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Harry's Sign of the Times
By Emily Lam
Boku No Hero Academia
By Isaiah Aguirre
Page 12
After a period of hiatus, it’s finally time for Harry Styles’ long awaited solo debut. Fellow former bandmates Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik have all released their own projects and singles, signifying the end of the One Direction era and their launch into their solo careers. Harry Styles was a little under the radar after the break-up until it was revealed he would have his acting debut in the movie Dunkirk, but excited many fans when he started teasing his first solo single, “Sign of the Times.”
As a long-time One Direction fan, I was extremely excited to hear that he was finally venturing out as a solo artist. The rest of his band mates have already started their solo careers or have plans to, so many fans like myself waited eagerly for Harry’s solo debut. I haven't been following One Direction as closely as I used to, so I was a bit caught off guard with his announcement for his album. When I saw his “Sign of the Times” video on my feed, I clicked on it immediately and there was just something about the first few seconds of the song that screamed “Harry Styles.” It was a song that I expected from him - a pop/rock song that highlighted his vocals in ways that One Direction songs never could.
The song starts off quite slow and soft. The melodies of the guitar and drums adds to this edgy feel that makes the song different from any other pop ballad. It’s over five and a half minutes of the real Harry Styles - the person he is aside from a pop boyband.
The vibe that he gave out through his teasers definitely implied that his song wouldn't be bright or colorful; it's the type of song you would listen to on a rainy day. I think his voice accompanied the song very well. It really emphasized his vocal range that added to the dynamic of One Direction, but by itself, I think he’s just on a completely other level.
What I appreciate about this song is that it is an interesting take on a pop-rock sound, and to me, I think Harry Styles exemplifies that. Due in part to the image that he portrays himself to the media, I felt that this song really expressed who he is as a person and as an artist. The vibe that Styles emanates is greatly represented in his music, and it’s clear that this is a project that he has dedicated much time to.
Not only is the song a complete deviation from his One Direction days, but you could clearly hear his voice through his music - and I’m not just talking about his singing voice. The voice that he has as an artist and a performer is shown through this song, which why is why I feel that this was a such a perfect song for him to debut with. “Sign of the Times” is a song that can finally show the world who the real Harry Styles is.
The day has come! After waiting for months, season two of Boku No Hero Academia was finally released on Apr. 1 and it’s something to look forward to.
Boku No Hero Academia is a superhero anime set in a world where eighty percent of the population have special powers known as “quirks.” The story revolves around protagonist Izuku “Deku” Midoriya, one of the unfortunate twenty percent of the population without a quirk. His lack of a quirk crushes his dreams of becoming a true hero like his idol: All Might. But through a chance encounter with All Might, Izuku gains the capability to fulfill his dream.
While the season hasn’t been out for too long, the second season contains much to look forward to. This season centers around an event known as the U. A. Sports Festival, an event held once a year where aspiring heroes get a chance to prove themselves to the country, the world, and, especially, the top heroes that will be watching.
What’s nice about this arc is that most of the cast has already been established to a significant degree in season one, allowing for the story to focus more on the development of these familiar characters.That being said, because the sports festival is school wide, we are also introduced to a few new characters who were not in the previous season, such as Mei Hatsume, a student in the support department responsible for the creation of several high-utility devices.
The season ramps up quickly with the festival beginning around episode two. The first episodes show conflicts rising between the old and new cast members. Students from the first season, class 1-A, will declare war on each other and put aside their friendships to be victorious. All of the students set out to achieve one goal: victory. After all, they’ve only got three chances in their life to participate in the festival and stand out.
Viewers can definitely look forward to many intense combat scenes since there are many young heroes involved, especially those whose powers we’ve yet to see. It’s safe to say that the second season of Boku No Hero Academia is one to watch.