NEWS: Music

Ah, I totally forgot to write about it. A few week back I downloaded the NEWS discography, all the songs I was missing (apart from the ones I already knew sucked) and systematically listened to them.

Albums:

Touch - Sucks
Pacific - Decent
Color - Good
LIVE - Good
NEWS - Boring

This is a sad tendency but that's how it is. At first they had mostly terrible songs. The only song from Touch I like is I・ZA・NA・I・ZU・KI. Pacific was a considerable improvement. Color was a really good album with many hits and I left 11/14 songs. LIVE was still a very good album. I wouldn't call it a hit album but it had some really great songs. After becoming 4 the quality of songs has dropped dramatically. Most songs on the last album are really average and boring.

B-sides:

With b-sides what I did was basically take all the songs, listen to them and delete the ones that sucked the most, then those that just sucked and so on. I ended up with just 19. By the way, at the 2012 tour the boys had to pick 4 songs never performed before and I have to say I was glad that those 4 songs were some of the best out of those that were left. It's really good to know they have some taste.

Anyway, I ended up with 67 songs excluding the solos since I have yet to listen to the latest ones. I guess it's still quite a few.

I do worry about the future of NEWS music. They have releases like once a year and even then they are given such average songs. I also have to say that Tegomass songs lately have been very unimpressive. Maybe it's some bigger problem in the agency. I wonder how long are Tegomass going to keep this adolescent image. I mean now they're over 25 and too old to sing about the puppy love (Thank God!) so they've released an album that's supposed to be about reminiscing about the puppy love. Nice try. Nevermind, I just want to crush everything now.

@темы: NEWS.

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Pink and Grey or The Yama Pi Effect

As I already mentioned the biggest issue NEWS brought up for me is the question of popularity and coolness. But if I had to personalize it it would come down to: Why the fuck is Yama Pi so popular?

I've known about Yama Pi for like 7 years but I never liked him. I just never could understand what's the big deal. He can't t sing, his dancing is average and while he managed to build a nice body 10 years ago he looked like a tadpole. His style in clothes was also terrible. And yet nobody even doubted for a mere second his authority and coolness. He could wear a grandma's hat and everyone would still say it's cool. Tegoshi has been fangirling about him for years too. In a 2007 article he actually wrote "To me Yamashita-kun was and always will be a God".

If you look at him now well, it might seem natural but the guy got popular long before NEWS. I guess he was pretty cute at first but by the time he really came to prominence he looked kinda weird, had no special talent in singing and dancing and wasn't a particularly smooth talker. I honestly couldn't see one thing about him that would seem cool. He is considered very handsome and while I can't completely disagree I always thought he looked a bit weird. His body initially was very wimpy and his shoulders are narrow, he shaped up by working out but that doesn't impress me at all. And while lately I would probably call him handsome what really ticks me off is his lack of expression. There's no shine in his eyes, they're like pitch black.

He might be a good actor, I can't really tell but doesn't really matter on stage. On top of that his personality is also not the type I would call charming. He is actually pretty air-headed, often forgets and loses things and doesn't really notice the things that go on around him. He's also apparently not that good at sports. Someone once mentioned he totally fails at bowling and such which caused great disbelief from the female staff. It's like a mass hallucination.

MORE

Basically, I never knew any members of NEWS apart from YP until last year. Well, maybe Ryo. And from what I learned it turns out NEWS was essentially always meant to be Yami Pi's band. According to Ryo, At that first photoshoot the only person who never got removed was Yamashita. He was appointed as the band's leader even though he never did anything a leader should. He didn't give a shit about the band up until they became 6 and even then he only did the things that he wanted. Looking at the early photos he has this sour face all the time.



Everyone: Yay! We debuted!
Yami Pi: Why am I here with these peasants?

Right from the start there was a great gap between Pi and all the other members and he did nothing to decrease it at all. Not to mention he was systematically late to everything. From what I've seen Koyama's been looking after everyone all this time. But Yami Pi was the face of the band, he got the intro to most songs, cameras always focused on him and he always got all the credit.









And what's even more strange is that nobody ever questioned it. They're all like "Well, it's Yama Pi" as if that is some code word for all the cool and awesome things in the world. When he succeeds everyone goes "as expected" but if he fails nobody ever focuses on that. I hated the way everyone would always lessen their own worth and emphasizing they can never even come close to what he is.

But having said all that until recently I had no reason to dislike him. I just never cared about him. Then I watched the Shounen Club Premium individual talks and that changed. The more shows I watched, the more it pissed me off. Whether it's 2003 or 2011 every time it's the same - Yama Pi is always given all the attention. Even if other members are alone on the show the host will always mention Yama Pi as if they aren't good enough on their own. Or like that time Shige was on Chubaw but at the end Yama Pi called and made him promote Kurosagi even though Shige had his own drama he was in at the time. Even Ryo always came second. With all that I finally understood why NEWS were so nervous about continuing as 4.



Of course I was extra annoyed that on the other side of the cool spectre was Shige. Shige who before debut seemed to do so well. Shige who was unanimously called the smartest. Shige who composed all of his solo songs and several songs for Tegoshi and YamaPi. Objectively I think the two of them had approximately the same prerequisites - they are both handsome but neither of them can sing and yet such different paths. In the end there's only one real difference I see. It's not looks or talent - it's the attitude. But I guess no matter how I look at it the Yama Pi effect will always remain a mystery to me.

If I were to come to a NEWS concert when they were 6 I'd make an uchiwa that said: "Yama Pi is my 6th favourite". Not just to be spiteful. It's the truth.

@темы: NEWS.

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A girl I once worked for is now the vice-minister of education. What strange times we live in.

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The funny thing is though I adore a lot of rockers and idols it's not like I would want to meet them, let alone marry them. Actually, thinking about it if I met them I might even end up hating them. And it's not like I think they're bad people, just that I don't think I would get along with them. Take Massu, for example. I've had cases of breaking it off with people I really liked just because there was something about them that annoyed them. But of course there are a few of them that I don't want to meet because I'd probably fall for them so hard it'd be my demise.

@темы: musings

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Possibly the best 3 seconds of Shitsuren Chocolatier so far.

@темы: dorama, Shige is my spirit animal

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Had a rough night talking to my sister till 5 AM, pointless painful talks so feeling like a car wreck today while she seems to have twice the usual energy. But that's not what I wanted to write about.

My dreams were dark today, but strikingly vivid. Especially the last one I had in the afternoon. It was this creepy other dimension, my own personal ghetto. But the part I remember the most was when I walked into the dark and as I was walking down the street I saw a ninja who was out to get me. And it wasn't the typical ninja, it was the kind from Marvel Heroes. But I knew he was just a phantom. We fought or rather I grabbed his hands on chest level and we sort of got suspended above the ground. I was trying to will him away, to make him disappear. I was saying "you're not real, you're just a part of my dream and I dare you to disappear!" But it wasn't easy. I remember feeling so frustrated and helpless that I can't even do that much. Then finally he began to disappear but not just fade, instead he sort of disappeared in parts. I concentrated hard and he had this big hood obscuring his face so after awhile it just hell, like his head disappeared and then his chest. But I didn't feel any triumph. Then there were other entities, like this frying headless stone statue and stuff. In the end I decided I want to leave and was frustrated that even that didn't go easy. It was a bit like trying to free yourself from the covers and then I woke up.

@темы: Dreams

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My weibo frustration: Part 2

I wasn’t satisfied with the quality of recent shows mostly ripped from streaming sites so I searched and I found out people on weibo have it all. Except the files are really huge, about 2 GB each and they are hosted on Chinese servers which are nearly impossible to download from. Guess I should just give up. T_T



I really wanted a more HQ version of Ani Kore but it's freaking 1440x1080 4.3 GB so no game. It's so frustrating, there's no middle ground.

I feel like I should have studied Chinese instead. Knowing Chinese and Russian you can download the internet.

/Upd: I I actually installed the baidu downloader and it works pretty well, the speed jumps a lot but basically you can download if you're patient and I've lived on dial-up so. If I really need something I know where to get it.

запись создана: 25.02.2014 в 04:36

@музыка: Panic! At the Disco - Camisado

@темы: bitching, Tegoshi Yuya

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who gives a shit about titles anyway?

I realized that while I began writing these two stories they aren't really what I originally planned.

Let's see:

- I was going to write a college!au that started with a prank but I ended up writing the opening scene involving a soccer ball and the whole point of it is different. Hmm, I like what I wrote but I also think my original idea was pretty good and it would be a shame to pass it.

- I was also going to write a non-AU that started with a bet and a nightclub but instead I ended up writing the opening scene about a drunken accident leading to an arrangement.

Come to think of it neither of those I wrote have anything to do with crossdressing. And I want to write at least one. Well, either way I really like what I have so far and I'm going to try to write very day even if just a little. I'll see how that goes. The problem is that I have too much inspiration.

@темы: fanfix

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What to expect in the first Quarter

Let's see now...

January

Jan. 12 - J-MELO Viewer Special - where Shou's a part of the Team J-MELO which he probably entered to fanboy over Hyde and TMR.

Jan. 13 The overly-dramatic and probably ridiculous but I'll give it a try for Shige Chocolatier

Jan. 18 Tegoshi's 'Look at me I'm so badass' Drama Special

Jan. 19 - The Seventh J-MELO Awards - see above

Jan. 20 - the episode where Shige actually comes up

Jan. 22 Tegomass no Seishun - new album with a title that suggests they finally entered puberty.

1月23日発売のMyojo3月号、nude:Jは加藤シゲアキです。

Jan. 27 Alice9 Channel

Jan. 29 -> Tegomass on Ichiban Song SHOW

Jan. 31 ChouAlice9 Channel


February

Feb. 8 Tiger & Bunny: The Rising!!!! FUCKING finally!

Feb. 15 - Tegomass Tour starts and everyone tries to guess whether it'll be a nurse of a french maid (Final: Fukuoka 4/24)

Feb. 22 Alice9 Channel
live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv166986877

Feb. 23 -> Shin Domoto Kyoudai (with Miyagawa Daisuke).

Feb. 24 Super Alice9 Channel

Feb. 26 Alice Nine release SHINING with a 89% of disappointment <=====


March

Mar. 19 Supernova Alice Nine New Album - see estimated fail levels later

Mar. 19 NEWS 10th Anniversary Concert in Tokyo Dome - Alright!

Mar. 24 - Shige's New book - Burn, baby, burn!

запись создана: 08.01.2014 в 03:12

@темы: post-it note

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It's the little things that help to get through, tiny things.



These are my NEWS nails.

@темы: snapshot

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I woke up and apparently I bit my tongue in my sleep. Without realizing it I ended up wearing three shades of red today. The pause button on my remote stopped working. Also the weather is disgustingly good and it makes me want to cry wishing I had somewhere to go.

@темы: snapshot

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Another 830 words. For a NEW fic. Oh, my. I really hope I can finish at least one of them.

@темы: fanfix

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It's raining and I feel so empty. Haven't changed out of my nightgown all day. Yet no matter how pointless a dy feels there's more to it. Chocolate cake and tartar sauce. Politics and feminism. I felt so burdened by her presence but now that she's left for the weekend it's so eerily quiet and empty. I ran out of stuff to watch and even though there are still a few dramas things are too complicated with me. I rejected Troubleman because I think it won't do me any good. And the new DVD is almost a month away. So I'm playing Marvel Heroes and listening to the James Bonf OST. I got Black Widow like I wanted and it's pretty fun. I'll go for Emma Frost next.



I'm also trying to write. It feels like the most bizarre and the most natural thing to do. Once I began to write ideas and fragment came like a flood. But it's a very normal story, compared to Shige's ones anyway. Except mine won't be published, won't probably get a dozen readers.

@музыка: Louis Armstrong - We Have All The Time In The World

@темы: snapshot

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I wonder if it's weird but lately I don't feel like a woman. What I mean is I feel like a me, a spirit trapped in a small female body. I guess it's partly due to how often I think "If I were a man I'd..." but I'd like to think it's a part of my spiritual development.

But then the dream I had today... fuck. It was like an episode of Girls Next Door but at some point I was Hugh Hefner. And I had like 6 beautiful girlfriends and I remember watching them sleep in bundles and then I... ok, the rest is strictly off the record but it was extremely sexy. I don't know what is going on in my head any more.

@темы: Dreams, myself, musings

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I did it. Last night I wrote two drabbles, well mostly wrote, and also the whole first scene of my college fic. I don't know if I'll finish it but writing makes me kinda happy so that's all that matters. All that should matter anyway.

@темы: fanfix

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Hokaben

I was thinking what I should watch. A drama with Shige or a drama with Shige? I decided to leave Troubleman for later. In the end I decided on Hokaben. It seemed pretty safe not to mention I'm already having a legal theme going on with the Good Wife so it made sense to watch this and compare. The poster is ugly, btw.

I didn't expect much after Rescue and one bad review (never reading her reviews again). But I think it's a decent drama. The main point is how the pure and kind main heroine faces the reality of a lawyer's job. Of course there's also the handsome tsundere boss who keeps dissing her but always ends up helping her anyway and a cute but awkward co-worker who tries to get her attention but keeps getting ignored. It's a valid plot except the girl is so terribly naive and emotional that you have to wonder how she even managed to graduate. Did she get a degree in Wonderland? But it's not that shallow and she does manage to invoke sympathy at least in me.

I think the cases are interesting enough. Episodes 5 and 6 pose some important questions and the conclusion is far from simple. You can't really say which was the right thing to do and I like that because that's how life is.

I also like the character development. Katase doesn't have many scenes in the early episodes and at first you don't take him seriously. He seems this dorky guy who tries to hit on Domoto who remain oblivious to him advances. When he doesn't try to get her attention he gets repeatedly shocked at the actions of his senpai. Yet at episode 5 things change. He works with Domoto and although they are both newbies they are now clearly shown to be on the opposing teams. They argue and it escalates. The puppy romance seems to die here. He goes back to being her awkward admirer later but at least you see Katase has a backbone and does what he believes is right and not just being Kudo's little pet. I personally think Shige's acting wasn't great but then it's always hard for me to judge someone especially when I know how they really are. But it's really cool that at the time of filming Shige was actually still at uni studying law.

I'm perfectly ok with the lack of romantic storylines. I mean that review said that neither of Domoto's relationships (Sugisaki nor Katase) are resolved but that's bullshit. Relationships between sexes don't have to always be romantic, even if there are some feelings involved. Domoto seemed fully focused on her job and not interested in romance whatsoever. I do have to say, however, that the ending was a bit too open for my liking. I guess even an absolute and unrealistic victory would have felt better.

Overall: I certainly think Hokaben was lacking in several ways. There was some poor acting and some parts seemed unfinished but at the same time it didn't have the terribly solemn patronizing tone that most professional Japanese dramas have, it did pose some interesting questions, was pretty engaging and easy to watch.

Rating: 7 (good)

@темы: dorama

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I don't even know what is a bigger mess right now: me, my family or my country. I'd like to think it's the latter.

@темы: musings, snapshot

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no signal, no complaints

It's been about 4 months but I have yet to make a video or start a story. I did begin to make one but somehow I lack motivation to try and put it together. As for the stories... I already read all there was and I feel like I have become better at writing but something is wrong. I really want to wrote something Tegoshige, I crave to write it, even if it's a drabble but words don't come to me. I have a feeling of what I want to write and a dozen of intricate plots but I can't really start writing. I know I have to concentrate on one thing, more than anything I think I'd want to write a college AU and I probably can achieve it if I put my mind to it but I can't find it in me. The lack of readership certainly doesn't help.

@темы: bitching, fanfix

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Good Wife 5 1/2

So I'm done with the first half of season 5. I did 8 out of 12 episodes which is pretty cool. I must say it's quite hard but interesting. I'm having a legal theme right now. There's quite a lot of specific terms so I started my own vocabulary. I do like the show and I got to the stage where I'm really wondering what happens next, relationship and such.

I think the characters are pretty interesting. I don't really have anyone I like specifically but I like some of the very unlikely characters. Like Eli. He's the really slick type that you're supposed to hate but somehow you don't. And his crush on Natalie was really sweet. I also kind of feel for Kalinda. She's a classic bitch - ruthless, calculative, manipulative but she's not hypocritical. Also she's very very lonely. I kinda liked her with Jenna but I guess it would be strange if anything came out of it, it's not that easy. I also like Cary. His payback in ep. 12 was epic but it's kinda wrong how it actually made Kalinda respect him. I really don't know how they are going to work out. I also quite like Robyn. I liked the episode where she had to transform to avoid getting fired. I mean it's kind of sad how basically in order to succeed everyone was to become relentless and manipulative but it's still fun to watch.

The second part starts from March 9.

@темы: work, series

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Marvel Heroes

A few days ago I decided to try again. I didn't get my hopes up too much but miraculously enough it worked. I don't know why it needs 13 GB on my hard drive though. I mean the graphics are way above Drakensang Online, so are the locations and enemies but that's still a bit too much.

You can only play with Storm at first, you have to unlock the rest but she's cool so I don't mind. Also there's very little chance to get new costumes if you're poor. I'm currently at level 16 and I need level 22 to get new missions. But shouldn't take long with challenges. There's still a lot I don't get but I'm figuring it out.

I like the fact that you can play all the heroes is cool but then it's a little weird having a dozen Captain Americas run around. Thankfully the variety of heroes and costumes is good so you don't get too many of them in one place.

But I also appreciate it when games have a bit of a WTF element. So at one location I got this thing. It's an alien, one of the many foe types. But this one is different. This one decided it likes me so it appears whenever I'm fighting to help me. Isn't that sweet? I seriously have no idea how that happened. Upd/ apparently that's N'Darai demon summoned by my wristbands. That explains it.

@музыка: Christophe Willem - Cool

@темы: Marvel, Games