Closedshop's profile

Closedshop 話說天下大勢，分久必合，合久必分 3d ago

In my experience, it depends on what type of deodorant you use. If you use spray-on, it may interfere with the scent as those are designed to be smelled a little more. If you use rub-on, I haven't noticed a real difference. Get unscented if you're really worried, but I haven't noticed any interference from rub-on deodorants.

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Closedshop 話說天下大勢，分久必合，合久必分 3d ago

Any time. I just added L'homme A la Rose to the formal occasions list as well. Enjoy.

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Closedshop 話說天下大勢，分久必合，合久必分 4d ago · Edited 3d ago

Tbh it doesn't sound like you need any more "rounding out". You got one for warm, one for cool, and one for dressing up. I haven't smelled the Comme de Garcon or Serve Lutens fragrances, but they sound very lovely. I don't own Red Tobacco because for whatever reason, it turns on me when it's on my skin, but I've smelled it in the air and it's nice. If you're looking to explore more, I can suggest a few beyond what I've already posted. I'll again only suggest what I've smelled.

All of your fragrances sound pretty heavy, so if you're looking for something on the opposite side of the spectrum, beyond the spring and summer frags I've suggested:

Jo Malone Blackberry & Bay EDC. This one is really really light, being an Eau de Cologne. It's fruity and soft, and in summer, I just go to town on this. At retail it's a little expensive for what you're getting, but I'm a fan and I own a full bottle. Another one from the house is Grapevine & Cypress. This is more of a generalist, but it's very masculine to my nose. I'm a huge fan of it and will be getting a bottle in the future.
Acqua Di Parma Arancia di Capri. This is the same line as Fico di Amalfi and it's similarly geared for summer. For me, I'm spraying this for the opening, which is zesty citrus all the way. I reapply this every couple of hours just to get that opening.

It also seems like you're looking for something for formal occasions so I'll suggest a couple of those as well:

Mancera Cedrat Boise. Also from the house of Mancera, this one has similarities with Aventus. Really easy to wear and likeable, and wouldn't be out of place in a suit. There's an intense version that I haven't smelled, but the consensus online is that it's also very good. Mont Blanc Explorer is another fragrance that's a twist on Aventus. I own Mont Blanc Explorer, but not Cedrat Boises. I already own Aventus and Explorer so they're a little redundant in my collection
Creed Green Irish Tweed. In my imagination, this is what James Bond smells like. It's sophisticated, elegant, and gentlemanly. This was what Creed made their money off of before Aventus came along and for very good reason. Davidoff's Cool Water EDT has a lot of similarity to this (there's drama behind that, if you can believe it). I own Cool Water and Will be getting GIT for a special occasion.
Edit: I just remembered this one, but Maison Francis Kurkdjian's L'homme A la Rose is an amazingly elegant men's rose scent. To me, it's a very realistic rose scent that works really well in a suit or tux. This is another one that's on my list.

Finally, since you love Red Tobacco, I'll suggest a couple that you might like as well:

Parfums de Marly Layton. This one dials up the spiciness and leaves the tobacco note behind. It's also a heavier fragrance, so during summer, definitely go lighter on this. I will get a bottle of this soon.
Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb Extreme. This one turns the spiciness way way up, and kind of leaves everything else behind. Technically, it's got rum and tobacco as notes, but they're more undertones to my nose. Definitely wear this during winter. You'll be choking people out during summer with this. A lot of people say that it's been reformulated so it's not as good as it was when it first came out, but try it and see if you're a fan.

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Closedshop 話說天下大勢，分久必合，合久必分 4d ago · Edited 3d ago

I'm a fan of the entire Blu Med line tbh. I have a couple of bottles and will be getting more in the future. My favorites are Fico and Arancia di Capri

I know Sauvage has a rough reputation lol but the Elixir is a completely different fragrance to me nose. I don't smell any Sauvage until maybe 10 hours in. By then I'm ready to shower off.

Edit: spelling

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Closedshop 話說天下大勢，分久必合，合久必分 4d ago

Sad to hear about your Covid. I was lucky when I got mine that my smell came back within a couple of weeks.

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Closedshop 話說天下大勢，分久必合，合久必分 5d ago

Haha thanks. What's your one cologne, if you don't mind me asking.

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Closedshop 話說天下大勢，分久必合，合久必分 5d ago · Edited 5d ago

Here's a legitimately unhinged blog post: 15 fragrances in 5 different collections. I'll group 15 fragrances into 5 collections. These are ways that I'd organize a one, two, three, four, and five fragrance collection. I'm a man so I will be recommending mostly masculine fragrances. I will point out the feminine marketed fragrances if those are not your bag. I'll also only be suggesting fragrances I've tried and like. Further, I won't be double dipping, so I will be suggesting different fragrances in different situations. If I suggest one fragrance for warm weather, it'll generally be interchangeable if the same situation comes up in a later list. These are all my personal picks, so please don't get angry if you hate something I suggest or if your favorite isn't on here. Fragrance is personal and everyone has their own nose. Something I love might remind you of the worst day of your life. Finally, wear whatever you want, but be cognizant of the people around you. SECRETIONS MAGNIFIQUES (IYKYK) might be your favorite fragrance, but no one around you is going to be happy if you wear it in public in 90 degree weather.

Before I start:

Eau Fraiche, Eau de Cologne, Eau de Toilette, Eau de Parfum, and Parfum: Historically, these denoted different oil concentrations that fragrances came in. In fragrance, oils are what make the actual fragrance smell like what they smell like. Eau Fraiche would have 2-3% oil concentration, Eau De Cologne (EDC) would have around 5%, Eau de Toilette (EDT) would have 5-15%, Eau de Parfum (EDP) would have 15-25%, and Parfum would have >25%. These are not hard rules. In fact, in modern days, fragrance companies will use these are names instead of designations of oil concentration. For example, Versace Man Eau Fraiche is an Eau de Toilette concentration despite having "Eau Fraiche" in the name. A general rule of thumb is that as you go up (EDT to EDP) the fragrance will smell deeper, heavier, and more mature.

Notes: These are items that the fragrance should evoke when you smell it. Notes are broken into top, mid, and base. Top When a company releases a fragrance, they will release notes to help you imagine what you're smelling when you spray the fragrance on. Note that these are not necessarily indicative actual ingredients. A fragrance with a "Rose" note may or may not contain actual rose oil. A general rule of thumb is to think of notes as marketing pitches. The company is selling you the image of what you'll smell like. Because of the differences in a human's sense of smell and skin biochemistry, the fragrances you buy may or may not smell like what the notes indicate. This is also why it's important to test on your skin before you buy a fragrance. I'll be using notes from Fragrantica, a website that serves as a database for fragrances.

Opening and dry-down: These are related to notes. The opening is what the fragrances evoke when they're first sprayed on, and the dry-down is what they evoke after a few hours on the skin. These are also not hard rules.

Performance: How easy it a fragrance can be smelled after it's sprayed on. Performance is generally separated into projection, longevity, and sillage. Projection is how far away you can be smelled. Generally, projection is strongest when you first spray it on, and becomes weaker over time. Longevity is how long the fragrance can be smelled for. A fragrance with high longevity can last for a while day, and some are so powerful they can last multiple days. Sillage is a little weirder. Sillage refers to the "scent trail" that you leave when you walk by. Generally, all fragrances perform better in warmer weather, and fragrances designed for warm weather have weaker performance.

I'll try to make my list more beginner friendly. That means I'll lean toward fragrances that are readily available and not extremely expensive. There will be a few exceptions, but I'll point those out. Further, please sample fragrances before buying a full bottle, especially if you're going to be spending hundreds of dollars on a single bottle.

1 Fragrance Collection

If you're only going to wear a single fragrance, you need it to be a generalist. Something that's classy enough to bring to work or an event, but casual enough to wear in a t-shirt and shorts.

Chanel Bleu de Chanel Eau de Toilette

Top Notes: Grapefruit Lemon Mint Pink Pepper

Middle Notes: Ginger Nutmeg, Jasmine, Iso E Super

Base Notes: Incense, Vetiver, Cedar, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Labdanum, White Musk

Bleu de Chanel EDT, as the original "Blue" fragrance, serves all of those purposes. Blue fragrances (named after Bleu de Chanel) are fragrances that are clean and versatile, with a generally fruity/citrus opening and a musky or woody dry-down. These are all things that make Bleu De Chanel the perfect fragrance for any situation. The performance is average, but this is a positive. For a generalist fragrance, you generally don't want the fragrance to be incredibly powerful. Although it leans slightly youthful, BDC EDT is a fragrances for all ages and situation. If you're looking for something more mature, the EDP and Parfum are both great choices for every day. They iterate on the formula beautifully. The online consensus is that the EDP is the best in the line, but to my nose, the EDT is superior. There's a reason it innovated its own genre of fragrances.

2 Fragrance Collection

For two fragrances, you can have a little more variety. I'd separate the two into one for warm weather (Spring and Summer) and one for cool weather (Fall and Winter). In general, in warm weather, people like to smell cleaner and lighter. Think citrus, aquatic, and floral. In cold weather, those notes become a lot more muted, so during winter, you'll smell things that are a lot more robust. Think woods, spices, and booze notes.

Hot: Prada L'Homme Eau de Toilette

Top Notes: Neroli, Black Pepper, Cardamom, Carrot Seeds

Middle Notes: Iris, Violet, Geranium, Mate

Base Notes: Amber, Cedar, Sandalwood, Patchouli

While it's marketed as masculine, Prada L'Homme is quite feminine. The opening is quite powdery and floral, giving it a very make-upy feel. That being said, the fragrance very nice in warm weather. It's a very classy fragrance that really opens up in the warmer months. Again, performance is average, but that's not a problem in the warmer months. The fragrance is not necessarily groundbreaking, but it's a very nice fragrance in spring and summer. This may be a little feminine for a lot of people, but I'd suggest every man give it a try. It's a real shame that the line seems to have gotten the Old Yeller treatment in favor of the Luna Rosa line.

Cold: Maison Martin Margiela Replica Jazz Club Eau de Toilette

Top Notes: Pink Pepper, Neroli, Lemon

Middle Notes: Rum, Java vetiver oil, Clary Sage

Base Notes: Tobacco Leaf, Vanilla Bean, Styrax

I would call this a modern masterpiece. The tobacco, rum, and vanilla come together into something that is very evocative of its namesake, a jazz club. The fragrance is heavy and boozy, but still soft enough to be inviting. Its performance isn't as powerful as a heavy oud or heavy leather fragrance, meaning it's less noticeable in the deep winter, but during fall and a cool winter, Jazz Club serves me very well. This is legitimately one of my favorite cool weather fragrances. I love to smell this on myself. Another great cool weather from the Replica line is By the Fireplace. Personally, I'm less of a fan of it, but the consensus online is that it's neck and neck with Jazz Club within the line.

3 Fragrance Collection

With three fragrances, I'd do the same as before, but with a twist. One for warm, one for cool, and one for special occasions. When you get to 3 fragrances, you don't really need a generalist fragrance anymore, as you'll have one every-day scent for warm and one for cool. So the third fragrance should really be more for special occasions.

Hot: Armani Acqua Di Gio Eau de Parfum (2022)

Top Notes: Sea Notes, Green Mandarin

Middle Notes: Clary Sage, Lavender, Geranium

Base Notes: Mineral notes, Vetiver, Patchouli

This one is a little confusing as Armani has just released a new version of Acqua Di Gio Eau de Parfum in 2025. I haven't smelled that one yet. The 2022 version, however, is a fragrance that I am a huge fan of. While it's technically discontinued, it's still readily available. The fragrance is a more mature version of the original Eau de Toilette, with the florals stripped away and while adding more mineral notes. This fragrance is an example of a warm weather fragrance that performs well in most situations. However, the fragrance being an Acqua Di Gio means that it'll do its best work in in the warmer months. When I spray this on myself, I can get whiffs of it throughout the day, and every time I do, my mouth literally waters from the zesty citruses. Performance is strong. On my skin, this lasts an entire day and after I spray it on in the morning, I've gotten compliments from other people even in the evening. The original Eau de Toilette is the best selling male fragrance in history for very good reason, and the EDP updated it for a more modern audience. I'm sad to see it go and I'll probably get another bottle while it's still available.

Cold: YSL Y Eau de Parfum

Top Notes: Apple, Ginger, Bergamot

Middle Notes: Sage, Juniper Berries, Geranium

Base Notes: Amberwood, Tonka Bean, Cedar, Vetiver, Olibanum

This is another of the Big Three of the "Blue" fragrances. To me, however this is a lot less of a generalist fragrance than the other two. The apple top note gives this fragrance a sweetness that becomes cloying in summer. During spring, fall and winter, however, I think it lets the fragrance a way to cut through the cold air. From there, the tonka bean and woody base notes gives the dry down a heavier feel. To my nose, the fragrance does its best work in Spring and Fall. In Winter, you might need to spray more, but the sweetness helps the fragrance stand out in even cold weather. If you wanted a fragrance with a more stereotypical "Blue" smell, the EDP Intense replaces the apple top note with bergamot, which gives the fragrance a citrussy pop. Overall, Y EDP is sweet and warm while still being clean. Perfect for a cool day.

Special Occasion: Tom Ford Beau De Jour Eau de Parfum

Top Notes: Lavender Extract, Lavender

Middle Notes: Oakmoss, Rosemary, Mint, Basil, Geranium

Base Notes: Patchouli, Amber

In my opinion, this fragrance is what "Classic" smells like. Tom Ford made Beau de Jour specifically as a tribute to the classic aromatic fougeres of old. Classy, sophisticated, and mature, Beau De Jour goes perfectly with a suit or tux. The lavender, oakmoss, and rosemary gives the fragrance the classic masculine fragrance smell while the dry down has a sweetness that makes it less harsh than some other aromatic fougeres. If I had to classify it, it would be a Spring, Fall, and Winter fragrance as it becomes a little heavy in high heat, but for occasions, you'd generally be in air conditioned rooms, meaning the weather matters less. Overall, Beau De Jour is perfect for any formal occasion. I'm a huge, huge fan of this.

4 Fragrance Collection

With four fragrances, you'll have a fragrance for every season. Now, you'll be able to target a specific feel during specific seasons. Here is also where the prices of some of the fragrances that I mention will be creeping up. So far, pretty much everything can be found for ~$200 (Beau De Jour not withstanding), but now I'll be recommending things that are >$300 at full retail. This is why it's so important to sample and test before buying a fragrance. I've spent $300 on something that I haven't smelled before and hated it after smelling it. Don't be like me, especially when you're just starting out. Is it idiotic to spend that much on a fragrance? Yes. Am I an idiot? Also yes. Let's move on.

Spring: Diptyque Philosykos Eau de Toilette

Top Notes: Fig

Middle Notes: Fig Leaf

Base Notes: Fig Tree

You might be able to tell from the notes, but this fragrance smells like fig, fig leaf, and fig tree. Fruity, fresh, and light, Philosykos is the perfect spring fragrance to my nose. There's a sweetness from the fig fruit that makes the fragrance really fun. This is another fragrance that leans more unisex than masculine. I've smelled this multiple times on women and it's just as lovely on them as it is on my skin. I really love this on a warmer spring day. Performance is average but on a warmer spring day, it wafts beautifully. Absolutely try this. I cannot recommend this enough.

Summer: Maison Martin Margiela Replica Sailing Day Eau de Toilette

Top Notes: Sea Notes, Aldehydes, Coriander, Red Pepper

Middle Notes: Juniper, Iris, Amyl Salicylate, Rose

Base Notes: Seaweed, Ambergris, Cedar, Amberwood

This is a photorealistic ocean scent. As the marketing states, this is supposed to smell like sailing in the open ocean on a sunny day and to my nose, that's exactly what this smells like. Aquatic scents are very popular during summer because they smell light and clean, and this is encapsulates exactly that feeling. Performance is actually above average for summer fragrances, and in high heat, this will radiate off the skin very nicely. Personally, this is neck and neck for my favorite summer fragrance.

Fall: Dolce & Gabbana The One Eau de Parfum

Top Notes: Grapefruit, Coriander, Basil

Middle Notes: Cardamom, Ginger, Orange Blossom

Base Notes: Amber, Tobacco, Cedar

This might be a more controversial pick as traditionally, The One EDP is considered a more of a date night fragrance, but this has served my very well in fall. This fragrance is warm and soft, and it reminds me of a warm cashmere blanket. The fragrance is fresh enough to be used on a warm day, but it's also warm enough for cool weather. Performance is intimate, but that's fine if you spray slightly more. The fragrance is very very appealing, which also makes it great for a first date. This is a fragrance that's very hard to hate.

Winter: Cartier Oud & Santal Parfum

Notes: Sandalwood, Agarwood (Oud), Plum

This is probably the most challenging fragrance I will recommend. In some ways, this is probably the most simplistic fragrance on the list, as you might be able to tell by the note breakdown. On the other hand, to my nose, the fragrance is incredibly elegant, rich, and deep. In the summer, this will be extremely heavy and oppressive, but in the winter, it really comes into its own. This fragrance leans more mature and formal, and can serve you very will in a tuxedo provided you spray lightly. Performance in hot weather is beastly. This will choke people out if you spray too much of it. In cold weather however, this performs beautifully. Like I said, this will be very challenging for a beginner, so please please PLEASE try this before you buy a bottle. If this is something that you like, however, I think it will serve you very well.

5 fragrance collection

Same as before, but with an extra fragrance for special occasions. Some of these picks might be a little controversial, but I really do like these fragrances.

Spring: Essential Parfums Bois Imperial Eau de Parfum

Notes: Akigalawood, Woodsy Notes, Vetiver, Basil, Timur, Ambroxan, Patchouli

Here's another fragrance that doesn't have a full note breakdown. This is a very modern woody fragrance. In fact, to me this smells futuristic. Even though the fragrance focuses a lot on woods, it's not a heavy fragrance like Oud & Santal is. It's quite light for a woody perfume and to me, that's one of the main appeals. Performance on this fragrance is pretty strong, so on a warm day, I'd suggest lighter sprays. This fragrance leans more mature and is very masculine to my nose. On a warm spring day, this evolves into something that is very light and modern. This is a different take on a spring fragrance and I love it.

Summer: Acqua Di Parma Fico di Amalfi Eau de Toilette

Top Notes: Grapefruit, Bergamot, Citron, Lemon

Middle Notes: Fig Nectar, Jasmine, Pink Pepper

Base Notes, Fig Tree, Cedar, Benzoin

This one is another fig fragrance, this time focused on the fig tree. Compared to Philosykos, it's a lot less fruity and a lot more green. This fragrance is from the Blu Mediterraneo line, which is Acqua Di Parma's summer focused line. Each fragrance in this line is named after an ingredient from a place. Fico di Amalfi is named after Figs from the town of Amalfi. This fragrance is very personal to me as it's what I wore the first time I went to Korea. In the 95 degree Seoul summer, this fragrance smells absolutely beautiful. Though the performance is average, I would slightly overspray and smell it throughout the day. Every time I smell this it reminds me of that trip. Even without my memory associations, the green notes in the fragrance is beautiful in summer. One of my favorites of all time and very much worth a sample.

Fall: Guy Laroche Drakkar Noir Eau de Toilette

Top Notes: Lavender, Lemon, Bergamot, Rosemary, Mint, Lemon Verbena, Basil, Artemisia

Middle Notes: Juniper, Carnation, Cinnamon, Coriander, Wormwood, Angelica, Jasmine

Base Notes: Oakmoss, Pine Tree Needles, Fir, Leather, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Patchouli, Cedar, Amber, Resins

At this point, Drakkar Noir can be considered a classic fragrance. A true powerhouse in the 80s and 90s, Drakkar Noir is one of the fragrances that has a reputation outside of just the people who are into fragrances. I've never tried a vintage bottle, but the consensus is that Drakkar Noir has been reformulated so that the performance isn't the bomb it was in the 80s and 90s, but the fragrance itself is still pleasant to my nose. A lot of people would say that this fragrance is outdated and played out, I believe that it's gone beyond that. Like Chanel No 5, I think Drakkar Noir is a classic. While there are more than a dozen notes listed in the fragrance, a simple description would be an aromatic fougere with edge. It's not my favorite aromatic fougere, but I find that for whatever reason, I love the way it smells in spring and fall. Not as sweet as Beau de Jour and more edgy, Drakkar Noir is a little too casual to use in formal situations. However, as an everyday wear, I think it definitely holds up.

Winter: Dior Sauvage Elixir

Top Notes: Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Grapefruit

Middle Notes: Lavender

Base Notes: Licorice, Sandalwood, Amber, Patchouli, Haitian Vetiver

Sauvage is another one of those fragrances that has transcended just fragrances, and for very good reason. Today, however, I will be recommending the Elixir. The first thing you'll notice is that compared to the EDT, Elixir is very different. Deep, heavy, and syrupy, there's almost none of the youthfulness of the EDT left. The second thing you'll notice is that the performance on Elixir is nuclear. When I spray this, if I plan on being indoors for a long period of time, I legitimately have to spray in half sprays. I have sprayed this in the morning, gone through a whole day, taken a shower, gone to sleep, woken up, and still smelled it on my skin. The fragrance is very rich, mature, and elegant (if you smell past the absolutely beastly performance), and is perfect for winter weather. The consensus on this fragrance is that it's also a very good fragrance for Middle Eastern market. Whatever your feelings are on the original Sauvage, give this a try. It's quite different and in my opinion, great for winter.

Special occasion: Creed Aventus Eau de Parfum

Top Notes: Bergamot, Black Currant, Apple, Lemon, Pink Pepper

Middle Notes: Pineapple, Patchouli Moroccan Jasmine

Base Notes: Birch Musk Oak Moss Ambroxan Cedarwood

Finally, we have Creed Aventus. Probably the first niche fragrance that has broken into the mainstream, the influence of Creed Aventus cannot be overstated. It wouldn't be inaccurate to say that the modern landscape was changed with the release of this fragrance. Nowadays, however, the fragrance is very much maligned. There are many accusations of reformulation, with people paying up to a thousand dollars for older batches of the fragrance. The house itself also has come under controversy, with many calling into question the marketing history of the house of Creed itself. Creed as a house has even been in a rivalry with Mont Blanc (they've released some great fragrances in their own right). But let's leave that behind us. When I first sprayed Aventus on myself, it opened my eyes. To me, this is what a man should smell like. The fruit on top makes the fragrance instantly appealing while the woodiness in the base gives it an edgy base that just makes the fragrance magnetic. I have a 2021 batch and I've never smelled an older batch (I'm not going to pay $10 per ml for any perfume) but my bottle smells sublime. Performance is below average, but with how powerful the atomizer is, it's not that big of a problem. There's a reason that it's known as "The King of Fragrances" among the enthusiasts and I believe that everyone needs to at least smell Creed Aventus.

Edited for formatting and other mistakes.

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Closedshop 話說天下大勢，分久必合，合久必分 2mo ago

Glad people enjoyed my movie review post. I'm curious if anyone else has seen the movie and agreed or disagreed with my review. Most of the discourse I've seen is on what the movie means for Hollywood and not on if Ne Zha 2 is actually a good movie or not.

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Closedshop 話說天下大勢，分久必合，合久必分 2mo ago

I stand corrected. Puss in boots - last wish really was that good. I'd say that my point still stands.

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Closedshop 話說天下大勢，分久必合，合久必分 2mo ago

This is going to be a split between a movie review for Ne Zha 2 and some of my thoughts on the state of culture from a China-born American. Unfortunately, you beat me to the punch while I was writing this, so I'll employ the angler fish method of reproduction and just attach my post to yours. If I need to move or remove it, just let me know.

NeZha 2 has been making the rounds as a cultural milestone in both China and abroad. Being the first (only) Chinese movie to have had a billion dollar gross before its foreign release, there has been some ink spilled on what this means for the movie industry as a whole. And I'm gonna spill a little more. First of all, is the movie good?

Short answer: Yes. Without a doubt an amazing kids movie by Chinese standards (not in terms of quality, but in terms of sensibility, I'll expand later).

Long answer: I'll break the movie down on different dimensions, and mark spoilers for the second movie only. I'd definitely recommend watching the movie first before reading any spoilers because the movie is truly worth a watch for everyone, not just kids.

1. Presentation

Extremely competent. Legitimately on par with some of the highest quality CG animation from the US and Japan. This shouldn't come as a surprise. Japan has increasingly been outsourcing its animation to China for cost reasons. Further, Tencent, being the multi-media colossus it is, is incredibly well versed in animation as the owner of League of Legends along with dozens of other IPs. Visually, the movie truly fantastic, with landscapes and backgrounds that come straight out of the Chinese paintings I'd seen as a kid. The action scenes are very well shot and animated. The action is fairly easy to follow and is on par with some of the best action from anime. I'll lump music in here as well because I'm not knowledgeable enough to speak at length. The music is a very interesting mix of Chinese and Western. The score is filled with traditional Chinese instruments and the sound is distinctly Chinese. Think Black Myth WuKong, if you want a comparable soundtrack. Based purely on the presentation, I'd say it's already one of the best animated movies of the year.

2. Story/Plot

The story starts directly after where the first movie ends. I won't give anything away here, but the plot centers around the physical resurrection of NeZha and his friend AoBing and the effects thereof. The story is quintessentially Chinese. Similar to the first movie, the story at its core is about family, specifically the relationship between a parent and child. This theme is covered extensively in Chinese works, and I'd say that a large amount of Chinese culture is centered on this theme. As a Chinese person myself, the story hit a particular emotional resonance. While Western, especially American audiences may not fully grasp the intended emotional effect, it should still hit home for almost all audiences. In the spoiler section, I'll talk about scenes of particular import. But as a wrap up, I'd say that while the story this movie tells is Chinese at its core, it will resonate with everyone,

3. Sensibilities

This is where it gets a little weird. If you asked me based purely on the above whether I'd recommend NeZha 2 as a family movie, I'd say absolutely 100% . However, there is a bit of culture shock when it comes to what a kids movie is in China and America. I'd say that while NeZha 2 is a PG movie, it's more akin to what PG used to be in the 80s and 90s than what it is now. On the humor side of things, the humor is much more crude than what you'd find in an American kids' movie. Toilet humor and slapstick are much more prevalent and acceptable in China than it is now in America. On the action side, it's also a lot more extreme than what you'd expect in a typical American Kid's movie. The movie does not shy away from some of the effects of the action that's shown. For example, a character is shown as being shot through with a mystical arrow, and the blood is clearly shown oozing out from the wound. In fact, afterwards, you can see a hole where the character was shot. Now we're not talking about Saving Private Ryan levels of blood and guts, but definitely more than what we would normally see in America. Death is also not shied away from. Outright death is not shown on screen, but there are definitely sanitized and implied scenes of death. The movie does get quite dark, especially toward the last third. I'll also discuss this as a spoiler as well. One good thing, however, is that some of the weirdness of the first movie has been toned down by a lot. If anyone's seen the first movie, there are just moments of strangeness that I can only chalk up to the movie being Chinese. Humor is cultural, and I can tell that certain jokes that should be funny to Chinese audiences would fall flat to American audiences. All in all, if you plan on watching this with children, do watch out for these items.

4. Spoilers

Here I'll talk about some memorable scenes with spoilers on. For anyone who hasn't seen the first or second movies, this section will probably not make any sense, as I will not be giving context or talking about everything in order. It should make sense if you've seen the movie.

The first scene follows the the first movie, with villagers creating new physical bodies for the now-bodyless souls of NeZha and AoBing. This is followed up by a very good action scene between NeZha's parents and the sea monsters. This first action scene is already giving a great representation of the action to come in the movie. Very cool, easy to follow, and just a joy to watch.
Afterwards, an emotional scene happens when NeZha is leaving to attain sainthood, where he becomes embarrassed when his mom tries to hug him. A little ham fisted in my opinion, but it gets paid off later in the movie. Afterwards, we find out about Shen Gongbao's backstory regarding Shen Gongbao and his brother and father, who are all yaoguai. Side note, "yaoguai" is generally translated as "demon," but that's not completely accurate. There's an inherent evil connotation related to "demons" that's not present with "yaoguai." While many are malevolent, there are many examples of benevolent yaoguai or yaoguai achieving sainthood after sufficient cultivation, similar to humans. The connotation is much more related to something that's "unnatural" or "strange." Therefore, Shen Gongbao being a "leopard demon" is not antithetical to him achieving sainthood in the way that it would be in a Western sense.
The action scene with who we later find out is Shen Gongbao's father is another fantastic scene. The framing is fantastic, the action is impactful, and again, the whole thing is just a joy to watch. The animators really showed their craft with this fight. Finally, the ending of the fight with the father's arm being cut off and being shot through with a celestial arrow. Further, the bait and switch with the reveal that everything was orchestrated by WuLiang was done very well, with a motivation that's quite understandable to me. Along with that, the reveal of the destroyed ChengTang Pass was incredibly dark. They pull a few punches, but the aftermath is shown in vivid detail. In fact it reminded me of a toned down version of a scene from Spec Ops: The Line (IYKYK).
NeZha's mother's death scene legitimately almost made my cry. It's extremely emotional and really pays off the themes of the story. I honestly can't remember the last time that a movie, not just kid's movie, but movie, had such an impactful emotional scene. The final action scene is quite good, but one thing I don't like is the fact that they just turned WuLiang into a big monster, when for the whole movie, his power came from his sorcery. I would have much more preferred that he either fought the main characters magically or with kung fu. The fight between the dragon siblings and NeZha and AoBing was very good and creative. The use of the Spatial Claws was done in a very smart and creative way in the story.
The ending scene with AoBing and his father AoGuang also hit me particularly hard. A father letting his son go into the world as the ending to the story about family is quite the perfect ending.
The after credits scene is really funny. After the darkness of some of the story beats and the seriousness of the ending, it really brought the movie back into a lighter mood and lets you leave the movie with a more lighthearted feel.

5. Some Thoughts

As you can probably tell, I'm a pretty big fan of the movie, and the franchise as a whole (2 is definitely better than 1. If I had to rank them, 1 would be a 7, and 2 would be a 9.5). However, When I was watching NeZha 2, I kept thinking about how this movie could not be made by Hollywood. It's not just because of the different sensibilities between Chinese and American children's movies, but because of everything else. First of all, the action scenes in both movies are incredible. I can't remember the last time an American animated movie had action as good as this. This should come as no real surprise as the action comes in the tradition of Kung Fu movies, but the difference is really a little shocking. Second, is the theme. It might be because I haven't seen as many children's movies recently, but I honestly cannot remember the last time a kid's movie explored its theme with as much maturity and complexity as this movie. While it's a little heavy handed in certain parts, the emotional beats of the movie really resonated with me on a level that no movie has in a long time. To me, this movie serves as just another indication of the precipitous collapse of American soft power. The movie is undeniably and unapologetically Chinese. The story is based off of one of the stories from 封神演义, a sort of creation tale of many of the gods and saints in the Chinese folk pantheon. The music, while made with more Western sensibilities, utilizes Chinese instruments in a way that has a distinct Chinese sound. The theme of the story is familial in a way that can only really be appreciated with a Chinese upbringing. Yet, I think that these things resonate on a much deeper level than what's being pumped out by Hollywood these days. This movie, to me, represents China putting its best foot forward when it comes to its values. Its focus on family, parental love, and duty, in my opinion, would really resonate with a general audience, not just a Chinese one. This is coming at a time of historic drought for Hollywood. Disney, the former children's movie juggernaut has been sluggish, releasing remakes of their previous movies, many to little fanfare. It seems that China's (and East Asia's more generally) cultural ascent in recent years has come at the detriment of American soft power.

I really don't know if Ne Zha 2 is a flash in the pan or the beginning of the end. I think we'd have to see how things go in the next 5 years. Whereas America has enjoyed its place as the cultural Jupiter of the world for almost 50 years, it's now East Asia that has most of the spotlight culturally. Anime has been popular for decades, but with the recent rise of K-Pop, K-Dramas, and notable Chinese hits, it seems that America will soon run into the same soft power deficit that plagues China to this day. Supposedly Hollywood is starting to course correct, but I honestly wouldn't be surprised if we lived in a world 5 years from now where it's Chinese, Korean, or Japanese movies that are topping the charts.

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Closedshop 話說天下大勢，分久必合，合久必分 3mo ago

So what did Fauci and Hunter get pardoned for then?

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Closedshop 話說天下大勢，分久必合，合久必分 3mo ago

That's another thing that I've found quite amusing during this whole thing. The West, by and large, have no idea how "based" China truly is. It's always quite funny to me (China born Chinese living in California) when I hear the people here talk because they really have no clue how far they are from the norm in the rest of the world (or at least from China, which is much closer to the rest of the world than these people are.) Most Chinese people fucking hate gays. Most Chinese people absolutely fucking hate Indians (Although Westerners are coming around on this one). Most Chinese people don't even have a conception of transgenderism in the same way Westerners do.

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Closedshop 話說天下大勢，分久必合，合久必分 3mo ago

As am I. RedNote used to be really nice for finding hidden spots while traveling or getting a general Chinese sense of things. Now it's all "Hello from America, please teach me Chinese."

To me this is just a microcosm. Foreigners (in this case, literally) coming into our community and not only not integrating into our culture, but actively destroying it. A quite delectable piece of irony.

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Closedshop 話說天下大勢，分久必合，合久必分 3mo ago

One thing I do find interesting is the sanitization of "Little Red Book" into RedNote. On one hand, it seems unnecessary, as a large group of potential users would be quite aware and supportive of the overt reference to Chinese Communism. On the other hand, it might just be because "Little Red Book" is a shit name when translated literally.

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Closedshop 話說天下大勢，分久必合，合久必分 4mo ago

Lancer Arthur >>>>>> Saber Arthur

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