rifa la animación es en las caras que ponen, son súper exageradas, jaja, la cara de Kazuma de 'ya no aguanto más', los lloriqueos de Aqua, la cara de satisfecha y creída de Megumin después de su explosión, o la cara sonrojada de Darkness entre pena y... emoción rara... ¡uff, le dan todo el toque a los chistes!
Y sí, la magia de Explosión de Megumin, la verdad se ve súper impresionante cada vez que la usa.. sí hay algo de fan service, obvio, más que nada con Aqua y Darkness, pero hasta eso se siente como parte de la burla, no como que lo pusieron nomás por ponerlo, ¿saben? La verdad, me sorprendió un montón lo mucho que me gustó Konosuba.. yo empecé a verla pensando "ah, va a ser otro isekai del montón", y terminé muerto de la risa como hace mucho no me pasaba con un anime, es bien tonta, súper exagerada, pero ese humor así, medio baboso, ¡lo maneja súper bien! Te da justo esa vibra de cuando juegas un RPG con tus compas que son todos malísimos, pero se están divirtiendo como nunca, entonces, ¿qué les digo al final? ¿Mi veredicto?
Miren, si lo que quieren es pura comedia, reírse, si les gustan los isekai y quieren ver cómo se burlan del género con todo, o si nomás quieren sentarse a carcajearse hasta que les duela la panza con las tonterías del grupo de aventureros más espectacularmente inútil que existe... ¡tienen que ver Konosuba! ¡Es diversión de la mejor manera, le doy un.. 8/10! Le bajo un poquito porque la trama casi no avanza, y es muy probable que no le guste a todos, y admito que Aqua a veces sí se pasa de... ¡pesada! puede llegar a desesperar, pero lo chistosa que es y lo genial que se burla del género isekai, ¡uff, compensa eso y más! Luego en las próximas temporadas, la trama va avanzando un poco, nos presentan más personajes secundarios, más enemigos, expanden un poco más el mundo.. pero la esencia de caos y cosas ridículas se mantiene, así que sin duda vale la pena echarle un vistazo. Y bueno, eso es todo por hoy, nos veremos en las próximas reseñas, cuidense! Byebye!

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I have a long list of dramas to see on my watchlist, downloaded and just waiting for me to play each episode into the story. I'm excited about what next I'll see as this one was a nice watch and I'm presently seeing an even more interesting one. This series was one of my top 2025 dramas to see and I'm excited to review it.

I was so sure I'll see this series when I saw the title "Undercover High School" and the male lead, Seo Kang-joon from one of my favourite robot romantic series "Are You Human Too?". I didn't really care if it would meet my expectations but into the first episode, I knew I had made a best choice on what to see, this series is a must-see.

"Undercover High School" is a 2025 comedy series with a good blend of mystery, action and drama. When I say, drama! It was in excess and I'll share more about that when I get to that part lol. The series is cast by "Seo Kang-joon, Jin Ki-joo and Kim Shin-rock" as the main leads with other supporting characters set in an old school.

An excellent NIS agent, Hae-seong gets demoted after failing a mission. His punishment is to go undercover at a high school to find King Gojong's missing gold that was stolen and hidden. He meets teacher, Oh Soo-ah who thinks he acts like her first love and old feelings begins to resurface. He begins to uncover mysteries with his team.

I had a blast watching Hae-seong, the star of the story solve mysteries while giving us good laughs to make it less tense and more enjoyable. This was definitely a good watch after seeing him in "Are You Human Too?" where he kinda acted too robotic but the cute look remained same in both.

Oh Soo-ah, starred by Jin Ki-joo is my favourite character in this series after the male lead. Talk of a very active female lead who isn't just stupid and annoying in a scene we expected more from her. She is the active and ready to take decisions type that fits well into the story. Her love for teaching goes deep as she protects her students.

Her expressions were top notch! I saw the series with my younger Bro and we both could not get used to how she show expressions in every scene she was in. I began to wonder how I had missed her movies until this one, I'm definitely going on a search for more of her works. She is officially the queen of dramatic expressions lol.

What's a mystery and gold search story without a villain who is mysterious and trying to take the gold? Seo Myeong-joo starred by Kim Shin-rock is also a new face for me who acted as the villain, a very dramatic one and I think she's perfect for the role. Playing a mother who is obsessed with her plans and her daughter's life.

The NIS team behind Hae-seong also added good flavour to the comedy in the story and I like how dynamic their tactics to find the gold were. Another surprising character is Oh Soo-ah's mother who turned out to be a street woman lol. The bully case in the story was also a good one, I enjoyed from start to the end of the bully case.

_{Images are from Imdb.}

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Hello, anime lovers!

I hope you are well. Today I come to talk to you about a real gem of anime, one that not many know about on the opposite side of the Asian continent, but that is a pleasure to watch. This is an anime that I watched many years ago, I was about 11 years old and I had access to YouTube, where I loved watching anime, so I watched a lot and enjoyed a lot.

One of them in particular and which today I review and recommend is one entitled Assassination Classroom a work that contains a lot of action, drama (There were times when I cried, but immediately something crazy happened and it passed.) so it also has enough comedy and science fiction, the latter something crazy, but we are talking about anime.

It is that, by God, imagine that your teacher is a mysterious alien being shaped like a giant yellow octopus, which destroyed much of the moon, that no army on the planet can beat, not even a missile and threatens to destroy the earth in a year.

This mysterious being, rather cheeky and prankster, decides that, while the one-year term is up, he wants to become a high school teacher and be called Koro-sensei. So, while looking for a way to kill him, he becomes a teacher in class 3-E at Kunugigaoka High School. I might add that, considered the worst class, they are outcasts in an elitist school. Koro-sensei sets out on a mission: to teach his students... While they try to kill him.

This is because no one can find a way to destroy him or even stop him and put an end to his idea of being a “teacher”, so what better than his students, kids who have barely entered their teens and who spend a lot of time with him, to find a way to kill him. If they succeed, not only will they be saving the world, but whoever kills him will receive a million-dollar reward.

But the story is not just about killing the giant yellow octopus that moves incredibly fast. But Koro - sensei during the time he is a teacher, not only teaches his students: mathematics, history, physics... And assassination techniques while teaching them geography with passion. As a small spoiler there is one student who, indeed, has a natural talent for assassination.

Koro-sensei teaches his students, considered by the rest as useless who will never achieve anything in life, values and principles, acceptance, teamwork, self-confidence and love themselves as they are, his dedication and commitment to his students makes him the ideal teacher: one who gives his all for the growth of his students, soon the 3-E class becomes a space for growth and improvement for those who are marginalized.

Of course, there are other great characters, such as students and other teachers, each with a story, with reasons for being and with desires. Their evolution is one of the major focuses of the play, of course, as they try to take down Koro-sensei. As they live adventures, learn and transform into their best version, they become what Koro-sensei saw in them. All this accompanied by laughter, action and adventure. I still can't get over the fact that everyone in the class thought for a long time that Nagisa was a woman, ha ha ha ha. Those students were so shameless, they invented crazy things, that made me wonder where the heck their parents were.

The action scenes are good, nothing like seeing Koro-sensei fleeing from one side to the other while his students shoot at him with machine guns, AK-47s and even bazookas, the brats scheming plans on how to catch him and send him to San Pedro. I quite liked the construction of the play, it makes an allegory of educational life, with all its emotional and even existential chaos, as a social battlefield and in this case literal, in young people who are just discovering who they are and what it takes to grow up, but above all to find their place in the world... In their case, if there is a world left to live in, ha, ha, ha, ha. But seriously, it shows what school life can be like for many young people, when they are just discovering themselves, how hard life can be in high school and in society, as well as the desire to want to belong, despite how absurd it can be to have a giant yellow octopus as a teacher, who likes to be called Koro-sensei, who moves at Mach 20 and whose mood determines his color.

It is a quirky anime at times, but still charming and, although its premise is absurd, it manages to balance humor, emotional, nostalgic, drama and action. Some may feel it repetitive at some point, but it is still very good, I feel it is balanced.

Anyway, this is an anime that I remember fondly and enjoyed quite a bit. It has two seasons of anime and several adaptations, it even has live-action movies. It is a real gem. Whoever sees it, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

If you made it this far, I hope you liked the review-recommendation and that you are encouraged to watch this great story!

¡Hola, amantes del anime!

Espero que se encuentren bien. Hoy les vengo a hablar de una verdadera joya del anime, uno que no muchos conocen en el lado contrario al continente asiático, pero que es un placer ver. Este es un anime que vi muchos años atrás, tenía yo como unos 11 años y acceso a YouTube, en donde me encantaba ver anime, así que vi mucho y disfruté mucho.

Uno de ellos en especial y el cual hoy hago reseña y recomiendo es uno titulado Assassination Classroom una obra que contiene bastante acción, drama (hay momentos en que llore, pero inmediatamente salían con una loquera y se me pasaba) por lo que también tiene bastante comedia y ciencia ficción este último algo loco, pero estamos hablando de anime.

Es que, por Dios, imagínate que tu profesor sea un misterioso ser alienígena con forma de pulpo amarillo gigante, que destruyó gran parte de la luna, que ningún ejército del planeta puede vencer, ni siquiera un misil y que amenaza con destruir la tierra en un año.

Este misterioso ser, bastante descaro y bromista, decide que, mientras se cumple el plazo de un año, quiere ser profesor de una escuela secundaria y que lo llamen Koro-sensei. Es así que, mientras buscan la manera de matarlo, este se convierte en profesor de la clase 3-E de la secundaria Kunugigaoka. Debo añadir que, considerada la peor clase, son marginados en una escuela elitista. Koro-sensei se plantea una misión: enseñar a sus alumnos… Mientras ellos intentan asesinarlo.

Esto se debe a que nadie encuentra la forma de destruirlo o de siquiera detenerlo y acabar con su idea de ser “profesor” así que, qué mejor que sus alumnos, unos chicos que apenas han entrado en la adolescencia y que pasan mucho tiempo con él, quienes encuentren la manera de matarlo. Si lo logran, no solo estarían salvando el mundo, sino que quien lo acabe recibirá una recompensa millonaria.

Pero la historia no se trata de solo acabar con el pulpo amarillo gigante que se mueve increíblemente rápido. Sino que Koro – sensei durante el tiempo en que es maestro, no solo les enseña a sus alumnos: matemáticas, historia, física… Y técnicas de asesinato mientras les enseña geografía con pasión. Como pequeño spoiler hay un alumno que, de verdad, tiene un talento natural para el asesinato.

Sino que también, Koro-sensei les enseña a sus estudiantes, considerados por el resto de la escuela, como inútiles que nunca lograran nada en la vida; valores y principios, el aceptarse, el trabajo en equipo, la confianza en sí mismos y amarse tal y como son, su dedicación y empeño por sus alumnos lo convierte en la forma del profesor ideal: quien da todo de sí por el crecimiento de sus alumnos, Pronto la clase 3-E se convierte en un espacio de crecimiento y superación para aquellos que son marginados.

Por supuesto, hay otros grandes personajes, como los alumnos y otros profesores, cada uno con una historia, con motivos de ser y con deseos. La evolución de ellos es uno de los mayores enfoques de la obra, claro está, mientras intentan acabar con Koro-sensei. Mientras viven aventuras, aprenden y se transforman en su mejor versión, se convierten en lo que Koro-sensei veía en ellos. Todo esto acompañado de risas, acción y aventuras. Todavía no supero que todos en la clase pensaran por mucho tiempo que Nagisa es mujer, ja, ja, ja. Eran bien descarados esos alumnos, inventaban unas locuras, que hacía pensar donde rayos estaban sus padres.

Las escenas de acción son buenas, nada como ver a Koro-sensei huir de un lado a otro mientras sus alumnos le disparan con ametralladoras, AK-47 y hasta bazucas, maquinando planes los mocosos de cómo atraparlo y mandarlo con San Pedro. La construcción de la obra me gusto bastante, hace alegoría a la vida educativa, con todo su caos emocional y hasta existencial, como un campo de batalla social y en este caso literal, en jóvenes que apenas van descubriendo quienes son y lo que conlleva crecer, pero sobre todo de encontrar su lugar en el mundo… En su caso, si es que queda el mundo en que vivir, ja, ja, ja. Pero siendo serios, muestra lo que puede ser la vida en la escuela para muchos jóvenes, cuando apenas se están descubriendo, lo dura que puede ser la vida en la secundaria y en la sociedad, asi como el deseo de querer pertenecer, a pesar de lo absurdo que puede ser tener a un pulpo gigante amarillo como maestro, que le gusta ser llamado Koro-sensei, que se mueve a Mach 20 y del cual su estado de ánimo determina su color.

Es un anime extravagante por momentos, pero sin dejar de ser encantador y, aunque su premisa es absurda, logra equilibrar el humor, con lo emocional, lo nostálgico, el drama y la acción. Algunos lo pueden sentir repetitivo en algún momento, pero no deja de ser muy buena, yo la siento equilibrada.

En fin, este es un anime que recuerdo con cariño y que disfruté bastante. Cuenta con dos temporadas de anime y varias adaptaciones, tiene hasta películas live-action. Es toda una joya. Quien la vea, espero que la disfrute tanto como yo la disfrute.

¡Si llegaste hasta aquí, espero que te haya gustado la reseña-recomendación y que te animes a ver esta gran y bella historia!

Hello, anime fans. Let's talk about a japanese animated series that seeks to take us back to the old days with a somewhat unusual story and characters. In the science fiction genre, this work, which many have been waiting to see since last year, has given us a lot to talk about, despite being a disappointment for many. Lazarus is an original animated series produced by MAPPA and Sola Entertainment. It is directed by Shinichirō Watanabe. Discover one of the best and most underrated anime series currently available.

Plot

The anime begins by showing us a seemingly utopian future where technology has advanced in so many areas of life that even in the field of health, a medicine has been created that can cure any disease or pain. This pill is called "Hapna" and was created by the renowned neuroscientist Dr. Skinner. One day, the Nobel Prize winner and successful scientist disappears completely from the face of the earth, or at least no one knows his real whereabouts. Three years later, a video appears on the internet of him talking about his greatest creation and that everyone who took his pill will die within a short time. This is where a small group of five people are brought together to take on the mission of finding Skinner before Hapna wipes out all of humanity.

Trailer & Review

Here is the trailer for the anime:

At first, I said that this anime was quite underrated due to its lack of success and how easily people forgot about it over time. Last season was one of the best for the science fiction genre in the anime industry, and this series showed a lot of promise, especially since it had the same director who brought us the famous masterpiece Cowboy Bebop. However, despite its excellent production values, Lazarus seems to have failed to live up to the high expectations that the public had for it. Personally, I think the biggest mistake that many people (including the director and marketing team) made was to constantly compare it to the aforementioned 90s science fiction classic.

I say this because, independently, Lazarus has a very well-constructed story set in a futuristic, dystopian world that is very similar to the real world, not to mention its unique characters and excellent action sequences. For any science fiction fan or anyone new to the anime industry, Lazarus may be the perfect choice to watch and enjoy without wanting anything more. In this review, I will focus more on making a much more general and less specific observation, without giving away any spoilers—as always—or making direct comparisons to other well-known titles (that have not already been mentioned above). I want to justify why I consider this anime to be better than many people think, and not just give the mere excuse that it was made by MAPPA and that's it.

Starting with its plot, it is interesting that Lazarus reminds us of those famous science fiction films that became very popular in the 1990s. A supposedly utopian future that ends up being more dystopian than any other future ever seen on the big screen, and a supposed medicine that cures pain but suddenly becomes the cause of death for millions of people. All this while a group of five people search for an eccentric doctor and genius who has been missing for three years and whose whereabouts are unknown. At first glance, we can say that it sounds like any typical action and science fiction film that would become very popular on this side of the world if it were made as a Hollywood feature film.

But beyond appearances, the story that unfolds throughout the episodes of this original series contains many social, political, and moral messages and themes that give us a lot to think about today. Starting with technology and the typical discourse of how humanity has become quite dependent on it. The same is true of medicine and how the big pharmaceutical companies or corporations in charge of this huge market manipulate the masses and use the society as "lab rats" for their tests while taking every last penny out of their pockets. There is even talk of the wars going on in the world and how medical advances have depended heavily on this dark market, as in the case of the aforementioned Hapna and how it became a deadly weapon in this futuristic world.

This is where our supposed "enemy" appears, who is nothing more than the antagonist and victim of everything that happens in this story. Dr. Skinner goes from being the most peaceful and kind man in the world because of his wonderful medicine to being the most wanted and dangerous man in this dystopian future. Despite his limited appearances throughout the series, it must be acknowledged that his influence on this society and the events that occur make him the center of everything and a threat to governments and powerful figures. However, his final message leaves us thinking deeply about the purpose of each individual and how life is not always as good as we think it is. On the other hand, we have "Lazarus", a special team of people with different abilities whose mission is to find Skinner and bring him to justice before the deadline expires and most of humanity is wiped out for having ingested Hapna at least once in their lives.

Perhaps the most striking and interesting thing about this series is this team of individuals with a past, unusual problems, and special abilities that make them the best team that has ever existed. To talk about their particularities, their virtues, their flaws, and their stories would be to spoil the whole series, so I'll spare you that part. I'm not a big fan of this type of story involving teams and all that; I'm more of a fan of individual protagonists or pairs, at most. However, I clearly have my exceptions, such as the aforementioned masterpiece Cowboy Beebop. This team is very different from the famous bounty hunter team we met in the 90s.

It's no secret that there are certain similarities between some of the characters, such as Axel Gilberto, who has stood out the most from the entire Lazarus team. However, beyond the comparisons that I said I wouldn't make here, I would like to talk to you about the very special way in which the director of this series develops his characters. Starting from an apparently simple but very familiar construction of a futuristic world at its peak of technological advancement, they take each main character and develop them using different cases of upbringing, education, betrayal, sacrifice, and other unusual traumas. In this series, the team of "heroes" we know may give us an apparent idea of what they are like, but in the end, they are not at all what they seem.

Personally, I really like it when a work takes its time to develop the story and its characters well. This is something that happens in Lazarus and that many people simply did not like at all because some of its episodes were "slow and boring". However, in each case, we see a different facet and characteristic of this futuristic world and the characters who wander around endlessly searching for Dr. Skinner while finding clues and signs everywhere. This way of charting a path while telling a story with a fairly realistic view of this futuristic world is one of the best things about it. Even with all that said, there's no denying that it does have its fair share of action. Especially chases with our daring Axel Gilberto jumping and running everywhere.

This is probably why many people decided to watch this anime and ended up disappointed. I guess they were expecting something like Jujutsu Kaisen: a story that focuses more on brutal fights and non-stop action than a well-crafted story and well-developed characters. But hey, in my case, I enjoyed it quite a bit, as the choreography of the chases, fights, shootouts, and explosions reminded me of the golden age of Hollywood's aviation and science fiction genre. On the other hand, there's also the comedy aspect of this series. It's not heavy humor or anything like that, but rather something much lighter and more natural that gives the story, and especially some of its characters, a sense of calm and fun.

Last but not least, let's talk about the audiovisual aspect of this anime. With two studios in charge, one of which is MAPPA, we can expect a level of quality superior to any other series broadcast last season. This is confirmed not only by the incredible fluidity of the animation and the characters' movements, but also by the visual aspect and designs. The cityscapes, some of which are pure cyberpunk futuristic style, while others are destroyed, flooded, or even abandoned as if this were a dystopian world, are also very striking. The mixed color palette and excellent use of light and shadow are also noteworthy.

The sequence and choreography we see in the chases and fights are superbly done from start to finish, with no visual detail overlooked. I also love the visual effects, especially the explosions. Something else I find fascinating about the anime is the frequent use of 2D animation with only some environments made in 3D or CGI. This works very well, instead of animating characters in 3D just to make their movements more fluid, which ultimately makes it look like a poorly rendered video game. The sound effects are also very well done, but what I like most is the soundtrack, without a doubt. The composition of the melodies and their use in action and drama scenes is top-notch. In short, if you're a fan of science fiction and looking for an anime worth watching, then check out Lazarus.

Personally, I give it a 9/10 rating in terms of the science fiction and action genre.

Tell me, have you seen this anime yet? What did you think of it? You can leave your answer in the comments.

Dime, ¿ya has visto este anime? ¿Qué te ha parecido? Puedes dejarme tu respuesta en los comentarios.

All the best.

By: Nattosheru.

  Greetings, movie lovers from #CineTV. As you may already know, I am a huge fan of horror movies. That's why today I'm here to give you my opinion on The Haunting of Hill House. A Netflix series that I consider a gem in this genre and also one of my favorites for managing to scare me so much in such unexpected ways.

  For me, this series stands out for taking its horror plot to the next level. The Haunting of Hill House tells the story of a family with five children and their parents, who move into a somewhat gloomy house far from civilization with the aim of restoring it to sell it. However, as the days go by, strange, or rather supernatural, things begin to happen.

  The story's approach revolves around grief, loss, and trauma, accompanied by a subtle sense of terror. The characters experience a profound family drama based on their dark experiences as children living in a seemingly cursed house.

  The director plays with scenes from the present and the past, gradually unraveling the experiences and traumas of each family member. And what remains consistent throughout both time frames is the tragedy that unites each of the protagonists. Death has always been part of their family history, but living in that house was the worst thing that ever happened to them.

  What I liked most about this series was the way they approached the horror genre. Each ghost, each evil spirit, isn't a specter with a tormented soul who tragically died in that house. These entities manifest themselves according to the pain, fear, trauma, and guilt each member of this peculiar family carries with them.

  The narrative is fragmented but very well crafted, and in the end, everything fits together like a beautiful puzzle. This is one of those series that leaves you wondering and wanting to know more about what will happen next, or how this curse can end? Can they ever be happy?

  That's why, as a viewer, you can't help but feel empathy for its protagonists. Each of them contributes an impeccable story to the plot, and the house itself, where the events took place, can be considered a silent protagonist, as the director focuses on giving it the importance it deserves so that it stands out.

 At the same time, this series has a touch of psychological horror capable of instilling tension in its viewer, to the point of unexpectedly exalting on several occasions those who watch it with the lights off in the room and alone.

  The director did such a good job that he knows how to make your skin crawl with every ghost hidden in that house, which feeds on the pain, misfortune, and tragedy of its inhabitants. Therefore, it can be said that the series is full of details that make anyone who watches it enjoy it from beginning to end.

  In conclusion, I'll just say that the series is a masterpiece of modern horror. A story that allows you to reflect, feel empathy for its protagonists, and, above all, scares the hell out of you. So if you're looking for something different, that both scares and moves you, this series is for you.

  It premiered in 2018, but I loved it so much that I'm about to watch it again. I've been craving a well-made horror story for days, and what better way to do it than to give The Haunting of Hill House another chance. I highly recommend it and give it its well-deserved praise:

Hola Hivers cinéfilos, espero estén bien. Tenía bastante tiempo sin pasar por acá pero estos días he estado pasandola en casa y he tenido bastante tiempo de ver películas cosa que me hace feliz la verdad, aúnque también me pone a pensar bastante sobre todo en las historias que se cuentan en la película y más sí están basadas en hechos reales como la película que les traigo a continuación, El asesino del juego de citas estrenada en 2023 se centra en la historia de una asesino serial y sus víctimas en su mayoría mujeres jóvenes, Rodney Alcala quién en la vida real fué condenado por más de 8 muertes durante el tiempo que cometía sus crímenes apareció en un programa de citas y es por eso que su caso fué tan mediático.

Hello Hivers cinephiles, I hope you are well. I haven't been here for a long time but these days I've been spending some time at home and I've had enough time to watch movies which makes me happy, but it also makes me think a lot about the stories told in the movie and even more if they are based on real facts like the movie I bring you below, The Dating Game Killer released in 2023 focuses on the story of a serial killer and his victims mostly young women, Rodney Alcala who in real life was convicted of more than 8 deaths during the time he was committing his crimes appeared in a dating show and that is why his case was so mediatic.

Rodney Alcala es un joven fotógrafo que vive en la ciudad de Nueva York, siempre está buscando mujeres jóvenes para hacer sus fotografías y se nota bastante amistoso y simpático lo que nadie sabe es que detrás de esa fachada se esconde un mounstro que hace cosas espantosas con sus víctimas, la película se enfoca más en contar un poco las historias de las víctimas y trata de no mostrar tanto la violencia hacia ellas, este hombre actuó desde los años 70 asesinando a mujeres indefensas que manipulaba con hacerle sesiones de fotos gratis, en la película se muestra a Cheryl una joven actriz que consigue un trabajo en un programa televisado de citas a ciegas donde por cuestiones del destino se encuentran con Rodney como participante y termina escogiendolo como ganador sí bien en la película ellos terminaron saliendo a un bar esa misma noche afortunadamente en la vida real esto no pasó pues Cheryl al hablar un momento con este hombre lo notó un poco raro, pero en la película se muestra como Rodney persigue a Cheryl hasta un estacionamiento y por poco se logra escapar de él, está escena es realmente tensa y la verdad se me pusieron los pelos de punta, la película tiene algunos saltos temporales que nos muestran a Rodney con sus otras víctimas y cuando por fin logra detenerlo la policía, sin duda es una película que te deja pensando mucho sobre todo en lo vulnerable que podemos ser las mujeres.

Rodney Alcala is a young photographer who lives in New York City, he is always looking for young women to take his pictures and he is quite friendly and nice, what nobody knows is that behind that facade hides a monster who does terrible things with his victims, the film focuses more on telling the stories of the victims and tries not to show so much violence towards them, this man acted since the 70's killing defenseless women that he manipulated with free photo shoots, In the movie it shows Cheryl a young actress who gets a job in a televised blind date program where by fate they meet Rodney as a participant and ends up choosing him as the winner, although in the movie they ended up going out to a bar that same night, fortunately in real life this did not happen because Cheryl when talking for a moment with this man noticed him a little strange, but the movie shows how Rodney chases Cheryl to a parking lot and almost manages to escape from him, this scene is really tense and the truth is that it made my hair stand on end, the movie has some time jumps that show us Rodney with his other victims and when the police finally manages to stop him, it is certainly a movie that leaves you thinking a lot about how vulnerable women can be.

Creo que la película me impacto mucho más cuando me puse a investigar un poco y me dí cuanta que la mayoría de las cosas que pasaron fueron reales y me dejaron es sabor amargo de impotencia de saber que una sola persona con problemas puedo arrebatar la vida de muchas mujeres inocentes e incluso niñas. Espero les haya gustado este post, nos vemos en la próxima.

I think the film had a much greater impact on me when I did a little research and realized that most of the things that happened were real and left me with a bitter taste of helplessness knowing that a single person with problems can take the lives of many innocent women and even girls. I hope you liked this post, see you in the next one.

In the world of manga and anime, there are stories that stand out above the rest, such as Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Anyone who has seen or read it cannot deny the immense quality of the script. Even my young children delight in watching the Elrick brothers' journey to recover their bodies. For both of them, it is their favorite anime at the moment.

This is understandable, as the plot and character development provided by mangaka Hiromu Arakawa is undoubtedly excellent. And when I talk about development, I don't just mean the Elrick brothers, but everyone, including the villains, who were also perfectly developed.

The spectacular story begins when young Edward and Alphonse are faced with a tragic reality: their mother has died and their father has abandoned them. With their limited knowledge of alchemy, they perform something considered taboo in the world of alchemists: human transmutation.

However, things do not turn out as they expected, and instead of bringing their dead mother back from the other world, they create an abomination, thus understanding that human transmutation is impossible and that it brings great consequences to those who dare to perform it.

This point, let's say, is the main context, from which the rest of the events derive, but in that tragic beginning, the story envelops and captivates us as we see that the young men will continue alone and now face many adversities.

Spanish Version

Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood | Una historia sin igual

En el mundo del manga y el anime hay historias que destacan por encima de la mayoría, por ejemplo Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Quien la haya visto o leído no puede nunca negar la inmensa calidad que el guion ofrece, incluso mis hijos pequeños se deleitan al ver la travesía de los hermanos Elrick al tratar de recuperar sus cuerpos, para ambos, es su anime favorito por los momentos.

Algo que considero entendible, pues el argumento y desarrollo de personajes que nos regala su mangaka Hiromu Arakawa es sin duda excelente. Y cuando hablo del desarrollo no me refiero solo a los hermanos Elrick, sino a todos, inclusive a los villanos, ellos también fueron perfectamente desarrollados.

La espectacular historia comienza cuando los pequeños Eduard y Alphonse se enfrentan a la trágica realidad, su madre ha muerto y su padre los ha abandonado, por lo que con el poco conocimiento de la alquimia realizan algo considerado como un tabú en el mundo de los alquimistas: una transmutación humana.

Sin embargo las cosas no salen como ellos esperaban, y en vez de traer a su mama muerta del otro mundo crean una abominación, entendiendo así, que la transmutación humana es imposible, y que trae grandes consecuencias a quien se atreve a realizarla.

Este punto, digamos, es el contexto principal, de allí se derivan el resto de los eventos, pero en ese inicio tan trágico la historia nos envuelve y atrapa al ver que los jóvenes seguirán solos y ahora, llenos de muchas adversidades.

I confess that “Brotherhood” far surpasses the story broadcast on TV channels in the 90s. In fact, they don't even resemble each other in terms of plot development; one is faithful to the manga and the other is not. And although the one broadcast back then was good, there's nothing like watching the original, because that's where the author's thoughts are captured.

Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood is a philosophical work, its plot makes anyone think. In our case, we have a rather different position to the one shown there, but it doesn't hurt to learn about other people's ways of thinking, just to have an understanding of how other people think.

On the other hand, I must also confess that I hadn't seen it—shame on me—but that's because I saw the broadcast version many years ago, and I had never thought about the “Brotherhood” series until recently, when I was looking for something to watch with my children and decided that we should take a look at it together. I felt a little sorry for them because what I had told my children did not happen in the series, ha ha ha, until I managed to understand the huge difference.

I must say that we are happy, it is an impressive series, and it has a very beautiful ending. There are many painful deaths, of people who are on the side of the good guys, but also on the side of the enemies. I really liked how the homunculi, despite all their evil, deep down just wanted to be human, to have friends, to have family, in short, everything they couldn't have.

Finally, I highly recommend it. Perhaps you have already seen or read it, but if you haven't, take a look, because it's spectacular, a story that is worth spending time on because you will enjoy it.

Thank you for reading.

Spanish Version

Confieso que “Brotherhood” supera con creces la historia emitida en los canales de tv en los años 90, de hecho ni siquiera se parecen en el desarrollo de la historia, una es fiel al manga y la otra no. Y aunque la emitida en aquel entonces fue buena, no hay nada como ver lo original, pues allí es donde tenemos plasmados los pensamientos del autor.

Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood, es una obra filosófica, su argumento hace pensar a cualquiera. En nuestro caso tenemos una posición bastante diferente a la que allí se muestra, pero no está de más aprender corrientes de pensamientos ajenas, solo por tener un conocimiento de cómo piensan otras personas.

Por otro lado, también debo confesar que no la había visto – que mal – pero esto se debe a que hace muchos años vi la emitida, y jamás me había puesto a pensar en la serie “Brotherhood”, hasta que hace poco buscando algo para ver con mis hijos decidí que juntos le diéramos un vistazo. Me dio algo de pena con ellos porque lo que le había contado a mis hijos no pasaba en la serie jajaja, hasta que logre entender la abismal diferencia.

Debo decir que estamos contentos, es una serie impresionante, y tiene un final muy hermoso. Hay muchas muertes dolorosas, de personas que están del lado de los buenos, pero también del lado de los enemigos. Me gustó mucho como los homúnculos a pesar de toda su maldad, en el fondo querían solamente ser humanos, tener amigos, tener familia, en fin, todo lo que no podían tener.

Por último, la recomiendo ampliamente, quizás ya la viste o leíste, pero si aún no lo has hecho, dale un vistazo, porque es espectacular, una historia que vale la pena dedicarle tiempo porque la vas a disfrutar.

Gracias por leer

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Source Source Source Source Source

[...drinking until forgetting, sleeping with anyone, chasing fame, art, love, and finding infinite nothingness...]

It wasn't Anita Ekberg's nude scene in the Trevi Fountain—they did that even in the local movie theaters. It was something else, something deeper, more poisonous: the revelation that God had died, but we were still dancing on his grave. La Dolce Vita, Fellini's masterpiece, was first cursed. And then, a classic.

I invite you to check out this film, which is part of my series "10 Films That Shook the World." I'm happy to publish an analysis on #hive. This is my fifth installment. If you're interested in knowing which were the first four I talked about, I'll leave the links at the end of this post.

As a writer, I've always been obsessed with what hides behind the glitter, let's say the cookies on the marble of statues or the natural scent beneath expensive perfumes. And believe me when I tell you, few films have scratched that crust of false elegance as savagely as Fellini's La Dolce Vita, which, more than a film, is like a crossroads broken into smaller, broken crossroads, where we all find ourselves, sooner or later, with our miseries exposed.

My childhood family cinema was the shadows I projected from the moon against the walls of our humble homes back in the marabuzal forest. It's impossible for me to know for sure when I'll first speak about this film. It must have been in the 1980s when I was in college. There was a short professor who took the podium and lectured like an immaculate bishop. If memory serves, I had brought that film to demonstrate that more than a work of art, it was a filmed heresy.

Later I learned that the Vatican had condemned it, that Spain had banned it, and that, of course, made it irresistible. What did Fellini show that made them tremble, a man of cassocks as much as the narrow-minded people who rule the world?

When I finally saw it, I understood the scandal. It wasn't the sex that was disturbing, but the truth. Fellini didn't film a story, but a state of mind: the emptiness hidden behind every forced laugh, every drunken kiss, every party that never ends because no one wants to go home to face the silence. Sadness.

The film begins with Christ flying over Rome, hanging from a helicopter like a neon sign. The sacred transformed into spectacle. Marcello, the journalist played by Mastroianni with that mixture of boredom and despair that only great actors can convey, doesn't even look at the Redeemer. He's busy flirting with bikini-clad girls, shouting for their phone numbers, while the helicopter takes God away without anyone noticing. Brutal. Iconoclastic. Provocative.

That's La Dolce Vita: a procession of ghosts in evening dress. Maddalena, the bored heiress who sleeps with Marcello in a prostitute's house, whispers promises that neither of them intends to keep. Sylvia, the Hollywood star who shines like a diamond, fake, radiant on the screen, and empty. Steiner, an intellectual who seems to have it all—family, culture, prestige—and ends up shooting himself after killing his children. And Emma, poor Emma, crying in the bathroom of someone else's apartment, begging Marcello to love her, even out of pity.

Rome looks like a neon-lit corpse. Fellini films it like a burning circus: parties in decadent aristocratic mansions, gossip-hungry journalists, children who see a woman "possessed" by the Virgin and turn her into a tourist attraction. Even Nino Rota's music, so cheerful on the surface, hides a lament. It's the soundtrack to a wake where the guests don't know they're the dead.

Fellini doesn't judge. There's no need to. He shows: Marcello drinking himself to forget, sleeping with anyone, chasing fame, art, love, and finding infinite nothingness. The final scene, after the orgy on the beach, when the young woman from the café smiles at him from the other side of the stream and he can't hear her, can't cross, can't even understand his own name... is one of the most heartbreaking in cinema. There is no redemption. No moral. Just the indifferent sea and the remains of a dead jellyfish on the sand. Beyond brutal!

Obviously Fellini is the soul of this film, but it's impossible not to mention Marcello Mastroianni in this review, with his natural charisma and ability to convey melancholy and confusion. His greatness is such that he created an iconic character to the point of becoming synonymous with auteur cinema. Anita Ekberg, as the dazzling Sylvia, brought a magnetic presence and a glamour that continues to dazzle despite the passage of time. Nino Rota's score is, without exaggeration, one of the great musical achievements in cinema.

I don't like to compare works of art because any comparison is usually unfair. But I think this work, like no other, showcases Fellini's intellectual maturity, managing, like no one else of his time, to fuse reality with fantasy and satire with the profoundly human.

Such is its majesty that other directors, obviously influenced by him, have taken on the task of exploring narrative fragmentation and moral ambiguity. Only few have managed to capture the essence of an era and the complexity of the human soul as the Italian did.

Censorship called it pornographic. Critics called it revolutionary. We go through life drunk on dreams that never come true, chasing ghosts at other people's parties, believing that the next drink, the next kiss, the next movie will fill that hole in our chest. And in the end, like Marcello, we're left on a beach, not understanding why the sweet life tastes like ashes.

[...bebiendo hasta olvidar, acostándose con quien sea, persiguiendo fama, arte, amor, y encontrando la nada infinita...]

La Dolce Vita

No era el desnudo de Anita Ekberg en la Fontana di Trevi, eso lo hacían hasta en los cines de barrio, era otra cosa, algo más profundo, más venenoso: la revelación de que Dios había muerto, pero seguíamos bailando sobre su tumba. La Dolce Vita, la obra maestra de Fellini, primero fue maldita. Y después, un clásico.

Te invito a acercarnos a esta cinta que forma parte de mi ciclo "10 películas que estremecieron al mundo". Análisis que con todo gusto estoy publicando en #hive Esta es mi quinta entrega. Si te interesa saber cuáles fueron las cuatro primeras de las que hablé, te dejo los enlaces al final de este post.

Como escritor siempre me ha obsesionado lo que se esconde detrás del brillo, digamos que las grietas que hay en el mármol de las estatuas o el olor natural, bajo los perfumes caros. Y créeme cuando te digo que, pocas películas han arañado esa costra de falsa elegancia con tanta saña como La Dolce Vita, de Fellini, que, más que una película, es como una encrucijada rota en pequeñas encrucijadas más, rotas, donde nos vemos todos, tarde o temprano, con nuestras miserias al descubierto.

Mi cine familiar de la infancia eran las sombras que proyectaba a la luna contra las paredes de nuestros humildes hogares allá en el marabuzal. Me es imposible saber a ciencia cierta cuándo voy a hablar por primera vez de esta película. Debió ser en los años 80 cuando estaba en la universidad. Había una profesora de baja de estatura que subía al estrado y dictaba las clases como un obispo inmaculado. Si la memoria no me falla había llevado aquella película para demostrar qué más que una obra de arte, era una herejía filmada.

Después supe que el Vaticano la había condenado, que España la prohibió, y eso, claro, la volvió irresistible. ¿Qué mostraba Fellini para que temblaran, lo mismo hombre de sotanas que las estrechas mentes que rigen el mundo?

Cuando por fin la vi, entendí el escándalo. No era el sexo lo que molestaba, sino la verdad. Fellini no filmaba una historia, sino un estado del alma: es decir el vacío que se esconde detrás de cada risa forzada, cada beso borracho, cada fiesta que no termina porque nadie quiere irse a casa a enfrentar el silencio. La tristeza.

La película empieza con Cristo volando sobre Roma, colgado de un helicóptero como un anuncio de neón. Lo sagrado convertido en espectáculo. Marcello, el periodista interpretado por Mastroianni con esa mezcla de hastío y desesperación que solo los grandes actores saben transmitir, ni siquiera mira al Redentor. Está ocupado coqueteando con unas muchachas en bikini, pidiéndoles su número de teléfono a gritos, mientras el helicóptero se lleva a Dios sin que nadie lo note. Brutal. Iconoclasta. Provocador.

Así es La Dolce Vita: una procesión de fantasmas con traje de gala. Maddalena, la heredera aburrida que se acuesta con Marcello en la casa de una prostituta, susurra promesas que ninguno de los dos piensa cumplir. Sylvia, la estrella de Hollywood que brilla como un diamante, falso, radiante en la pantalla y vacía. Steiner, un intelectual que parece tenerlo todo—familia, cultura, prestigio—y termina pegándose un tiro después de matar a sus hijos. Y Emma, la pobre Emma, llorando en el baño de algún apartamento ajeno, rogándole a Marcello que la ame aunque sea por lástima.

Roma parece un cadáver iluminado con luces de neón. Fellini la filma como un circo en llamas: fiestas en mansiones aristócraticas, decadentes, periodistas hambrientos de chisme, niños que ven a una mujer "poseída" por la Virgen y la convierten en atracción turística. Hasta la música de Nino Rota, tan alegre en la superficie, esconde un lamento. Es la banda sonora de un velorio donde los invitados no saben que los muertos son ellos.

Fellini no juzga. No hace falta. Muestra: Marcello bebiendo hasta olvidar, acostándose con quien sea, persiguiendo fama, arte, amor, y encontrando la nada infinita. La escena final, después de la orgía en la playa, cuando la joven de la cafetería le sonríe desde el otro lado del arroyo y él no puede oírla, no puede cruzar, no puede entender ni siquiera su propio nombre... es de las más desgarradoras del cine. No hay redención. No hay moraleja. Solo el mar, indiferente, y los restos de una medusa muerta en la arena. ¡Más que brutal!

Obviamente Fellini es el alma de esta película, pero es imposible no mencionar en esta reseña a Marcello Mastroianni, con su carisma natural y su capacidad para transmitir la melancolía y la confusión. Es tanta su grandeza que creó un personaje icónico al punto de convertirlo en sinónimo del cine de autor. Anita Ekberg, como la deslumbrante Sylvia, aportó una presencia magnética y un glamour que qué sigue deslumbrando a pesar del tiempo. Nino Rota en la banda sonora es, sin exagerar, uno de los grandes logros musicales del cine.

A mí no me gusta comparar las obras de arte porque toda comparación suele ser injusta. Pero creo que esta obra, como ninguna, exhibe la madurez intelectual, de Fellini, al lograr como nadie, hasta su tiempo, fusionar la realidad con la fantasía y lo satírico, con lo profundamente humano.

Es tanta la majestuosidad que otros directores, obviamente influenciados por él se han dado a la tarea de explorar la fragmentación narrativa y la ambigüedad moral. Solo que pocos han logrado captar la esencia de una época y la complejidad del alma humana cómo lo hizo el italiano.

La censura la llamó pornográfica. Los críticos, revolucionaria. Vamos por la vida borrachos de sueños que nunca se cumplen, persiguiendo fantasmas en fiestas ajenas, creyendo que la próxima copa, el próximo beso, la próxima película, nos llenará ese hueco en el pecho. Y al final, como Marcello, nos quedamos en una playa, sin entender por qué la dulce vida sabe a cenizas.