If you ever get the chance to attend a one-man, three day, close quarters live event....
Take. It.
Especially if that band is as good during their performances as is DEATHGAZE.
I mean, good lord people.
I don't think I've ever produced so much sweat before in my life. ...Even calculated cumulatively.
And my neck isn't even sore! Who knew that the cure for headbanging aches... was more headbanging?
(And, admittedly, liberal ibpruofen dosage, but still. I haven't taken any since!)
If that isn't a valuable life lesson, I don't know what is.
This little dude was at the drink bar every night. Well, I say that, but as another audience member and I were discussing... was it really the same little dude? This picture was taken on the first night, and he never did seem to degrade in any real noticeable way. Thus, he was either made out of supremely high quality watermelon (which is possible--this is Japan... which also makes me hope that it got eaten eventually), or someone managed to get so very good at carving the little mascot dude and his brethren that no one could tell the difference from night to night.
Or maybe it was all thanks to the スイカパワー！(suika powaa, watermelon power). Apparently, that's what we were all going on, and who am I to argue?
There was also some sort of metaphor about us all being the seeds, but I'm still trying to work out the deeper meaning of that one.
After we got the red fan on the first night, I dithered about bringing it along the second. I ultimately decided not to, as I wanted to keep my nice little souvenir as pristine as possible, and lo! We received another, and in a different color as well! (They're lined up in chronological order, because I'm just that way.) Probably the best souvenir possible to get in that venue, in this season. Never let it be said that DEATHGAZE is not considerate of their fans!
(They also made a big deal, both in blog posts and each night during the pre-show announcements, about not trying to power through if you started feeling faint or sick, but to let someone know--even one of the band members if that's what you could manage--and get someone to help you out of the crowd and into an open space so you could recover. I don't think anyone ever did/needed to, but it was a nice thought regardless.)
And since I still can't even come close to containing my excitement (I mean, come on, they announced their new single coming in November, and then another new tour staring in December! Allow me to squeal in fangirlish delight.), I find I must share just a weensy bit more.
(Plug your ears, grandma.)
Pretend that guitarist Tataki's hair is blonde for the full experience.
And since that's the first song of the album... why not wrap it up with the last?
Glory Sky
I had to wait until the last day for this one, but ah, it's always worth it. The look of pure, unadulterated joy on vocalist Ai's face as the audience sings along with the chorus is absolutely wonderful, and it gets me every time.
(You can listen to this one, grandma.)
This is Edo, signing off nursing only a mildly sore upper-arm and battling a serious case of permi-grin.
Not a Revue, because I'm sure that's just not what you're here for. Anyway.
Oftentimes, when thinking of what to write in this blog of mine, I become fearful that I have run out of topics--what else, I moan, can possibly be written? And, of course, after about five minutes of this kind of thinking, a blog post is almost fully formed in my head, ready to go.
Unfortunately, this usually happens when I'm in bed and the computer's off for the night, so I'm forced to cling to my ideas until the morning hours, hoping that something, anything, stays in my brain long enough to get down on the interwebs.
As my brain right before sleep is not in prime memory-making mode... well. We'll see how that goes.
Anyway.
To the delight of some, and to the ambivalence of many (I'm sure), I'm going to return to my musical phase today!
...although really I don't think I've ever done song commentary, and have mainly stuck with general band description plus songs as a necessary by-product thereof, but generally subservient to the greater plot of band informant...
But whatever.
Today, thanks to this post taking a long time coming, I have two singles to talk about:
DEATHGAZE's SILENCE/THE END (because when you can't choose the title, why not compromise?) and Dir en grey's DIFFERENT SENSE.
... I'll never understand why recent V-kei/J-Rock bands feel the need to ignore standard capitalization rules. I mean, it could be that they're shouting everything... oh, ok. Well. That makes sense, forget I asked.
Anyway.
DEATHGAZE - SILENCE/THE END
Yes, that is the album cover. Not entirely black, there are some spots of white and grey in there if you look... maybe it's supposed to be deep space?
Really, though, when bands start doing this for covers, I have to wonder if it really is so much artistic as it is damn lazy on the part of their graphics guy... Although, in the case of Dir en grey's THE MARROW OF A BONE, it was actually a mistake, particularly in the American release, for some reason. What looked to be a black cover with only the title standing out should have, in fact, been a monochrome (... is it monochrome when it's all in shades of black, really?) picture that was actually quite detailed. I think there was a deal where Americans could send back their copy to get the proper cover. Pretty sure I stuck with the mistake cover, but would have to actually dig out my copy to confirm.
... ANYWAY. (These are really just self-cues to get my hiney back in gear at this point, pay no heed.)
As you may (or may not, if you're a brandy-new reader... hello, brandy-new reader!) know, I am a fan of DEATHGAZE. Seen them live twice, have most if not all of their stuff. They're great. Put on a good show, and produce consistently good music. Ai has a great voice, and he doesn't growl or scream too much--which, really, is extra nice, as he has one of the most distinctive voices I've ever heard. In a good way. In a good, deep, make-you-all-tingly way.
I'll stop.
Track 1- SILENCE
Like I said, they weren't very creative in naming this single. Guess what the next track's called.
Now, I like some hard rock. No one can say otherwise. I especially like hard rock with a melodic interlude, or, even better, a melodic chorus. While sometimes I admit that I do like to headband and scream with rage, most of the time, I'm just not in that sort of mood.
Er, right now anyway. No telling what tomorrow brings to my emotional state.
Regardless, I think loving BUCK-TICK has seriously affected my love for the harder stuff. Oh, well.
And anyway, Ai has too nice a voice to waste on nothing but screaming. Luckily, he didn't disappoint. He's a good kid.
(Yes, I promise. Press play, and get through the first... oh, thirty-nine seconds. It gets less angry. Not that there's anything wrong with angry, mind you. They're almost a metal band, depending on your definitions, so give them a break.)
These guys are just a very well put together band. Lately, the world of Visual Kei has produced naught but knock-offs and really awful music (I'm looking at you, GAZETTE.) When someone like this pops up? You can't help but do a little dance of joy.
lynch. is pretty good too, but DEATHGAZE is definitely my favorite new-age (in my terms, having started putting out music oh, say 2003 or later) V-kei band. (And don't bug me that DEATHGAZE might not fit into that classification--I'm not counting when Ai wasn't the vocalist, because honestly, I don't know if they would have worked as well without his voice. And hey man, the website says 2003, so back off. It also seems to suggest that Ai's gone blonde again... oh, well. Whatever floats his boat. Naoki is still adorable and tiny, so at least there's some consistency. Honestly, I could break the man in half... Woman at the goods booth tried to suggest that, hey, Naoki wears an M, so that should be ok for you, right? I gave her a look and said "Yea, no, L please." Maybe I should take it as a compliment, or that she really needed new glasses.)
Track 2- THE END
You guessed it. Hey, at least they let you know what you're getting in to.
Ah, they certainly never disappoint with percussion. Naoki may be tiny, but he's damn good.
This one is a bit angrier, despite a non-screaming start and some nice melodic bits, so I would recommend that those with tender sensibilities stick with the first track. That, in general, is a pretty good rule with these sorts of singles, unless you know for a fact that the first track is really hard. In that case, by all means, exert every effort to find a song on the single you prefer. No judgement here.
You know, it's interesting that I'm reviewing both DEATHGAZE and Dir en grey in this post. I mean, of course, it's because I like the both of them, but I've heard more than one person say that DEATHGAZE is a nothing more than a re-hash of Dir. And, while I disagree with this, I can see that they were very clearly influence by Dir, and that is ok. Dir is a very good band, despite my feelings towards their recent fashion sense--they are solid musicians, with some of the best performances out there. Kyo, like Ai, has an amazing voice that can switch between angry scream-o and beautiful melody in a heartbeat. You can definitely say that they are similar sounds, which may be why I like them both.
What I mean to say is that, in this song, and a few others, you can definitely hear the Dir influence. If you listen to SORROW, you can't help but hear it--honestly, even I was a little dubious about how much they were listening to THE FINAL while writing that one. Nevertheless, I like both songs, and still think it's ok for a band to pay homage to and learn from one of the greatest in the genre.
So there, those of you who hate DEATHGAZE. You can just back right off and take your heads out from your behinds, thank you very much.
Next.
Dir en grey- DIFFERENT SENSE
I don't care what they say their capitalization scheme is now, I grew up with 'Dir en grey', so I'm keeping 'Dir en grey'. And you guys with your shaved heads and feathery coats and your recent lack of melodic tunes can bite me.
(It's sad when your first love falls out of favor.)
Track 1- DIFFERENT SENSE
Now, as I mentioned, I prefer melodic tunes that use the vocalist's talents for beauty to songs that are just... growly. Sometimes, Dir caters to my preferences. The recent single LOTUS was, after all, quite nice. 激しさとこの胸の中で、絡み付いた灼熱の闇 (Hageshisa to kono mune no naka de, karamitsuita shakunetsu no yami) (... yea, way to make most of the chorus your title, guys) was more towards the screaming and growling end of the spectrum, but it still had a very nice echorus that demonstrated what Kyo can do with his voice.
While I was waiting for another beautiful, heart-wrenching song, like GLASS SKIN from UROBOROS (it was on of the singles, following a more angry one, so I think I was right in hoping, really), what I got was... kind of an angrier, growlier 激しさ.
Sigh.
Yes, darling, we all know that you can make some truly spectacular noises, particularly considering what a very small body you have to work with (hey, it's impressive, the man is 5'3".) But can't you impress us with your range, instead? You can go ridiculously high and beautiful considering your deep speaking voice. Let's hear that--it's far more impressive, especially considering that, hey: EVERYONE'S growling now!
Seriously. It's everywhere. You're no longer cutting edge with this stuff. Admittedly, you may be the best at it, but come on. If you're going for wild and crazy, in the present genre? Might want to go back and try for that haunting beauty angle again. Trust me, it works.
I mean, you do it a little here, and I really dig it. Particularly when you layer your singing (I've always loved that trick), juxtaposing the pained screams with the deep, melancholy singing. I love that. I also love the interludes of acoustic guitar and just the singing. Really. You have a beautiful voice.
... I just wish it was more than, oh, twenty percent of the song. Sigh. I plead in vain.
Track 2- 罪と規制 (つみときせい, Tsumi to Kisei, Crime and Regulation)
That's my translation, so back off.
I've gotta say, when I first saw this track name, I thought it would be some sort of remake of their very, very old song (off of GAUZE, which was, I believe, their first full-length, non-indies album) 罪と罰 (Tsumi to batsu, Crime and Punishment). As their style has changed quite a bit since then (as happens with most good artists), I thought it would work well, especially considering their recent theme of remakes, what with HYDRA-666- on the DOZING GREEN single, a really super growly version of 残 (Zan) (also from GAUZE) and that really cool shot-in-one-take version of 蝕紅 (しょくべに？しょくこう？しょっこう？No idea. Possibly means "Crimson Meal," and is from VULGAR) on 激しさ, and the super-beautiful, better-than-the-original version of undecided on the GLASS SKIN single. I mean, hey. Remakes are cool, especially with Dir, as they always go all out in making it truly distinct from the original. Kind of like going back and editing an old paper--it was good, but damnit, now that you see it five years later, there's so much you want to fix. Or, you know, just change.
Anyway. Thought it was going to be a remake of 罪と罰. Particularly fitting, as the original was pretty damn repetitive and, in hindsight, a little boring, even compared to other songs from the same album (lookin' at you, アクロの丘 [Akuro no oka, Hill of the Bad Road] and MASK. Even 予感 [Yokan, Premonition]. I love 予感.)
And... honestly? For the first two minutes, it's hard to be sure whether it is or not. It's pretty goddamn growly.
And then, ah ha. There you are, my old friend.
Ok, so the original wasn't their best song. At the same time, I'm not sure how much of an improvement it is to GROWL the whole damn thing, dude.
I'll let you judge for yourself.
Honestly? I don't blame you if you don't hear it. I listened to this song a lot as a young, impressionable teen, so I'm going to hear it a lot quicker than most. And remember, it took even me the first two minutes to figure it out.
This is a loose, loose remake, people. I'll stick with the ones mentioned above to get my old-turned-new fix, thanks.
Track 3- RED SOIL [Live]
... I don't know, I have mixed thoughts about using live tracks to fill out your Single. I mean, sometimes they're really good--BUCK-TICK is always fun live. Even Dir is very good live--unless, of course, the three shows I saw were all flukes. Plus the DVDs. But hey.
The problem is... this isn't really a great live track. I mean, I do always like the audience bits--it helps you relive when you were there (in some cases) or just get a better feel as to what it's like actually being at a live show. AGITATED SCREAMS OF MAGGOTS from DOZING GREEN is pretty good on that front, especially if you remember the appropriate hand motions. Not to mention it has that nice, haunting intro that the album version just... doesn't.
But, yea. Nothing really makes this live version stand out from the song off of UROBOROS, aside from some minimal audience shouting. Not a bad choice, per se, but they could have made a better one, I feel. LOTUS had two remakes; 激しさ had two remakes (one of which was that kick-ass 蝕紅, like I said). Thus, with one remake and a live recording? I somehow feel cheated.
Admittedly, this version was apparently recorded in Osaka, which is always good. It's nice when a lot of the band is from Kansai--they understand, man. Not to mention that, hey, it might have been recorded at the show I was at. Probably not, considering the time frame (a 2011 single pulling from a show at the end of December 2008? I guess it's possible...), but there's always that possibility! And that's a good thing.
Well, that's it for today's musical review time with Edo. I hope you learned something today. Admittedly, there's not a huge chance of that, looking back at more sporadic and highly subjective reviewing style... Oh, well. Be sure to pick up your coat on the way out.
Oh, and... don't ask about the little pictures on the music players. They're quite random and have nothing at all to do with the music. Sorry about that.
This is Edo, signing off with the sneaking suspicion that she'll never get a job with Rolling Stone.
PS- Oh... why not. Here's the kick-ass 蝕紅, too. Remember, it was shot in one take, which means this was all done without layering. Not to mention all in one go, without piecing the bits and pieces that worked out best together. That's kick ass, not to mention a sign of true talent.
(The best part is from 3:08 to 3:32. You don't even know, man. Just wait, you'll see.)
Well, I've come to realize why it is so difficult for me to produce regular content as compared to, say, Joe Schmoe personal blogger elsewhere on the internet.
(I do not actually know if there is a Joe Schmoe blog out there somewhere, but if someone does find it, feel free to link in the comments. Because I am nothing if not willing to waste time on the internet.)
The problem is, these people post about their lives. Their average, daily lives. Because people are interested, and still read despite the fact that they aren't, say, doing intensive reporting on this bad or that TV show.
And I say, why can't I do that? Why can't I serenade you with tales of my thrilling sedentary life, spent job-searching and attempting to discover just what the hell I'm going to do with myself?
Probably because I haven't ingratiated myself yet for you lot to care. That's why.
So alas, I'm in a pickle. I've become rather sick of posting about random Japanese cultural topics, because I'm sure that at least fifty percent of my audience (at present) is related to me by blood and would read my blog if I suddenly developed an interest in writing full-length editorials about yak-herding in Mongolia and just how one should best decorate a yurt to make full use of available natural light.... and therefore I'm not even catering to the masses when I spend hours writing up nice, detailed posts about my favorite bands/TV shows/crossdressers/ridiculous puns that make no sense when you think about them, really.
Thus begins the reign of the supremely inconsequential, yet, perhaps, slightly amusing to you, my very, very specialized readers.
I really don't know why you're even here.
So. Today's thought.
I think that Ai (from DEATHGAZE) has an absolutely stunning voice. Deep voices in general tend to make my toes curl, as it were, but his is something else.
You wouldn't think a song titled "The Stench of Death" would sounds so nice, would you?
I admit that's probably a slightly loaded translation, but I like the irony of it.
Especially since at least fifty percent of you can't understand the lyrics. Thus, beautiful mood dissonance. For those of you can can understand... oh, just play along, please.
And no, don't know what that means. If I had to understand what a song's saying to like it... well. Let's just say that I'd have to hate everything Imai's ever written.
... and what the heck. It's my blog.
I really like this video.
For the faint of heart, again, this is not for you. Stick with the three songs above, and for the love of your poor eardrums, don't click play.
I still think that Ai looks nicer with black hair, though.
And you really don't get the full experience until you see how ridiculously flamboyant he is on stage. Not to mention overheated--man wore long sleeves at both lives I attended, both of which had me sweating in the audience without the help of burning stage lights and nearly so many layers. But then, I guess that's what makes you a true V-kei band, eh?
This is Edo, signing off saying "nyer nyer, it's my blog, I can do what I want."
Especially when you, like me, have a stomach prone to stress and thus a near constant case of indigestion beginning from the submission of the application and lasting until some undetermined point at which I will decide that there is no longer any need for stress in my life.
... that may be, in fact, when I am dead.
I have been, after all, stressed almost constantly since I decided to apply for this thing. You know, as separate from the stress stemming from my regular bouts of existential crisis, paranoia, and general feelings of dread about the future.
... but, quite frankly, if I'm not stressed, I don't feel that I'm accomplishing anything. So, while this may be horrible for my upper digestive tract, it really is good for my overall mental wellbeing, no?
... oh, well.
How about some nice, classic BUCK-TICK to make up for the decidedly dull and dreary nature of today's post?
This video, which I believe is from 1989, documents three very important things:
1. That BUCK-TICK was indeed, at one point, popular enough to be on television, despite what you may hear.
2. That Imai was always a little terrifyingunintelligibleunique.
3. That Toll's truly remarkable hatred of change was established very early on in his career.*
*For those of you who aren't fangirls not in the know, this was very soon, if not immediately after the band's "hair spring" debut period. Look who didn't get the new hairstyle memo.
It also demonstrates that signs of Atsushi's "woman" stage were evident as early as '89, but we all know about that.
This is Edo, signing off wondering if it's better to be stressed with or without "Dress" stuck in your head.
PS- Damn it, I said this, thought it was clever, and can't bear to see it lost so quickly in the ether:
"I have dreams about being called 'Doctor'...and believe that sonic screwdrivers should come standard issue with every PhD."
That's right, kiddies, your beloved author here is off to another rock concert this weekend--all on her lonesome this time, which wasn't really all that worrisome until some of her coworkers suggested that it should be.
... Oh, the power of suggestion.
I must admit that I have never been to a live all on my lonesome.... I was supposed to go to a Dir live alone during my senior year, but a nasty bout of the flu kept me from making the hour long trek into Los Angeles proper and head banging my heart out.
Because, you know, doing that sort of thing with a fever, some congestion and even a bit of nausea probably isn't wise. Especially for all my poor fellow headbangers. And, well, every single diver on the 10 that particular evening.
... nevertheless, I curse my body's bad timing to this day.
Sigh.
However, I will not be cowed, and I continue on with the same degree of excitement and enthusiasm I have always had!
And really, it's only worth going together with someone when their love for the band matches yours. Thus, BUCK-TICK with Melon? Excellent. Dragging Melon to DEATHGAZE when they may or may not make her ears bleed?
Well that's just not something friends do.
And thus I head to Nagoya on Sunday all on my lonesome, dressed to the nines (is that the phrase?) and quite willing to have a sore neck for the following week.
Because it just wasn't a live if you don't feel it for days afterwards.
... well, ok, you don't really headbang to BUCK-TICK, but the arm-waving and the jumping does get you a bit sore, so it still works.
Anyway.
DEATHGAZE.
They're pretty awesome.
And this time, they get their own tour!
Very likely, this is due to the December release of their new album, because as far as I know they are still technically an indies band (which, as we all know, just means that they're not quite getting paid what they wantneeddeserve are owed based on record sales yet.)
BLISS OUT. Quite enjoyable, says I, though I admit to liking pretty much everything I've heard by these guys.
Currently, I am trying to ascertain whether or not I will be able to wear my jacket and then store it in a coin locker so that I can rock myself silly without being encumbered and overheated. Provided that everyone else in attendance does not have the same idea and jam all the coin lockers in the station, I think I should be all right.
... hopefully.
Regardless, I will have a good time.
Also: who knew that getting into Nagoya on the cheap would be easier than getting there quickly and expensively? Take that, 特急 (tokkyu, limited express train.)
This is Edo, signing off realizing just how much effort travel planning entails. Yeesh.
WARNING: This post is... well, pretty much entirely composed of things that only interest, say, maybe 20% of my audience.
And that's only provided that I'm actually attracting the people I think I am. Who knows how big a grain of salt that needs.
Oh, and it also demonstrates just how whiny, entitled, selfish, and horribly self-important I can be when pushed.
(But doesn't maintaining a personal blog and expecting people to read it, in general, do all of that regardless...?)
Anyway, consider yourself sufficiently warned.
Ahem.
I had planned to make my first post this week about the amazing Takarazuka (宝塚) performance I saw yesterday... but now, now that has to wait.
Because of what I consider to be sheer and utter... foolishness.
Honestly, you leave your favorite band alone for a few months, just a few months...
And then this happens.
Oh, you know what I'm talking about.
This. This nonsense right here.
Long, short, blonde, black, magenta, I don't care.
But shaving it off and then dressing yourself as a B-boy, complete with ridiculous fluffy jacket and pants that don't seem to fulfill that whole bum-covering requirement?
What, has it suddenly dawned upon you that your life simply will not be complete until you become the fiftieth member of EXILE?
Somehow, I doubt they'll appreciate your skills, sweetheart. I just can't picture your vocals quite fitting into their line-up. Also, they probably can't read your kanji.
This new single you're releasing today (which, might I add, is the first in over a year) better be some seriously amazing music. I expect myself to think, "good lord, all that hair was holding him back all these years! Clearly, now that he has streamlined his head for maximum vocal capacity, I can truly appreciate his talents!"
But really. You already had talent, creativity, more emotion than fifty other rock-stars combined into one (even if half of them were engaging in some sort of substance abuse at the time their powers combined) and a truly incredible range that could go from heart-wrenching to gut-wrenching in two seconds flat.
Come on, guys. You were my favorites. I stood in line, in February, for 27 hours for you. Don't give it up to BUCK-TICK so easily.
Heck, lately, even these young whipper-snappers are giving you a run for your money.
And he smiled during their live. And flirted.
(This one is for my two devoted readers who have softer tastes than I do. And, you know, whoever else'd like to take a listen. See what a good blogger I am?)
Ahem.
Er.
Yes.
I promise I'll get back to my non-fan-bitching regularly scheduled blog content in the next post.
But. You know.
Sometimes, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.
Even if it's just expressing how shocked and appalled she is.
This is Edo, signing off waiting for that single and expecting gold, baby.
Not to mention the fact that the two non-new songs are sufficiently remixed to satisfy my cravings for as-of-yet unheard Dir.
Consider my faith restored.
But I'm going to pretend that you had long blonde hair while singing it, 京. It'll be easier on both of us that way.
... oh, and guys? Cut back on the smoking, eh? You're starting to look older than BUCK-TICK, and they've got 10+ years on you, most of it actively touring.
But sometimes we sacrifice accuracy for clever titles.
Which, really, is better than the other way around, don't you think?
Anyway, once again, I find myself somewhat strapped for expositional topics, and thus will fill this post with silly little pictures taken of small bits of my day-to-day life.
....and once again I fall into the timeless trap wherein the villain foolishly lays out his entire nefarious scheme for the hero before he can, in fact, complete it.
Drat.
Oh, well; at least in this setting, there's nothing that you, the hero, can do about it.
Allow me an evil chuckle. Moo ha ha.
Anyway, first things first. I promised you a picture of my BUCK-TICK goods, didn't I?
A handkerchief (which actually has more of a towel texture, making it a bit more useful in the long run, though you won't see me wiping my grubby hands on it) and two very nice wristbands that came as a packaged set. Note the lack of tote bag. Curse high demand and short supply!
I personally like the two-for-one wristband deal. Admittedly, two-for-1500 is a bit steep, but hey. Concert goods. What are you going to do.
I also like how they worked the skull in. Nice maintaining of the theme, guys.
Next... I never showed you that super-awesome earring tree I purchased during my excursion to Osaka, did I?
3 Coins is an amazing place.
That's right, I got this baby for 315 yen. It's nice, quality metal too. None of that aluminum nonsense.
...she says three days before it breaks. Oh, cynicism!
Goes with the decor though, eh? I especially like that it's literally a tree. Almost didn't buy it, but it was very cunningly placed in the shop (aka I had to stare at it while waiting in line to purchase my warm socks) and thus...
Oh you clever, clever marketing people.
Speaking of shopping...
I don't like yogurt. I think it tastes like poo, to be blunt. Thus, I take acidophilus supplements to keep my insides happy, healthy, and other good things starting with the letter h. (I think I abuse that joke...) However, I have not been doing this since coming to Japan, as I have not been able to find your average, run of the mill, acidophilus pills.
And so, sick of my stomach being unhappy, today I went out and found this.
It has a number of probiotics within, including my desired acidophilus, along with some vitamin B compounds I may or may not need, but hey, what can it hurt.
We'll see if it works. Frankly, I don't think there's much that can replace my chewable, blueberry flavored supplements from Hi-Health, but... well. Beggars can't be choosers.
Or, well. Expats can't be choosers, anyway.
Also note the bright pink pair of nail clippers. I did not want a bright pink pair of nail clippers, mind you, but after much searching, they were in fact the cheapest to be found, and at the end of the day, my frugal nature always wins out.
And as a bonus, they have a nail file hidden inside, so they're not so bad.
And finally...
Once again I treat you to my rendition of omuraisu, because, really. There is nothing more delicious looking than a freshly cooked egg.
I mean, come on.
This is Edo, signing off wondering if you can get a placebo effect from supplements... especially supplements in such official looking bottles.
And to further emphasize my point, I will right a very short post to tell you about it.
Saturday
Come home from work, make pasta -- Check.
Go to Yokkaichi with a co-worker for a night on the town -- Check.
Stay awake until around four in the morning -- Check.
Sunday Wake up around noon -- Check
Drink coffee and attempt to eat breakfast -- Check
Fail to eat breakfast -- Check
Get all rocked out for the live -- Check
Drive to the station -- Check
Find the cheap parking lot with only a small amount of confusion -- Check
Arrive at the station way too early due to my inherent paranoia and wind up waiting for something like forty-five minutes for my train -- Check
Spend a good two and a half hours getting to Nara -- Check
Arrive and spend a while trying to find the concert hall with Melon -- Check
Find the concert hall -- Check
Rejoice because the goods line is nonexistent -- Check
Realize that there are no tote bags left; despair -- Check
Wait -- Check
Wait -- Check
Wait some more; oh yes, they're late -- Check
Finally get into the hall and find our seats -- Check
Find out that the map in the lobby lied to us and that we are actually in someone else's seats -- Check
Get moved forward one row -- Check
Wait -- Check
Wait -- Check
What, half-an-hour late now? -- Check
REJOICE when the house lights finally go down -- Check
Have a BLAST for the next two hours or so -- Check
Leave in a daze -- Check
Manage to get some マクド, despite the delay having made me worry about catching my train -- Check
Scarf the マクド -- Check
Say good-bye and get on the train -- Check
Proceed to worry all the way home about making my connections, as every train is delayed -- Check
Finally make it home without issue -- Check
Spend entirely too long chatting with Melon and wind up going to bed too late -- Check
Monday
Spend an entirely uneventful Monday that just doesn't compare, other than the fact that I joined Fish Tank, the BUCK-TICK fan club (hopefully) -- Check
PHEW.
There we go.
Unfortunately, no pictures of the live, since they sort of frown upon that...
I have this though:
Sure, it's a picture of my flyer, but it's all I got.
Maybe I'll take a picture of my goods for you next time.
Oh, and that bitch of a last train home?
Yea, you'd be stressed out too, I feel.
This is Edo, signing off already eagerly anticipating the November live in Kyoto, and hoping her fan club membership comes through in time to get tickets for the next tour.
I really wanted to keep my advertising campaign going, but...
Well.
Let's just say that I know my audience, and that my audience would be slightly less than thrilled if I suddenly changed the focus of this blog to things not me.
...egocentric as it sounds, I promise it's true.
Be that as it may, BUCK-TICK still plays a very relevant role in my life, you know.
For example, I have been listening to RAZZLE DAZZLE on repeat ever since getting it on Wednesday. After being originally somewhat nonplussed by the entire thing, it has begun to grow on me, and now I have 5-starred (the iTunes equivalent of saying that you love a song, for the laymen) three songs. The number may grow.
The eponymous RAZZLE DAZZLE, for instance, is quite catchy.
I admit, with that voice, Atsushi could probably sing about poo for five minutes and I would eventually come to enjoy the song.
Then again, it's not so much the lyrics I mind (because they're actually quite fun and catchy, for the most part.) It's more the fact that their last two albums had a very nice rock-like feel, and that's, frankly, what I was expecting from this one as well. Instead, it has more of a dance, techno feel, reminiscent of Sexy Stream Liner or Mona Lisa Overdrive.
Which, in itself, is not a bad thing.
I just needed to get over the shock of it.
(Also, I admit, I don't much care for the remixes of the two singles... but hey. It's because they gave me so long to fall in love with the originals. That one's on them.)
That said.
Three songs so far.
Like Django!!! -眩惑のジャンゴ- (Genwaku no django; dazzling django).
Don't ask me what a django is, because I have no clue. It can apparently be something related to programming in Python, any number of restaurants, a movie from 1966... take your pick. I'm not in a researching kind of mood at the moment. (Shocking, I know!)
I admit, part of what drew me to this song is the fact that it sounds suspiciously like Atsushi is saying "bippity boppity boo" during part of the chorus.
And then of course, there's my current number one, TANGO Swanka.
There was apparently some fun to be had in the naming of these songs.
Or simply some drinks in the stomach.
And hey, I'm not just being a blushing headbanging fangirl over here, this does relate to my immediate future in more ways than "it's what's on repeat in the car."
For I...
Am going to RAZZLE DAZZLE it up with Melon tomorrow in Nara.
And there's really just no better way to spend a weekend.
This is Edo, signing off with a bounce in her step and all those great pre-concert jitters in the stomach.
EDIT- It has been confirmed by both an internet search and Atsushi's emphasis of the line during the live: he is indeed saying "bippity boppity boo." (The fact that he spells it BIBBIDI-BOBBIDI-BOO is inconsequential.)
The live was incredible, as expected, by the way. Although, as always... much, much too short.
Melon and I came up with the idea of a BUCK-TICK festival. Like a regular weekend-long music festival, just... only BUCK-TICK. They have twenty-plus years of songs to work with, they could do it.
Because, you see, today, October 13th, 2010, is the release date of BUCK-TICK's new, fabulously named album, RAZZLE DAZZLE.
And really. How do you expect any other topic to compete with that for my attention today?
Especially since I'm off to one of the first lives for the album this coming Sunday in boonies-tastic Nara (though admittedly, not as boonies-tastic as Mie, since they're actually playing a gig there. Ah ha.)
Moo ha ha.
Here. We. Go.
...
... I say that like I'm going to be doing something more exciting than posting up music videos.
You can't say that I never excite you, though.
First, appropriately enough, we have the first single released for this album, waaay back in March: 独壇場Beauty (Dokudanjou Beauty, Unchallenged Beauty) .
... but I've written about it before, so please, don't let me bore you in the here and now with repetition and triviality.
Do enjoy the song and video again, though.
Because really. Those never get old.
Next, we have くちづけ (Kuchiduke, Kiss), which was released in September.
And not only is the song dreadfully catchy and wonderful, but I find the video to be terribly artistic and mesmerizing.
You can tell how emotional I am when I start using seemingly mismatched yet utterly appropriate words for emphasis instead of the traditional vulgarities.
...Unless you haven't read enough hoitery-toitey literature and are still trying to figure out what in the world I'm actually trying to say in the above statement.
Ahem.
Anyway.
... I've already written about this song to some extent too, haven't I.
I'm just making an absolute mess of my advertising campaign.
Perhaps I should have done it a bit earlier in the day, before my higher brain functions were compromised.
But let it be known that I tried, and that I enjoyed doing so!
...because Sakurai Atsushi is a gorgeous man.
Brain functions. Compromised.
This is Edo, signing off with a song in her head and a live in her future.
I sometimes wonder if that shouldn't have been the title of my entire blog, after the big ol' move to an adult life.
Perhaps one day.
Until then, though, I will continue on with the struggle to at least pretend as though I will eventually be writing some long, thought-out editorials for your reading pleasure.
Eventually.
Today is again fun-times with bullets and point-and-shoot updates.
...I've never realized how very gun-happy that sort of terminology is. I wonder why.
1) Weather in Matsusaka is crazy.
Yesterday, ridiculously hot. Today, actually quite cold and massively stormy at some points in the morning.
Typhoon stormy, you might say.
Though it wasn't actually a typhoon.
Just very, very wet and very, very loud.
Currently, I am sitting in my room, no air conditioning, with my sweat-shirt on.
Talk about a jump in climate.
2) I love onsen.
But they need to close down later at night.
Because really.
Who can finish their bathing before 8 o'clock?
That's just unreasonable.
3) Drug stores are surprisingly lacking when it comes to actual drugs (and just to clarify, yes I mean medicine).
Who'da thunk.
Also, Japan needs to embrace the caplet and pill forms of medication.
Because trying to choke down powders is simply not something I want to have to deal with at this stage in my life.
Really now.
4) I realized this during the live on Sunday night, but then forgot again in the interim. So it's worth a mention now as well.
I like lynch. a lot more than I thought I did.
Which makes that 800 yen I spent on their phonestrap that much better a purchase.
(... somehow, I think that sentence was off, grammatically.)
... Maybe I'll take a picture of the strap I own one day, as that is truly a tiny picture.
Very difficult to take a picture with your phone of something attached to the bottom of your phone, though.
Veritable logic puzzle, that one.
(An no, "take it off" is not the answer.)
5) Apparently I am too tired for prose as well.
And thus I bid you farewell and good day.
This is Edo, signing off with a minor crick in her neck and a major crick in her brain.
Which is why my updating schedule got all out of whack.
Again.
But that's not what we're talking about here.
What we're talking about is the fact that I had a fantastic weekend with Melon, surprisingly right here in good ol' Matsusaka (and a little bit in Tsu, admittedly.)
Which admittedly made going back to work today all the more painful, but what are you going to do. That's just the way the world works when you're a contributing member of society.
Anyway.
Bullet form (somewhat), just because I'm lazy.
1) Melon arrived on Saturday night, and we got ourselves some Hakata-style ramen.
Admittedly, not the best Hakata-style ramen, but after you've have 一風堂 (ippuudou), there's just no going back.
Good enough, anyway.
We then went home, and watched late night Japanese television on the brand-spanking new (to me anyway) TV that is now in my room.
(Thank you, boss.)
I really love late-night Japanese TV.
2) Sunday was a busy day.
We were supposed to go to the post office to send in my JLPT registration, head over to work to show Melon my day-to-day life, to Honeys to pick up a shirt I had ordered, then out to lunch, all before coming home, getting all rock-oshare'd up and heading out to the live.
The post office being closed kinda threw a hitch in that plan.
Admittedly, I guess most post offices are closed on the weekends, but having had access to the mondo Kyoto-eki post office for so long... I guess I got a little spoiled.
The rest of the afternoon went off fairly well, though, even though we should have hit another hitch--we showed up at the Italian restaurant I had picked just after they had "closed" for dinner preparations. Luckily, the owner was feeling kind, and let us come in and eat.
We then went home to get ready for our rockin' evening.
And rock did it ever.
Despite the early start (4:30 open and 5:00 start? What, did you have to make it home for your bed time, guys?), both bands put on excellent performances--even though I went in thinking that I would greatly prefer DEATHGAZE (who unfortunately only got half an hour on stage), lynch. was excellent live, and I thoroughly enjoyed both acts.
I am currently suffering from headbangers-neck, which is truly the sign of an evening well spent.
I wanted to buy a cell-phone strap from both bands, but unfortunately DEATHGAZE had priced theirs out of my humble range.
My ticket stub went into their bucket at the beginning (indicating why I had come that evening), so I think that makes up for it, really.
3) Monday was also a busy day.
After wondering what to do, I ultimately decided that we needed to go and see BECK, since the nearby theater (Tsu is nearby, when it comes to movies) was having their customer appreciation day, discounting tickets by almost half.
And we'll take any excuse to see a bit of Mizushima Hiro action, admittedly.
And it was actually quite a good movie, which I am very happy to have seen in theatres.
...aaand if this were a movie post I would summarize it for you.
But it's not, so I won't.
Maybe some other time.
Anyway. As we had to drive to Tsu, and as it was quite a long movie, that took up most of our daylight.
But that's all right.
Because our last bit of excitement did not require daylight.
That's right.
温泉 (onsen, hot spring) time.
Or really, more like 銭湯 (sentou, public bath) time, but it was good all the same.
And ridiculously cheap.
An excellent way to end a weekend.
Because I've told you before.
There is nothing better than naked time.
Especially naked time with your best friend at the close of an excellent weekend.
...admittedly more late night television was pretty good too.
But it was really all about the naked time.
...so much so, in fact, that I am tempted to go back myself this Friday after work.
Because damn. I'm already tired.
Ahem.
All in all, excellent, excellent times this weekend, and certainly enough to make me think longingly and nostalgically of only 36 hours ago.
... can you use nostalgically that way?
This is Edo, signing off feeling nostalgic no matter what you say.
And it will certainly make a full work day seem much easier.
Looking forward to something always does, have you noticed?
2. lynch./DEATHGAZE live at M'AXA
Because how awesome is that, really.
I mean.
In Matsusaka.
A hard rock/V-kei/metal live.
Which just happens to be taking place when my best friend is visiting.
Talk about your amazing happenstances.
Not to mention the fact that I got two tickets at least a month after they first went on sale.
Clearly, we were meant to go to this concert.
...you know, I say that, but every time I start trying to believe in fate, it juts backfires.
So.
We were lucky and therefore get to go to an awesome concert.
There we go.
3. The weather is awesome lately.
Seriously.
It will probably get hot again tomorrow, though.
Sigh indeed.
(Can you tell that I'm trying to space this entry out...?)
4. I made potato pancakes!
Of a sort, anyway.
I love left over mashed potatoes; they're so useful.
Who knew that all you needed to add was an egg to make delicious perfection?
...ok, and salt and pepper, but that's a given.
This is, of course, the second batch--first batches are always icky looking, you know. They were in my stomach long before cameras were ever brought into the picture.
The addition of the egg gave them a sort of scrambled-egg-and-hash-brown taste, which was quite satisfying, I must admit. I definitely recommend these to anyone with some mashed potatoes on hand. Delicious.
Sauteing them in butter helps, I imagine.
... and, yes.
I told you I was short on things to talk about today.
This is Edo, signing out incredibly excited for her weekend and now craving some more potato pancakes... curses.
I promised you a proper 宇宙戦隊NOIZ post at a later date, and it appears, dear readers, that that date has finally come.
It's always good to have a few back-up post ideas for those days you're not feeling very creative. Good advice for all of you future bloggers out there, take notes.
Anyway.
宇宙戦隊NOIZ
Oh yes indeedy. ビジュアル系 (Visual Kei, V-Kei) band extraordinaire, and possibly the most accurate example still active in the music field today. Heck, in my opinion? These guys probably epitomize the genre. If ever you need to explain V-Kei to your friends, just hand over the above picture.
Or, you know, tell them to google it. It is the age of the internet, after all.
Take note, however, that the above photograph is of the current band line-up; the following is an image of the original, and possibly most recognizable line-up:
... what can I say? I love me a man in a belly-shirt. Personally, I recommend clicking on this one to get the full experience.
....Uh. Anyway.
Uhm. Er. Yes! Ahem.
According to the vast fountain of knowledge that is Wikipedia:
Uchuu Sentai NOIZ (宇宙戦隊 NOIZ) is a Visual Kei rock band from Japan. They are famous for their energetic music, wild Cosplay-like outfits, and amazing live shows full of energy and on stage antics. Their music is very eclectic and has many different elements from genres such as punk, J-pop, metal, hip-hop, and electronica in their sound and thus cannot be properly labeled. Some songs tend to not mix all these sounds together and focus on one or two, while other song combine all these elements. There are two singers, Angel Taka (lead) and Masato, where as for the most part Angel sings in more of a pop friendly voice though occasionally can sound a bit more punk-ish, while Masato tends to sing in harsh/brutal metal vocals and even purely hip-hop/rap style vocals which Angel will sing backup for.
Uchuu Sentai NOIZ formed in 1999 under the name NOIZ. Later, the name was changed to Imitation PoPs Uchuu Sentai NOIZ (Imitation PoPs 宇宙戦隊 NOIZ), which is the name they are best known for as well as the name under which most of their albums are listed under.
...Recently members S@TT-ON(Drums) and TAKEswiy(Guitar) left the group to be replaced by Yamato(Drums) and Kotaro(Guitar). Soon after the band shortened their name to the now-official Uchuu Sentai NOIZ (宇宙戦隊 NOIZ) and signed up with a new major label. After this, they have released only a new Single "Brave New World" with the new member on their major label as well as a greatest hits called GREAT ROCK'N' ROLL HEROES (Best of).
Yes, I realize that that is a bit more lengthy than would be my normal quote from Wikipedia, but it actually has some good, helpful info on these guys (surprisingly enough.) Anyway, as far as I can tell, the former guitarist and drummer "retired," and thus left on amicable terms--I suppose that there are some people who can only do this sort of thing for so long, after all. I have not yet heard otherwise, and will continue to believe that there was no in-fighting until someone proves me wrong.
Because I hate inner-band strife, guys. I really do.
Though it does strike me as a little suspicious that the two pudgy, less-than-pretty members were the ones who left... Only to be promptly replaced by two musicians of the more aesthetically pleasing variety... Hmm.
But hey, the new drummer makes adorableblog posts, so I'm not complaining.
Oh, that's right. These guys have their own band blog, which is both highly entertaining to read and makes them far more accessible and real, which would put them towards the top of my favorites list even if their music wasn't fun to listen to.
Because, you see, in this day and age, far too many of these hard-rock bands take themselves entirely too seriously. Dir, I'm sorry guys, but you're one of them. (Admittedly, I think most of their problem is letting all that American-aimed PR get through. Yeesh.) I like a band who knows that what they're doing is kind of ridiculous, and can have fun with it all the same. I like a band who enjoys what they do, and doesn't mind running into fans, making fools of themselves, or just generally appearing human.
And man, despite all the ridiculousness these guys represent, they are by far the most human example of V-Kei I have ever seen.
Take this, for example:
(I apologize again for the size; click here to see it in a new tab.)
宇宙戦隊NOIZ has apparently become something of a regular guest at an American anime convention, realizing, like most of their fellows, that we Westerners have a pretty substantial financial fan-capacity, and may be worth the effort to get to know a little better.
However, they're not satisfied with being simply musical guests, especially since I'm quite willing to bet that only about 10% (if that) of the convention attendees actually knew who they were.
So, they don't take themselves seriously. They realize what they must look like to a bunch of weeaboo types, and run with it.
However, they aren't good at Dance Dance Revolution.
So they cheat. And entertain. And make fools of themselves.
And it's hilarious.
You want to fulfill a contract, play the gig. You want to get invited back, do something like this.
(You know what also makes them real? The fact that the leader sounds eerily like a buddy of mine from 同志社 [Doshisha University]. It's a little unsettling, actually.)
Oh, and did I mention they have their own Youtube account? Full of similar hilarity (including adventures with meat economy in an American supermarket) and amazingly entertaining LIFT-OFFs?
What on earth is a LIFT-OFF, I hear you cry.
That, my friends, is a LIFT-OFF. Don't ask me to interpret that bit at the beginning; it's pretty garbled with the music and the microphone and would take a significant amount of concentration which I simply don't have the time for... or I'm just lazy. That might be it. Ahem.
As you may have guessed, the above LIFT-OFF (ok, fine, it's a video introduction, happy?) is for Angel-Taka, the main vocalist and leader of the band. Except, he's not the vocalist; he's the Angel Voice. Similarly, 呼太郎 (Kotarou) is the Neo Eccentric Guitar, MASATO is the Hyper Sonic Guitar 叫 (Kyou) is the Super Vibrator (Bassist; don't ask me, because I'll never know) and YAMATO is the Machinegun Beat Grappler (Drummer; at least that one sort of makes sense.) I've linked you to each of their LIFT-OFFs, because... well... they're fun. And they're one of the main reasons why I gave these guys more than just a second glance.
And I am so very glad I did. What with the Youtube account, their ridiculous website, and their blog, I was convinced that I was destined for NOIZ-fandom even if their music was absolutely atrocious.
Imagine how pleased I was when it wasn't.
And even if you don't like the music, you can certainly appreciate the videos (another of which is posted here, remember).
Oh, and did I mention the fact that most (if not all) of them speak hard-core 関西弁 (Kansai-ben, Kansai dialect)? That gets them an automatic one hundred points in my books, as we all know. Ah ha, bias.
You know, oftentimes, people use bands like these guys as an example of how weird, strange and utterly alien Japan is, an example of why it's fun to visit but they certainly wouldn't want to live there, and man, aren't those Japanese crazy? After I count to ten and clear the indignant, righteous anger from my head, I offer my own perspective.
Yes, these guys are weird. Yes, they dress in crazy costumes and look completely different from just about anything you'd find over here in the civilized, gloriously advanced West. But you know what? I love that. Far from being a reason not to go, these guys are one of the many reasons I love Japan, and one of the reasons that I can see myself living there for decades at a time, despite the tendency towards xenophobia, casual racism and conservative policies. (Sorry for the wake-up call there, weeaboo legions.) Guys like 宇宙戦隊NOIZ are an example of how tolerant and laid-back Japan has the capacity to be.
I absolutely love the fact that these guys can succeed, doing what they do, being as ridiculous as they are.
And I don't give a flying fig for anyone who would use interesting bands like this as yet another means to poke fun at that strange and distant land of Japan.
...whoa. I didn't mean for this to turn into such a passionate rant; I do apologize (though not for the sentiment).
Anyway.
I hope that I have opened your mind to what some (namely me) might call the last pure V-Kei band out there, and that you have at least gotten some enjoyment out of this post, if only through giggling slightly at the poor dancing skills of these men.
And just think--without weirdos, where would we be?
This is Edo, signing off bobbing her head to the music and wishing her hair was blue again.
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.
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.
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.
An overly opinionated, 20-something liberal arts graduate on a MEXT research scholarship in Kyoto, aiming to eventually break into academia, and painstakingly writing down all the interesting thoughts she has along the way.
