After the alarm went off I fell asleep for another 15 minutes and saw a whole motherfucking dream. It's like I was in Hunger Games except I was the pray and there were all these people trying to hunt me down. It was damn creepy. I was contemplating watching the movie but I guess now I won't.

@темы: Dreams

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Happy Birthday, your Majesty!

@темы: Birthday

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NEWS CONCERT TOUR 2012 ~美しい恋にするよ~

I already watched 4 6nin concerts so I was well-prepared and really looking forward to this one. I was very excited all the way and yet the critical part of me still made critical analysis which I'm going to document further.

Overall it was a grandiose and well-produced concert. The scale of it was very impressive and it kinda reminded me of L'Arc~en~Ciel's 20th Anniversary concert. It was also one of the most emotional concerts I've even seen. I kinda wish I didn't watch Full Swing PV beforehand since it has no meaning when you don't know the context.

Production. was great. I mean it was clearly a very difficult concert to produce. It was very long and grand-scale and of course there was giant pressure to make it the best ever and leave a strong impression and I'm sure the aim was achieved. The whole castle set-up was awesome. I liked the flying too. They could even rotate and someone was enjoying it too much. ♥ I really like how each of them took an old song they produced the performance. Everyone did such a good job and the songs really got a new life. Everything flowed smoothly and the fireworks were simply amazing. One thing that really bugs me still is the thing with the multiple encores. Ok, I can understand the second Chankapana, but third?

MORE

Costumes. were pretty good. I quite liked the white ones. Too many fathers but they're still JE so that's ok. The pink ones were good too though I wish they performed Sakura Girl in them. The brightly colored ones were really cute as was the whole space ships/curry eating part was. And of course I was especially excited about the black set. Everyone made fun of it but I still think it was hot. They all have great bodies so it looked good. Tegoshi even used eyeliner which I don't think he ever did before. That really added to the effect. Also I need to say I LOVE Massu's skirts. Massu is awesome and so are all of his outfits.

Playlist. was awesome. Basically they released the Best Album so I think they did pretty much all the singles+some forgotten b-sides. They performed almost every song I like. Except Snow Express but it was a summer outdoor concert so that's perfectly justified. Maybe Forever would be nice too but that's pushing it. The sexy dancing part in those black leather suits was great. I was really looking forward to it and it didn't disappoint. I only wish the cameras didn't jump every milisecond of it. I also think some old songs sounded better than before. All of a sudden I liked Beach Angel which I remember hating.

Performance was more than good. I honestly think Shige and Koyama worked hard to improve and it shows. Both their voice and their bodies have leveled up. Way to go! Of course choreography was all over the place as usual but that probably shouldn't even be rated.

Solos. were kinda disappointing. All 4 of them. Well, not Koyama's since I didn't expect anything from him either way but the other three were. Tegoshi's video intro... oh, please. It was embarrassing to watch. I know he was 24 but still. Though on second though it might be good for fanvideos. The angsty ones. Too bad I'm not into Tegopi. Anyway. Obviously Tegoshi's solo was the one I expected to be the best but it was pretty lame. It was like a copy of Massu's but worse. Even his voice didn't help. While Massu's was very predictable. I've seen 3 of his solos and they all look pretty much the same. I kinda liked Superman but Peek-a-boo... not really. And Shige... I don't even know. I didn't like the idea before I even saw it but it kinda grew on me. I liked the chorus, it's really catchy but the intro with the rapping was very WTF and the stupid mask and fangs were just lame. Also that voice generator thing made me think of Pi's solos, I really hate that stuff. Guys, I know you can do better than this.

6=>4

I suppose this part will be very subjective but here goes. Most of the old songs didn't sound much different to me. Even News Nippon which was originally for 9 members. Tegoshi still makes up for about 40% of the sound. But there were some that didn't sound right. I guess it's mostly because I got used to certain parts in songs and it's weird not hearing them when you expect to. Like that stupid part in Weeek where Yama Pi goes "Ikimasu!" Also I za na i zu ki and Sayaendou and Sakura Girl. But I think it's only natural that something seems to be missing. After all the band lost 1/3 of its members, there has to be a bit of a gap. But there were also some old songs such as Akai Hana that sounded brand new with the new arrangement, in a good way.

Of course this concert had a very special meaning to the band and the fans. It was a very emotionally charged concert. Unlike with most DVDs this concert wasn't the last one in the tour - it was the first one. Which makes a lot of sense. It was their magnificent comeback, make or break and they didn't know how well it would go. It was so touching how Massu broke down in the middle of it. Koyama and Shige weren't far behind. Aww~ And the whole MC part where everyone cried their eyes out one after another... You could really feel their sincerity. I think most of the audience cried. But the climax was the moment when Tegoshi broke down at Full Swing. When I rewatched it to make screens I shed a single tear too. But it was agreed upon that the one who was the happiest that day was Shige. This band means the world to him.

There were many other epic moments in this concert like Koyama getting the check, Massu impersonating Shige or Massu running around the stage with a blanket over his head like a 3-year old but all in all this is a concert laced with so much love, hope and passion that it's something to be rewatched over and over again.



Extras:

The documentary wasn't quite like I expected. I wish they'd focus more on the backstage than the recording and such. I really wanted to know about the costume creation process. Also I hate those solemn narratives. It was all solemn enough without dramatizing. But it's interesting that each of them had their own reason for deciding to continue. For Massu it was about the songs and all the legacy the band made in 9 years, for Tegoshi it was more about pride and not wanting to lose. But in the end I guess the happiness they felt was the same.

The tour was very short and languid with one concert every 6 days or so but I guess that made it all the more special. It was good to see so many KoyaShige fans. Probably not as much as TegoMass but still a lot. I'm sure Shige will still find a hundred reasons to bitch about though. Like how his platform (S) was the smallest and stuff. The tour final was also splendid. When the fans began singing Full Swing on their own before the encore if was really amazing and even Tegoshi cried.

I really loved the Fanmeeting part. It’s really amazing. I’ve seen THSK do almost exactly the same things at theirs but while they have been mildly amused at best NEWS looked like they were absolutely happy. The way they shook hands with every single fan in every city was really touching. I really wish they’d release a longer version of this.

@темы: NEWS., Concerts

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Why can't I like what everyone likes? Like Harry Potter or Supernatural or Sherlock? Why is it always the less popular bands or obscure series and movies that noone remembers? Even if it's something popular I have to choose the least popular members and pairings.

@темы: bitching, musings

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Invited to a party for the first time in years. Nervous as fuck.

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I've been at the store today looking dumbly at this for like 2 minutes. There's something seriously wrong with this country...

@темы: issues, snapshot

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Tegoshige: Fanfiction

Fifteen minutes later, down at breakfast, the whole staff sees it when Shige storms into the room, followed by a worried Koyama.

“You’re late,” Ryo starts to say, but gets ignored when Shige marches right past the catering line and up to Tegoshi instead. He grabs the youngest member by both shoulders and proceeds to shake him like he kills babies professionally.

“UNDO IT!” Shige yells, while Tegoshi obliviously holds up his camcorder and chirps, “Good morning, Shige!”

Everyone stares.

Koyama puts his hands on his face. “I’m sorry, everybody!” he wails, trying to block out the image of member-on-member violence from their line of sight with his body, “I think I hit Shige’s head with my knee in bed this morning, ne.” The Best Day Ever

An overly long and random quote from one of my personal favorites. Anyway, today I talk about the fanfiction situation from my experience. Of course I can't really talk about NEWS fandom properly since I am very particular about my pairings this time and my choice is probably not even in the top 5ive. But I really like this pairing. At first glace it looks very similar to my other favourites but in terms of relationship these two have something unlike any other pair I know. Another great thing is that I never knew any pair who can work so well in an AU. I mean you don't even have to try hard: you've got a writer and a soccer player, a photographer and an idol, a lawyer and a cross-dresser. Anything works. My mind is swelling with ideas but for now I'm afraid to even consider writing. For now let's review what is.

Of course as I started to fish for fiction I didn't expect much but I still hoped that there would be more legacy in 10 years. However, I was nicely surprised by the quality. Though there weren't many works to suit my criteria only a few of them were poor and I'd found more great stories than I was expecting.


Overall I have 31 fics saved, but no more than a half I would classify as proper fics, a third are PWP and the rest are just drabbles.

Here's my top 10:

Here's my top 10:

Swans // The evolution of TegoShige (PG. Fluff)
sabi-she.livejournal.com/27815.html#cutid2

Pinkgray and Green yuumei_nata - overall probably my favourite because of its relevance and depth.
inkyreflections.livejournal.com/22899.html

Based on True Events (PG, mostly gen, but with light ShigexTego) - This and the next one are basically gen but they are what I would call real literary works. They have proper plots that made me actually think about things. Really brilliant.
peroxide-fic.livejournal.com/209969.html

The Best Day Ever PG
peroxide-fic.livejournal.com/160418.html

Lost & Found R - I certainly dislike the side pairings in this but it's really well-written and all so it deserves a place.
inkyreflections.livejournal.com/7169.html

- Payback by Bananyphophany NC-17 - the only PWP that made it in the list because it's really in character.
bananyphophany.livejournal.com/26693.html

AUs

Invisible - a very simple neighbour AU but really lovely.
kumohime102.livejournal.com/1688.html

Bad Reputation by rietje_1 - rather than the story itself I really loved the setting. I just think College AU fits them so well and that fic helped me realize it.
alienbaby-time.livejournal.com/7085.html
alienbaby-time.livejournal.com/7185.html

To Catch a Falling Star - very imaginative fantasy/reality AU. Not exactly my favourite thing but it's the kind that touches you deeply and leaves a strong impression. It made me cry and few fics did that.
electrictoad.livejournal.com/25659.html

As You Like It - You had to have something with crossdressing in it. Actually it's not what I thought it would be but cute.
je-holiday.livejournal.com/139335.html

@темы: fanfix

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It's snowing and all's white. I am also finishing the Christmasy episode of Good Wife so my mood is all Christmasy. Christmas is in the heart, right? I wanna dance,

@музыка: テゴマス - What's Going On?

@темы: snapshot

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I had a hard time concentrating today.

First of all, Myojo3月号 nude:J came out. The one with Kato-san. However, contrary to the corner's name it didn't have anything remotely nude. Like, at all. I don't think I've ever been so frustrated about a celebrity not stripping before. Well, actually it was 50% frustration, 50% relief. I'm proud of you, Kato-san but you could have at least made it a little intriguing.

Secondly, the 2nd episode of Shitsuren Chocolatier was aired and I can't remember being so agitated over a drama in a long time. Especially since I barely care about the main story line. My interest this time is very specific.

Now I don't like that many actresses, really. But this time I got lucky. Out of all the pretty girls in the cast one really caught my attention. Mizukawa Asami played in dozens dramas and films but somehow I've only seen her once. In an obscure short drama Ie ga Tooi where she played Tegoshi's sister. And Shige's character obviously liked her but tried to act discreetly and it didn't go anywhere.


So now, some 9 years later the two of them met again and he got another chance. Like honestly I don't get bitchy and jealous about girls in dramas if they're girls I like. So when I saw that of all the girls in the drama she's going to be his love interest I nearly squealed. Even before the preview, just from the fact. I probably never shipped a het pairing like this since Dark angel. But really they make such a good match. The God of dramas, Please MAKE IT HAPPEN!

@темы: dorama, Shige is my spirit animal

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I've been dreading this day and now it came - the day when I won't have a single comment on a page. Which is pretty sad but you know, a diary isn't meant to have comments. That's what I tell myself.

@темы: diary

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I keep waiting for my ego to collapse under its own weight but it never does, it never does...

@темы: one-liner

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Just documenting this for history since it might never happen again. So far the NEWS fandom has been nice to me. It might prove me wrong but for now it's the first stage of innocent romance with no heartbreak.

@темы: fandom

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The Good Wife

I haven't planned on writing on the series until the end of season but that's a long time from here and I need to express how I feel right now.

The Good Wife isn't exactly the kind of series I'd decide to watch by myself but it's a very high quality one and I'm glad to be working on it. Apparently it has amazing reviews from numerous reputable sources. TIME referred to it as "the best thing on TV outside cable". Esquire reviewed The Good Wife as "The Best Show on Television Right Now". And I can see why.

Translating it isn't easy but I really try my best. But the reason I'm writing this now it not reviewing. I've been working on translating (or rather interpreting) verious series, tv shows and documentaries since 2012 but as of now I've never been able to enjoy the fruits of my labour. And by that I don't mean money. Even thought it's always been laughable. I mean the final dubbed version. I've been dying to hear it.

So today I got super-excited when I finally found a HD rip of the series with my episodes. It is being aired on Universal Russia it turns out. I have to say I'm not very satisfied with the voiceover, sometimes the intonations are completely off but I'm still very happy. So far it's up to ep 5 so there are just 2 of them that I did but from ep 7 onwards they are gonna be mine. I'm pretty damn proud of myself.


www.universalchannel.ru/shows/good-wife-5
rutracker.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4609980

@темы: work

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On the edge of loneliness

Sometimes it feels like one day everyone who ever knew me will forget about me and then that day I will simply cease to exist.
Sometimes I am almost glad that I'm being ignored because I realized that ignoring requires acknowledging someone's existence and then choosing to avoid it.
Sometimes I wish I didn't love myself so much because every day my ego thrashes like a caged bird unable to accept the the reality.

@темы: myself, musings

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This was very first gifset. It's from the movie The House Bunny which is pretty lame but I felt compelled to. I did it in October whilst working on The Girls Next Door but I had to post this here too.

@музыка: Maria Mena - I Love You Too

@темы: my!gif

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The Armored Princess

Last night I cleared The Armored Princess, main quest in the King's Bounty. It was a pretty good, solid game. I have a feeling 10 years ago I would absolutely love it but now it was just good. The only thing I really hate is the menu design. In that kind of armor a princess won't get very far, let alone defeat monsters.

There are 3 more campaigns but I don't think I'm going to play them now. I need something different or I'll get very bored. Having said that I still have Jade Empire installed. One day...

@темы: Games

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A day isn't wasted if I made a Massu gif.

@музыка: plaid - fer

@темы: NEWS., my!gif

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Someone's playing Eye Of the Tiger outside. And I bet everyone hated that someone because it's 3AM but it made me just a little bit happy. Because you know I just watched ItteQ today and they have it in matsuri part.

@темы: snapshot

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3 episodes in 12 days. It's on, bitch.

@темы: work

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ピンクとグレー

Last night I suddenly felt the urge to read Pink and Grey. Just the manga, just translated and just the first 4 chapters but it still gave a pretty good idea of what the story is about. I got a little teary-eyed a couple of times. Of course I never had anything to do with show-business but the book isn't about that. It's about falling apart, being left behind and feeling unneeded and that I can identify with all too well.

I smirked at all the references. Nine-yearold being nicknamed after River Phoenix is so Salingeresque. Well, we both share the love for the latter, don't we? There were also songs by Beatles, Oasis and Weezer, a duck named Markov and a mention of ukiyo-e. It felt a bit odd and out of place though I guess in a novel it might not seem that way. But anyway the book basically feels like an AU fanfiction written about oneself.

I also have to say I was surprised to see how shonen-ai-like the manga is at times. Or maybe I just read too much of those. Mangaupdates does tag it as “BL Subtext” though. I had to remind myself there probably won’t be a corny confession scene at the end. Not that I would know since the project seems to be on hiatus. I filled the void by reading the interviews and it added to the effect, made me realize even more what an important work it was, what a tremendous significance it had for the author and such. He really poured all his heart and mind into it.

Too bad I probably won't get to read the rest of it. The shocking conclusion and all. But I still have hope that maybe one day I might even read the actual book. And the others too. He'll probably write like 5 more by the time I'll be able to read it though.

@темы: Shige is my spirit animal