Last night, my husband and I watched Bakuman at the premiere of the Eigasai PH Japanese Film Festival. The festival showcases different Japanese movies to Filipinos as a way of enhancing our understanding for their culture and lifestyle. The movies shown during this 5-day event are free, which is definitely a big advantage for everyone interested in Japanese culture.

I've attended a couple of French Film Festivals-- one in 2015, the other just a few weeks ago; so I had a good idea on what usually goes on in these things. Well, I thought I did-- until I saw a long line of people waiting outside Ayala Center Cebu's Cinema 4 as early as 6:30 pm. The movie was set to start at 7:00 and it was truly a surprise for me to find people eagerly waiting to get inside the cinema.

Prior to watching the movie, I did not have any clue of what the movie was about except that it had something to do with manga. I am not exactly the type of person who goes crazy for anything Japanese (except food) since I find it unoriginal. But I have close friends who religiously follow Japanese pop culture and I know this would be their cup of tea. My husband, meanwhile, is a huge fan of watching movies. And this is what I loved about him. He's open to watching different movies with me. Yes, even the cheesiest Tagalog movies that I recommend him.

When we got inside the cinema, I was turned off with the number of people already inside. We should have eaten dinner much earlier or brought our food inside so we could have chosen better seats.
When the movie started, I was pissed off that the group beside me and another group behind me were talking with their friends during the movie. I really can't understand why people do this.

I wanted to leave and walk out. But something about the movie made me want to stay.

So I did.

I watched.

Laughed.

Boy, was I on the edge of my seat the entire movie. And to be honest, it was probably one of the best Japanese movies I've ever watched. Granted, most of which were horror movies (that I've since stopped watching).

But to be honest, Bakuman was truly enlightening and was entertaining-- I loved how the entire team worked at digitally rendering each page of the manga into real life and how they made a beat out of each stroke of a mangaka's nib.

The movie gave me a glimpse of what life was like for a high school student in Japan. About how each student is encouraged to find their purpose in life. How when you find your passion, you have to work hard to prove yourself. About how you fail a lot of times and succeed in a few. And most importantly, the importance of comic books in Japanese culture.

But it did more than open my eyes to Japanese culture. It taught me some important life lessons.




Here are 9 things I learned from watching the movie, Bakuman:

We all need friends who can help us

Photo: ritsunodoramaland

Finding real friends in a competitive world is tough. You never know whether they are actually helping you or double-crossing you. But when you find friends, the real ones at that, they are worth keeping your entire life.

Much like the friendship of Moritaka Mashiro (Takeru Satoh) and Akito Takagi (Ryunosuke Kamiki). The two lead characters in the story tell us how their individual passions paved the way for a lifelong friendship and a partnership that exceeds their creativity. They have shared each other's successes and failures, both with a lesson to teach them.

You can't do everything on your own

Photo: dmenu

You are not a one-man show. Sometimes you need the help of other people to finish something, even if you won't admit it.

This fact of life can be seen towards the last part of the movie where Mashiro and Takagi get together with other Jump manga creators Shinta Fukuda (Kenta Kiritani), Kazuya Hiramaru (Hirofumi Arai), and Takuro Minagawa (Sarutoki Minagawa), each one carrying their own skills to accomplish something good.

Hard work pays off

Photo: Kotaku

The movie depicts the struggles of a mangaka or a Japanese comic book artist. I like that each of the Jump mangakas were portrayed with different goals in mind. While there were some who were driven by their ambition to get rich and famous, there were others who were purely there to show their love for the craft. But in either case, the creator of the movie showed that each of these mangakas worked hard to achieve their goal. And even if that meant working together, they still proved this notion to be true.

A good editor will push you to be the best

Photo: @Jpoplovers

And yes, there were more "maybe next time" lines that were said throughout the movie. But this just shows how you, as an artist, can grow and hone your craft. Hattori never gave up on Mashiro and Takagi, even if that meant going against his own boss, Sasaki (Lily Franky).

You can be an artist at any age

Photo: ritsunodoramaland

Many people believe that to be an artist, you must have been practicing ever since you were young. This was not the same in Mashiro's case. He only discovered his love for drawing when he was inspired by the beauty of Miho Azuki (Nana Komatsu). Mashiro used his admiration to get rid of his boredom in class. When Takagi discovers Mashiro's talent, he praises him. Mashiro, however, refutes the idea that he was already "really good" since he only started drawing.

This proved to me that you can be an artist, no matter what age you are. Inspiration strikes anywhere and it changes the way you see things-- not only by how you draw but also with your words. The same is true with Takagi's epiphany for the manga that led to their success. He was not expecting to be inspired at that time but he did. And the rest of the scene is a really creative look at what goes on in the head of a writer who was just hit with a storyline.

On that note, don't compare yourself to other people

Since Mashiro is new to drawing, he feels like he has to compete with Niizuma's work. At the same time, the audience can see how Niizuma is slightly threatened by the idea that a newcomer, who's roughly his age, has gained recognition from the public. He feels Mashiro is a threat to him and challenges him to be better each time they meet face to face.

Just like Mashiro, who is clearly exceptionally talented in drawing, it's important that you stop comparing yourself to someone who's been doing the same thing for years. You need to continually bring something new to the table and grow in your own way.

Health is important 

Photo: ritsunodoramaland

Japanese culture has since been controversial for how many people die from fatigue and overworking. In the movie, this can be seen in how Mashiro continues to push himself to be the best mangaka in Jump; even going as far as not sleeping for three days. And when his health gets in the way of his success, the head publisher of Jump has to prioritize his health.

I first envisioned Sasaki as an evil publisher who's out to put down Mashiro; at least this is what our protagonist recalls with his own uncle's experience. But later in the movie, it's revealed that Sasaki only wanted Mashiro to not end up like his uncle.

While it's good to be motivated, it's important to keep your health in check. You have to remember to sleep, eat healthy food, and give yourself time to rest.

People will underestimate you because of your age

Photo: Hana-angel

There was a scene in the movie wherein the publisher was in a closed door meeting with the other editors in Jump. Out of all the mangakas who submitted their work, Mashiro and Takagi were downplayed because they were young-- that they still had a lot of time to learn.

This happens in real life. When I was younger, I wasn't given a lot of opportunities to do something because of my age-- that I still had time to learn. What these people failed to recognize, however, that by giving that opportunity, I could have learned something vital in my craft.

In Mashiro and Takagi's case, they did not give up. They came up with something better and gained the respect they deserved.

Life goes on

Photo: Sakurais3

Yes. Life goes on. Even if Mashiro and Takagi earned their goal, their lives still continued on. They did not remain on the number one spot for too long and they took a break from drawing manga but it did not stop them from going back to their love for the craft. They learned to accept that their lives went on, that even if they reach number one, that number can slip away anytime. But instead of becoming depressed by this realization, the two learned that this was what life was: sometimes you're up, most times you're down, struggling to be on top. The important thing is that they do not lose hope.

I completely loved the movie and hope you guys find time to watch it too. It's no longer available in Eigasai's schedule for Cebu in the next coming days but there are some other movies that have plotlines as exciting as this one. I'm really looking forward to Her Love Boils Bathwater and Sweet Bean (An). I just hope I can attend them.

There's still time to catch the remaining movies from Egasai Japanese Film Festival in Cebu 2017. You can find the plot for each movie on their Facebook page.

Here is the schedule for the remaining days of the festival:

So many of the women I started with in my freelance career has already reached so much compared to me. And after being in Cebu for the last four years, I've realized that it's me who actually needs to step up. Opportunities will come. But if you pride yourself of what you already know, the learning stops too.

1. Wallow in the darkness but don't let it burn your light.
2. Step outside and do something else for a change.
3. See the good in everyone and in every scenario.
4. Daydream and REALLY do something about achieving those goals.
5. Listen to people who can motivate you.
6. Let go of control and learn that YOU have to change.
7. Fall back on the process.
8. YOU are not alone.

Photo from Mattel

For years, Barbie has made a name for itself in many households throughout the world. But growing up, Barbie always had one look. This also gave young girls a false idea on what the perfect woman should look like.

Father's Day is coming up in a few days and as usual, the brands have started to showcase their commercials that pull a few heartstrings. See if you can relate to any of these dads:

So did you ever wonder why H&M is called as such? I've often wondered about it and thought it had something to do with genders, like "Him and Me?" -- but I really didn't know what the M stands for.

When it comes to coffee, people have different preferences. Some like it black, while others prefer having a sweet coffee to drink. So for those who prefer the sweet variant, today's news will definitely be music to their ears.

Starbucks is getting ready to launch a couple of new Frappuccino flavors in a few days. These two new flavors are:

Banana Split Mocha Frappuccino 

The Banana Split Mocha Frappuccino comes with Starbucks' Mocha Frappuccino with a layer of banana puree, vanilla and strawberry whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, and some waffle cone pieces to give you a slight taste of nostalgia.

Irish Cream Coffee Pudding Frappuccino 

Meanwhile, the Irish Cream Coffee Pudding Frappuccino has a coffee pudding base mixed with Irish Cream. There's a generous amount of espresso powder topped on espresso whipped cream.

Both Frappuccinos share the same price tag of P175 (tall), P190 (grande), and P205 (venti). They will be available in Starbucks branches until July 24, 2017 only.

Anello backpacks have become the trendiest bags of the season. You've probably seen one or two people walk by you carrying the bag or have scrolled through your Instagram feed with another person sporting the bag. They are incredibly trendy yet fully functional bags, which is a good reason why everyone seems to love them.

Silay City, a sleepy town that can be reached 15 minutes away from Bacolod City. It's a place where history is preserved and pretty much of it can be witnessed by the way the Silaynons take pride in their heritage. It can be seen in their architecture and in almost all walks of life for the locals.

Silay also serves as the gateway to Negros Occidental as it is where the airport is located. If you're heading to Bacolod, you need to drop by these gorgeous sites throughout Silay and be in awe of its natural charm.

Women throughout the world have an idea of what beauty should and shouldn't be. In most cases, these women go on an endless debate on how beauty should be observed. But if there's one thing women can agree on, it should be this: dark underarms are a big no-no.

I'm an emotional wreck these days. Although you may see me as someone who's so happy with life, it doesn't always relate with how I truly feel inside.

When I was 21, I came upon a self-help book that aimed to help women who were nearing their 30s. In a heartbeat, I purchased the book and decided to give it to my sister-in-law who was turning 30 in a few days.

Before giving her the book, I read some pages. It told different short stories of women and their anxieties as they were nearing the big three-oh. Some of those anxieties included their career, family life, and being single.

Now that I have turned 30, I can't help but look back at this instance in my life. Like many of the women in the book, I have been going through some inner struggles that I can't seem to be at peace with.

Here are some of these random thoughts that I've been questioning for quite some time now:

• "Am I ever going to feel like my old self again?" 
• "When will life feel like it's supposed to?" 
• "Am I still beautiful?"
• "Where have my best friends gone?" 
• "Is this what I'm meant to do?" 
• "What have I been with my life?" 
• "What are my accomplishments in life?" 
• "Who am I, really?" 

Most days, I don't recognize the person staring back at me whenever I look in the mirror. I know that it's me, or at least I try to convince myself that it's me-- the girl with the wider hips and a fuller belly.

Today is the birthday of legendary author and activist, Maya Angelou. For those who have not read any of her books, you're definitely missing a lot in your life. So in line with the iconic femme fatale's birthday, we have collected some of her best quotes that can help you with whatever you're dealing right now:

I don't want to be pressured into thinking I need to have a child just because I'm married.

I am trying to live a healthy life by making wise choices.

I don't have the time right now.

To be honest, kids are expensive.

I don't want to live a life of regrets.

Social graces. Table etiquette. These are some things that many people tend to forget when they're eating out with other people. Apart from these, there are plenty of other etiquette rules that need to be pointed out, since many have already started to forget about them. The reason why these are important is because they can help you avoid leaving a bad impression on your date or your friends.

Rule #1: Keep your things off the table

Rule #2: Be fair when splitting the bill

Rule #3: Know where you should place your table napkin

Rule #4: Keep your phone away

Rule #5: Don't hold utensils when you're making gestures

Rule #6: Decide how to handle the bill before ordering

Rule #7: Be mindful of other people in the table

Dining out is a social activity. You should not scarf down food while the other people in your table are trying to hold a conversation. The best way you can do this is to pace yourself so that you can end your meal around the same time as your companions do too.

Although these rules are a no-brainer for just about any occasion, they do not really apply to every scenario. You just need to observe these rules when you're out for a formal dinner. Of course, you still need to use your best judgment to decide whether it's the right time to practice these rules or not.


Image source: Pixabay