~ M O R G U L ~

Christmas Decorations by ~Maiden-of-the-Moon on deviantART

Sorry, wannaseemymask. This was the Xmas card I drew this year, back before I knew you. ^_^;;;; You can pretend that Grell is next in line for a turn under the 'toe, if you wish. :D Anyway...

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

I'll be off visiting relatives for the next few days, so keep out of trouble and keep smiling until I return. :3

Hugs and kisses~ <3

People on the "Kuro" LJ brought up Yana Toboso's "Glamorous Lips" again, which made me want to re-read it. And GAH~~~ I remembered eye patch-guy, and I remembered that there was shouta, but I forgot about THESE PANELS:



TOBOSO-SENSEI, YOU GIANT COCKTEASE. XD Just draw us a real SebaCiel "Kuro" doujin~~~! (Please? <3)

Anyway...

THE CHALLENGE: Modify a bunch of Christmas songs so that they fit "Kuroshitsuji."
THE REASON: To keep my Christmas spirits high!
THE RESULT: I learned that two and two make four. :3

CURRENT PLAYLIST:
Carol of the (Summoning) Bells
Lyrics: Here
MP3s: Done by the talented Alarnia0!
The track I recorded for kicks. XD

Sebby-Baby
Lyrics: Here
AMV: Made by Alarnia0, and it is INSANELY AMUSING. XD
MP3s: Wannaseekmymask's perfectly IC, absolutely hysterical version...
...and the far-less-good version I did, back before I knew other people would be cool enough to do their own. XD;

We Wish You a Happy Birthday
Lyrics: Here
MP3s: Me singin’ it...

We Three Shinigami
Lyrics: Here
MP3s: Me again, acapella. ^_^;
The BA version. ^_~

And now, the grand finale~



Title: “12 Eps of Kuro"
To the Tune: "12 Days of Christmas"
Requested By: No one. I just had to do it. XD;
Characters: Sebastian, Ciel, Grell, Undertaker, Will, Lau, Lizzie, Tanaka, the servantrio…
Rating: Hard PG-13
Notes: Full of gay. All kinds of gay. SO MUCH GAY~ (Also, follows the anime, with spoilers until the end of season one.)
Lame MP3: N/A. (C’mon. You don’t really need one for this song, do you? ^_^;)
Summary: Honestly, this is really just insanity. So enjoy it. X3
To Read: ( In the first ep of ‘Kuro’ Sebastian gave to me~ )

While I tend to spend more time practicing fandubbing, I would also like to be a voice actress someday. (Yes, like every other fangirl in existence. Leave me alone. XD;) So occasionally, I practice by reading my and other’s fanfiction aloud… Most recently, I recorded my fanfic “Hierarchy,” since I thought it would give me a chance to work all three extremes. (High, medium, and low vocal tones, that is.) In the end, I didn’t do as much with “high” as I wanted—because Lizzie was supposed to be a teen in the fic, and therefore I wouldn’t think her voice would be quite as high pitched then as it is now—and, as always, I’m afraid my voice doesn’t do “low” very well. (It’s maybe “Ciel” low. Definitely not “Sebastian” low.) But I tried my best, and I had fun, and I added music, which I thought really added to the piece. So I thought I’d share. :D

Title: “Hierarchy”
Rating: PG
Genre: General/Drama
Pairings: N/A (Features Sebastian and Lizzie)
Summary: Elizabeth is the Queen. And she has figured out why.
To Read the Original Fic: Here
Featured Music: A specially-created mix of “Lizzy,” “Darkness of England,” and “The Dark Crow Smiles,” all from the “Black Box” OST.
To Download: Here (Sorry, I’m not cool enough to be able to do a voice post. ^_^;)

I hope you enjoy~ <3

PS. BTW, Canadians on my flist-- apparently I'm your new dictator. Just FYI. ^_~

It's not often that I do fandubs for songs that aren't in any way related to anime-- I think the only other one I've done is a song called "Proof of Life," and I don't even remember who that artist was. XD;

BUT WE ALL KNOW WHO THIS ARTIST IS~



“Last Snow”
English Dub
Original Artist: Yuya Matsushita
Based on the English Subs Found Here:


You say you must go
I beg you not to leave
The air between us cold
Forgetting how to breathe
( Open up your eyes )

Dub MP3 Download: Here
And as usual, I apologize for my crap mike… as well as the fact that IRL I am a first soprano, and Matsushita-san is… well, not. So this track features my hardly-ever-used alto voice. ^_^;

Sebastian.

Dress.

SEBASTIAN.

DRESS.

TRAP!SEBASTIAN.

WANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANTWANT~!

Another chapter, another discussion post. This month was chapter 40; what did everyone think?

It wasn’t my favorite chapter, as chapters go, but it did herald in the beginnings of a murder mystery— a genre which I’m quite fond of— and Ciel went to bed with a man. (Chains and everything. <3) It wasn’t Sebastian, but I suppose beggars can’t be choosers, right? Though to be honest, I was really hoping that Sebastian would jump in with Ciel’s alibi—

Sebastian: The young master couldn’t have killed Master Siemens. He was with me at the time.
Ciel: Wha—?! *Sebastian covers his mouth*
Guests: …really.
Sebastian: Oh yes. Poor child, he’s still frightened by lightening. So he cuddled up in bed with me… <3
Guests: …………...
Sebastian: And I took his mind off of the storm by—well, I think that’s enough information for a decent alibi, correct?
Fangirls: No, we’re pretty sure more information is quite necessary… *nosebleed*
~Later~
Ciel: That wasn’t true and you know it! >.<
Sebastian: As a servant of Phantomhive, it’s only natural that I should be able to get my master out of sticky situations like that. X3
Ciel: By lying?!
Sebastian: If you’d like, we could make it so that it is no longer a lie… *insert wiggly eyebrows here*
Ciel: ……………………………………………………...

Haha, kidding. X3 Well, no. But a girl can dream, right? ^_~

More to the point, is anyone else faintly amused by how royally (no pun intended) screwed Ciel is? The queen tells him to entertain her cousin, and he ends up inadvertently allowing for his murder. I can only hope that—for Ciel’s sake—Victoria’s real aim was her seedy cousin’s annihilation, and Ciel helpfully took care of that. (Unfortunately, I think it far more likely that Charles is spinning things to make it look like Ciel killed Siemens, because the queen wants to disgrace the Phantomhive name, lock her dog away for life, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Because I think she’s still pissed at him over the whole circus-thing. She seems the time to hold a grudge. But anyway.)

Ciel’s bonding-time with Arthur was a cute interlude, though—and the flashback cuddle-pic of Ciel, Rachel, and Sebastian in Disguise Vincent was so adorable that I squee-ed out loud. I am a little “curious” (read as “nervous”) about what this super-special-awesome announcement is, in regards to a “new” Kuroshitsuji. I hope they’re referring to the anime, and not the manga… I’m already anxious enough about them effing up with season two; I don’t want to be worried about the manga getting screwed sideways, as well. (C’mon, Toboso-sensei, don’t fail me now~!)

Anyhow, this mystery seems to have officially gotten rollin’! Sebastian will probably be “dead” by the start of chapter 41 (I look forward to seeing Ciel lament over his “loss”), so everyone get your “Kuroshitsuji: Clue” boards ready. ^_~

Finished my dear Le-chan's Xmas present today-- a scanlation of the doujinshi "K." :3 And because it's the season for giving, I'm giving y'all copies of it, too... you just have to check out my scanlation comm. <3

BTW, thelondonforce. You should really look at the PG-13 version of the doujinshi. I think my editing job will amuse you. X3

'Cause those are definitely my translations, and I had no idea. Does anyone know who youtube's "YoungEarlPhantomhive" is? I'd like to talk to them about this.

I mean, I'm both flattered and happy that they chose to take on this little project, but a warning of some kind would have been appreciated...


And the song is called "On His Way"...?





It looks like the other songs from the Kuromyu have been subbed as well, and credit was given to BA... but I still feel strangely violated. XD;;;

Oh well, I guess. I'm glad the subs are getting out there, I suppose.

I realize that almost everyone is on temporary hiatus for the holidays, but I figured I'd stick around. (At least until the 24th.) Someone needs to provide you with your daily dose of fandom, right? :D

And I've got your prescription right here--

MORE MACRONS! :D *cue fanfare*

I recently re-watched the entire musical with my family, so these snapshots come from all two hours of Kuro-themed sing-along goodness. At this time, I'd like to extend my deepest thanks to ruby_moon_1x2, the maker of the GIFs I used in this post (if you'd like me to take them down, sweetheart, just let me know), and the people who inspired certain macrons. (I credited where appropriate. :3)

Oh. I should also probably mention that-- while these are predominantly SebaCiel themed-- there are a few other pairings mixed in there. SebastianxGrell, for instance, which I threw in for a friend of mine. ^_~



( And now, 60+ macrons. In no particular order. XD;;; )

You know a package is gonna be good when it has this stamp on the back:



ZOMG GUYS, I GOT A LETTER FROM PHANTOMHIVE MANOR!



SEE?! IT EVEN HAS THE SEAL~



Haha, no, it was actually a Christmas card. An awesome Christmas card! 12gatsunohime, thank you so much for the package! I squealed so hard when I found it in my mailbox-- and squealed even harder when I saw what was inside it. :3 You spoiled me so! The candy was delicious (mmm, tasted like lemon iced tea <3), the doujinshi is gorgeous, and the bookmarks/cards made me smile. :D

What also made me smile was how you labeled my package:



I have nothing against my RL name, but I'm far fonder of my online pseudonym. So that really amused me. X3 Again, thank you so much! Your gift totally made my day! <3 <3 <3

And I hope everyone else's day was just as fantabulous. ^_~

(Truly, this is my family's philosophy on food.)

Just got home for break, and was hungry for a bite to eat.

In the fridge:
-Milk
-Pie crust
-Couple of eggs
-Condiments

On the counter top:
-Chocolate advent calendars
-S'mores bars
-Chocolate covered pretzels
-Chips

And yes, if there was cake-- which there usually is-- we eat it. For breakfast.

I am, perhaps, the only person I know who eats (far) healthier at school than at home. I still marvel at the fact that I didn't grow up to be 500 pounds. XD;;;;

From the Yen Press Website: When a terrible fire claims his parents, Ciel Phantomhive must step up as the head of his father's company and as Earl of Phantomhive Manor. It would be a lot for the young boy to handle were it not for his faithful butler, Sebastian. Ever at Ciel's side, it seems there's little Sebastian can't do, whether it's saving a dinner party gone awry or probing the dark secrets of London's underbelly. He's almost too good to be true... or at least, too good to be human...

WHAT? Sebastian ISN'T HUMAN?! O_O (When did THAT happen?)

Guys. This could change the series as we know it.

But seriously.

The English manga is coming out so much sooner than I expected; that's so exciting! :D I'm still really annoyed that they translated the title, though... Now it just sounds potentially-racist to me... ^_^;;; Oh well. <3

This song is so perfectly “Lau” (read “ADD”) that I had no idea how to attack it for a while. XD; But a cup of ice cream helped with that.

So here it is! Marvel— the last Kuromyu English dub. I’m going to miss this project a great deal… but now everything is singable in English, which I find rather exciting, so it’s a bittersweet farewell. And in any case, I’ve already got other songs that I’d like to dub lined up, so it’s not like I won’t be busy. ^_~

Enjoy, guys~

"Shì Shàng Méi Yǒu Néng Zhì Hòu Huǐ De Yào"
(There's No Medicine For Regret In All The World)
English Dub
With many thanks to genkischuldich!

Please Note: Lau’s backup girls sing parts of this song, too, but their solos are denoted by parenthesis. I also apologize for how difficult it is to understand certain lines of the tutorial; I had to sing really quietly, due to all the exam-studying going on around me.

Lau: Human life is little more than a children’s game
With our tokens moving round on a changing terrain
We’ll all lose in the end, so I’ll fill my turn
With wine and women’s names

(Our world is just a dream)
( It's all so fleeting )

THE COMPLETED KUROMYU ENGLISH DUB PLAYLIST:

What a Noisy Team, Those Three!
Translated Lyrics: Here
English Dub Lyrics: Here
Tutorial MP3: Here

Yes, My Lord
Translated Lyrics: Here
English Dub Lyrics: Here
Tutorial MP3: Here

Shì Shàng Méi Yǒu Néng Zhì Hòu Huǐ De Yào
Translated Lyrics: Here
English Dub Lyrics: Here
Tutorial MP3: Here

Howl Brings You Unhappiness
Translated Lyrics: Here
English Dub Lyrics: Here
Tutorial MP3: Here

Reminiscing by the Window
Translated Lyrics: Here
English Dub Lyrics: Here
Tutorial MP3: Here

RED or BLACK?
Translated Lyrics: Here
English Dub Lyrics: Here
Tutorial MP3: Here

On His Way
Translated Lyrics: Here
English Dub Lyrics: Here
Tutorial MP3: Here

( Tagged by my dear Siberianchan. <3 )

Please say it's not just me that looks at this...



...and can only think:

SEXSEXSEXSEXSEXSEBACIELSEXSEXSEXSEXSEXSEXTHIGHCANESEXSEXSEXSEXSEXSEBACIELSEXSEXSEX~<3.

I mean, that's gotta be intentional, right? It looks so much like a pole dance... XD;

Thank you so, so much for the gif, ruby_moon_1x2. ILU. LYKE WOAH. *goes back to nose-bleeding everywhere* <3

Anyway~

( MEME TIME! :D )

In the end, I decided to be a Big Girl.

(I'll wait a moment for y'all to get over your shock.)

I bitched and cried and grumbled for a while, but then I got to thinking about that translation. So I re-looked some stuff up, and discovered two things:

1) I was wrong...
2) ...BUT there was no way for me to have known that I was wrong.

The kanji that caused the problem was listed in my dictionary as meaning one thing, and that's what I went with. I later looked it up on jisho.org (a resource I didn't have, back when I was doing the translation in question) and realized that this particular kanji meant something entirely different when conjugated in the way it had been. (More specifically, it made it into a noun that wasn't listed in any of my dictionaries.) So I was wrong, yes, but not for lack of trying. I just didn't know any better. And in the end, I don't think the translation changes a whole ton.

Anyway, I thanked the person for their correction, and they were very nice about it in their reply-- despite the curtness of their initial post. (I guess it was just another Lost In Translation moment, in terms of the internet and its abilities to suck all of the emotional inflection out of things.)

So I feel better about that. :3

And on top of that, today has been fantastic! I had my Japanese oral this morning-- which I was hella nervous for-- but it went fine. I made a little slip-up, but I caught and corrected it without much problem. Sensei said that Ellen and I (it was a "conversation oral") did a good job, and she then gave us presents! She'd bought both of us cute mechanical pencils when she'd been in Japan over the summer; mine is purple, and I love it to bits. <3 She also mentioned how well she thinks we're doing in class, and that she thinks we could handle double-majoring, if we felt like giving that try. (Which I don't, but it was nice to hear such a compliment, anyway.) I feel bad, though, that I didn't contribute more to the conversation I feel like she was trying to have with us-- I was still so wound up about the oral, and the pencil, and I always feel a little flustered around Sensei, so mainly I just sat there and nodded. XD; Oh well. It was still nice. <3

I also got an email from the other Japanese teacher, Sakuragi-sensei. I'd brought him (and Sensei and my academic adviser, who runs the Japanese department) pieces of Christmas Cake that the JCC had made over the weekend; he thanked me, and said that it was very sweet of me. (D'awww~)

After that, I went to work-- and I had a lovely time. ^_^ I got the easy job: tacking down lace on this huge Renaissance dress that my boss is working on for a production of "The Lion in Winter" (I think that's what it's called, anyway...?) that they're putting on in the city. It was very relaxing. And then, Henry (a theater professor; I had him last year for Beginning Acting and my "(Dis)Playing Bodies: Arts, Politics, and Censorship"-- AKA "Porn on Parade"-- class) came in to visit us. He was actually waiting for a fitting related to the show he'll be directing this spring, but while he was there he decided to hang out with the costume shop girls, which was awfully nice of him, I think. (Most people just ignore us. Which is dumb, 'cause we're kinda awesome.) What was funniest, though, was-- in front of our boss, and in his thick Venezuelan accent-- he asked "So, what do you guys think about working in a sweatshop?" After we told him to ask again after our boss left (haha), he added "I think it's very tasteful how well you hide your shackles." XD

He then asked us all how we got into working in the costume shop, and what we use our skills for. I mentioned how I like to make costumes, and he actually remembered that I do it for conventions. (I did a presentation on cosplay in the "(Dis)Playing Bodies" class.) I told him I was flattered he remembered; he was all "How could I forget? XD" Then, another girl mentioned that she liked to make costumes for her Barbies when she was little, and I admitted that I'd still totally be playing with Barbies if I had anybody to play with me. That amused my boss so much, it went up on the Quotes Board we keep in the shop. (Woo-hoo! After a year and a half, I finally got onto the Quotes Board! My boss was sort of surprised that I hadn't been quoted before, but then remembered that most of the funny things I say are spoken in "deadpan," which doesn't translate very well onto paper, apparently. XD;)

The cherry on top, though, was that we're currently working on the school's February production of "Urinetown," which we're doing in a-- get ready for it-- steampunk style. It is AWESOME. Today, I got to label bloomers and potential shirts; I found a gorgeous deep-blue "boy" top (or so I'm assuming, since it had no room for cleavage) with built-in ribbing and black velvet stripes that's dripping with lace and frills, particularly around the cuffs and collar. The kicker? IT HAS A LITTLE BABY BUTT BUSTLE. Bow and everything! I nearly died with happiness inside... then laughed when I noticed the tag had been marked "1880s."

For Ciel's sake, I'm going to make sure that shirt gets into the show. With a bigger butt bustle. XD

And now-- well, after wasting time on LJ, haha-- I'm gonna get a bit of studying done before going off to prepare for the Japanese Study Party Session I'm hosting tonight. It should be a lot of fun, if last year is anything to go by... Kanji Bingo, Grammar Jeopardy, plus food and prizes. Good times, indeed. :3

I hope everyone elses' day is going just as swimmingly as mine! And if not, here's a little something (as shared with me by queroli) to cheer you up:



DO WANT AS AN AVATAR. XD (Somebody make that happen~! ^_~)

I apologize for this song's tutorial MP3. I only had half an hour or so to record it-- what with exams, and pending quiet hours, etc.-- so I messed up one of Bard's lines. (You'd think I could remember my own effin' lyrics, but no. XD;;;) It's not incredibly noticeable, but the mistake is there, and I'm owning up to it.

Just FYI. :D

Have fun~

“What a Noisy Team, Those Three!”
(English Dub)

Bard: Another day has started
Another night departed
The breakfast that I’m making
Will leave the stomach shaking
Its flavors will delight you
Its scents sure to entice you
( My many brilliant recipes… )

THE KUROMYU ENGLISH DUB PLAYLIST:

What a Noisy Team, Those Three!
Translated Lyrics: Here
English Dub Lyrics: Here
Tutorial MP3: Here

Yes, My Lord
Translated Lyrics: Here
English Dub Lyrics: Here
Tutorial MP3: Here

Shii Shan Mei Younan Jihouhoida Yao
Translated Lyrics: N/A
English Dub Lyrics: N/A
Tutorial MP3: N/A

Howl Brings You Unhappiness
Translated Lyrics: Here
English Dub Lyrics: Here
Tutorial MP3: Here

Reminiscing by the Window
Translated Lyrics: Here
English Dub Lyrics: Here
Tutorial MP3: Here

RED or BLACK?
Translated Lyrics: Here
English Dub Lyrics: Here
Tutorial MP3: Here

On His Way
Translated Lyrics: Here
English Dub Lyrics: Here
Tutorial MP3: Here

I feel like I'm giving my exams the metaphorical finger. XD;

But today was a rough-ish day, and my mom thinks I'm studying too hard. So I thought I'd take a break and make more macrons for fun. And not because I wound up watching Sebastian helping Ciel down the stairs on repeat while eating yogurt-covered-pretzels in an attempt to cheer myself up earlier. And thus, that Macron Rule of the Universe kicked in. Nope. That's not at all what happened.



( Not as many as last time, but they still make me giggle. For whatever that's worth. X3 )

I saw Santa in the cafeteria today. I told him I always knew he was real; he told me I had a lovely smile. That was nice.

I also saw two boys staring at me while I was licking a small dot of mustard off of my fingers. That was slightly more awkward.

But anyway.

I feel it's time for another Kuroshitsuji Discussion Post. The topic de jure?

The Methods of Extracting One's Soul

Because now I am genuinely curious about this. And in what you guys think, especially those of you who aren't into SebaCiel. (I know you're out there. Lurking, as you are wont to do. ^_~) And please bear in mind that I am making these observations, not as a SebaCiel fangirl (though that is, admittedly, what I am), but as a regular ol' viewer of a series that has been described, by its producer, as a "fujoshi."

To the point: I personally thought that it was fairly obvious (or at least heavily implied) that-- when Sebastian finally does consume Ciel's soul-- he will be extracting it via kiss. It seemed to me that this was all but spoon-fed to the audience in the last episode (as I discussed in my film analysis paper), but I've since realized that not all fans see it that way. How do you guys see it?

I mean, I don't know how-- in "real life"-- a soul would be extracted from a person, but this certainly wouldn't be the first time that a medium of entertainment has suggested that it can be yanked up by the esophageal passageway. They do that in "Harry Potter," for instance... and InuYasha. And sort of "The Little Mermaid," though that was her voice. Same kind of imagery, though. And as this is a show that tends to cater towards the homosexual fantasies of the fangirly viewers, I would think the obvious choice would be to have one's soul sucked out by a kiss. I can't exactly imagine how else they'd do it, to be honest. Sebastian ripping out Ciel's heart seems like... well, something they wouldn't show. Same with yanking out his contract eyeball, though I've no idea what that would accomplish, anyway. A kiss reigns as the prettiest, cleanest, most romantic-- and I don't mean in terms of love, I mean in terms of idealism and fantasy-- way to do something like that.

The musical, I think, exemplifies this idea, as well:



For those of you who haven't seen it, this snapshot comes from Sebastian and Ciel's duet, "Kare Kata E" ("On His Way"). Ciel sings:

"祈りがもう届かぬなら"
"Inori ga mou todokanu nara"
"If my prayers no longer reach (God)"

It's at this point that Sebastian swoops down-- carcasses his face like in the anime-- and then looks as if he's about to plant one on him. Perhaps foreshadowing the end of their bargain and when he'll get to eat his soul... via kiss?

It could be that the musical is just catering to the fangirls, like the anime is-- but both are canon in their own rights, and the anime, at least, Toboso-sensei had a hand in...

So, thoughts?

EDIT: People keep bringing up the contract eye, so I thought I'd quickly share my piece on that:

"I don't see the eye as containing Ciel's soul. I think the contract eye is more like a tag-- telling all the other demons "THIS ONE IS MIIIIIINE no touchie." Plus, it allows Sebastian to keep an eye on Ciel, as they discuss in the show. Ciel's soul-- as an entity-- has never once been mentioned as being attached to his eye, and the idea of one's soul being found in one's eye just rings as kind of silly to me."

Of course, that's just my opinion. XD;

And then, hezaakun made another excellent point:

"I'm with you on the kiss thing. It's a sexualized and vulnerable position. Letting a demon that close to you... I think that is scary enough.

Also I think traditionally demons are presented as sexual and violent. Whereas God's angels seem to represent chastity, the demons are the dramatic foil and therefore represent animalistic baser instincts. Exploiting humanity's repressed desires."

Which I thought was a good point. But again, I suppose I'm a somewhat biased. ^_^;

AND IN OTHER NEWS, CAN ANYONE SUGGEST A GOOD AVI-TO-DVD PROGRAM THAT I CAN DOWNLOAD-- AND USE-- FOR FREE? I just want to use it once! i^i