Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Home at last. (やっと帰った。)

Ah, nothing better than being home again after a long trip without some of the more basic ammenties.

... Of course, when I say that, I mean air conditioning and soft toilet paper.

Some might say I was spoiled. I say...

No, no, I guess that's really the only word there is for it. Huh.

Anyway, as I am still getting used to solid ground beneath my feet, I'm sorry to say that this will be another of those topic-less posts that is more me rambling than anything else.

Hey, hey, what else do you want when I'm still reeling like the deck is tossing beneath me?

I had a few more ideas for cell-phone e-mails while I was away. Thrilling, I know, but remember. Sea brain. Or, lake brain, really, but it amounts to the same thing in the end.

7) tokugawa no (徳川の, Tokugawa's... Of the Tokugawa...)

This one makes a little bit more sense if you understand the pun behind my nickname. You see, the Tokugawa period, along with being pretty much my favorite period of Japanese history (yes, you can have a favorite period of history, Japanese or otherwise) also goes by another name: the Edo period, so named after the capital at the time, Edo (modern-day Tokyo.) Sometimes, when explaining my nickname to Japanese people, I preface it with 徳川時代のような。。。 (Like the Tokugawa period...)

Which leads into another idea:

8) edo jidai no [you na] (江戸時代の[ような], The Edo period's... Of the Edo period... [Like the Edo period])

 This is actually the more common explanation that falls from my lips when telling people what they should call me. Definitely a less convoluted way to explain things. I used to take offense when people made the jump, and even fought the nickname for quite some time while a freshman in college, but eventually I came to embrace the name in its entirety, partially due to the love for the Tokugawa period I discovered my sophomore year.

It's funny how we change as we get older.

...she said, speaking still from her early twenties.

Mock me if you will, but it seems old from my perspective. Especially considering that fact that, for some reason, I keep thinking that it's still 2008... I'm not sure why. I just had another instance of it this afternoon, when I my mother mentioned 2006 and said that was four years ago, and I was confused...

Although maybe that's just my lake head talking.

In other, possibly more interesting cell-phone related news, Melon and I have pretty much come to the conclusion that AU is the provider to go with. Based on their rate calculator (Japanese only, my English-speaking readers), it seems that they offer, by far, the best deal--admittedly, Docomo is somewhat comparable, but the foreign rates aren't quite as good, nor do I have any sort of experience with them.

Plus, there is always that possibility that AU will let me reactivate my old phone. A slim possibility, but a possibility that I would like to entertain nevertheless.

Because I love my old phone.

And I don't know how I feel about the phones that will be available for cheap come August.... though I am still tempted by the beautiful color possibilities of the SH005, despite its possible lack of outside-display capabilities. (I may have shallow desires when it comes to phones, but I remain picky!)

...somehow, this post seems a bit empty. So I suppose I will fall back to the old stand-by of scrounging through youtube until I find something suitably Japan-related and interesting in my list of favorites.

... is that really what you're supposed to do in a blog? Oh well.



I actually discovered these guys (宇宙戦隊NOIZ, Universe Squadron NOIZ) accidentally one morning upon waking up early to catch a train to Kyotango; I turned the TV on whilst eating my breakfast, and happened upon some sort of strange early morning music show. The lead singer was... speaking about their new single, I believe, dressed in some sort of feather boa, spandex, high-heel combination.

I was intrigued. And they're sort of fun to listen to, not to mention the sheer effort that appears to go into their videos. Perhaps they'll get their own post one day.

... if only because of the confusion caused by this brief glimpse into their world.

Hey, remember, I did say that I wanted to expand your horizons.

But I suppose that a little adorable Kimutaku-goodness is in order, for those of you who don't really appreciate my ventures into the strange and slightly perturbing.

(You have to admit though, it is a catchy tune.)



Did I say it was adorable, or did I say it was adorable?

(The basic jist, for you non-Japanese-speakers, is that Kimutaku's grandfather is worried about how he's getting on, and Kimutaku reassures him by explaining how Secom comes to clean his house, among other things.)

Here, Kimutaku is sporting his new hairstyle, which I can only presume he got for his lead role Tsuki no Koibito (which I have mentioned and will write a post about, someday). He's a serious, cruel sort of guy, and long, auburn curls just don't go with that image.

They go with Mr. Brain.

This is Edo, signing off with her brain still confused about this whole solid ground concept.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

See you in a week. (また来週。)

As is implied by my title, I am going on vacation, off to enjoy the bounty of nature and escape from the confines of the internet for a week.

Needless to say, I won't be able to post--last time I checked, the wilderness doesn't have Wi-Fi.

And thus, I will put up a warning borrowed from this lovely blog:

See you in a week!

(For those interested, I'm not even here now; this, my friends is a post from the past! Made the post Sunday afternoon, scheduled it, then left early Monday morning! And here you thought time travel was impossible. But that's just me, proving science wrong with the internet, one blog post at a time.)

This is Edo, signing off while packing up her ridiculous collection of sunscreens and rash guards.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Who needs a topic. (トピックなんて要らない。)

Before we move on to the exciting topic of today's post, there is absolutely thrilling news to be told!

I now have a job. An honest-to-goodness job.

That's right, you heard me! I'm good for something besides snarky commentary and witticisms after all!

In the middle of August, I will be shipping off to beautiful Mie, to begin my life in Japan.

This blog's contents (and possibly title... Mie certainly isn't Kyoto, ah ha) may adjust appropriately.

...don't all start protesting at once.

Anyway.

I think we'll have something of a mish-mosh post today, simply because I'm in a random sort of mood.

(...what's that? No planned topic, and thus I'm winging it? Don't be absurd.)

First of all, let's get back to those cell-phone e-mail ideas, shall we? Mock me if you will, but this is an important decision, one that could possibly affect me for years to come!

... I suppose picking a provider first is more important, but that's making my head hurt at the moment.

Anyway.

I will preface this with saying that I am just throwing out ideas here, formatting and punctuation withheld. Partially because I don't want to encourage internet stalking (ha ha, fat chance) and partially because... well, that would require more thinking on my part, wouldn't it?

1) sabaku no ko (砂漠の子, child of the desert)

This one should be fairly self-explanatory. I am a child of the desert, and that fact has a big impact on my life--namely, once it hits 70 degrees Fahrenheit, I start whining.

People are often intrigued when I say I am from the desert (in Japan, anyway), not to mention I do maintain some degree of pride for my homeland (though admittedly not its politics), and thus it is a very strong contender at the moment.

Even if it does sound a bit... girly. "ko" or 子 tends to be an ending for girls' names, and though that doesn't quite apply here... eh...

2) sabotendaa (the Japanese name for Cactuar)

(Yes, "saboten"  or サボテン is the Japanese word for cactus. I think that was a marvelous bit of localization, personally.)

...I'm a video game nerd who was born and raised, as mentioned, in the desert. You had to see something like this coming. In fact, my e-mail while I was studying in Kyoto was theworldendswithme... dorky, yes, but I thought it was terribly, terribly clever.

I never could just tell Japanese friends my address though... always had to infrared it. Hm. If only I could have come up with a clever, self-serving pun based on 素晴らしきこの世界...

3) cactuaa (a mash up of Sabotendaa and Cactuar, or simply how Cactuar would wind up being pronounced in Japanese)

Again, self-explanatory. Again, dorky. Again... I kinda like it.

Doesn't look very nice though, does it?

4) kansai gaijin (a foreigner from the Kansai region)

Sort of surreal, don't you think? I'm a gaijin who speaks Kansai-ben; that in itself trips a lot of people out.

But does it mean that I am a foreigner in the Kansai region, a foreigner FROM the Kansai region, or just some dork who decided to combine two words randomly?

...admittedly, I probably don't want the word "gaijin" in my e-mail address. Sends a bad message, you know? 

5) kansai jin (person from Kansai; Kansai-ite)

Better. Less derogatory towards my person (yes, kiddies; gaijin is, in fact, a rude word.) It might get me some looks, though... but since when has that bothered me?

6) inconvenient ideal (My favorite Dir song of late)

Nice, but possibly a bit of a mouthful. Might be an excellent way of finding closet Dir fans, though...

Ah, that's enough for now; my ability to create short bursts of wittiness can only last so long, after all. Have to shut down the program and reboot. Might take some time.

...Long-winded wittiness, on the other hand....

Or I could just share some more music. I could do that.



The sound quality isn't that great on this one, but... well. It's Atsushi. I could watch that man if he was gyrating slowly in dead silence.

This is just one of the songs that's been playing in my head lately... it may be trite, but I particualrly like the line:

この空は広すぎる           This sky is too broad...

I'm open to interpretation; mine changes depending on my mood.

... I do seem rather static with my tastes lately, don't I?

Well then, how about something completely different:



Never let it be said that I bore you with monotony, dear readers.

This is Edo, signing off marveling at how beautiful the world looks when you have a job...

Saturday, June 19, 2010

International tastes. (国際的な味。)

Encouraged by popular demand (aka two comments from one person), I am continuing our non-cell-phone theme with another installment of everyone's favorite culinary series, Cooking with Edo!

(Yes, "non-cell-phone" is a perfectly valid and legitimate theme. So what if it's a little broad? It's certainly accurate.)

Today, as may be surmised by my clever title, we will not be discussing Japanese cuisine so much as Hawaiian-Japanese cuisine. But variety is the spice of life, eh?

...what's that? Japan blog, you say? It still relates! It's not as though I'm discussing the finer points pure Hawaiian cookery; I'm not telling you how to make poi or anything. No, no, as this recipe incorporates white sticky  rice, のり, 味醂 and 醤油, I'd say it fits quite nicely into my blog's overarching constructs.

The fact that I really, really like it doesn't hurt, either.

(Quick glossary:
のり (nori)- seaweed; that green stuff that is typically on the outside of sushi rolls
味醂 (mirin)- a sweet type of sake that is used in cooking; usually labeled as "sweet rice wine" or "cooking rice wine"
醤油 (shouyu)- soy sauce)

... I suppose I should actually get to the recipe.

Spam Musubi


(This is actually not a picture of my most recent batch, but... well... let's just say this last time I wasn't quite quick enough with the camera.)

Yes, yes, I know I said the word dreaded by epicureans everywhere (spam), but please, hear me out! You have no conception of the glorious experience you are denying your taste buds!

...not convinced, you say? Well, don't blame me when your friends are raving about this marvelous recipe, and you're feeling left out because you weren't brave enough to try a just little bit of processed meat.

Think of it as an adventure.

Now, let me preface this by saying that I learned the "recipe" from one of my Japanese professors (who is herself from Hawaii) during a dinner party, and thus I have never really had anything written down. It's very much a "play-it-by-taste" recipe, so you should probably be comfortable with that style of cooking before you attempt this.

But hey, who am I to warn away the go-getters? Have at it, kids.

You will need:

Software
  Sticky Rice (~3 Cups)
  Water (Amount depends on what your rice cooker says to do with that much rice.)
  Spam (One can; I use the regular stuff, but you can feel free to try it with the low-fat or turkey varieties.)
  Nori (Five sheets halved to fit your sushi mold; eyeball it.)
  Mirin (to taste)
  Shouyu (to taste)
Hardware
   Rice Cooker (or pot if you prefer)
   Non-stick Saute Pan
   Sushi Mold (looks like this)
   Plastic Wrap
   2 Shallow Bowls
   A Plate
... so I used the Alton Brown terminology. Alton Brown is a great man who makes being a loquacious geek cool! He teaches me fascinating things about food, and isn't afraid to be a weirdo on national television! Using his terminology is merely one way in which I can demonstrate my...

Er... right.

Anyway. Begin by cooking your rice, since you can do the other prep work in the down-time that rice cooking generally creates. Follow the instructions on your rice cooker, or follow this recipe for stove-top cooking (sorry guys, I rely on my crummy little rice cooker and therefore have nary a clue when it comes to rice on the stove.) After you have it started, it's time to begin with the spam.

Oh, quit your whining, it's good stuff.

Take the spam out of the can, and slice it up vertically (or rather, lay it down on its side and slice that way, so the slices are long and thin rather than short and stubby.) If my slicing instructions have left you in the dark, use your sushi mold as a guide--these things are sometimes called spam musubi molds for a reason, after all--and cut the spam so that one slice will fit inside the bottom of the mold nicely. You'll see why in a bit. I usually get between ten and eleven slices out of one can of spam, depending on how thick I'm cutting that day. You can go for less if you like your spam thick, but I've found that the flavor ratio turns out best with the ten-eleven slice thickness.

Have your pan on the stove, ready to go, but not yet over heat. It doesn't have to be non-stick, but trust me, it makes things a lot easier (yes, I have done it both ways; I speak from experience here.) Place your spam (theoretically still on the cutting board) to one side, and one of your shallow bowls between the spam and the pan. Break out the shouyu and mirin, and combine to taste. You're going to be marinating the spam in this mixture, so keep that in mind as you're tasting it. I prefer it on the salty side, and thus tend to add more shouyu than mirin. Don't be too heavy handed with either, though, or you're going to be dumping a lot of liquid at the end. Unless, of course, you've discovered some ingenious use for a slightly spammy shouyu-mirin mixture that you'd care to share...?

(My professor originally said that you should add sugar to this mix, but I see no need to whatsoever. Then again, I am not the biggest fan of sweet things, especially when combined with savory ingredients like spam.  Should you feel that your marinade is missing something, remember that sugar is an option and feel free to incorporate it.)

Once your marinade is ready, dunk a piece of spam in, coating both sides liberally, and then place it in the pan. Continue until the pan is full (but not crowded!) and turn on the heat to a good medium. You shouldn't need any lubrication for the pan, since spam is so very fatty on its own--and we're using non-stick, remember!

Now, this is where it gets tricky--depending on the size of your pan and how many slices of spam you have to fry up, you're going to need some fast handwork here. Flip your cooking spam a few times, just to brown it up on both sides (it's already cooked, remember.) When it is sufficiently darkened for your tastes, remove it to a plate nearby. The idea is to constantly have a full load of spam in the pan, but if you're uncomfortable with this kind of hustle, don't worry about it and take your time; it's not like the spam has anywhere else to be, after all.

Continue with the dunk-then-fry method until all of the spam has been browned sufficiently. Cover the fried spam plate with aluminum foil to keep the meat warm until you're ready to work with it.

While you're waiting for the rice (as I presume you still will be at this point), begin setting up your assembly station. Take a piece of nori ( already torn, of course; you remembered that step, right?) and lay it on the counter (or cutting board if you so choose.) Place the bottom half of your sushi mold over the nori; the nori should stick out significantly past the long sides of the mold, but meet up fairly evenly with the short sides:

Aren't my MSPaint skills impressive? (No, it's probably not quite to scale; quit being so picky.)

(Note- You don't necessarily need a sushi mold to make this dish; it just makes things neat, compact, and the proper shape. I'm sure, however, that free-form musubi taste just as nice as their molded brethren, and would love to hear from you if you try this method out.)

Fill your second small bowl with cold water, and dunk the top of your sushi mold in it to prevent it from sticking to the rice.

Once your rice is actually done (and you've waited the appropriate amount of time for the excess water to evaporate!) load a small scoop into your mold. (Unfortunately, I can't tell you exactly how much; it really depends on your tastes and how much rice is left in the bowl.) Place a slice of spam on top, and then another scoop of rice on top of that. Press the whole thing down with the top of your sushi mold, and while pressing down, pull the bottom of the mold up and off (so as to free your musubi.) You can do this without holding down on the top if you'd like, but this way is much easier. After you've removed the bottom half of the mold, peel the top away from the rice; if you dunked it like I said, it shouldn't stick too horribly. If it does, just jiggle it a bit, doing your best not to knock over your little tower of goodness.

Now, fold the nori over the spam and rice package, one side over the other. A three-way fold, I believe it's called. You know, like you're folding up a letter to stick inside of an envelope. Only the letter is rice, spam and nori, and the envelope is your mouth.

Well, I thought it was a good simile anyway.

Make sure that the nori is sticking to the rice (or itself) all the way around; no one likes loose ends. Flip the musubi seam-side down onto a plate for safe-keeping while you make the others.

Repeat, repeat, repeat. It is a little time consuming, I'll admit.

Once sealed up that last bit of nori... congratulations! You are the proud creator of a good handful of spam musubi! Take advantage of this well-earned moment of rest and scarf one down.

Delicious, am I right? And you doubted me!

Now, if you wrap these individually in plastic wrap, they will keep in the refrigerator for at least a few days. (I say "at least" because I've never let them last any longer than that myself.) Just heat them up in the microwave for about a minute, and they'll taste just dandy. Excellent on-the-go food, in my opinion.

Be fore-warned, though; microwaving your leftover musubi does tend to spread the smell of spam and nori about the house, which apparently some people are not very fond of (weirdos.) Heck, the original frying of the spam also spreads odors about, so if you have some vociferous spam-haters in the home, you might want to try making this somewhere else.

Well, I hope that I have convinced you to try something new and exciting, or at least to pass this recipe on to your friends so you can watch them try something new and exciting that you wouldn't personally touch with a ten foot pole.

Never let it be said that I did not attempt to expand your horizons.

This is Edo, signing off while wondering if maybe spam is just as difficult to swallow as the hair metal...

Thursday, June 17, 2010

It's all very scientific. (めっちゃ科学的なもんや。)

We're taking a break from cell phone talk for the moment, simply because I figure that spamming my readers with pictures of pretty phones while I ramble incessantly about nonsense isn't really helping anybody. We will continue when either I (a) obtain some relevant information about the plans available or (b) come up with some decent e-mails I need to decide between. 

And hey, dramas! Dramas are better than random music groups that may or may not appeal to the masses, yes?

...admittedly, this may be a little dated, but hey. I like what I like.

Also, date does not determine quality; we all know this. Why else would hair metal be so popular?

...ok, bad example.

And this isn't nearly so dated as hair metal.

Really, in those terms, it's brand new!

ガリレオ (Galileo)


Let me start by saying that this is pretty much my favorite drama ever. Yes, ごくせん (Gokusen) is amusing, and 月の恋人 (Tsuki no Koibito, Moon Lovers) is lovely and has Kimutaku, but this... this is a drama I can go back and watch again. And again.

Even though it's basically a crime-detective-mystery type show, which really shouldn't be interesting after you know how it ends.

The series ran from October 2007 to December 2007 (yes, dramas are usually only one season, and very short-lived, but oftentimes the better for it), so I only ever saw the commercials for it while in Japan the first time, studying in Hokkaido. Which, really, is probably better for me, because there's no way I could have watched this without subtitles at that level and understood anything. (Heck, there's so much scientific/police jargon that I wonder if I could even do it now...)

According to the rather bare-bones synopsis presented by DramaWiki,

In "Galileo," Fukuyama Masaharu plays a genius physicist and university associate professor, Yukawa Manabu, who solves difficult mysteries. Affectionately known as Tantei Galileo ("Detective Galileo"), Yukawa is brilliant, an all-round sportsman, tall and handsome but eccentric. Yukawa's partner is a rookie cop, Utsumi Kaoru (Shibasaki Kou), a hot-blooded woman with a strong sense of justice.

Well, sort of. If anything, Manabu is sort of Utsumi's sidekick, as she is the one who really pursues these oddball cases, and asks for his scientific guidance. Just because 福山雅治 (Fukuyama Masaharu, heartthrob extraordinaire) is pretty, it doesn't mean he should be able to bump aside the other star of the series here.

... what's that you say? Verification of heartthrob status? Oh come on now, this isn't that type of blog! We aren't here simply to ogle the pretty faces in Japanese entertainment! This is...

...what's that? Kimutaku? Well, that's different. That's.... well...

Oh, fine.

There, you happy?

...no?

There's just no pleasing some people.

Ok, but that's it! Any more, and we're touching on dangerous ground.

ANYWAY.

In basic terms, this is a detective show: Utsumi is assigned either assigned unsolvable cases, or picks up on random unsolvable cases that the rest of her department thinks are lost causes. When she gets stumped, she bounces ideas off of Manabu, or "変人ガリレオ" (the weirdo Galileo) a fairly asocial physics professor who was classmates with her senpai (senior), who has just transferred to another division, but not before imparting that, hey, I know this super-smart Manabu guy...

...That was sort of a run-on sentence.

Anyway, the series is fairly episodic (which I, personally, quite like), with a new case every episode (except for the two-part finale.) Most everything gets solved through scientific reasoning, which culminates in Manabu going into his "zone" and scribbling physics equations over whatever surface happens to be nearby. I'm not quite sure what is meant to be accomplished by this, as it usually seems that he is "logic-ing" and not calculating the problems through, but one hypothesis (mine) is that it's simply a displacement activity to help him think.

But let's not get too deep into things before you watch it!

Although I do a rather shoddy job of advertising, I cannot recommend this series highly enough. Very well done, and the actors are quite impressive.

Not to mention the fact that it won all of these awards:
13th Asian Television Awards: Best Drama Series
55th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Drama
55th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Actor - Fukuyama Masaharu
55th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress - Shibasaki Kou
55th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Script - Fukuda Yasushi
55th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Director
55th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Theme Song
(Aw, man, she even won Best Supporting Actress... I guess you just can't overshadow the eponymous character.)

Definitely worth a watch at least once through, and if you can get to the special "Episode 00" (which is good) and the movie (which I haven't watched yet...oops), all the better.

And Jonouchi, the medical examiner, is totally my favorite character. Brash, intelligent, good at her job, and not at all squeamish (which is often played to comic effect.) What is it about examining dead bodies on television that makes you such a nifty character?

(Oh, and did anyone get the pun in Manabu's name? Would it help if I told you it was written 「学」? Ok, so it's cheesy, but that doesn't make it any less clever.)

In a final note, apparently the drama was based upon a novel series by Higashino Keigo, who was awarded the Naoki Prize in 2005. I am definitely going to have to check that out.

This is Edo, signing off whilst thinking scientific thoughts.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

A very important decision, part 2. (めっちゃ大切な決定や、パートツー。)

What, you thought I was kidding when I said I wold continue with the cell phone theme? Surely you jest. I am nothing if not serious and trustworthy on this blog.

...I see you snickering. Stop that this instant.

Before we move on to cell phones, however, just a quick blog update to keep everyone on the same page.

Due to my obsessive compulsive, slightly anal personality, I felt the need to ascertain just how many people were actually reading this, my new-found hobby and eater of a small yet significant portion of my free time.

So, I went and got myself a Google Analytics account.

(Does google just not supply everything these days? Those people are geniuses. No wonder they can afford to treat their employees so very nicely.)

So now I have something of a grasp on who is reading my blog.

I say something because, quite honestly, for all the information it gives me, I still don't know much of anything.

Because, you know, none of you comment.

Ahem.

But anyway, hola to my readers in Spain, and こんにちは to my readers in Osaka, Kyoto and Saitama (日本語で書いた方がいいかな?どうしよう、うち?教えてちょうだい.) And according again to google, "halo" should be the appropriate greeting in Malay, but as always, feel free to correct me. I admit up front that I speak not a word of Malay.

Talk about a digression.

Now, back to the topic at hand: cell phones in Japan. Ah, what a lovely ring that has to it. (Har har, "ring." I am just so clever.)

I did a little bit of research yesterday, and it appears that either AU nor Softbank has amazing coverage when it comes to the 田舎 (inaka, boonies). I don't recall, however, ever having problems with AU (even when I lived in Hakodate), and already mentioned the fact that my friend with Softbank had no problems even while cruising through the backwaters of Wakayama and Mie, so really, I wonder how accurate those service area maps are. Or, rather, I wonder how many of those "no service" white areas are actually impassable and therefore completely moot points. Japan is, after all, mostly mountain, and therefore mostly not somewhere you're going to be living.

What, you didn't know that? Oh come on now. Allow me/Wikipedia to educate you just a smidge:

About 70% to 80% of the country is forested, mountainous, and unsuitable for agricultural, industrial, or residential use. This is because of the generally steep elevations, climate and risk of landslides caused by earthquakes, soft ground and heavy rain. This has resulted in an extremely high population density in the habitable zones that are mainly located in coastal areas. Japan is one of the most densely populated countries in the world.

There, you see? So really, most of those white areas could be, as I said, absolutely moot and entirely misleading when looked at by a foreigner such as myself who is unfamiliar with the landscape.

(Just in case you'd care to prove me wrong, or offer some helpful insight, here is the map for AU, and here is the map for Softbank. Yes, unless someone gives me a very, very good reason otherwise, I've eliminated Docomo from the running, simply because (a) I have no personal experience with them at all and (b) their phones are ugly.)

At this point, unless someone in the vicinity where I wind up living tells me that one of these two plans has absolutely horrible reception in that area, I think it's going to come down to who gives me more packets (which take care of e-mails and internet usage) for less money. And yes, because I am raven-like that way... a pretty phone earns the company extra points.

Like the Sony Ericsson Bravia phones. Unfortunately, however, I don't like the outside screen on this one. Too small, difficult to read. If there's one thing besides e-mailing that I want my phone to do, it is definitely "be a second watch." Or first, as the case may be; I do forget to put mine on more often than I would like.


The Toshiba T003 is also rather nice, but unfortunately I cannot tell whether or not the outside is hiding some sort of slick, secretive display... or whether it does not, in fact, have one. If the latter is the case, well. What good is a phone if you have to open it to see the time?

...yes, I realize how silly that sounds once I write it down, but... well, it's true.

The SHARP SH005 is also interesting, not to mention available in a wide array of colors.

And just check out Sony Ericsson's Urbano Barone. Now, if that doesn't scream professional, I just don't know what does. (I admit, I am a bit partial to Sony because my beautiful phone is one of theirs.)

I really like the new Hitachi Beskey as well, but cannot find a  picture to show you; you're just going to have to go to the actual AU site and see for yourself.

The Softbank Premium 942SH is sort of nice, though this is the old version (Winter/Spring) and may very well be off the shelves by the time I'm in the market. However, it does have a nice outside display (though not visible here), and is nice and simple, without any ugly bumps or dips on the cover. I like smooth and sleek.

I would get the black one, of course; unfortunately, Google Images is not my friend today.

You know, it's funny... Softbank is supposed to be the most gaijin-friendly phone service, and yet I can't for the life of me find the spec page that tells me whether or not their phones are bilingual capable or not. Perhaps I would have better luck if I looked on their English site (which is indeed far better than either the AU or Docomo English sites)... Ah, yes, they put it right on the top. Selective information for selective audiences, I suppose. They also display more of the older models... Interesting. I wonder if perhaps I just wasn't looking at the right spot on the Japanese site.

... I do tend to wander off on my own tangents, don't I?

Now, I know I said that we would be discussing e-mail addresses today, but... frankly, I haven't come up with enough possibilities to really make a good discussion yet, so that post will just have to wait.

This is Edo, signing off already imagining the solid feel of a well-made Japanese phone in her hands once more.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

A very important decision. (めっちゃ大切な決定や。)

Well, as it looks like I may very well be moving to Japan at the end of the summer after all (my potential employer is getting my Certificate of Eligibility applied for and everything), there are a few very important decisions I have to make.

Most of them are pretty mundane, and certainly not blog material in these initial, pre-planning stages: where to get my hair cut, which supermarket to get a membership card with, what shampoo brand to try out that won't horribly mangle my super-fine white hair...

But there are some that are worth talking about, even this early in the game.

I talk, of course, about cell phones. Service, model, make, e-mail... oh, the choices to be made!

Firstly, I'm going to have to decide between the three major cellphone service providers in Japan:

AU

Docomo
and Softbank.
 Er, no real meaning behind the order, just... alphabetically. Right.

Now, in my previous two jaunts to Japan, I have used AU--the first time by necessity (that was what our program provided, and since we were only there for two months, we didn't have a whole lot of choice) and the second time by choice (possibility influenced by familiarity more than anything.)

The question is, is AU really the best?

According to this website, AU is absolutely the worst when it comes to gaijin friendliness. Oops. Guess I've been going about it the wrong way this whole time.

Even though my phone in Kyoto was fully bilingual (thank goodness), and I had nothing but good things to say about the AU people themselves (one of whom bent the rules a little bit for me so that I could cancel my plan one day and continue using the phone until the next... thank you, 三条 AU shop lady! You are my savior!) My plan was a little pricey, but I basically had unlimited e-mail and web access, so I couldn't complain too much. (It wasn't technically "unlimited," but I never even came close to the amount my plan covered, it may as well have been.)

Honestly, AU is looking pretty spiffy for this second time around; as far as I can gather, they have the most understandable plans, which can be combined in (theoretically) any way you want. All the internet and mail you want, and only twenty-five minutes of calling? No problem! (I believe that's what I had originally... I only went over my talking limit once, which was conspicuously in one of those months I was plus boyfriend... hm.)

Also, as far as I can tell, they have he nicest phones. (Linked to the English site for your convenience!)

(Most of which, at least in '08,said "WIN" on them.Yes, I'm easily amused, you all know this.)

Or, you know, they did when I went last time. I absolutely loved my phone, which of course, they no longer sell. It was already on the cheap line back in September of '08, you'd better believe it's off the shelves now.

This is it. Ain't she a beaut? I love the "hidden color" theme. They had them in a number of color combinations... such as White/Lime, Pink/Rose, and I think something else that involves orange... but this was by far the most beautiful, in my opinion.

Honestly, if they just let me reactivate this puppy? I'd go with AU in a heartbeat. Such a nice little phone... So solid and durable. Dropped it all the way down the outside stairs at my Shiga home-stay. Nice ding in the side, but otherwise none the worse for wear. That's quality that is.

But you see, the problem is... I have no idea about the other providers. Friends have Docomo, but I've heard that it's the most pricey, not to mention the fact that I don't particularly like the phones. I've also heard that it's the most popular, though, so maybe the populous of Japan knows something I don't.

And Softbank? Well, I may be tempted by the fact that SMAP now acts as their spokesmen, and the fact that I absolutely adore the White family commercials:



(Yes, the father is a white dog, the older brother is a African-American man, and the sister and mother are both Japanese women. I think it's wonderful.)

I'm not sure if I actually have a valid reason for wanting to use their service. I don't want an iPhone after all... not to mention the fact that I have been informed, repeatedly, from various sources, that they have absolutely awful reception, and you'd better not live in the boonies if you use their service.

And then a friend on my Kyoto program had Softbank and never had any problems at all, even when we were cruising around the Ise peninsula in a bus. She also paid an obscenely low price for service... though admittedly she was on a student plan.

I suppose that I'm going to have to do a bit more research, ask around, compare plans... and ultimately go with the service that has the prettiest phone cheapest e-mail package. Because who uses the phone for calling people, anyway?

Be sure to tune in next time, when we discuss the very difficult process that is choosing an e-mail address!

This is Edo, signing off while wondering if she's counting her chickens a bit too early again.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Quite the strange bird. (やっぱ変な奴やな。)

Well, it really was inevitable.

What with my general lack of topics recently, and the fact that I am easily amused by strange people... it had to happen eventually.

Sooner rather than later.

No stopping it.

Like a boulder rolling down a mountain.

Like an old lady taking your place on the bus.

Like the piercing stares you can feel boring into your back as you walk around some of the slower parts of Kyoto...

Ahem.

So. Gackt was eventually going to be the main topic.


Well, that was probably the easiest image search I've ever done. Let's have some more, shall we?


Oh, heavens to murgatory.

Don't be fooled by the eyes, ladies. This is a full-blooded, mad-as-a-hatter Japanese man who is simply trying to fool you with his ability to purchase contact lenses.

... I think I'll stop before my blog gets confused for some fangirl's wet dream.

Ahem.

According to that never ending fountain of knowledge, Wikipedia:
Gackt Camui (神威 楽斗, Kamui Gakuto?, born July 4, 1973) is a Japanese musician. Usually referred to by his mononymous stage name, he is known as the former vocalist for the now-defunct band Malice Mizer and for his current career as a solo artist. Besides Japanese, he has performed in English, Korean, Cantonese, and Mandarin.

Gackt has released nine albums and thirty-four singles as a solo musician. His music has been used as theme songs for various anime, television dramas, and video games, such as New Fist of the North Star, Bujingai, Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, and Kamen Rider Decade, amongst others. He co-starred and co-wrote the 2003 film Moon Child and acted in the NHK drama Fūrin Kazan as Uesugi Kenshin. Since July 2009, his name is stylized GACKT.
What they fail to mention is that he is crazy in the face.

And really, that's all right, because it's entertaining.

According to Melon, however, it makes for very aggravating concerts that have less to do with music and more to do with cheesy dramatics. Alas.

You know, it's funny; even the Wikipedia page says that  he "originated" from Okinawa, whereas the two university students who showed me around my Shiga home when I studied abroad insisted that no, he was, in fact, born in Shiga, but didn't admit it because Shiga simply wasn't glamorous enough.

I can believe that, though I've never seen either proof either way.

And really? I don't much care.



Instead, I watch him in things like this and giggle terribly.

And look, it's even subtitled for you non-Japanese-speaking types!

(Yes, they are making jokes about his penis size. To be fair, he started it.)

Luckily, in recent years, Gackt has realized that the world perceives him as a crazy, crazy man, and most certainly does not take him seriously. (Aside from the fangirls/boys, that is.) He has also learned to play with this image. He has fun with it, and is no longer so stiff. It's a good change.

Especially for those of us who knew that he was pretty crazy the whole time.



I suppose there are simply more English-speaking Gackt fans out there than, say... English-speaking Kimutaku fans. Goodness knows why.

As far as I know, this was simply an extra on some sort of concert DVD. No reason. No prompting. Just... Gackt being a weirdo.

He does that.

He also does music. You know, occasionally.



This is actually a traditional Okinawan song, which is very interesting. I rather like it. Needless to say, though, he did not write it.

I suppose I should show you some of his original work.

... who knew that I would have to provide my own music when it came to Gackt's actual body of work? Oh, the irony. Just a few, then.





The second one is a nice, soft, acoustic version, simply because I like it better than the original song.

Unfortunately, in recent times, I've become quite ambivalent towards Gackt. Yes, he's pretty to look at, and yes, he's amusing to watch, but apart from that... my interest, it is simply not held.

I apologize, dear readers, for this rather lackluster post, and hope that my choice of videos and music conveyed my thoughts better than did my actual words.

This is Edo, signing off more than a little burnt out for the time being.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

But is it really effective? (けど本間に効果的かな?)

Oftentimes I insist to anyone who will listen that Japanese commercials are far more entertaining than their American brethren. In fact, it is to such an extent that I often find myself looking forward to the commercials during Japanese programming, at least during the less engaging shows (or, you know, those ones wherein the vocabulary is a bit too difficult for me to follow along easily without getting a headache).

But then, do I ever offer proof to support this strong, perhaps biased and indeed subjective statement?

... the answer is no, I usually don't.

Well, I am here today to remedy that, and prove once and for all that Japanese commercials, are, on average, far more entertaining that you could ever imagine.

...though perhaps you can imagine quite a lot.

...and perhaps I should not set myself up to fail like that.

Oh well, here we go.



This is a commercial I only recently discovered, and never actually saw for myself; it must have run during one of my American periods.

Regardless, I think this is a pretty good start. On the surface, SMAP, advertising Dragon Quest IX for the DS. Sure, whatever.

But advertising the game as the most effective bait fishermen can use to catch the number one boy group in Japan from their... native ocean habitat?

Tell me you saw that one coming and I'll eat my hat.

...I must forewarn you that I am far more partial to a commercial that contains Kimutaku. But then again, who isn't?



Admittedly, I love this one particularly because it uses clever word-play. くどく is "to seduce, woo, romance"... you know, "hit on." Whereas くどい is "verbose." Wordy. AKA "shut up."

... ok, so I think it's clever. I apologize to all you non-Japanese speakers out there who may not be appreciating the joke due to my poor explanation skills.

I'll try to do better with this next one.



Gackt is similarly enjoyable to observe in the advertising field.

Basically, Tsutaya (a DVD/CD/Whatever rental shop chain spread throughout Japan) is advertising a new Netflix-type service in which people can receive and return DVDs by post. The first commercial simply reiterates this a number of times:

DVDはポストに届く A DVD arrives in the mail
ポストで返す You return it by mail
ポストに返し忘れても Even if you forget to return by mail
返却期限はありません There is no due-date for return

The second commercial has a bit more of a personal touch to it:

DVDがポストに届いた A DVD arrived in the mail
忙しかった You were busy
忙しかった You were busy
忙しかった You were busy
忙しかった You were busy
やっと見た You finally watched it
泣けた You were moved to tears
うっかり返し忘れても Even though you carelessly forgot to return it
返却期限はありません There is no due-date for return

Admittedly, that could have been translated in first, second, OR third person, but... well, I made a creative choice. (And I do apologize for that choppy last line; I'm simply not awake enough at the moment to tackle it properly.)

My favorite part is the surprised noise he makes when he realizes he forgot to return the DVD.

And to wrap it all up, let's jump back to Kimutaku, shall we?



Let me tell you, I've chewed a lot of Xylish gum in my day, but not once has Kimutaku popped out of my mouth all sparkly-like to have a chat. I'm feeling a little cheated over here.

Well, I'm not sure if I have convinced you of Japan's superiority in the advertising field, but... just think. If beautiful men are roaming through commercial time like nobody's business, aren't you more likely to pay attention?

I thought so.

This is Edo, signing off still a little bitter about that whole gum thing.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Such a convoluted scene. (めっちゃ複雑なシーンやな。)

Hey, I admit up front that I post about music when I have no other, more fascinating ideas to thrill you with.

At least I'm still providing something akin to interesting and useful information pertaining to Japan, yes? Thus, the purpose of my blog is fulfilled, at least until the next posting date.

Anyway.

Today, we are venturing once again into the solo-project-cum-band arena of J-rock, which is actually apparently a far wider genre than I ever would have imagined.

Acid Black Cherry



Yet another band that I only know of thanks to Melon and her penchant for watching PVs in our study abroad lounge while I was sitting nearby.

At least I think that's how it went...

Regardless. According to Wikipedia,
Acid Black Cherry is Janne Da Arc vocalist Yasu's solo project. The band's name is often seen shortened to "A.B.C.".

...short, but sweet? Here, once again, we see the ego problem inherent to the music scene, Japanese or otherwise. There are other members in this band. Yasu is not some sort of magician who can play five instruments at once while singing and sashaying his skinny booty across the stage. Despite what the bio and their album covers would have you believe, there are other men in this band.



Look! Look! There they are!

I mean, when they're in your music videos, I think it's a pretty jerky move to pretend they don't really matter. I mean, sure, Gackt insists that he is a solo act despite his numerous band members on stage, but at least he's consistent. If there's someone else in his music videos, it's some pretty lady he's sexing up, or failing that, some samurai dudes he's chopping up.

... he's a strange bird, that Gackt.

And yes, I'm sure, SOMEONE will prove me wrong here, but come on. The ABC band members have significant roles in the PVs. They simply wouldn't be the same without them, though Yasu is clearly the star. Yes, I'm sure he made the band; yes, I'm sure he's responsible for most of the music. But still!

... yes, yes, smallest violin, boo hoo. I feel for the little guys in the music biz, all right?

I mean, look at them.



(Side note- This is one of my favorite music videos EVER. It is adorably dorky.)

Sure, Yasu takes center stage, but would it be quite the same without his otaku ensemble? No.



And really, how can you be a dorky fangirl without your posse?

(Yes, I love that video too. Half of the enjoyment I get out of these guys is their amazing videos. Yea underdog fangirls, woo!)



And... er... how can you be a respectable... lounge singer without a group of mob men fighting over you?

Ok, so that one's a bit less solid, but it also brings up another point: Yasu likes to dress like a lady. Do I disapprove? No, no I do not. However, dressing like a very pretty lady while singing a dirty, dirty song about sex (trust me on this one) is bound to get a few people all riled up.

(Notice the otaku brothers in the second and third video? The first was ABC's first single, so I suppose it's a sort of running gag now.)

So maybe I get a little too excited about the solo-project idea; sure, the band members tend to get ignored, but it really is a solo project, after all. You just needs guys there to hold the instruments during lives.

In this case, though, I sort of wish the ABC otaku groupies band mates got a bit more credit in the official press.

And maybe I'm way off base here; maybe this is a wide-spread phenomenon, and everyone does it without question. Maybe Gackt does regularly have other dudes in his videos that he is neither sexing nor chopping, and I am simply blissfully unaware.

Or maybe they are getting press, and the CD covers and Wikipedia pages are just gross misrepresentations of the truth.

When all is said and done, it could be that I just like getting worked up about things.

So, in conclusion, I like Acid Black Cherry. I definitely recommend that you give them a listen, if only during a watch-through of their thoroughly amusing videos.

... Yea, somehow, I think that I would receive very poor marks for organization, were I to turn this post in to a professorial type. Definitely not my most coherent piece. Such is life, I suppose.

This is Edo, signing off whilst thinking about men in dresses and just generally going off on her own tangent.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

It's pretty wa-tastic. (「和」の感じするぜ。)

Well, here we are again; whenever faced with a creativity drought, fall back onto the old standby of pushing my musical tastes onto the world at large.

As they say, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

... why is it that so many of our famed English sayings, witticisms and bon mots are agrammatical? Is it because many of them in fact stemmed from a time so far in the past that they were, in fact, grammatical in their contemporary version of the language... or are we simply perpetuating idiocy and incorrect speech patterns?

... but I digress.

Today, as some of you may have guessed by my (admittedly rather cryptic) title, we will be discussing the musical stylings of Kagrra, 和 (wa; "Japanese") J-rock band extraordinaire.



And, as you can see from my choice of photographs, I was merely being bilingually redundant with my choice of descriptors.

(Admittedly, the image is fairly dated, but I feel that it really drives my point home.)

According to that endless source of knowledge, the amazing Wikipedia:

Kagrra, (神樂, Kagura?, Kagrra, on album art and promotional material) is a rock band from Japan. They were originally signed to the now defunct Key Party Records under the name "CROW". The group changed its name when it signed to PS Company.[1] The band's major debut was in 2004 with the single "Urei".[2][3] Kagrra's concept is "Neo Japanesque." Their lyrics are in the style of Heian era poetry, their costumes frequently incorporate traditional Japanese clothing styles, and traditional Japanese instruments and drum rhythms are used in some of their songs.


Anyway, when I say 和 (using the kanji-cum-adjective that Melon and I use on a regular basis to describe everything from clothing to food to music), I do indeed mean to imply that Kagrra, maintains some very traditional Japanese musical styles in their music. (I didn't even know that Heian-bit, but I should have guessed.)

For example, in うたかた (utakata, foam; ephemeral), one of the guitarists (真, Shin, and yes they all go by one name) uses a 琴 (koto, you'll see) to play the main refrain:



Personally, I find a man playing the koto to be immensely attractive.

(Even though it is traditionally a feminine instrument...Hm.)

Don't think that they stop there, though; ぱらいぞ (Paraizo) uses both koto and 尺八 (shakuhachi, traditional bamboo flute... which apparently colloquially is used to refer to oral sex. I did not know that), and possibly even a little bit of 琵琶 (biwa):



And then 皐月 (satsuki, fifth month of the lunar calendar OR a type of flower), at least to my untrained ear, seems to be using a 三味線 (shamisen):



You'll have to ask Melon for verification on that one though.

However, my favorite of their repertoire (戯曲 かごめ謡, Gikyoku, Kagome Utai, The Play of the Kagome Recitation) employs not necessarily traditional Japanese music, but instead semi-traditional Japanese folklore, if you will:



As I have not translated it yet, I'm not sure how much of the lyrics are actually based upon it, but throughout the song, strains of a somewhat haunting children's song are used:

かごめ、かごめ
籠の中の鳥は
いついつ出やる?
夜明けの晩に
鶴と亀が滑った
後ろの正面、誰?


Which (roughly) translates to (yes, MY translation):

Kagome, Kagome
The bird inside the cage
When will it come out?
In the evening of the dawn
The crane and the turtle slipped away
Who is that behind me?


It may seem a bit nonsensical, but it's used to play a game where a group of children circle around a sitting child who is covering her eyes. The outside group sings the song, and when they finish, the child inside the circle is supposed to guess who is standing behind her.

But of course, there have been a number of interpretations and "urban legends" about this song... many of which can be found here if you're the Japanese-reading sort. I think it's quite a spiffy bit of hokum myself, and really like that they used it in a song so appropriately (and by that I mean slightly creepily.)

... and of course I've gone and wandered off topic again.

Regardless, I would definitely recommend Kagrra, especially if you're a traditional Japanese music enthusiast. Otherwise, they're still a pretty good band, though don't go in expecting anything hard-core; the vocalist has been referred to on many an occasion as a "pretty pretty princess," and for good reason. Expect a lot of hand waving and meaningful swaying from these guys.

This is Edo, signing off with that chant stuck in her head yet again...

EDIT- Well, folks, I've discovered belatedly that I made a bumbling error with my fancy-schmancy music players. Now, they actually play the songs I say they play. I apologize for the confusion.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

And now for something completely different! (それでは、全く違うことをどうぞ!)

Yes, I did just quote and (mis)translate Monty Python for today's title. I fail to see the problem.

Anyway. The meaning behind my seemingly out of place title should be perfectly clear:

I am going to write about a movie that I actually regret taking the time to watch.

It made me feel yucky for the rest of the day. So, in hindsight, it was a good thing I watched it late at night.

Though admittedly it may have been partially responsible for those odd dreams... though admittedly my subconscious is sort of a sadist, so I suppose, horrible as it may have been, no movie could be blamed for my nighttime romps into the surreal and nonsensical.

... and yet again I digress.

恋の門 (Koi no Mon, Gate of Love)



The International title is apparently "Otakus in Love," which is not only a mistranslation, but a VAST misrepresentation of the movie. Whoever was in charge of that department should be fired. Then cast into the sea. And shot for good measure.

I honestly can't tell you why I stuck with this thing to the end. It's possible that my good-natured, trusting naivete would not let me quit, desperate to find something redeeming in this film. It could be that my cynical side wanted the grim satisfaction of being able to warn others away from this horribly confusing excuse of a film. Or, honestly, it could be because I was waiting for the one sex scene that didn't end in someone throwing up or having mass delusions.

... yea. That's just the kind of movie it is.

Basically (and I do mean basically, because I honestly don't think I'm capable of giving a good, unbiased summary of this thing), starving, obsessed-with-rocks artist Mon runs into crazy-pants-otaku-doujinshika Koino on the street, and both find themselves intrigued by the other--Koino thinks he's hot, and Mon sees her panties.

... yea. I probably should have turned it off right there.

But, Mon is played by Matsuda Shota's (my first idol crush) somewhat attractive older brother, Matsuda Ryuhei, and perhaps that's why I found myself inexorably dragged onwards...

(Also, I thought the pun in their names as related to the title was sort of cute. I'm a sucker for puns, you know.)

Though it appears that the two will never meet again after their brief encounter on the street, Koino takes Mon home with her after his attempt to gain a part-time job at her company (followed of course by a welcoming party with complimentary booze and jerky co-workers) fails utterly. We find out that Mon draws manga on rocks, and is defensive about his art form.

After a drunken night together, Mon awakes, thinking that he's finally lost his virginity, but finds instead that he has been dressed in cosplay while unconscious by the horribly, horribly otaku Koino, who wants to do a photoshoot with him.

See, see, it COULD have been charmingly quirky.

And instead we get to see the, in actuality, rather frightening aspects of otaku life (using up one's rent money on goods, fighting online, slacking off at to work to attend tours and cons), the over-use of the throwing-up-when-nervous gag, and a whole hell of a lot of loose plot ends that really go absolutely nowhere.

In the end, it just made me feel a little gross inside to see this aspect of life, which just seems so dismal and hopeless and fake.

And see, the thing is? Mon is only an otaku in the broad sense that most "International" folk don't even really understand. He is ridiculously single-minded when it comes to his, quite frankly, ridiculous rock art, which technically qualifies him as part of the otaku fold, but when compared with Koino and her brethren, I think that most audience members would draw a different conclusion--particularly those outside of Japan who don't really have a firm grasp of what otaku means (aka those for whom the international title was created). Basically, being an otaku means having a deep-set, single-minded, possibly harmful obsession with something. You can be a train-otaku, an anime-otaku, a game-otaku, whatever strikes your addictive personality's fancy. It originally stems, I believe, from the fact that otaku tend not to leave their homes very often, focused as they are on their interests (お宅, otaku, a polite term for a third or second party's home).

Then again, maybe I'm not giving my fellow gaijin enough linguistic credit.

Regardless, though. Consider this post a warning. I do not recommend this film; it does NOT receive Edo's stamp of approval.

And really, it's not that I just don't like silly/slightly weird comedies; I love The Handsome Suit (another post!) and 少年メリケンサック. This movie just... blargh.

And I had such high hopes for it, too...

This is Edo, signing off and consoling herself with pictures of the younger Matsuda...

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Finally, a satisfying ending! (やっと、満足させる結びや!)

You know, I was beginning to think that the realm of BL movies was a barren wasteland, populated entirely by movies that were all unsatisfying; if not horribly, pointlessly depressing, then confusing and lacking in true resolution.

I never thought I'd say this, but... Thank goodness for manga film adaptations!

Because I'll be damned if I haven't finally found a happy, un-confusing, and utterly satisfying movie of the BL variety.

(Ok, so, it wasn't as... entirely satisfying as, say, a good Naono Bohra BL manga would be, but I know where to set the realistic expectations here.)

愛の言霊 (Ai no Kotodama, The Power in the Language of Love)




(... yea. That title simply does not translate. 言霊, or kotodama, is, roughly, believing that saying thoughts can make them real. Belief in the power of words, language, what have you. It's very cool, but it only tangentially relates to the movie, so... another post! The International title is apparently "Words of Devotion"... yea. I feel a little cheated there.)

The real problem going into this movie, though, is that it's based on a manga series, as mentioned above, so I can't help but feeling that those of us who haven't read it are missing a few things. At the same time, however, I never felt lost; just maybe like I hadn't been privy to a prologue. It is because of this fact that I'm a bit more forgiving when it comes to character development, though; theoretically, they were already fleshed out, and the film was playing off of that.

Still, though, I think it works as a stand alone. The narration technique is good for that, and well employed here, I think.

...though I should probably talk more about plot and less about my rather muddled critique, I suppose.

So, this movie follows the already established (in that they live, sleep and eat together, not that they go around saying "HI GUYS, WE ARE A GAY COUPLE!") couple of college men, Ootani Shinya and Tachibana Miyako (no, I don't get the girl name either, though I assume it uses boy kanji), played by Tokuyama Hidenori and Saitoh Yasuka, respectively. (Yes, I know; a BL movie without Saitoh Takumi? I was surprised as well.) They have been together for most of their lives, and apparently (according to the blurb) confessed to one another and began living together after graduating from high school. Yea, that wasn't in the movie, but I presume that it's important for back-story. You do get the sense from the supporting cast that these two are always together, though; everyone makes a point of it at least once.

The main conflict is, as expected in this sort of (cliched) BL plot, jealousy: a girl from their high school (who we know has had, and possibly still has, a crush on at least one member of the couple) comes to their college to visit a friend, and becomes a new annoyance to Ootani, who is convinced she is after Tachibana in a carnal sort of way. As the movie is narrated by Ootani, we tend to see it from his view, and begin to wonder if he isn't right to worry.

There is cute coupley behavior, angst, and surprise gayness abounds. As I mentioned, it is a rather hackneyed BL plot, so expect misunderstandings, ridiculous circumstances that lead to unintentional hurt feelings, and female characters you're meant to hate, not sympathize with.

However, there is something of a love scene at the end, something I have yet to see in his genre. It's nothing terribly risque, but at the same time, it does require a bit more from the actors in question, which I find impressive. Kudos, gentleman, for being man enough to do a BL love scene. Kudos indeed.

Ultimately, as it ends happily, has a satisfying yet open conclusion, and stars two actors who are quite decent, I think that it is a thoroughly enjoyable film that is definitely worth watching if you're a BL fan. Heck, even if you're not; expand your horizons!

This is Edo, signing off with her faith restored in the BL movie industry.