The Queen of Oiran, a trilogy

I was mildly excited about Kaguya but I only realized recently that the PV was directed by Ninagawa Mika who also directed Sakuran. What's more the very kimonos the boys wore were from the Sakuran collection. And you know, the film was about Oiran which is basically high-ranking prostitutes. Yup. Keeps getting better.

Source: miyukitanigawa.com/sakuran.html

So after I discovered this the gears in my head started spinning and the next day I armed myself with Photoshop and proceeded to create 2 manips. It started as half-parody ended up as beautiful art if I may say so myself.







I'm especially delighted at the last one. It's just so pretty, prettier than it originally was. I might be a little in love with it. This is the reason I need Tegoshi, he's my muse. My slutty muse. I kinda want to do one with Shige too but I can't find the right picture.

@темы: Art, Tegoshi Yuya

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Happy Birthday, baby!

@темы: Birthday, Junsu

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Just some really good feminist articles.

Men really need to stop calling women crazy
www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2014/0...

She Has No Head! – No, It’s Not Equal
goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2012/02/21/sh...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemisia_Gentileschi

@темы: issues

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It's been an odd day. I made an effort and got up earlier than normal, which is about 1 pm. I had full determination to get that haircut so I did. It was a cheaper option and got a cheaper result, I got a simple bob but it's neat and I'm ok with it.

Then I came back and watched another episode of Civilization.The West and the Rest. It's pretty informative but also pretty random and doesn't really follow the ideas stated clearly. But I still decided to finish it. The Medicine part was mostly about the colonization of Africa and the genocide and it was so horrid to take it it made me feel a little sick. However, I coped better than I would have expected. I guess I got just a little bit thicker.

Then I tried to distract myself with pretty pictures and games and today X-23 came out, much earlier than I expected. But I haven't played with her much, instead I spent the most time at the forum than I ever did before. It was a thread about the sexiest heroines and not unexpectedly a couple of feminist ladies barged in to voice their protest. I don't really find the concept of this thread offensive and I don't think it's bad to appreciate female beauty and sexuality but I have to say some of the images look amazingly oversexualized, like they come from some erotic comic books. I like looking at sexy women but some images are kind of obscene and ridiculous. Interestingly, some guys argue that topless Gambit is the same thing but while I kind of think he looks hot I honestly find him to be distracting in game. I don't know how the guys don't get distracted to all the half-naked heroines. I guess they're just used to it. Anyway, some ladies and guys made really good points but the thing is I think pointing out sexism like this can do more harm than good. I still spent the rest of the evening following the discussion though.

Now it's 12.26 am and I still got a few hours to go. I don't feel like playing anymore. Perhaps I'll try to go and work on my story some more. It's already over 10.000 words and I'm so excited about it.

This was me just randomly needing to talk about my day.

@темы: issues

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Christmas came early this year...

@музыка: Kaguya~

@темы: NEWS., my!gif

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There was a time I actually picked bands based on music... But my last 3 fandoms it's mostly "New song? Well, 'let's hope it doesn't suck too bad and I can convince myself I actually kind of like it."

In other musings, lately I keep questioning if my feminism is too strong, am I overreacting when I get pissed off at NEWS for saying things? But then I think back to my 4 years as a TVXQ fan and I don't think I ever had this problem with them. Well, maybe Changmin a few times but I never liked him enough to care much.

@темы: issues, fandom

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My Tegomass arrived...

My 5th official win, 4th letter this year. They were all very special but I was especially anxious about this one. It came unexpectedly yesterday along with a hand-written card from Shy. Thank God for small pleasures.

@музыка: X-Japan - Goodbye Piano

@темы: little treasures

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I felt like listening to HOT these days and the weird thing is I listen to them and think "damn, but they're pretty good" even though some 5 years ago some songs seemed barely listenable at best. It seems I keep lowering my standards in music. Well, if I'm on Johnnys now...

@музыка: H.O.T. - 2beonjjae Saengil (Lost my 12th Birthday)

@темы: musings, H.O.T

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You are idiots. But you're my idiots.

@темы: NEWS., my!gif

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Marvel Heroes Update

I've been playing quite a lot recently. I have to say it really makes a big difference when you have regular updates. While the events are kind of lame and I don't really want 90% of the rewards offered it is cool to have a new hero released every month or so. Anyway, the recent developments:

Sort finally reached lvl 60! However, it turns out the terminals for lvl 60 are badass as hell. Well, I guess it makes sense since it's the level cap.

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Next, I decided to get a team-up which is Domino of course. I mainly wanted her to work with Black Widow. Now I got 2 hot badass girls in leather catsuits.




Then, Emma also reached lvl 60. But what's more fun is her team. Apart from Domino she has a permanent Scotty by her side from a unique. Nice threesome. Also there's this alien guy from some other gear. At first I thought he's gross but he actually runs around all the time like a puppy so I thought it's really amusing and let him be.



"Who invited him?"
"But Emma, he's a part of the team!"


I already had over 400 splinters and I was planning to use them on X-23 but she won't be out for a few weeks and also today 'veterans' got 200 splinters as a gift so I had over 600 and X-23 should only be 200. They also enabled about 6 more heroes to test until lvl 10. Mostly the big guys like Colossus and Luke Cage. But Human Torch was also there and after playing with each of them (xept the Punisher, that dude is creepy) I decided to keep Johnny. I kinda wanted him for awhile and I thought it'd be good to have a guy for one. So yeah, he can do really cool fiery stuff, he can fly and also he's really hot.

@темы: Games

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Who’s That Girl?

Another masterpiece complete! I am very proud to present: Who’s That Girl? featuring the one and only Tegoshi Yuya + appearances by Koyama Keiichiro, Kato Shigeaki, Masuda Takahisa and Yamashita Tomohisa.

It's a video I've been meaning to make for awhile now. In a way Tegoshi's crossdressing was what brought me to NEWS in the first place. And it's really something out of this world. There are many celebs who are good at it but I'll still give him the 1st prize any day. I only used the footage with 11 outfits that were captured on video. There were 12 originally but in the end I decided to let go of the hostess dress since I didn't find good enough footage. I also had a couple of songs in mind and I was going to use "She's a Lady" but then for some reason I remembered this song and everything fell into place perfectly.

As for rendering for the first time I used Sony Vegas 12. It seems a little more convenient to use but certainly not enough to take 50% more space. At least I more or less figured out how to render the files properly.

@темы: fanvid, Tegoshi Yuya

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Best Artist was mildly disappointing but at least I got some fresh sass.

@темы: my!gif, Shige is my spirit animal

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Закрытая запись, не предназначенная для публичного просмотра

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OH MY FUCKING GOD I THINK I’M GONNA CRY *SOBS WITH JOY* YES! YES I WILL GO TO THE SHINING FUTURE WITH YOU! FOLLOW THE BUTTS!


#This was unfair. Just as I was about to say goodbye you're like "HAHA, NO! You're stuck with us!" I am.

@темы: Alice Nine

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Kiss me, Kiss me Deadly…

@темы: Shou, my!gif

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Закрытая запись, не предназначенная для публичного просмотра

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I've had another ones of those conscious ones. Except this time I went much further. I remember the dream being something unpleasant and I felt the power to change the whole scenario altogether. Of course it wasn't that easy. I remember setting a sunny weather and some nice scenery but I wasn't able to stabilize it and it kept slowly changing back to something bleak. But the main problem was that I suddenly realized I don't have a solid plan, I don't know what kind of dream I want exactly. So in the end I lost control pretty soon but it was still a major step forward. Next time I should plan ahead.

@темы: Dreams

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A9: Facts

{I should pin this somehow, gets annoying to up it every time}

This is my clinical approach. I've seen those 'facts' about the members that are posted everywhere, but some of them look dubious and some I found to be completely false so I decided to make my own list but only with the stuff I actually found in the interviews and shows. This info is reliable and I distilled it form all the interviews I read and stuff. This is just stuff I wrote down for myself, I didn't write down the most obvious things I am sure to remember, I wrote down the less known and interesting ones. These are all pretty much taken from their own words. Bias clearly shows but I did pretty much read every interview I came across and I tried to write down interesting fact about everyone. The headers are taken from two questionnaires. Also to be noted that some facts don't add up from one interview to another and people's tastes and views also change so these can never be 100% accurate but it's the best you can get.

Tora

Birth date : Sep. 17th
Blood type: O
Height : 182cm
Foot size : 28 cm
Favorite colour: Black

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Ring size: 18 (index)
Born in the outskirts of the city of Kawasaki, at the age of 3 moved to Yokohama
His father's name is Hiroshi, his mother's name is Keiko
Apparently he's 1/4 American from his grandpa. Apparently because he doesn't really know himself. His grandfather died long before he was born.
He says he was born a redhead and then his hair darkened gradually o_O
Has a younger brother, younger by 2 or 3 years
As a child he was small and chubby and fair-skinned
He's been severely bullied since kindergarten to the end of elementary school
Although his family was well-off the school he went to was full of delinquents. It was a Buddhist school too.
In the first grade of middle school he did some extreme dieting and lost about 30 kilos in a year
He played football since before kindergarten up until middle school
He was elected as student council president for 2 years in a row
As a child he liked to draw his own manga, he also wrote the sсript for a play for a school festival.
He's not good with kanji and people complain he often write messages with kana alone
He first tried smoking in 5th grade (about 11)
Was in the swimming club in middle school, but admittedly he wasn't that good at it.
Was really good at sensing spirits when he was little, still is <=Say hello to Gackt!
Since he was child his family always called him a "Caged Monkey" apparently because he's restless
The first instrument he bought was a second-hand 9800 yen Gibson Flying V. Originally he wanted to buy a bass, but he didn't have enough money
He can play a bit of piano
He can play drums. He did this at some of the fanclub special lives.
Once he worked at KFC as a part-time job, also at a shoe store.
Tora was electrocuted once at a live when Saga poured some water onto his guitar.
His first proper band lasted for about a year until their vocalist left and their guitarist ditched them for Lost Age (where Shou was the vocalist)
Once he was carried into the open sea when they were in Hawaii
Somewhere in Summer 2007 he injured his neck and around January 2008 he was diagnosed with spinal disc hernia and they had to stop the tour. He didn't do the operation though. But it seems ok now.
He likes to ride a bike.
He hates planes
He really hates insects, especially cockroaches and centipedes
He likes games, namely FPS and action films
He likes going to Tokyo Disney Land
Usually sleeps nude. He sets his aircon to 16 and sleeps under winter futon.
He really likes to go barefoot so his feet are all bruised.
Tora is a neat-freak
He's pretty good at cooking
He's easily moved to tears
Hates roller coasters
Has motion sickness

His apartment has a spiral staircase
He has bad eyesight but he only began to use contacts in 2008. He still seems to prefer glasses though.
Says he often laughs in his sleep and wakes up at the sound of his own laughter
He says he hasn't read single novel since he was born. He says he likes to experience things first-hand.
His lip-piercing can't be taken out and he's had it since he was about 18.
In one series of interviews all 4 other members said if they were girls they would date Tora)
He says he would want to try being a woman
He once said if he dies he wants this song to be played at his funeral: Stray Cat.


Shou

Birth date : Jul.5th
Blood type: O
Height : 179 cm
Foot size : 26.5-27
Favorite colour: Blue

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Ring size: 13 (index)
Born in Hokkaido, moved to Tokyo at the age of 1.
Comes from a poor family
Has a younger brother (by 2 or 3 years I think?) and sister (by 6 years)
His parents both work in the field of design and so he's also interested in it.
His father was originally a drummer so he was really supportive of his interest in music.
Played with girls when he was kindergarten.
When he was little he wanted to be a horse rider or a game developer. He seriously considered not going to high school to become a jockey but he grew up to 175 cm and he knew he couldn't become one.
Went to an all-boys school (middle to high school)
His favourite subject in school used to be Japanese. His least favourite was Math.
He planned to become an engineer, but his parents urged him to pursue a career in music
Says he was shy and unpopular before joining the band
Formed his first band in middle school with other guys being about 10 years older than him
He did track and field in high school, also some basketball
He says his first love was his kindergarten teacher
He stooped attending swimming school in 6th grade because water made his hair wavy and he hates it!
He used to work at a second-hand shop, at a restaurant, at a karaoke bar
Seeing Luna Sea live when he was in high school made him really want to be in band
He tried to learn guitar at 15 but wasn't too successful in it. He's still practising sometimes though.
He liked to draw as a kid, still decent at it)
He can do simple programming
He's a real geek and totally obsessed with FF
Says his hair is naturally curly)
He's a big cat lover but he's also allergic to fur
He had 4 cats at some point: Chirori (obaachan? tortoise shell cat), Kuro (Chirori's daughter, black cat), Rabu (bought, male American short-hair) and the kitten which was Rabu and Kuro's child. I think he gave them to his parents or something. Maybe it's because he's actually allergic to cats.
He has/had a fish tank.
He's scared of heights
Hates cucumbers with a vengeance
Doesn't eat fish and most seafood
He's a very light sleeper
He says he sings in his sleep <= how I'd love to see that)
Likes to take baths
He doesn't really drink because his alcohol tolerance is very low
He really loves sweet things, especially chocolate
Out of black teas, he prefers Earl Grey
His favourite scent is lavender
Has a very dry skin so he uses milk moisturizers and creams
Used to set his aircon to 16 too, but since he's become a singer he's setting it to 30 since he likes waking up sweating.
He's a huge fan of TMR and Luna Sea.
Shou is the one who takes care of the cover design, posters, and the costumes design
He got tonsils removed during Mirror ball period - April 2008 and he was hospitalized for 10 days.
He was taking dance lessons around 2010
Says he's got a high pain tolerance but can't stand the sight of blood
His first song that he wrote the music to is Niji no Yuki released in Dec. 2011. Previously he only wrote the lyrics and sometimes came up with the melodies.
Shou has upper dimples! Just like Junsu.^^

Hiroto

Birth date : May 4th
Blood type: O
Height : 167cm
Foot size : 26cm
Favorite colour: Black

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Born and raised in the suburbs of Tokyo
His parents owned a beauty salon
His mother's name is Kumiko
Has a brother ten years older whose name is Tomohisa
Seems to have very traditional values and thinks that a woman should always follow a man's lead
He didn't attend high school because he decided to pursue music career
Saga said he lost his virginity before 15
An artist who really impressed and inspired him is hide
Says he doesn't read manga much, and doesn't play games
He used to wake up very early, like 4 or 5 AM which caused turmoil for his bandmates while on tour, but lately they complai it's hard to wake him up on time
He's a very outdoors type of person and likes to go on trips especially in the mountains
He really loves Kyoto and often visits the temples there
He likes to meditate.
He does things in his sleep that he doesn't remember upon waking up
Likes long-distance running, sometimes up to 7 km at a time
He seems good at sports. He always wins at bowling and from what I've seen he can play football pretty well. Does a bit of skateboarding too.
He brought a 2-month old pomeranian Mogu in December 2009
He manages the tour merchandise
Loves photography, especially pictures of sky
He has a special interest in steel towers
Has been smoking for years but apparently quit in 2013




Saga

Birth date : Jun. 24th
Blood type: AB
Height : 176 cm
Foot size : 27 cm
Favorite colour: Golden

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Born in Koriyama (in the Fukushima prefecture), around kindergarden moved to Tokyo.
He has an older sister and younger brother.
His mother is a nurse.
His father is a salaryman employed at a securities/bonds company.

His father is very strict and would often beat him when he was young
The first instrument he ever played was harmonica when he was kindergarten.
He had been doing judo until the 4th grade
He really liked to draw as a child but Tora says he really sucks at it XD
In elementary school he was a very naughty kid and often got into fights
In grade 5 of elementary school, he fell in love for the first time
He began styling his hair in junior school and after a few years he was dying it and doing his eyebrows)
He says he lost his virginity at 15
He wanted to become a musician after listening to Mr. Children
He liked to play baseball in elementary school, but by junior high he became interested in Visual Kei and there was no way to combine the two interests.
According to Shou he fails at every sport they tried playing together
He moved out of his parents' house after school but later returned
He's a big fan of Gundam
He worked at McDonald's and Wendy's
Saga and Nao used to share a place together
He always mentioned that he’s S (sadistic) type, but Nao said that Saga’s actually M.
He eats the most among the members
He is left-handed
He drinks the most among the members
He began smoking in 2006
His room is always messy
He can't cook to save his life
He likes taking long baths
He often forgets things and gets late for appointments
He released his own model of bass and pick. His bass is called 焔 which means flame.
He writes the most songs among the members
He can play piano which he sometimes does at the concerts
He is usually in charge of the setlists
He had a dog called Chiko which he claimed to be his best friend but Chiko died in January 2012


Nao

Birth date : Jul.31st
Blood type: A
Height : 170cm
Foot size : 26.5 cm
Favorite colour: Black, White, Golden, Pink

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Born in Sendai
When he was little his parents used to travel a lot but he says he grew up in Hokodate, Hokkaidou
Says he was bullied a lot because of being a transfer student
He's got a brother younger by 3 years and all the members claim he's very handsome
Went to an all-boys school
Nao claims in school he had no interest in girls whatsoever and until high school he basically didn't know where babies come from XD
In school he was often the class representative
The only member to enter university
Nao originally wanted to be a vocalist and after that he wanted to become a guitarist
He began playing drums at 18
He's a big fan of Winnie the Pooh
Has a pet hedgehog named Tsuyoshi
At school he did Tea ceremony
Likes to be naked so he is often half-naked at rehearsals and even on the tour bus
Other members always complain he takes too long in the toilet
Nao is terrified of injections, he has to cover his eyes and ears before he can take one
He is growing plants in his kitchen
His room is really messy with lots of things all over the place


General:

Apparently Shou got his driver's licence in 2012, before that he would usually travel by taxi. Nao and Hiroto have a license. Saga and Tora don't.
Tora and Hiroto seems to be decent at cooking while Saga can't cook at all.
It seems that everyone prefers to sleep on a futon rather than bed.
Shou and Saga had lasik eye surgery around August 2010.



I shall be adding more over time.

запись создана: 13.02.2012 в 01:31

@темы: Alice Nine

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Dear Tegoshi, there are times when I admire you and there are times when I want to hit you in the face. But in the end you intrigue me, and entertain me and inspire me so I guess I'll stick with you for a bit longer. Happy Birthday, you little shit!

@темы: Birthday, Tegoshi Yuya

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On radio douchebaggery

The radios are a main source of information lately since the mags come out with a big delay but they give me such mixed feelings. I mean sometimes they're really amusing and sometimes Tegoshi tends to turn into a real douchebag and says things that make me want to punch him in the face. Surely the radio makes it easy for him to get carried away but that's no excuse. I remember him once saying he doesn't like girls who wear skulls and stuff but then a girl wrote to him via a magazine saying she likes skull print and if it's that bad and he was like "Well, if you really like it... and it suits you than that's ok." I don't think he could be so mean to anyone in person but on the radio he turns into a douchebag. I already wrote about this more than once but the oppression Japanese women must feel is no joke. And an idol saying shitty things surely does not help.

Not everyone is like this, of course. The j-rockers tend to be more open-minded (the things Shou, Tora and Saga say warms my heart). But rock musicians are a bit of outsiders to begin with while idols are very much a part of the system. And yes, they are completely oriented towards Japanese women. Like when they talk about girls they don't even consider other races. This makes me so confused. I mean Gackt and Tegoshi are two of the most admirable artists I know and yet their attitudes towards women make me cringe.

@темы: issues, Tegoshi Yuya