Book review: Mai Ishizawa's The Place Of Shells is a profound debut about grief and loss
Mai Ishizawa's The Place Of Shells is a hauntingly profound journey into the emotions associated with death and disaster.
By Mai Ishizawa, translated by Polly Barton
Fiction/Sceptre/Paperback/160 pages/$32.93
Worlds collide in Mai Ishizawa's powerful yet heartbreaking debut, The Place Of Shells, which immediately catapulted her into the literary stratosphere as she scooped up both the Gunzo New Writers' Prize and the prestigious Akutagawa Prize.
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Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Slay all day: Demon Slayer carves out a place in anime history
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox SINGAPORE – Japanese anime movie Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba has surpassed its predecessor's record. The sequel Infinity Castle – the first of three movies that wrap up the story begun in the anime series – is showing in Singapore cinemas. In Japan, it has already toppled previous Demon Slayer movie Mugen Train's opening-weekend box-office grosses . The Straits Times' artists Cheong Huan Ting and Soh Hwee Yi recount the franchise's killer achievements through the years. The story ST ILLUSTRATIONS: CHEONG HUAN TING AND SOH HWEE YI Tanjiro Kamado, the teenage protagonist of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba, returns home to discover his sister, Nezuko Kamado, has been turned into a demon and the rest of his family are dead. He joins the Demon Slayer Corps to find a cure to turn her back into a human while also exacting revenge on the demons. His goal is to kill Muzan Kibutsuji, the King of Demons, to end their existence once and for all. In the latest movie, the Pillars – the strongest members of the Demon Slayer Corps – confront Muzan together, but are separated before they can land a single blow and find themselves transported to a realm known as the Infinity Castle. Critical consensus Infinity Castle was released in Japan on July 18. The action sequences and quality of the animation, as well as the movie's emotional depth, have been highly praised, while some critics say the pacing and story structure could have been improved. Box-office records ST ILLUSTRATIONS: CHEONG HUAN TING AND SOH HWEE YI It was the fastest anime film in Japan to earn 10 billion yen (S$86.67 million), achieving that number in just eight days. It earned 5.5 billion yen on its opening weekend in Japan theatres, breaking the record set by its predecessor, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Mugen Train (2020). Timeline ST ILLUSTRATIONS: CHEONG HUAN TING AND SOH HWEE YI 2016: The manga Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba, by Japanese artist Koyoharu Gotouge, debuts in manga magazine Weekly Shonen Jump. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Bukit Merah fire: Residents relocated as town council carries out restoration works Singapore askST: What to do in the event of a fire at home Singapore Jalan Bukit Merah fire: PMD battery could have started fatal blaze, says SCDF Singapore askST: What are the fire safety rules for PMDs? Asia AirAsia flight from KL to Incheon lands at wrong airport in South Korea Opinion Could telco consolidation spell the end of attractive mobile plans? Singapore Change in law proposed to pave the way for public-private sector data sharing Singapore From quiet introvert to self-confident student: How this vulnerable, shy teen gets help to develop and discover her strength 2019: The anime adaptation begins airing in April, with the series spawning four seasons to date. The manga sells 12.1 million copies in Japan in 2019, overtaking One Piece – the reigning champion since 2008 – as the year's top-selling manga series. 2020: The first big-screen adaptation, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Mugen Train, opens in Japanese cinemas in October and records 7.9 million admissions in two weeks. With a total gross of 36.55 billion yen, it is Japan's highest-grossing animated film, beating Spirited Away's (2001) long-held record of 31.68 billion yen. The final volume of the manga is released in December, selling about 2.86 million copies in the first week, with a total of 120 million copies in circulation across the entire series. ST ILLUSTRATIONS: CHEONG HUAN TING AND SOH HWEE YI 2023: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba To The Swordsmith Village is released in Japan theatres on Feb 3. It is a full-length compilation film consisting of the last two episodes of Season 2 (February 2022) of the anime series and the first episode of Season 3 (April 2023), which had yet to be aired at the time. 2024: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba To The Hashira Training is released in Japan on Feb 2. It is a full-length compilation film consisting of the previously released Season 3 finale (June 2023) and the then unaired first episode of Season 4 (May 2024). 2025: The manga records more than 220 million copies in circulation by July, with 164 million in Japan alone. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Infinity Castle is released in Japan on July 18 and is showing in Singapore cinemas. Past and present collaborations ST ILLUSTRATIONS: CHEONG HUAN TING AND SOH HWEE YI Aniplus Cafe SG A pop-up cafe at Esplanade Mall featuring Demon Slayer-themed decor and selling food and beverages, as well as merchandise based on the main characters, from Feb 21 to May 1, 2025. Universal Studios Japan The theme park in Osaka, Japan, has hosted multiple Demon Slayer-themed attractions over the years, with the most recent being Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba XR Ride – Race To Swordsmith Village and Demon Slayer Hashira Training Arc X Hollywood Dream – The Ride from July 2024 to January 2025. Fashion partnerships These included coming up with versions of the Rivalry Low footwear with Adidas (November 2024 to present); UT shirts with Uniqlo (July 2025 to present); and the Echo Clog with Crocs (August 2025). Upcoming themed events Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba In Concert (Oct 17 and 18) ST ILLUSTRATIONS: CHEONG HUAN TING AND SOH HWEE YI To be held at the Esplanade Theatre, the live concerts will feature Season 1's soundtrack performed by an 18-piece orchestra, while scenes from the anime are projected onto a full-sized cinema screen. Los Angeles Dodgers (Aug 15) The seasonal match at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles between Major League Baseball teams Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres will include a giveaway of the Dodgers X Demon Slayer collaboration hats and a themed drone show to celebrate the release of Infinity Castle, which opens in North American theatres on Sept 12.
Straits Times
6 hours ago
- Straits Times
Theatre review: Despite forgettable songs, Lord Of The Rings musical immerses fans with stagecraft
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Actor Rarmian Newton (playing Frodo, front) in The Lord Of The Rings – A Musical Tale stage production. The Lord Of The Rings – A Musical Tale Base Entertainment Asia Sands Theatre Aug 13 Fans of the Lord Of The Rings (LOTR) media franchise of books, films, television series and video games now have another avenue to indulge their love for all things Middle-earth – the theatre. And like the fictional setting populated with fantastical wizards, elves, orcs and dwarves, the stage wields its own magic too, allowing audiences to feel like they are part of the enchanting world. The Lord Of The Rings – A Musical Tale, which plays at Sands Theatre until Aug 31, is adapted from English writer J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy of novels (1954 to 1955), but also shares similarities with the film series (2001 to 2003) directed by New Zealand film-maker Peter Jackson. It made its debut in Toronto, Canada, in 2006 and has come to town for its Asia premiere, reimagining the story from the perspective of hobbits Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin, and focusing on their quest to destroy the One Ring. What differentiates this production, which runs for about 175 minutes with an intermission, is its immersive quality. For one thing, the action is extended beyond Sands Theatre's stage to its aisles and walkways. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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Prior to the show starting, actors are already greeting and mingling with guests, and inviting them to partake in the celebration of hobbit Bilbo Baggins' 111th birthday, the first scene of the musical. Talk about breaking the fourth wall. This artistic choice also accentuates the venue's cavernous quality, reminiscent of some of the film's epic settings such as beautiful elven realm Lothlorien and Barad-dur, the formidable fortress of the dark lord Sauron. A set largely featuring wood carvings captures the simple charm of the hobbits, while stunning projections bring to life many of the books' familiar scenes, from the tranquillity of elven sanctuary Rivendell to the dark chaos of Moria's dwarven mines. Wonder what happens when someone puts on the One Ring, which allows bearers to enslave all forever? That is also answered through clever staging. And puppets are used to depict many of the more sinister elements from the forces of evil. Puppets are used to depict many of the more sinister elements from the forces of evil. PHOTO: DANIEL BOUD From voiceovers to lighting to shadows, every theatrical trick is used to bring this battle of good and evil from page to stage. Lighting and shadows are used to bring the battle of good and evil from page to stage. PHOTO: DANIEL BOUD And for the most part, it works. The temptations and inner struggles faced by the characters are deftly captured by actors Terence Crawford (Gandalf), Laurence Boxhall (Gollum) and Jemma Rix (Galadriel). One actor who deftly captures his character's inner struggles is Terence Crawford (left, playing Gandalf), seen here with actor Rarmian Newton (right, playing Frodo). PHOTO: DANIEL BOUD Hobbits are a merry, fun-loving bunch, and this is played out with the production's use of music, all performed live by the cast members. For example, Jeremi Campese (Merry) pulls double duty on the cello, while actress Hannah Buckley (Pippin) tackles the violin. However, what disappoints is the overall original music, co-composed by Oscar-winning Indian maestro A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire, 2008). The 19 songs, which include folksy Celtic numbers and crowd-rallying anthems, are mostly forgettable, and seemingly serve to only express the emotions of the moment or impress on a character's grand entrance, without really moving the plot forward. It is almost as if these numbers are shoehorned into a perfectly fine play just so it can be called a musical, regardless if the source material meshes well with traditional musical theatre elements. Most of the songs in The Lord Of The Rings – A Musical Tale stage production are forgettable. PHOTO: DANIEL BOUD Nonetheless, LOTR fans will likely delight at being able to come so close to memorable characters and scenes, and having music add another dimension to the experience. The comforting duet Now And For Always, delivered by Rarmian Newton and Wern Mak (playing Frodo and Sam respectively), celebrates their enduring bond in the face of the conflict and turmoil. But for the most part, casual theatregoers may puzzle over why characters are singing in the first place. Thankfully, there is enough stagecraft to keep them entertained. Actors Wern Mak (left, playing Sam) and Ruby Clarke (right, playing Rosie) in The Lord Of The Rings – A Musical Tale stage production. PHOTO: DANIEL BOUD Book It/The Lord Of The Rings – A Musical Tale Where: Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue When: Until Aug 31, 8pm (Tuesdays to Saturdays), 2pm (Saturdays), 1 and 6.30pm (Sundays) Admission: $68 to $238 via Marina Bay Sands ( ), Sistic (call 6348-5555 or go to ) and Klook ( )
Straits Times
7 hours ago
- Straits Times
Gaza's young musicians sing and play in the ruins of war
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox GAZA CITY - A boy's lilting song filled the tent in Gaza City, above an instrumental melody and backing singers' quiet harmonies, soft music that floated into streets these days more attuned to the deadly beat of bombs and bullets. The young students were taking part in a lesson given on August 4 by teachers from the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, who have continued classes from displacement camps and shattered buildings even after Israel's bombardments forced them to abandon the school's main building in the city. "When I play I feel like I'm flying away," said Rifan al-Qassas, 15, who started learning the oud, an Arab lute, when she was nine. She hopes to one day play abroad. "Music gives me hope and eases my fear," she said. Al-Qassas hopes to one day play abroad, she said during a weekend class at the heavily shelled Gaza College, a school in Gaza City. Israel's military again pounded parts of the city on August 12, with more than 120 people killed over the past few days, Gazan health authorities say. The conservatory was founded in the West Bank and had been a cultural lifeline for Gaza ever since it opened a branch there 13 years ago, teaching classical music along with popular genres, until Israel launched its war on the Mediterranean enclave in response to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks. Before the fighting, Israel sometimes granted the best students exit permits to travel outside Gaza to play in the Palestine Youth Orchestra, the conservatory's touring ensemble. Others performed inside Gaza, giving concerts in both Arabic and Western traditions. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Jalan Bukit Merah fire: PMD battery could have started fatal blaze, says SCDF Singapore 4 housebreaking suspects taken to Bukit Timah crime scene under police escort Asia AirAsia flight from KL to Incheon lands at the wrong airport in South Korea Asia Citizenship for foreign talents: How this footballer from Brazil became Vietnam's favourite 'Son' Business MyRepublic customers to see no immediate changes to existing services: StarHub Asia Malaysian MP Rafizi says his son was jabbed with syringe in planned attack, threatened with Aids Asia India, Singapore ministers discuss deeper tie-ups in digitalisation, skills, industrial parks Singapore From quiet introvert to self-confident student: How this vulnerable, shy teen gets help to develop and discover her strength After 22 months of bombardment, some of the students are now dead, said Suhail Khoury, the conservatory's president, including 14-year-old violinist Lubna Alyaan, killed along with her family early in the war. The school's old home lies in ruins, according to a video released in January by a teacher. Walls had collapsed and rooms were littered with debris. A grand piano had disappeared. Reuters asked the Israeli military about the damage. The military declined to comment without more details, which Reuters could not establish. During last week's session, over a dozen students gathered under the tent's rustling plastic sheets to practice on instruments carefully preserved through the war and to join together in song and music. "No fig leaf will wither inside us," the boy sang, a line from a popular lament about Palestinian loss through generations of displacement since the 1948 creation of Israel. Three female students practised the song Greensleeves on guitar outside the tent, while another group of boys were tapping out rhythms on Middle Eastern hand drums. Few instruments have survived the fighting, said Fouad Khader, who coordinates the revived classes for the conservatory. Teachers have bought some from other displaced people for the students to use. But some of these have been smashed during bombardment, he said. Instructors have experimented with making their own percussion instruments from empty cans and containers to train children, Khader said. A BROAD SMILE Early last year, Ahmed Abu Amsha, a guitar and violin teacher with a big beard and a broad smile, was among the first of the conservatory's scattered teachers and students who began offering classes again, playing guitar in the evenings among the tents of displaced people in the south of Gaza, where much of the 2.1 million population had been forced to move by Israeli evacuation orders and bombing. Then, after a ceasefire began in January, Abu Amsha, 43, was among the tens of thousands of people who moved back north to Gaza City, much of which has been flattened by Israeli bombing. For the past six months, he has been living and working in the city's central district, along with colleagues teaching oud, guitar, hand drums and the ney, a reed flute, to students able to reach them in the tents or shell-pocked buildings of Gaza College. They also go into kindergartens for sessions with small children. Teachers are also offering music lessons in southern and central Gaza with 12 musicians and three singing tutors instructing nearly 600 students across the enclave in June, the conservatory said. Abu Amsha said teachers and parents of students were currently "deeply concerned" about being uprooted again after the Israeli cabinet's August 8 decision to take control of Gaza City. Israel has not said when it will launch the new offensive. HUNGER AND FATIGUE Outside the music teachers' tent, Gaza City lay in a mass of crumbling concrete, nearly all residents crammed into shelters or camps with hardly any food, clean water or medical aid. The students and teachers say they have to overcome their weakness from food shortages to attend the classes. Britain, Canada, Australia and several of their European allies said on August 12 that "famine was unfolding before our eyes" in Gaza. Israel disputes malnutrition figures for the Hamas-run enclave. Sarah al-Suwairki, 20, said sometimes hunger and tiredness mean she cannot manage the short walk to her two music classes each week, but she loves learning the guitar. "I love discovering new genres, but more specifically rock. I am very into rock," she said. Palestinian health authorities say Israel's military campaign has killed more than 61,000 people, including more than 1,400 going to aid points to get food. Israel says Hamas is responsible for the suffering after it started the war, the latest in decades of conflict, with the October 2023 attack from Gaza when its gunmen killed 1,200 people and seized 250 hostages according to Israeli tallies. MUSIC THERAPY In a surviving upstairs room at Gaza College, the walls pocked with shrapnel scars, the windows blown out, three girls and a boy sit for a guitar class. Their teacher Mohammed Abu Mahadi, 32, said he thought music could help heal Gazans psychologically from the pain of bombardments, loss and shortages. "What I do here is make children happy from music because it is one of the best ways for expressing feelings," he said. Elizabeth Coombes, who directs a music therapy programme at Britain's University of South Wales and has done research with Palestinians in the West Bank, also said the project could help young people deal with trauma and stress and strengthen their sense of belonging. "For children who have been very badly traumatised or living in conflict zones, the properties of music itself can really help and support people," she said. Ismail Daoud, 45, who teaches the oud, said the war had stripped people of their creativity and imagination, their lives reduced to securing basics like food and water. Returning to art was an escape and a reminder of a larger humanity. "The instrument represents the soul of the player, it represents his companion, his entity and his friend," he said. "Music is a glimmer of hope that all our children and people hold onto in darkness," he said. REUTERS
