Haruki x Akihiko

[SPOILER ALERT]

I know that the movie was about AkiHaru and Ugetsu, but I just want to point out these character developments on Mafuyu:

- he has achieved “personal closure” after writing and performing their first song

- he is more expressive of how he feels; he even mentioned to Uenoyama that he felt scared before their next performance

- he became more aware of how the people around him feel. he noticed how Haruki felt towards Akihiko

- he actually reached out to listen, because he felt that Ugetsu needed someone whom he can talk to, since Akihiko has been gone

- he’s no longer just singing for himself. he is now using his music to help the people around him figure things out

- and I personally think that he is putting in effort to get closer to Uenoyama, but the virgin boi just wants to take it slow

My point is; Mafuyu is more than just his talent, and his character development proves that ❤

This is why I have been MIA; and I feel like you all deserve an explanation, you all supported my blog so generouly. I will return, but since the beginning of the year; I have been suffering depression over the state of human rights, health issues, and financial set backs. I lost my computer, which makes it extremely difficult to blog.

Share my belated birthday gift with me (that’s what I’m calling this->)

Unboxing Given Live Stage Production Items while discussing women’s rights:

We can’t change things if we don’t speak out loud and ask questions. (Im not great with political terminology so please anyone correct me if I use an incorrect term) We have a majority bipartisan Government of Democrat or Republican. On a scale of far left, to far right; our Democratic party rn falls significantly right from center. Our Republican party falls almost full far right; flirting with fascist ideals. Left = non capitalistic/ Right = Capitalism. Its so much more than capitalism though, because of seperation of Church and State. Because Capitalist values have been so over shot to the far right of the scale, and we are unbalanced by authorities with biased and conservative religious views, our highest court; The US Supreme Court is now biased and unbalanced. We are supposed to first and foremost have separation of Church and state. This goes directly back to the foundation of our separation from England. Certain human rights laws are supposed to be “settled” law, essentially meaning, they have been “tested” over and over and found to be laws in good standing, wether or not they independently appear in our Constitution. Laws like the right to an abortion, the right to decline to participate in religious ceremonies or adhere to regions views, in state sponsored environments, the right to equal medical care regardless of race sex gender class or creed.

Common sense things like an intersex or male bodied person has equal right to an abortion, as would a female bodied person. The right to birth control or personally initiated sterilization. An unwed or poor mother has an equal right to reproductive health care (pre or post). Queerness but particularly homosexuality (due to the wording of the legal definition) is infact a legal human right to the pursuit of happiness, regardless of gender expression or biological/ physiology or marriage rights. POC have equal access to reproductive health care and autonomy, without coeersion or state sponsored interference (ie disproportionate encouraging of sterilization) Yes this was a problem up until the 60s, and in some states into the 70s. Stimulus were given to wed white mothers, while ethnic mothers were disproportionately encouraged to undergo sterilization in order to receive benefits like Healthcare, childcare, educational support, and food stability from the government. Or the one that ties it all together; you cannot use or express religious views as a means to exert authority over another person, in a state sponsored environment. Ie you can’t make little Johnny say a prayer with the coach, or fear getting kicked off the football team.

Our Supreme Court had a draft, called an “opinion” leaked, a few days ago showing that they are set to overturn abortion rights, next month. The thing about “opinion drafts” is that they are informally written; almost like reading a transcript of the whole conversation between the judges. The draft clearly shows not only religious bias, but that the judges are now just creating and stripping laws; based on simply how they personally feel concerning a law. You can imagine; basically the highest court in the land is making decisions off whatever the hell they personally think. On top of that; many of these judges were recommended by Trump during his stay, and these people share eugenic ideological views that are racist and misogynistic; going back to AIFR propaganda. Ie the standards ingrained so deeply in our country, through colonial mindsets that ‘only “fit” persons should procreate, and that this is how American ECONOMIC values thrive.’ Which of course is insane and affects every citizen, yet is how this is so prevalent in far right capitalistic values. Even our Democratic party is now right leaning. This is also why age of consent laws are so important and are now at risk, and their undoing disproproportionaly benefitting heterosexual men concerning women’s rights/marriage. Which hypocritically undermines Seperation of Church and State through far right Christian majority, family planning fundamentals.

It’s not a matter of if one personally or religiously supports making abortions illegal; it’s that it’s directly tied to religious doctrine, meaning they’re supporting it as falling under the scope of Constitutional rights, but its blatantly coming from personal religious views. This is a gross abuse of twisting the Constitution. The judges in the opinion draft are recorded as stating that the Constitution itself never addressed abortion, so one can’t create laws concerning supporting abortion. (Then in the same breath, duscussing taking steps to create restrictions, AGAINST this right, which is obvious hypocracy)That’s why the laws are settled laws! The Constitution was written in a completely different American society than modern day. The judges know this, but they are twisting the purposeful function of our Constitution and Bill of Rights, to learn and grow with the people, to suit their personal opinions. The majority of US citizens do not support what they are planning on doing; I think at last count it was almost 70% but they are moving forward anyways, which is an outright breech of the Judges’ function as servants in a democracy.

Its so intertwined with women’s rights; it’s not just abortion legalities that would almost instantly unravel. Upfront; women would no longer be able to aquire reproductive health care unless it favored pregnancy potential. This then affects even persons who could potentially have future pregnancies, who say want to have hysterectomies, or be on birth control. And further brings into play, if the State has the right to deem if it is medically necessary, which circles back to religious and personal views, and seperating Church and State. Yet our Healthcare system is privatized…..so again the hypocracy. Theres an abundance of conflict of interest as many of these law markers have stock in pharmaceutical and medical companies. Controlling women’s rights, particularly the institutions of marriage and pregnancy, creates revenues for them. This obviously affects restrictions on what does or does not constitute legal birth control. Which affects male bodied and intersex person’s autonomy; if they do or do not wish to retain the ability to become pregnant. It expressly affects what constitutes rape. Specifically between a married man and woman. Whatever they now declare IS a man or woman. People forget, it was legal in the states, up until a little over a generation ago; for a man to commit non consensual acts against his legal wife. This immediately not only affects female bodied citizens, but the laws tied to these settled laws, are also tied to laws that make homosexuality legal. Specifically addressing by legal term; the act of sodomy, same sex marriage, and even cohabitation. It by default impacts queer people in general, mostly intersex non binary and trans persons. If the court strips these settled laws; it throws us into legal regression immediately concerning what determines sex and gender.

So just being outside of a binary legal definition of sex or gender, technically would make it illegal to express yourself or even live in your own home as a person outside of that legal definition. Even teaching your children sex, gender, and body positivity, has already been stripped in several states since the beginning of the year. One woman on state level was already charged with murder, for obtaining an abortion, but fortunately on the federal level; it was over ruled. What is happening right now, means it would not have been over ruled and she would be sitting in prison on a felony. Several parents across the country have already had their children removed from their care, and are facing felony charges for seeking gender affirming medical care for their children. If these settled laws are over turned next month; their charges would be valid. They are currently in court and the State in at least one case; appears to be stalling, as if hoping to see these human rights regress, so they can move forward with the charges. Other cases have been dismissed; as the laws still currently protect the defendants.

Right now, people are focused on oh my god; they can’t just overturn abortion rights. They’re only just beginning to get a glimpse of everything else it over turns or places such tight restrictions on, it might aswell be over turned. These laws aswell are also connected to separation of church and state. It has already begun to strip transgender health care, our freedom of speech to use words that are indicative of sexuality and gender out side of a designated binary, within a state sponsored environment such as a government institution or a school. The human right to just exist as a trans (umbrella) person in such an environment. Infact last week a Republican Representative openly questioned on the floor, wether or not a fellow representative who is known to be transgender, even had the right to use the bathroom at all within the government building, because that is indirectly expression of gendered terminology. Ie it says male or female on the bathroom doors. They were alluding to questioning the technical legality of wether or not this person could exist as transgender within the building. Ie can transgender persons legally function as government officials. It’s overgeneralization is focused on the hot take of bathroom laws, which is blatant misogyny, affecting almost always feminine males and trans women; but it immediately affects so much more. Right now another case is in the court, concerning a football coach and his right to lead students in prayer, at school (ie state) sponsored games. The laws that are being returned and likely to be overturned, include wording allowing for coercion. Meaning an authority figure such as a teacher in a State sponsored school could soon have the legal right to require or at least coerce their students to participate in religious acts, and be subjected to their own religious personal views. This then affects views on gender, genderoles, sexuality, and marriage.

Recognizing how dangerous a turning point this is, is not an attack on religion. It’s not an attack on one’s personal beliefs. It’s that these laws are in place, or are “settled” through “test” to create inclusion and equality through seperating Church from State/capitalism from personal views against the acutal majority vote. The bias comes from people in positions of authority clearly using their collective religious or personal views (obviously monetarily driven through far right capitalism) to hypocritically NOT do their jobs. If the law was functioning correctly, these authorities would be evaluated as to wether or not they are even fit to perform their duties, due to what is now absolutely (per the leak) clear conflict of interest and abuse of power. Yet because they are judges in the Supreme Court; no one really has the power to stop them. Stripping women’s rights, then strips everyones human rights by default, and restricts/regresses LGBTQIA+ rights, and again by default unhinges the Seperation of Church and State. It would very quickly make marital rape potentially legal, gay panic defense indisputable, intersex existence LEGALLY unacknowledged, same sex or gender non conforming marriage up for debate based on a legal definition of gender, male homosexual sex illegal, forced pregnancy legal, denial of equal rights to reproductive health care, and all of that is a round about way of making cis women and AFABs second class citizens. It’s not even a wonder why these people are so concerned about transgender women being able to use public women’s restrooms but not transgender men, or keeping legal authority over female bodied persons being able to become pregnant.

This is 100% Given related. If you consume BL or enjoy stories like Given that are not tropes but realistically depict our narratives as men outside of the made up cis/het binary; *looking right at Haruki* you must remember the irl population it involves. Protecting women’s autonomy is all human rights, and violations of those rights, entirely impact the irl people these stories portray. What’s happening in the US is that our highest officials are knowingly PURPOSELY committing unconstitutional crimes against women and female bodied persons and everyone inbetween to push their views on family planning, to exalt their status as cis het men and control the economy for their own personal gain. It’s not even a woke thot after this leak. The biggest test of proof is property value and ownership rn in the US. They are absolutely trying to put us all back into the 50s and white/straight wash the Cival Rights movement. These men were highschool and college students in the 50s; they’re seeking to force the future they were promised by the racist and sexist government of their youths. Another point that hasn’t really hit most people yet; is that these settled laws being in place, are not only to protect against sexism and classism, but indirectly ALSO affect xenophobia, racism, red redlining, the right for all religious expression, discrimination and hate crimes. Soooo the guys in Given could irl be criminals, institutionalized and lobodimized, in the near American future these judges seek. Ristuka’s sister, Haruki’s sister would immediately be questioned for their association, as “fit women”. This is not at all far fetched. This is why abortion laws have been soooo precious to us all; they affect EVERYTHING if they come undone. It’s not actually about abortion; that’s just the main law they’re using to restrict all of the above, as LGBTQIA+ and marriage equality *for cis het women too* is directly tied together through seperation of Church and State, and Healthcare.

I’m an extremely genderfluid and usually more feminine presenting gay male. What the hell am I supposed to do? By this summer; I could quite possibly be told I can’t legally exist or marry or have a family. I should not get a privilege pass just because I can’t make a baby. That’s why my pov is women are the true authority and should be fought for by everyone, including gay men. Gay men should be the first to have their backs on this, and not for selfish reasons; but because their autonomy defines our rights as human beings, regardless of sexuality or gender.

Ah If you want to be spiffy like the boys in Given ❤ Here’s the info ->

The necklaces they’re all wearing are sold on

Noitamina Apparel

BUT!! They already sold out of all of them except for Ritsuka’s!! …

They’re the same company that makes the licensed Given shoes ($220usd) with the character quotes. They’ve had the necklaces ($60usd) for months now; but it LOOKS like they sold out after the live stage cast were posting pics, wearing similar, custom guitar picks.

The Noitamina necklaces are actually a little studier looking, and come with natural gem stones; like the bracelets, which corresponds to the color coding for the characters ❤

The site offers international payment services and shipping; but there really isn’t a translate option. The quotes on the shoes though, do seem to come in English, by default.

If you do wanna grab any of the merch pictured above; it’s better to buy directly from them. Even without translations; it’s easy to determine which characters’ item is which, due to the color coding. If you buy from a 3rd party; you’re gonna pay A LOT more. IE the Given anime character pom pom ita bag charms, you see for like $80usd; if you buy them off the actual site, they’re $14usd->

Still, everything is insanely expensive but appears to be high quality, and they’re also the same company that makes the Given colognes anime colognes are just so funny to me…

They claim on their site; to work directly with Kizu Natsuki themselves, Shinshokan (Kizu’s publisher) and The Given Production Committee.

And on the the cologne descriptions…it says Kizu oversaw the design of each scent… ah hahaha!!

To all my MHA stanz…remember what it was like when people realized Bakugo would smell like caramel, because of his nitro glycerin esque sweat …well he’d actually smell like icing and charcoal, if you wanna get technical about it. Just sayin since his quirk is basically the same reaction as a nitrous funny car engine (it’s a dragster oh you didn’t know he’s like a race car?? I wrote the fic on it) Bath and Body Works makes a scent called Bon Fire Bash, that smells just like an NHRA track…but in a good way…if you’re interested

Ever wanted to know what Kizu thinks Akihiko would smell like???? Well now you will I decided to translate the descriptions

“Woodsy musk” and…“spy” ???

I’m guessing the note de tete is Byakudan, which is a long standing, popular sandalwood scent; worn by men in Japan for idk at least a thousand years It has the “woodsy musk” smell of “white wood”, but also a clean, cool herbal mid note (“spy”??) AKIHIKO SMELLS OF “SPY” ?

“Jasmine musk”

Haruki’s is actually really cool❣ The description literally refers to it as “genderless”!! Jasmine musk, or “jasumin” is a classic; nowadays worn more so by feminine presenting persons, but around the world, it’s considered a neutral scent. It’s a sunny, sweet note de tete; with mid notes reminiscent of those cool spring breezes, when you first start to notice the smell of flowers in the air. Kudos to Kizu for not making him smell like Patchouli I mean I love patchouli; but it shows a little more thought went into these, than just making him smell like a damn hippie!

Clean soap and greens" ❤

I’m thinking it’s an herbal smell??? Maybe lavender? Vetiver? Palm? Idk I could be way off, but it gave no other description.

“Cedron”

That’s a floral smelling, sweet tasting lemon. Ah haha!! Ritsuka’s a sour puss!!

Ue San so maaad!!!

“Lira, warm musk, and lily”

This one actually sounds amazing! Lira is a sweet amber scent; traditionally worn by women. I never thought of lily and Lira together, but it might be worth the $70 price tag. The site says it’s note de tete, is that of “a rainy night”, and that the mid notes are reminiscent of the smell of a violin…which does have a very unique smell due to rosin dust (I played one for years) Any ways!! “Lira” is like all the sexy, sweet smells put together into an oil:

Vanilla/Lavender/Anise/Bergamot /Creme de limon/Orange blossom /Blood orange/Jasmine/Sandalwood

Like just throw every aphrodisiac into a vial, and spray yourself into a pheromone frenzy…what was Kizu trying to get at!?

The Trifle Entertainment Luxury Edition Bonus Blue Ray/DVD package; comes with everything pictured above:

Blue Ray/DVD of the Given live stage theater performance, with bonus and behind the scenes footage (rumored to include the casts’ post production onsen vacay)

Photo book of cast, production, and behind the scenes stills

Mini Given vinyl record decoration

Mini Given amp and pedal art cloth

*Keep in mind; outside of region, you’ll need a region free blue ray player, to watch the discs. Pre orders are closed, but this should be available again in April 2022.

OH MUH GAWD!!

… idk where to start

But these two!!? ✋ stop it.

Sunaga’s puffy little bare face!!!

I cant!! This is too much dorbs!!

…guh with their little matchy matchy rays of sunshine…

AKIHARU LIVES ON BROZZZZZ !!!!!

View on Twitter

MUH GUH !! FAM !! They’re so beautiful!!

There’s so much to share!! And I know I’m a day behind, but I lost a day watching Funaki’s play It was well worth it! I’m still absorbing all the thought provoking feels and antics The encore performance got a standing ovation!! I’ll do separate posts for each of the Given live stage cast members, and he’ll be one of them.

BUT FIRST!! ->

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SATO MAFUYU !!

yeah yeah…it was yesterday, in Japan…but I get to be fashionable (late) since I’m a Pisces, too. Plus !! Western-Hemi Otaku’s just get to celebrate everything twice So there!

See Kizu’s ok widit!!

They put up this adorable piece, for our best boy’s BDay and why do I feel like it’s a lil shout out to Sunaga Futa…? If you follow him you get it

K if you don’t follow him….whyyyy? He’s a huge fan boy, and doesn’t that just make you feel warm and fuzzy!? HE’S ONE OF US!! Saying he’s really into Pokémon, is an understatement. Like that might be the only thing he’s into more than Given….and maybe…

Miyauchi Iori

^^^This needs a lil explanation…but I think Miyauchi has accepted it, so it’s ok We’ll get to that later

Seriously though! Sunaga just kills me!! With his long posts, and his shutter bug creepin, and his tear stained eyes!! We would be besties 100%

I’m back fam!!

Half of the personal battle, that’s kept me away; has been won ❤ so I have fortitude to do what I love, and gush over all the incredible talent from Kizu Natsuki’s Given live stage event

So excited for all of them! Sunaga is just beaming!! Of course he’s back at it, taking pics of EVERYTHING & EVERYONE!! Miyauchi Iori (Hiiragi) of Bancho Boys, and Ken Funaki, Takeru (Shizusumi) of NORD; have live theatrical performances of their own this evening, so they’re not attending, but they’re doing what they love!! I’ve been invited to watch Funaki’s play tonight, so super excited, and I’ll tell everyone about it!!

All of the cast has so many incredible things they’re up to, outside of Given.

They wrapped up two performances yesterday, and will do two more tonight ❤ It’s bitter sweet that the Given live experience is coming to an end, but please follow these awesome talents, so you can help them grow!! For instance; I think Sunaga has had a recent change in management, so it’s important for them to have fans that follow him, moving forward. Obviously the Given cast members are interested, and even some are passionate, about supporting LGBTQIA+ representation throrough the arts. So please support them, in return <3

In regards to the live “Given Encore Event” this is in response to the heartfelt reception, and demand of the audiences! Your support makes these things happen, for these actors, ya know!!

The first half of the performance is a live screening with commentary, of the filmed production followed by QA from cast AND crew. Then a mini “Given” concert; with the cast performing the music of Centimillimental !! The Blue-Ray / DVD of the live stage performances last holiday season; is available through this weekend, for purchase from Trifle Entertainment

Please see the information on the Given Live Stage Twitter!! This is what they are screening at the two day event, last night and tonight. Bonus footage will also include the cast’s celebratory production-wrap trip, together. Aswell as some pretty cool swag; if you purchase the Deluxe Luxury Edition!! It’s runs for about $150usd after fees and shipping.

Sayato Arima (Mafuyu) of WHiSANT

Shibuki Ryo (Ritsuka) of Anivel

Kawakami Shota (Akihiko) from Touken Ranbu Live and the film “Connection” will be in the upcoming 2.5D live stage production of Paradox Live, as Masakuni Zen

Sunaga Futa (Haruki) from 2.5D Bat Rhythm Live

There is honestly soooo much to share (thanks Sunaga you doll!!) I’ll post for each cast member separately ❤

Wow!! Thank you for all the concern really I’m ok. I’m just in a really bad situation, and I won’t know until next week; if it’s gonna get better anytime soon, unfortunately I’m sorry to be vague ❤ I appreciate all of you!! You make life a blast!! If you think you can help in any way, you can msg me here; I still check in. I’m just not good at asking for the things.

Thank you from the bottom of my gay ass heart❤ Jeremy

I’m still alive ❤ ask me how things are in 1 week.

Wanted to check in and let you all know I’m ok; things will hopefully be better next month.

There isnt a lot going on right now; Given live stage related. They’ve kept everything pretty low key From what it sounds like; the two day live event, later this week, may be a screening of the previous performances, with commentary by the cast ??? No one has really posted much.

But there will definitely be music->

Look at Shibuki!! All taking the lead❤

His new management is putting out cool stuff ->

Oh and you know I gotta say sumthin…

Sayato Arima found an actual munchkin cat!!

AH HAHA HAHA

The Given cat headcanons continue

Yesterday was 2-22-22 on a TUESday!! It’s our turn in the western hemisphere today; Happy Neko no Hi!!

Idk…if Ritsuka starts showing up like that; Mafuyu might take pics of him, instead!?

Sorry…sorry. I can’t help it !!

Kawakami Shota in the background all *flex*

This is how it’s done

I’m sooooory!! I just can’t, like he looks like a real life Aki anyways. But how the hell they concentrate with him in the room!? I will never get over him in Touken Ranbu

Love you all. Please keep me in your thoughts. Ty

Ok I’m still in a world of shit right now I’m so sorry but if any one wants to contribute, please contact me here. This blog will still be dormant for a little while, but it’s important to me that I post this for you guys->

Kizu Natsuki’s Given live stage cast updates !!

LOOK WHAT SUNAGA JUST POSTED!!

He is so fn dorbs with the corresponding hearts’ colors over their instruments He’s such a doll !

The 2 day Given live stage production starts next week They all did another simultaneous post attack ❤ and all of them put up this pic!!

Takeru “Ken” Funaki won’t be there with them

Poor Shizu gets left outta every thing, I swear!

But Funaki’s living his best life->

His play D-river was well received, opening day in Osaka ❤ And NORDs album N The Very Best; hit stores throughout Japan!!

Miyauchi WILL be at the event, though. His theatrical group; Bancho Boys is also performing Run Away Don’t Run Away. Annnd his photos were published in Bamboo’s White Shirt Boys photo exhibition->

Hahaha!! He soooo shy!! But that’s him pointing to his picture Idunno who that is in the photo on the right but *credit*

Hiiragi who has no friends!!!!

IS SOOOOO BEAUTIFUL!

And Kawakami Shota is still an Aries->

HEY FAM ❤ I’m sorry but I have to take a break from this blog for a little while. I have serious financial and health issues going on. Every single one of you that has reached out over the last six months; I consider a true life friendo ❤ I really do. I call you all fam, cuz if you’ve never seen me mention it; I don’t have any family of my own. Take care of eachother. Be kind to people; you never know what they’re up against. And if you want to contribute to my work, or even just my wellbeing; contact me here. I’ll check msgs, and I’ll be back soon; but not for a little while. I have to take care of stupid, unfair life stuff.

Jeremy; A Voice Of My Own

Yes I’m crying, love you all ❤

Oh and NORD’s album officially dropped ❤ super happy for this dork

N Very Best you should go check them out!

Ken Funaki played Shizusumi in Kizu Natsuki’s live stage production of Given He’s an incredible dancer and has the voice of an angel !!

You’re really missing out on some funny and cool ish if you’re not following him just saying.

Sunaga Futa is super excited for the Given live stage 2 day event coming up ❤ Of course he is!! I’ve missed him

Also^^Nakagawa Taishi is my new fave person❤

Since I said before I’d write a review on some his movies, but won’t be able to now; I figured I should at least mention him, before I go.

He does a wickedly sexy Kibutsuji Muzan^^

Today’s Kira Kun was a million times better than the manga, for his performance! You should go watch that and ReLife!! Since they’re no longer on streaming services; you can find them in full length and decent quality, on YouTube

Current status til further notice so wish me luck…

I made a few posts already detailing my immediate thoughts after seeing the stage play (twice!!).

Now I have decided to compile my thoughts into a more coherent post.

Spoilers for the stage play, which covers the events of manga volumes 1-5, plus some of the extras from volume 7.

To preface this: I went the first time on the second showing in Tokyo, Saturday’s 6pm showing, with a friend. Seating was up to luck, and by pure sheer fortune, we got seats in the second row–which was effectively the first row. The second time, I went on Monday night, the late 7pm showing, alone. This time I was in the third row on the balcony. (Both views of the stage pre-show below the cut.)

(Side note about the second angle–that railing on the left was intensely frustrating. That part of the stage is Ugetsu’s bedroom and Haruki’s dining room (and also Uenoyama’s classroom, but ah….my priority is very much the Akiharu storyline). Haruki’s dining room turned out to be fine, as they are all sitting in chairs, nobody gets cut off. But Ugetsu’s bedroom, they’re so often just lying on the bed or sitting on the floor, and frequently the railings felt like serious obstacles during those scenes.)

The show was first announced as 2hrs 30mins with intermission, but it ended up at 2hrs 50mins, according to the official Twitter. (I think it might have in fact been closer to 3hrs, as the second time I went, they skipped intermission–more about this later, it was GREAT–and when I checked my watch as I was putting on my coat, it was already more than 2hrs 50mins past the start time.)

As per the manga, act 1 follows mainly Ritsumafu, concluding with the confession after their first live. Act 2 picks up from the two of them asking Akiharu for permission (Akihiko is crashed on Haruki’s couch eavesdropping while they ask Haruki for permission to date, in this version, which worked very well imo), all the way through the confession and up to Akiharu asking Ritsumafu for permission to date. (Full circle!)

It starts like the anime. 寂しくないよ/I’m not lonely, says Mafuyu, and we see him standing alone at center stage in an orange spotlight, hugging the guitar as petals flutter down.

This orange spotlight was the depiction of Yuki throughout the play. I loved it. They did not cover the specific events of the fight, which was narrated by Hiiragi while Mafuyu acted silently opposite the spotlight. Honestly, I didn’t fully appreciate how emotive they manage to make the spotlight during my first viewing. (Going into my second show, I texted @edragoon​ that I was a bit worried I wouldn’t appreciate it as much a second time if I got a less good seat, because I had such a great seat the first time; and she pointed out to me that the effects and such are so much better from a seat further back. It was the Yuki spotlight that gave me the sense, of YES, I’m so glad I did get to see it again from this angle.)

The music they used was from the anime. By which I mean the music they performed, yes, but also they used the soundtrack music as the stage soundtrack as well. Whenever Uenoyama and Mafuyu were playing with their guitars, they were genuinely playing the guitars, even if they weren’t necessarily hooked up to the amps. (Miming was only used for select scenes where the person playing was more or less irrelevant.)

What was fascinating was when they would hybridize a scene, and start out with the cast actually playing a piece, and then dive into a recording. They did this with the jam session–you know how Uenoyama starts with a riff, Haruki joins in, then Aki cuts in with drums and they sync up? From the drum section it switched to a recording.

The jam session was used as a kind of opening credits, where the whole cast comes out, with their names displayed on the screen at the back of the stage. Full cast was the 4 members of Given, of course, then Itaya and Ueki, Hiiragi and Shizu-chan, Take-chan, and Ugetsu. (Thank goodness Ugetsu was last, because I always got so enraptured when Ugetsu came out on stage and forgot to look anywhere else–more on this later too.)

Mafuyu’s actor was astonishing. The first time I went, my friend spent intermission googling to make sure that he definitely was not the anime voice actor in any shape way or form, because his voice sounded so similar. I loved every member of the cast, but sometimes I would fall into thinking about technical details. The only characters for whom I NEVER thought about the acting aspects were Mafuyu and Ugetsu, because both of them so perfectly embodied the characters they were portraying.

As the above is a complete list of the cast, this means that they *did* cut all the girls–the classmate who shares gossip about Mafuyu with Uenoyama was replaced by a letter, and Yayoi was entirely absent. I do think that perhaps Uenoyama’s character’s likability suffers a little, because Yayoi’s presence is what provides the counter to his usual Ue-sama mode. But as a storytelling tactic, it made a LOT of sense, and I was so grateful that they didn’t cut Shizu (unlike the drama), who is absolutely necessary to the portrayal of Hiiragi.

Scenes like banter were often performed quite quickly through the start of act 1, at times as if the actors were desperately trying to rush through the show to keep the run time under 3 hours. Having said this, when time was necessary for the scene, they DID take their time. The emotional slow scenes were not rushed at all.

Itaya and Ueki act throughout act 1 as a sort of banter happening off to the side while the other actors run around getting into their new positions. Itaya’s actor was, true to his character, VERY emotive and expressive. He was great, I wished for more Itaya scenes.

Take-chan is great too.

Now see, the second time I went, they didn’t do an intermission. When the curtain went down, Take-chan came out on stage and introduced himself with his full name (Yatake Kouji), and explained that because his name doesn’t appear anywhere in the story, he just hoped that we would remember it. He apologized for the lack of intermission, and as to the why, said, “良い子は22時には帰らなきゃいけない、とか、そんなもんですかね。まあ察してください” (rough tr. “I guess it’s something like, well-behaved kids have to be home by 10pm? Or something like that, please understand.”)

Then Take-chan said it would be tiring to spend 2 hours sitting down, so let’s all stand up and do some stretches. So…we all stood up. The whole theater. Take-chan was very shocked and very happy. (The lights also went from middling to fully on as everybody stood up, like the person doing the lights wasn’t sure either whether this should have audience lighting or not until everybody started standing up.) There was much laughter and much silliness as he guided us through stretches (one extra one because he was so happy we were all doing as he said that he asked if he could do it again). And then when he told us we could sit back down, he continued remarking with shock at the fact that EVERYBODY was standing. I was laughing so hard my eyes were tearing up, it was great.

As he bade us a reluctant farewell and returned backstage, he assured us that he would in fact be in act 2 as well. It was so fun.

Anyway, act 2.

I did NOT expect the story to go past volume 3 when I went the first time, so I was just in shock and awe that they acted out this whole story in under 3 hours.

I love Haruki spinning around stage happily sneaking photos of the sleeping Aki.

I love AkiHaru ribbing Ue throughout act 1–their synchronized 現代風のオシャンなギター！(that line about Ue’s guitar will be modern style contrasted to their Showa style) line that they give Ue just before that initial jam session was PERFECT. Aki’s 上ノ山のフォローよろ (that line about “you work on Uenoyama” just before he goes off to talk to Mafuyu) in Haruki’s ear was WOW.

But in act 2, of course, everything gets ramped up a notch, and OH.

I think I said after my first viewing, I didn’t really get the sense that Aki was so into Haruki in act 1, and I really felt the shift.

After my second viewing, I don’t think this is quite the case anymore.

Aki’s actor acts Aki’s attachment to Ugetsu SO WELL. It’s more like…Haruki is that not-quite-crush he has that he’ll never REALLY make a move on because he knows he’s taken.

It was heartbreaking.

Ugetsu and Aki’s attachment to each other was acted out to heartbreaking perfection.

The Akisame breakup scene, the second time I watched it, EVERYBODY around me was crying. It was all sniffles and people wiping their eyes.

An edit they did make was that after Akihiko delivers his “There’s no point telling you” line to Haruki during The Scene from vol 4, the scene goes on a little longer, Aki diving back down to resume what he’d started, making it abundantly clear, he did NOT stop.

They kept a lot more of the little moments than I’d expected, including the dragonfly. (Which was placed on the edge of the stage right in front of me the first time I watched it, which was amazing. And also how I know they ACTUALLY had a rubber dragonfly there, it was not mimed.)

Somehow, act 2 of the stage play felt a lot less rushed than the anime movie, even though they probably total out to about the same amount of time, and the stage play covered more terrain–they still had a lot of Ritsumafu interacting (though they did skip the fight about Ue’s jealousy), and the summer festival meeting with Shizuragi.

They kept the confession scene more or less the same as the manga, and ohhh it shot straight to my heart.

Aki’s hands were even shaking….which I know even though I was never at an angle where I could totally see this. The first time, I was at an angle where I couldn’t see his hands, but I saw his arms moving, and the way Haruki was looking down, and knew they were shaking. The second time, I was too far away, I could barely make out the shaking if I squinted. BUT THEY WERE SHAKING, and that’s what matters.

The live music was GREAT. They performed fully in character, it was astonishing. Mafuyu’s voice was audibly getting more tired as performances piled up, but the falsetto never suffered, nor did the emotion in his performances. In fact, the first time I saw the show, when Mafuyu sang, I got chills.

A friend gave me permission to buy stuff and forward them on (in addition to a DVD), so I bought a bunch of photos the second time around:

They are so cute!!! Haruki was perfect by the way. They even gave him different hairstyles throughout. (And of course he does go to Take-chan to cut his hair as in canon!)

Side note, a personal pet peeve of mine in the movie is that they reversed the order in which Take-chan sees Haruki and responds to Aki’s email, making his response a deliberate lie; in the stage play, they switched the order back in accordance with the manga, so Take-chan responds to Aki that no he hasn’t seen him, and then sees Haruki.

Take-chan playing with the Chashu Boys was fully mimed, unfortunately, but the actor played him SO WELL, you could get a sense from the way he played what kind of music he might be playing.

In summary, it was great. This is my favorite adaptation to date, second only to the manga.

I saw the Given stage play today.

Twas amazing.

Best adaptation of all, second only to the manga because that is the original.

Highlights:

-Every single actor was PERFECT. I don’t care what you think if you have not seen it, do not @ me.

-THEY ACTUALLY PERFORMED THE SONGS. In fact, most of the scenes where they play their instruments, they ACTUALLY PLAYED. Holy shit, these guys were good. (There were certain sections that were not played live–notably Ugetsu never actually plays the violin.)

-They managed to carry the story all the way through the end of vol. 5, and even went one scene further.

-As a side note to the above, I didn’t expect the stage play to go past vol. 3, which is probably why I was surprised to find myself encountering much shirtlessness. In related news, Akihiko and Ugetsu have nothing to be ashamed of, they are both very very muscular.

-They kept Shizu! Yay! They cut all the female characters instead, but the story did not suffer for it, imo.

-I felt chills the first time Mafuyu sang.

-I felt for Akihiko more than I ever have.

-Haruki is PERFECT PERFECT PERFECT.

-My heart broke for Ugetsu all over again.

-My heart broke for Aki all over again.

-This is the only version yet to keep the scene going after Aki gives his devastating retort to Haruki’s offer of anything at all, to make it abundantly clear what happened. It is GREAT, but also if you had asked me to guess in advance which version would choose to do this, I would not in a million years have guessed that it would be the stage play.

-Itaya’s actor was astonishingly good, it seems a shame that he was relegated to a side character.

I could not bear that I would only see this once, so I–believer in the philosophy of “more stuff equals more stress”–ordered a DVD. Apparently, the DVDs are supposed to ship in April.

If you can still attend a show, GO. REALLY, SERIOUSLY, GO SEE IT. If you cannot, GET THE RECORDING WHEN IT IS AVAILABLE.

The second song that Mafuyu brings to life with lyrics in Given is Yoru ga Akeru, and in the movie, is a crucial part of the plot.

I have only seen the movie with English subtitles once, and I have largely avoided looking at subtitles on videos on YouTube, but in that one time with English subtitles, it bothered me enough to try my own hand at translating this song.

Lyrics are much harder than other types of translations, much like poetry.

This song in particular is hard, because it has to apply equally to Mafuyu, Ugetsu, Akihiko, and Haruki. It’s hard because in Japanese, the title 夜が明ける is only ever stated one way, (literal translation: “the night will become light”); but in English, there are so many different ways to say this, and none fit the Japanese exactly. “Dawn will break” is the obvious one, with some wording variation, but to have the verb be “break” instead of “become light” is, I think, quite an atmosphere change.

That said, because “dawn will break” is such a common phrase in English, it is also unnatural to not use that phrase at all.

In summary, I fiddled around and have a translation that I’m not really happy with but I’ll never be happy with it and @magicpotatoobsession expressed that she would like it if I shared it anyway, so here it is.

Right from the get-go, I refuse to translate the title.

When I translate lyrics, I do tend to try to make them fit to the music, to an extent. And that is what I’ve done here. In a world where this is actually sung, though, I wouldn’t translate the crucial Yoru ga Akeru portion at all, at least in certain parts. (It’s repeated enough throughout the song that it could be bilingual in a lot of cases, once in English and once in Japanese or vice versa.)

Anyway, on to the horribly inadequate translation.

Yoru ga Akeru

Even sleepless nights end with the dawn
The darkness turns to light that holds my gaze

The stubborn, unchanging white wall of my room
Is dyed in morning light; the clock ticks time onward
Step by step, I’m being carried away from that dear season
That I shared with you; and I can’t tell which of us is left behind

I’d much rather stay drifting right here
In darkness

Even sleepless nights end with the dawn
The darkness turns to light that holds my gaze
There are things that change
There are things that end
There are things beginning
I can live on, even though you’re gone
And listen, that’s the saddest part to me
But see, night’s about to end in dawn
Dawn’s about to break

The blooming of the spring;
The withering of autumn;
Yet there will always be new seeds ready to sprout and grow again

Don’t focus on what was, focus on what will be
I know, I do

Even sleepless nights end with the dawn
Every hand we hold we must eventually let go
I can lose my way; can cry my soul to bits;
But one day the tears will end
I can live on, even though you’re gone but I
Am desperate to see you, even though your love is gone
Look at the sky, the dawn will end the night,
Dawn is almost here

Wishes we carry that no one can say yet whether they will come true—
These are what we have named “Hope”.

Even though you’re gone, the night will end in dawn
Our hands have let go, but there will be another to hold
It’s at the end of a long night that we come to know the light
That keeps me living through this terrible fear
The sun will rise, and I’ll walk on from here.
Look at the sky, the dawn will end the night,
And it’ll be okay

Look at the sky
It’s almost here
The night will end in dawn

So about Hanaoka’s hair salon.

It’s called Hair Salon Harusame.

春雨 means vermicelli.

It also combines characters from Haruki’s (春樹) name, as well as Ugetsu’s (雨月).

Haruki, Ugetsu, and Haruki’s hair.

Hanaoka is the keeper of Akihiko’s greatest loves.

EDITED TO INCLUDE: 春雨 does in fact also mean spring rain, the literal and more poetic meaning of those two characters.

However, I live a food-centric life, and I see 春雨 and I think vermicelli. The translations reflect my personal biases too; this is in the nature of translations too, and I’m embracing it.  

Including this for accuracy, but I would also like to point out…“Salon Spring Rain” isn’t quite accurate either. The word is more common as vermicelli now, and the use of spring rain is more from older poetry or literature.

It is all three at once: poetic and silly and meaningful.

It’s great.

I saw this once and could not unsee it.

Ultimate spoiler for Given vol. 4.

No translation because the words aren’t what are important.

We go from a scene of Akihiko taking Haruki’s hair—which he has just accidentally burned while lighting a cigarette—between his fingers, commenting on how he is growing it out so long. Haruki pulls away with such ferocity that it shocks Akihiko (who knows about Haruki’s feelings for him but not the emotion that he has put into his hair). Haruki contemplates that he has to cut his hair later…

AND WE CUT, to Yayoi chopping off her hair because Akihiko has—subtextually—rejected her.

It is so perfect.

This transition was different in the anime because they consolidated so many of the Akiharu scenes into ep 5, and I lament the loss of this foreshadowing.

(Also by the way, fun to contemplate how all of Akihiko’s rejections are subtext. But a meta for another day, when I have more time.)

Akihiko: Can you hold me?

Haruki:No

Akihiko: Why? Is it because… I’m too hot to handle?

Akihiko: Why do you act like a virgin?

Haruki: Because I am one

Akihiko: We can change that ;)

Haruki: Be careful around the fire

Akihiko: the fire won’t do anything to me, cuz… I’m already smoking hot