The Melancholy of Ai Kago
Adult Swim didn't play Saturady night's Bleach episode, instead doing Perfect Hair Forever, which I had never seen before but was really dumb. I wasn't a fan of last year's fart noises, but I didn't complain about them, since I could easily just turn off the TV. However, some of the FMA fans last year got all pissy about it, saying that they shouldn't "ruin" FMA. It's just a show. I'm glad they didn't air Bleach, because it was a premiere of the episode in the States, and it would've been distracting if the did stuff with it, especially for those whom the episode is new.
http://www.wikiality.com/Shutdownnotice.html- I'm going to assume this is an April Fool's Joke. I thought this would ruin my day because I usually spend most of it on Wikiality, but I ended up going out.
Anyways, for non-AFD stuff....
I went to Kinokuniya yesterday. If you don't know, it is an awesome Japanese bookstore that also sells a lot of CDs, DVDs, stationary, and anime/manga merchendise imported from Japan. I got some manga (volume four of Tramps Like Us/Kimi Wa Pet and a BL one-shot whose name I forgot), a Haruhi Suzumiya poster, a gashapon of Tomoyo from Cardcaptor Sakura (I will collect almost anything with Tomoyo-chan on it!), and two CDs-"59" by Puffy AmiYumi and Olivia's "OLIVIA inspi' REIRA (TRAPNEST)."
I've listened to them both, and they are really good. I had already heard a lot of the songs on 59, but I had only heard "a little pain" and "Winter sleep" before buying Olivia's album (I follow the Nana manga and live-action movies, but not the anime). But because of Pengie's good review of it, I decided to take a chance. It's really, really good-her voice is really strong, and her songs are perfect blend of prettiness and rock. And I think she could break into the US market easily-she speaks fluent English, and her sound is unique, but not too Japanese. Many of her songs are already all in English. I had been wondering for awhile why they had a seperate singer for Reira when her seiyuu, Aya Hirano, has a strong voice (well, at least on "God Knows"). This album proved to me why-she just is Reira. Olivia is an amazing artist, and I am now going to look for her non-Nana music.
"59" is was not expecting to find, since I thought it had gone long out of print(though I just checked Wikipedia, which says it was rereleased last year. I didn't know about it until I checked before writing this sentence). I was actually looking for the Hataraku Otoko single, since I had downloaded it, listened to it five billion times, and declared it to be made of win (awesome rock song for and awesome anime with the craziest video ever, and two b-sides- a rocking all-English song that proves Ami and Yumi's fluency and a great cover of Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds-that must be included on their next album!), so I felt a need to buy it. However, there were no singles by Puffy AmiYumi there, but I was suprised to see 59, since I thought it was out of print. It's really good-the song "So Long Zero" is actually the second English-language version of "Invisible Tomorrow" (the first being the overly cute "Friends Forever"), and it's leaps-and-bounds above the first English-language version- better, less cheesy lyrics, and the vocals are a little stronger as well. And the full-length Japanese version of the Teen Titans theme song=win. I've been looking for that for awhile!
I also got the game "Cooking Mama" for the Wii. OMG-one of the Wiis best games! It has a very simple game play, but it's not too easy. It really relies on skill. The art style is also really cool looking-it's a 2D game, which I love, and the little drawings of Mama that come up after each level to tell you your score and really cute (my favorite being hte one with flames in her eyes, and she says angrily in her cute, Japanese-accented voice "I'll be helping you.")
I've recently started reading "Dispatches From the Edge," Anderson cooper's memoir. I admit, I've become a total Anderfan (but not one the ones who doesn't "defend his straightness" or something. I'm a slash fangirl-why would I want him to be straight?). He's very honest and emotional, and he's unafraid to take risks to get the truth. Not to mention he looks like a male model XD. I have only started watching him recently, but it only took that clip of him pwning Mary Landrieu during Katrina coverage to make me love him. I wasn't watching cable news before this year (I did watch the news though! And no, not just The Daily Show and The Colbert Report), but now I am, and my favorite anchor is most definately Anderson.
I watched the "Strangers With Candy" movie yesterday. For those who don't know, it stars Amy Sedaris as Jerri Blank, an 40-something ex-con who goes back to high school to restart her life; Stephen Colbert as Chuck Noblet, a repressed homosexual teacher; and Paul Dinello as Geoffrey Jellineck, the art teacher who is Noblet's gay lover. It's so funny! I really want to see the TV series now! I'll have to go hunt it down now. Jerri is such an out there character, and totally hilarious! Her morals are so twisted and crazy...LOL And of course, Stephen Colbert acting gay-'nuff said.
As everyone in the Jpop blogosphere knows by now, Ai Kago has been suspended from H!P. I can't help but wonder why they even tried to bring her back. I would've prefered her just to say "I don't want to come back" in an official statement. She must've really not wanted to be an idol if she were to let her career end so badly. I'm njot saying she should've comeback-decisions like that should be up to Kago-chan. I just think that H!P shouldn't have forced this on her. She did seem a little less energetic in her recent interview with Friday, and maybe this is was a sign that she wasn't actually ready to come back. This blong entry from Wings of my Heart describes how I feel perfectly. I'm comforted that I am not the only one who is like this, who feels like this. The connection wota have is very interesting, and I think the way that this blog entry is relatable to me (and probably many others) is just an example of that. Even though we don't know each other in person most of the time, we have a bond because of this devotion to a small fandom. Most anime fans aren't like this because of how huge anime fandom is. I definately prefer small fandoms over large-I like to be able to talk to those who I share an intrest with.
Wow, I'm getting off-topic...however, I'm happy that she's is doing this because she chooses to, not because she was told to. I wish you well, Kago-chan! I only hope you are doing what best for you :)
http://www.wikiality.com/Shutdownnotice.html- I'm going to assume this is an April Fool's Joke. I thought this would ruin my day because I usually spend most of it on Wikiality, but I ended up going out.
Anyways, for non-AFD stuff....
I went to Kinokuniya yesterday. If you don't know, it is an awesome Japanese bookstore that also sells a lot of CDs, DVDs, stationary, and anime/manga merchendise imported from Japan. I got some manga (volume four of Tramps Like Us/Kimi Wa Pet and a BL one-shot whose name I forgot), a Haruhi Suzumiya poster, a gashapon of Tomoyo from Cardcaptor Sakura (I will collect almost anything with Tomoyo-chan on it!), and two CDs-"59" by Puffy AmiYumi and Olivia's "OLIVIA inspi' REIRA (TRAPNEST)."
I've listened to them both, and they are really good. I had already heard a lot of the songs on 59, but I had only heard "a little pain" and "Winter sleep" before buying Olivia's album (I follow the Nana manga and live-action movies, but not the anime). But because of Pengie's good review of it, I decided to take a chance. It's really, really good-her voice is really strong, and her songs are perfect blend of prettiness and rock. And I think she could break into the US market easily-she speaks fluent English, and her sound is unique, but not too Japanese. Many of her songs are already all in English. I had been wondering for awhile why they had a seperate singer for Reira when her seiyuu, Aya Hirano, has a strong voice (well, at least on "God Knows"). This album proved to me why-she just is Reira. Olivia is an amazing artist, and I am now going to look for her non-Nana music.
"59" is was not expecting to find, since I thought it had gone long out of print(though I just checked Wikipedia, which says it was rereleased last year. I didn't know about it until I checked before writing this sentence). I was actually looking for the Hataraku Otoko single, since I had downloaded it, listened to it five billion times, and declared it to be made of win (awesome rock song for and awesome anime with the craziest video ever, and two b-sides- a rocking all-English song that proves Ami and Yumi's fluency and a great cover of Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds-that must be included on their next album!), so I felt a need to buy it. However, there were no singles by Puffy AmiYumi there, but I was suprised to see 59, since I thought it was out of print. It's really good-the song "So Long Zero" is actually the second English-language version of "Invisible Tomorrow" (the first being the overly cute "Friends Forever"), and it's leaps-and-bounds above the first English-language version- better, less cheesy lyrics, and the vocals are a little stronger as well. And the full-length Japanese version of the Teen Titans theme song=win. I've been looking for that for awhile!
I also got the game "Cooking Mama" for the Wii. OMG-one of the Wiis best games! It has a very simple game play, but it's not too easy. It really relies on skill. The art style is also really cool looking-it's a 2D game, which I love, and the little drawings of Mama that come up after each level to tell you your score and really cute (my favorite being hte one with flames in her eyes, and she says angrily in her cute, Japanese-accented voice "I'll be helping you.")
I've recently started reading "Dispatches From the Edge," Anderson cooper's memoir. I admit, I've become a total Anderfan (but not one the ones who doesn't "defend his straightness" or something. I'm a slash fangirl-why would I want him to be straight?). He's very honest and emotional, and he's unafraid to take risks to get the truth. Not to mention he looks like a male model XD. I have only started watching him recently, but it only took that clip of him pwning Mary Landrieu during Katrina coverage to make me love him. I wasn't watching cable news before this year (I did watch the news though! And no, not just The Daily Show and The Colbert Report), but now I am, and my favorite anchor is most definately Anderson.
I watched the "Strangers With Candy" movie yesterday. For those who don't know, it stars Amy Sedaris as Jerri Blank, an 40-something ex-con who goes back to high school to restart her life; Stephen Colbert as Chuck Noblet, a repressed homosexual teacher; and Paul Dinello as Geoffrey Jellineck, the art teacher who is Noblet's gay lover. It's so funny! I really want to see the TV series now! I'll have to go hunt it down now. Jerri is such an out there character, and totally hilarious! Her morals are so twisted and crazy...LOL And of course, Stephen Colbert acting gay-'nuff said.
As everyone in the Jpop blogosphere knows by now, Ai Kago has been suspended from H!P. I can't help but wonder why they even tried to bring her back. I would've prefered her just to say "I don't want to come back" in an official statement. She must've really not wanted to be an idol if she were to let her career end so badly. I'm njot saying she should've comeback-decisions like that should be up to Kago-chan. I just think that H!P shouldn't have forced this on her. She did seem a little less energetic in her recent interview with Friday, and maybe this is was a sign that she wasn't actually ready to come back. This blong entry from Wings of my Heart describes how I feel perfectly. I'm comforted that I am not the only one who is like this, who feels like this. The connection wota have is very interesting, and I think the way that this blog entry is relatable to me (and probably many others) is just an example of that. Even though we don't know each other in person most of the time, we have a bond because of this devotion to a small fandom. Most anime fans aren't like this because of how huge anime fandom is. I definately prefer small fandoms over large-I like to be able to talk to those who I share an intrest with.
Wow, I'm getting off-topic...however, I'm happy that she's is doing this because she chooses to, not because she was told to. I wish you well, Kago-chan! I only hope you are doing what best for you :)