issue 06 // volume 42 Studio Ghibli en vogue » Canadian designer takes inspiration from Hayao Miyazaki Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor Mlifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca f you don’t know who Hayao Miyazaki is or what Studio Ghibli is, I’m not sure we can be friends—which you should totally want, because I’m pretty cool. Anyway, Canadian company Wizards of the West has recently released an entire unisex line of clothes that feature some of Miyazaki’s most beloved characters—carefully crafted into interesting designs for T-shirts, leggings, and sweatshirts. So far only six of Studio Ghibli’s over 20 films have been chosen to be featured in the line, but the company has claimed that they plan to add more in the second part of the collection. For the moment, Valley of the Wind, My Neighbor Totoro, Mononoke, and Academy Award winner Spirited Away are the first to receive designs in the collection. Studio Ghibli itself is no : stranger to receiving praise from : an English-speaking fandom. In : 1996, Disney acquired exclusive : International distribution rights : to Studio Ghibli films. This act : was a major contributing factor : in saving Disney when they : risked bankruptcy prior to the : 2002 North American release of : Spirited Away and its subsequent : Oscar win. However, the : arrangement has been mutually : beneficial. Due in part to Disney : being able to attract big-name : voiceover talent such as Tara : Strong, Christian Bale, and Billy : Crystal for the English dubs, : Studio Ghibli has produced eight : : of the top 15 highest grossing : anime films—Spirited Away : being number one with over : $330 million USD worldwide. For Wizards of the West, : this will be their first full line, : though they have dabbled in : other graphics including a pair : of 50 Shades of Grey themed Ponyo, Castle in the Sky, Princess : leggings and some World of : Warcraft merchandise. As for the line itself, it is extremely casual. You can : definitely tell that the designers : have at least watched the movies : because more child friendly > and whimsical films such as : My Neighbor Totoro and Ponyo : feature more colourful designs, : as opposed to the darker design : for the far more serious Princess : Mononoke. My only real issue : from a fashion perspective is : that some of the colour choices : ona few of the pieces make : them look like medical scrubs— : that minty, hospital blue is not a : good look on anyone. Overall, I think the line is cute, and I am certainly all : for expressing your favorite : nerdisms through fashion; : however, I’m a little suspicious : of what sorts of body types these : clothes will and will not fit. The : cut of certain items, mainly the : dress shirts and sweatshirts, : already look to be out of : proportion on the models, which : makes me wonder what they will : look like on an everyday person. In either case, I’ll probably : be holding on to my money—at : least until they come out with : something from Howl’s Moving > Castle. life & style // no. 17 Image via wizardsofthewest.com Life without an immune system » What it’s like to be immunocompromised Lauren Paulsen Senior Columnist Covenns and sneezing— that’s pretty much all I hear from my peers in class right now. It’s autumn, and it’s the beginning of the flu and cold season. When someone near me coughs, sneezes, or indicates in any way that they have a virus, | farther away. Most people do. No one likes being sick. But my case is a little different. You see, if 1 catch a bug that causes a normal, healthy person to be sick for a few days, I am sick for much, much longer. Probably two weeks, at minimum. Not only that, but | become something like 10 times sicker than most would. This is because |am immunocompromised. I’m in no way healthy to begin with. I have a serious medical illness that has been plaguing my body since | was four years old. It causes a type of white blood cell in my body to be hypersensitive, and the white blood cells try to attack everything, thinking they’re foreign invaders. This in itself causes problems with my immune system. The medications I am on to suppress it make it even worse. Every year I go through a cycle of constant : illness. Winter is particularly : bad, and of the four yearsthat1_ : : have been at Douglas, I have had : : to withdraw during every winter : : semester because | became too} : sick to continue with my studies. : : It seems that I am just a magnet : for viruses. If someone in the : room is sick—heck, they might : not even be feeling symptoms— : Pll catch that bug. cringe and try to discreetly move : I dread flu season. I had : someone ask me once if I was a : germaphobe. I’m not freaked out : : by germs, but I have to be hyper : aware of everything I touch. I : keep my hands away from my : face while out in public. I wash : my hands over and over again. : I follow all of the tips given out : every year to keep people from : getting sick. Nothing seems to : help. This year, I’m trying : something a little different. It : was suggested to me that I try : using a Vogmask while out in : public. A Vogmask isn’t quite the ! : same thing as the blue masks : : that people wear in the hospital; : itis a specially ordered mask : that has filters in it that keep : allergens and viruses out. The : Vogmask kind of acts like the : immune system that I’m lacking. It’s kind of embarrassing : wearing the mask out in public : because it makes me stand : out. I have to keep reminding : myself that my health is more important than looking normal. And really, isn’t it? I hope dearly that this : might be the solution I have : been looking for. I’m tired of : being sick. I want to actually : make it through the Winter : 2016 semester. That would be : wonderful. So, if you ever come : across someone that is : immunocompromised, please : be courteous and keep your : distance if you are sick. And if Illustration by Ed Appleby : you see the girl with the mask : walking around campus, feel : free to smile and wave. The : mask isn’t to keep germs in, but : to keep them out.