Friday, 20 November 2015

櫻井翔 - Rolling Days

(Translation Index: Here)

櫻井翔 - Rolling Days

揺らめく様な 香り近づく 目を閉じても 君と分かる
夢じゃないさ 零れる吐息は 高鳴りを連れて
A faint scent comes closer and even with my eyes closed I know it's you
This isn't a dream. The breath that escapes you makes me tremble.

聞こえているか? 漂う音が
気付けば falling down 止まらない想いで
Can you hear it? The sound hanging in the air.
By the time I realized, I was already falling down in to memories that wouldn't stop.

刻まれた 時間の中 生まれゆくダイヤのような
そこにしかない 輝きを 君の指に飾るから
In the time that has passed, a brightness is born that can only be found in diamonds
And I want to put it on your finger

どこまでも深い場所まで 二人落ちてゆけるなら
何も見えない闇さえ 優しく包み込むから
終わりなんて 怖くないのさ…
始まりは いつも underground
もっと響かせ
If the two of us fall into the deepest of places
Even in such absolute darkness where we can't see one another, I'll embrace you gently
I'm not afraid of the end...
The beginning always starts from underground
Make it echo even more

とても綺麗な 涙が落ちる 透き通る様な 水晶になる
触れてみれば 懐かしさに似た 痛みを映した
A breathtaking tear falls, becoming a clear crystal
And when I tried to touch it, a pain close to nostalgia was reflected

覚えているか? あの日の音が
打ち抜いた breaking down 変わらない想いで
Do you remember? The sound from that day.
Hitting and breaking down those unchanging memories.

脱ぎ捨てた その肌は なめらかな刃のようさ
傷ついたって かまわない 君のそばにいたいから
The skin that you've shed is like a smooth blade
Even if you hurt me I won't mind, as long as I can be near you

強く抱きしめるたびに 壊れ落ちてゆくのなら
全て無くなるほどに ひとつになればいいから
終わりなんて いつか来るのさ…
始まりは いつだってあるのさ
ずっと響かせ
If we break and fall apart every time we hold each other
As long as we become one, to the point where everything else is gone, it's fine.
When will the end come?
There will be always be a new beginning.
Keep on echoing

Ah 一時の快楽
燃えて また灰になる
終わりなんてないはず
会いたく...(なる) また拝借
Ah. That small moment of pleasure.
Burning and returning to ashes
There shouldn't be such a thing as an end
I want... (to see you). To borrow you again.

香りだけ漂う
想いまだ彷徨う
嗚呼もう Wanna know?
Only your scent hangs the air
As my feelings continue to wander
Ah, that's enough. Wanna know?

もう闇の中へ逃げよう (Oh)
僅かな光の強さを見せよう (Oh)
もう離れなくていいんですよ (Oh)
だから… 傍にいてよ (Oh)
Let's escape into the darkness (Oh)
Let me show you how powerful even the smallest light can be (Oh)
We don't have to be apart anymore (Oh)
So please... stay by my side (Oh)

汚れたまんまでもいいの
夢の中まで逃避行 (Yeah yeah)
いつも現実は強引で (Yeah yeah)
Rolling, rolling days
Even while tainted, you are fine
Let's disappear in to our dreams
But reality is always pulling us out to those
Rolling, rolling days

心叩くたびに 火花を巻き上げた
二人見つめたまま 光の中へ
重なり合う音が 螺旋を描いてた
溶け合いながら 永遠へ
Every time my heart beats, sparks fly
While gazing at each other, we head in to the light
And the sounds overlap to create a spiral
As we meld together into eternity

どこまでも深い場所まで 二人落ちてゆけるなら
何も見えない闇さえ 優しく包み込むから
終わりなんて 怖くないのさ…
始まりは いつも underground
もっと響かせ
If the two of us fall into the deepest of places
Even in such absolute darkness where we can't see one another, I'll embrace you gently
I'm not afraid of the end
The beginning always starts from underground
Make it echo even more

Arashi - Ai wo Sakebe review [Single + Performance]

As promised in my Japonism album review, I will be reviewing Ai wo Sakebe. Mainly because it wasn't on the album so I couldn't talk about it there, and also because I actually have quite a bit to say about this single. So, first up I will talk about each of the individual tracks, then the PV+Making, and then... I don't have any of the performances downloaded on my computer, but I watched all of them (I think?) so I'll review whatever performance I can find still streaming online.

Before I start, I just want to say the thing about this single was that I was really surprised when it came out because I had totally forgotten about it. It's the song to a wedding CM or something right? I'm still not really sure what it was for, but yeah. So, when it came out I wasn't excited or happy, I was just downright confused and sort of blah, because weddings. Blergh. But... in the end, I was pleasantly surprised.

Wednesday, 21 October 2015

Arashi - Japonism review

Hello. It has been a while again, especially on the Arashi front. I didn't do a review of AoKimi or Ai wo Sakebe. The latter I really should review though because I actually liked it (and I say actually because I was not interested in it in the beginning). But, before I get to that, a more important thing. Arashi's 14th album has been released as of today, Japonism, and as per the usual I will be giving a review of it.


Saturday, 15 August 2015

Digitalian Concert - Quick Thoughts

These are literally just random thoughts I have while watching the concert - in point form.
  • Ever since the LOVE concert I realized that having the Japanese subs makes watching the concert 50,000x more fun (cause I can sing along).... my download doesn't have the subs. =( Oh well. 
  • Jun's heart rate is ridiculous, like how is he alive o_o
  • The opening to the concert is so cool =D ommmgggg
  • Cool costumes, Asterisk has a pretty sweet dance
  • Wonderful... are these guys part of a cool boy band or sassy girl group (SORRY BUT SERIOUSLY THE DANCE JUST MAKES ME THINK THAT)
  • Aiba is so fucking precious this guy omg, Disco Star, I can't even. DISCO STAR-SAMAAAAAA - I would've been yelling that so hard if I had been there
  • I think... I mean, I love Aiba's solo but there is something about Sho's performance of Hey Yeah!! that makes me like and enjoy the song so much more than I originally did--and I already like Sho's solo to begin with. So. Great for him. Although the speech in the beginning...
    • Seriously "Who are your real people" for 友達って何だろう (tomodachitte nandarou) (I think that is what the Japanese on the background screens say). Who gave that a green light? Why couldn't they just stick with "Who are your friends" or if you really want to have the word "real" in there for emphasis... "Who are you real friends" - but "real people"? 
    • But shit I really love Sho's solo and ommmg the background video to his solo looks so cool, I actually wish they'd release a separate video just for it
    • And I'll admit I do think the opening speech mixed with what his song is talking about... works really well... except not sure why he thought to do it in English--I guess cause it sounds cooler?
    • Actually, I think it's entirely due to how awesome the backing video is for Sho's solo that I am so impressed with his performance
  • By the way, for anyone who even remembers my review of The Digitalian album, I've gotten over how fucking weird One Step sounds in the album -- don't get me wrong, I've always liked the song but it doesn't weird me out inside the album anymore either
  • I never understood why people were so happy they sang Love Wonderland but I think this is like how Intergalatic worked during the LOVE con -- I love the song in concert but outside of it I'm still pretty meh about it. 
    • Performance is seriously all different sorts of cute and adorable though
  • ...I really wish they would stop putting in the FULL instructions of their next section in to the MC part of the DVD and actually give us the entire god damn MC. DAMN IT.
  • Nino's solo is... uh. Yeah. Whatever
  • Surprisingly, I like Jun's solo better than Ohno's 
    • The thing is Jun's song was never that interesting for me and in terms of performances this has to be his most tone-downed performance since... 2004? But I feel like his dancing has actually improved a lot and therefore, despite being quite toned down, it still ended up being really interesting and entertaining
    • Ohno on the other hand is still better at dancing than Jun but... his choreo for his solo was pretty sparse--I mean it had the usual Ohno style of being very smooth and flowy but without much "wow" factor, so I felt like I didn't get much out of it--I could have just listened the song by itself and felt the same.
  • I looooove the costumes for Tell Me Why and TRAP (and btw yes the performance was pretty damn awesome, nice choreo Ohno :D)
  • The costume change from TRAP to Troublemaker.... how......? 
  • How long do you think they had to practice Hope in the Darkness for them to perfect it because daaaaaaaamn o_o
    • I feel bad for Sho since he's the bass--he has to move his arm the entire song ^^;; 
    • Always like this song but whenever I hear it now I'm going to remember this performance and just get so many feels omg seriously, so freakin' cool!
    • Finding it slightly amusing how Ohno is so graceful, Nino looks like he's having spasms, and Sho, Jun and Aiba are pretty much being robots--especially Jun, his face is so serious
  • After seeing just how dead serious ALL of them were, it's nice to see them smile again for Zero-G
  • And now we're at the 15th year anniversary medley. I won't do every song but some quick thoughts regardless:
    • I think it's nice that they wore their BLAST costume for this 
    • Also I realized the banners on the side of their hot air balloons has the logos for all their past concerts, that's pretty cool actually
    • Jun looks like he's having a blast during Kotoba Yori
    • OMG the members with each group of juniors starting from Sakura Sake is so cute! ^_^
    • Matsumiya moment during Happiness :D
    • I wish they had sang Truth instead of One Love for 2008 =( Haven't heard that song being performed in a while
  • I think it says a lot that I.. know the last song they sang was from the album but I do not remember the name at all... it was the song I said was a typical Arashi song. Kimi something? 
Okay, these are my thoughts on the latest concert DVD. Also yes I have watched DVD 3 and this was one of the best things they've done. I loved watching them make takoyaki xD Also copious amounts of Jun, yaaay. But more dressing room shenanigans would be nice--I guess they really don't do shit like that though. 

One thing I really want though is I wish Jun could be on Jounetsu Tairiku. It's the show that did a documentary of Nino in 2006/2007 when he was doing Iwo Jima and Marathon. I want them to do one one Jun when he plans concerts, but I guess they'd never release something like that. Damn it. I love watching him do stuff like that though and I'm glad we got to see more of it recently. I wonder when he started? It can't have been right away.... 2006? 2005? ...2004?! (he was only 21 at that time!!). I really wonder. 

Anyway, enough rambling!

Friday, 6 March 2015

Arashi - Sakura review [single + performance]

Our first Arashi single of the year which surprisingly is not related to anything Arash is doing at all.... although it is the theme song to the drama Ouroboros which happens to star MatsuJun's two BFF's Ikuta Toma and Oguri Shun! (side note: it's pretty good so far, I am impressed).

I'll be doing a review of just the songs and the three performances (the two music station ones and the Shiyagare one) - the making of I will talk about in a separate post because I actually have quite a few thoughts on it.

Let's go!

Paper Mario: Sticker Star + Child of Light

Ey-yo, it's been about a month since I last made any posts and boy are you going to get a lot of posts this coming weekend because a lot of things have happened regarding Arashi and I need to talk about these things, but first! The most important thing - within the month that I disappeared I have played two games and these are Paper Mario: Sticker Star and Child of Light.

They were both relatively short games, so I'm just going to be really brief with my thoughts which is why they're going to be squished in to one post. Ready? Let's go!

Tuesday, 10 February 2015

Bravely Default

I finally finished playing Bravely Default the other weekend - took approx 105hrs. I didn't 100% it, I was trying too (hence the extended hours) but partway through and with 4 or 5 jobs remaining I was like.. you know what, I'd rather just go and beat the boss now, thank you very much.

But anyway - let's talk about this game shall we? (This isn't necessarily a game review, I just want to talk about it).

*WARNING SPOILERS*