花ざかりの君たちへ～イケメン♂パラダイス～ 第01話 「禁断の男子寮突入」

I just finished the first episode of the new Hanakimi live action.

It was....different. Where the Taiwanese version stuck pretty decently to the manga, you can tell in the first five minutes that this show will be a reinterpretation.

I'll admit that it took me a while to get into the pace of the show but, once I did, it was a good bit of fun.

Admittedly, I had my reservations about the seleciton of Oguri Shun for Sano, but in this new version's universe, he performs well, I think. Still not an amazing depth to the performance, but this is ドラマ so I don't really expect Emmy performances.

Horikita Maki's performance was delightful. She presented a spirited but not over the top Ashiya Mizuki. There was determination and strength as opposed to whinery and extravagence. So far, Maki wins best performance in the show.

I have to say that I wasn't too impressed with Ikuta Toma as Nakatsu. I imagine it's just the way the character is written, but the performance was too sullen for me, too angry. Nakatsu is one of my favorite characters, so I was a bit let down by this representation. Of course, it's only the first episode, so things could level out next week.

I don't know what the writers did to Nanba, but whatever their "vision" is, I don't like it. A suave, functional being was replaced by....something else entirely. I can't rate Mizushima's performance because I have no idea in the nine hells what the writers were smoking.

Still, the show was entertaining enough for me to watch it next week, and I'd probably watch the episode again with friends if they asked.

Final Rating: ★★★☆☆ Mediocre but Fun

4th

I slept from 10pm to 10am. It was wonderful.
ヾ(＠^▽^＠)ﾉ

Now I'm taking a break from my Honey and Clover viewathon to think about the day.

All in all, things are rather nice. After another episode or two, I'll put some taquitos in the oven, whip up an avacado for dipping sauce, and continue the viewathon.

I contemplated working on my Japanese today, but decided to just relax instead. Some days, it's best just to let things be and to float along, don't you think?
(＃⌒∇⌒＃)ゞ

Thanks to the air conditioner, the apartment is nice and cool. Not frozen, but just right with the windows covered in dark cloth. It gives the feeling of a cave, set aside from the hot brightness of the outside world.

Escapist, yes, but needed at the moment.

This is the first, quite possibly the last, 4th of July I'll be spending in Colorado. Next year, I'll probably be visiting family in preparation for leaving for Japan - the last bit is still to be determined, but I'm fairly certain I'll find a way to make it happen, JET or no JET.

So, instead of working to clean house or cram information into my brain, I'm just going to chill here, in the dim, with my cat.

It may just be the best time I'll have all year.

Curious

Ameblog and Firefox seem to be at odds with one another. I believe I need ot update something or change around some brower permissions, but the blasted popup that tells me what to do has stopped popping up now that I'm at home and can leisurely take the time to decode what the heck it's trying to say.
ヾ(▼ﾍ▼；) <---I've decided that this is my favorite icon of the week.

I am preparing for a nice, relaxing day off tomorrow, full of mindless television and cat snuggling. It will do me good.

On another note, I'd just like to say that the b-side to KAT-TUN's new single has the same backbeat as the Kinki Kids' song "Bonnie Butterfly." Took me two days to figure it out, which is telling me that I'm not as up on my KK as I should be. I will rectify that immediately.

ﾟ･:,｡ﾟ･:,｡★ﾟ･:,｡ﾟ･:,｡☆

One Step at a Time

Let me start out by saying that 大河元気 has a photobook coming out. His announcement on his blog is one of the most adorably awkward and humble things that I've seen in a long while. This is why everyone should support him, though I'll, ah, not be getting the photobook because it's bound to be full of awkward and, really, one should never have to see their secret siblings in such a fashion.
(＃⌒∇⌒＃)ゞ

Meeting today at 10 for the new The Firm product. Joy. Hopefully, after that, I can ask the boss about the progress on the Billy Blanks product that just went out. I can't really rant about it here - confidential company information blah blah blah - but it drives me up a wall when companies skimp on this or that bit of legalese because it 'isn't fiscally significant.'

When I quit this place, I should make a guide to winning chargeback disputes. I coud be a master schemer if I weren't a decent human being.
(*ﾟｰﾟ)ゞ

Work today hasn't been too bad so far, but that's mostly because I'm putting my hands over my ears and going LALALALALA in my cubicle. I'm still working, but I just...don't wanna today.

I'll probably freak out and work like a crazed person after lunch, knowing me. I'll try not to, though.

Tomorrow I plan to lock myself away and watch Honey and Clover. Sounds like a good way to spend this mysterious new 4th of July.

Now back to work and/or work-like activities. ((((((ﾉﾟ⊿ﾟ)ﾉ

Not So Hot After All

Today sucked.

I know I was trying to be positive and all, but today just...sucked.

Work was insane. Life was insane. My cat threw up on my bed then all across my room. My landlord is trying to get me to sign a new lease with a change in my utilities but thinks that I can't calculate that it will actually make things $6 more expensive a month, $36 for six months, $72 for a year. No way in hell, lady.
(￣へ ￣ 凸

I was snippy at people I aught not be snippy at, and haven't eaten anything beyond a hand full of fruit trail mix. I did, however, consume half a pot of coffee.

There is no food in my house because I didn't go to the grocery store and, really, I need to pay bills ahead of time for this trip, so groceries are second seat items right now.

Even if I did have groceries, the cat vomit I had to scrape out from under my nail completely ruined my appetite.

*sigh*

Despite that, I'm thawing meat and will make burritos for dinner. Not eating isn't going to improve my mood or my ability to sleep.

Heavens, I need sleep.

You know what I could use right now? A nice chocolate cake. With coconut frosting. That would make everything better....or perhaps worse. Not sure.

Funny Thing, Life

I spent the first two hours of my shift at work in a hideous mood. I was grumpy and unfit for human company. I quite possibly dimmed the morning of some of my coworkers because I was grumping about.

Then I looked at the clock and wondered if I was going to spend the other six hours of my work day this way, the other hours of my day, my week. I decided not to.

And, funnily enough, the moment I decided not to wallow, things seemed to get better. The thrill of Leigh's victory in acquiring Tenimyu tickets was two times as exciting, and the music from my mp3 player was five times as fabulous.

I am not the most optimistic butterfly in the world. Usually, I'm pretty pessimistic and, today, I think that's really making things worse on me. Stress doesn't get better by stressing about it - and all those fabulous, generally useless phrases.

But, really, besides a few small issues, what the hell am I complaining about? I'm going to Japan in a week and a bit - for the second time in four months. I have a job that pays me enough to have extra money each paycheck. I'm almost (finally!) done with school and will hopefully move to Japan for a bit.

Things are good, and I should just be happy about that.

Mood

I am not feeling like the happiest bunny in the barn today. I attribute 50% of it to PMS, 45% of it to work, and 5% of it to other factors.
ヾ(▼ﾍ▼；)

I didn't get any funcitonal sleep last night because my cat kept sleeping on my head, clogging my nose with fur and overheating me. Also, to get away from the cat, I scrunched against the wall in my sleep, putting a crick in my neck.

Joy.

I'm sorry to anyone I may snap at in the days to come. Work really is getting to be a little too stressful for me and not even the prospect of vacation is wiping away the nausea I feel every time I step into the office. It's to the point right now where I'm wondering why I'm even going on vacation, since there will just be more work when I get back and, really, something's bound to go horribly wrong on the vacation, ruining it for everyone.

Yes, I am a font of optimism right now.

So, in short, I'm in a bad mood and hate everything.

w-inds. : Love is The Greatest Thing : single

Track List:

1. LOVE IS THE GREATEST THING
2. SHINING STAR
3. 夏祭り (Natsu Matsuri)
4. LOVE IS THE GREATEST THING (Instrumental)

Basic Info:

This is the most recent single from w-inds., featuring the image song for the Japanese dub release of Shrek 3. If you don't know who w-inds. are, then you'll find all of this boring and of no use whatsoever. Still, I like ranting, which I will do now.



Review: Track 1: LOVE IS THE GREATEST THING

I can forigive the washed out musical intro because this is a Shrek theme song, and supposed to sound a bit different. I cannot, however, forgive Keita's shrieking. He's trying a little too hard to hit notes that he hasn't been able to hit since the Demon Puberty paid him a visit. Instead of hitting lower, stronger notes, he's stuck gasping out high notes that drown out his phenomenal backup. Really, this might as well have been a Keita solo. Ryohei and Ryuichi couldn't be heard and, to be honest, 3:37 of Keita's shrieking was a bit too much for me.

Additionally, the lyrical quality was poor and the BGM was recycled.

Track Rating: ★★☆☆☆




Review: Track 2: SHINGING STAR

Again, the Keita show starring Keita, though, unlike the previous track, Ryohei and Ryuichi get a few scant moments of time. Sadly, Keita tries to rap and, while it worked and was cute in Boogie Woogie 66, it is flat and lame here, broken by the horrible howls that Keita seems fond of these days.

The background music is a slowed version of the "samba" setting from my old keyboard, and not actual BGM at all.

Track Rating: ★★☆☆☆




Review: Track 3: 夏祭り (Natsu Matsuri)

Now please remember that I am, in fact, a w-inds. fan. There are at least ten w-inds. songs on any given mix in my car at any given time. That said, I would like to ask who in the music industry approved Keita for ballad work.

Hanamuke worked because it was a ballad masquerading as a pop song. This track is more along the lines of Keita's solo work, which never fails to make my ears bleed. Again, please remember that I love and cherish Keita and wish him well - that wishing well includes wishing that his producers would give him music in his range and ask him to stop injecting so much "soul" into his singing. Gasping when the music swells is not talent - that's a talent show trick for elementary school students. You're better than that, Keita dear, please remember that fabulous sequin pimp coat from the System of Alive tour and be the boyband frontman that you are.

I have to say, though, that this farce of a ballad was the best song on the single. There were few sour notes, even though I'm not altogether certain Ryohei and Ryuichi even recorded on this song - unless they're doing the "ooohs" and "aaahs."

Track Rating: :★★★☆☆


Overal Rating for the Single: ★★☆☆☆





Rating Breakdown:
★☆☆☆☆ - I couldn't make it all the way through the song, not even once.
★★☆☆☆ - I made it through once, but wouldn't listen to it again
★★★☆☆ - I am not offended by the existence of this song, but I wouldn't run out to buy it.
★★★★☆ - I would listen to this song multiple times and recommend it to others.
★★★★★ - I have had a religious experience and will worship this song for life.

Reflecting

It feels a litte weird right now, hearing reports from Anime Expo and not actually being there. On the one hand, it feels nice to be doing something different and to not be stuck with a thousand screaming psuedo-otaku. On the other, a tradition has died and I'm feeling a little nostalgic.

I remember when AX was run by fans, showed fansubs and had Midnight Madness porn. I remember the big whoopla over the Escaflowne Movie and hideous lines to be there, in that room, during the first showing ever.

I remember Initial D at 2am, in the Rainbow Pavillion in Long Beach, and being one of three girls in the room. We watched First Stage - all of it, fansubbed - and I loved every moment of it.

I remember Berserk and singing "Tell My Why" with hoards of fanboys who thought the OP was immensely gay, but sang along with it because they could, and watched the show because, gay OP or not, it was Berserk and worth it.

I remember losing people, finding people, and losing them again.

I remember rooms full of merch.

And then, I remember when everything changed, and my convention was no fun anymore.

Still, it's odd to know that it goes on, and that other people are still feeling the excitement I used to feel. It will be strange spending the Fourth in Colorado for the first time ever - spending the Fourth alone for the first time ever.

It all feels very big and daunting for some reason, this breaking of tradition. AX was the big thing I looked forward to every year, what I saved my PTO for and slaved over a sewing machine for.

Change can be good, though. Change can be good.

嵐 Summer Concert

Looks like the Osaka concert seats have been revealed for the 嵐 summer concert. Now we're just waiting for the Hokkaido concert to be revealed before the Yokohama seats are sent out.

Ah! Waiting is torture!!! (＃⌒∇⌒＃)ゞ

There is so much to get done before I head out on this trip, and I'm so very, very tired, and perhaps leaning on Leigh for planning more than manners should allow.
(・・。)ゞ

I'll talk about things a bit more later, when I have time and am not running to take shower, go to lease office to demand my air conditioner, etc.

((((((ﾉﾟ⊿ﾟ)ﾉ