It’s been a while since we compiled things you can watch, listen to, and read. But with Metro Manila entering another two-week lockdown due to the rising cases of the Covid-19 Delta variant, now is as good a time as any for these recommendations. We have everything from live action and animated romance to games that will make feel nostalgic. Here’s the latest edition of Now Playing.

Games to play

FANTASIAN

Rodneil: This was one of the 2021 headliners of Apple Arcade made by none other than Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi. The gameplay is a throwback to the late 90s, early 2000s JRPG style but playable on all devices where you can access Apple Arcade. It’s the type of game I grew up playing and it’s nice to see it come to mobile.

Scarlet Nexus

Rodneil: BANDAI NAMCO’s crack at an original intellectual property (IP) is off to a good start. Scarlet Nexus opens possibilities of how anime games can explore the single-player action RPG style instead of the hundreds of arena fighters we see. The game itself is enjoyable with its engaging combat and twist-filled story. I’m hoping against hope that this approach is applied to existing Anime IPs.

Death’s Door

Leez: Death’s Door is a charming indie game that’ll inexplicably take you back to action-adventure games of the ’90s like the SNES classic Legend of Zelda — A Link to the Past. The game is gorgeous and worth every moment. Developed by just a team of 5 (Acid Nerve), you’ll play this game while scratching your head. If you have a soft spot for indie games, you NEED to play this. Just… trust me.

Shows to binge-watch

Ginny & Georgia

MJ: If you’re in for comedy, drama, and a bit of rage then Ginny & Georgia is your pick — a story following a single mom and a teenager’s life as they settle down in a fictional town called Wellsbury. Over time, you’ll find Ginny annoying unless you’re that kind of teenager. But Georgia, oh Georgia, she carried the whole show on her shoulders. Netflix may always fail at representing teenagers at their shows, but the way they wrote all the mothers here — they’re realistic and on point.

Nevertheless,

Rodneil: I really only wanted to watch this because I thought Han So Hee is pretty gorgeous. I didn’t watch her run at the World of the Married because stories of cheating trigger me. Nevertheless, deals more with grappling with attraction, emotions, and where those two things intertwine. Plus the Sol-Jiwan wlw side story is becoming a fan favorite.

Time To Twice — Tdoong Forest

Rodneil: When the pandemic struck and outside activities were limited, TWICE started their own Reality/Variety series called Time To Twice. The latest season titled Tdoong Forest has the nine members doing simple activities at what appears to be a resthouse. It’s a nice break from all the assault-on-your-senses content and has been my source of “healing” these past weeks.

Horimiya

Rodneil: Young love at its finest and purest. There’s nothing groundbreaking about Horimiya. It’s simply a nice story told about high school romance. It’s a nice and easy watch that’s for anyone who’s looking to reminisce about what it’s like to be young and in love.

Masters of the Universe Revelation

Rodneil: Gotta admit, I only checked this out because of the online uproar it caused online, plus I’m a fan of Kevin Smith’s works. I think the title itself, which excluded “He-Man”, was a big enough clue on how this show will turn out. I think Smith is taking the franchise to a new, interesting direction and I’m all for it.

Eden

Rodneil: This one likely flew under everyone’s radar but it’s worth checking out. Directed by Yasuhiro Irie (Fullmetal Alchemist), Eden showcases a world governed and populated by robots. Curiously, two robots meet and eventually raise a human child who eventually tries to learn the truth of what really happened to the planet. It’s a nice, touching, quick watch (four episodes) that can surprisingly tug at your heartstrings.

Move To Heaven

Vincenz: You may have never heard of being a “trauma cleaner.” Not only is it a tough job for cleaning the items of the deceased, but it’s also a heart-wrenching job for knowing each and every story of the dead. Each episode is a story to tell. While they are different on their own, it gives us a lesson: don’t take life for granted and enjoy it while it lasts.

Racket Boys

Vincenz: I’m not fond of sports but this series shows the reality of badminton against a baseball-driven nation. This is a refreshing take on K-Dramas that is full of romance, drama, and terror. You get the reality of badminton from both the youngsters and oldies and how it’s underrated and less supported either emotionally or financially. It also shows how being inspired and fully driven truly affects the overall capacity of an individual in fulfilling his/her dream of becoming young national athletes that either represent their respective regions or their nation as a whole.

Movies to see

Ruruoni Kenshin Live Action films on Netflix

Rodneil: Easily the best Live Action Film adaptation of any Manga or Animé, all five films of the Rurouni Kenshin franchise are now available for binge-watching on Netflix. Even if you didn’t read the manga or watch the animé, I’d wager this is still a good way to enjoy Kenshin’s story.

The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf

Rodneil: This one isn’t coming out until August 23 on Netflix but we were lucky enough to get a screener. The story builds on the lore of The Witcher franchise. It serves as a prequel to the live action adaptation starring Henry Cavill and provides a nice little backstory about how Witchers come to be Witchers.

The animation is super high quality reminiscent of Nickelodeon’s Avatar: Legend of Korra and DreamWorks’ Voltron: Legendary Defender. It had me daydreaming about an X-Men Animated Series reboot in this specific art style.

Albums/Songs/Podcasts to listen to

Perfect World by TWICE

Rodneil: “Perfect World” the song is one of their best Japanese comebacks. It showcased the really dark and edgy side of TWICE that some fans have been longing to see. The rest of the album features previously released singles along with gems like “Good at Love” which is again a surprising track from the nine-member girl group as well as the feel good “PIECES OF LOVE” and the emotional “Thank You, Family” and “PROMISE.”

Taste of Love by TWICE

Rodneil: Released earlier than their Japanese comeback, Taste of Love is a splash of TWICE in Summer. This whole mini album, headlined by the title track “Alcohol Free”, feels like a refreshing drink you take in under the heat of the sun. It embraces TWICE’s bright image and color but one that feels more grown up compared to the cuter tracks from their earlier years.

Dance On My Own by LOONA

Vincenz: All songs in LOONA’s [&] EP are all worth the hype but for any newbies who are still transitioning from Western to K-Pop, this is a great song to listen to.

Even though the lyrics are emotional, the song is actually fast-paced and energetic to the point that it’ll move you to grooves. None of the members are native English speakers but the lyrics are clear and audible. LOONA is really destined to go big globally.

Si Fueras Mía / It’s Love by D.O

Vincenz: D.O’s Empathy album, no doubt, is one of the best K-Pop albums out there. Not only does it include an English track, there’s also a Spanish song that truly made me think he knows how to speak the language.

Other than the inclusion of its Korean song counterpart called “It’s Love /다시,사랑이야 (Dashi sarangiya)”, “Si Fueras Mía” gives a different vibe due to the chosen lyrics. These titles are truly worth listening to.

Moodswings In This Order (MITO) by DPR Ian

JP: DPR Ian’s debut EP features DPR Live and CL (former K-pop group 2NE1 leader) in one of the tracks called “No Blueberries.” The album’s central theme is the personification of Ian’s struggle with Bipolar Disorder and other life experiences into a fictional character named Mito.

MITO is an introspective album that combines lyrical and auditory components with engaging visuals. This multidisciplinary approach makes for an utterly immersive album with widely relatable representations.

I Just by Red Velvet

Gab: It’s an old B-Side track from Red Velvet, but with the recently concluded promotions of the now out-of-hiatus SM girl group, they brought it back. It’s a banger for a B-Side, and it’s good music to listen to when you play games at a high level, or maybe that’s just me. Also, ROCKSTAR WENDY!

The Mismatch by The Ringer

Rodneil: NBA off-season is in full swing and with it comes a plethora of player movement. The Mismatch with Kevin O’Connor and Chris Vernon shares pretty sober takes and well-researched analysis on the NBA landscape.

Books to read

Rogue Anthology

Leez: Rogues is an anthology featuring 21 original short stories from various authors. The book has been edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois. Released in 2014, the book is worth multiple reads and revisits. It’s got sci-fi mystery, historical fiction, epic fantasy, sorcery, comedy, tragedy, and crime stories. Where, rogues, cads, scalawags, con men, thieves, and scoundrels get the spotlight of their enthralling moral obscurity. What’s not to love?

Discourses, Fragments, Handbook (Oxford World’s Classics)

JP: Epictetus was a reek Stoic philosopher who taught philosophy as a way of life and not just a theoretical discipline. In a chaotic time like this pandemic, stoicism is a good compass for overcoming challenges and reinforcing mental and emotional strength. This book relays Epictetus’ core principles in a language and manner that’s clear and relatable even to modern readers.