#15YearswithTVXQ

Greetings, everyone!  Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!  I hope that you all are enjoying yourselves with friends and family.  It's been a good while since I've posted anything on here, and I feel really bad about that.  But today is a special day in Kpop fandom. 

December 26th, 2018 marks fifteen years since the debut of legendary status Kpop group, TVXQ!

On December 26th, 2003 a group of five young men debuted on stage with 'Oh Holy Night' featuring BoA and 'Hug' at a joint concert for Britney Spears and BoA.  Since then they've exploded in popularity all over Asia and became one of the top Kpop acts of second generation Kpop.  TVXQ consisted of Kim Junsu (Xiah), Park Yoochun (Micky), Kim Jaejoong (Youngwoong/Hero), Shim Changmin (Choikang/ Max), and Jung Yunho (U-Know).  Around 2009, TVXQ started showing signs of the eventual split amongst them, leaving two members (Yunho and Changmin) actively promoting as TVXQ and the other three forming a new group called JYJ (Jaejoong, Yoochun, and Junsu). 

Being a fan that still supports all five, I am really proud of the acheivements that they have made and even continue to make.  I have been a fan of theirs for eleven out of the fifteen years they've been active, and they are my bias group in Kpop.  With every year that their anniversary passes, I still think that it will be the year when they come back on stage as five and reenact their debut stage once again in those high school uniforms (or some updated version of them).  It's a silly wish, but I can only imagine the ugly crying I'll do if it becomes a reality. 

So whether you are a well-seasoned or brand-spanking-new fan to Kpop, I would recommend you check out TVXQ and JYJ and reminisce old times with me. 

Here is an evolution of TVXQ (2003-2015)
Here is an evolution of JYJ (2010-2014)

"And What Did You Do Over the Summer?" Part 2

Hello, again!  Here is part two of what my summer consisted of.  This one is all about anime.  XD  This one is going to be image-heavy so I apologize for that.  There are also links within the post, so be on the lookout for them.  As a disclaimer, I found all of these images/videos with the help of both Google and Youtube.  Credit is to be given to whoever uploaded the videos and to whoever posted the pictures first.  ^^
 

First, let me say that my sister, brother and I have finally finished the Chimera Ant arc of 'HunterxHunter'.  That was one emotional arc--especially the last few episodes!  Not only did I feel so sad when characters were perishing in awful ways (and you never knew who was next) throughout the arc, I also felt bad for the bad guys too.  :(  But even though the current arc (the Zodiac arc) may be a bit calmer, there is one person that might shake you up:

 

Meet the youngest of the Zoldyck family, Alluka.  His/Her power is rather scary.  Let's just say that he/she is why there is the saying: "Be careful what you wish for".  He/She has the power to grant wishes, but in order to have yours granted, you must do three things for him/her first.  They can range from something menial like giving him/her a piggy-back ride...to giving him/her a body part of yours.  But that really depends on how large the wish of the previous person was.  Basically, the bigger the wish, the more collateral it will be for the next person.  And if you don't fulfill any of Alluka's request by his/her fourth one, well...you (and maybe a few of your loved ones) will become a bloody mess.

 

I believe the highlight of my anime spazzing for this summer would be the amount of otome-based ones I watched:

 

Hakuouki

'Hakuoki: The Demon of the Fleeting Blossom' is probably the start of my spiral into otome madness.  My sister had seen the series before me and loved it so much that she bought it all.  She then bought the PS3 game.  Never would I have thought I'd also love it so much.  This anime/game is based loosley on the famous group, the Shinsengumi.  I believe they're quite a popular theme in some other anime like 'Rurouni Kenshin', 'Peacemaker', and 'Gintama'.  Because this is an otome-based anime, it is reverse-harem.  That means one girl has multiple guys who like her.  And in the game, you have make choices that will put you on a route for whichever man you want to be with.  All the guys you see up there?  Those are your choices.  ^^  I've already completed one route, and his was so good.  Now I'm working on another, and I'm enjoying it.  Now, when I watched the series with my sister and played the game, there was one of the six that totally caught my eye and is now categorized as a "life-ruiner".  His name is Heisuke Toudou: 

You may have seen my previous entry about him.  In history he was the eighth captain of the Shinsengumi and their youngest squadron leader.  I'm not too sure what attracted me to him, but now whenever he shows up on screen I either say "Bae!" or "It's boo thang!"  XD  I played his route first, and I.  LOVED.  IT.  He was way too sweet to me--I mean the protagonist.      

 

Amnesia

'Amnesia' tells the tale of a girl who awakes to find out she doesn't remember anything about herself.  She is befriended by a fairy named Orion (who is just adorable) and he tells her that as a result of accidentally bumping into her soul he caused her memory loss.  Thus, he is willing to help her retrieve it.  Once again, my sister first watched this series and liked it alot, so she bought it.  As this is also a game, you have five guys (pictured above) to choose from and go their route of the game.  The games aren't availabe in English, but I hope they will be so I can play it.  And I have an idea of who's route I want to start with first:



His name is Ikkyu, but he prefers Ikki.  As you can see, he is supposed to represent the Spade in the deck of cards.  The general idea of his route is that he is supposedly a total womanizer with a fanclub.  Due to a wish he made when he was little to be more liked, he has these 'special eyes' that when a woman looks into them, they fall in love with him.  In the beginning, he takes dating (and love in general) to be a game as he has a limit on how long he dates women (three months), but the protagonist will change that...  ^^  Every time I saw him come on screen, and due to his personality I kept on thinking that Kpop group GOT7's song 'Girls' would fit him just nicely.

 

La Corda D'Oro

This one is all about classical music.  The story is about a girl who attends a school primarily for musicians in the making, but she is there for general studies.  She then befriends a fairy of music named Lily who gives her a magical violin.  Now...the girl doesn't know how to play at all, but when she is using that particular violin, she can bust out with 'Concierto for Violin' with no problem.  XD  That is probably why she is taken interest in by five guys.  Each of them play a different instrument: violin, flute, trumpet, piano, and cello--and they are really good in their field...which makes the main girl feel bad because she's not a true musician.  I haven't really watched it all from the beginning, so it is quite difficult for me to form a better review.  But I can tell you that this one really made me consider if I should learn an instrument.  A violin is looking pretty cool about now, or even the cello.  XD  There is another season with different characters called 'La Corda D'Oro ~Blue Sky~' in which the main girl actually knows how to play the violin, but due to something that happened to her in the past, she doesn't play to her fullest.  The picture above are your options in the games, and (as usual) if I ever get the chance to play I'm not sure who I'd want to choose.  Probably this guy:

This is Kazuki Hihara, and he plays the trumpet.  As I haven't watched the anime all the way through, I'm not sure much about his personality.  But looking at this picture, I am led to believe that he has a bright personality.  And I'm all for that.  ^^

 

Been A Long While

Greetings!  It has been a long while since I've last posted an entry, hasn't it?  Most of the reason is sheer laziness.  But I've also been considering whether or not to actually keep up with this blog.  Seeing as there isn't many commenters, I'm not sure if I could continue.  We'll just have to see, huh?  Anyway, on to the topics!

E3 excitement
Earlier this week (and throughout it) was an event very important to video gamers everywhere.  It's called the Electronic Entartainment Event or E3.  For those who are unaware, it is a yearly event showcasing the latest in video gaming.  Monday and Tuesday were the press conference days for all the consoles and major production companies like Ubisoft and such.  This year, I decided to try and watch as much as I could.  Many of the games weren't my forte' (too many 'M' games), but I'm sure that many were excited to see trailers for long-awaited games as well as some gameplay.  The conference I looked forward to the most was PlayStation and Nintendo's, but I missed out on the latter.  And, as usal, I am always eager to see what Sqare Enix brings to the table...but I missed out on their presentation!  OTL  Maybe next year I'll manage to watch the everyone's conferences. 

How bizarre...
I started playing an otome (Japanese "dating" game) a few days ago, and managed to finish it just recently.  It is called 'Hakuouki' (various spelling is 'Hakuoki') and there are various games in the series.  It also has an anime which I watched before playing the game.  It is loosely based off of the famous Shinsengumi in Japan, and is quite popular.



credit: Otome Junkie

 

The dubbing is so-so, but I must admit that the guys on the show are very handsome.  I honestly didn't think I'd get into this show as bad as I have.  I blame my sister...  =__=  Anyway, as with all otome games your ultimate goal is choose a guy and get into a relationship with him.  All of them are good-looking, ne?  So, you could see my dilemma.  I do have a few favorites; however, I decided upon my first choice from this show, Heisuke Toudou.

 

 Captain of the 8th division of the Shinsengumi as well as the youngest...he's just so adorable.  And when he get's his hair cut (as shown below)...whew!  =^__^= 

 

 

I really did enjoy going his route in the game--after a few "difficulties".  Lately, it's been him and Son Goku of 'Gensoumaden Saiyuki' that I've been quite interested in these days.  I suppose I really would like to draw them with an original character of mine that I tend to stylize for that character.  I'm notorious for that.  XD  Anyway, I recommend you checking out the anime or the video games if you're into a little romance.  Goodness, I'm curious as to what the other guys' routes are like in the game.  Time to find out, I suppose. 

 

Well, that is all for the day.  Until next time~!  ^__^  

 

'Mi Mi' Review & Happy 8th, KAT-TUN!!

My feels!!
Though this drama is only four episodes long, 'Mi Mi' really struck a chord in me I suppose. *le sigh*

"Is there a certain period of time you'd want to go back to?"


credit: Wikipedia

The story is about a webtoon artist named Han Minwoo who is having trouble trying to remember his first love from high school.  But that's not the only thing!  The very same thing that he's searching for is actually haunting him...  This mini drama switches between the past and the present, and shows you the happiness and pain of having a first love.  Changmin was cast in this drama to act as both the young and older Minwoo while Moon Gayoung was cast to play his high school sweetheart, Mimi.  Watch as the love story between these two unfold.

I was really intrigued by this drama.  I really loved the fact that it had the subject matter of art put into it, as I can relate.  This was sort of a downer drama for me though, as it just seemed to get more depressing with each episode.  At the same time I was thinking: "Darn it!  How awesome would it have been to experience a first love like that in an art room...with Changmin."  >///<  Eh, what can you do?  In a press conference, he made mention that if he could go back in time, he'd want to go to his middle school years to meet many girls.  I guess that would also be a good time period for me too as I'd want to fix some things in my life as well.  :o  How about you, fellow readers?  Is there a period of time you wish to go back to?

Happy 8th Anniversary, KAT-TUN
As of March 22, 2014, KAT-TUN will have officially debuted for eight years.  Of course they've been out longer than that.  The members have made quite a name for themselves, and I'm really glad that they're still well-loved in the fandom (for the most part).  Though they've gone from six members to four, I will continue to support each and every one of them.  I do hope they will keep doing what they love and I shall do my best to keep fangirling them along the way. 

 

Well, until next time~!  (^__^)/

The Beauty of New Mexico

 

Greetings, fellow readers!  Today, I shall tell you about my interesting moments in the state of New Mexico.  :D  I've been there twice now, and it's really different from where I live right now.  But it's also really cool.  The climate is drier than here, which is great because you don't feel like you're sweltering.  I've visited lots of cool places while in New Mexico as well!  Note: Pictures in links as well as the one below are not mine. 

White Sands
I visited this place on my first trip to New Mexico.  This area is a national monument and is quite a huge area in my opinion.  And it's really white!  XD  While visiting, you can rent out some disks to sit on and slide down the dunes.  That is really fun, but it's tiring walking up the dunes just to slide down them.  Oh, and when I was leaving, I saw a camel there as well. 

Organ Mountains

Next to the place I was staying in is the Organ Mountain range.  It's been a long time since I've seen mountains, so I was really suprised the first time I saw them.  They looked like they were photoshopped into the area.  ^^  And when clouds were going over them, it made them look really creepy.

 

Roswell

Just a good drive away is the famous town of Roswell.  I didn't think I'd be able to see this town with my own eyes.  XD  But everywhere was alot of alien memorabilia.  I visited a museum about the alien crash site back in the 1940s and all the conspiracies that followed.  It was pretty fun. 

 

Ruidoso

I also went to a casion/resort that was in the mountains.  The ride was fairly long, but looking at the scenery change from arid desert to green mountains was really interesting.  Never had I thought that New Mexico is as green as I had previously thought!  On my way there, I rode past a reservation for the Mescalero Apache Indians.  And it was my first time seeing tipis!  ^o^

 

Billy the Kid

The main reason for my second trip to New Mexico was for Billy the Kid who was a famous outlaw that traveled in New Mexico alot.  I visited the area he was caught in, the area he was tried in (called Mesilla), and the place he is now buried (Fort Sumner).  It's rather ironic because there is a cage around his (and his buddies) grave.  It's like they ultimately ended up in the place they tried to avoid--jail. 

 

As an added bonus, I went to a pistachio shop and actually saw hot air balloons floating in the sky!  New Mexico is known for flying them, and it was also another first for me to see them.  Also, the pistachio shop has a statue that is the world's largest pistachio.  ^^  I've been to it once before, and let me tell you...the licorice is amazing!  Nothing like Twizzlers.  *o*

 

New Mexico was a really nice place to visit on both accounts, and if I ever get the chance to go back again, I just might.  I also recommend you all to visit this state as well.  By the way, the main question that you might get asked is "Green or red?"  ^^ 

 



Anime, Anyone?

So, my sister--who is more into anime than I am these days--had me watching a couple of anime titles in one day.  Here's my breakdown of what I watched:

Greed Island arc --> Chimera arc
We've been watching the anime 'HunterxHunter' for a while.  It's the recent version that is still airing in Japan.  We just finished the 'Greed Island' arc in which Gon and friends have managed to complete the video game and were ready to meet Ging--Gon's father.  However, who they run into is not him.  Instead it is an old friend of his father who is looking into a certain type of ant that is quite carniverous.  The queen of this kind of ant is trying to make the perfect king, but she needs to eat for it to happen.  Here's the thing...it doesn't matter what she eats.  From other insects to large animals...even humans.  She then uses a process called phylogenesis to mix traits of hers with traits of the animals she eats, thus creating a chimera creature.  But let me tell you, this arc is difficult to handle for me.  Some of the characters die.  ;A;

Free!
After hearing so much about it, we decided to watch the newest anime out there, 'Free!'  As I had mentioned earlier, it is a sports anime based around on swimming.  Of course the main audience for this is aimed towards fangirls because let's face it...guys in bathing suits swimming is sure to gain a girl's attention.  I must say that this anime is very entertaining allbeit nothing but fanservice.  I think the most hilarious part is the ending of each episode where the main guy characters are getting funky in a club.  XD 

Say "I Love You"
This anime is similar to your typical high school slice-of-life romance.  At first, I only saw the intro and was like: "This dude just kissed her.  Does he even know here like that?"  XD  But things get explained as the show rolls on.  It's a fairly short series, and I'm not really fascinated by how a girl in anime looks so helpless in recent works.  But the main girl in this one is a bit different, and the main guy is a real smooth talker!  ^^  He seems to really like her though. 

With that, there are some of the recent anime titles I've been watching as of late.  Until next time~! 

Review: Hanayome to Papa

*insert 'Wedding March' song*

Pic credit: original owner

This Jdrama is a really cute one!  It's called 'Hanayome to Papa' (which means 'Bride and Papa'...I think).  It has twelve episodes and is of the romantic comedy genre.  It follows the story of a girl named Aiko (Satomi Ishihara) who really would like to get out from under the overprotective wing of her father(Saburo Tokito)--especially so since she is twenty years old.  She has been given a set of rules to follow, and she does.  But she would really like to rid herself of them.  Two of the biggest rules are a curfew at 7pm and absolutely no relationshiop of any kind with the opposite sex.  Aiko has been following these rules all her life, but she found a way to get around them.  She got a job working at a fashion industry.  At last...a taste of freedom (sort of).  Aside from her as being a newcomer into the office is Seiji (Junnosuke Taguchi) who also has some issues with his parents.  Both of them kind of click because they are both new to the office.  Now, where does significance of the title come into play?  Well, one night Aiko and her father got into an argument.  He told her that the only way she wouldn't be treated as a child is if she were to marry.  She then said out of spite: "Fine!  I shall become a bride then!"  Now, I don't think she meant for it to actually happen.  But soon after, Seiji does come over, asking her father if he could date her...with the intention of marrying her! 

The bulk of the drama goes through the story of how Aiko and Seiji have to prove to Aiko's father that they indeed do want to marry.  There are also a few backstories that explain why Aiko's father is the way he is with her as well as some subtle issues of other fathers and their children.  Of course the main reason I watched this was because Junnosuke was in it.  But overall, I really liked it!  Junno-kun, why you no date me with the intention of marriage?!  XD XD XD  Well, I hope that you will check this drama out~!  Until next time.       

Review: Last Friends...Oh, Boy...

A while back when I became more familiar with Johnny's artist, Ryo Nishikido--as well as making him a bias--I began watching a few dramas he's starred in.  At first it was a drama called 'Ino wo Kau to Iu Koto' (which I should also do a review for).  I was really watching for Junnosuke, but I did like how Ryo and the others acted their parts.  So, how did I get around to watching 'Last Friends'?  Well, it was because of one episode of a radio program that I listen to from time to time called 'Asian Pop Addict'.  They did a special where they "went back in time" to 2008, and they acted out how they used to be during that time.  They had made mention of Ryo and how his acting in 'Last Friends' was so good that it was scary.  I thought to myself: "Hey, why not check it out"?  So, during the summer of last year, I began watching it:

Last Friends Opening by levierge

 

I tell you, it might make you really upset--much like most dramas do.  This one is slice of life that goes through the issues of various people.  And the ladies who host 'Asian Pop Addict' were right...Nishikido did play his role really well.  You have the character Michiru and her boyfriend Sosuke who seem like a sweet couple on the surface...until she actually starts living with him.  Her friend, Ruka, is a girl who really has a love for motorcycling, but she also longs for a certain kind of freedom.  Ruka and Michiru--along with three others--start to live together and try to help each other with their issues as well as facing heir own. 

 

I started watching the first episode by myself, but because of the talking to my computer that I was doing, my sister watched the rest with me.  There are twelve episodes each running about an hour long.  So, if the introduction or my little synopsis has intrigued you, I suggest you check it out.  :D  Though I must warn you...you may end up hating Ryo after the first or second episode.  Dont' be too rough on him, okay?  XD

From Orange Pride To Men's Rhythmic Gymnastics

About three weeks ago, my sister and I decided to sit down and watch the Japanese drama known as 'RESCUE'.  Most of the reason was because KAT-TUN member Yuichi Nakamaru is in it (and KAT-TUN's song, 'RESCUE' is the theme).  But he's not the only famous person (that I knew of) that was starring in it.  NEWS member Takahisa Masuda and actor Yusuke Yamamoto is also in it!  The drama is nine episodes long and centers around a group of firefighters who want to become like an elite group known as the Super Rangers (SR for short).  Daichi Kitajima (Nakamaru) is the main character of the drama, and he along with other SR trainees try their best to make it onto the Super Rangers team.  There are many struggles for all of them as they do so.  The cool thing about this drama is that alot of the situations reflect real ones that can happen, and it gives little tidbits of information along the way.  I'd have to say that this drama was created in order to commemorate the real teams across Japan for doing what they do best: saving lives in the most dangerous of situations.  One line I can remember that shows up a few times is: "Which is more important: the life of the victim or of the rescuer?"  You'll have to watch to find out.  ^o^

  ORANGE PRIDE!!!

credit: dramadownload.net

 

How About That Fatal Frame?

First of all, I'd like to say HAPPY HALLOWEENN to you all.  And what better way to do that than with the first installment of the 'Fatal Frame' series? 

Credit: Wikipedia

 

This is the first of the four original games.  Despite it saying 'based on a true story', it is not.  ^^;;  BUT the creator of the game got his inspiration based upon a real house in Japan that might be haunted.  Anyway, the synopsis of this game is about a girl named Miku who is in search of her older brother, Mafuyu.  He's been missing for a little over two weeks and the last she has heard is him going to a place called the Himura Mansion to figure out the disappearance of his own boss and a few other reporters.  Will Miku ever find out what has happened to her lost brother?  What about the secret behind the Himura Mansion?  To find out, you'll have to play the game.  XD  Miku has the ability to sense ghosts, so it will be helpful when she enters the house.  Once again, your weapon is the infamous Camera Obscura.  This particular game is equally as scary, so it's just perfect for people hoping to get their blood pumping.  This one is also for the Playstation 2, so if you have one, you're set!  The original ending is quite sad, but isn't any Fatal Frame ending?  Hopefully, you'll enjoy this game...if you ever decide to pick it up. 

 

And so, I bid you adieu~!  Peace out! 



Storms and Ghosts

So yesterday, the east/northeastern coast of the U.S. was rocked by a hurricane-turned-superstorm named Sandy.  She was basically a large storm that merged with a winter storm coming from the west and some arctic air from the north.  She affected quite a few states that were more inland as well.  I'm sure it was quite a catastrophic scene.  While I hoped that noone would be hurt from this storm, I couldn't help but feel a little sad.  Why?  Because all over my Twitter list, I saw messages like "Our hearts go out to the victims in the path of this hurricane" and things like that.  I did too...but I couldn't help feeling that Sandy and the northeast got so much more coverage than us down here in the south when we dealt with Isaac.  Granted that the northeast isn't as structurally built for hurricanes as the south is, but gee wiz.  My phone was blowing up with constant updates about Sandy (I follow various hurricane Twitter accounts) and it was to the point where my battery was going to die.  However, I don't recall it being like that when we were going through Isaac.  :/  Sometimes I wonder if we're a little forgotten down here.  In terms of the fandom, I do remember tweeting about what was happening to me during the Isaac...but not many tweeted back about my status.  I just chalked it up to the media not talking about him much.  But with Sandy...they even talked about it on international news stations.  I say this because I have a few Korean channels that I watch, so that is where my guess comes from.  OTL  A major Twitter account that I follow for TVXQ fans even tweeted out for the northeast coast.  *sigh*  I know I sound really salty and should not even have this attitude, but if you live down here for a good while and experience a gulf hurricane, then you'll know what I mean about media coverage when it comes to southern storms.  People down here are still quite upset (and/or joking) about Mississippi being called "a 'landmass' between New Orleans and Alabama" or being called "refugees".  .___.  Other than that, I don't want it to sound like I don't care about what happened up there if that's what you're thiking.  I'm not that kind of person, ya know.  :x  Anway, I believe the worst of it is over for the northeast, so now it is cleanup time which is never fun.  Hopefully things will get back to normal for you all soon.  From the gulf coast to the east/northeast coast...still wishing everyone affected the best~!

ANYHOO....

Since It's October...

Uwah~!  I really love the autumn season!  It happens to be my favorite: the leaves changing colors, cooler temperatures (even though I'm always complaining about it), and the start of the holidays.  Out of the months that make up the fall season, I'd have to say that I have a liking for October.  Now, this month is well known for Halloween (and sometimes Friday 13th).  If you notice, alot of scary movies/video games tend to come out more often around October--at least that's what I'm seeing.  And today, I'm going to introduce to you another video game that fits with the festivities of Halloween.  It is...

 

credit: Wikipedia

 

This is the third installment in the series known as Project Zero.  If you recall, I did a post on the second one which I tend to play alot more out of the three.  Like the second one, Fatal Frame III is rated 'M' for blood and extremely scary moments.  Shall I give you a synopsis?  ^o^  It starts out with a woman named Rei regaining consciousness close to a ditch where her car had crashed into.  She looks down into the ditch to see her dead boyfriend (Yu) in the car.  Over the next few weeks she is really depressed, but she has to keep working.  By the way......she's a photographer.  Her assisstant is Miku--who is the main character for the first Fatal Frame--and while in an abandoned house that supposedly was haunted, Rei happens to see a man turn a corner.  He looks like her deceased boyfriend, so she follows him.  This leads her to her initial entrance into the Manor of Sleep.  Why is it called that?  You'll have to find out.  The bulk of the game is played in this place, and the only way to enter is through her recurring nightmares of the place.  Ghosts are once again the enemy, but this time it's not just in the Manor of Sleep that you'll see them...they'll be in her house too.  o___o  Once again the camera is your only source of defense.  The original ending is quite saddening...that is all I can say.  :(  Overall, if you wanna get a couple of friends together on Halloween and have a good scare, 'Fatal Frame III: The Tormented' is the way to go~!    

 

Showing Love To My Other Favorite Jpop Groups: KAT-TUN

Name: KAT-TUN (the hyphen is important, lol)

Members: (top section, L to R) Akanishi Jin (former member), Nakamaru Yuichi, Ueda Tatsuya, (bottom section, L to R) Tanaka Koki, Taguchi Junnosuke, Kamenashi Kazuya

Fanbase: Hyphen

Fancolor: I dont' think they have a fancolor.  It's more of fans with the member's faces on them.

Well, this is the group that has caught my attention on several occasions.  At first, I just heard about their name, and never really bothered to listen to them or anything.  That is how it usually goes with the groups I follow, lol~!  I was more into anime at the time, and I mainly listened to singers of their openings and endings or to solo singers like GACKT, Miyavi, Maaya Sakamoto, Ayumi Hamasaki, and Utada Hikaru.  There was the occasional boybands that I had one or two songs from though (ex.- Arashi, V6).  Then I eventually switched into Kpop, and that was fronted by my bias group TVXQ.  I didn't hear about KAT-TUN until around March/April of 2009 when they released 'RESCUE'.  I found out about that because that single went up against TVXQ's 'Survivor'.  I found that kind of cool that both titles could coincide with each other.  But I still wasn't very much interested in them.  I had seen other MVs of theirs as well: 'ONE DROP' and 'YOU'.  So what did make me take more interest in them?  Junnosuke.  Yes, one of the members stood out to me.  XD  It was after watching 'Rescue' quite a few times that my sister had told me that Junnosuke reminded her of Changmin (my ultimate bias).  I can see it too!  They may not look totally alike but at first glance and certain angles they can.  So at that point I was like: "Okay.  Pretty nifty this KAT-TUN group is".  However, it wasn't until this year--after hearing the responses of people when 'Run For You' was released-- that I actually started to follow them a little more (i.e.- getting to know who's who, member info, trivia, looking for songs/MVs, etc.).  So now I'm mainly a Cassie-Hyphen fan.  Though the Hyphen part of me is in training.  ^^;;

KAT-TUN was originally made up by six members with the first letter of each of their last name making up the group name: (K)amenashi, (A)kanishi, (T)aguchi, *hyphen*, (T)anaka, (U)eda, (N)akamaru.  They started out as a dance group for a previous Johnny's act (I think it was Kinki Kids).  It was more like a rotational group, but fans loved the members of KAT-TUN so much that they became a permanant unit.  Apparently they set alot of records too!  Having so many consecutive days of performances at the famous Tokyo Dome BEFORE debut is rather impressive.  I was looking up abou tthem on Wikipedia, and it looks like Johnny's Entertainment had them working almost as hard as TVXQ was!  They even had their own television show called 'Cartoon KAT-TUN' which I personally thought was really hilarious!  I saw sides of them that I never really thought about.  But while watching, I was really wishing that TVXQ would be guests.  XD  Ah, but since I've been so used to seeing TVXQ (Kpop in general) dancing, whenever I see KAT-TUN (or several Jpop groups) dancing...it's a bit...off? 

Sadly, one of the members, Akanishi Jin, announced his departure from the group to pursue a solo career.  With that, the 'A' in the group was also used by Kame, so now it's (KA)menashi, (T)aguchi, *hyphen*, (T)anaka, (U)eda, (N)akamaru.  It's rather sad to see groups I like have to split...even if it's only a few members that leave.  Fans are hopeful that one day Akanishi will come back much like many Cassies are hopeful that TVXQ will come back together.  

Well, as of now, KAT-TUN has made themselves a little cozy spot in my list of groups I follow.  Currently, they are my bias group from Japan.  There is still quite a bit I don't know about them, but slowly and surely, I shall get to know them better~!  If you'd like, you can check them out too!   

Showing Love To My Other Favorite Jpop Groups: Hey!Say!JUMP!

Well, I really don't know much about them...except that all ten of them are younger than me.  Yup, all TEN of them.  They are under the label known for making boy bands in Japan, Johnny's Entertaiment.  I have heard of them for quite some time, but never actually saw a music video of them until a year ago.  You can view Dreams Come True here.  (Credits to whoever loaded the video) 

Yeah...I know...  ^_^;;  They are an adorable bunch of kids.  It's similar to my liking of Taemin of SHINee.  But underneath that cute exterior are some sexy beasts:

When I saw this pic, my first reaction was O__O  Then my second was: "What the f***!  They're too young to be showing their bodies!"  One is like 15 for cryin' out loud!  ...But it was still sexy.  Though, I think it is a thing in Johnny's Entertainment to do things like this.  Kinda reminds me a bit of SM Entertainment in S. Korea.

Hey!Say!JUMP! has also been split into a few subgroups too.  The only two I know of are Hey!Say!BEST! (which I think is comprised of the older members) and NYC Boys (which has a few of the members).  There is one song from NYC Boys that I do like, and it is of the same title:

Video Credit:  fannychan09

Haha, I guess I'm quite intrigued by them.  But I als feel bad for one of the members.  He is Hikaru Yaotome (the second to last member on the second row of the pic above).  You see, his hometown was in the city of Sendai...which was caught in the midst of the terrible tsunami back in March.  Right after that happened, he couldn't get in touch with his family who still lived there.  I'm not sure if he has gotten any word for their safety, but I pray that he did get some contact from them.  There has also been recent controversy that their youngest member, Ryotaro Morimoto, had been caught smoking via some old pics of when he was 14-15 (he's 16 now).  Needless to say, all his future activities with the goup have been suspended for quite a while.  =_=;;

So while this group has a bunch of youngsters in it, I'll just say that they're more like little brothers (or sons, lol) that I watch every now and then.  If you'd like, you can check them out too~!  ^o^

Here

I just thought I'd share this song that is from one of my favorite singers, Maaya Sakamoto.  This is one of the songs that kind of makes me think of the whole JYJ, HoMin, SM, JYJ stans, HoMin stans, OT5 situation.  I also have lyrics that I found on Anime Lyrics dot Com.  Enjoy~!

Video credit: tarentis1

Here, people look for heaven
Livin' in a fear of God
Losing themselves, hiding forever
Afraid of what they're not
She spent her whole life
Chasing stardust
And then when she could taste it
A million dollars of pride
And still unhappy

So sad, she couldn't feel, she couldn't feel
I know the story
So sad, she couldn't feel, she couldn't feel
I know the score

Here I am, I've walked a promise
But it can take so long
Here I am, I've walked the shadows
It's time that I move on
With myself, I share the silence
I jus' walk along
Walk along

Here, people hide in darkness
Watchin' their shadows grow
Tears of gold or nothing matters
Selling themselves out short
Take diamonds for hope and fame for caring
The things she couldn't give up
She blows out the candle of love
And loses her way out

So mad, she couldn't see, she couldn't see
I know the story
So mad, she couldn't see, she couldn't see
I know the score

Here I am, I've walked a promise
But it can take so long
Here I am, I've walked the shadows
It's time that I move on
With myself, I share the silence
I jus' walk along
I walk along

People here choose not to listen
Afraid of what they might hear
Believing in lies and contradiction
Can be so safe and warm
And so many people tried to tell her
You know she wouldn't listen
A million voices called out
She jus' walked away

So loud, she couldn't hear, she couldn't hear
I know the story
So loud, she couldn't hear, she wouldn't hear
I know the score

Here I am, I've walked a promise
But it can take so long
Here I am, I've walked the shadows
It's time that I move on
With myself, I share the silence
I jus' walk along
I walk along

Words by Tim Jensen
Composed and arranged by Kanno Yoko

Transliterated by Orihara Kaoru

Showing Love to My Other Favorite Asian Groups: Twelve Girls Band

Today I come with a group that is neither from Japan or South Korea.  These twelve (actually thirteen) lovely ladies hail from mainland China.  They are some of the finest ladies in the art of playing the traditional Chinese instruments, and the idea of forming a band came to one man with the inspiration of doing something like this.  They are supposed to be like an ensemble that you would have seen if you were living in the Tang Dynasty of ancient China.  I don't know how well-known they are, but they have toured the U.S. and have been in Japan for Budokan. 

The style of music that the Twelve Girls Band plays is mainly classical Chinese songs with a bit of a modern twist to it.  They do play a few Western songs as well, and those turn out nicely as well.  Take 'Clocks' for example.  I really like how it sounds...almost like the original from Coldplay. 

Credit: divedeepinside

My sister and I have collected 3 of their albums: Eastern Energy, Romantic Energy, and Freedom.  However, there are more albums out there that I have yet to collect.  I would recommend you listen to their musci as it is quite soothing.  Perfect for when you want to get away from all the stress, try something new, or simply jump out of Kpop for the day.  >_<  A few of my favorite songs from them would be:

• Alamuhan
• Carnival
• Clocks
• Dunhuang
• Forbidden City
• Freedom (a popular one)
• The Great Valley
• A Girl's Dream
• Horse Racing
• Jasmine
• Life on Clouds (makes you feel like you are flying through the clouds)
• Ruten
• Shangri-La
• Tang Court Ensemble
• Thanks for the Living Years

Well...that looks like a good chunk of the list of songs I have from them.  ^^;;  While most people may be a little leery of China right now, I don't think that should be any reason to not be loving some of the wonderful things to come out of this great nation. 

That's all for this post.  Peace out~! 

Showing Love to My Other Favorite Kpop Groups: Big Bang

So, I just got through listening to Big Bang's "Lies" a few moments ago, and it made me think about how awesome this song is!  XD  Then I also realized that I haven't been talking about the other Kpop groups that I listen to.  Most of the posts I've done so far have been about my ever favorite group, TVXQ.  So, I've decided that every now and then, you will see a post for another Kpop (or Jpop) group.

Today's group is, of course Big Bang. 



Their February 2011 comeback.  Looking good, guys!

Name: Big Bang

Members: (from L to R) Lee Seunghyun (Seungri, V.I.), Kwon Jiyoung (G-Dragon, GD), Dong Youngbae (Taeyang, SoL), Kang Daesung (D-Lite), Choi Seunghyun (T.O.P.)

Fanbase: VIP

Fancolor: Black and White bandana or golden crowns

How did I come across them?  Well, it is all thanks to Youtube.  I believe it was some time after getting into Kpop when I started discovering groups, and I think Big Bang was my third group to come across.  Actually it is a funny story.  The video I began to watch was called "We Belong Together".  Now, I thought it was a group doing a rendition of Mariah Carey's song with the same title.  But it wasn't.  My reaction:  O.O;;  "What is this?!"  I was seeing Asian guys that reminded me of rappers.  I'm not much of a rap person, so I didn't watch all of it.  Of course over the next few months, I did watch a few videos of theirs here and there.  I believe the first one I actually sat through and watched all the way was "Dirty Cash". 

That song is so~ hilarious!  I believe that is when I started actually noticing them.  Now, I know a little about them, and they made it a little easier for me to listen to rap (funny, huh?).  I was also really impressed with their English in the song "With U".  I believe that they weren't as popular at first, but then "Lies" came out, and then their popularity skyrocketed. 

As of now, I can't really say I have a member I ogle over.  But I do consider G-Dragon my home dog (see that gangster talk of mine?  >_<)  The reason behind that is because he and I share the exact same birthday!  We grow together, lol.

Lately, I haven't been keeping up with Big Bang.  I know they had a few releases since the last time I've actually looked up something on them.  I do like that Japanese song they did, "Koi wo Kikasete~Let Me Hear Your Voice".  It sounds so beautiful!  I did take a look at their recent song, "Tonight", but it didn't quite stick.  Some fans say that "Stupid Liar" is really good, so I should check that one out.

All in all, Big Bang is a really good group.  They've done quite a bit of solo work and I am glad that they are still going strong despite being out of the limelight for quite a long time.  I may not be a die-hard VIP, but I shall try to keep up with them as well as the other groups I follow.    Big Bang, hwaiting!

Just a Little Drama

I did say that I was going to post a list of dramas that I thought were really good, right?  Well, I have devised a list.  Granted that my judgement of how awesome a drama is may not be that way to you.  ^_^;  But it's okay.  There are alot of good dramas out there, and I have not watched many.  These are ones that I have seen and made me want to see more.  XD  On to the list!

Japan
Hanazakari no Kimitachi e (Hana Kimi)
Hana Yori Dango
Hana Yori Dango Returns
Tsubasa

South Korea
My Too Perfect Sons
IRIS
Boys Over Flowers
Sungkyunkwan Scandal

Taiwan
Meteor Garden (also known as Boys Over Flowers)
Meteor Garden II
Hana Kimi


Well, I thought my list would be longer that this.  I guess I haven't watches as many as I thought.  Well, I hope that you all do check these ones out.  They are all pretty good (especially all versions of Boys Over Flowers).  And if you have seen some, why not comment about them?  ^_^