Cross the river! You can do it!
MNL48 and SGO48 were stepping up their own game as they both released another iconic 48g song, "RIVER," as the 6th and 3rd singles respectively this year.
The former was first announced during the Valentines Concert 2020 and supposed to slate in March, but was eventually delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and moreover, Rans Rifol's graduation from the group in June, in which the senbatsu slot she originally reserved had given to Alice De Leon. Meanwhile, the latter was first announced the revealed title of their next single during the Esgeeoh Senbatsu Battle released on their official YouTube channel back in August and similar to the same situation to Emenel, Nguyễn Thị Lệ or Lệ Trang, gave up her slot in the senbatsu and was replaced by Lê Phạm Thuỷ Tiên or Tiên Linh.
Double centered by Gabb Skribikin and Abby Trinidad, the music video of Emenel's "RIVER" was originally slated on November 15, but because of the circumstances surrounded by Typhoon Ulysses that hit the northern portions of the Philippines, it eventually moved to November 27 and subsequently got digital releases on iTunes and Spotify a few hours after its release. The single also marked the first senbatsu participation of Frances Pinlac, Amy Isidto, Gia Muse and Jaydee Garcia, and the comeback single for Ella Amat. The MV was trended on YouTube PH in the top 20 and top 1 in Twitter PH with more than 100,000 tweets, surpassing the 50,000+ tweet mark of the One Love Asia event back in April.
On the other hand, the Esgeeoh version that was centered by its captain Võ Phan Kim Khánh or Kaycee was also originally slated on December 5, but due to the sudden rising of coronavirus cases in Vietnam, it was moved to December 20.
Both versions of RIVER are honestly amazing for me just like the prior ones, and I'm not sick and tired of listening to all of them because that song is all about empowerment and never giving up, especially in these trying times. Can't wait for Team SH, Team TP and CGM to have their own versions of RIVER soon.
Immortal Sugimoto returns
Two years since the last adventure in season two, Golden Kamuy made its return for a third anime season, and all the cast and staff of the show were also returning.
It's been a quite while since we last saw Sugimoto getting beaten up, and he and Asirpa had gone separated ways. Season 3 also introduced us more new characters such as Sofia Goldenhand and Vasily, who are pretty interesting lads too, plus Kiroranke's true nature especially on Tsar Alexander II's assassination along Asirpa's dad Wilk. I'm not gonna spoil much about the finale, but I'm so glad that both Sugimoto and Asirpa reunited and renewed their partnership.
Jo Martin is the Doctor!
Who have we know about someone that has the same case but from a timeline way before the Time War?
Season 12 of the new Doctor Who series marked not only the return of the Master, who is currently played by Sacha Dhawan, Capt Jack Harkness, and notable monsters like the Judoon and the Cybermen, but also introduced another unknown incarnation of the Doctor... Enter the Fugitive Doctor, played by the wonderful Jo Martin - aka the very first Doctor of color!
I was very surprised and amazed about how Jo had done playing the Doctor in her own way and her brief dynamics with Jodie Whittaker was pretty amazing. I'm hoping that she'd be coming back in the show, probably in a future episode or the much-awaited 60th anniversary special.
A starry farewell
On January 26, the finale episode of Star Twinkle PreCure was aired, and we witnessed about the years-after versions of the Star Twinkle Cures and the gang which took 15 years after the final battle and the heroines' emotional parting of ways. We had also seen the usual small screened krus na landas meeting between the outgoing leader Hikaru Hoshina aka Cure Star (voiced by Dempagumi Inc.'s Eimi Naruse) and the then-incoming Nodoka Hanadera aka Cure Grace (voiced by Aoi Yuuki) although the latter only appeared in the former's dream.
I honestly wanna cry with the parting scene but at the same time the adult versions of the heroines are just so beautiful and I noticed an Easter egg which is the dog plush doll resembling Latte as well as the usual baton pass, this time from Star to Grace, is just also wonderful. Speaking of the latter, I can't honestly wait for it, but it's Grace to Summer this time around, in the Healin' Good finale episode this February.
The blooming race against time
The 28th Pretty Cure movie overall and the 13th crossover movie, PreCure Miracle Leap: Minna to no Fushigi na 1 Nichi (A Strange Day with Everyone), focused about the three recent teams - Healin' Good (bar Earth), Star Twinkle and HUGtto - taking up an extraordinary yet bloomed race against time as they encountered the mysterious Miraclun who got chased by the evil Refrain. Therefore, only our heroines could stop that timey-wimey menace with their combined powers... and an unexpected miracle would occur!
The movie was originally slated on March 20, but due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, it was moved to May 16, which was yet again unfortunate to have another delay by the said circumstance until it was finally getting a new release date which was October 31. The theme songs "Circle Love ~Cherry Blossoms~" and "First of May" were performed by Rie Kitagawa and Machico respectively.
To commemorate the movie's rescheduled release, several promotions had been occured such as the usual Yokohama Sky Garden promotional project and the collaboration with Tokyo Girls Collection featuring all 14 most recent Cures, including Cure Earth!
And that concludes the #YK2020Vision special blog part 2! I honestly wanna include some more of the highlighted moments for 2020, but due to circumstances and time constraints I have to shortened them, so my quick apologies for the inconvenience. Anyways, I just wanna greet a safe, prosperous and very hopeful New Year to you all!
