I just heard that Kindai magazine which seems to have been with us forever will shortly print their very last issue..(;´□｀). Not only has this publication been so unique in covering both artists/idols/actors/actresses to cater to both the female and male fan but it's still one of the most affordable with each issue selling for 570-580￥each~. While I haven't heard of the reasoning behind this monthly publication's closing it's so going to be sadly missed!!
The final issue of Kindai will be their November issue~ (;_;)
Our mail carrier must think I'm out of my mind~…when opening our lock box this afternoon I found four packages waiting for me and thus it's time for a few confessions…..:P
"Onechanbara"…."bikini samurai squad"…hmm this could either be really awesome or really…(>_<);!!! Just the whole premise though…I mean who thought of this?..it sounds wildly entertaining! Then there's "Red Cliff" parts 1 & 2….I think I'll watch these in one sitting if I can..all for Kaneshiro Takeshi!…oh and along with "K-20" which he also stars in with Matsu Takako & Nakamura Toru! "Death Note II" makes the last of the movies I spreed for recently and I've already watched the first one which I reallllly liked!!! This second movie sounds great too with the returning cast of main characters and what looks to be another plot of intriguing and thought provoking storylines~.
But nothing glues me to a t.v. like a great drama~! o(*´∀｀)o゛♥ "Ryusei no kizuna"…"Quiz Show2"….and "Smile" which all star members of Arashi♥! If all goes well I should be able to watch all three within a three weeks~. =)
And last but not least are music♪♪~ releases including Momusu's latest pv collection "Single M Clips~ 5"…Haruhi theme songs featuring Minori Chiharu & Hirano ♥Aya!…Kyanari Club's new album "2 Eejanaika!!"…Smap's new single "Sotto kyutto!!" and Buono!'s new single "Take it Easy!"
E~hhh?!!! and my friends say I shop~to~much! (。ーωー。)
Just last night I was watching the local news when suddenly a preview popped up for a local show which spotlights Japanese entertainment and culture~….and for anyone else living here in Hawaii you’re probably already very familiar with this program but for me it was like a sudden revelation!!! Wow a local program which is much like Japan’s long running “Soko ga shiritai” in format but all done local♥style~! =) Why didn’t I know about this before?!…(^q^)!
Ito Yuna’s segment below was shot in Shinjuku and what’s really *wonderful* about this particular interview is how she’s able to really be her down to earth local self and it’s a side that really isn’t seen too much on Japanese broadcasts and here you’ll even get a glimpse of what local girls in Hawaii sound like….umm okay I’m not suggesting that we all speak alike but there’s a particular auru here that you’ll notice in how Yuna freely speaks throughout the interview o(*´∀｀)o゛.
A~hh and just after a few words I’m like…she’s so *wonderfully* local. =)
Ito Yuna was raised in Hawaii and graduated from McKinley High School here on Oahu and while most likely much of her Hawaii “pidgeon” way of speaking has diminished during her time spent in Japan, she does make note of it in this clip. =) This looks to have been filmed a little over three months ago as the segment is promoting her 3rd and latest album titled “Dream” which was released on May 27th~.
Much of the interview is so candid♥ and a few *cute* tidbits you’ll learn about Ito Yuna while watching are a couple of her favorite eating spots here on Oahu….and the second place that she tries to mention, I actually have a few friends who absolulely love eating there!!! It’s all about their garlic chicken!!!….it’s such an island favorite♥~ (*´∀｀*)…..what her dream concert would be that could bring her back to the islands for a concert! ＼(^o^)／☆…..as well as the precise *moment* in her life..I think she said at ’13?’ when she first realized she wanted to be a singer along with the mega pop star who inspired her with a specific song♪♪~! I wonder if you can guess who it is?!! No peeking!…I mean watching first! XD Edit: added DokoGa TV clip back from their channel on YouTube as I couldn’t find my personal DVD recording.
Dokoga TV airs on Mondays at 7 pm with new episodes on channel OC16 and the same episode is rebroadcast 6 more times during the week on Tuesday at 1 am, Wednesday at 12:30 pm, Thursday at 2 pm, Friday at 6:30 pm and on Saturday with two showings….at 12:30 am & 4 pm~.
While I’m so behind on posting up releases that I’ve been listening♪♪~ to/watching I thought this would be a perfect time to include Ito Yuna’s latest album “Dream” as she’s also promoting this album in the Dokoga TV clip above~. The first pressing comes housed in a *kira kira* (*glittery*) outer clipcase and also includes an extra DVD which is about 23 minutes and contains the pvs for “miss you”, Koi wa groovyx2″, “trust you”, “imademo aitaiyo…” as well as a little “making of” feature~. I was hoping that the flash would show the glitter on the slipcase but alas all I could muster up was a slight glare on the discs…gomen! XD
I won’t go into too much detail about the tracks as I previously covered her singles from this album in earlier posts…(which can be searched for under tags: ito yuna ＾ ＾) so I thought I’d just list a few song♪♪~ recommendations here. While her previous album “WISH” really showed Yuna’s vocals maturing and growing so much with both power and light nuances, here her third effort “Dream” really sees her entire ability being put on impressive display with a really even balance of songs ranging from delicate to r&b to sweet & poppy~….the entire album of tracks really *shine*!! Like all talented vocalists, the very sound of just a few notes of Yuna’s voice are uniquely and immediately recognizable as she further strengthens her rightful place atop with Japan’s accomplished voices~.
~Recommended listening~
“Breeeeezin”
“love you”
“trust you”
“Brand New World”
“miss you”
“imademo aitaiyo…”
“no one else”
When the final track finished playing the very first time I was listening I was noticing such a long silence as I was expecting the album to repeat back to track one but eventually I realized there’s a hidden track here as “Koiwa groovyx2” gets an English version here~! =)
Hmm……e~hhhh??? my mom just subscribed to my YouTube videos?!! O_o!…..oh no it’s someone named “YoMomma2006″…just kidding!…(^q^) but “YoMomma” really did subscribe. =) It’s late….for my bedtime~….I must be tired. :P おやすみ～
(above…) This is what it looks like when 165,000 fans get together for one of racing's greatest nights! BMS looks literally like a gigantic coliseum and despite the down economy the Cup race event was once again sold out!
The night race at Bristol is always such an amazing spectacle to watch and this past Saturday night was no different as the double file restarts which made their debut at this track also added to the intrigue and on track raciness~. =) But just the sheer number of cars (43) coupled with this being the fastest half mile track in motorsports with it's high banking (36 degrees) and tight quarters make for a likely chance that many favorites would see some sort of trouble before the night was through. While on track incidents were fairly light, some woes developed in the pits as Jimmie Johnson's late race pit stop produced a loose right rear tire which saw him having to re-enter the pits and lose a lot of positions as a result….this occurring when he was running in 1st place~. And points leader Tony Stewart's night was perhaps the worst of all as he suffered constant radio communication problems throughout the night and with little way to communicate to his team on how to improve the handling on his #14 Chevrolet Stewart eventually went laps down and finished in a dismal 33rd~. A couple of bright spots that I think are worth mentioning would be the great finish that Australian driver Marcos Ambrose rode to as he finished in 3rd with just his second start at this most challenging track!….and while I'm not in particularly fond of a one Kyle Busch he was just so different in his post race interview as he was so sincere in his words and he spoke of respect to his competitors and what a priviledge it is to race in such a series~. Kyle Busch also passed through the fence the checkered flag to a weeping female fan which was also such a *touching* gesture and could this be the beginning of a kinder and gentler and more understanding Kyle Busch? ♥ The final laps were filled with a thrilling battle between veteran driver Mark Martin and Kyle Busch and Busch even gave Martin enough room on the bottom of the track leaving Martin a legitimate chance of making the pass cleanly….and while Martin battled hard to take the position Busch's driving and high line proved to be too much for the savy veteran to overcome and the laps wound down to the finish~!
And now for the final results for the Hirano♥Aya alarm clock giveaway…..(the final standings were calculated by adding together the average finishes for both the race at MIS & BMS)
4th place— Rebear (total average finish- 38.6) Rebear had the best average finish for the race at BMS with a score of 12.3!
3rd place– Tautterkle (total average finish–35.6)
2nd place– James (total average finish–31.8)
1st place– CK (total average finish–20.9)
Congratulations to CK!! Your Hirano♥Aya alarm clock will be mailed to you soon~! I'll be using the address that you gave me recently but please let me know if you've moved since! =)
This past week's been sooooo busy ・゜・(ノД`)・゜・。…and humid (´⌒｀。)! I've barely been able to be online recently….(kicks self! …(u_u*) )……and I *hope* everyone's having a most wonderful weekend too~! o(*´∀｀)o! I've gotten together with a few *friends* this weekend whom I haven't seen in quite a long time and one of them *kissed* me~ (人∀`*)♥….although I'm not quite sure if it was…
a) a *miss* you kiss b) a *friendly* kiss c) he prefers *kissing* rather than shaking hands~ d) he thought I was someone else and *kissed* me by accident e) it was an…I always ♥'ed you *kiss* ………(゜∀゜)………。 f) I look *kissable….lol okay I know that's so not true!! (/∇＼*)！ g) I spend way toooooo much time analyzing these things!…most likely correct! (^q^)!
Okay it was "only" on the cheek but had he tried kissing me on my lips I may have freaked out (゜ロ゜ノ)ノ and that would have been so not good! (・д・`*)!
………..hmmm now if he had been Kaneshiro Takeshi♥…..Oguri Shun♥…..Matsujun♥….Kimutaku♥…or Takenouchi Yutaka♥! (I ♥ older men!! XD ) or anyone else in my *day~dream* diary the situation may have turned out very differently I think~!
(*Wakes up* from baka! daydream and now faces reality!!!……(・_・);!!)
Still I wonder what his *true* feelings were??? (・c_・;)？
……..u~m long story short..I probably had a somewhat startled look on my face (._.;)….gave him an awkward feeling and scared him away! (;´□｀) lol but I wasn't actually intending to speak of *kissing* but rather a most delicious surprise~!
A *friend* of mine just returned from Japan….(she didn't take me with her (;゜□゜)!) but then again she was visiting Japan with her fiance so……..it would have been so not a good idea had I um….."tagged" along. XD And she purchased some *treats* on her last day there before returning here to bring back…..amongst them were pan♥ *treats*! Kare~ pan! Melon~ pan! and I just love how Japanese bakeries individually wrap their *wonderful* treats which preserves their freshness but also gives them such a……I don't know, I'm probably wacky for thinking so but I think it gives them an added touch of sophistication~. 😛 Okay I am speaking of bready *treats* but still…….and no no no fried ones for me ever!!! (ノロ≦。)！！！Kare pan is my favorite♥!!! I looooove curry so much!!! But on the other end of the spectrum would be anpan! Ick!! Ick!! Ick!!! (*≧∀≦)☆★ ↓ No offense to Anpanman…he's actually really *adorable*♥!!
Hmmm…azuki beans and I have not gotten along for years….um…well since I first tasted azuki beans!! lol I know it's most unusual for a Japanese to not really like or in my case really dislike azuki beans but there's just something about its….texture..(>_<)….its flavor..(>_<) that really disagrees with me! But then again I'm really strange like that~!…(^q^) Actually here manju is much more common and the "culprit" XD of azuki beans and sometimes my relatives trick me into eating them assuring me that azuki beans aren't in them….so not good! (*´艸`)!
Just a quick post to show each entries complete *fantasy teams* for the upcoming finale at Bristol!! ＼(^o^)／☆……..hmm what's at stake? Hirano♥Aya's so so adorable alarm clock which features four different wake up~ alarms voiced by the seiyuu/idol/artist/actress herself! This cute classic styled alarm clock is sure to be perfect for your transition from sleepy time to….breaking out of your *dreams*…..A~h! mou jikan?!!! XD
I thought it would add a bit of extra fun and intrigue if I posted up everyone's complete teams so just in case you're planning on tuning into the race live which is tomorrow (Saturday) beginning at 7:30 pm eastern time on ESPN =) with the pre-race show leading up to the green flag~….the results can be seen as they unfold live~.
This is the second and final race to deterimine the winner and the teams are……
CK's team- Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Brian Vickers, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick & Marcus Ambrose.
James's team- Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Marcos Ambrose, Dale Jr., Kyle Busch & Jeff Burton.
Tautterkle- Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, Brian Vickers, Dale Jr., Clint Bowyer & Casey Mears.
Rebear- Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch, Dale Jr. & Brian Vickers.
The overall final results will be a cumulative total including each team's average finish from the previous race at MIS and tomorrow's race results at Bristol~! Good luck minna and I hope you get a chance to watch the race♥~. ＼(^o^)／☆
I’ve only been *lucky* enough to have been a fan for the past few years of Arashi’s music♪♪~…a truly one of a kind group which inspires….moves, engages and ultimately entertains so many fans around the world through their unique brand of oneness~. So much can be expressed about the very endearment of each member, their unmatched closeness….relationships, a brotherhood which goes far beyond their ♪♪~ which *touches* us with each inspired and gently sent note~.
~Thank you Arashi~……10 years of love♥~ and the journey’s just begun ne~. o(*´∀｀)o゛ If you’d like to win a new copy of the limited edition of this amazing Arashi collection the details are later in this post…please vote for your favorite♥ Arashi member too ne~. ＾ ＾
By now I imagine I would sound so much like a redundant bore *gushing* ヽ(。´▽`。)ノ。。！！♥ about Arashi and why I love and adore them sooooo much (/∇＼*)…so to spare…(^q^) one’s patience here I’ll try restraining myself…(*´艸`)!
What I really wanted to do here today was to write up and *share* a favorite♥ all time song list from Arashi’s amazing discography. (￣Ｏ￣*)! No doubt a most daunting task!!!!….lol would I actually be able to place songs in order of personal endearment (*´∀｀*)♥??? It’s something that I haven’t done in quite awhile and Arashi’s music…with so many songs loved……appears as my Mt Everest~ of J-Pop rankings in a sense at this very moment. XD
First the details of the Arashi’s landmark release: “Arashi 5×10 ALL the BEST! 1999-2009” was released as both a LE as well as a standard version. The standard release would include 32 best of songs including their “5×10” track on two discs while the LE first pressing in addition comes housed in an outer slip case….includes in addition to a lyric booklet for discs 1 & 2, a special 52 page pictured lyric booklet for the extra bonus disc #3 with all ten tracks on the third extra disc being chosen by Arashi members themselves! The inner casing is presented in a beautiful gatefold style~ which houses all three discs while an extra pocket holds the disc 1 & 2 booklet in the LE~.
Arashi is so *wonderful* too in that they always share their open emotions with fans directly through songs written by the members themselves…..like special heart felt thank you’s~ and with this in mind…..
..it seems fitting to begin with Arashi’s……”5×10″ track♪♪~……………. ..their new song written for this tenth anniversary especially for fans everywhere~♥.
Above is a scan of the back of the LE’s outer slip case……..10 years…….such an *amazing* discography of hits♥ and for any fan perusing the track listing……this truly only touches the surface ne~ (42 here and counting!). ＾ ＾
And now for the booklet scans from the LE…..
(I really really tried bending the spine so much while scanning but I apologize for the drop off in image which can be seen between the pages in the center as I scanned a pair of pages at a time~.)
Such a *pretty* booklet….oh and it also includes the lyrics and extensive additional notes for each of the ten tracks chosen by Arashi members themselves but I only scanned the photos♥~ below. =)
At first I pondered about choosing a top 10 song♪♪~ list…
…..then maybe a top 12♪♪~?….
..maybe a top 24♪♪~?…
..and then it struck me!
How about a top 44♪♪~? (。ーωー。)
Odd I know.
I tried and tried to make a shorter favorite♥ song ♪♪~ list…
…but it just wasn’t meant to be. I’m *weird* I know…(^q^)
So, here’s my favorite♥ 44 songs♪♪~ from Arashi♥.
Beginning with #44…….＾ ＾
(and I agonized for sooooo long trying to put these songs in order of preference….so not an easy task and I still find myself wanting to add more songs as well as change the order….like wait this song should be here and that song should be there………I could’ve fiddled with this list forever I think…added more songs..and still not be fully sure of its order~. XD
But here goes! Σ(￣◇￣*)！！！)
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My favorite♥ Arashi songs…..
44. Believe
43. Fuyu wo dakishimete
42 Itsumademo
41. Truth
40. Smile
39. Natsu no namae
38. Cry for you
37. Nice na kokoroiki
36. Natsu no owari ni omou koto
35. Days
34. Tomadoi nagara
33. Boku ga boku no subete
32. Oh Yeah!
31. Ashita no kioku
30. Everything
29. Yabai-Yabai-Yabai
28. Lucky Man
27. Taiyou no sekai
26. Kotoba yori taisetsu na mono
25. Eyes with Delight
24. Niji
23. Happiness
22. Blue
21. Fuyu no nioi
20. A.RA.SHI
19. Typhoon Generation
18. Hadashi no mirai
17. Tobira
16. Sakura sake
15. Aozora pedal
14. Beautiful days
13. We can make it!
12. Step and Go
11. One Love
My top 10 Arashi favorite♥ songs♪♪~
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One of the most *beautiful* performances of a song that I’ve ever been so lucky to watch….
..performed just after each member spoke their MCs to the audience and this being the
final concert on their tour….the emotions were running very high…
…carrying over to the performance itself in most endearing ways~. ♥
If you’d like to enter to have a chance to win a new copy of Arashi’s 10th anniversary 2 CD set (pictured above)….”Arashi 5×10 ALL the BEST! 1999-2009″ LE first press release…..please *share* your favorite♥ top 5 Arashi songs♪♪~ here in this post….or more songs if you’d *like*~. ＾ ＾ All entries posted here on or before August 30th will be eligible for a one race chance to win this Arashi collection~. Further details will be posted after the August 30th deadline~…yoroshiku onegaishimasu~! =)
“so close” was actually released awhile ago….at least 6 years ago for the domestic release but it’s one of many action/martial arts films that I find myself watching over and over whenever I get the chance. Hmmm…is there a more *gorgeous* actress than Shu Qi in China?!! Okay maybe….
LOL! sorry I’m getting a bit sidetracked here but…hmmm that leads me to wonder (・c_・;)？Whom would you rather spend a day with?….Please click~* here for Vizu poll.
~The Carpenters “The Rainbow Connection” mp3~
This most beautiful song♪♪~ by the Carpenters plays a significant role in the film too..
and you may find it sweet♥ to listen to while you listen to me ramble on here…o(*´∀｀)o゛
So without giving away any spoilers and just to give an idea….
…Shu Qi (of “Transporter” fame..but she’s sooo not being put into a car trunk by anyone here!) & Zhao Wei (you may have watched her in “Shaolin Soccer”) lead the cast as sisters who survive as their parents are tragically murdered but what is left behind is their father’s nearly completed invention of a satellite driven computer software program that allows for visible access to the insides of just about anywhere~. Years later both are now assasins for hire of the most dangerous kind…older sister Lynn (Shu Qi) being the more capable of the two while her younger sister “Sue” is also most talented and definitely the more feisty of the two~.
The film also includes a *love* interest which facilitates an important aspect which ultimately leads to a very very significant part of the story’s outcome all the whille not undermining or slowing any of the film’s action oriented dna in any way~. =)
The action sequences are often quite *breathtaking* and in many instances so creative and this film also brings many dramatic and tear jerking storylines to the mix as well making for a quite well rounded girl♥power & emotion filled afternoon or night…depending on when you may watch…(^q^) …..and if by chance seeing two *gorgeous* actresses kick a lot of butt on screen isn’t enough……then there’s also…….
For the second race at Bristol Motor Speedway I'll be adding a little *twist*~ to the way driver choices are made…please check for these details below ↓↓↓ ＾ ＾.
Fuel mileage really wreaked havoc on just about the entire field during yesterday's race at MIS!!! From Jimmie Johnson running out of fuel for the second this year…and this time with just 2 laps to go plunged him all the way from 1st place to the 33rd position….it seems that the races at this 2 mile track in particular always seems to come down to fuel saving….amazing calculations by criew chiefs……timely or untimely cautions depending on who you ask….and a driver's ability to save save save fuel!!! Next Saturday the Cup Series heads to the most challenging and dangerously eventful bullring in Bristol where really no driver is *safe*!! Night racing always seems to bring out such excitement but at the same tempers seem to also flare up and especially at the fastest half mile in racing….really looks like a coliseum too~!….just an amazing atmosphere really! ＾ ＾
After the first race at MIS here are the standings so far for Hirano♥Aya's alarm clock giveaway~…….
1. CK—7.3 average finish (CK's drivers Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards & Brian Vickers finished in 17th, 4th & 1st respectfully) Is CK psychic? :O
2. James—17.33 average finish (Jame's drivers Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon & Tony Stewart finished in 33rd, 2nd & 17th respectfully)
3. Tautterkle—20.0 average finish (Tautterkle's drivers Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson & Tony Stewart finished in 10th, 33rd & 17th respectfully)
4. Rebear—26.33 average finish (Rebear's drivers Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch & Denny Hamlin finished in 33rd, 36th & 10th respectfully)
To add a bit of *spice* and extra intrigue to the second race I've given the driver picks a bit of a twist~.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please choose 6 drivers in which you think will have the best combined average finish for your fantasy team for the upcoming race at Bristol Motor Speedway which will be held on Saturday August 22nd. Please post only one driver name here and PM me your other five driver choices~. And for the real *twist*….only two of your driver picks may be in the current top 12 in points (driver standings are just below) while your other four driver choices must be between 13th-35th in current points standings~. I'm leaving out drivers in 36th to 43rd place in points standings as those drivers aren't guaranteed a starting spot in the upcoming race~.
Entries must be received on or before August 20th to be eligible~. And I'll post up everyone's 6 driver choices before the Saturday race so you may follow along live as the race unfolds on live t.v. to see who's winning as the laps unwind in one of the most exciting races of the season~! The new double file restarts will also see their debut at Bristol so this is sure to add so much unpredictability and *intrigue* to the race as cautions usually breed more cautions~. ＾ ＾
What’s probably very different for me personally is that growing up and living in Hawaii my entire life there’s an abundance of Japanese living/visiting here always both domestic and American/Japanese like myself. It’s really like a cultural *mixing* bowl* here where so many different cultures get together and live in harmony~…I mean for the most part ne~ =)! Really everyone embraces each other and in a sense race and nationality becomes almost a nothingness between everyone here……you’re loved and *embraced* by your personality rather than where you were born or what heritage you hold which is really sweet♥ I think~.
So being pure Japanese for me….lol I feel completely ordinary as I really should ne! XD Besides a few scares like a friend telling me that if I travelled to Japan and ended up in I quote “sketchy places where I may be scouted???” (・д・`*) I feel totally like everyone else. 😛
I’m now thinking that if I were born or lived elsewhere I may have a totally different perspective to share here….but brown eyes….brown hair and short! That’s me. ＾ ＾
Rare is it that we are graced with such open beauty, expression and talent….all so effortless and relatable and yet so moving and tragic in its poignancy...
Karasawa Toshiaki, one of Japan’s most celebrated actors whose career has long been a staple of Asian cinema has a wonderful gem from yesteryear that I’d love to share here~…..and like so many other prominent figures in Japan’s entertainment industry, diversity and one’s willingness & interest to delve into and explore longstanding personal passions or perhaps just to experience a career outside of one’s main forte can lead to the often unexpected and ultimately wonderful...
Some of the most prominent idols of yesteryear went on to become accomplished musicians & songwriters which is something that for the most part, today’s idols are perhaps still striving to accomplish. Two of my favorites~♥~ that come to mind readily are Moritaka Chisato and Tanimura Yumi both of whom actually shed the idol tag quite early...
If you know the series “Furuhata Ninzaburo (was a top rated show in Japan) and you’ve ever watched the drama series “Hitotsu yane no shita” this’ll be mega~funny…(^q^)! And Kimutaku is uncanny~* here…how he captures the acting tendencies of one Tamura Masakazu also a most popular and accomplished actor in Japan. Not only does Kimutaku vocalize to a tee Tamura~san’s voice and all of his speaking nuances from his odd pauses and elongated vowels but he also emulates his posture and idiosyncrasies like how he often taps at his forehead while in thought~….plus check out the hair!!!!!! as the hair itself is a character here =D!! In a nutshell the character Tamura~san plays is Japan’s answer to America’s “Columbo” character made famous by Peter Faulk and in this special SmapxSmap skit the premise for the murder/mystery is set in an endearing drama of the 90’s in “Hitotsu yane no shita” creating a most hilarious merging of shows into one...
Surely a lot of scrutiny would go into anyone naming whom they consider to be perhaps the greatest vocalist they’ve had the pleasure of listening to over years of being a music lover and most definitely it’s an absolutely subjective outcome for each individual’s taste. Not an easy task by any means but for me personally while there are so many seemingly countless accomplished vocalists from generations past till present one name keeps coming to mind each and every time I hear him sing♪♪…
By 1997 Amuro Namie's music career was reaching new peaks~* during her “can you celebrate?” period and while many perhaps dreamed to reach her level of talent and success, one aspiring artist sought and found true emulation in her style~ling...
A magical marriage in music and stage presence took place on this night as legendary singer Ishii Tatsuya who’s best known for his larger than earth personality+ larger than (your group!) group Kome Kome Club + a larger than life voice to back all that up 200% and then some~!!!…took the stage accompanied by the most talented and beautiful Matsu Takako all on a most special engagement on Music Fair...
While Norikochan is deep in thought above thinking about her future……I thought I’d share a bit of her musical♪♪ career and early idol side. =)
Shiina Noriko began appearing in numerous idol publications including UTB and Weekly Young Magazine in the late 90′s leading up to her honor of being named Fuji Television’s “Visual Queen of the Year” in 2001. But unlike previous years which featured only a single winner, 2001 would present four idols being named to this popular title…….but I always felt that Norikochan *shined* the most of the four that were chosen that year and she would prove to be very worthy of the Visual Queen award as she ventured into additional modeling, t.v. dramas and yes~! music!!
One of the first J-Pop artist’ voices that I fell in love with belongs to Mochida Maki and there’s just something so aesthetically *pure* and *beautiful* in Mochida Maki’s voice….in fact I’ll go as far as to say it’s one of the most *pure* voices that I’ve encountered in J-Pop over the years and that holds true till this day~.
Fukuyama Masaharu♥ has long been one of Japan’s most beloved~* icons and constant figures as both a most accomplished musician and actor~…..his talents reach even further though as he writes, produces and has also charmed~* in the likes of radio and stage~.
I honestly haven’t been this moved and impressed by a solo artists’ release in ages and while Acchan has steadily and surely endeared herself to me there’s always that singular moment when you fully realize just how much and liken it to a coronation of one of your most favorite of idols~♥...
What’s better than idol♥ bowling? Getting idols to dish the dirt on one another in pressure moments while they bowl and to think these select 24 girls thought they were just going plain bowling and it’s quite surprising how many reveal this to be their very first time throwing that oversized gumball with three holes down a slippery lane in search of pins...
I’ve been in a sort of an anime* mood recently and so I thought I’d feature an older Vox post here @ WordPress and in terms of a J~pop idol♥ who better to exemplify an “anime” voice than CoCo’s Miura♥Rieko ＾ ＾。
Qlair, a wonderful part of the legendary Otomejuku idol phenomenon and a great testament to Momusu & H!P’s longevity can be really further appreciated when you examine other idol groups which boomed from the late 80′s into the mid 90′s, many of which held tenures lasting no more than 5 years and often times far shorter than that. What the numbers don’t share though is the high quality of the music produced in these sometimes brief J-Pop careers and Qlair is a great example of just that...
It’s funny how the very initial aesthetics are obvious when it comes to accessorizing as a single cute~♥ hair bow atop is a constant and a fashion statement must!! Mmm but when you really dig a bit “deeper”….Blossom and Takamina….Takamina and Blossom….Blossom and Takamina….Takamina and Blossom…..and soon you can’t tell the two apart or you just feel a bit zany like I do at times :P.
And what’s so different about “Kimi wa, boku no mono” is that it isn’t shot in your typical “idol” way and what I mean by that is that it’s not chaptered into camera seducing♥ segments but rather “Kimi, wa boku no mono” is presented very much like a documentary instead and it’s very warm and candidly~revealing of how production goes on a day~to~day basis~....
Ever ponder what life would be like residing beside Mayuyu♥ post~idol♥ dating into her late 30’s?…or just how often you’ll be “surprised~*” to see omelet rice upon your dining table day or night? Well, wonder no longer as the always experience packed singles presented by the incomparable AKB team have produced a debut single very much worthy of the one~and~only cutest resident nezumi~♥!! You see her voice has always been as preciously adorable as *~animemaki~*...
The stage set up and atmosphere is most intimate and free of any frills or distractions making the music and C~ute’s duo up front and center and while I’ve longed for in the past to see much more musicianship amongst idols as the extra presence of instruments coupled with these all too often hidden talents we know so many of our favorite idols possess, when taken to stage adds an immeasurable dimension to their presence and I believe that to their appeal as well. The presence of a live band versus a recording, then too makes these real~live events even more enjoyable both musically and visually as the nuances of musical improvisation and re~arrangements to familiar songs gives the audience entirely new moods and twists to the set lists breathing an endless possibility for both your eyes and ears. Here the underlying musical theme of sweet~folk~pop takes the reigns on this set list which includes...
I have to start with Final Fantasy VIII. It’s has by far my favorite FF theme song with “Eyes on Me.” Not necessarily the best of the series game wise but I sure really did ♥ it playing for hours into days into weeks. ^ ^ The storyline was no doubt engaging and the characters really grew on you in time in such a real way but it’s this theme song “Eyes on Me” which wins me over unanimously. I had actually never heard Faye Wong sing before playing this game but...
While I think most everyone has either seen or worn seifuku♥ wouldn’t it be cute and sexy* to be able to witness the variations in style and the dressing and undressing of a most adorable idol~♥ as if you were her mirror on the wall~? Um…for educational purposes only of course :P!
For the most accomplished of bands a thorough excursion through their bodies of work is necessary to fully understand & appreciate their accomplishments….for theirs’ is a tapestry on which rare greatness has gone full circle...
Matsu Takako recently released~* a special edition concert DVD set for her “Time for music” 2010 tour and this two disc set includes 19 awesome performances with some very familiar faces as her tour band accompanies her onstage with Shibata Toshibumi on keyboard, Sahashi Yoshiyuki on guitar, Yamamoto Takuo on sax, Kawauchi Keishi on bass, Ogasawara Takumi on drums & the lovely~♥ Matsu Takako performing on keyboards and of course as the lead vocalist~! Wonderfully jazzy arrangements are heard throughout the concert which mainly features the touring~album “Time for music” however there are also quite a few nostalgic j~pop gems too from Matsu Takako’s past release catalog even going back to her very debut single “Ashita, haru ga kitara” which is performed in an amazing new light with a much jazzed up arrangement...
Dating back to 1988, Tanimura Yumi has amassed quite a music collection over the years and even as far back as the early nineties she was already active in writing her own lyrics and music on select tracks. I was so happy to see Ayaya get a chance to showcase her vocals on a Tanimura Yumi composition…well not one but two actually...
~Every scene..a single brush stroke upon the canvas.
Films to savor, for film making of this beauty and depth and scale don’t grace us very often..and the fates truly lie in ways of the wind.
I couldn’t recommend two films any more than the John Woo directed epics “Red Clliff” and “Red Cliff II” and if grading on a ☆ scale these films receive 10 out of 10☆’ｓ。
Every now and then we’re graced with something so unique and special in music♪♪～, artists that move us with their melodies…relate to us with their lyrics and capture us with their hearts~. Sakai Izumi debuted as the lead vocalist for the group Zard in 1991 and for over a decade and a half her powerful vocals would resonate beautifully over 45 single releases and 20 albums (including compilations & tributes)…..she’s truly an artist that has left us too soon~...
Now @ 28 Fukada Kyoko has reached iconic heights as an idol who’s captivated and entertained in the vast opportunistic world of Japanese media where it’s most common for a talent to explore everything from modeling to television to movies and beyond~. Fukakyon♥ was born on November 2nd, 1982 and has remained with a single management agency (HORIPRO) since her early teens when she first began appearing regularly as either a cover~girl or featured girl in numerous idol magazine publications, then most notably with her early Bomb magazine appearances. Her acting career also began early in her mid teens and although Fukakyon is primarily known as a drama/t.v. actress having appeared in an impressive number of dramas which now total over 40 to date she also has a modest but noteworthy movie resume which includes standout performances first, in the dark realism of an idol’s world brought to screen in the 2002 film “Doll’s which mixes dark short stories and the 2004 cinematic~masterpiece “Shimotsuma Monogatari”...
This post is dedicated in the loving memory of my Grandmother♥.
I’ve been wanting to write this post for some time now…as my grandmother on my father’s side was pure Okinawan so this post holds a special meaning for me personally…I hope you enjoy it. ^-^ The lovely Kuninaka Ryoko (Kuninaka Ryouko) was born in Okinawa in June of 1979 and the first time that I saw her was...
Every now and then you come across an artist and individual so amazingly talented and endearing that you do the inevitable…..for me that means going on an instant shopping spree!…(^q^)..where I purchase as many releases as I can find in one swoop~! A seiyuu’s craft is dependant on her/his ability to project emotions, character and just about any nuance imaginable through their vocals as their onscreen personas are brought to life in ways that only a select few born with such *magical* pipes can achieve and excel with~*. I first heard Hirano Aya’s singing voice...
In a musical era where AkiP has brought attention and overwhelming success back to purely~styled J~pop compositions and an approach as well as a product which resonates all that reflects upon Japan’s uniqueness…a purity which over the years has been blurred by outside influences of hip~hop…r&b…euro~pop..and Ameri~pop to name just a few~. Ichikawa Yui in hindsight may have been just a few years too early as she ventured from model/actress into music, too early for the old~school resurgence which is topping the Japanese music charts of today~ and in a lot of ways I think she’s been one of J~pop’s much more underappreciated artists of the millenium~.
Born of Okinawan decent, Ueto Aya’s very first sparked~* interest in the entertainment industry at age 13 as she gained recognition in her very first beauty contest entry~…however much like Fukakyon, Ayachan’s time spent in the idol♥world was brief and was only explored early in her career~. A springboard into numerous successful endeavors~* which have flourished to this day…however before venturing any further I thought it’d be appropriate to first “meet” one of Japan’s most endeared and successful talents~o(*´∀｀)o゛♥...
It’s so amazing to watch Kimutaku, Shingo, Goro, and Tsuyoshi (aka “rice eye”…well that’s what my mom calls him because she can never remember his name… :P ) cook up delicious and amazing gourmet meals!!! I mean they really can cook!!! And not just simple dishes but rather...
Getting my very first taste of what could be Japan’s currently most aggressive all girl band! Four Osaka high school students with a garage~band aura? That was enough to pull me in and now after a little over one week of listening, “Temptation Box” is quickly becoming one of my favorite albums and where to begin?..there’s so much to say!
In preparation for my very first trip to LA and with the one mission in mind of acquiring autographs from AKB48 and Mano Erina that and of course attending a great concert and film event!, surely I needed to have some sort of memorabilia, photos or just something for them to sign, so....
For a somewhat more informative and structured post on Tanimura Yumi see latter posts (also "featured" below)….as today is all about performances and visuals~♥. Tanimura Yumi’s vocals are so immaculate and she makes it look so effortless in concert…..Yumi~chan really embodies all that is possible for any idol who aspires to a much more involved career, one that will leave a lasting impression for years to come. As noted previously Tanimura Yumi’s career went from pure “idol” to songwriter/lyric composer really early in her career and she’s so accomplished on the piano making her concerts appear at times more like recitals in a sense. Her vocal control and range is breathtaking also as will be seen in the following live clips but her pvs are so cute as well~! ^ ^...
Fun fact about Japanese watermelons or “suika” are that they’re much more round than their counterpart American ones so you know what that means right??….they’re great for bowling of course and remember if they drift towards the left they’re not quite ready to eat however if they barrow towards the gutter on the right side then they’re perfectly~* ready to dig into っo(*´∀｀)o! Sorry I just totally made that ↑↑ up just now (._.;)…anyway...
Okamoto Mayo, a most accomplished musician/ singer who’s been active since the mid 90’s debuted with a most distinguished achievement as her debut single “Tomorrow” topped the Oricon Charts at #1…released on May 10th, 1995 it was also a tie~in theme song to the drama series “Second Chance.” Her discography over the years includes 20 singles and 16 original albums in addition to compilations and numerous visual releases from pvs to live concerts. With a most recognizable style and a vocal prowess capable of the sweetest of highs with a range and nuance projected through heartfelt emotions and touch with outstanding control it’s still not her most impressive ingredient stemming from her now long reaching resume in music~...
SCANDAL, I think still the coolest and most impressive~musician oriented all female Japanese rock band since Princess Princess and I love that this album isn’t single~dominated as there are so many new songs here!! Love the entire album top to bottom but I particularly have a soft spot for “Bright” and “HARUKAZE”…♥!...
Like countless others have done so before and since, Nakama Yukie’s rise to becoming one of Japan’s most celebrated actresses/celebrities passed through the gates of idol career, gravure model as well as a venture into a music career…the latter being my initial focus here...
~Simply gorgeous♥, and it’s so much of what you’d envision of a production circled around one of Taiwan’s most popular, *sexiest* and successful models also turned actress and singer～ ＾ ＾。
So a couple of days ago my best and closest girl friend~ Couscous who’s admittedly cute~♥ and yummy♥ beyond words announces to me out “out~of~the~blue”….’I think you’re a vaginatarian.’ What exactly is a vaginatarian?...
With HM@ ratings down and the all new “Berikyuu” show on the horizon bringing the promise of something great, I’ve been trying to think of a few ways in which HM@ could improve their show! :P Starting with…
Well Augusta is upon us again…..and yet I know not much about golf technique and I once “scored” a 35 on that ugh!!! volcano~like miniature golf hole….I mean seriously who invented that thing?? (ノロ≦。)！！！
Back on May 14, 2000 Amuro Namie performed for the very first time in the U.S. and it occurred right here in Hawaii! With substantial financial backing and 2 years of planning this monumental concert took place at Oahu’s famous landmark, the Waikiki Shell....
Sooo what to do in the whee early morning hours??? Watch Dragon Half!
This is so much one of my most favorite animes ever!! I can’t even begin to tell you how much it continues to crack me up no matter how many times I’ve watched it! XD
Feeling tired (_´Д｀)ノ。。of your same old wardrobe? Want to feel the euphoria~* of custom idol♥gear? ………(゜∀゜)………。 …but low on cash$? Well now there’s a way~ to get a~hold of rare concert merchandise.. ..and its free!!!! っo(*´∀｀)o! …
There’s a great possibility that you’ve watched this one too! And there are those special dramas which further draw and endear themselves to the viewer and a few weeks ago I found myself again reliving the drama “Long Vacation” as I’ve watched it quite a few times since its broadcast =) and it’s most wonderful that till this day it hasn’t fallen ill to that sense of ‘dated’ or stuck in an era as great love/ relationship stories can be truly timeless,…when of course the storytelling and development of characters is at a premium in writing and talents respectfully...
1. The opening credits reflects so much of the show’s personality and is one of the cutest ever!! One of J-Pop’s finest, Arashi presents you the main theme song…here hit play while I ramble for a little while…
“Sword of Desperation” (“Hisshiken torisashi”) portrays the life of Sanzaemon Kanemi (Toyokawa Etsushi), a highly skilled swordsman appointed as chief protector to his lord...
In a span of approximately 55 minutes Kamei treats us to some of her inner most thoughts while on location in scenic Okinawa. Whenever I see any footage or photos of Okinawa it just has such a warm and small town feel to their community and their architecture is always so amazing to see~! Unlike any of its predecessors, in large “20 Dreams” is a personal recollection which delves into a much more intimate look into an idol’s aspirations, hopes and dreams as the title suggests and where other previous releases may have only scratched the surface, Kamei’s narrative throughout covers anything from simple aspects such as hair color, dream bedroom & home design and fellow members to much deeper thoughts of family memories, specific childhood events, and future speculation. And throughout it’s all delivered with cute sincerity and more than any other member in Momusu, Kamei possesses the uncanny ability to incorporate the most adorable random and honest laughter that I’ve ever seen...
あっ！すごいかわいく～♥！！かわいく～♥！！！
Harugon, Nacchan, Rabutan, Ayarin & Mayuyu continue to be the cutest~* of units!…and I’m just listening to their 6th single I know so late XD! While I so adore Mayuyu’s vocals and we’ve had plenty till now with her solo songs~♥, but the more I hear Rabutan’s voice the more she’s beginning to become my favorite vocal in the group =)……and while watching the making of she just sounded so anime~like saying “gyu♥!” each time, like the cutest cutest cutest character you can imagine っo(*´∀｀)o！！
Firstly, I wasn’t ever sure if I would see the day in which SPEED’s all time record sales for an all girl group would be broken and not by a slim margin by any means as AKB48 has eclipsed this record (reaching in excess of 826,000 copies sold) which has stood for I think…over a decade now?..and if there were any single which was worthy of such an achievement surely “Beginner” is deservingly so~. At the top of the Oricon this past week, AKB48 has also eclipsed omg!!! even Arashi’s~♥ used to be leading single’s sales plateau for the year for a single release :O and from the outside one may wonder why this single in particular?..and why now?
Do you crave more girl♥power in your life?
Or do you *secretly*….or maybe not so *secretly* ♥ watching very attractive actresses kick some serious butt on screen?!!
Have you grown tired of watching girls bake madeleines in the kitchen all day while the men get to drive the car?
Hmm…if you answered yes to any of the questions above then “so close” may be just for you~. (￣▽￣)
In collaboration with Aquaplus, Dream Tech has created a beautiful 1/6 scale pvc statue of Kousaka Tamaki who is one of several featured characters in the popular Japanese “renai” (aka dating simulation) game “To Heart 2.” This series has gone from Playstation2 to pc and has since become an anime and manga series in Japan...
Uminii’s newest visual release~* arrived and having gone from seeing her much earlier photographs from “Ao no corridor” initially to now “Umikaze”, she’s matured so much in so little time and she’s simply breAthtaking in this release...
While looking @ my bottle of shampoo a few days ago it got me thinking about the full~bodied model/idol♥…(yup I’m weird that way =P) and how it’s nice to see measurements and not have to ask the question possibly coined by L.A.~ians many moons ago: ‘do u think those R real (・c_・;)？？？
Shortly after the January 21st announcement during AKBb48’s “Request Hour Set List Best 100” the pre~orders went up for Akip’s latest unit interestingly named “Not yet” and such is the venue of favor these days for announcing graduations, debuts and other sometimes jaw~dropping bombshells upon unsuspecting fans’ heads~. Happily this time it’s the birth of a new foursome...
In late ’97 a flash of J-Pop goodness appeared on Japan’s horizon in the form of a most unlikely group of members…in a time when “idol” groups were just about to break free from their brief hiatus of unpopularity there came a group comprised of 2 comedians and a very very cute Taiwanese model...
