Arashi - LOVE review

Hello. I'm back to talking about Arashi again. And you will see quite a few more posts related to Arashi later on now that they're doing stuff, and their album has come out and with the P.A.R.A.D.O.X PV and Music Station performance they just did... lots of things to talk about! First thing on the list though - my actual thoughts on this new album.

To start with? I like the theme of it, I like the jazzy, R&B, disco kind of 70's feel this album gives as a whole. Would I say that every single song  is awesome? Ultimately no - in fact there's not one song that really stands out except maybe PARADOX and Sayonara no Ato De - FOR ME. But enough of this general ramble, let me just talk about the songs.

More random Gin x Ran thougts to get off my chest

So I just started thinking in the shower (because that's where we all do our greatest thinking, don't lie!) and I know how I said in my previous post that in some ways Gin's death brings it's own sense of closure - and it does in the sense that she won't hold on to him because he's given her nothing to hold on to.

On the other hand his death is still super tragic for her and part of me wonders how long it took before someone was able to drag Rangiku away from Gin's body because I feel like she must've sat there for a very, very, very long time... until she had no more tears to cry, until she was exhausted, until Hitsugaya, or Hisagi, or someone had to literally pick her up and drag her screaming and the only way they could shut her up was to pretend to take Gin's body with them... except then they just dump it somewhere because I feel Captain-Commander Yamamoto wouldn't be so forgiving.

The thing is - Hisagi and Komamura get a very finite sense of closure because they realise that Tousen is completely deluded and bad. It's not that he became misguided and could be helped back on to the right path - he chose this path because he honestly thought it was right and although they had to struggle to over come this and accept this reality they could do it in the physical form of killing him. For Rangiku she gets none of this. What she gets is the realisation that one again, Gin has saved her and then the next moment he's dead. She doesn't know the details but the fact that Gin saved her is already enough because it's a redeeming factor. It's a fact that high lights the idea that Gin wasn't "that bad". That despite all this crap he still cared for her and for all you know she has come to the conclusion that it was possible that he died for her. She might not know the reason for how this happened - she might think it's because Aizen realised Gin had not killed her (and that would just be so heartbreaking for her to take) or she might take the easier route and just believe that Ichigo had cut him down and she wouldn't even bother asking for clarification because somewhere deep down she knows that couldn't have happened.

Honestly when I see that scene in anime, or re-read it in the manga (I don't purposely go out of my way to do it but it comes up as .gifs on tumblr often enough - seriously I'm not that masochistic) it breaks my heart to see the tears because he's left her with so many mysteries and for those first couple of days in mourning it must've been so hard on her. So hard for her to realise that Gin had saved her, had probably died for her, that even until the very end - despite what everyone else had thought, including Rangiku herself - Gin had prioritized her life as the most important thing to keep safe. And yes - in some ways this brings her closure because although she understands this, like I said, Gin hasn't actually given her anything concrete to confirm these thoughts so in the end she can just leave them as mysteries as she's always done and that's more helpful to her. Because I think if Rangiku did know everything, did know his motives, she really never would've left his side. She would've stayed by his dead body agonizing over the fact that he really did die for her and that would really just kill her inside. But she doesn't know that for sure and so she can keep going.

....ugh. I need to stop. These two are ruining my life and my ability to study for my mid-terms.

Once again, I'm begging Kubo to just bring Gin back to life for my own sanity.

Obligatory Gin x Ran feels post of the year

I started watching Bleach when I was twelve and like any little twelve year old I thought Hitsugaya Toushiro and his ice abilities was the coolest thing to ever hit the planet. Then we get to his fight with Ichimaru Gin and up until this point I thought he was amusing but... you know, that was it. Up until this point. And then we get the flashbacks, the fight and how coolly he takes everything.... and it was that day that I decided Ichimaru Gin is my most favourite character, period. As in throughout all series of anime or manga or books or movies, Gin is hands down my most favourite character ever.

嵐 - 時計じかけのアンブレラ

(Translation Index: Here)

時計じかけのアンブレラ - Clockwork Umbrella

不思議なことばかり　何信じればいいの
もし迷うなら　俺のそばにいて

Nothing but mysterious things, what should I believe in?
If you’re lost, stay to my side

初めて見る風景　君の胸生まれる
疑う(うたがう)よりも歩き出してみて 　（過去　未来… 今）

Seeing for the first time this landscape, which was born from your heart
Instead of doubting, try taking a step forward (the past, the present… now)

Ah Ah, Lady, Come on baby
心に差したアンブレラで
敲く（たたく） fly me  Do you wanna with me
ここでゼロから

Ah ah, Lady, Come on baby
With this umbrella held up over my heart
Fly me, do you wanna with me
From here on starting from zero

時計じかけの　ラブソング好きさ
ロマンチックな針が交わる瞬間　抱き寄せて
君が居ればいい　何も要らない
二人で歩く長いこの回り道に　夢がある

I love this clockwork love song
Hold on to the romantic moment when the hands of a clock cross
As long as your here it’s fine, I don’t need anything
On this long, circling, path that both of us walk on, there is a dream

My love go on & on
Your love go on & on

胸に火燃ゆる導火線　
いっそこのままどう成れ
もう俺もここまで　
我慢知らぬ大人で (あ,もうだめ）
夢はどこかで
いつか奏でていた音を変える　
この旅路どこまで
迷わぬよう二人の帆を立てる

This burning fuse in my chest
Might as well see what will happen to it
This is as far as I can go
As an adult who doesn’t know patience (ah, I can’t take it anymore)
Somewhere in my dreams
The sound that’s been playing will some day change
How far is this journey?
So that we won’t lose our way let’s put two sails up

まだだめ　まだだめ　朝まで暖め
明日の種まけ　裸で暖め

Not yet, not yet, keep it warm until morning
Spread the seeds of tomorrow and warm them with your bare skin

ずっともっと遠回り
街は辺り変わり
響くあまい話り
生まれくる愛のさなぎ

An even longer detour
The towns surrounding us change
A sweet story echoes
A chrysalis of love is born

真実は何　誰も知らない
確かなことは　君はゼロから

What is the truth? No one knows
The only thing I’m certain of is you starting from zero

嘘でいいから傷付くだけで真実
心の奥そっとしまうから

Even if it’s a lie, the truth will only hurt
So I’ve softly hidden it inside my heart

雨が二人も濡らし続けても
大切なのは君がいるで

Even if the rain continues to soak us
The important thing is that you’re here

その二人たくさん咲いた未来の花を温めて
優しい傘そっと差して行こう

Warm up the many flowers of the future that have bloomed for us
Let’s raise this gentle umbrella and quietly go on

時計じかけの　ラブソング好きさ
電気ショックに痺れたキスの瞬間　止めないで
君が居ればいい　何も要らない
二人で歩く長いこの回り道に　夢がある

I love this clockwork love song
Don’t stop this moment where our kiss is numbed by an electric shock
As long as your here it’s fine, I don’t need anything
On this long, circling, path that both of us walk on, there is a dream

愛の嵐で　離したくない
二人描いたこの希望の落書きを　地図にして

In the storm in love, I don’t want to let go
We’ll turn this graffiti of hope that we drew into a map

My love go on & on
Your love go on & on

大野智 - Two

(Translation Index: Here)

大野智　-　Two

車窓に重なる　隣で微笑む君
こんなにもうすぐそばにいても　触れる事はできない
ステレオから流れる調べ今はただ切なくて
僕だけの君にしたくて

Overlapping on the car window is you beside me, smiling
Even though you’re this close to my side, I can’t touch you
The tune coming from the stereo, right now it’s just sad
I wish I could make you mine

So don’t ever go, ever go, ever go, go away
このまま夜が明けても
Don’t ever go, ever go, ever go, go away
帰したくないから

So don’t ever go, ever go, ever go, go away
Just like this, even when dawn breaks
Don’t ever go, ever go, ever go, go away
Because I don’t want to let you go back home

もう少しだけでいい　何も言わず follow me
君を連れ去りたい　胸が叫ぶから
I need you, I need you, I need you
たとえ今夜が最初で最後の夜でも

Just a bit more is fine, follow me without saying anything
I want to take you away, because my heart is crying
I need you, I need you, I need you
Even if tonight is the first and final night

月明かり浴びる　急に黙り込む君
Highwayを当てなくて漂う　止まる事はできない
いつからだろうかどんな景色よりもずっと眩しくて
君だけが惑わせるから

Bathing in the light of the moon, you, who suddenly fell into a silence
Wandering on this highway, unable to stop
When was it, that you were more dazzling than the scenery
Only you keep leading me astray

So don’t ever go, ever go, ever go, go away
心をちょっと振り向いて
Don’t ever go, ever go, ever go, go away
離したくないから

So don’t ever go, ever go, ever go, go away
Turn your heart slightly around
Don’t ever go, ever go, ever go, go away
Because I don’t want to let you go

誰一人壊せない　二人だけのdestiny
泣かないでそのひとみ抱きしめられたら
l love you, I love you, I love you
せめて今夜は永遠の時を願うよ

No one can destroy our destiny
When I hug you, pleae don’t cry from those eyes
l love you, I love you, I love you
Let’s pray for an endless amount of time, at least for tonight

伝えたい言葉さえしまい込んだとしても
愛しさが溢れていく震えるほど

Even if I hide away all the words I want to tell you
My love is overflowing to the point I’m shaking

もう少しだけでいい　何も言わず follow me
君を連れ去りたい　胸が叫ぶから
I need you, I need you, I need you
たとえ今夜が最初で最後の夜でも

Just a bit more is fine, follow me without saying anything
I want to take you away, because my heart is crying
I need you, I need you, I need you
Even if tonight is the first and final night

Regarding Tortall: Thoughts on Kel

Despite having read Song of the Lioness and The Immortals quartets numerous times and Tricksters quite a few times, I've only read Protector of the Small for the second time recently, just finishing the last book two nights ago. Why? Simply because when I first read PotS, at the age of twelve or so, Kel didn't interest me at all and so I never thought of giving it another go. Until now of course.

For the first... two and half parts of the quartet (so about half way into Squire) I still don't find Kel a particularly interesting character. It's actually not until a bit into Lady Knight that I finally start liking her and respecting her, but only in that one book. Overall I still think she's a bit too.... bland.

Regarding Tortall: Alanna and Aly

Another random post about another series of book written by the most amazing YA Fantasy author ever Tamora Pierce. I just want to say now that Song of the Lioness is my most favourite quartet (and books) ever and the Tortall universe in general is my dream. Well, not really, I don't want to live in medieval times but I wish I could meet and know all the characters because all of them are so bad-ass and brilliant.

But that's not what I want to talk about at the moment. What I want to talk about is the relationship between Alanna and her daughter Alianne. (I've been re-reading the Daughter of the Lioness you see). Can I just say that I really love this relationship? Or, well, I find it very intriguing.

I'll just say right now, Alanna is my most favourite character ever, George x Alanna is my biggest OTP for this universe, and pretty much any time either of these two are mentioned in any of the books I go nuts and get incredibly happy. My biggest wish is just to see what their married life is like with their children and the thing is - in Aly's story we get a very small glimpse of Alanna's relationship with her daughter - and it's a complicated one.

The thing is, at first glance, it seems like Aly somewhat resents her mother, or they don't get along. And most people would think that in general Alanna just doesn't spend much time with her children, isn't very close with them etc. but after re-reading Trickster's Choice that's not the feeling I get at all. Aly clearly misses her mother, and Alanna is clearly going nuts at the fact that her daughter is missing. I just found those moments very sweet - when Aly noticed the relationship between Sarai and Winna and likened it to her own relationship with her mother. The thing is - they clearly care and love each other quite a bit but their personalities clash so strongly that it's difficult for them to get along (for now). Aly is after all, still a growing teenager, and Alanna just has issues understanding how her daughter works at the moment.

Tammy has clearly said that Aly eventually grows to understand her mother more and I can see this happening. Aly does respect her mother quite a bit already as a teenager (her indignation at the fact that someone did not know her mother, and how much faith and pride she puts in her mothers ability as a warrior is something I find very telling) and I can see, as she gets older, Aly understanding what it's like to be constantly driven to do something with yourself because she herself has suddenly found that passion in her work as a spymaster.

If anything I see Aly as a perfect combination of her two parents. She has the skills and calm, easy-going manner as her father, but she's also incredibly stubborn and determined like her mother - she just doesn't realise the latter part yet.

Really all I'm here to say is, Alanna and her relationship with her kids. I need more of this because... well, could you imagine 19 year old Alanna at the end of Lioness Rampant being a mother? It's a different sort of character growth that you obviously cannot release a novel about but... my god I wish I could read about it anyway.

Heir Series - Linda x Lee

Alright so another topic that's coming out of nowhere - again I started re-reading an old series from my... adolescence (I have fic that I wrote from 2007 so I'm guessing that's when I first read the books) and it's called The Heir Series written by Cinda Williams Chima. I'm not under the impression that is is a particularly famous series compared to some other child fantasy stories but I must admit - after re-reading it that it definitely is a favourite of mine. Although I'm mostly judging this by the fact that this series has virtually no fanfic - but this might be just because the general population that reads this series is way too young to write fic. Which makes me sad and desperate so I'm going to do some flailing and what-not here.

進撃の巨人(Shingeki no Kyojin) - Attack on Titan

So... normally I avoid really hyped up anime/manga that people are flailing about because it always just seem like people like them for the "hot guys" (*cough*Free!*cough*) but after seeing some panels of the manga and reading about the plot I decided that this was something I should check out and what a huge mistake I made.

Let's Talk Harry Potter

I've pretty much spent all the spare time I've had the past week with my head shoved into a Harry Potter book. It was like I'd turned back to my 8 year old self, where I had my face shoved into a book pretty much any moment I was not in class and I read Harry Potter so much I head nearly memorized the first 3 books word for word.

Music Station [2013.05.31] - Endless Game Performance

If you're wondering why I didn't write a review of Endless Game it's because I actually really dislike the song. As for the rest of the songs on the album? I don't remember them but I just remember I didn't like any of them. I tried giving Monochrome a chance because it sounded jazzy but it was horrible.

With all that being said... I love the performance for Endless Game. Has it made me like the song? No. I still can't listen to the song without stopping it within 30secs, but I am willing to rewatch this performance multiple times because I legitimately think it's that great.

I was pretty hesitant about watching the performance because I knew how much I disliked the song but I was, surprisingly, hooked from the beginning. I was actually multitasking when I started the video so I laughed a bit when I paused the performance because it looked like the pose they'd have to the cover of an album. But onto the dance. It was cool. From what I could see, the black on black and crazy camera angles made watching them a bit of a pain but I enjoyed it. I really appreciate all the little, repetitive, precise dance movements they do like the horse-riding looking thing, the left-to-right hip swing, a few of the arm movements etc. I don't know why but watching any dance I've always appreciated little movements like that. They always seems more awesome and entertaining to me than spinning on the floor, or doing flips.

There were some parts of the dance that were kind of awkward though, like when they were trying to move in "slow" motion (or were they trying to do some pop-lock motion cause that did not show through at all).

The end of the song is also great though. I was glad they didn't go the Face Down/Breathless route having the members make a aisle on the middle for the main to walk through - I got tired of that already. What they did with the standing in a line was great. I know other groups have done it - and Arashi certainly has done things like this in other songs but a lot of the times the camera isn't centered in or it's just... not all that impressive to watch but for Endless Game it was impressive and I loved it.

Random note - when Sho (or any one of them) says "Warning" it sounds like "ワニ" (Wani) to me and that means crocodile so whenever I heard them say warning I couldn't help but grin or chuckle a little. When I first heard the song I was always curious about what Sho was saying because it sounded like someone took his voice and stuck it through the whammy bar of an electric guitar. But anyway.

All in all it was a cool performance and considering how much I hate the song - yet I love this performance - it goes to show how great it really is.

Star Trek: Into Darkness

Where Spock x Kirk as an OTP is canon and Benedict Cumberpatch plays Sherlock Holmes with a bit of revenge on his mind.

Jokes aside.

It wasn't a bad movie. I enjoyed the ambiguity of who was the villain and who was the "good guy". You could see that Khan, although terrible, was not 100% evil and Kirk wasn't an angel either. It's a bit load of gray, where you question whether you should be mad at this guy, or feel pity for him. Obviously you end up cheering when he gets defeated but there is that moment of doubt halfway through the movie where you begin to question "is he really that bad". Or at least I did. I've never watched Star Trek though so it's not like the name "Khan" would've rung any warning bells. Did it surprise me that the Admiral was hell-bent on war? No. It was a very "modern" movie in a way. People bent on war, people bent on revenge, terrorism, destruction. Some of them could be our fathers, some of them could be people who have lost everything. I believe the messages the movie was trying to stress were apt and enjoyable without being too preachy.

The other message they were trying to shove though, which was Spock x Kirk (called, quite lovingly, Kock?) was a bit too much for my tastes. I love my good share of bromance and friendships, things like LoTR and The Avengers but the "touching hands between the glass" etc. etc. was just a teensy bit too much. I just don't like having pairings and ships shoved down my throat (if you haven't noticed with Sherlock *cough*) when the point of the movie is not romantic. And I know, I know, Kirk and Spock are supposed to be besties but come on. Maybe I've been hanging around tumblr too much,  I think this is a sign I need to step away from the computer.

The lovers quarrel was amusing though. What I like about Star Trek is their humor, and the character dynamics that allow for this humor. I enjoy me some Spock and Kirk interaction with the quick barbs and witty banter just as much as I enjoy Scotty and Bones (Dr. McCoy).

And I will not retract what I said about Benedict Cumberpatch. Khan was simply another Sherlock Holmes with some revenge in his system. This is merely a note about his acting though. I think I enjoy Khan's character more for his ambiguity as a villain, as I've already mentioned. I'll admit though, that I could be completely biased and I just don't like Benedict Cumberpath, that is also a completely valid reason for me nitpicking at him.

Good movie, I enjoyed it. Was it a masterpiece? I wouldn't say so and I'm not exactly jumping up and down for it to win any Oscars but it was a satisfying sequel to an already great series.

Fire Emblem: Awakening

I know, this has nothing to do with Arashi but I said this was a fangirl blog and I am fangirling Fire Emblem: Awakening. Well - fangirling isn't really the correct word but I'm pretty obsessed with this game.

When I first started I didn't realize there was a marriage system but once I did realize I pretty much spent all my time pairing people together just for fun, and then I realized they had children and the parents actually effected the stats of the child and I hit another whole new level of intense. I also realise I majorly screwed up with my pairings and a majority of my 2nd-gen characters aren't as strong as they apparently "could be". I currently have about 8-9 super strong characters that can pretty much 1HKO anything and then all my other characters are.. manageable but frustrating.

Chrom, MU, Lucina, Morgan, Lon'qu + Panne, Henry + Tharja... and Kjelle is getting there but when people get through her defense she goes down. Henry and Tharja are also a bit iffy, as they can IHKO but like Kjelle, once they're hit they go down pretty fast. Lon'qu  paired with Panne, neither of them ever get hit and MU is such a beast I can't even deal with how much of a beast she is. Morgan and Lucina as well. Chrom is lacking a bit compared to these three but honestly.

My other characters are just fodder and this is my "normal" file. I've begun a new one on Hard and mean to do this one properly and more logically (thinking more about stats, level-ups, and abilities) but I realised very quickly that Hard mode is definitely a lot harder and there is actually quite a big learning curve for me. Normal mode allowed me to beast through everything relatively easily without giving too much though, but Hard I really have to think as a tactician.

All-in-all I am loving this game and it's going to keep me occupied for a while. Which is good because I that means I can hold of buying new games which means saving money :)

My deal with Ohmiya and Sakumoto

Okay, before any Ohmiya or Sakumoto fans get really mad at me, this is not a post where I call you guys crazy/insane/whatever--I'm not belittling anyone for liking these two pairings. You are free to ship whoever you want. I just really needed to write this out because for some weird reason a lot of Sakumoto and Ohmiya have been appearing on my dashboard on tumblr, and I'll be honest--If I had to be honest about pairings I didn't like all that much it would be these two.

Again, let me get this straight, I'm not saying that you are not allowed to like these two ships, I'm just saying I was never a big fan. So what is this post about? Honestly, it's me trying to work out what exactly it is about Sakumoto and Ohmiya that bugs me. What I mean is, I will say I am not a fan of Sakumiya or Ohba or whatever, but that really just means I don't care about it much. If I see someone shipping it on my dash I think "aw that's cute" and move on. When I see Sakumoto or Ohmiya, more often than not I find myself actually raising my eyebrow and thinking "Uh.... what?" like I just cannot see what the shipper is seeing. And I'm not really sure what brings out this instant negative reaction.

Before I get started, I should probably mention, I am a fan of Matsumiya. Notice how I don't say I "ship" Matsumiya, and that's really because... shipping for me implies that I really want them to be in a romantic relationship and I don't. I mean, I love Matsumiya fic and I don't mind reading about them in a romantic relationship but at the crux of it I just really like how Jun and Nino interact with each other and the situations that can occur when two people like them come in contact with each other. So I am a fan of Matsumiya, I don't necessarily ship them. And really, it's that mindset that has allowed me to be pretty impartial to any and all pairings in Arashi because I like Arashi as a group due to the way they interact with each other.

So... back to the question--why the hell does Sakumoto and Ohmiya bug the hell out of me so much? The thing is when I notice things in their shows, I'm not like "ew gross", I'm fine with it. I enjoy it as much as any fan because Arashi interacting with Arashi is great. It's something about... oh shit, I guess I might be blaming fans here. The thing is.... the way people ship Sakumoto and Ohmiya seems really intense I guess?

Like with Sakumoto--their entire relationship seems to be built on lots and lots of angst and them avoiding each other because of what happens in the past (Jun fangirling Sho like crazy). I'm not a fan of angst, so that's probably why Sakumoto weirds me out a bit. AT THE SAME TIME... I find the idea of Sakumoto hilarious because I find it a bit ridiculous? Again, you are free to like and enjoy them, this is purely me talking about what I think of Sakumoto. And it's hilarious. Like, you'd have to be blind to miss that moment in Sharehouse with Jun and his enormous hover-hand, or even in concerts where Jun was grinding up on everyone during Shake It and then couldn't even touch Sho. I'm not blind, I noticed, and I just find it endlessly amusing. Why? I guess because I'm not a Sakumoto fan in the way most Sakumoto fans seem to be. I'm not seeing angst and unresolved sexual tension, I'm just seeing a whole lot of fucking awkward. A whole lot of sexy awkward (because let's be real, aesthetically Jun and Sho are the hottest pairing there is), but the awkwardness kind of wins out in the end.

With that being said what do I really think of Jun and Sho's relationship? I think they have a lot of respect towards each other, and are both incredibly serious people, which is why it might be a bit harder for them to be as silly and touchy-feely and fluffy as the rest of the members. I mean, with Jun the members are rarely too silly with him except Nino (hi, the bias is showing, yes I know), and occasionally Aiba (if you haven't noticed I also have a huge flag for Kaze trio). Sho and Ohno tend to be a bit more reserved about it, Sho especially and again I think it's just due to their personalities as the more serious two of the group.

I guess the thing that weirds me out is how people can take a relationship that really... is quite stiff and awkward on screen and turn it into something romantic. I'm no genius on romance and in general, romance has always been hard for  me to really grasp, so I guess this type of romance that Sakumoto fans seem to like... just really confuses me and I end up finding it annoying. I guess?

Again, hope I'm not offending anyone or any Sakumoto fans. I'm just trying to work out my own thoughts here.

Moving onto Ohmiya on the other hand--their relationship has always, always, looked like fanservice to me and I think it's because the members themselves tried to push it as such. It's the type of thing that always made me feel a bit reserved about boybands and fangirls, and so Ohmiya has always made me... roll my eyes. When I first got in to Arashi, it was like a bingo board and Ohmiya was the obligatory fanservice slot and I have yet to feel any different.

LET ME BE CLEAR - I realise that pretty much everything is fanservice. I know. But Ohmiya was pushed So. Damn. Hard. They had an entire music station talk that just focused on Ohmiya, This was all during 2005-2007 by the way, they don't do it as much anymore. And let me get this clear, I don't dislike the idea of Ohmiya, and it's not like I hate seeing Ohno and Nino interacting, nah, I think it's as entertaining as the next fan, but I guess due to how much they were pushed I'm just hyper-aware that it's not real and can't seem to suspend reality like I do the rest of the time? And then when I see fans freaking out about every single little Ohno/Nino detail and making screencaps of Ohno and Nino obviously being jealous of "person x" for daring to touch their hubby/lover/whatever... well, I will admit I raise my eyebrows and get a bit weirded out. Although to be fair, you do this with any pairing and I would raise my eyebrows. But I guess I seem to see posts like that more often with Ohmiya so most of my annoyance is aimed at them.

So to sum it up, I don't understand Sakumoto!angst and Ohmiya has always seemed a bit more fake than all other types of fanservice because they tried to push it so hard back in the past.

Wow, that is a load off my chest and has cleared up a lot for me. Now that I know what bugs me about it, I can proceed to stop feeling so annoyed whenever something shows up on my dash. I mean, yes there is always the option to ignore, but sometimes the moment is genuinely funny without the obligatory shipping comments. And I just always felt bad for being so petty about something like this. I guess you can't like everything though. >.<

Popcorn DVD - quick thoughts

So. I'm currently in the middle of final exams so I haven't actually properly watched the DVD from beginning to end - also my copy of the DVD hasn't actually arrived yet (it's been shipped but it'll take a couple weeks to get to my place) but I have seen bits and piece and I'll just give some quick first time impressions.

Solos:

• Rakuen - I've never really liked the song that much but Aiba just seemed so happy and energetic during his performance it was kind of hard not to enjoy it. It's definitely made me enjoy the song a lot more
• Fly on Friday - Again didn't like the song much on the album but Sho made this song REALLY fun. I loved the whole call-and-response thing he had going on (which the song really lends itself too) and overall it just seemed so energetic. Also the costume Sho wore (which is something all the members wore) was one of my favourites, and was really cute. Definitely something I wouldn't mind watching over again just by itself
• Two - The performance focused a lot more on Ohno's vocals than his dancing so honestly I wasn't as interested. Obviously he did it very well. One thing I'd like to note though is when Ohno does body rolls.... damn, his body looks so fluid. Like it's made out of water or something. It's amazing - and he did body rolls a lot so.. *__*. Haha. But overall this was a performance that focused more on his vocals as it was very simple so honestly I'd rather just listen to the song. 
• We Wanna Funk, We Need a Funk - ...*snorts*. I'm sorry but there's... just a lot of second hand embarassment I kind of feel from this and it's mostly just due to what Jun is wearing which is this horrendous glittery pimp coat. I am pretty supeficial and I am the type of person that will dislike a performance purely because what they're wearing is crap and this would be it. I didn't dislike it ... yeah, a lot of second hand embarassment. Oh Jun. 
• Sore ha Yappari Kimi Deshita - Boring song on the album, but seeing Nino play the piano is always love and after Jun's solo it was... a very nice breath of fresh air so very enjoyable in concert form. 

So basically as you can see for the solos.. the one's I liked the least on the album ended up being a lot more enjoyable in concert and the ones I loved in the album - I still enjoyed overall but for Jun's mostly.. a bit too much second hand embarassment to really warrant me re-watching it over and over like I did with Shake It or Come back to Me. I love the guy - I love what he can pull of but.... this one was just not my style. And not much you can do for a song like Two - it's like Take me Faraway - I love it for the vocals.

Other parts

• The opening video of them being manufactured is actually kind of creepy... The image of Sho made me think more of Yoko from K8 and yeah... I just found it creepy. Also them popping out of a toy pacakge made me think of N*Sync
• Their opening costumes are hideous and as much as I loved the dance for Up to You I could not get over the hideousness of the costumes
• Super Fresh is AWESOME - I find the choreograph for it so cute
• Cosmos - a song I also wasn't all too impressed with also had a great choreo
• The song after Tsuide Oide I had (surprisingly) actually never heard which really surprised me when it started playing - I now realize it's from the Your Eyes single which explains why I've never heard it. I really like the song though actually now that I have :) 
• The water screen is absolutely amazing and I love how beautiful it is. For all the other amazing stuff they've had in past concerts I've never truly thought "oh I want this in every concert" but the water screen is something I do want in all their next concerts. It's absolutely beautiful and very impressive and it just gives you this sense of "wow...". I bet it costs a lot of money and uses up a ton of water though -_-;;
• The Popcorn-Man video was really, really cute and the boys were just adorable in their costumes. Sho and Jun especially. 
• ...and I think that's about all I can remember for now. If I feel up to it I might translate the MC but I feel like by the time I get around to it subbed versions will be out anyway so maybe there's no point. 

All in all it seemed like a great concert and it always amazes me how they manage to always add in new things that makes each concert just as exciting as the last one. :D I like AraFes more though - and BNMF in Fukuoka Dome will always be my absolute, absolute favourite concert of theirs, next one being Iza! Now. 

Things I've Watched: Jan '12 - May '13

I've realized that since around the end of grade 12 and since starting university I've actually started spending more time on my hobbies (gaming, watching anime, dramas, reading) and I just wanted to keep track of all the things I've watched and what I thought of it. I'll probably be do something like this for games as well depending on how many games I play - books I already write about on my LJ so I'll just keep doing that there. So yeah. Just a quick review of all the dramas/anime I've watched and what I thought about them:

Anime:

• Baccano: Definitely very interesting, although a bit hard to follow. The story doesn't flow in a linear fashion - it jumps from time to time so you have to put the pieces together but it's all worth it. The characters are interesting and who doesn't like the concept of the classic mafia/mob storyline except with the added twist that some of them are immortal?! A bit on the gory side - the worst one would be when one the characters kills a guy by pressing his head against train tracks AS the train is moving... so... you've been warned! 
• Fate/Zero: I've watched Fate/Stay Night and remembered thinking it was alright, but the end was kind of lame. This one is a lot better - although I watched it all in one sitting on a 12hr plane ride to Hong Kong so admittingly I wasn't completely paying attention 100% of the way. The characters are more interesting in this one though for sure so if you're debating about which one to watch (or saw Fate/Stay Night and wasn't impressed) WATCH THIS - It is definitely worth your time
• Gundam Wing (re-watch): I'd seen Gundam Wing as a kid, in English when it was airing on YTV but that was a long time ago so I decided to re-watch it. I'm not much of a mecha person, I've tried to watch other Gundams but ultimately I never got into it. What really makes me enjoy this series in particular is simply the fact that the 5 gundams are super cool looking (DEATH SCYTHE!). Yeah - I'm pretty superficial sometimes. Aside from that it's the classic political battle between Earth and the Space Colonies - lots of switching allies etc. and the characters are all pretty cool - except WuFei who is a total jackass.
• Durarara!: This was done by the same director as Baccano and even if I didn't tell you this you probably would've noticed anyway (like I did) thanks to the classic jumpy storyline that this director seems to enjoy. With that being said I enjoyed Durarara!! much more than Baccano. The story was a lot easier to follow and if you thought the characters in Baccano wait until you meet these guys. There's a lot of similarities, namely the one aspect of fantasy entrenched in a world that is very much our reality - this time it's the presence of a Dulluhan (headless rider) mixed into the teenage gangs of modern-day Ikebukuro. Also it's not as gory so if you turned your head away from Baccano due to the gore warning this one is a lot cleaner - and as I said - much easier to follow.
• Darker Than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha: I enjoyed this - I generally like the whole aspect of having special powers in a modern world. It was a bit slow at first and I had trouble getting through the first 8-10 episodes but once I hit the halfway mark the episodes literally just flew by and before I knew it I was at the end. Generally anime like these always having endings that disappoint me but this one wasn't bad. If you're looking for something a bit more action-y and straight forward, but not as political as Gundam Wing and you like people with special powers and assassins etc. this would be the show for you.
• Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood (re-watch): If there's something you must know about me it is that Full Metal Alchemist is my most favourite anime and manga of all time. So, I re-watched this as I was studying for my exams and despite knowing the story inside and out I still felt myself being pulled into the emotional roller coaster this show takes me through. I'm sure all of you guys have heard of this show so there's not much more I can say but WATCH IT. It is light, and plays off like a simple anime with some comedy but it's actually got quite serious themes and all the characters (male and female) are absolutely amazing and I'd be surprised if you didn't fall in love with most of them.
• Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita: This was kind of a weird one I picked up because it was short but generally I don't watch anime like this very often. The whole idea of weird fairies controlling everything had me interested but it was a bit too episodic for my tastes. It's an anime that tries to be more thought-provoking than plot driven so if what you feel like doing is thinking and contemplating about certain topics in life than go ahead and pick this one up - it does offer you lots of think about.
• Hellsing Ultimate OVA: Since this is an OVA the episodes run up to about 1hr most of the time and a lot of the episodes are very literally, very dark, but it's very well done. If you've seen the original you have to check this one out. The art and the pacing is so much better and the ending is much more satisfying. This is Hellsing though so be prepared for lots of gore - not gore in that what happens is disgusting but you're dealing with vampires and warfare so there is just literally lots of blood flying everything. Alucard is one kick-ass character though so if anything - watch the anime for him!
• Shin Sekai Yori: A more mellow anime - quite different from everything else I've listed although still within the realm of fantasy that I never stray too far away from. It's set in our world, but way in the future and does quite an interesting job in explaining how exactly this new world came about. What the anime mostly tries to do is explore this world while following a basic plot revolving around the main character as she grows up and starts getting involved in romance, politics, and essentially tries to uncover the demons of her past (which were wiped from her memory by the government *cue suspenseful music) - intrigued? I mostly got into this anime because I loved the concept and the setting but admittingly got a bit bored by the end but I still made it all the way through. Short 24eps and definitely worth your time if you're looking for something a bit more simple and slow.
• Phantom: Requiem of the Phantom (still-watching): What I can say so far at 7 episodes? Awesome. Assassins, mafia politics, questioning life/your existance etc. etc.

Drama:

• Lucky Seven: I'm a total sucker for group relations, and friendships and this drama does this so well. The cases were kind of "meh" and I was pretty bumbed when Nitta disappeared and overall if Jun wasn't in the cast I probably would've never watched this, but he is. Also I just kind of enjoy watching Shuntarou getting kicked around and also doing the ass-kicking and I maybe fell a bit in love with the comraderie between Shuntarou, Asuka, and Junpei (and of course Shuntarou and Eita bromance).
• Kagi ga Kakkata Heya: So - I was in the mood for mystery and I figured why not check this out because Ohno apparently did a spectacular job and he did! I enjoyed this a lot and the whole "locked room" concept really interested me. With that being said - does it stand out form the rest of the mystery dramas Japan has released? Not really - but it is certainly one of the better and more intriguing ones out there (since this one is more mystery than pure police-detective/crime-solving).
• Keizoku 2: SPEC: SPEC was great. I remember trying to watch it when it first aired but for some reason after the first episode (which I loved) I was just too lazy to keep watching but I finally did keep watching and I love it! I love Toda Erika in this, and Kase Ryo and I felt they made a great team. It was hilarious, and serious, and if you can't tell from my taste in anime I am a sucker for special powers and all that jazz so SPEC was really right up my alley. This is definitely a great crime-solving drama, everyone should check it. It's already got a twist: special powers!!
• Ooku: Tanjou: If you're an Arashi fan you already know the basic story of this but Ooku is a very interesting manga where a majority of the male population in Feudal Japan has died off due to a disease and the women have to take over all the men's jobs (including that of the shogun!) and this drama follows the next couple volumes of the manga dealing with the first female shogun and the politics that follows during her reign. It is an absolutely amazing story, and I was so glad they were doing a drama of it. The casting was great in my opinion, Tabe Mikako admittingly surprised me a lot - I didn't expect her to fit the role of the shogun so well but she did. Sakai Masato was also a perfect Arikoto (so much better fitting in his role than Nino was as Mizuno...). Admittingly for me though - I realized I enjoyed reading the manga a lot more. There were moments where the drama felt a bit slow, or draggy but it followed the manga quite well (if I remember correctly) so do check it out, or at least check out the manga because it really is worth your time.
• Rich Man Poor Woman:Generally I'm not one for romance dramas but I guess I was feeling in the mood for something sweet and cute and we have Oguri Shun and Ishihara Satomi in one drama - how could I resist? I had actually watched it while it was airing but got bored around the time Hyuga lost his company thanks to Asahina (who I hate and will always hate), but decided to pick it back up again. I'm glad I did because the last couple episodes were adorable and I loved the end at the airport. Hyuga and Makoto are just adorbs and the SP has come out - that was adorable too (although a bit draggy because admittingly I'm not all that interested in company politics).
• Saikou no Rikon: This was interesting. I didn't really know what I was getting into at first but it was definitely an interesting take on relationships and marriage and what one needs to do to keep a lasting relationship that leads to marriage and beyond. It was humorous in all the right ways, serious in all the right ways, the cast honestly did an absolutely stellar job. The end felt like a bit of a cop out, which I don't too much since I generally prefer happy endings but this drama had a lot of potential for something more than just your usual "and they lived happily ever after". 
• Reply 1997 (Korean): I already wrote a review on this but I still loved this. I was in the mood for cute sweet romance and this one had it all. :)

Sherlock [BBC Series]

So I took a bit of a break from Asian Entertainment to watch the much-talked about and loved BBC show Sherlock. A lot of people had told me to see the show, it seemed like something right up my ally and I remember as a kid I absolutely adored Hound of the Baskervilles but I had seen one episode (ironically while on vacation in Japan) and while it was interesting I didn't find it as impressing and amazing as everyone made it sound. When I told a few of my friends this (who love the show) they told me I had seen "the most boring episode"... truthfully I was a bit skeptical but finally I relented and decided to watch the show once and for all. Also I absolutely loved Martin Freeman in The Hobbit.

The verdict? It's OK. I don't understand everyone's fascination with the show, or Benedict Cumberpatch. In fact, truthfully, I'm honestly not that fond of Sherlock and if it weren't for Martin Freeman's spectacular jo as Watson I would've dropped the show almost instantaneously. I know Sherlock Holmes is supposed to be slightly arrogant, and cold but in the books he never actually came off as rude, maybe stand-offish but Watson is correct when he says that Sherlock in this series is an absolute dick most of the time. Also Sherlock Holmes' moral compass in the books is generally understood but in the BBC series they make it slightly more ambiguous which I don't like and will elaborate on in the next paragraph.

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries: Ep.98 - Gratitude

OK. So. This is coming way out from left field because this has absolutely nothing to do with Asian entertainment, or games - but does have slightly to do with books.

I'm sure everyone has heard of Pride and Prejudice that wonderful book by Jane Austen. I'm not one for romance stories but I did enjoy this book quite a bit - as well as the BBC series from way back when. Then, one day, I stumbled upon this little gem. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries - a modern re-telling of Jane Austen's story in the form a vlog run by none-other than the main character herself, Lizzie Bennet.

Let me just say - this series is A-MA-ZING. So please, if you have not, GO CHECK IT OUT.

(everything beyond this will be spoilers for the series - especially the ending)

Reply 1997 [Korean Drama]

I'm not a fan of Korean dramas. I'm only seen 5 (including this one) and although I've enjoyed all of them they're all a bit too melodramatic for my tastes. With that being said, I'm not much of a Japanese drama fan either, nor .. really, any sort of drama fan. BUT - I was in the mood for a cute, sweet, innocent romance and I'd seen gifs of this show from tumblr from a friend, who also told me about how cute it was etc. etc. and I thought "why not?" so I tried it out.

Truthfully... I pretty much decided to watch the drama smiply because within the first 2 or 3 minutes or so we see Yoon Jae and Joon Hee playing DDR, and I absolutely LOVE DDR - and they were playing one of my most favourite songs Butterfly so naturally... I was like "ok, this drama seems awesome - let's check it out".

With that being said it was a great drama and I really enjoyed it. I don't know much about KPOP, especially anything pre-2010 so I was a bit confused but I realized that it didn't really take away from the enjoyment. This was a truly simple and light drama and I'm a sucker for friendships, and also Shi Won's relationship with her dad/her parents in general is just absolutely hilarious and endearing. Hak Chan was like a giant teddy bear for me... one that was obsessed with porn, but nonetheless a total teddy bear. He was just so awkward, yet adorable, and of course he did the stupidest things as a boyfriend but I can see why it was hard not to get back together with him when he had such a natural puppy dog face. Like those basset hounds.

I was kind of... creeped out by the fact that Tae Woong liked Shi Won. I mean, she was 18 years old! Huge age gaps where one of the people is in their teens/early twenties kind of weird me out. I'm not sure why, I think it has to do with the maturity level one generally has at that age. Granted I realize people in their early 20's can be very mature (my sister being one of them) but it still creeps me out a bit. Once both people are over 25 I'm pretty much OK with it. But yeah. That whole thing just made me severely uncomfortable. At first I thought they were still dating 6 years later and I was like "OMG WHAT NO" but then I realized that wasn't the case and felt so relieved. But yeah. His first meeting with that nurse was amusing and I clued in right away - that's his wife.

Overall, I found that after they got to Seoul and had all grown up I was rolling my eyes a lot. The first 8-or so episodes, when they were still in High School it was generally pretty light and innocent and yay great but then all the lead up for Yoon Jae and Shi Won getting together just made me roll my eyes. How dramatic can you get? And that episode... (14?) where the whole theme was about brotherly love and Yoon Jae just sobbing at the table at the end and I was like "... really?". Was I not the only one that felt that was ridiculously overplayed and like.. come on.

ALSO - how they kept playing that "So. Who is her husband?! :O" game, that also made me roll eyes. Way to dramatize something which everyone already knows the answer too. I found it cute when they got together though. Shi Won and Yoon Jae's relationship is just hilarious. In fact, all the relationships in this drama is pretty much the girl beating up on the guy. ALL OF THEM. Talk about Girl Power!

And can we please talk about Joon Hee. My god the entire time I was hoping he'd find somone nice to be with. Even just a mention, or a glimpse of a figure, and they finally did give him someone at the end and that made me so happy. I wanted him to find someone so badly. He really is one of the sweetest people, and I just felt so bad for him. But of course, everyone gets a happy ending.

So. If you're all looking for a cute, innocent, sweet romance drama about growing up, youth, and your "first love" and also something REALLY predictable (because damn this drama was predictable) then this would be the one. =D

Himitsu no Arashi-chan

So. The day has finally come - the end of Himitsu no Arashi-chan.

The show started airing in 2008, just after I became an Arashi fan. I didn't really realize they were starting a new show until it finally started airing and honestly I wasn't all that interested in the concept. I had fallen in love with Arashi by watching Shukudai-kun, CxDxG no Arashi, and MMA. This new 1-hr info-show wasn't that appealing and I actually barely watched the show at all for the first year. Sure I've seen the main stuff, Hana Yori MatsuJun, the Haunted House Clips, the Super Mario tournament and Child Minder but that's about it. Then when all that stopped I totally dropped the show and ended up coming back when they started the Mannequin 5 segment.

嵐 - Full of Love

(Translation Index: Here)

Full of Love

風になれ...

Become the wind

いつの間に雨はあがって　月と星が顔を出して
朝を待つほど　想う distance
同じ空見てる？　君の中僕はいる？
止まってない時間　迷い込んで

All too soon the rain stops, and the moon and the stars show their faces
A distance as long as waiting for the morning
Are you looking at the same sky? Am I inside you?
I'm lost within this time that won't stop

眠れず　遠くに　滲んで見えた
朝焼けの空は奇麗で
優しい　ぬくもり　胸に込み上げ
確かなものを探すため

Without sleeping, far away, you looked at it tearfully
The morning glow of the sky was so pretty
Gently, warmly, my heart swelled
In order to search for something certain

親愛なる君へ　舟を漕ぎ出して　風になれ
その奇跡を描いて　想い溢れ出て　すぐ君のもとへ

To you, my dearly beloved, I begin to row the boat, become the wind
Picturing that miracle, overflowing with my feelings, I'll come straight to where you are

あの約束を　囁いたこと
君はまだ覚えてるの？
波がたぐり寄せた　理由なんていらなかった
心が触れ合った　瞬間を

Do you still remember
When I whispered that promise?
I don't need the reasons pulled in by the waves
In that moment when our hearts touched

海へと　連れ去る　涙の跡は
幾つもの記憶繋いで
いつからだろうか？　君を想うたび
微笑みさえも切なくて

The trail of tears that took me away to the ocean
are tied with many memories
Since when did this begin? That every time I think of you
Even smiling is painful

重なり合う日々に　記した想いは　忘れないで
イタズラな未来に　変わりはしないさ　いま君のもとへ

On these days which pile up, don't forget those feelings that you've written down
In this tricky future I won't change. Now I'll go right to where you are

夢の中　君を見た　触れたら　儚くて
月夜に...　会いにゆくから

I saw you in a dream, If I touched you, you would disappear
Because I'll come to meet you... in this moonlit night

親愛なる君へ　舟を漕ぎ出して　風になれ
その奇跡を描いて　想い溢れ出て　すぐ君のもとへ

To you, my dearly beloved, I begin to row the boat, become the wind
Picturing that miracle, overflowing with my feelings, I'll come straight to where you are

重なり合う日々に　記した想いは　忘れないで
イタズラな未来に　変わりはしないさ　いま君のもとへ

On these days which pile up, don't forget those feelings that you've written down
In this tricky future I won't change. Now I'll go right to where you are

食わず嫌い [2013.02.28] - Aiba vs. Tabe Mikako

Probably not the most flattering screenshot I could've taken...

So I said I would make a post about this show, and I will. I love Kuwazugirai, not just when Arashi members appear but other guests as well. It's all about food (usually good food) and Tunnels is amusing but since an Arashi member is appearing it makes this all the better.

I know I said I might translate a few parts but I underestimated how busy I would be so I'll just give a summary of what happened and highlights.

Arashi - Calling/Breathless Review [single]

So the latest Arashi single, Calling/Breathless was leaked online this weekend, it is a double A-side therefore the two song titles, and I actually haven't listened to it yet so this review will very honestly be my first impression of the single. I've already heard Breathless and Calling of course thanks to Music Station though so it really will only be the two other b-sides that I'll be talking about.

Music Station 2013.03.01

I really like Breathless. Ever since the Short PV came out for it I'd been absolutely addicted to this song and I couldn't wait for them to perform it on Music Station because I was expecting an amazing performance (along with Calling) and Arashi did not disappoint.

Arashi - Popcorn Review [album]

I realize that the Popcorn album came out way back in October (on Halloween no less!) but I have written a review for each album since Boku no Miteiru Fuukei and I feel like it'd be a shame to just stop. Also at the time that the album was first leaked online I had 3 midterms coming up so I really didn't have time to type up a review and I think I just spazzed. But, now I do have time and what better way to start up this blog than with a review of their latest (although now kind of old...) album, Popcorn!

Also - as a note when I used to write these on my vox/typepad (which I have now abandoned and subsequently moved all the posts to another blogger of mine HERE) I used to take out the singles because I had probably already talked about them before (when they were released) but due to the fact that I've taken an entire year off from "fangirl blogging" I will include the singles in this one.