I can't remember exactly how many of you are learning/speaking/whatever Japanese, but I'm looking for a helpful, amateur-friendly textbook to use. I already have a variety of webpages bookmarked to utilize, but a textbook to lay it out in front of me with steps would be awesome.  I've followed links from online resources, but it's easier to get an ( Read more... )

Not too long ago, a friend introduced me to D=OUT. I wasn't feeling it before. My love for them came as a delayed reaction. Very delayed.

One thing I love is the saturation of color and rhinestones and makeup and crazy clothing. I guess the costumes are nothing new in Visual Kei, but they are still very fun, and I think I could pick them out of a ( Read more... )

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This song alone is a masterpiece. As a performance, it is ethereal, but still another one of Kamijo's powerful fairytales. It is a long song, but it never gets old. The melody is constantly evolving, but still returning to a central concept, making it easy to follow along and decipher the different stages of the story.

The Chateau de Versailles ( Read more... )

BIG BANG MUSIC! is an album that demonstrates that color is not only for costumes and album art, but also belongs in the music itself. It is saturated with creativity, vivid movement, and video-game-quality techno sounds, but is tempered off with unity and flow. Rather than come off brutally disorganized and whimsical, it contains the ( Read more... )

I had downloaded this album online ages ago, and had, of course, listened to every track multiple times. All the while I had been steadily convinced that the album just included random songs. This would be acceptable because it's a solo project, I felt. After I finally purchased the album and it arrived in the mail, one look through the book jacket ( Read more... )

I figured I would celebrate the new decorating with a new post. It's been a minute since the last. So let's talk about "Dolce", by Matenrou Opera. First I really heard anything of the band was from V-Rock Fest. Their bassist played support for Versailles' "Ascendead Master" performance. We still miss our lovely Jasmine You. But it was a great ( Read more... )

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Okay, I couldn't help myself. So I had to make another collage. It's Teru from the symphonic metal band Versailles [Philharmonic Quintet]. He is technically the rhythm guitarist, but he's much better than that. And he's often outshined by the lead guitarist, Hizaki. Hizaki's great too, but Teru deserves more credit. He's a faster player and ( ( Read more... )

Fangirl adoration: it's not something to be taken lightly. Being a fangirl has nothing to do with being crazy or obsessive. Well, maybe a bit obsessive. But it's not misguided. When we come across amazing talents like Yasu (or Gackt- for a certain someone) the only way to react is with adoration and lots and lots of yen.

Fangirl adoration is for ( Read more... )