Friday, May 30, 2025

Mori Challenge 2025: Write, Draw, Cook, Snap, and Wear! (Updated Prompts)

Many years ago a lovely mori friend wrote a series of prompts for writing, sketching, photography, and cooking! These prompts were super cute and I completed them for sketching once. However, I wanted to edit a few and make some more focused mori specific prompts for 2025 that mori folk might be able to use. 

You can check out the original prompts here, if you are interested! Some of the prompts are the same, and some are updated. There is also one new category, WEAR!

WRITE!


Use these prompts for journaling or blogging.
  1. Comfort Food: Write about eating or preparing your favorite/a meaningful meal.
  2. Mind Garden: Describe your dream garden.
  3. Furry Friends: Write about your pets, animals you like, or other animal friends.
  4. Memento Mori: Write about dark or spooky topics, dark mori, or any combination of the two!
  5. Mushroom: Describe your favorite mushrooms, research and share about a new mushroom, or how you incorporate mushrooms into mori.
  6. Winter Mori: Write about wearing mori in the winter, or winter-y mori activities.
  7. Summer Mori: Write about wearing mori in the summer, or summer-y mori activities.
  8. Traditional: Write an informative piece about a cultural artifact/tradition from your country, and how you might incorporate that into your style.
  9. Favorite Color: Write something titled “[your favorite color]”. Be creative with it!
  10. Least Favorite Color: Share how you would incorporate your least favorite color into mori.
  11. Rebellion: Write about breaking the "rules" in mori!
  12. Vacation: What is your dream mori vacation spot?
  13. Fairy Tale: What is your favorite fairy tale? Write about it!
  14. Music: Share your favorite mori song or musician.
  15. Paper: Write about writing! (e.g. what you like about it, what you write, your writing process, etc.)
  16. All About Me: What is your personal mori aesthetic? Share any pieces, themes, or ideas that are central to mori kei for you.
  17. Little Blessings: Write about the little blessings in your life and remember to appreciate them.
  18. Fantasy: Write about your dream mori item, outfit, etc. What do you see in your wildest dreams?
  19. Japan: Write about all you’d see/do on a trip to Japan. (in a hypothetical past during the Harajuku mori-boom, or present day are both okay!)
  20. Vintage: Write about what mori might have looked like in a past time, or share how you incorporate vintage items and themes into mori.
  21. Editorial: Write an article for the “Mori Messenger”, a mori newspaper.
  22. Challenge: Write about something in mori that is difficult for you to do or understand.
  23. Bento: Write about what you would put in your bento box to go on a mori picnic.
  24. Skills: What is something you learned to do, or a hobby you have, because of mori? Or what is something you can do that works well with mori?
  25. Little Things: Write about the small things in life, or in mori kei, that bring you joy.
  26. New: Create a new mori-like aesthetic (think yama kei, hama kei, etc.) What themes would you incorporate?
  27. Annoying: Write about something that annoys you about mori, or something you don't like.
  28. Meme: Make or share a mori meme, or write about something in mori that makes you smile or laugh.
  29. Contradiction: What is something you do or enjoy that is very "un-mori"? Tell us about it!
  30. Victory!: Make yourself a “Congratulations you did the Mori Challenge” certificate to award yourself.

DRAW!

Source: Aoi Yu in Honey and Clover Live Action

Use these prompts for sketching, painting, and other kinds of art.
  1. Comfort Food: Draw a picture of/including your favorite foods and snacks.
  2. Mind Garden: Draw a meditative garden from your imagination.
  3. Furry Friends: Draw your favorite forest creature(s).
  4. Memento Mori: Draw a portrait inspired by vintage memento mori photographs.
  5. Mushroom: Draw a picture of/including mushrooms.
  6. Winter Mori: Draw a winter mori picture.
  7. Summer Mori: Design a mori swimsuit.
  8. Traditional: Draw a mori outfit inspired by your country's traditional national dress.
  9. Favorite Color: Draw a picture with a color palette comprised of your favorite colors.
  10. Least Favorite Color: Draw a picture with your least favorite colors.
  11. Rebellion: Draw a mori person in a non-mori setting, or engaging in non-mori activities.
  12. Vacation: Draw a mori-esque vacation scene.
  13. Fairy Tale: Reinvent your favorite fairy tale(s) with a mori twist.
  14. Music: Listen to a song and paint/draw what you feel.
  15. Paper: Make a collage or do dêcoupage.
  16. All About Me: Draw a self portrait.
  17. Little Blessings: Draw something with a religious theme/motif.
  18. Fantasy: Draw a mori style fantasy creature (elf, hobbit, dragon, etc.)
  19. Japan: Draw a mori-style Kimono.
  20. Vintage: Draw a vintage style mori person.
  21. Editorial: Draw a mori-magazine front cover.
  22. Challenge: Draw something that is difficult for you.
  23. Bento: Draw a bento lunch.
  24. Skills: Draw something you are good at / enjoy drawing. Lean into your comfort characters and colors!
  25. Little Things: Draw a collection of small mori items.
  26. New: Draw something you have never drawn before!
  27. Annoying: Draw something that annoys you or that you think would annoy mori folk.
  28. Meme: Convert a regular meme into a mori meme.
  29. Contradiction: Draw something with contrasting colors.
  30. Victory!: You just completed the Mori-Challenge, so draw yourself celebrating.

SNAP!


Use these prompts for photography.
  1. Comfort Food: Photograph food(s) you love.
  2. Mind Garden: Photograph gardens and flowers, and make a collage if you'd like!
  3. Furry Friends: Photograph different textures of fur and feathers, your favorite animals, or your pets.
  4. Memento Mori: Take a photo or portrait with a dark or gloomy mood.
  5. Mushroom: Take pictures of mushrooms.
  6. Winter Mori: If it's winter, capture a wintery mori scene! If it's not winter, photograph the accessories/coord you would wear during the winter.
  7. Summer Mori: If it's summer, capture a summery mori scene. If it's not summer, photograph items that remind you of summer.
  8. Traditional: Photograph something that would be considered traditional in your culture.
  9. Favorite Color: Snap things that are your favorite color, put them together in a spectrum.
  10. Least Favorite Color: Photograph a color you dislike but make it beautiful!
  11. Rebellion: Photograph something that is not "beautiful" and make it beautiful!
  12. Vacation: Snap a relaxing spot or a vacation scene.
  13. Fairy Tale: Snap a landscape/scene which reminds you of a fairytale.
  14. Music: Listen to a song and capture it in a photo.
  15. Paper: Photograph books and pages.
  16. All About Me: Photograph yourself!
  17. Little Blessings: Snap a picture of something small that brings you joy.
  18. Fantasy: Snap a scene that looks like something out of a fantasy.
  19. Japan: Capture a picture that resonates with the theme Japan.
  20. Vintage: Capture something with vintage filters on.
  21. Editorial: Create a photo-spread to appear in a Mori Magazine.
  22. Challenge: Photograph something from a new angle you rarely use (above, below, tilted, etc.)
  23. Bento: Take photos of lunchboxes or a lunchbox meal.
  24. Skills: Take a photo of something you like to do, a hobby, or something you are familiar taking photos of.
  25. Little Things: Experiment with size and perspective to make little things look big & vice versa.
  26. New: Photograph a new experience, or something you have never seen before.
  27. Annoying: Snap what annoys you with doodles/google eyes on to make them less annoying.
  28. Meme: Snap a funny picture but make it mori!
  29. Contradiction: Photograph mori things or outfits in a non-mori setting.
  30. Victory!: Take a selfie with a big smile, you just completed the Mori Challenge.

COOK!


Use these prompts for cooking of baking!
  1. Comfort Food: Cook your favorite comfort food.
  2. Mind Garden: Cook a dish inspired by flowers.
  3. Furry Friends: Make a treat for an animal friend (pet or wild animals).
  4. Memento Mori: Make a dish your grandparents/great grandparents ate in their youth.
  5. Mushroom : Make a dish with mushrooms as the focus.
  6. Winter Mori: Cook a dish with winter vegetables.
  7. Summer Mori: Make mori-flavor ice cream.
  8. Traditional: Cook a traditional meal associated with your country.
  9. Favorite Color: Make a meal with your favorite colors in it.
  10. Least Favorite Color: Incorporate your least favorite colors in a meal and make it delicious.
  11. Rebellion: Cook something "unhealthy," or something some people might consider "disgusting," and enjoy it with no shame or worries!
  12. Vacation: Cook something you might have on a vacation, or a picnic.
  13. Fairy Tale: Make a meal that is in a fairytale (e.g. Grandmas picnic basket in Little Red Riding Hood or a Gingerbread house).
  14. Music: Make a meal based on a song with food in its name (e.g. Candy Candy Candy).
  15. Paper: Make paper-thin crepês with yummy fillings.
  16. All About Me: Cook your favorite dish, and tell us why you love it!
  17. Little Blessings: Make something delicious you can take and eat on the go.
  18. Fantasy: Cook a dish inspired by a fantasy story (e.g. Lembas bread from Lord of the Rings, etc.)
  19. Japan: Cook a Japanese dish.
  20. Vintage: Make a dish from the past that we wouldn't eat today! (Hint: Look up historical recipes from a time period that interests you!)
  21. Editorial: Make a recipe for the Mori Messenger (a made-up mori magazine).
  22. Challenge: Make something you have never made before, or something that didn't turn out well the last time you tried making it.
  23. Bento: Make a mori themed bento box lunch.
  24. Skills: Make your specialty, or something you comfortable making.
  25. Little Things: Make a meal using only mini foods (e.g. baby carrots, tiny potatoes, mini corn).
  26. New: Cook a familiar meal but with one new ingredient.
  27. Annoying: Make something that is tedious or frustrating to make (e.g. a recipe with lots of steps, something that takes a long time to rise or proof, etc.)
  28. Meme: Create a meme inspired dish, or something humorous.
  29. Contradictions: Cook something with ingredients you wouldn't normally use together (and hope it turns out delicious!)
  30. Victory!: Order take-out, you’ve cooked enough!!!

WEAR!


Use these prompts to create your own outfits (irl or in an online photo collage).
  1. Comfort Food: Create an outfit you would wear to your favorite restaurant or cafe.
  2. Mind Garden: Create an outfit inspired by flowers or other things you might find in a garden.
  3. Furry Friends: Create an outfit inspired by your favorite animal.
  4. Memento Mori: Create a dark mori outfit. Or, if you usually wear dark mori, incorporate some purposefully spooky themes into your outfit (e.g. skulls, spiderwebs, etc.)
  5. Mushroom: Wear something with a mushroom image or design!
  6. Winter Mori: Create a warm outfit for winter.
  7. Summer Mori: Create a light outfit for summer.
  8. Traditional: Create an outfit that uses themes from your culture.
  9. Favorite Color: Create an outfit using your favorite color.
  10. Least Favorite Color: Create an outfit using your least favorite color, or if you don't own anything in that color, a color you rarely wear.
  11. Rebellion: Create a mori outfit using at least one non-mori item.
  12. Vacation: Create a mini-capsule wardrobe (aka a set of items that can be made into a few outfits and easily packed for a vacation).
  13. Fairy Tale: Create an outfit inspired by your favorite fairy tale.
  14. Music: Listen to a mori song and create an outfit based on it.
  15. Paper: Make something out of paper, and wear it! (e.g. Origami, paper broach, paper hat, etc.)
  16. All About Me: Wear your favorite outfit and explain why you like it.
  17. Little Blessings: Create an outfit with something special to you. (e.g. A family heirloom, a gift from a friend, a piece you crafted yourself, etc.)
  18. Fantasy: Create an outfit that feels like something out of a fantasy story.
  19. Japan: Create an outfit with Japanese influences.
  20. Vintage: Wear a vintage piece, or create an outfit with a vintage silhouette.
  21. Editorial: Make a magazine outfit breakdown!
  22. Challenge: Wear a piece that is difficult to style. Try to style it in a new way!
  23. Bento: Create an outfit for a picnic bento lunch.
  24. Skills: Create an outfit that reflects your skills and hobbies.
  25. Little Things: Wear an outfit with many tiny details and accessories.
  26. New: Buy something new to wear in an outfit, or wear a piece you haven't worn yet or have been avoiding styling.
  27. Annoying: Wear a piece that annoys you when you wear it, or share a piece you no longer have because it was annoying. (e.g. uncomfortable fabrics, bad fit, bad shape, etc.)
  28. Meme: Wear any mori outfit and recreate your favorite meme, or take a funny photo wearing mori.
  29. Contradiction: Style two pieces you never would put together. Try to make them work with one another!
  30. Victory!: You've styled enough! Congrats! Wear your favorite clothes and relax.
As always, if you try these prompts, feel free to link your posts below and share with others! I'm always excited to see them!



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Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Biblioethica May/June Prompt: Baggage

When I read the prompt for this month, I thought about being creative with it. But honestly, it's really more fun to approach it straightforward. So, let's go through a list of bag types seen throughout the years in mori fashion! There's honestly more types than you would think.


1) Baskets

An absolute classic option, and perhaps the most well known. Baskets have been a staple in mori fashion since its creation. Their whimsical and vintage quality makes it well suited for the mori aesthetic! Baskets can be carried plain with no extra accessories, or might be customized with lace, trim, bows, straps, and more! They may also be stiff baskets like you might find at any thrift store, or more malleable raffia options.

2) Simple Side Bags

Simple side bags, usually made of leather or other solid colors and fabrics, are also a popular choice in mori kei. With their simple natural look, practical size, plenty of space for carrying your daily items, and availability in any mainstream store, a simple side bag is always a great option.

3) Backpacks

Backpacks are also quite common in mori fashion. However, they are less common in photos, and more common in practicality. This is simply due to the fact that most backpacks are not very aesthetic. So most mori folk carrying them, myself included, leave them out of our outfit photos. But not all backpacks have to clash with your outfit! You can look for backpacks in neutral colors, and decorate with lace, charms, and more. Or look for simple cloth backpacks in natural tones to match your outfits.

4) Stuffed animal bags

Stuffed animal bags are much less present in mori kei. These carry over mainly from lolita subcultures, but throughout the years have been present in mori outfits too, especially in Harajuku street snaps. Common animals are of course bears and rabbits, but any cute and cuddly animal in neutral or floral colors could work well. It lends to a more over the top, cute look.

5) Novelty bags (clocks, florals, etc.)

This category is a catch all, I'll admit! But by far, the most popular kind of bag in mori, is any bag you like and looks vaguely mori-esque! This means there is a lot of variety out there for what bags you will see.


There are some common things you might see, although there are always exceptions to any rule! Some common things are lace covered bags, knit or crochet bags, bags made of scrap fabric or ruffles, and other novelty themes. You may find bags with images of woodland creatures, in the shape of vintage items like the classic clock bag featured in mori magazines, or even at one time a giant cat head bag that had a brief moment of popularity!

Common Themes: 

Now, you may be looking at all these bags, and thinking "Cute! But I can't buy these exact bags, so what should I be looking for when shopping?" Here are a few points to keep in mind from a long term mori girl when looking for your next mori bag.

  • First, try to find a bag that will fit the colors of your outfit. This can be specific, like matching your bag to the pink undertones of your outfit. Or it can be more broad, with a neutral toned bag that goes with anything. Any bag that fits the colors of what your outfits tend to be is best. Especially if it can be reused over and over again in various outfits.
  • Next, look for natural tones and fabrics, and not overly synthetic or bright colors. Of course, there are always exceptions! But in general, these kinds of bags will always fit the aesthetic and be easier to work with. Common fabrics you might look for are leather or fake leather, wool, cotton, and canvas.
  • Your bag should also be one (or both!) of two things: cute and/or practical. Cute bags are those like bulky baskets that fit mori perfectly, but may not carry your items well, or are difficult to carry comfortably. These are great, but not practical for everyday. This is your bag for your OTP outfits you wear at conventions or on a special day, not your daily mori outfits. A practical bag is just how it sounds, mainly something that is easy to carry and has enough space for your items. After wearing mori for many years, these kinds of bags are my go-to. They're the bag you're likely to keep around for years to come!
  • Last, it's not required, but might help your search, to look for vintage options. Many vintage bags have all of the above points, much more so than new mainstream brands might. So taking a look at online or in person thrift and antique store options is always worth a shot. Plus, you get a unique piece that no one else is carrying!

Thanks for reading my deers! What is your favorite mori bag? Is there any type of bag I missed? Let me know in the comments below!

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Saturday, March 8, 2025

A Beginner's Guide to Mori Kei (2025 Edition)


It’s 2025. You turn on your computer, and through some streak of luck, stumble across images for a J-fashion style called “Mori Girl”. You’re so excited. This is exactly the kind of fashion you’ve been looking for, and you’re instantly in love.

But tragedy strikes. You go to google for more information and you are instantly inundated with reblogged pinterest photos with no sources, articles of questionable quality from fast fashion brands that seem to say a lot without saying anything meaningful, and blogs that haven’t been updated since 2015 at least.

Has this happened to you? Well fear not! I am here to give you a guide to getting started with mori kei in the years since its decline in popularity.

If you are new to the style and feeling lost, this guide is for you! And if mori is old hat to you, maybe you can find some interesting tidbits here as well.

Let’s get started!

Contents:

Preface: Where is all the mori content? / What is going on with mori in Japan?

If you are just discovering mori in 2025 or later, then I have to inform you of some sad news. Mori is, for all intents and purposes, a dead fashion style. At least in terms of its influence and growth in Japan.

All mori brands, online groups, and street snaps in Japan have completely died out. If Japanese mori girls are still around, they are not posting publicly on social media (not surprising given Japan’s love of privacy), or have transferred to modern iterations of natural fashion, like Natural Kei or mainstream equivalents.

However, mori is never dead as long as the international community keeps it alive! And thankfully, there are always a few mori friends here and there around the world wearing the style.

Sadly, a lot of international people who were once prevalent in the style have left the fashion as well, deleting their internet content when they left. That is what has led to a lack of content on the fashion overall. However, mori content is still around if you know where to look!

What is the history of mori?

I wrote a pretty comprehensive post on this topic here, and you can also check out more information on the mori wiki as well.

A quick version if you are short on time is this: mori girl, also know as mori kei, was created around 2006 in Japan, and exploded in popularity around the world. It faded in popularity in Japan around 2014, with brands and street snaps slowing before disappearing altogether. It had a more recent re-surge in popularity with the rise of cottagecore, which, although a different fashion entirely, has some similar aspects to it.

Useful Links

    How do I get started learning the rules and the fashion?

    Unlike some other J-fashion styles with stricter rules and guidelines, mori is a very loose and free fashion. It’s all about matching the general vibes and silhouette of an outfit.

    There are a handful of things you will see across the fashion to keep in mind, such as:
    • Natural fabrics
    • Loose fit/silhouette
    • Layering
    • Natural colors
    But each of these rules can and will be broken, as mori is highly customizable to your personal preferences.

    It can be daunting at first without a strict checklist to follow (although there is a Japanese checklist that can serve as a starting point on your journey), but my best advice is to read up a bit on the style, find images you like, and build your style off of that. As you learn and expand your wardrobe and outfit making skills, it will get easier with time to make the mori outfit of your dreams!

    Useful Links

      Where can I buy mori clothing?

      Historically, mori has had two main sources of clothes.

      The first and oldest is thrifting. Before mori had any mainstream relevance, mori people only thrifted their clothing. It’s the oldest and most reliable way to find pieces. It takes time, but anyone can do it.

      If you happen to have no thrift shops/bad thrift shops in your area, check out online options like depop, threadup, eBay, etc.

      The other type of clothing is brand pieces. However, mainstream mori brands have all closed their doors. The likelihood of getting your hands on any of their pieces are slim to none. That means your options are basically only replicas on sites like AliExpress and Taobao.

      There are some small brands that sell mori pieces, and you can also look for other similar styles from brands as well. Search terms to look for include:
      • lagenlook
      • boho/bohemian/etc.
      • cottagecore
      • country chic
      All of these are separate styles with their own looks, but many of the pieces sold for them can also work for you!

      Some small brands, specialty shops, modern Japanese brands, and others also sell some mori pieces, some examples include:
      Useful Links

      Where can I find mori resources?

      Well, you are on my blog, so that is a great place to start! But if you’re looking for more options to dig through, here are a few great ones.

      • Mori magazine archive (a collection of magazine scans from mori's most popular days in Japan)
      • Mori kei resources archive (a tumblr archiving any kind of mori resource you could ever want, all in one place)
      • Joining mori communities (see below): You can ask any questions and get feedback from fellow mori folk.

      Is there a mori community?

      Yes! It’s small, but we are still around. These days, most of us are chilling on our own personal media sites, as things like Facebook groups and LiveJournal where we used to come together have fallen out of popularity. (I’m personally on BlueSky and YouTube as forestsandtea, but I know of others on Instagram, tumblr, etc.) But, the main, curated community is discord. There are also smaller communities based around individual creators, so if you like a creator, check to see what social media they are on and follow them there.

      Can I wear mori if I’m (plus-sized/not Japanese/tall/short/masculine/etc.)

      Short answer: Yes. If someone tells you differently, block them and run away. Joking. Kind of.

      Anyone and everyone can wear mori. If it makes you happy, wear it!

      Useful Links

      What kind of things should be cautious of when getting into mori?

      This is a broad thing, and there are caveats and exceptions to each of these points. However, I recommend being cautious of:

      • Any articles from fast fashion brands, J-fashion resellers (like Dolls Kill, etc.), and any information from non-mori community people that does not link sources. In general, look for where their info and images are coming from. Specifically, larger brands have recently started making "mori" articles, but have no idea about the style.
      • Buying from mori brands on Chinese websites like Taoboa and AliExpress. They are often replicas of cheaper quality, and the sizing can be inconsistent. So check reviews, sizing, etc. before you purchase anything!
      • Cottagecore sources on mori. Not all cottagecore folks are guilty of this, but a lot of them have fallen into the trap of "cottagecore = mori", which is quite frankly, false. The two are similar, but not identical.
      Useful Links

        Thank you everyone for taking the time to read this post. 

        For new moris, welcome to the community and we are happy to have you here! Please feel free to ask any questions below that this post may not have covered.

        For old moris, share your favorite sources of inspiration and links down below that I may have missed! (Self promo is welcome as well ;) )

        Until next time, everyone!



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        Thursday, December 5, 2024

        2024 in Review (Mori and more!)

        Hello my deers! This post is a bit different from my normal content, so I want to do a quick explanation of why.

        As mori is no longer an active fashion style, there is only so much content that can be made about it. I've been posting about mori things for years now, and while I don't plan on stopping any time soon, I'd like to diversify my content here a bit, so that I can post more regularly for your all.

        So, that being said, I wanted to do something more mori adjacent, and do a year in review type reflection of things I've enjoyed this year, both mori and not. I hope you can enjoy and find a few things you might like yourself.

        Music

        My taste in music is, as always, very eclectic. However, I did find some new musicians and songs that I really enjoyed this year that have a mori feel to them. So here are a few of my recommendations!

        The Crane Wives

        This band isn't new, but they are new to me. I only really started listening to their extensive catalogue this year, and I've really enjoyed it. Their sound is soft yet powerful, very relaxing and toned down, and has really meaningful lyrics.

        I'd highly recommend anything from them, but a few of my favorites recently have been The Curse, Never Love an Anchor, The Moon Will Sing, and The Hand That Feeds.


        Motion sickness by Phoebe Bridgers

        This song was one of those that got played on tik-toks and reels a while back, and I really enjoyed the sound so I started listening to the whole song. It's melancholy, but overall relaxing. And I really enjoy the soft tones of Bridgers' voice. It's a great casual listen.


        My Body's My Buddy by Tessa Violet and Brye

        Words cannot express how much I love this precious song. It's all about loving yourself and your body, and feels like a warm hug and a therapy session all in one whenever I listen to it. It's been on repeat for me ever since it came out, and I highly recommend it to anyone.


        Last Man on Earth by Anna Bates

        This song isn't actually new, or new to me, but I did rediscover it this year and I forgot how much I enjoyed it. Although it's about an apocalyptic event, it's somehow whimsical and charming in its own way. The music is also just really good.



        Song about America by Olive Klug

        This one is a bit political, but as an American currently really struggling with the state of the world, it really speaks to me. It also has Joni Mitchell vibes, which I love, and a very strong classic folk feel. It's really gotten me through some hard times this year, so I hope it can speak to you too.



        Tiny Habits

        Tiny Habits is a phenomenal group. Their harmonies and soft sound are absolutely breathtaking. I recommend anything by them. My current favorite song is Tiny Things, but I've also really enjoyed One More and their cover of Landslide.

        Games

        I've played a lot of games this year. Most of them are not mori, but I want to talk about my favorites anyways. I'll try to tie them in, but honestly, these are just really good games that I recommend anyone check out.

        I have two categories of games this year, games that consumed my brain, and games that were cozy and fun.

        Brain Worms

        • Baldur’s Gate 3
        Yes, I'm one of those people that was obsessed with Baldur's Gate this year. I had never picked up any game like it before, and I was convinced I wouldn't actually like it. I was wrong. This game was amazing. The stories, the characters, the gameplay, it's all so good. 

        On a "mori" note, the game has some really nice forest locations. And also druids. That's mori, right?

        But really, the game is just a narrative masterpiece. I found myself really connecting with the world and the characters, and really invested in their experiences. 

        It is a bit more graphic than other games I've played, but I still highly recommend it. If you haven't picked it up yet and you are even slightly interested, do it. You won't regret it and it is well worth the price.


        (My original artwork of my Tav character, Isra!)
        • Talos Principle 2
        This game is technically solarpunk, but to be honest, it gives major mori vibes. It almost all takes place outside in these gorgeous nature locations. It was honestly breathtaking. 

        The gameplay is puzzle based, so if you love a good puzzle game, some really fun and interesting characters, beautiful scenery, and some philosophy thrown in for a little spice, then you will really enjoy this game. I picked it up on a whim and it became one of my favorite games I've ever played. Highly recommend it.

        Also, you can pet cats in it. What's not to love?

        • Zelda Tears of the Kingdom
        I know, this one is mainstream and everyone has played it. But man. It's just a really great game. I put so many hours into this game, and I don't regret it for a second. Exploring the landscape, meeting characters, thinking of ingenious ways to skirt around a fight because you're a wimp (maybe that's just me though...) is all so fun. 

        If by some miracle you haven't picked up this game, go ahead and do it. The first time experience of playing it is honestly indescribable. 

        • In Stars and Time
        This game is not mori at all, but I cannot recommend it enough. It's a game about an rpg protagonist, stuck in a time loop. It has some heavy topics about mental health, but it is handled so well and is so impactful. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, desperate to read every bit of dialogue. And it did not disappoint even for a second. 

        I don't want to spoil the gameplay, as it really is a game best played (or watched) blind. But I can guarantee you, you will have an impactful experience and hear a story you will never forget. Insertdisc5 did an amazing job with this one.


        Cozy and Fun

        • Chants of Sennaar
        This game is like Heaven's Vault lite, and it was super charming and quick to progress through. It has fun challenges and exploration, as you scale a mysterious tower and learn to translate various in game languages. 

        It was fairly short, but very well done. A nice little puzzle game to curl up with.

        • Sonority
        This game is an indie game, and it feels like one. But for what it is, it has some unique puzzle mechanics centered around music, and some nice areas. The language localization was a bit... spotty to say the least, but it didn't distract too much from the gameplay. 

        It was also pretty short, but I had fun playing it and found the puzzles fun but not too challenging. 

        • A Little to the Left
        This game saw a lot of popularity this year, as it should have! It's also a bit short, but it's a really well done puzzle game involving organizing items. It's exactly what it says on the tin, so if you think you would enjoy that, you probably will. And if cleaning in a game sounds awful to you, then you might want to skip this one.

        I personally love organizing, so this game was a blast for me. I found myself returning to it for the daily puzzles over and over! Very cute and relaxing.

        Places I Visited

        I travelled less around Japan this year compared to other years, but I still visited a lot of charming places that I really enjoyed. Here are some of my highlights!

        Nikko

        I've been to Nikko so many times at this point after moving to Tochigi. It's the most famous place in this prefecture, and that's for a reason.

        Nikko is a heritage site, known for it's beautiful and intricate temples. I've been able to visit it in all four seasons, and each is as stunning as the last.

         

        Ashikaga Flower Park

        Ashikaga Flower Park is most known for is Wysteria. I've visited in the peak season, and it truly is magical. But this year I had the chance to visit during a less busy time at rose season. The smell was amazing, and there were literally hundreds of kinds of roses. I'd never seen anything like it before. It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.

        Gunma/Mt Akagi

        I had a chance to go to a very Yama Kei place. In fact, a yama kei anime takes place there! A mori character and her yama friends actually climb this mountain, Mt. Akagi, in Encouragement of the Climb.


        I wasn't able to climb the mountain, but I did see some lovely natural sites in and around Mt. Akagi. The area is breathtaking. My best memory was when my brother, visiting me at the time, pulled out his kalimba and played a little tune as we sat at a beautiful overlook. Truly enchanting and a mori girl dream!


        My Hobbies

        I spent a lot of time this year focusing in on my hobbies. Here are a few highlights!

        Artwork

        I drew a lot this year! I completed inktober completely, with full pieces for each day, for the first time. I also started using my art instagram account more regularly, opened a toyhouse account, and completed 3 commissions! My art has improved a lot this year, and for the first time in my life I feel confident and comfortable calling myself an illustrator. 

        Here are a few pieces I liked this year.

        Mireldis from Bella Sara (Commission for Asherah)


        A Tinble (my original species)

        Loop from "In Stars and Time"

        An original creation, Bruna, for an art contest

        Songwriting

        For the first time in a long time, I wrote a new original song! This song is about my heart's home here in Japan, the town where I used to live but had to move from. It's very bittersweet, and all in Japanese. I'm hoping to record it and release it soon on my youtube channel, but that may be something for a later date.

        Writing

        I finished a final draft of my first full novel! It's still not published as of yet, but I am ridiculously proud of it. It's a fantasy novel and I hope to someday release it for everyone to read.

        Game Design

        I started learning game design this year, something I didn't think it was even possible for me to do. But somehow, I'm doing it! I completed my first fully functional demo, and I'm currently working on a full project. It may be years until it sees the light of day, and I'm not ready to share any teasers just yet, but I'm very excited about the progress I've made so far.

        That's all for my year's review. But how about you my deers? What things did you enjoy this year? What are you proud of accomplishing? Where did you visit? I'd love to hear all about your year.



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