Posts Tagged ‘LGBT characters’

“The Shape of Evil:” The Third Draft is Finished!!!

Posted: May 18, 2025 in Novel, Progress Report, Scary Stuff, Writing
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Well, it happened. It’s finally done. Took a bit longer than I’d hoped, but it is done. The third draft of The Shape of Evil is finally completed.

To be precise, I finished it late last night. Very late. Like close to three in the morning late last night. You see, I was up in Cleveland visiting family and drove home in the afternoon. I got home in the early evening, grabbed something to eat, and thought to myself, I wanted to get it finished this week! And I only have fifty pages to go! I might as well try!

Thus, I started working on it. And by the time I was done, it was three in the morning.

I regret nothing.

Anyway, if you’re new here and wondering what the hell I’m talking about, The Shape of Evil is a novel I wrote last year about a 3D Printer from Hell. Yeah, you read that right. A 3D Printer from Hell. Think “Word Processor of the Gods” by Stephen King meets Gothic by Philip Fracassi with strong LGBT and disabled representation. And I honestly never intended for it to become a novel–it was originally going to be a novelette–but the story just kept growing and growing, and before I knew it, the story was a novel and I was thinking how I would get it published.

Since then, I’ve done a second draft, and then I had sensitivity readers take a look at the story, because my main character is non-binary and I wanted to make sure that I was portraying a non-binary person well. And after I got their notes back, I started work on the third draft.

All this effort is hopefully going to pay off very soon.

And man, the journey this book has gone on has been something else! Not only has the story grown with every draft (273 pages/72,500 words for the first draft, 283 pages/75,300 words for the second, and 291 pages/78,400 pages for this latest one), but it really feels like it has improved with every go-through. Especially this current draft: as I said in a previous post, I’ve been working hard to make sure the words in this draft bring out the full potential of the story. And I think it does. There were a few times where I looked over the text and was like, “Did I really write this? Just from the word choice, it looks and sounds like something come from a much better, more experienced writer!”

Well, wherever it came from, it’s ready to be pitched at StokerCon next month. If you’re unaware, StokerCon is the big convention hosted by the Horror Writers Association, and they have a session where you can pitch your works directly to agents and editors. I was lucky enough to get a slot to pitch to one of my top choices, so I’m glad I got the book done in time.

Me after my marathon editing session and before my next project.

So, now what happens? Well, I’m going to create a pitch sheet, which is sort of an informational sheet about the book, and practice my pitch between now and StokerCon. And in-between, I have a few things to work on, including the version of Hannah and Other Stories that I’ll use when I re-release it later this year. Should keep me wonderfully busy.

And hopefully soon, I’ll be able to share some wonderful news with all of you.

But I think tonight, I’ll just pour a glass of wine and put on a movie. After all, having time to relax is important. Especially when you work hard and you have so many irons in the fire.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’m off to work on a bit more stuff before dinner and wine and the movie. Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.

“The Shape of Evil:” The Sensitivity Readers Sent Their Notes Back!!!

Posted: March 10, 2025 in Novel, Progress Report, Scary Stuff, Writing
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Pour the libations! Light the celebratory bonfires! Chant to the eldritch wonders that wait beyond our reality and offer them sacrifices! The sensitivity readers sent me their notes for The Shape of Evil! We are one step closer to my being able to pitch this baby at StokerCon in June!

Now, for those of you who don’t know, The Shape of Evil is a novel I wrote last year about a 3D Printer of Hell. I started it thinking it would be a long novelette or a short novella, but it ended up becoming a whole freaking novel of around 75,000 words. And as I got further along with it, the idea to pitch it to agents at StokerCon, which always has sessions for doing just that, came to me. So, for the past year, that’s what I’ve been working for.

And as part of that process, I had to find at least one sensitivity reader to look it over. You see, my protagonist is non-binary. And I, despite being bisexual, am only cisgender. So, I wanted to have someone who had firsthand experience look over my story and make sure I was being both respectful to the community and portrayed accurately.

As luck would have it, I managed to find two trans horror writers who agreed to look it over. And they both got through the second draft within days of each other, with the second one getting their feedback to me earlier today. This means I’m going to be ready to work on the third draft starting next month!

I’m incredibly thankful to my sensitivity readers for reading through the manuscript, finding issues and giving me their feedback, and doing so in such good time. I’ll do my best to incorporate their feedback and improve the manuscript. That way, when I pitch it to agents and editors, they’ll be that much more likely to want to help me find a home for it.

For now, though, I want to write a spooky short story inspired by Hamilton. Afterwards, I’ll start on the next draft.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I wanted to make sure you all knew that the next step in this book’s crazy journey is going to start soon, and I wanted to do it today, so I’m glad I got it done. Now, if you need me, I’m going to get ready to bed. Today I was totally drained, so I’ll need sleep if I’m going to get anything done tomorrow.

So, until next time, good night, pleasant nightmares, and be careful with your celebratory rituals tonight. Just Friday, I did one wrong, and my dad’s dog was turned into a cat. She turned back, but she’s still coughing up hairballs. Oops.

“The Shape of Evil:” The Second Draft is Finished!!!

Posted: December 24, 2024 in Novel, Progress Report, Scary Stuff, Writing
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A temporary cover for The Shape of Evil. I think it captures the idea of the novel pretty well.

‘Twas the night before Christmas (and Hanukkah, coincidentally). And all the Haunted Condo, only the Rami was stirring. Because he’d finished the second draft of The Shape of Evil, AKA the 3D Printer from Hell story, and he’d only just gotten around to drinking the celebratory wine and writing the celebratory blog post.

Doesn’t rhyme, but I’m not much of a poet, so I think it’s okay.

So, as I said before, The Shape of Evil‘s second draft is now complete. And this novel, as I also said before, is about a 3D printer from Hell. I started writing it back in March, thinking it would be a novelette or short novella, and finished it as a novel back in August. Right around Thanksgiving, I began work on the second draft, and I finished it earlier today.

I would’ve celebrated right then and there, but at that point, I had to run an errand, then grab some takeout, and then do my usual routine of watching Die Hard on Christmas Eve. But now that that’s taken care of, it’s time to let you know and celebrate!

Overall, I saw a ton of improvement with the second draft. Not just with spelling/grammar/punctuation, but in finding plot holes and fixing issues I missed in the first draft. I also took out a lot of stuff that I thought worked for the first draft but, on the second go around, didn’t work. The final result was ten pages and around twenty-eight hundred words longer, at 283 pages (8.5 x 11 inch paper with 12-point Times New Roman font, double spaced), and 75,300 words. That’s about two thousand words less than the first Harry Potter novel (no, I will never stop using that book as a good comparison, even if the author is now a TERF).

So, what’s next for The Shape of Evil? Well, I plan to find a beta reader who can also double as a sensitivity reader. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, my main character is non-binary trans, and I’m cisgender, so I would like someone from the trans community to read the manuscript and give me feedback to ensure I’m respectful to the community. I already have a few people in mind, so hopefully one of them would be interested. And if not, I have a few other ways to find someone.

Whoever reads it, after I get their feedback, I’ll do another draft. And after that draft is done, I think I’ll be ready to pitch this novel to agents. Particularly anyone at StokerCon this coming summer.

In the meantime, I have a new short story I want to write, and I have a new collection to start the work of self-publishing. No, I am not slowing down. I’m brimming with too much drive and imagination, and am nowhere near burnout, so I’ll keep plowing on!

(That being said, I am planning on spending at least one day in the coming week or so just chilling on the couch in my pajamas and reading or watching anime. It’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a while, so no time like the present!)

Anyway, that’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’ll certainly be back soon with more news for you. Until then, good night, pleasant nightmares, and to all those who celebrate, Merry Christmas! May we all get visited by three spirits (whether we want them to come or not).

Updates on My Plans & My Stories

Posted: December 2, 2024 in Living and Life, Progress Report, Writing
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Well, we’re officially in December. 2024 ends in just 29 days. I would say thank God, but I’m not convinced 2025 will be much better. Still, gotta be optimistic. Gotta keep plugging along. Gotta keep making plans, writing stories, and making things in my mind into realities.

And that’s what I’m doing now. Making plans, writing stories, and making them into reality.

First, my Israel trip. That’s fast approaching. And assuming the ceasefire with Hezbollah holds and nothing else happens, I should still be able to go. It’s been nearly a decade and a half since I was last there, so I’m really hoping things calm down a bit and move towards resolution.

In the meantime, I’ve started on the second draft of The Shape of Evil, AKA the 3D printer from Hell story. In fact, I’m already a fourth of the way through the draft! I’m averaging a chapter every time a night, starting from the night before Thanksgiving. Considering that it took me six months to get through the first draft, moving through the book this fast is a dream come true! I might be done well before I fly out later this month.

I hope so, anyway. When I started thinking up this story, and I realized that my three main characters would each have a disability, with the lead being non-binary, I felt this story would be important. And after the events of last month, I feel like this book could be timely. No, it is timely. And I’m determined to get it in the best shape so that when I pitch in June, I can find a home for it sooner rather than later.

Me every evening, working on the next big thing.

And after the second draft is done? Well, whether I go on my trip or not, I have a plan. I’ll find a beta reader/sensitivity reader for The Shape of Evil, and then work on three goals: writing a bunch of new short stories; editing three novellas; and putting out a new collection in the spring. The first two, I’ll be switching on-and-off working on. First a new short story or novelette, then one of the novellas I worked on earlier this year. Then another short story, then another novella, and then…well you get the idea.

With any luck, I’ll be able to start shopping these novellas I’ve written as a collection at some point, while also have a bunch of shorter stories to submit to every publication I can find.

As for the new collection, I’ll start in January or February by announcing the title, revealing the cover and release date, and getting the marketing machine rolling. I’m honestly very excited for you to learn more about this collection. I have a very good feeling about it.

Looking forward to doing this next year!

And if all goes well…who knows? Maybe I’ll somehow find more time for writing and even–finally!–get back to writing my mummy novel, Crawler. Yeah, I know, I know. I keep saying I will, and then something puts it further down the To Do list. But I will get it done. You’ll see. I’m making it a goal.

In the meantime, if you would like to support me while I work on all these projects, or if you’re in the mood for something scary to read, or if you’re looking for a good gift for the horror fan in your life, why not consider getting one of my books? Not only would it be a great gift for yourself or for someone you know, but you’d be giving me a gift as well.

Besides, plant/human hybrids? Strange gods? Mafia hunting serial killers and carnivorous horses? I got something for every horror fan, including free stuff! So, why not check them out? I’ll leave a button for my Books page below. Look and see what calls to you.

Rami Ungar’s Books

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’m going to at least try to start on the next chapter of The Shape of Evil (as I recall, this next one is rather long). Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.

Sometimes You Need a Different Perspective

Posted: November 14, 2024 in Reflections, Writing
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I am not a woman. I have never been a woman. And, unless reincarnation is a thing, I probably never will be one.

However, I do write from the point of view of or stories centering around women and girls quite a bit. And while I’ve been told a few times I do the female point of view well, I would never call myself an expert. No matter how often I spend time around the many women in my family (it’s a lot), or how many times I read or watch stories about women (even if they’re by women creators), that’s never going to change.

So, when I’m writing or editing a story, occasionally I’ll think to myself, “Hold up. Could this be problematic or offensive?” This actually happened the other night, with a story focusing on an actress, and I found myself wondering if some of what I was working on might be upsetting to some readers.

In that moment, I’m glad for the existence of sensitivity readers.

If you’re unaware, sensitivity readers are readers who review a work of literature for offensive content, like stereotypes or bias. They’ve been controversial, as some feel that sensitivity readers stifle artistic license or are trying to be moral gatekeepers, and a few have been employed to go over books by Ian Fleming and Roald Dahl, thus changing the books from their original contexts. But in situations like this, where I want to tell a specific kind of story but I don’t want to accidentally offend someone by including something that I may not even realize it’s offensive, sensitivity readers are a godsend.

(I also work in a job where the goal is to foster diversity and inclusion and to combat prejudice, so maybe my views on sensitivity readers, as well as my goals in using their services, are a bit different from other writers.)

So, that story I mentioned earlier? It’s with sensitivity readers now. Two women, both of whom are writers and one of whom is already familiar with my work, agreed to help me make sure this story is as good as it can be. And I’m sure they’re going to give me some excellent feedback once they’re done with it. Feedback which will ensure this story makes it out into the world someday.

And when I finish the second draft of The Shape of Evil, AKA the story about the 3D printer from Hell, I’ll employ the services of a sensitivity reader and use their feedback to improve the story before I pitch it to agents and publishers. After all, the main character is non-binary, and while I am in the LGBT community, I am not trans. So, I will need someone from that community, preferably someone who is non-binary, who can look at the story, tell me what I did right, what I got wrong, and what I can do to improve.

After all, I want to deliver the best stories possible, and I’m aware that I have my blind spots. What better way to make sure I do the first part than by having someone who can help me with the second part?

Do you use sensitivity readers? What has your experience been like?

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’m off to bed and to get some rest before the weekend. And until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.

The 3D Printer from Hell Story is Complete!!!

Posted: August 22, 2024 in Novel, Progress Report, Writing
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Shoot off the fireworks! Summon the party demons! Sing praises to the gods for protection! I have completed the first draft of The Shape of Evil, AKA the 3D Printer from Hell story!

So, if you were unaware, I’ve been working on a story about a possessed 3D printer since March. It was originally supposed to be only a novelette or a short novella, but before I knew it, I’d devoted several thousand words to the first two sections of the story and was like, “Okay, this one’s going to be a novel. Why do I do this to myself?”

(This isn’t the first time this has happened to me, by the way. My Gothic horror novel The Pure World Comes was supposed to be a novelette. Boy, did that plan backfire in my face!)

Anyway, I’ve been working on this story since March, and the writing process was lengthened by how damn busy my life has been since spring. However, around halfway through the story, which was back in June, things started to speed up. I even managed to finish the last three chapters in single sittings, with the last one being written late last night after I met with my horror critique group!

If you’re curious, the story is 273 pages long (8.5 x 11, double spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font), and the word count is about 72,500 words. For context, the first Harry Potter novel was about forty-five hundred words longer. So, not a long novel, but a good length for a novel, to be sure.

Honestly, I’m really happy about finally finishing the story. Not only did it take longer than I thought to write, but I feel like this story has a lot of potential. Now, I feel like every one of my stories have potential, but I feel like this one’s going to be different. The story’s concept is a fun one and one I haven’t seen tackled in this or any other genre yet, and I feel like readers are going to empathize a lot with some of these characters.

So, some of you are probably wondering, “What’s next? And when can I read it?” Calm down, calm down, all in good time.

As many of you know, I like to give my stories a bit of time off after I finish the first draft before I edit them. In the case of The Shape of Evil, I plan to edit it in December, and hopefully finish the second draft by New Year’s. Afterwards, I’m going to try and find one or two beta readers who can act as sensitivity readers (my main character is nonbinary, so I want to ensure I wrote them well). After I get feedback from the readers back, I will do one more draft, and then try to find a home for the book. And from there, we’ll see what happens.

In the meantime, I’m going to take a couple of days to celebrate with good food, good drink, and good movies/anime. Then I’m going to write one or two non-fiction articles, and get started on some new stories I want to write. With three months and a few days till December, I think I can get plenty done (provided none of these stories want to become novels as well).

After all this work, I’m looking forward to a break.

And that’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. If you want to support me while I’m working to get The Shape of Evil and other stories published, you can check out my already published work. From plant/human hybrids and strange gods to Mafia-hunting serial killers and carnivorous horses, I have something for every horror fan. And with spooky season starting up, now is the perfect time to read some of these stories. I’ll be sure to leave a link below if you want to check them out. Be sure to leave a review if you do end up reading them.

And until next time, my Followers of Fear, good night, pleasant nightmares, and only 70 days till Halloween. Have you started doing your spooky dances yet?

Book Links and Excerpts

“Hannah and Other Stories:” Two Months Till Release!!!

Posted: July 23, 2023 in Progress Report, Scary Stuff, short story, Writing
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Did you know that we’re only a hundred days away from Halloween? It’s true. And I can’t think of any way to celebrate the opening of spooky season than preordering what will surely be one of the best horror releases of 2023.

Okay, terrible opening aside, it is both 100 days away from Halloween and two months till the release of Hannah and Other Stories. For those of you who don’t know (I’m sure there are a few of you out there), Hannah and Other Stories is my new collection of short stories. It’s being released on September 23rd by BSC Publishing Group and features tales of ghosts, budding serial killers, and carnivorous horses, among other things.

And I am so excited for people to read these stories. The seven stories are all plenty fun and strange and unique, which is what I love. The title story, “Hannah,” is about a pair of ghost hunters who get more than they bargain for when they investigate a haunted school. The one that follows it, “Queen Alice,” combines Alice in Wonderland with Slenderman, which I’m sure would intrigue many of you. The story “What Errour Awoke” combines classic English literature, cosmic horror and some of the biggest events of the past few years into an epic tale of magic and horror. “Fuseli’s Horses” contains those carnivorous horses I mentioned, and come on! Don’t you want to know how that works?

Plus, half of the stories contain LGBT characters and “What Errour Awoke” deals with a lot of the conspiracy bullshit we’ve been dealing with these past few years, so I’m sure someone’s going to try to get it banned from a library or school at some point. I’m sure more people will want to read it just for that.

But back on track. I’m so excited for people to read these stories, and I’m doing all I can to get people interested in preordering copies. It hasn’t been easy (see my recent post on marketing), but I feel I’m making headway. For example, I’ve posted some videos on my YouTube channel, and they’ve gotten some attention. Below are some of the ones I think really help with the sell.

If you watched all those videos, or even just one, thank you. That helps immensely.

I’m also releasing tons of excerpts, some of which are below. And I’m appearing on podcasts soon. Plus, with the eARC almost ready, that will mean I can do a lot that will surely heighten Hannah‘s profile, not the least of which will be the eARC readers, some of whom are very well known in horror, may help spread the good word about it.

Hopefully by September 23rd, there will be plenty of buzz for Hannah.

In the meantime, I’ll leave a button down below. If you click it, you’ll be taken to the preorder page for Hannah. I hope you do and you decide to preorder a copy. Every copy helps immensely. And I know it’s only going to be in ebook at first, but if Hannah does well, a paperback version isn’t out of the question. Maybe even an audio book.

So if you’re at all interested, preorder a copy. And be sure to talk about Hannah on your social media. The more people talking about Hannah, the likelier it is to be ordered and read and reviewed. All that will help this book be as successful as possible.

Anyway, that’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I look forward to Hannah‘s release and what you think of it. Until next time, good night, pleasant nightmares, and–look out! There’s a carnivorous horse behind you!

Click to preorder Hannah and Other Stories

EXCERPTS FROM HANNAH AND OTHER STORIES

Review: “Slasher” Season Three

Posted: July 9, 2020 in Review, Scary Stuff
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For those of you who are unaware, Slasher is a Canadian-American TV series that’s like American Horror Story, with a different story and cast every season, but more bent towards slasher horror. I’ve reviewed the first two seasons (see my reviews here and here), and have enjoyed watching the evolution of the show from a so-so derivative AHS knock-off to a very thrilling and bloody murder mystery in the second season. And while it took me a while to get to it, I finally got around to the third and final season. And what a season it was!

Subtitled Solstice, the story begins with the murder of Kit Jennings, a bisexual party boy who is violently murdered at his apartment building by a masked murderer known as the Druid. A year later, all the residents living at the apartment building at the time of the murder are still living there, and start to die under horrific and bloody circumstances. As the police rush to find the returned Druid killer, the apartment residents will have to watch their backs. Because everyone has a connection to Kit, everyone has a secret, and everyone is a target.

I don’t know if the third season was intended to be the final season, but in a way, I’m glad it was. There’s no way they were going to top this season.

For one thing, I love how they manage to take these diverse characters, flesh them out to make them feel real, and then weave a narrative around them. It could have easily come across as hard-to-believe, or silly, or dumb, but the writers made it believable and truly thought out every aspect of the story to make it thrilling. I also like how the emphasis on this season was on connections and community. There’s a lot of commentary on how people are united and divided in a community, both online and offline, people can be. You have white supremacists living next to Muslims, straight couples living by LGBT families, caring people living beside monsters. All that gels together in a way that feels organic and believable, and I loved it.

And speaking of the cast, I don’t think I’ve ever found a horror story where I wanted so many despicable characters to get murdered! The white supremacist; the white supremacist’s prejudiced, slutty daughter; the housewife who believes sharing everyone’s pain across her gossip vlog is real journalism;* the creepy teenager who thinks bringing up people’s trauma is funny. Each one of them is written and played so well, and I only hope I can portray such characters so well in my own work.

Finally, this season contains some of the most brutal kills in a slasher story I’ve ever seen. Kid you not, I cringed more than I normally do with these kinds of stories, and that’s saying something. If you decide to check this season out, be prepared. This season goes the limits.

If there’s something I didn’t care for, I would’ve liked to see more of protagonist’s, Saadia Jalalzai’s,** parents and family. They leave for a trip at the beginning of episode one and then are pretty much gone from the season. I honestly would have enjoyed seeing a bit more of them and their reactions to everything that occurred within the course of the season.

All in all though, Slasher‘s third season is a gory, terrifying delight for any slasher fan. On a scale of 1 to 5, I’m giving the season a 4.7. Get on Netflix, settle in for eight episodes and, if you live in an apartment building, thank whoever that even your worse neighbors probably aren’t as bad as the ones in this show.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I wanted to get one more blog post out before I left on my trip tomorrow, and I’m glad it was this one. Don’t know when my next one will be, but I’m sure whenever it is, it’ll be the first of several. And in the meantime, if you’re in Des Moines this weekend, come by the Valley West Mall for the 5th annual Indie Author Book Expo. I’ll be selling books and doing Tarot, so I hope to see you there!

Until next time, stay safe, beware of machete-wielding maniacs, and pleasant nightmares.

*BTW, if I ever get as addicted to my online following as that woman or some of the other characters in that show, please break my phone and slap me silly. I’ll need it.

**And yes, I was reminded a bit of my character from the Reborn City series, Zahara Bakur, but I’m pretty sure they just share an archetype.

8 Anime I Recommend

Posted: March 31, 2019 in Review
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It’s no secret that, along with horror, I’m a huge anime fan. In fact, I’ve dedicated posts to my love of Sailor Moon and to my favorite manga of all time, Red River. And because I wanted a change of pace, I figured I’d put out a list of some off the anime I’ve been enjoying lately or continue to enjoy years after I watch them. Along with Sailor Moon and Red River, these might be good places to start delving into what has become a worldwide phenomenon over the past several years. Or if you’re already a fan and just want something new to dive into, these could be good choices.

And of course, I’d love to hear from people who have already seen these series and enjoy them as much as I do.

So with all that said, let’s dive in. Here’s 8 anime I recommend.

1. Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion

Another one of my favorite anime, this still influences me as much as Sailor Moon does. In a world where Britain is the Holy Britannian Empire and has conquered over a third of the world, an exiled Britannian prince in hiding in the recently-conquered Japan gains the power to control and influence people under certain circumstances. He dons a disguise and starts a rebellion against his father’s empire, while his best friend takes up arms against his rebel alter-ego on Britannia’s side.

An excellent show combining war, chess-level battle strategy, political intrigue, romance, high school drama, and giant robots. All in a cool two seasons that have spawned several mangas, games, a movie series, and even a new season coming out later this year (I will catch it as soon as I catch the movies, because apparently this season is a direct sequel to them). This is not a series to be missed, believe me.

2. Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid

A programmer by the name of Kobayashi (first name never mentioned) gets drunk one night, goes into the mountains, and stumbles across a dragon. She pulls a sword out of the dragon’s back, saving its life. The next day the dragon appears at Kobayashi’s apartment as a human girl to become her maid. Hijinks ensue.

This is one of the most popular animes out there right now, and it’s only thirteen episodes long! It’s just a silly fish-out-of-water story with dragons, but goddammit it is fun. They’re hilarious and heartwarming characters, learning to get along with this world and have a good time. I sometimes just watch some of my favorite episodes because they make me relaxed and lift up my mood. I highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun and laidback series with lots of laughs.

And it’s worth a watch just for the “How to Tame Your Dragon” joke in episode 2 (only available in the English dub).

3. Zombie Land Saga

A teenage girl named Sakura Minamoto dies in a car crash after she leaves for school one day. Ten years later she’s resurrected as a zombie, her mind and personality intact but her memories lost. That is crazy enough, but then the guy who resurrected her, a weirdo named Kotaro Tatsumi, informs her that she and six other zombie girls must form a pop idol group and become popular enough to somehow “save” the Japanese equivalent of the state of Idaho (sorry Idahoans, but the only time I ever hear anything out of your state is when there’s a presidential election). All while keeping their identities as zombies a secret from the public.

Considered by many to be one of the best anime of 2018 (including yours truly), this anime is a satire making fun of the Japanese idol industry as a whole as well as the anime focusing on them (yeah, that’s a genre). It’s hilarious even if you’re not familiar with either industry or genre, and it’s heartwarming too, with a cast of characters you grow to love and root for by the third episode. And it has the best examples of a trans character and a disabled character I’ve ever seen in anime. That alone makes it truly special.

You should give it a watch just for the outta nowhere rap battle in episode 2.

4. Shimoneta: A Boring World in Which the Concept of a Dirty Joke Doesn’t Exist

You know how there are people who believe if pornography and swearing were banned by law and sex education highly regulated, a more pure society would arise and people would naturally become better? Imagine if technology got to the point where that was enforceable and Japan somehow tried to make this happen. That’s the concept of Shimoneta, which follows a young man who wants nothing more than to be a moral, upright citizen and distance himself from his father, who was jailed for protesting the government’s efforts to over-regulate sex education and sexual content. Too bad he gets wrapped up with a classmate of his who is secretly a “dirty terrorist” and wants to decriminalize potty mouths and sexual content in our everyday media, and ends up founding an organization with her.

It’s a brilliant thought experiment on the part of the anime, and gives both sides of the argument, as well as what happens when either side becomes too extreme, a fair hearing. Of course, being anime it does it with as many dirty jokes as possible, to the point I’m surprised my floor isn’t covered in dirt whenever I watch it, but it’s still a brilliant anime. If you want a raunchy comedy with brains behind it, Shimoneta may be for you.

5. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

One of the latest entries in the isekai genre,* a 37-year-old businessman is stabbed to death after a mugging gone wrong, and ends up being reincarnated in a world out of a fantasy game. The thing is, he’s been reincarnated as a slime monster. Which normally would suck, but he soon finds himself becoming a protector for the many peoples living in the area he reincarnated in and taking on several foes with his unique powers. Within the span of a few episodes, this slime, renamed Rimuru Tempest, will become a great player to the events of his new world.

This anime has recently wrapped its first season, and a second season is already ordered for next year. Not hard to see why, with great animation/visuals, and relatable characters, especially Rimuru who is kind and funny and makes being a ball of slime look desirable. All set in a rich world filled with a variety of creatures with unique abilities and cultures. And my God, I think the society Rimuru creates should be the model for every community in the world who wants to make coexistence between different groups a thing. I’m kind of jealous.

6. The Rising of the Shield Hero

A darker isekai than the last entry, this is considered one of the most controversial anime in recent years (and its first season still isn’t over). A young man is transported to another world with three other teens to become the legendary four heroes who will save this world from Waves, invasions of terrible monsters bent on destroying the world. Problem is, he gets to be the Shield Hero, which compared to Sword, Spear and Arrow isn’t as cool. As if that weren’t bad enough, soon after arriving in this new world, he is betrayed and finds himself losing all his money, dignity and respect, even from the other three heroes. Alone, unable to trust anyone and still required to go save the world, he ends up buying a slave named Raphtalia to help him in his missions, and sets out to destroy the Waves. At the same time though, will he find a way to redeem himself and find hope again?

As I said, this is one of the most controversial anime of recent years, due in part to how the protagonist is betrayed (I won’t go into why here, you’ll have to watch the first episode and decide for yourself if you want to go further afterwards). However, I will say that besides that, it is a great story of someone going against impossible odds and trying to find hope again. I look forward to every Wednesday when a new episode comes out, and will be waiting eagerly for the next twelve or thirteen on the way.

7. My Hime

Also known as Mai-Hime, this is from the same studio that brought us Code Geass. A teen girl and her sickly younger brother go to an exclusive boarding school, only to find out that the girl is a Hime, one of thirteen girls selected to participate in a ritual that occurs in the area around the school every couple centuries. Armed with fire magic and a dragon named Kagutsuchi, she must fight off terrible monsters or risk losing all she cares for. But there’s a secret plot afoot at the school involving the Hime, and if she isn’t careful, the teen girl will be the latest victim to fall prey to the ritual’s dark purpose.

I own this series on DVD, and still break it out every couple of years. It takes what seems to be a lighthearted story and expertly adds darker elements over time, drawing us in to the plot as well as into the lives of these characters. I’d give it a try if I were you.

8. My Otome

A spin-off/sequel to My Hime (it’s heavily hinted the events of My Hime cause the events of My Otome), a teen girl goes to a famous school for Otome, women who use nanotechnology to become superpowered warriors and keep wars at bay by working directly for the rulers of different nations. The girl goes there hoping to become an Otome and find out who her mother, a former Otome, was. While there, she makes friends, falls in love, and becomes embroiled in a plot to take over not just the country the school is located in, but the whole world.

This anime features a lot of characters from the original anime (possibly reincarnated after several centuries), and a less cosmic/Apocalypse-themed plot, but at the same time allows these new characters to shine and has the same expert storytelling as the previous series. If you like My Hime, definitely check out My Otome.

Well, that’s eight anime I recommend. Thanks for sticking with me through this long article. But tell me, which anime peaked your interest? Have you seen any of the above-mentioned shows? What were your thoughts? And what would you recommend seeing? Let’s discuss.

And if you like anime and horror, maybe consider becoming an advanced reader for my upcoming novel Rose, about a young woman who starts turning into a plant creature (and that’s just the start of her problems). The concept itself is influenced by anime and my love of the medium, and I think it shows. If this at all interests you, send an email to ramiungar@ramiungarthewriter.com and I’ll put you on the list. Thanks, and I look forward to hearing from you.

*For those unaware, isekai stories are about people from our world who end up in alternate worlds or dimensions with strong fantasy or sci-fi elements. They often end up becoming chosen heroes, going on quests, or otherwise becoming central to the events of the world they’re in. Sometimes these worlds are real life versions of video games the protagonist is playing prior to changing dimensions, is itself a video game, or has some video game elements. It’s one of the most popular genres out there right now. The more you know.

Review: Lizzie (2018 film)

Posted: December 29, 2018 in Review, Scary Stuff
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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As you know, I’m a bit of an enthusiast when it comes to Lizzie Borden, the woman who allegedly murdered her stepmother and father, in that order, was acquitted at trial due to prosecutorial bungling as well as societal attitudes about women at the time, and who allegedly haunts the house where those same murders happened. I’ve stayed overnight at the Borden House, now a bed and breakfast; I’ve read a book or two about it, including See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt; and I’ve watched more than a few adaptations about the murders, including the famous 1975 TV movie The Legend of Lizzie Borden.

So when I heard a new movie was being made on Lizzie and the murders, I was intrigued. It had some big names attached, including Chloe Sevigny and Kristen Stewart. And the trailer made it seem like this was going to be a really tense thriller film. I was willing to see it in theaters, but the film was only given a limited theatrical run and it wasn’t playing anywhere near me (or in Ohio, as far as I can tell). So when my library’s copy came in for me today, I actually rushed over to pick it up with the goal to watch it tonight.

I can see why this was given a limited release.

Lizzie retells the story of Lizzie Borden and the 1892 murders of her parents, using the theory that Lizzie and the maid Bridget “Maggie” Sullivan were lovers and committed the murders after Mr. Borden discovered their affair. That’s the plot in a nutshell.

I’m not sure what exactly the filmmakers were going for, because this was nothing like the trailer. For the most part, the film goes at a slow crawl, making it feel like three hours rather than an hour and forty-five minutes. Everything takes it time, which in what is supposed to be a tense murder thriller can really take you out of the story. And you know how people accuse Kristen Stewart of having no emotional range in her films? Weirdly enough, it seems reversed here: Stewart has some emotional range, and everyone else seems like they only know how to mimic emotion, rather than show it!

On top of that, Lizzie didn’t include some things that one might expect from any story on Lizzie Borden. The turbulent relationship between Lizzie and her stepmother is glossed over; Lizzie is shown suffering from seizures, which is something I don’t remember ever hearing about her; elder sister Emma Borden is barely in the film; and a few other things beside.

Oh, and there’s this thing with the soundtrack. Namely, it doesn’t show up that much, and when it does it disappears really quickly. There’s one scene where you’d expect lots of soft music to highlight the emotion of the scene, only for it to cut in and out every three seconds. Um, why?

Was there anything about this film that I liked? Well, the attention to detail is decent when it comes to clothes and furnishings. The house’s first floor is laid out like the real house in Fall River, Massachusetts, which I approve of. And the development of the relationship between Lizzie and Bridget is given the time and development needed to really make you believe in it. And there are some real talents in this film, including Jeff Perry, Denis O’Hare, and Fiona Shaw.

But other than that, Lizzie was really not worth the wait. On a scale of 1 to 5, I’m giving this film a 2. If you want a Lizzie Borden film that keeps the tension up even though you already know how it ends, I recommend 1975’s The Legend of Lizzie Borden, starring the incomparable Elizabeth Montgomery in the titular role. Fun fact, Montgomery found out Lizzie was her sixth cousin once removed after completing the film. Imagine if she’d known that when she was playing the character!

Now if only I could see  productions of Fall River Legend, the ballet based on the murders, and the rock musical Lizzie. Yes, those exist, and I want to see them live. Someone pleeeeeease make those happen for me!

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