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Beyond the Farthest Star (S01E01)

Airdate: September 8th 1973

Written by: Samuel Peeples Directed by: Hal Sutherland

Running Time: 22 minutes

In the annals of Star Trek history, there exists a period when fans, often referred to as "trekkies," found themselves in a predicament where they had to make do with what was available. Traumatised by the abrupt and somewhat inglorious conclusion of their beloved The Original Series (TOS), they were left with a void that needed filling. More than half a century ago, exactly seven years after the premiere of The Man Trap, the inaugural episode of TOS, fans were presented with Beyond the Farthest Star, the premiere of Star Trek: The Animated Series (TAS). This new incarnation, while not the sequel they had hoped for, was a beacon of continuity in a time of uncertainty.

For many Generation X viewers, including the author of this review, Star Trek: The Animated Series was the inaugural introduction to the Star Trek universe. This animated series, ostensibly aimed at a younger audience, brought with it a mix of benefits and limitations. The most glaring limitation was the reduced running time of each episode, which was cut in half compared to TOS. Additionally, the series was produced by Filmation, a company renowned for its children-oriented animated shows and notorious for its cost-cutting production methods. This resulted in animation that was often stilted, mechanical, and static, looking dated even in the early 1970s and appearing completely antiquated by today's standards. However, this very limitation allowed Star Trek to depict spectacular imagery that the live-action series, constrained by studio sets and special effects, could not achieve. It also enabled the inclusion of clearly non-humanoid crew members, such as the tripedal Arex and the cat-like communication officer M'Ress, who would have been challenging to portray realistically through human actors or puppetry in a live-action show.

One of Gene Roddenberry's most astute decisions was to reunite the most popular cast members from the original series—William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForest Kelley—to voice their iconic characters: Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, respectively. During pre-production, Nimoy insisted that Nichelle Nichols, James Doohan, and George Takei receive the same treatment, and Roddenberry acquiesced, bringing back the characters of Uhura, Scottie, and Sulu. Roddenberry's wife, Majel Barrett, voiced Nurse Chapel, while Doohan and Barrett also lent their voices to Arex and M'Ress, respectively, as well as numerous other side characters. This ensemble cast helped to maintain the continuity and familiarity that fans had come to love.

The most noticeable difference between TAS and TOS occurs right from the start. Beyond the Farthest Star dispenses with the cold open that characterised TOS episodes and jumps straight into the opening titles. These titles feature a new soundtrack, with a theme composed by Ray Ellis that is somewhat reminiscent of Alexander Courage's iconic TOS theme but is distinctively more "hip" and aligned with the musical sensibilities of the 1970s.

The plot of Beyond the Farthest Star, set around 2269 or 2270 AD, begins with the USS Enterprise encountering a colossal and seemingly abandoned alien ship that has been orbiting a dead star for 300 million years. Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Scottie beam down to the derelict vessel and discover that it was a pod ship belonging to an insectoid race. They find a message from the crew, who had been attacked by a malevolent magnetic entity. Before succumbing, the crew marooned their ship to prevent the entity from attacking anyone else. Upon returning to the USS Enterprise, Kirk and his team realise that the entity has stowed away with them and infiltrated the ship's computers. Spock, maintaining control of navigation, steers the ship back towards the star, making the entity believe to be a suicidal manoeuvre and tricking it into abandoning Enterprise. However, Kirk uses this opportunity to execute a slingshot manoeuvre, leaving the alien entity marooned once again.

The episode, like all in Season 1, was directed by animation veteran Hal Sutherland. The script was penned by Samuel R. Peeples, a friend of Roddenberry who had worked on the successful TOS pilot episode Where No Man Has Gone Before. Once the audience acclimatises to the changes and limitations of TAS, Beyond the Farthest Star proves to be a more than decent piece of Star Trek. The spirit of TOS is still present, with a focus on mystery, adventure, and action, but without the romantic and melodramatic entanglements that sometimes characterised the live-action series. The plot makes sense, portraying space as a fascinating yet dangerous place, and Kirk relies on his intellect rather than brute force to extricate the Enterprise from trouble. The final words of the alien entity, "So lonely," even impart a touch of emotional resonance to the episode.

The episode also introduces a personal force field that serves as a transparent spacesuit for the characters—a detail introduced to save on animation costs. This innovation allowed for more dynamic and visually interesting scenes without the need for cumbersome costumes or props.

Compared to the classic episodes of TOS, particularly those from Seasons 1 and 2, Beyond the Farthest Star may seem like a step down. However, for hardcore "trekkies," it served as a necessary interim measure, establishing a show that, despite falling into relative obscurity, paved the way for the feature films, The Next Generation, and the Golden Age of Star Trek. In retrospect, TAS can be seen as a bridge between the original series and the expansive Star Trek universe that followed, providing a continuity that fans could cling to during a time of uncertainty. It may not have been the sequel they had hoped for, but it was a beacon of hope in a time when the future of Star Trek was far from certain.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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The only valid reason that I can say that attracted me to this movie is the lead cast "Gina Rodriguez" my love for her started after watching the movie "someone great" I love the fact that she is a great actor and seeing how she portrayed that character in that movie made me love her even more.

No one recommended this movie to me, I was going through feeds on the social media space when I came across a review about the movie, seeing her on the trailer and I went "I'm gonna hit that download button" so I ran straight to the website I download movies from and started my journey into downloading this movie.

The plot

The movie tells the story of a recovering drug addict, "Jil Adams," who happens to work at the security department in a college where she steals drugs from the research laboratory to resell to students.

Jill Adams has two children named "Noah and Matilda." While driving with her two children one morning, the car loses power and is hit by another car, thereby sending them into a lake. Matilda drowned in the lake and was rescued by a police officer. The offer later reveals that everything that uses electricity is malfunctioning.

On getting to the hospital and ensuring that Matilda was stabilized, Jil found out that all the coma patients had woken up due to the electricity failure. In the outside world, everyone was unable to go to sleep.

On her way to work Jil discovers that the whole neighborhood is awake. Jil's doctor explained that if people don't fall asleep they are likely to suffer from sleep deprivation.

But then there is only one old woman who is an exception that doesn't fall asleep like the others, she is being kept in a place called the "hub" so she can be studied very well to enable the doctors to get a cure for those who can't fall asleep. The movie portrayed a lot of plot twists.

My Review

I loved this movie, I know you wanna say it's related to the actress that I talked about earlier at the beginning, well, you might be right, but then that isn't true to an extent though.

I enjoyed this movie, but then I would've loved a better-rounded ending. I felt like I was being left alone at the ocean with my thoughts. I also love the fact that it didn't take any time before getting into action.

The shots in the movie are very cinematic, and I like how everything adds up in the end, despite not ending the way I thought it would, but then movies don't have to obey my thoughts, right? Yeah, I understand.

I'm gonna rate this movie a 6/10, the cast did a great job with the roles given. I found them leaning into the characters. I'm not gonna lie, the story itself is decent, but then I wanted more things to unveil.

I'm definitely gonna recommend it for those who are interested in watching it for themselves. images are screenshots from my phone.

Thanks for reading 🧡

Solo Leveling

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Today's anime is Solo Leveling, and I will be reviewing it for you guys. This anime is well-known in 2024 and 2025 because it reached great heights. Well, I mean the anime fans really liked it very much, and so did I. After watching this anime, my expectations have become higher. As a new anime watcher, this anime is exceptional to me. I really enjoyed every episode of season 1. I didn't get the time to start season 2, but hopefully, I can start watching it very soon. Season 1 is really amazing; I could not believe that I have watched something this incredible. I have heard people saying there are plenty of stories similar to the same concept, but I believe this is one of the best.

The English dub is so good; I could feel the intense moments just as I do with Japanese dubbed series. I feel they really did a good job with the English version. I have rarely seen animes with good English dubs. In the trailer, we see elements like dimensions and a section of hunters fighting against monsters, and our protagonist is known as the weakest hunter. I liked the spirit of the protagonist, which attracted me to watch this anime. I planned to watch it in English dub because I prefer English dubs the most when there are good voice actors.

Creator: Chu-gong Release date: January 7, 2024 Episodes: 12 Genre: Shonen, Isekai, Power Fantasy, action-fantasy

Plot

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A world where hunters exist; they are the only humans who has the magical abilities. With this ability, they must battle dangerous monsters from other dimensions to protect the human race. In this world, our protagonist is Sung Jinwoo, who is known as a weak hunter. He struggles for his family's survival as he's the only provider. One day, luckily, he survives a powerful double dungeon that almost wiped out his entire team.

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It is shown that a strange program called the System chooses him as its sole player. This system gives him the super rare ability to level up in strength, which can go beyond any limits that have not been revealed yet. Then our protagonist sets out on a journey as he starts to fight against all kinds of enemies; it could be a human or a monster. He does all this for his family and in order to find out the secrets of the dungeons, along with the true source of his powers.

Review

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This anime has jaw-dropping action sequences and a really good amount of deep character growth. Every episode flows smoothly; there's intense combat and so much of emotional depth. I liked the fact that the story never drags, and it never felt rushed because everything is perfectly placed to keep viewers on edge. It’s the kind of anime that you can watch without realizing the time. The animation quality is breathtaking. Every fighting scene is very detailed. The movements look very realistic and powerful; this is not just good animation, but it’s something on the next level.

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I don't know if you have read the manhwa or not, but this anime delivers peak entertainment. I did not read the manhwa and have seen that many people prefer it, but as I don't read, the anime is the best version for me. Anyway, I love dark fantasies and remarkable protagonists with cool action; if you like those things too, then Solo Leveling is a must-watch anime for you. Jinwoo's character is incredibly well-written. His transformation is satisfying, and I can relate to the character. Well, I would definitely recommend watching this anime.

Thanks for Reading

Ranma ½

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Hello anime lovers, I am back with one of my favorite anime, Ranma 1/2. It's quite popular; I hope you all know this anime, and if you don't, then it's not too late to start because they have a new version with much cooler graphics that would be up to your taste. I believe the story is the same as it was in the old ones, as I don't remember what I watched because I was very young when I first saw this anime. I could not even understand English at that time, so I only watched it for fun without understanding. I would try to guess what they were saying by their actions, which I made up in my mind. Anyway, even though I could not get it at that time, this anime was still fun to watch. I have recently re-watched it, and it was an overwhelming moment for me; I felt nostalgic and all the feelings from the past. The difference is that this time I understood the storyline properly.

The trailer is so funny; it brings back so many memories. I got really excited when I watched the trailer, as I felt younger again. I was a kid back then, but now it feels different than before. I really enjoyed the trailer; however, you should not judge the anime by watching the trailer. I would ask you to watch the anime after a few episodes; it's going to be addicting. I could not take my eyes off this anime. The trailer is really good, in my opinion, but not enough to attract new anime fans to watch it. However, the old fans will surely understand the value of this anime.

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The story begins with a boy named Ranma Saotome. His journey starts with his arrival at the Tendo dojo, where he has to marry Akane Tendo as part of an arranged marriage. Our protagonist is a martial artist; after an accident during his training in China, he was cursed to transform into a girl. This happens when he gets into cold water or if someone splashes cold water on him, and to turn back into his original form, which is a boy, he has to get into hot water. The story follows the life of Ranma as he navigates this curse and his relationships with his fiancée.

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Well, this anime is a classic, and it is one of my favorites. The fighting scenes are incredible and entertaining to watch; also, each character is very hilarious. There's comedy, a slow-burn romance, and martial arts action. This is an anime that will make you feel many things at once. Even the characters are so relatable and lovable; for that reason, I couldn't find any character to hate. I love the art style; it looks much better than the old versions, and the colors are very vibrant. The comedy scenes are just amazing, and I have found myself laughing most of the time.

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The unpredictable narrative will hook you into the anime. To be honest, it is true that old is gold. The concept is also very unique; you can barely find animes with this kind of concept. One thing that bothers me is that the episodes are too short for me; I wish they were longer, such as 40 minutes. The episodes take a long time to release, and I wait for days and days just for some short episodes. It's not fair; this masterpiece should have longer episodes and more than 12 episodes.

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You will also get to see a love triangle and hilarious scenarios. Some are cute scenes that will make you crave more. The chemistry between Ranma and Akane grows gradually throughout season 1; they did not rush to make them fall in love, which is good. I really like to watch slow burns. I also saw a season 2 trailer that was released a few days ago. I am very excited for season 2, and it will be released in October, maybe, but at least it's this year, not next year. I am very happy and hope they have success and get interested in making a few more seasons.

Ratings: 10/10

Let me know in the comment section if you have watched this anime or not. If not, make sure to watch this amazing anime.

Thanks for reading 🌷

Movie has been keeping company for the past week and all i can say is they have been interesting so far and there is no room for dullness because any movie i find and it is not interesting, the first part alone will surely make me delete it without hesitating. So for today i was able to watch a Nollywood movie and all i can say is that it is very interesting to me and i could not just keep quiet than to just say how amazing a nollywood movie can be which is different from those ones i have been watching for long.

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Now reviewing a movie which i believe to my standard of rating movie it will surely be a top 10 and without any doubt, i will doing the review of a movie which is titled "THE PARTY" which was released just last month which May 2025 and i was so able to come across this movie through a friend of mine and what made me had interest in the movie was because of the fact that the trailer seems convincing and just because of that i got the zeal to check it out and funnily i started getting more into the movie because it is an episode movie.

Talking about betrayal and trust,this movie is actually the best because it is talking hatred, and how someone who felt to be a closed partner in a work could actually be the cause of that person's death. before going further, the movie was directed by Yemi Filmboy Morafa and firstly, I had to give kudos to the director for a job well done giving everyone a suspense even when we all thought the murder was a person but i started moving around and the viewers could not actually figure out who was the real murderer.

Good part of the movie

Actually the movie can never be interesting without the likes of these great artiste that were present in the movie and surely made it so interesting to watch, the likes of Mide Martins, Yomi Fash lansho, Kunle Remi, Bimbo Manuel, Femi Branch.. They really put in 100 percent act in the movie and since they were all professionals in what they do, i actually think legend will always be legend without doubt because they were actually the best. The movie was so real at the part where BOBO actually fell from the balcony which was at the highest point in the building and the fall look so real till he fell into the swimming pool where everyone were gathered for the celebration of BOBO's birthday and unfortunately for him he died.

The part which was convincing

In the movie, the pastor came in and told the mother of the murdered a vision and two occurrence of different people relating to that vision was in the movie and it was more confusing to actually know the killer of BOBO. more light can be shed on that actually but it was a great movie indeed.

I will want to rate the movie with a 9.7/10 because for a nollywood movie, this is actually great and i could say there is a lot of improvement in the movie industry and it was great.

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I am coming to the (rather late) realisation that Ghibli studios produce the best anime. All (meaning very few) Ghibli animations I have watched are insightful, bordering on inspirational with a zest that flows from their art. Their stories are always a good plot (ones I have watched) and they leave me with a tingly feeling in my chest. Screensnip

The Tale of Princess Kaguya is a Japanese historical fantasy based on the story of ‘The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter’ set in the 10th century of Japan. A bamboo cutter finds a small girl in a glowing bamboo shoot and he and his wife raise her as their own, believing her to be a divine being. Kaguya grows really fast and blossoms into a beautiful woman whose beauty is unrivaled and sought by many renowned men in the Capital including the Emperor. However, Princess Kaguya is only close to one man by the name of Sutemaru.

This animation has to be the best I have seen in a while. The art is also something I haven’t seen before but it did nothing to subtract from the story, rather it was the charm of the plot. Princess Kaguya's (earthly) parents, especially her father, took whatever good fortune that he found as a sign to give the Princess a noble life. I mean who can blame him, how do you interpret finding gold and fine clothes in a bamboo otherwise? Good fortune?

However, I think the Princess didn’t really want luxury. It showed in her excitement for all things of the forest and her sprightly legs. I also thought while watching the movie that Kaguya is quite knowledgeable. Men of noble birth professed love to her in the sweetest of tongues and she was wise with her words putting them to the test. Of course, she is a divine being. She is wise. Wrong! The subtle message sent by her trembling hands behind the veil told a different story. She was scared. She was still a young woman after all. A young woman of humble origins faced with the interests of powerful men.

I love the numbers used in this movie. The one about the bugs and then at the end when she was whisked back up to her rightful place; that was a beautiful melody. This movie is 8.5/10 for me. Two hours and seventeen minutes long, The Tale of Princess Kaguya is a wholesome masterpiece of candid storytelling and vibrant artistry that just warms your soul.

Posted Using INLEO

🎬 WEAK HERO CLASS 2

Hello everyone … Back again with me, Tina hahah This time I want to review a drama that I've been waiting for the second season. Yes, it's none other than WEAK HERO CLASS S2. This drama is really satisfying for me, because this story tells of a student who doesn't just stay silent when bullied, but later he is the one who is feared by his school friends. Let's start the review, this drama has a fairly intense and emotionally draining plot.

Disclaimer: Prepare some snacks first, because this story is so exciting that it makes you forget to chew!

Gosh, if you watched Season 1, you must know that this is not just an ordinary school brawl drama. Season 2 is getting higher. It's not just about who's the best at fighting, but also about trauma, betrayal, and friendships that are tested to the hilt.

Here, a new villain enters who is more vicious, more cunning, and has a personal grudge. The old characters also have their emotions increasingly exposed. Even those who seemed indifferent at first, it turns out... eh, they have wounds too 😭.

Yeon Si Eun is still a calm tactical brain on the outside, but her heart is starting to feel cracked. In season 1, there was Sooho who was a loyal bodyguard and also Beomseok, characters that made me irritated. Sometimes I felt sorry for them, sometimes I wanted to say, "Bro, what's wrong with you..." but in season 2 it's a mess, the villains are really strong, bro! They don't even deserve to be called school kids huhuu

If you like anime-style fights — full of style and sharp choreography — Season 2 is even more sadistic but still cool! The slow-mo camera is really cool, every punch and table throw feels like "OUCH!" in the audience's bones. And this brutality really makes me who is watching it feel achy. And they fight wearing complete school blazers, even though they are battered they still have to be stylish, hahaha

What makes Weak Hero Class 2 different from other school action series is: YOUR HEART GETS BEATEN. Not only bloody hands, but also torn friendships, shattered hopes, and quiet moments that make... "wow this is deep." 😩

“Weak Hero Class 2” is like an emotional bento box — you think it’s just meat, but it turns out there’s kimchi, rolled eggs, and even ice cream. It’s so complete!

My rating: 9/10 For those of you who like action dramas with depth, it’s a must-watch. But be careful, because each episode can make you even more annoyed, love, and sad for the same character… all at the same time. 😄

Pictures by mydramalist.com

_{[Original and AI free]}

Best Regards, Tina K Harnis.

Hello! 💙

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Esta película terminé viendo por una recomendación Y la verdad es que no me llamaba mucho la atención, pero la verdad es que me sorprendió bastante si bien el énfasis está en el terror, la verdad es que abarca un drama sumamente interesante sobre los temas raciales en Estados Unidos en el año 1932, Y la verdad es que es bastante fuerte los temas raciales como los mezclan con bueno tema de vampiros aunque puede parecer algo tonto la verdad es que lo hacen de manera genial muy sutil y orgánica, también hay una parte por ahí del misticismo y la espiritualidad de la parte de los campos estadounidenses que wow es increíble.

I ended up watching this movie because of a recommendation and the truth is that it did not call my attention, but the truth is that I was quite surprised although the emphasis is on horror, the truth is that it covers a very interesting drama about racial issues in the United States in 1932, and the truth is that it is quite strong racial issues as they mix them with good vampire theme although it may seem silly the truth is that they do it in a great way very subtle and organic, there is also a part of mysticism and spirituality of the part of the American camps that wow is amazing.

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Puedo decir que es una de las mejores películas de terror que he visto porque cada parte de lo que empiezan a incorporar en el tema se vuelve bastante orgánico se vuelve bastante sutil, y como en un momento determinado todo termina colisionando el mismo tiempo y eso sí a pesar de que es una película que tiene mucha arte por medio no deja de ser entretenida en los diálogos en sí los momentos de violencia que son bastante impactantes, también por ahí hay cierta crítica del fanatismo religioso que es un poco más sutil pero aún así está puesta en escena.

I can say that it is one of the best horror movies I've seen because every part of what they begin to incorporate into the theme becomes quite organic becomes quite subtle, and how at a certain point everything ends up colliding the same time and that yes even though it is a film that has a lot of art in between it is still entertaining in the dialogues itself the moments of violence that are quite shocking, also there is some criticism of religious fanaticism that is a little more subtle but still is staged.

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La verdad es que si no le han dado la oportunidad de ver esta película deberían verla no va a tener secuela es una película única con una historia realmente interesante creo que es uno de estos nuevas oleadas de películas de terror que la verdad sí se le ve que le pusieron corazón que le pusieron alma y que no están enfocadas a hacer una gran franquicia simplemente en ser una película única interesante y que llame la atención del público a través de sí la violencia goles Por qué no a la par de que lanzan unas reflexiones bastante interesantes.

The truth is that if you have not given the opportunity to see this movie you should see it, it is not going to have a sequel, it is a unique movie with a really interesting story, I think it is one of these new waves of horror movies that you can see that they put heart and soul into it and that they are not focused on making a big franchise, but simply on being an interesting and unique movie that calls the attention of the public through violence, goals and why not, at the same time they throw some very interesting reflections.

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¡Hasta la próxima, un abrazo!

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¡Hola, mucho gusto amigos de Hive y de esta gran comunidad amante del anime!

El anime es un arte que compartimos mutuamente, y hoy quiero hablarles sobre uno que comencé a ver hace algún tiempo: Made in Abyss. No se los había comentado antes porque quería terminarlo por completo antes de darles mi opinión. Ayer finalmente pude ver el último capítulo, a pesar de las ocupaciones y dificultades del día a día. Y sinceramente, no me arrepiento de haberlo visto, porque dejó una gran huella en mí.

Este es un anime que al principio pensé que no tendría una historia tan profunda, pero resultó ser uno de los más emotivos que he visto. Tanto en la primera como en la segunda temporada hubo escenas que me hicieron llorar de la emoción.

La historia gira en torno a un gran abismo, inexplorado para la mayoría del mundo. Son muy pocas las personas que logran regresar de allí. Riko, nuestra protagonista, junto a Reg, su inseparable compañero, se preparan para una aventura sin retorno. Después de la sexta capa del abismo, ya no hay vuelta atrás.

Es una historia intensa, con escenas muy fuertes, que contrasta con su estilo de animación aparentemente inocente. Pero les puedo asegurar que no se arrepentirán de ver este hermoso anime.

Tiene personajes muy interesantes, y uno de mis favoritos fue Ozen la Inamovible, una mujer misteriosa y muy respetada por todos en la historia. Incluso hice un dibujo de ella y lo compartí en un post. Si quieren verlo, aquí les dejo el enlace.

https://peakd.com/hive-174301/@zeyneralejandro/mi-dibujo-de-ozen-la-inamoviblemy-drawing-of-ozen-the-immovableespeng

Bueno amigos, eso es todo por ahora. Me encantaría contarles más cosas, pero no sé cuántos de los que lean este post ya hayan visto el anime, y no quiero arruinarles la experiencia con spoilers.

A quienes ya vieron este gran anime, me gustaría saber: ¿cuál fue esa escena que nunca olvidarán? Una de mis favoritas fue la despedida de Mitty en la primera temporada. Esa escena me conmovió profundamente y me llenó de nostalgia.

Gracias por leer este post. ¡Espero que les haya gustado y nos vemos en la próxima!

           English

Hello, nice to meet you, friends from Hive and this amazing anime-loving community!

Anime is an art we all share and enjoy together, and today I want to talk to you about one I started watching some time ago: Made in Abyss. I hadn’t mentioned it before because I wanted to finish watching the entire series before giving you my thoughts. Yesterday, I finally watched the last episode—despite all the daily responsibilities and challenges—and I can honestly say I don’t regret watching it. It left a deep mark on me.

At first, I didn’t expect much from this anime, but it turned out to be one of the most emotional series I’ve ever seen. Both the first and second seasons had scenes that brought me to tears.

The story revolves around a massive, mysterious abyss that remains largely unexplored. Very few people have ever returned from it. Riko, our protagonist, and her loyal friend Reg prepare for a journey of no return. After reaching the sixth layer of the abyss, there’s no way back home.

It’s a powerful story with some intense scenes, despite its innocent-looking animation style. But trust me—you won’t regret watching this beautiful anime.

The series features amazing characters, and one of my favorites was Ozen the Immovable, a mysterious woman deeply respected by everyone in the story. I even made a drawing of her and shared it in a post—here’s the link if you’d like to see it.

https://peakd.com/hive-174301/@zeyneralejandro/mi-dibujo-de-ozen-la-inamoviblemy-drawing-of-ozen-the-immovableespeng

Well, friends, that’s all I wanted to share for now. I’d love to talk about it even more, but I’m not sure how many of you have already watched the anime—and I know no one enjoys getting spoilers for something that has sparked their curiosity.

For those of you who have seen this great anime, I’d love to know: what was one unforgettable moment for you? One of my favorite scenes was Mitty’s farewell in the first season. That moment filled me with emotion and deep nostalgia.

Thank you so much for reading this post—I hope you enjoyed it. See you next time!

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There are some films that just really make you think deeply, and The Island is one of them. A bit of an old film but it's hard to get over it. I was even shocked when I googled the movie and the release date I saw was 2005 (really, that old?). It's an action-packed sci-fi thriller, but it's kind of a tale of two halves. You've got Ewan McGregor playing Lincoln Six Echo and Scarlett Johansson as Jordan Two Delta, and their story kicks off in what seems like a picture-perfect, sterile compound somewhere in the middle of the 21st century.

What's It All About?

In the beginning of the film we meet Lincoln, living this super-structured life with a bunch of others. They all believe the outside world is ruined, and their one big hope is to "win" a lottery ticket to "The Island," supposedly the last untouched place on Earth. The setup of the film makes it mysterious. The character Lincoln usually has these weird dreams and spotting little things that just don't add up, hinting at something much darker beneath their seemingly perfect lives.

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As Lincoln digs deeper, he stumbles upon a chilling truth: they're not survivors at all. Nope, they're actually clones, specifically grown to provide organs and even act as surrogates for super-rich sponsors outside. The Island is just a cruel, elaborate charade, a cover-up for harvesting their bodies. So, when Jordan gets selected for this supposed lottery – which is really a death sentence – Lincoln risks everything to save her. Their desperate escape into the real world is where the movie totally shifts gears, going from a thoughtful sci-fi puzzle to an all-out, relentless chase, with the cold, calculating Dr. Merrick (Sean Bean) alongside with his mercenaries.

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My thoughts

I really liked the initial premise of the film, regarding cloning. McGregor and Johansson really delivered strong performances, especially in that earlier, more suspenseful part of the film. The whole atmosphere at the start was also widely appreciated for its unsettling vibe. However, where it went sideways for many me was when Lincoln and Jordan broke free, we see nothing more than car chases, massive explosions, and just endless gunfire. I think all the action, while visually impressive, completely overshadowed the film's deeper themes. While both parts of the movie might work on their own, they just don't quite gel.

All in all, The Island is a fascinating watch in Michael Bay's filmography. It shows he's capable of exploring really significant ethical ideas and building an engaging world, but ultimately, it leans too heavily into his signature style of big and loud identity. While it probably won't go down in history as a sci-fi masterpiece, it's definitely an interesting example of how a director's particular flair can both help and hinder a potentially compelling story.