Hm. I could answer comments I owe or post yet again. ....new post, it is! orz
So, I had a long thing written up, wondering where all this JE vs Kodansha thing was going and why it happened at all (my assumption basically boils down to: business as usual that got out of control because JE's usual guy who handled this stuff passed away recently and while things are fine for now, who knows what Kodansha/SG's going to hit them with next now that JE's cutting ties with them in an attempt to put the fear of god into smaller businesses) but then Wednesday kind of sucked out loud RL-wise and things are better today. So, I'm still wary about where all of this is going and it makes it hard to enjoy Arashi's stuff in a carefree way (especially since I'm wondering how this is going to affect ratings), but I'm at least going to attempt it.
But first. Usual blah, blah, blah, and then on to Kamen Rider Kabuto ep 23, with SPOILERS for the episode listed at the very least (and very likely into the 30s and possibly the whole series), I don't plan these things in advance, we'll see from there.
Kamen Rider Kabuto episode 23: This episode continues to ramp up the plot by showing us Area X and the sun being nearly obscured by dust in the air from that point. And, huh. As Mishima-san and Tadokoro-san are walking up to Area X, Tadokoro-san can't believe he's here, and Mishima-san says, "If you were an ordinary guy, you wouldn't be given the job as a ZECT team leader." I love that it's innocuous enough that you don't notice it the first time around, but knowing that Tadokoro-san is a Native, it takes on a new potential meaning and I'm willing to believe that the series meant for it to come off that way.
To further the sense that the previous episode was an important climax episode, there are no recaps here, because there was no major fight that it ended in the middle of, that chapter is finished. They're starting a new one, which Mishima-san confirms by saying, "Now that we have Gatack... The Masked Rider is entering its next level." The next level? Tadokoro-san asks. "And probably... the Worms are too." is all Mishima-san says.
Then Hiyori is attacked by a Worm immediately after that and Gatack (backlit by the sun, no less XD) rushes to save her as she crumples to the ground, while she realizes who he is and heroic music plays in the backround. I kind of love this scene, to be honest. (The camera also swings around to look up at Gatack from below--interesting camera angle once again--and we can see the moon above this time.) Hiyori watches Kagami have the dorkiest celebration ever and I love the scene because it's obvious how much fun Kagami is having with all of this, beating up the Worms as Gatack and being so awesome at it. It's so cute to watch him be happy for a bit, even though it obviously couldn't last forever.
His clothes are... w-well. He needs to stop wearing those shirts and the bright yellow is not Kagami's color, but it's not. It's not as painful to look at, either. Hiyori sees the Belt around his waist and recognizes it as the one from her childhood, bringing up all those memories again and she looks at the rock in her hand. The rock we've never seen before, but, eh, we'll go with it.
After that, we get a scene with Jiiya and Mishima-san, who says their contract is at an end because they have their strongest Rider now (Gatack) and Tsurugi's all, whatever. I have plenty of money anyway. After he leaves, Jiiya asks Mishima-san to reconsider because they actually don't have that much money and I. I know this storyline gives us a lot of lol-worthy scenes, but the whole thing isn't my favorite.
On the other hand, Juka and Tendou at a ramen stall while Tendou stares at the food and examines it from practically every angle and is amazed at how good it is, THAT never stops being funny. Same for Tendou's whole thing with Jiiya where he's all *__* Why are you working here? Or when he goes to be all showy when catching the plates that Jiiya almost spills and how he "cannot let Humanity's Treasure do this" (work at a soba stall) and just aasd;fkjasl. Tendou is so totally my favorite forever and ever.
After that, a fortune teller is attacked by a Worm and Kagami is there to stop it and the series makes me LOL again by so totally playing up the moon theme, while Gatack stands on a crane, the moon is very full and large behind him and it's SO DRAMATIC and I love it SO MUCH. Like, I lose my coherence over it because I love it with all my heart, even as I'm laughing my ass off. And... I guess the Zecter just dropped off the Extender, like, HERE, PRESENT FOR YOU! :D at Kagami. (Even though we saw it in the previous episode?)
So, Kagami goes to get celebratory ramen and happens to run into Tendou and Tendou just... goes ahead and decides for Kagami what he's going to give him. Who really doesn't protest that hard, then Tendou goes off on his spiel about being in training (after Kagami asks, admittedly) and even Hiyori has been roped into this, which Kagami is wondering about (and why she's ignoring him), so Tendou says bossily, "From now on when you eat ramen you will come here." I know he means "instead of the restaurant" but that still sounds really, um. Like KAGAMI IS NOT ALLOWED TO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO ME AND NOT GO ANYWHERE ELSE AND YOU'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO ME NOW, NO ARGUING.
While Kagami is totally flying high on being super awesome as Gatack, so he's all despite what I look like I am actually a ramen expert, so the ramen I eat will be decided by me... then tries it and is all OMG I LOVE TENDOU'S COOKING all over again while Tendou stands there and casually goes, "Of course." Never not funny, too. And then ad;sflkjas;lkja. Well. Since you've eaten now. *THUNDER IN THE BACKGROUND* You will help out, too. I-- Yes. Tendou will never not be my favorite for the way he orders his boyfriend Kagami around.
I really like the acting in the next scene, too. Kagami's complaining about having to help out and Hiyori says, hey, what are you? Refering to Gatack and how it saved her from that weird thing and how this was all really weird and Tendou's obviously listening and Kagami's not sure how to answer her and I actually like the idea of Kagami/Hiyori, but I would take your potential het a lot more seriously, show, if you weren't drawing Tendou into this, even if he's just listening to them talk. Kagami and Tendou are both vague and not telling her anything, so she leaves and I loved how awkward and uncomfortable that scene really kind of was.
Afterwards, Hiyori is at her parents' graves (oh, hey, we do get names for them--Kusakabe Souichi and Satomi) and saying she doesn't like herself much and I really feel a lot for Hiyori in this scene. On the rewatch, it's so much more obvious how she's been opening up little bit by little bit, but she still remembers that boy with the belt on the day her parents died and she's confused and doesn't know who to trust and I really adore her for constantly trying to work through this. Even if she's scared she's going to end up all alone again, if she's hurt and upset with herself because they always help her, but she still keeps suspecting them and Tendou in the background just breaks my heart through this, because even if the series never really says it, he was alone, too.
Of course Tendou leaves before she can see him, Kagami watching him go, then turning to watch Hiyori with the rock we've never seen before but we'll all look the other way and pretend it was there all along. I really want to get Kagami out of that striped shirt and into something more acceptable because, ILU and your messier than usual hair, but... honey, no. Just let Tendou dress you properly.
Kagami asks about her parents and she says that they were murdered and we get a longer flashback that shows more of her memories and. Well, knowing the context for those scenes that she only half-remembers/half-saw, it definitely takes on a different feel. Every time I watch little Souji looking down at the Kusakabes, I kind of think, oh, man, no wonder Tendou's so crazy in the head, can you imagine being that young and seeing people who look and sound and act exactly like your parents, lying there dying, your sister trying to claw her way over the rocks while pleading for you not to kill them? Seriously. I don't blame Tendou for being crazypants.
Anyway, Kagami says that he only got his belt made recently, so it definitely wasn't him. And then it kind of DAWNS ON HIM that Tendou had that belt for ages and said he had a long history with it. And, again. I love you, show, but every time you start making me think that I could properly ship Kagami/Hiyori, Kagami is off thinking about Tendou again. orz
AHAHAHAHA and normally I'm a little worn thin on Tsurugi's ego and seeing a line of people means it MUST be a parade for him, right? (though, I'm taking it a lot better on the rewatch than I would have thought) b-but Jiiya's UHH, RIGHT, YES, IT MUST BE A PARADE, because he knows its Tendou's cooking at the ramen stall that's attracting the line of people.
And, admittedly, in the scene after that, where Misaki and Tadokoro-san are investigating an attack scene, she finds a chunk of rock and asks him what it is. He says lately all the women who've been attacked have had that, so the show is making an attempt to introduce it properly (instead of pretending it was always there), but I still think they kind of want us to squint and pretend Hiyori always had it.
So, Tsurugi says he's the man that stands at the top of waiting in line (after Tendou tells him to properly wait his turn, because the time spent anticipating the food is the greatest time, Tendou's grandmother said) and after he finally gets his food, the Kabuto Zecter is buzzing about and HELPING OUT WITH THE NOODLES and then getting Tendou's attention because there's a Worm that needs stopping, so Tendou takes off the gloves he was wearing, dropping them on the counter, which Tsurugi takes as a duel invitation and I really do love how they're paralleling Tsurugi as sort of... the anti-Tendou in so many ways.
AND. *CRACKED UP* I love Tendou showing up on at the bowling alley, telling the guy to run, who trips over a rack of bowling balls on his way out, sending them spinning down the lane, so OF COURSE they have something dramatic to go in slow motion while Tendou and the Worm fight in Clock Up. I love how they're clearly just having fun with it at this point. So Tendou defeats the Worm and picks up the chunk of green rock that was lying on the ground, staring at it. Kagami comes in, seeing that Tendou has already defated the Worm, and notices it in Tendou's hand, asking what it was, because Hiyori had one just like it.
Tendou, for all that he and Kagami have grown closer, still says that it's nothing, it's just a pebble, even if he's obviously hiding something. Kagami lets it go, but asks if Tendou had that belt seven years ago, if that boy Hiyori saw... and Tendou coldly says he doesn't know what Kagami's talking about. And Kagami grabs hold of him to spin him back around and Tendou doesn't really react to that, he sort of lets Kagami do it, but keeps his expression carefully blank. He's just as vague as ever in the scene (when asked who gave it to him, he points at the mural of the sun on the bowling alley wall) and leaves when Kagami turns to look where he's pointing and casually walks out. This time, Kagami doesn't follow.
And it does make sense for Kagami to be the one to confront him on this, he's the only one who knows enough about both Hiyori and Tendou to do it, while Hiyori herself isn't ready for that conversation, it's still. A really loaded scene. There's a lot of tension and you can tell how tired of Tendou's crap Kagami is starting to get. Like, he's never been particularly fond of it, but he's reaching the end of how much patience he's got for Tendou and will start pushing for real answers now.
But, because that was such a heavy scene (which both actors did marvelously in), the show decides to lighten things up a bit. By having Tsurugi waiting for Tendou. In fuel duelling attire. Not that they get very far, it switches back to the investigation for the Worm pretty quickly and Kagami realizes that Hiyori might be in danger, so he rushes out to the graveyard where she is (naturally, about to be attacked by a Worm) and I remember once again, oh, right, I'm kind of onboard with Kagami/Hiyori just a little. Also, it's nice that, even if Kagami is still kind of a klutz and doesn't have the same aura of cool that Tendou does, he still gets to be totally bad-ass when he calls for the Gatack Zecter and transforms.
I love the fight (even if it makes no sense that Kagami was able to keep up with the Worm in Clock Up mode while Kagami was on the Gatack Extender) because of course it's in the middle of a bamboo forest so that they can have falling pieces of it raining down around them. Plus, we get to see Kagami's Rider Cutting attack! I know that Kabuto eventually has other attacks, but I think this is the first time we've seen a Rider have more than one attack? He used Rider Kick the first time, this time he uses Rider Cutting (the caliburs forming mandibles for it! I love it!) and I think there was at least one other attack Gatack can use? ....a-also. They really like that shot from slightly below Kagami's belt buckle and after awhile it gets funnier and funnier. ....not that I don't appreciate the view, mind.
Then Tendou totally kind of owns Tsurugi in their fencing duel and Kagami is talking with Hiyori about the importance of the stone she's carrying and... Mishima-san is randomly lurking about in the bushes? And the episode ends with Tsurugi being a really sore loser and transforming to finish the fight instead. And, wow, next week already is when they go to Area X for the first time?
The extra tag is totally cute with Kagami being a spaz and Tendou being all Who the hell are you guys at the new additions and I ♥ this show a lot.
And, of course, more Arashi stuff. Spoilers for anything listed under the cut:
→ Himitsu no Arashi-chan #17 [2008.07.31]
→ Aozora Pedaru PV Making Of
♥ - Himitsu no Arashi-chan #17 [2008.07.31] - It's too bad this file got cut off, because I really do ♥ Haruna Ai tons and tons, but. It was only about 15 minutes and I have to admit that the show already does kind of drag enough as it is. I really love this show and it's had some rocking episodes, but there's so much more they could be doing with it that they just aren't. Or, possibly, I'm just in a crabby mood because it's the return of the Ageha stuff, even if it's Aiba/Nino and Haruna Ai.
However, the scenes were totally worth it just for watching Aiba and Nino help her clean up her apartment, asd;lfkjaslkj that never gets old. And god bless her for letting them show what a mess her apartment was before they cleaned it up. If I didn't love her a crapload already, she would have won my affection for that alone.
As for the apartment itself... while it's cute, sure, I can't help thinking that what little room there used to be for moving around and putting her stuff is now taken up by all that princess-style crap and makes the place even more crowded. ....though, again, possibly worth it for Ai flopping onto the bed, so her dress flops up, of course, and then Aiba and Nino BOTH POINT OUT THAT THEY CAN SEE HER UNDERWEAR. I cracked up so hard.
So, overall the segment was... well, I'll let them get away with it this one last time, because I actually enjoy the guest a whole lot and I was happy to see her get a room makeover if that's what she wanted, and the interaction with Aiba and Nino was adorable (Aiba feeding her the cake! So cute!), but I really hope this is the end of the Ageha thing.
As for Arashian Roulette... well, I feel about the same as everyone else. Not the worst idea they've ever had, but it wasn't that interesting the first time around and two weeks in a row pushes it a bit much. I'm glad this time it was about how expensive the food was (I think??) instead of how many calories it has (that really does bug me when they send such horrible messages to the guys and the viewers--you all SHUT UP AND EAT YOUR FATTENING OMURICE RIGHT NOW, YOU GUYS), but this segment still draaaaaagged.
Honestly, I spent most of the time watching Jun lounge around in various gay poses and getting my entertainment from that. It's frustrating because they're not really being given much to do with this segment, even when it's their turn to guess. Little moments, like when Aiba guessed #8, both Nino and Jun gave him congradulatory handshakes that were adorable, made it a little more fun, but. I mean, I don't think Ohno said a single word during that segment, either?
This episode'll never been one of my favorites even of this particular show, but... well, on the other hand, this might have been a good choice for me to get back into the hang of watching Arashi stuff because I didn't feel badly not enjoying it to the fullest (since I'm still a little distracted by the scandal stuff), yet it wasn't total crap, so I was having some fun. And I'll grant that the ending was a lot of fun, just for the "......WTF???" factor. Arashi wins, so they eat and the guests lose so they... get pans dropped on their heads?? What the hell, Japan. a;lsdkfjalskj I don't even know anymore! *throws up hands* (But I'll admit I laughed a little, too.)
And, oh, man, Aiba/Sho retardery next week looks kind of A+, too.
♥ - Arashi - Aozora Pedaru PV Making [subbed] - O...omg, while I've watched parts of this/skimmed the raw before, I've never really properly sat down to watch the Aozora Pedaru making of video and one of the first shots is of Sho, Nino, and Ohno walking towards the set and a;sldkjslk Ohno is so tiny and adorable and deer-in-the-headlights and I just. Want to take him home and protect him from stupid scandals and feed him milk and cookies forever. *pines*
Though, what I really love these for is the behind the scenes look at just how insanely hectic their schedules are--Sho says right at the beginning that they had concert rehearsals until about 1am the night before and they started filming for the PV at 6:30am this morning. Which probably isn't including the time it took to get back to the hotel and then get up, ready, and on out to the PV set, so I'm guessing they'll have been lucky to have gotten four hours of sleep or so. They look just exhausted, too.
Not that they don't make the best of it--Sho telling Ohno to describe what he did last night, Jun snapping at the cameramen about what they're filming and Sho laughing that he's in a bad mood this morning, which cracks everyone up. And, seriously, those brave, brave cameramen. You know what I'd watch? A behind the scenes behind the scenes thing. Showing the dangers of being a cameraman around Certain Boyband Members When They Are In A Bad Mood In The Morning. It'd be awesome.
And you know what else? Usually I kind of hated Jun's princess curls extensions, they looked awful during the AAA tour, but they... look kind of nice in this footage. They actually look like they could have almost passed for his real hair, which is a huge step up for them! :Db Also, I wasn't that big of a fan of Aiba's shorter hair, but it looks really nice here, too. Now, if only we could get Sho to sit still long enough for a deep conditioning after whatever it was that he did to his hair.
OH OH OH AND. Sho whining that he hadn't driven since he'd passed the test, but they want him to be the one to drive the car (which is apparently a clutch and I do not blame you, Sho), but the best thing ever was when the director (or so I assume) was telling Sho how to drive it, which one is the clutch and which stuff to hold down when he wants to go forward/in reverse/whatever and the LOOK ON SHO'S FACE. That ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME look when they expect him to actually drive it. I was kind of crying a little.
It's really fun to watch them smear paint on each other to get an effective look for the PV, but my favorite bit? Still the time when they play janken to smear the black paint on someone and Nino totally loses (after Sho almost loses, which was great) and he's laying back on the small sofa, so Jun just straddles right over him and sits on him and holds his face still while he and Aiba both smear paint on him in horrible designs and als;fdkjaslkj OT3 FOREVER, you guys. Especially because they decide to do it A SECOND TIME and of course Jun loses and Aiba and Nino both just SWARM IN ON HIM as he collapses onto the couch and they draw Kuririn's dots on him. Naturally, Nino is the one holding Jun down for this while Aiba draws. a;lsdkfjaslj I love them.
Or Nino and Ohno doing a painting together and Nino whining, aaahhhh, why doesn't anyone understand our taste? :< when no one else reacts to it. Or when he's talking about himself "as an artiste" who gets to take part in this filming and I swear he's fucking with everyone on purpose, deliberately doing that "I am an arteeeeest" attitude. And he almost holds it to the end, but eventually he cracks even himself up.
Sho talking about how they've never filmed a drama-style PV before and that, since Nino wrote the scenario for this one, he adds little touches here and there, which makes Sho look at him slightly differently today, which is interesting because you can see how Sho really notices this kind of stuff about his bandmates around him.
And then! Aiba/Nino/Jun playing video games! I knew I wasn't hallucinating that Jun totally won that game--and then Aiba and Nino do janken to see whose fault it was that they lost while Jun crows about his victory. HARTS FOREVER, you guys. Same for all of them playing with fireworks like little kids, this is so completely what I needed to see.
It's little stuff that makes me remember why I love them. Nino and Sho goofing off on the second day with the "You" thing or when Nino's singing while Sho's boxing in the background or any time they were just being total BFF during the filming or when they make fun of Jun for looking so scary in the morning or when Sho tells Ohno to get out of the shot he's filming here and, two seconds later, Ohno slides right back into the shot. And then Sho shoos him out again and Ohno just starts fucking with him with the prawns or Sho being all WHY IS THERE GARLIC IN THIS MEAT?? and Nino says, pft, there is not, and Sho INSISTS THAT YES THERE IS until he eventually digs a thing of raw garlic out of Ohno's pants or them all doing retarded imitations and just asl;dkfj I love them all.
(Seriously, Ohmiya are LITTLE SHITS who are clearly on the same wavelength. God, I love them.)
This is why I wish there were a Making Of for every single PV, because this is what makes me love Arashi the most. And I'm feeling much better about everything now that I've watched this. (And a;sldkfjaslkj I wish I could find where I snagged the subs from now. orz)
ETA: Thanks to blood_opal and kegom for pointing it out, the subbed version is here.
But first. Usual blah, blah, blah, and then on to Kamen Rider Kabuto ep 23, with SPOILERS for the episode listed at the very least (and very likely into the 30s and possibly the whole series), I don't plan these things in advance, we'll see from there.
Kamen Rider Kabuto episode 23: This episode continues to ramp up the plot by showing us Area X and the sun being nearly obscured by dust in the air from that point. And, huh. As Mishima-san and Tadokoro-san are walking up to Area X, Tadokoro-san can't believe he's here, and Mishima-san says, "If you were an ordinary guy, you wouldn't be given the job as a ZECT team leader." I love that it's innocuous enough that you don't notice it the first time around, but knowing that Tadokoro-san is a Native, it takes on a new potential meaning and I'm willing to believe that the series meant for it to come off that way.
To further the sense that the previous episode was an important climax episode, there are no recaps here, because there was no major fight that it ended in the middle of, that chapter is finished. They're starting a new one, which Mishima-san confirms by saying, "Now that we have Gatack... The Masked Rider is entering its next level." The next level? Tadokoro-san asks. "And probably... the Worms are too." is all Mishima-san says.
Then Hiyori is attacked by a Worm immediately after that and Gatack (backlit by the sun, no less XD) rushes to save her as she crumples to the ground, while she realizes who he is and heroic music plays in the backround. I kind of love this scene, to be honest. (The camera also swings around to look up at Gatack from below--interesting camera angle once again--and we can see the moon above this time.) Hiyori watches Kagami have the dorkiest celebration ever and I love the scene because it's obvious how much fun Kagami is having with all of this, beating up the Worms as Gatack and being so awesome at it. It's so cute to watch him be happy for a bit, even though it obviously couldn't last forever.
His clothes are... w-well. He needs to stop wearing those shirts and the bright yellow is not Kagami's color, but it's not. It's not as painful to look at, either. Hiyori sees the Belt around his waist and recognizes it as the one from her childhood, bringing up all those memories again and she looks at the rock in her hand. The rock we've never seen before, but, eh, we'll go with it.
After that, we get a scene with Jiiya and Mishima-san, who says their contract is at an end because they have their strongest Rider now (Gatack) and Tsurugi's all, whatever. I have plenty of money anyway. After he leaves, Jiiya asks Mishima-san to reconsider because they actually don't have that much money and I. I know this storyline gives us a lot of lol-worthy scenes, but the whole thing isn't my favorite.
On the other hand, Juka and Tendou at a ramen stall while Tendou stares at the food and examines it from practically every angle and is amazed at how good it is, THAT never stops being funny. Same for Tendou's whole thing with Jiiya where he's all *__* Why are you working here? Or when he goes to be all showy when catching the plates that Jiiya almost spills and how he "cannot let Humanity's Treasure do this" (work at a soba stall) and just aasd;fkjasl. Tendou is so totally my favorite forever and ever.
After that, a fortune teller is attacked by a Worm and Kagami is there to stop it and the series makes me LOL again by so totally playing up the moon theme, while Gatack stands on a crane, the moon is very full and large behind him and it's SO DRAMATIC and I love it SO MUCH. Like, I lose my coherence over it because I love it with all my heart, even as I'm laughing my ass off. And... I guess the Zecter just dropped off the Extender, like, HERE, PRESENT FOR YOU! :D at Kagami. (Even though we saw it in the previous episode?)
So, Kagami goes to get celebratory ramen and happens to run into Tendou and Tendou just... goes ahead and decides for Kagami what he's going to give him. Who really doesn't protest that hard, then Tendou goes off on his spiel about being in training (after Kagami asks, admittedly) and even Hiyori has been roped into this, which Kagami is wondering about (and why she's ignoring him), so Tendou says bossily, "From now on when you eat ramen you will come here." I know he means "instead of the restaurant" but that still sounds really, um. Like KAGAMI IS NOT ALLOWED TO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO ME AND NOT GO ANYWHERE ELSE AND YOU'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO ME NOW, NO ARGUING.
While Kagami is totally flying high on being super awesome as Gatack, so he's all despite what I look like I am actually a ramen expert, so the ramen I eat will be decided by me... then tries it and is all OMG I LOVE TENDOU'S COOKING all over again while Tendou stands there and casually goes, "Of course." Never not funny, too. And then ad;sflkjas;lkja. Well. Since you've eaten now. *THUNDER IN THE BACKGROUND* You will help out, too. I-- Yes. Tendou will never not be my favorite for the way he orders his boyfriend Kagami around.
I really like the acting in the next scene, too. Kagami's complaining about having to help out and Hiyori says, hey, what are you? Refering to Gatack and how it saved her from that weird thing and how this was all really weird and Tendou's obviously listening and Kagami's not sure how to answer her and I actually like the idea of Kagami/Hiyori, but I would take your potential het a lot more seriously, show, if you weren't drawing Tendou into this, even if he's just listening to them talk. Kagami and Tendou are both vague and not telling her anything, so she leaves and I loved how awkward and uncomfortable that scene really kind of was.
Afterwards, Hiyori is at her parents' graves (oh, hey, we do get names for them--Kusakabe Souichi and Satomi) and saying she doesn't like herself much and I really feel a lot for Hiyori in this scene. On the rewatch, it's so much more obvious how she's been opening up little bit by little bit, but she still remembers that boy with the belt on the day her parents died and she's confused and doesn't know who to trust and I really adore her for constantly trying to work through this. Even if she's scared she's going to end up all alone again, if she's hurt and upset with herself because they always help her, but she still keeps suspecting them and Tendou in the background just breaks my heart through this, because even if the series never really says it, he was alone, too.
Of course Tendou leaves before she can see him, Kagami watching him go, then turning to watch Hiyori with the rock we've never seen before but we'll all look the other way and pretend it was there all along. I really want to get Kagami out of that striped shirt and into something more acceptable because, ILU and your messier than usual hair, but... honey, no. Just let Tendou dress you properly.
Kagami asks about her parents and she says that they were murdered and we get a longer flashback that shows more of her memories and. Well, knowing the context for those scenes that she only half-remembers/half-saw, it definitely takes on a different feel. Every time I watch little Souji looking down at the Kusakabes, I kind of think, oh, man, no wonder Tendou's so crazy in the head, can you imagine being that young and seeing people who look and sound and act exactly like your parents, lying there dying, your sister trying to claw her way over the rocks while pleading for you not to kill them? Seriously. I don't blame Tendou for being crazypants.
Anyway, Kagami says that he only got his belt made recently, so it definitely wasn't him. And then it kind of DAWNS ON HIM that Tendou had that belt for ages and said he had a long history with it. And, again. I love you, show, but every time you start making me think that I could properly ship Kagami/Hiyori, Kagami is off thinking about Tendou again. orz
AHAHAHAHA and normally I'm a little worn thin on Tsurugi's ego and seeing a line of people means it MUST be a parade for him, right? (though, I'm taking it a lot better on the rewatch than I would have thought) b-but Jiiya's UHH, RIGHT, YES, IT MUST BE A PARADE, because he knows its Tendou's cooking at the ramen stall that's attracting the line of people.
And, admittedly, in the scene after that, where Misaki and Tadokoro-san are investigating an attack scene, she finds a chunk of rock and asks him what it is. He says lately all the women who've been attacked have had that, so the show is making an attempt to introduce it properly (instead of pretending it was always there), but I still think they kind of want us to squint and pretend Hiyori always had it.
So, Tsurugi says he's the man that stands at the top of waiting in line (after Tendou tells him to properly wait his turn, because the time spent anticipating the food is the greatest time, Tendou's grandmother said) and after he finally gets his food, the Kabuto Zecter is buzzing about and HELPING OUT WITH THE NOODLES and then getting Tendou's attention because there's a Worm that needs stopping, so Tendou takes off the gloves he was wearing, dropping them on the counter, which Tsurugi takes as a duel invitation and I really do love how they're paralleling Tsurugi as sort of... the anti-Tendou in so many ways.
AND. *CRACKED UP* I love Tendou showing up on at the bowling alley, telling the guy to run, who trips over a rack of bowling balls on his way out, sending them spinning down the lane, so OF COURSE they have something dramatic to go in slow motion while Tendou and the Worm fight in Clock Up. I love how they're clearly just having fun with it at this point. So Tendou defeats the Worm and picks up the chunk of green rock that was lying on the ground, staring at it. Kagami comes in, seeing that Tendou has already defated the Worm, and notices it in Tendou's hand, asking what it was, because Hiyori had one just like it.
Tendou, for all that he and Kagami have grown closer, still says that it's nothing, it's just a pebble, even if he's obviously hiding something. Kagami lets it go, but asks if Tendou had that belt seven years ago, if that boy Hiyori saw... and Tendou coldly says he doesn't know what Kagami's talking about. And Kagami grabs hold of him to spin him back around and Tendou doesn't really react to that, he sort of lets Kagami do it, but keeps his expression carefully blank. He's just as vague as ever in the scene (when asked who gave it to him, he points at the mural of the sun on the bowling alley wall) and leaves when Kagami turns to look where he's pointing and casually walks out. This time, Kagami doesn't follow.
And it does make sense for Kagami to be the one to confront him on this, he's the only one who knows enough about both Hiyori and Tendou to do it, while Hiyori herself isn't ready for that conversation, it's still. A really loaded scene. There's a lot of tension and you can tell how tired of Tendou's crap Kagami is starting to get. Like, he's never been particularly fond of it, but he's reaching the end of how much patience he's got for Tendou and will start pushing for real answers now.
But, because that was such a heavy scene (which both actors did marvelously in), the show decides to lighten things up a bit. By having Tsurugi waiting for Tendou. In fuel duelling attire. Not that they get very far, it switches back to the investigation for the Worm pretty quickly and Kagami realizes that Hiyori might be in danger, so he rushes out to the graveyard where she is (naturally, about to be attacked by a Worm) and I remember once again, oh, right, I'm kind of onboard with Kagami/Hiyori just a little. Also, it's nice that, even if Kagami is still kind of a klutz and doesn't have the same aura of cool that Tendou does, he still gets to be totally bad-ass when he calls for the Gatack Zecter and transforms.
I love the fight (even if it makes no sense that Kagami was able to keep up with the Worm in Clock Up mode while Kagami was on the Gatack Extender) because of course it's in the middle of a bamboo forest so that they can have falling pieces of it raining down around them. Plus, we get to see Kagami's Rider Cutting attack! I know that Kabuto eventually has other attacks, but I think this is the first time we've seen a Rider have more than one attack? He used Rider Kick the first time, this time he uses Rider Cutting (the caliburs forming mandibles for it! I love it!) and I think there was at least one other attack Gatack can use? ....a-also. They really like that shot from slightly below Kagami's belt buckle and after awhile it gets funnier and funnier. ....not that I don't appreciate the view, mind.
Then Tendou totally kind of owns Tsurugi in their fencing duel and Kagami is talking with Hiyori about the importance of the stone she's carrying and... Mishima-san is randomly lurking about in the bushes? And the episode ends with Tsurugi being a really sore loser and transforming to finish the fight instead. And, wow, next week already is when they go to Area X for the first time?
The extra tag is totally cute with Kagami being a spaz and Tendou being all Who the hell are you guys at the new additions and I ♥ this show a lot.
And, of course, more Arashi stuff. Spoilers for anything listed under the cut:
→ Himitsu no Arashi-chan #17 [2008.07.31]
→ Aozora Pedaru PV Making Of
♥ - Himitsu no Arashi-chan #17 [2008.07.31] - It's too bad this file got cut off, because I really do ♥ Haruna Ai tons and tons, but. It was only about 15 minutes and I have to admit that the show already does kind of drag enough as it is. I really love this show and it's had some rocking episodes, but there's so much more they could be doing with it that they just aren't. Or, possibly, I'm just in a crabby mood because it's the return of the Ageha stuff, even if it's Aiba/Nino and Haruna Ai.
However, the scenes were totally worth it just for watching Aiba and Nino help her clean up her apartment, asd;lfkjaslkj that never gets old. And god bless her for letting them show what a mess her apartment was before they cleaned it up. If I didn't love her a crapload already, she would have won my affection for that alone.
As for the apartment itself... while it's cute, sure, I can't help thinking that what little room there used to be for moving around and putting her stuff is now taken up by all that princess-style crap and makes the place even more crowded. ....though, again, possibly worth it for Ai flopping onto the bed, so her dress flops up, of course, and then Aiba and Nino BOTH POINT OUT THAT THEY CAN SEE HER UNDERWEAR. I cracked up so hard.
So, overall the segment was... well, I'll let them get away with it this one last time, because I actually enjoy the guest a whole lot and I was happy to see her get a room makeover if that's what she wanted, and the interaction with Aiba and Nino was adorable (Aiba feeding her the cake! So cute!), but I really hope this is the end of the Ageha thing.
As for Arashian Roulette... well, I feel about the same as everyone else. Not the worst idea they've ever had, but it wasn't that interesting the first time around and two weeks in a row pushes it a bit much. I'm glad this time it was about how expensive the food was (I think??) instead of how many calories it has (that really does bug me when they send such horrible messages to the guys and the viewers--you all SHUT UP AND EAT YOUR FATTENING OMURICE RIGHT NOW, YOU GUYS), but this segment still draaaaaagged.
Honestly, I spent most of the time watching Jun lounge around in various gay poses and getting my entertainment from that. It's frustrating because they're not really being given much to do with this segment, even when it's their turn to guess. Little moments, like when Aiba guessed #8, both Nino and Jun gave him congradulatory handshakes that were adorable, made it a little more fun, but. I mean, I don't think Ohno said a single word during that segment, either?
This episode'll never been one of my favorites even of this particular show, but... well, on the other hand, this might have been a good choice for me to get back into the hang of watching Arashi stuff because I didn't feel badly not enjoying it to the fullest (since I'm still a little distracted by the scandal stuff), yet it wasn't total crap, so I was having some fun. And I'll grant that the ending was a lot of fun, just for the "......WTF???" factor. Arashi wins, so they eat and the guests lose so they... get pans dropped on their heads?? What the hell, Japan. a;lsdkfjalskj I don't even know anymore! *throws up hands* (But I'll admit I laughed a little, too.)
And, oh, man, Aiba/Sho retardery next week looks kind of A+, too.
♥ - Arashi - Aozora Pedaru PV Making [subbed] - O...omg, while I've watched parts of this/skimmed the raw before, I've never really properly sat down to watch the Aozora Pedaru making of video and one of the first shots is of Sho, Nino, and Ohno walking towards the set and a;sldkjslk Ohno is so tiny and adorable and deer-in-the-headlights and I just. Want to take him home and protect him from stupid scandals and feed him milk and cookies forever. *pines*
Though, what I really love these for is the behind the scenes look at just how insanely hectic their schedules are--Sho says right at the beginning that they had concert rehearsals until about 1am the night before and they started filming for the PV at 6:30am this morning. Which probably isn't including the time it took to get back to the hotel and then get up, ready, and on out to the PV set, so I'm guessing they'll have been lucky to have gotten four hours of sleep or so. They look just exhausted, too.
Not that they don't make the best of it--Sho telling Ohno to describe what he did last night, Jun snapping at the cameramen about what they're filming and Sho laughing that he's in a bad mood this morning, which cracks everyone up. And, seriously, those brave, brave cameramen. You know what I'd watch? A behind the scenes behind the scenes thing. Showing the dangers of being a cameraman around Certain Boyband Members When They Are In A Bad Mood In The Morning. It'd be awesome.
And you know what else? Usually I kind of hated Jun's princess curls extensions, they looked awful during the AAA tour, but they... look kind of nice in this footage. They actually look like they could have almost passed for his real hair, which is a huge step up for them! :Db Also, I wasn't that big of a fan of Aiba's shorter hair, but it looks really nice here, too. Now, if only we could get Sho to sit still long enough for a deep conditioning after whatever it was that he did to his hair.
OH OH OH AND. Sho whining that he hadn't driven since he'd passed the test, but they want him to be the one to drive the car (which is apparently a clutch and I do not blame you, Sho), but the best thing ever was when the director (or so I assume) was telling Sho how to drive it, which one is the clutch and which stuff to hold down when he wants to go forward/in reverse/whatever and the LOOK ON SHO'S FACE. That ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME look when they expect him to actually drive it. I was kind of crying a little.
It's really fun to watch them smear paint on each other to get an effective look for the PV, but my favorite bit? Still the time when they play janken to smear the black paint on someone and Nino totally loses (after Sho almost loses, which was great) and he's laying back on the small sofa, so Jun just straddles right over him and sits on him and holds his face still while he and Aiba both smear paint on him in horrible designs and als;fdkjaslkj OT3 FOREVER, you guys. Especially because they decide to do it A SECOND TIME and of course Jun loses and Aiba and Nino both just SWARM IN ON HIM as he collapses onto the couch and they draw Kuririn's dots on him. Naturally, Nino is the one holding Jun down for this while Aiba draws. a;lsdkfjaslj I love them.
Or Nino and Ohno doing a painting together and Nino whining, aaahhhh, why doesn't anyone understand our taste? :< when no one else reacts to it. Or when he's talking about himself "as an artiste" who gets to take part in this filming and I swear he's fucking with everyone on purpose, deliberately doing that "I am an arteeeeest" attitude. And he almost holds it to the end, but eventually he cracks even himself up.
Sho talking about how they've never filmed a drama-style PV before and that, since Nino wrote the scenario for this one, he adds little touches here and there, which makes Sho look at him slightly differently today, which is interesting because you can see how Sho really notices this kind of stuff about his bandmates around him.
And then! Aiba/Nino/Jun playing video games! I knew I wasn't hallucinating that Jun totally won that game--and then Aiba and Nino do janken to see whose fault it was that they lost while Jun crows about his victory. HARTS FOREVER, you guys. Same for all of them playing with fireworks like little kids, this is so completely what I needed to see.
It's little stuff that makes me remember why I love them. Nino and Sho goofing off on the second day with the "You" thing or when Nino's singing while Sho's boxing in the background or any time they were just being total BFF during the filming or when they make fun of Jun for looking so scary in the morning or when Sho tells Ohno to get out of the shot he's filming here and, two seconds later, Ohno slides right back into the shot. And then Sho shoos him out again and Ohno just starts fucking with him with the prawns or Sho being all WHY IS THERE GARLIC IN THIS MEAT?? and Nino says, pft, there is not, and Sho INSISTS THAT YES THERE IS until he eventually digs a thing of raw garlic out of Ohno's pants or them all doing retarded imitations and just asl;dkfj I love them all.
(Seriously, Ohmiya are LITTLE SHITS who are clearly on the same wavelength. God, I love them.)
This is why I wish there were a Making Of for every single PV, because this is what makes me love Arashi the most. And I'm feeling much better about everything now that I've watched this. (And a;sldkfjaslkj I wish I could find where I snagged the subs from now. orz)
ETA: Thanks to blood_opal and kegom for pointing it out, the subbed version is here.