Unknown Rhythm

My Girl - Arashi single

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:27:27 GMT

Got my Arashi single the other week, 'My Girl (Normal Edition)(Japan Version)' from yesasia.com. It's good, I really like the second and thrid songs on my version of the cd, 'Tokei Jikake no Umbrella' which is the theme for Ohno's mini drama [called 'Room #0' or close as], and apparently means 'Clockwork Umberella', great name :)

And the extra track which I don't think you get with the dvd/pv version of the single, 'Super Fresh',

http://www.yesasia.com/us/my-girl-normal-edition-japan-version/1021410204-0-0-0-en/info.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Girl_(Arashi_song)

So I'm happy and it was worth the wait, especially as I got my 'Black & White' dvd box set at the same time, shame about the crappy English subtitles though :(

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:32:07 GMT

This has been done to death, but thought I'd give it a go anyway!

Attempts at ringtones, there are five [5]. The first four are Mirotic by Korean band DBSK, it's the Japanese version of the song I think. My favourite is Mirotic_chorus_2.mp3 as Junsu sounds so funny :) and I like the heavy beat.

The fifth ringtone is from the excellent ~~Korean~~ [damn it, not Korean, Chinese or more specifically Taiwanese, I think] police drama Black & White. I plan to buy the box sets if I ever have enough money!

The latter works on my phone, haven't tried the DBSK ones yet.

Link to the folder if you'd like to download and listen:

hxxp://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=aaf26c5fd81ac9fdb64026cfc0611236879f46b4113a3436597b5d7f10aaff85

Change hxxp to http.

Hello Kitty Samurai Vs Alien

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 01:53:38 GMT

Hello Kitty Samurai

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 23:11:34 GMT

How cute is this?! Never thought I'd be bothered about anything to do with Hello Kitty, it barely registers on my radar, but this is a samurai! It's going on my phone strap if I can bring myself to open the box :)

I’m thinking I might do a photo project with it in various places, like Ohno Satoshi [from Arashi] with his clay heads! Might be fun and silly, and I need cheering up!

http://thejapanesepage.com/gallery?g2_itemId=52476

Inspired by Japanese screens [Byobu]

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 06:18:18 GMT

Just fancied having a mess about and this is the first graphic in my Japanese inspired photography / art project over in my little gallery at http://thejapanesepage.com

http://thejapanesepage.com/gallery?g2_itemId=52476

Sounds very grand, but isn't - naturally :) It's just me posting any photographs etc. that are inspired by Japan in some way. Won't be a regular thing.

Off to bed now!

Look What I Found - Japanese playing cards & Chopsticks

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 01:50:45 GMT

I came across a pack of Japanese playing cards an online friend sent me a few years back from Germany, but of a convoluted way to get here, but who care :)

I also found my chopsticks, I think there are Chinese, or rather they have Chinese writing on them. Think I’ll have a go eating with them… after I look up how to hold them properly, should be fun as I’m clumsy at the best of times! This is my version of living dangerously *lol*

Japanese kimono icon from: http://www.aoiweb.com/aoi2/english.htm

Urbania DVD

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:10:51 GMT

Finally got and watched my Urbania DVD, slow start but got interesting later on. Charlie/Chuck and his boyfriend Chris are sweet, their relationship a real contrast to the darkness around them. It’s a sad story so only watch it if you like angst. The lead, Dan Futterman, who plays Charlie is lovely, Chris too [Matt Keeslar] and I know I’ve seen the latter somewhere before, but I just can’t remember *sigh* The film is apparently based on a play called ‘Urban Folk Tales’.

I looked Keeslar up and he was in the USA film ‘Quiz Show’ which I’ve heard of but never seen and also made an appearance in ‘Law and Order’ and ‘Law and Order Criminal Intent’, so that’s probably where I recognise him from.

It’s been a while since I watched a film in English, well, beyond ignoring the tv. I’m more interested in Asian dramas and films, going cross-eyed trying to read the subtitles and watch the action at the same time though *lol* Watching a good drama currently, Taiwanese [Republic of China?], called Black & White, kind of a buddy cop action thing, and also ‘The Quiz Show’ with Sakuri Sho from J-pop group Arashi and ‘Majo Saiban’, [The Witch Trial], with Ikuta Toma, both Japanese dramas.

Looking forward to lots more hopefully…

Were the World Hellbent - dvds

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:57:54 GMT

Watched ‘Hellbent’ [1 & website] and ‘Were the World Mine’ [1] the other night. Started out with the gay slasher film [rated 15], and moved on to the sweet gay romantic musical fairytale [rated 12], can you tell which is which yet? :)

Enjoyed both too which was a nice surprise.

Hellbent is about 4 friends, who just happen to be gay, out for a night on the town. It’s Halloween and there’s a serial killer stalking the streets who likes to lop heads off! It’s a slasher movie so don’t expect any answers about the killer, and don’t get too attached to anyone either, but its fun. One question, why, why, why don’t these people ever take away the killer’s weapon when they manage to smack him one? Why?!

A couple of people with real slasher credentials worked on this movie, one of the produces, I think, from Halloween and someone from Nightmare on Elm Street and the dvd has a special feature, the actors etc. talking about the film.

Were the World Mine is a sweet story about what we’ll do for love and about being more tolerant, based on a short film called ‘Fairies’ and ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ by Shakespeare it has a few musical numbers woven into the story which are very nicely done, no jarring or pointless songs, and the lead actor, who plays Timothy, who plays Puck in the school play, is a good singer. It‘s fairly innocent and doesn’t delve too deeply into the consequences of our actions, but it makes a change from all the gloom and doom out there if you’re feeling like something fluffy :)

Nothing wrong with sweet and fluffy! *Ahem* Extras on the dvd include the short film ‘Fairies’, the trailer for the film and trailers for other releases.

I'm getting Urbania next as it was the cheapest on my list of dvds to consider, it looks like some sort of thriller, dark and sad :(

More Manga...

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:54:31 GMT

Recently finished reading Korean manga 'Totally Captivated' v.1-6/end, loved it and would recommend it to anyone who likes passion, angst, and pretty pretty artwork :) Also try U Don't Know Me By Rakun. I got it from The Book Depository but my cover is different than the one shown [I like mine best,] see the cover at the publisher's website, NetComics . I think it's just the one volume, but I'm not sure as it could easily continue. Not as good as the others listed in this post, but some nice artwork.

Love 'Wild Adapter' by Kazuyu Minekura, have v. 1-6/ongoing, not full out yaoi, hints of BL, but a really interesting story and great characters. Gangs and violence, but likeable leads despite that.

Also loved 'Banana Fish' [1] [2] by Akimi Yoshida, gangs, violence and past child abuse. Hints of BL the two main characters have a good relationship, lots of action and angst set in America. It's complete, 19 volumes, and I'd recommend getting the editions printed by Viz Media, I think they're the 2nd editions. They read like native manga, right to left, back to front :) and have nice covers.

Some people have had trouble collecting the set, but I got mine from a mix of Ebay, Amazon [uk] and the Book Depository, just be careful you get the right edition when ordering.

Check out 'Boyfruit, a small fansite dedicated to Akimi Yoshida's revolutionary manga series Banana Fish!'

Out of money and out of patience now with the links, next post will probably be about the two new dvds I'm expecting soon, or some of my other yaoi manga, got a lot to recommend yet and some to sell!

One of my Favourite Yaoi Manga

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:44:02 GMT

Yellow: Four [4] volumes all available to buy, you can buy a box set of this series as well. Lovely artwork, interesting story and a great relationship between the two main characters. One of my first and favourite sets. It's nice to have a good story involving adults, even if they're young adults at 22 as a lot of yaoi novels seem to focus on 15-19 year olds who are still at school or have just left. I love both Goh and Taki and how they interact as their relationship and the trust between them grows, yes there are kissing and sex scenes. The Juné Manga books look great and I wish I'd know about the box set as I would've bought it to protect the 4 volumes instead of the individual books. Yellow is the first yaoi series I've seen that offers a box set, more publishers should do it, it's a nice idea, but of course they'd have to let us know it's an option on release of the first volume, and we'd have to be patient enough to wait! Oh, and Goh isn't feminine, but he is gay and longs to open that box of delights for Taki! Now see, in this series there's pouncing, Gorgeous Carat characters should take note! *lol*