Lots of things.
State of the emopants: This is going to be one of those link soup type posts, since RL crazy flared up again and this is how I am dealing with it today. At least it's somewhat organized?
DEVIL SPAWN:
MOOD BECAUSE OF THIS: (屮ಠДಠ)屮 彡 ┻━┻
→ Oh, shit. Yankee-kun to Megane-chan, which I discovered because I saw a bookmark for this one of Izumi and Shinagawa and, okay. Okay. I ship Shinagawa/Adachi like crazy and it's totally the OTP, but it's like. It's like Izumi/Shinagawa is every rivalslash ship I've ever shipped all rolled into one and I gotta be me. (And the YaneMega tag, too, of course.) Thankfully there's not a ton of art or I'd have been here all night.
GENERAL
ჯ I'm pretty sure it's like the universe is giving me a sign. What that sign is, I'm not sure, but it's some sort of sign. Over the last few days, I've started reading Bleach again and then this trainwreck happens and I'm sitting here gawking in tws overload. Right now I can't even be mad at Bleach fandom, because I'm too busy fangirling KT boggling. Way to be crazy, Bleach fandom. Way to be crazy.
AND THEN, after that, I spent yesterday morning reading this discussion in wank_report about the Bleach wankery going on and f_w's grudgewank or not and the wanky comm's role in everything, which was surprisingly interesting and thoughtful. Even if my eyes did glaze over a bit at times.
I'm still reading the f_w post about that latest Bleach fandom flare-up and suddenly I am reminded of why: a quick thread with a half-formed AU idea where Rukia lived in Orihime's closet instead. RukiHime in a closet. That's a pleasant thought that will keep me occupied all day. (Seriously, fandom, what the hell is with your lack of Rukia/Orihime fic? It's getting ridiculous!)
ჯ I picked up this link on cathartic behavior from fandomsecrets of all places, but it's actually very interesting about how constant release of stress really only primes you for further aggressive, angry behavior. It made me think about myself a lot, but also the people I know and how true I've found this sometimes.
ჯ I have to admit, I kind of laughed my way through this article about mangaka talking about piraters because I think they were being over the top on purpose and, also, god, why are people so stupid to be so flagrant about their piracy? STOP IT, YOU IDIOTS. Same for the morons who told Toboso Yana about pirating her stuff, which I realize is deliberate trolling and that's the point of it, but still. Why so stupid, fandom?
(However, that article contains the greatest quote I read that entire week, after someone messaged her with: "I read them from ROMs I borrowed from a friend. LOL" - she responded with: "we creators and voice actors will not eat; this is no joke, we will starve and die. This is not 'lol.'" This is not 'lol'. Best thing I read in forever.)
(But, then, I never take anything on ANN seriously, when it comes to talking about piracy. They hatesssss it, preciousssss, they hatesssss it soooooo muuuuuuuch!!!11 So, you know, of course they're going to over dramatize it.)
ჯ I heard about the live-action Paradise Kiss adaptation, but Kitagawa Keiko is going to be in it? Omg, excellent!
VIDEO GAMES:
☼ - *SHRIEKS* YES. Plants vs Zombies for the DS, I DO NOT KNOW WHY THIS DID NOT HAPPEN SOONER. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOREVER.
☼ - Do you know why I don't play The Sims? (Aside from not wanting to spend five hours working out how things go, especially if I want customizable skins.) Because, sure, I'm weak to that sort of genre, but the style's not that cute to me. So, because EA are a bunch of jerks, they're coming out with The Sims Medieval. Now I actually am vaguely tempted. Hate.
☼ - Sometimes there are games I vaguely want to play just for their names. Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess is one of those games. Thank god I refuse to get an XBLA account, because I'd be super weak to stuff like this and getting a ton of iPad games is bad enough already!
☼ - Wow. Apparently, Pokemon: Black/White has gone platinum in Japan already. I wish I were more surprised by this, but I'm kind of really not. (Then again, I follow the main pokemon comm and it's ridiculous how excited everyone is about every new little thing. ....myself included.) Also, apparently it's going to feature only new Pokemon (at least until you beat it) and asdl;kfja;slkjs even though I've only been into Pokemon for about a year (maybe a little longer?) I'm kind of excited about that, too. SO MANY CUTE NEW LITTLE CRITTERS--!
☼ - You know, I have this issue of Game Informer (how you know you're a video game nerd? when you have subscriptions to five different gamer mags orz) and it really is a gorgeous cover for Batman: Arkham City. While I never played the original (it looks too camera-whipping-around-oh-my-god-I-may-vomit for me), I do enjoy seeing this revival of actually good comic book games and getting so many of the original TAS voice actors onboard. (Am I lame for hoping that they'll get Loren Lester at some point? And maybe we can get some of the other Bat-characters involved in that universe? I'm just saying, I'd play almost any vomit-inducing game for Nightwing. *shifty*)
ARASHI:
♫ - Holy crap, Shun and Mao are getting a new drama together and Narimiya Hiroki is going to be in it, too! I'm not that wild about the love triangle aspect of it (though, I did vaguely ship Rui/Makino when I watched the first episode of Hanadan, so maybe I'll like them here? and not be all OMG WHERE IS MATSUMOTO? about it) but Shun and Mao! I WANT FIC WHERE THEY ARE EVIL INCARNATE TOGETHER AND DRUNK DIAL JUN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AFTER FILMING.
OR OR OR OR!
GO ON VS ARASHI AND TELL EMBARRASSING STORIES ABOUT HIM.
IF YOU LOVE ME, JAPAN.
:D :D :D <--MY FACE RIGHT NOW
♫ - More amazing idol polls from aramatheydidnt and they do not disappoint. Though, I do agree, where the hell is Okada on the list of shortest Johnnys? HE SHOULD BE ON THERE. Though, I'm delighted to see Jun as #2 as favorite performer and Jun/Mao as the #1 rumored couple that has support. And Aiba! Being #2 for the male idol you'd most like to share a bed with! AGREED. (I love the Koichi obsession this poll's answers have, I APPROVE.)
♫ - Jun's surprise birthday party was interesting and cute to read about, but the best part?
During the first Mannequin Five public vote in April, Matsujun was crowned worst dressed and as a punishment photos of him in his outfit were plastered onto a truck that was later driven around Tokyo.
“Everyone seemed to have seen the truck because I kept getting photos of it sent to my phone,” he said.
I can't lie. I laughed. A lot. If I were Matsumoto's friend, I would have taken a picture and sent it to him, too, but I'm okay with being a terrible person.
♫ - Wow, Au. That new series of commercials with Arashi in hotel rooms? That's the straightest thing I've seen since your HEY LETS HAVE AIBA AND JUN TAKE A WALK UNDER THE SAKURA TREES TOGETHER and HEY LETS HAVE ALL OF ARAHI LOUNGING AROUND A PEACEFUL GARDEN TOGETHER commercials. Seriously? Sho and Jun sharing a hotel room? Ending it with Jun practically sidled up to Sho's side? I don't care if there's other context or whatever, THAT WAS REALLY GAY. (And hot.)
♫ - Himitsu no Arashi-chan #21 [2008.09.04] + #23 [2008.09.18] (The Haunting 1 &2) - I watched these awhile ago, but I'm just getting around to talking about them now. Oh, man, they were just as fabulous as promised! I love the Himitsu staff for getting a ghost storyteller to freak them out ahead of time and for putting Aiba and Nino on the same team! Which Nino totally complains about! Because Aiba will start making a lot of noise and that will work Nino up, which is totally unfair!
And, naturally, that's exactly what happened. It may make me a terrible person, but I can't lie, Aiba sitting on the chair with his hand over his mouth to try to keep from screaming? Then screaming anyway? Yeah, I laughed. A lot. I laughed at the hands bursting out of the walls at them, I laughed at the zombies that started shuffling towards them, I laughed when there was another one waiting for them out in the hall. I laughed when Nino shrieked more than Aiba because he jumped at everything.
Then it was the Ohno/Jun turn! And they loved me! They HELD HANDS WHEN THEY WENT IN. Because they love me.
The best part about both of these episodes is the way Ohno is just kind of laid-back and you can tell he's not really into the whole scary ghost stories thing, that it just doesn't register much with him, so he doesn't really care much one way or the other. You'd think, well, they're doing their best to scare the shit out of them, even if you're not usually into this sort of thing, you'd at least jump at the sudden surprises, right? APPARENTLY NOT.
I was expecting at least an exclamation of surprise when the chair dropped as he was sitting in it to have his picture taken, but there was NOTHING. He just sort of looked to the side in mild surprise, like, oh, did something happen? Crying. I am taking Ohno with me if there is ever a zombie attack on Halloween night.
My other favorite thing about the first episode? The wall of hands with Ohno and Jun as they were taking their picture with the mannequin. As the hands burst out, what is Jun's reaction? Not to scream, but to back away quickly, give it a dark look, and then KICK THE WALL. I seriously laughed so hard. I just kept thinking, yeah, that's exactly how I pictured his reaction to any surprise groping.
I also loved that they got Ooshima-san to be the ghost! Of course they recognized her, so it wasn't scary, even if Ohno wasn't the other one there, which was a little unfair, but super hilarious, so it was a great trade-off. I even loved that Nino was the one who shrieked the most, which meant HE HAD TO BUY SHO'S GIFTS. Awesome. ♥
(There was an Arashian Roulette segment and... I guess... I... sort of?... missed it? I don't even remember what it was about, though.)
And then there was the second episode! Kiku-chan (the AD) scaring the crap out of them during the scary ghost story beforehand (that's used to set the mood) by crashing symbols together and Arashi shrieking was beautiful. As was Ohno's complete non-screaming reaction. And Jun smacking Kiku-chan! Twice! ♥ The Himitsu staff is not always my favorite (they force the Arashi fail and embarrassment squick a little too hard for me, I prefer a more natural sort of Arashi fail) but sometimes I love them with a fiery passion. I am glad to see the -chan tradition continues on this show as well!
Speaking of the staff! THE SCARY VOICE PHONE CALL. It was amazing. The phone rings suddenly (making them jump, of course) and they have to answer it, with the creepy voice giving them instructions to go down the hall and into the next room, but Aiba's like, huh, what do you mean, which direction are you telling us to go towards? He keeps asking for clarification, to the point that HE WINS THE BATTLE AGAINST THE VOICE because it's not scary at all when you're like, uh, wait, which way am I going again? Bawling.
I loved Aiba and Sho at the shrine in the middle of the pond where all the zombies came after them because OH MY GOD LOOK AT SHO GO I HAVE NEVER SEEN HIM RUN SO FAST LOLLING FOREVER OH GOD I LOVE SHO SO MUCH. He was honest to god flat-out running for the hills during that bit. SAKURAI SHO, YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO COME NEAR ME ON THE ZOMBIE ATTACK ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT. OR YOU, AIBA MASAKI.
Then I continued crying with laughter when it was the Ohno/Nino/Jun team, because, once again, Ohno's complete non-reaction was amazing. The large debris that came flying out into the hallway in front of them that was startling as hell and should have had them at least yelping in surprise? Ohno just sort of looks at it and says, "Isn't that kind of dangerous? :|" I was bawling. The rest of it actually wasn't that hilarious because Ohno kept them pretty calm and the editors kind of rushed through their segment, but it was still hilarious to see the final total: Ohno - 0, Jun - 2, Nino - 4, Sho - 20, Aiba - 29.
I-- I would not have complained if they would bring that segment back sometimes, really. ♥
DEVIL SPAWN:
MOOD BECAUSE OF THIS: (屮ಠДಠ)屮 彡 ┻━┻
→ Oh, shit. Yankee-kun to Megane-chan, which I discovered because I saw a bookmark for this one of Izumi and Shinagawa and, okay. Okay. I ship Shinagawa/Adachi like crazy and it's totally the OTP, but it's like. It's like Izumi/Shinagawa is every rivalslash ship I've ever shipped all rolled into one and I gotta be me. (And the YaneMega tag, too, of course.) Thankfully there's not a ton of art or I'd have been here all night.
GENERAL
ჯ I'm pretty sure it's like the universe is giving me a sign. What that sign is, I'm not sure, but it's some sort of sign. Over the last few days, I've started reading Bleach again and then this trainwreck happens and I'm sitting here gawking in tws overload. Right now I can't even be mad at Bleach fandom, because I'm too busy fangirling KT boggling. Way to be crazy, Bleach fandom. Way to be crazy.
AND THEN, after that, I spent yesterday morning reading this discussion in wank_report about the Bleach wankery going on and f_w's grudgewank or not and the wanky comm's role in everything, which was surprisingly interesting and thoughtful. Even if my eyes did glaze over a bit at times.
I'm still reading the f_w post about that latest Bleach fandom flare-up and suddenly I am reminded of why: a quick thread with a half-formed AU idea where Rukia lived in Orihime's closet instead. RukiHime in a closet. That's a pleasant thought that will keep me occupied all day. (Seriously, fandom, what the hell is with your lack of Rukia/Orihime fic? It's getting ridiculous!)
ჯ I picked up this link on cathartic behavior from fandomsecrets of all places, but it's actually very interesting about how constant release of stress really only primes you for further aggressive, angry behavior. It made me think about myself a lot, but also the people I know and how true I've found this sometimes.
ჯ I have to admit, I kind of laughed my way through this article about mangaka talking about piraters because I think they were being over the top on purpose and, also, god, why are people so stupid to be so flagrant about their piracy? STOP IT, YOU IDIOTS. Same for the morons who told Toboso Yana about pirating her stuff, which I realize is deliberate trolling and that's the point of it, but still. Why so stupid, fandom?
(However, that article contains the greatest quote I read that entire week, after someone messaged her with: "I read them from ROMs I borrowed from a friend. LOL" - she responded with: "we creators and voice actors will not eat; this is no joke, we will starve and die. This is not 'lol.'" This is not 'lol'. Best thing I read in forever.)
(But, then, I never take anything on ANN seriously, when it comes to talking about piracy. They hatesssss it, preciousssss, they hatesssss it soooooo muuuuuuuch!!!11 So, you know, of course they're going to over dramatize it.)
ჯ I heard about the live-action Paradise Kiss adaptation, but Kitagawa Keiko is going to be in it? Omg, excellent!
VIDEO GAMES:
☼ - *SHRIEKS* YES. Plants vs Zombies for the DS, I DO NOT KNOW WHY THIS DID NOT HAPPEN SOONER. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOREVER.
☼ - Do you know why I don't play The Sims? (Aside from not wanting to spend five hours working out how things go, especially if I want customizable skins.) Because, sure, I'm weak to that sort of genre, but the style's not that cute to me. So, because EA are a bunch of jerks, they're coming out with The Sims Medieval. Now I actually am vaguely tempted. Hate.
☼ - Sometimes there are games I vaguely want to play just for their names. Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess is one of those games. Thank god I refuse to get an XBLA account, because I'd be super weak to stuff like this and getting a ton of iPad games is bad enough already!
☼ - Wow. Apparently, Pokemon: Black/White has gone platinum in Japan already. I wish I were more surprised by this, but I'm kind of really not. (Then again, I follow the main pokemon comm and it's ridiculous how excited everyone is about every new little thing. ....myself included.) Also, apparently it's going to feature only new Pokemon (at least until you beat it) and asdl;kfja;slkjs even though I've only been into Pokemon for about a year (maybe a little longer?) I'm kind of excited about that, too. SO MANY CUTE NEW LITTLE CRITTERS--!
☼ - You know, I have this issue of Game Informer (how you know you're a video game nerd? when you have subscriptions to five different gamer mags orz) and it really is a gorgeous cover for Batman: Arkham City. While I never played the original (it looks too camera-whipping-around-oh-my-god-I-may-vomit for me), I do enjoy seeing this revival of actually good comic book games and getting so many of the original TAS voice actors onboard. (Am I lame for hoping that they'll get Loren Lester at some point? And maybe we can get some of the other Bat-characters involved in that universe? I'm just saying, I'd play almost any vomit-inducing game for Nightwing. *shifty*)
ARASHI:
♫ - Holy crap, Shun and Mao are getting a new drama together and Narimiya Hiroki is going to be in it, too! I'm not that wild about the love triangle aspect of it (though, I did vaguely ship Rui/Makino when I watched the first episode of Hanadan, so maybe I'll like them here? and not be all OMG WHERE IS MATSUMOTO? about it) but Shun and Mao! I WANT FIC WHERE THEY ARE EVIL INCARNATE TOGETHER AND DRUNK DIAL JUN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AFTER FILMING.
OR OR OR OR!
GO ON VS ARASHI AND TELL EMBARRASSING STORIES ABOUT HIM.
IF YOU LOVE ME, JAPAN.
:D :D :D <--MY FACE RIGHT NOW
♫ - More amazing idol polls from aramatheydidnt and they do not disappoint. Though, I do agree, where the hell is Okada on the list of shortest Johnnys? HE SHOULD BE ON THERE. Though, I'm delighted to see Jun as #2 as favorite performer and Jun/Mao as the #1 rumored couple that has support. And Aiba! Being #2 for the male idol you'd most like to share a bed with! AGREED. (I love the Koichi obsession this poll's answers have, I APPROVE.)
♫ - Jun's surprise birthday party was interesting and cute to read about, but the best part?
During the first Mannequin Five public vote in April, Matsujun was crowned worst dressed and as a punishment photos of him in his outfit were plastered onto a truck that was later driven around Tokyo.
“Everyone seemed to have seen the truck because I kept getting photos of it sent to my phone,” he said.
I can't lie. I laughed. A lot. If I were Matsumoto's friend, I would have taken a picture and sent it to him, too, but I'm okay with being a terrible person.
♫ - Wow, Au. That new series of commercials with Arashi in hotel rooms? That's the straightest thing I've seen since your HEY LETS HAVE AIBA AND JUN TAKE A WALK UNDER THE SAKURA TREES TOGETHER and HEY LETS HAVE ALL OF ARAHI LOUNGING AROUND A PEACEFUL GARDEN TOGETHER commercials. Seriously? Sho and Jun sharing a hotel room? Ending it with Jun practically sidled up to Sho's side? I don't care if there's other context or whatever, THAT WAS REALLY GAY. (And hot.)
♫ - Himitsu no Arashi-chan #21 [2008.09.04] + #23 [2008.09.18] (The Haunting 1 &2) - I watched these awhile ago, but I'm just getting around to talking about them now. Oh, man, they were just as fabulous as promised! I love the Himitsu staff for getting a ghost storyteller to freak them out ahead of time and for putting Aiba and Nino on the same team! Which Nino totally complains about! Because Aiba will start making a lot of noise and that will work Nino up, which is totally unfair!
And, naturally, that's exactly what happened. It may make me a terrible person, but I can't lie, Aiba sitting on the chair with his hand over his mouth to try to keep from screaming? Then screaming anyway? Yeah, I laughed. A lot. I laughed at the hands bursting out of the walls at them, I laughed at the zombies that started shuffling towards them, I laughed when there was another one waiting for them out in the hall. I laughed when Nino shrieked more than Aiba because he jumped at everything.
Then it was the Ohno/Jun turn! And they loved me! They HELD HANDS WHEN THEY WENT IN. Because they love me.
The best part about both of these episodes is the way Ohno is just kind of laid-back and you can tell he's not really into the whole scary ghost stories thing, that it just doesn't register much with him, so he doesn't really care much one way or the other. You'd think, well, they're doing their best to scare the shit out of them, even if you're not usually into this sort of thing, you'd at least jump at the sudden surprises, right? APPARENTLY NOT.
I was expecting at least an exclamation of surprise when the chair dropped as he was sitting in it to have his picture taken, but there was NOTHING. He just sort of looked to the side in mild surprise, like, oh, did something happen? Crying. I am taking Ohno with me if there is ever a zombie attack on Halloween night.
My other favorite thing about the first episode? The wall of hands with Ohno and Jun as they were taking their picture with the mannequin. As the hands burst out, what is Jun's reaction? Not to scream, but to back away quickly, give it a dark look, and then KICK THE WALL. I seriously laughed so hard. I just kept thinking, yeah, that's exactly how I pictured his reaction to any surprise groping.
I also loved that they got Ooshima-san to be the ghost! Of course they recognized her, so it wasn't scary, even if Ohno wasn't the other one there, which was a little unfair, but super hilarious, so it was a great trade-off. I even loved that Nino was the one who shrieked the most, which meant HE HAD TO BUY SHO'S GIFTS. Awesome. ♥
(There was an Arashian Roulette segment and... I guess... I... sort of?... missed it? I don't even remember what it was about, though.)
And then there was the second episode! Kiku-chan (the AD) scaring the crap out of them during the scary ghost story beforehand (that's used to set the mood) by crashing symbols together and Arashi shrieking was beautiful. As was Ohno's complete non-screaming reaction. And Jun smacking Kiku-chan! Twice! ♥ The Himitsu staff is not always my favorite (they force the Arashi fail and embarrassment squick a little too hard for me, I prefer a more natural sort of Arashi fail) but sometimes I love them with a fiery passion. I am glad to see the -chan tradition continues on this show as well!
Speaking of the staff! THE SCARY VOICE PHONE CALL. It was amazing. The phone rings suddenly (making them jump, of course) and they have to answer it, with the creepy voice giving them instructions to go down the hall and into the next room, but Aiba's like, huh, what do you mean, which direction are you telling us to go towards? He keeps asking for clarification, to the point that HE WINS THE BATTLE AGAINST THE VOICE because it's not scary at all when you're like, uh, wait, which way am I going again? Bawling.
I loved Aiba and Sho at the shrine in the middle of the pond where all the zombies came after them because OH MY GOD LOOK AT SHO GO I HAVE NEVER SEEN HIM RUN SO FAST LOLLING FOREVER OH GOD I LOVE SHO SO MUCH. He was honest to god flat-out running for the hills during that bit. SAKURAI SHO, YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO COME NEAR ME ON THE ZOMBIE ATTACK ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT. OR YOU, AIBA MASAKI.
Then I continued crying with laughter when it was the Ohno/Nino/Jun team, because, once again, Ohno's complete non-reaction was amazing. The large debris that came flying out into the hallway in front of them that was startling as hell and should have had them at least yelping in surprise? Ohno just sort of looks at it and says, "Isn't that kind of dangerous? :|" I was bawling. The rest of it actually wasn't that hilarious because Ohno kept them pretty calm and the editors kind of rushed through their segment, but it was still hilarious to see the final total: Ohno - 0, Jun - 2, Nino - 4, Sho - 20, Aiba - 29.
I-- I would not have complained if they would bring that segment back sometimes, really. ♥