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https://blackgirlnerds.com/calliope-clio-melpomene-terpsichore-and-thalia-open-up-destination-23/

If you’re a fan of the Disney animated film Hercules and love the its popular soundtrack voiced by notable muses Calliope, Clio, Melpomene, Terpsichore, and Thalia, then you will be excited to know they were the opening act of the Saturday presentation at Destination D23 this weekend.

Several news announcements were made, but what got the crowd warmed up beforehand was song and dance by our fab five. Here’s a small clip below featuring just one of the most popular songs from the Hercules soundtrack.

This my song!!! #Hercules #D23 #Disney100 pic.twitter.com/AcdbdUrbIk

— Black Girl Nerds (@BlackGirlNerds) September 9, 2023

One of the first news items that came from Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Parks Experiences and Products was that our girl Ahsoka will have an experience featured on Star Tours. Asha from the upcoming film Wish will also be featured respectively.

Ahsoka and Asha from Wish will be added to Star Tours experience at Disney World #D23 pic.twitter.com/kVaCNSq3XF

— Black Girl Nerds (@BlackGirlNerds) September 9, 2023

This exclusive announcement was mentioned at D23 previously, but a quick mention was brought up about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which will be coming soon to Disney World. At the moment, it is currently under construction and is projected to open at the Orlando theme park in 2024. Tiana’s Palace, a New Orleans themed restaurant, recently opened over at Disneyland in Anaheim.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will be coming soon to Disney World in 2024 #D23 pic.twitter.com/SLzPiGgIeV

— Black Girl Nerds (@BlackGirlNerds) September 9, 2023

Disney has also expanded its international parks, particularly in its Hong Kong location. If you’re a Frozen fan, The World of Frozen opens November 20th just in time for the holidays. The park will blend Arendelle with the park’s natural surroundings – and the audience is getting a first peek at the land.

 At Disney California Adventure Park, a new world-jumping vehicle is coming to the next attraction in Avengers Campus to help transport Super Heroes into the Multiverse. 

Brent Strong, executive creative director at Walt Disney Imagineering, is sharing an early peek at the ride vehicle featuring a design that combines elements of Tony Stark’s time-suits with Xandarian jump points and Wakandan technology.  

Journey of Water inspired by the Disney film Moana opens October 16th at Walt Disney World. Here is exclusive footage from the experience taken from our media preview event.

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For more information about news out of Destination D23 Expo you can check out the Disney Parks blog here or go to our Twitter page for our live tweets from the event.

https://www.thenerdelement.com/2023/09/09/tomorrows-nfl-week-1-predictions-and-picks/

Good afternoon, everyone! Today I want to discuss and pick which teams will win and lose just like all of last year! So, let’s get started, shall we?! But first, I want to talk about my prediction of the Chiefs and Lions game. I predicted that the Chiefs would beat the Lions 37-23, but the final score was 21-20 Lions over the Chiefs in a really close game. The Chiefs offense did not get wide receiver help and they were without their star tight end Travis Kelce. I was correct that the Chiefs were going to have a little bit of a hard time without him. The Lions surprisingly came into Arrowhead stadium to beat the Chiefs like no other team can do. They showed that they are a dangerous team to look out for. Also, The Lions for the first time since 2017, they have won in week 1.

Now, onto the week 1 NFL picks. The first game I will predict is the Texans @Ravens game. The Texans have a new quarterback C.J. Stroud and their new head coach Demeco Ryans. I think that the Ravens will beat the Texans 34-24. I think CJ Stroud will struggle since he is playing his first game and he might be a bit nervous. I think that he will eventually start playing good, but this game may not be it for him to win just yet. But who knows, maybe he could get his first win as a Texan. I just don’t see it as of now. The next game I will predict is the Cardinals @Commanders game. The Cardinals have announced that Josh Dobbs will be the starting quarterback as they are dealing with the injury of Kyler Murray. He is familiar to Drew Petzing’s offensive coordinator play calls and he was a former Brown that he was traded away. The Commanders on the other hand will be starting a quarterback Sam Howell under the new coach Eric Bieniemy as the offensive coordinator. The defense of the Commanders have a really good defensive stars on the defensive line such as Chase Young, Jonathan Allen, Montez Sweat, and John Ridgeway lll. The Cardinals starting offensive lineman Kelvin Beachum will be out for the Cardinals. This is a big loss for the Cards offense because he has been a really good blocker and helps protect the quarterback. Got to make sure you give Josh Dobbs time to throw the football and you’re facing a stud defense of the Commanders. The good thing about the Cards offense is that the quarterback will be under center more than the last head coach was here. So, I think the Commanders will come out on top of the Cardinals 27-20 in a close game. A lot of people are expecting the Cards to be the worst team in football, but who knows. I would love to see the Cards prove them wrong here. But I don’t quite see this happening tomorrow just yet. But hey, wish the Cards good luck against the Commanders.

The next game I will predict is the Jags @Colts game, the divisional rivalries. A lot of people are saying that the Colts might be the worst team as well. But I’m not sure I agree on that. Just their opinion. I think the Jags will beat the Colts 24-13. The next game I will predict is the 49ers @Steelers game. I think the 49ers will beat the Steelers 26-20. The next game I will predict is the Raiders @Broncos game, the divisional rivalries. The Broncos have a new head coach Sean Payton. I think the Broncos will beat the Raiders 30-20. The next game I will predict is the Eagles @Pats game. I think the Eagles will beat the Pats in a close game 31-27. The next game I will predict is the Rams @Seahawks game, the divisional rivalries. The Rams star wide receiver Cooper Kupp will not be playing in tomorrow’s game. Pretty big loss for the Rams there. I think the Seahawks will beat the Rams 33-17. The next game I will predict is the Packers @Bears game, the divisional rivalries. The Packers are playing their season without Aaron Rodgers on the team as he is with the New York Jets. I think the Bears will beat the Packers 24-21. The next game I will predict is the Cowboys @Giants game, the divisional rivalries on Sunday Night Football. I actually think the Giants will beat the Cowboys 34-27. It seems like a lot of people are feeling confident in the Giants and they think that they are going to be pretty good this season. The last game I will predict is the Bills @Jets game, the divisional rivalries on Monday Night Football. Aaron Rodgers will be making his debut as a Jet against the Bills. I think the Bills will come out on top of the Jets 24-17 in a close game.

So, what do you guys think about the week 1 NFL picks?! I would love to hear your thoughts and comments down below!

Stay tuned for NFL updates.

The post Tomorrow’s NFL Week 1 Predictions and Picks! appeared first on The Nerd Element.

https://blacknerdproblems.com/studio-ghiblis-latest-the-boy-and-the-heron-teaser-trailer-arrives-with-flair/

Studio Ghibli’s latest The Boy and the Heron’s trailer has finally arrived on the scene, and we’re left picking up the pieces of the short burst of wonder and awe we’ve been gifted. Originally, released in Japan back in July of this year, we’re finally getting a glimpse of Ghibli’s latest that will be airing in North American theatres come December. I can recall hearing bits and pieces about this project that reportedly took several years to complete–famed and beloved director Hayao Miyazaki’s quest to give us another animated story to fall in love with. This is an especially unique time because this week marks the 10th anniversary of Miyazaki’s press conference about his *final* movie , The Wind Rises and his *retirement* announcement back in 2013, thanks for the reminder Catsuka!

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What is the Film About?

GKIDS elaborates: “A young boy named Mahito, yearning for his mother, ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead. There, death comes to an end, and life finds a new beginning. A semi-autobiographical fantasy about life, death, and creation, in tribute to friendship, from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki.”

As reported by Indiewire:  “The Boy and the Heron is an original story inspired by Yoshino Genzaburo’s 1937 story about a young boy who comes of age while living with his uncle after the death of his father.” We know that Miyazaki returned to work because that man cannot just sit and enjoy retirement, yet it is a bit endearing to read that he wanted to leave a film to his grandson. Some have interpreted this film being dedicated to his grandson which is one of the most heartwarming things I’ve read all week.

What Do We Know for Sure?

This is Hayao Miyazaki’s first feature film in 10 years! The Boy and the Heron is a hand-drawn, original story written and directed by the Academy Award^®-winning director. The film is produced by Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki, and the film features a musical score from Miyazaki’s long-time collaborator Joe Hisaishi. The theme song for the film “Spinning Globe” was penned and performed by global J-pop superstar Kenshi Yonezu.

Call Back to Older Films, But Still Something New

In the teaser trailer we get:

• Within the first ten seconds: fire and destruction which may be a nod to war or some great tragedy (Grave of the Fireflies, The Wind Rises)
• At the thirty second mark: A glimpse of unique characters whom we can speculate could be spirits or otherworldly beings (Take Your Pick of Ghibli Films, but I’m feeling Spirited Away)
•  At the thirty-six second mark: A child entering a unique doorway or gate which looks to lead to a place much different than their own reality with its own set of rules (Spirited Away)
• At the forty-nine second mark: A fiery individual perhaps offering a deal to the main character (Howl’s Moving Castle)

With just a teaser trailer, it is fun to speculate on just what is happening with the short glimpse of the film we’ve been given. I know that above all, the film is about family. In the teaser, we see Mahito looking for a mother who may no longer be alive. Culturally, in the Asian Diaspora but especially Japan, the heron bird has special significance and symbolism that I’m sure the film will allude to in more detail. There are hints to more strange characters, another world, and a child going through many hardships. 

Truthfully, The Boy and the Heron is calling to mind one of my favorite Ghibli films–Spirited Away, and that’s not an insult in any way or fashion on my end. I’ll check back in December to see if any of my speculation was on point and what this new film from the studio and Miyazaki adds to House Ghibli and the animation world! What I know for sure that Ghibli Fest 2023 was already made special with Spirited Away: Live on Stage, so receiving a new Ghibli film in the same year feels like a treasure!

For all those asking: Yes, there will be an English dub and we can't wait to share more! Follow us and stay tuned for further updates! https://t.co/okrh8P1xvC

— GKIDS Films (@GKIDSfilms) September 6, 2023

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The Boy and the Heron. From Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. In theatres nationwide and IMAX December 8. As it is an official selection of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and New York Film Festival (NYFF), It will open internationally this month. To stay updated with the film, be sure to follow. You can sign up to receive SMS and email updates on #TheBoyandtheHeron at TheBoyandtheHeron.com.

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The post Studio Ghibli’s Latest ‘The Boy and the Heron’ Teaser Trailer Arrives with Flair appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.

https://blacknerdproblems.com/the-apothecary-diaries-trailer/

Earlier this year I wrote about the manga adaptation of The Apothecary Diaries that I was recommending to everyone and anyone that would listen. Originally based on superb light novels, the manga adaptation served up a fierce, multi-layered yet engaging narrative about a young woman using her talents to weed out corruption and better the lives of others. The Apothecary Diaries follows Maomao, a girl from the slums in Imperial China who’s kidnapped and forced to work as a servant in the Imperial Palace. 

Yet, the series truly took me by surprise with a cast of characters, major and minor, that populated a story that gave me mysteries being solved and people’s lives being impacted with lots of laughs along the way. Now that we’ve got an anime on the way, I am so pleased to see what makes it into this adaptation. Even from the trailer, it seems to be bringing all the flair and drama that I loved from the light novels and the manga versions.

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It All Starts With A Mystery!

The Apothecary Diaries centers around the life of one young woman named Maomao, who lives in the East in a land ruled by the emperor; whose consorts and serving women live in a sprawling palace. She’s a seemingly plain girl who doesn’t raise many eyebrows and just tries to keep her head down as she completed her time of servitude in the palace as a maid. She finds this easier as she was recently kidnapped and sold off to this place as a servant. She’s actually the daughter of an apothecary father who serves mostly a district that caters to brothels and houses of pleasures. It is just her luck that there is a string of tragedies in this place of opulence for royalty–the heirs of the emperors, babies falling ill. There’s a great curse rumored to have befallen the place and our girl Maomao sees evidence to suggest otherwise.

The ante is upped as we see in the first ten seconds or so of the trailer a dressed up Maomao, all dolled up in fine clothing and makeup drinking something, and dramatically announcing after a moment that it is poisoned! Part of what makes The Apothecary Diaries a must watch is the level of mystery and infamy that companies each new case and dire situation that Maomao ends involved with, and she does her best to figure it all out in this place of perfumed sneers and high stakes. I also love how this trailer introduces Jinshi, who is employed in the palace as the head eunuch and is the first to realize the girl’s talents and perceptiveness. He’s an interesting character who lives to annoy her but also holds great power and responsibility. Their hilarious dynamic and how they act around each other is teased here in the trailer and it all looks so gorgeous!

Connections, Connections, Connections

Family is an important element in The Apothecary Diaries, or at least family ties. From royalty to ladies who work in red light districts to seemingly insignificant assistants to apothecaries who get swept up in palace politics, I am wondering just how in depth the anime will build upon and reveal when developing the characters of MaoMao and Jinshi in this adaptation. In the trailer, we see glimpses of all the emperor’s consorts, all who Maomao ends up entangled with as the story goes on. Some of these ladies are more influential than others, due to age, how many children they have and…the assets they have as well. In the trailer, we see one particular consort being in serious bad health and Maomao tasked to bring her back to health. This brought to mind the very first mystery that the teenager solves in the palace that cements her position as someone to watch.

The Apothecary Diaries is an anime to look out for and watch this Fall for those who love detective stories and narratives that keep bringing surprises around every corner. With even just these two major characters, MaoMao and Jinshi, I like to joke that it is seven degrees of separation with the level of persons connected to each other. From banished persons to secret babies to adopted family members to deceased parents, the story is filled with drama bombs that help color an already rich story bursting at the seams with intriguing twists. The longer Maomao sticks around, the more and more she gets sucked into more problems of the palace where her powers of deduction and curiosity endear her to more people; however, it bring more dangers to her front door. I am looking forward to stunning animation to complement an engaging story centering on a female protagonist in a historical setting that already has such a dedicated fandom already in place. Fall 2023 Season cannot come fast enough!

Based on the light novels by Natsu Hyuuga and Touko Shino, The Apothecary Diaries is being directed by Norihiko Naganuma (The Ancient Magus’ Bride), who also serves as series composer, and assistant-directed by Akinori Fudesaka (Tsuredure Children) at TOHO animation STUDIO and OLM, alongside these staff members as reported by Crunchyroll:

Character Designer: Yukiko Nakatani (Tropical-Rouge! Precure)
Color Designer: Misato Aida
Art Director: Katsumi Takao
CGI Director: Yu Nagai
Director of Photography: Rumi Ishiguro
Editor: Daisuke Imai
Sound Director: Shoji Hata
Music: Kevin Penkin (Made in Abyss), Alisa Okehazama (JUJUTSU KAISEN)

Cover image via Crunchyroll.

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The upcoming anime adaptation of The Apothecary Diaries will premiere this October as part of the Fall 2023 anime season.

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The post ‘The Apothecary Diaries’ Trailer Hints at Murder, Mystery and Even a Little Mayhem appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.