Archives For photobook

I posted this a while ago.

Now I found out that there’s a Hong Kong version – VCD and DVD Region 3 – with subs (sadly no extras), which I’ve decided to purchase. I would’ve chosen the Taiwan Free region edition, but I decided to get the HK version instead because I had found other product reviews for the releasing company, and I couldn’t find anything on the Taiwan company.

DVD reviewers, please review the DVD and not the movie!

In any case, I will be reviewing the product once I get my hands on it.

Also on my order? Bibi’s Time – China version which includes a Bibi Photobook and DVD!!!
ZOMG! I had to get it… short PB with album with dvd! Less than $20!
I couldn’t resist…

I will be reviewing that too.

Hey, people!! For those of you just beginning to read this blog, the 6-Month-Mark refers to how long my interest seems to last.

I’m sooooo happy to say that it’s almost a year since I first saw All About Lily Chou Chou, and Rainbow Song. In fact, I’ve got my timeline all figured out (thank you, FB hahaha) – It will be a year on the 16th… since I got Asian (Japanese) cinemaphiled… a year of complete Yu Aoi also.

I’m preparing a ‘special’ post for that day, hahaha ‘coz it’s been a long time since I had found a subject to last this long… 3 years, give or take of fluttering fandoms. And because Yu Aoi fandom seems scattered, or very idol-craze sometimes… I have taken as my ‘job’ to create a place where we focus a lot on projects, and work less on icons, banners and graphic making. A place to discuss films, the seldom ‘crazy good’ photoshoots and NOT focus on personal life. LOL

As much as I love reading Lainey every weekday… I will not be blogging about Yu’s personal life. I have decided~~~ Now, you can blame that on two websites I visit (two actresses… one I’m a frequent visitor, and the other I’m even ghost staff almost hahaha). I’ve been taught to respect their privacy, and so I will. *sighs*

I will not be re-branding my site… this will still be my blog, and I will post about any other subjects that I want (specially during Award Season)… but hopefully I will have a good amount of Yu Aoi postings monthly. You may have also noticed that some links to Yu Aoi films are not working anymore, and I doubt I will be posting any film on my own… they are quite easy to find through Google.

I’m not against downloading stuff for distribution sake, I’m also in favor of fansubs… but if you love one of the films, and a release with the subtitles of your liking is officially available, go ahead and buy it. Buy photobooks… and other merchandise you feel like getting as long as it is to support an actor and their work. Don’t go around saying you support someone if you haven’t ever bought one of their films (in any region), or haven’t even gone to the theater to watch their films (in case the film is distribute theatrically), or even spent $20 to buy their ‘official’ calendar.

Yes, I know. Photobooks are pricey, so are Japanese region DVDs (and some don’t even have subtitles!!), but there are other ways you can support someone. American fans can go watch Tokyo! in theaters… they can buy Hana & Alice, or All About Lily Chou Chou, they can also buy Hula Girls. They can also support Yu projects by buying TekkonKinkreet on DVD and Blu-ray… or buying Honey & Clover which seems a pretty popular Yu Aoi film, or the Tetsujin 28 which I haven’t even dared to watch.

As a final note, you can pre-order Tokyo! (if you liked it, I’m not making anyone buy anything against their will) on DVD and Blu-ray discs, which will be released on June 30th.

Yu with braces!!!

Ok… moving on~~ Portugirl is in my hands!! Or actually, on my desk now, otherwise I wouldn’t be typing. HMV Japan is pretty good~ even though they delayed my order, they sent it 5 days ago and it’s here already! And considering I don’t get Free Shipping with YesAsia anymore… also noticed? Prices are higher in YesAsia now, for example Portugirl would have cost $20ish bucks more with them. Should you be doing YesAsia now?

Anyway! Here it is!!!

Yu Aoi - Portugirl

Proper fan-ish review, after the break~~~ For a ‘pro’ review, you’ll have to wait. LOL

Continue Reading…

Time to Test HMV Japan~

March 22, 2009 — 4 Comments

So much for my economy~~~ I went to YesAsia to check if they listed Yu’s new PB – almost had a heart attack with the price tag. Portugirl took way~~~ LESS time to get listed in YesAsia than Juri’s Ao Akua. It’s like instant! But COME ON! $45USD? !!???? Just for it? And I don’t even get free-shipping. So I just signed up to HMV Japan, because they are listing  Portugirl at almost half the price… + shipping, is costing around the same price YesAsia’s book. And Amazon JP’s listing it at $30USD + $30ish shipping here~~

Hooray for HMV’s international business plan. Now, don’t go all YesAsia on me and suddenly change your country zoning to charge me more… and don’t go all Amazon JP on me and suddenly charge 30 bucks for it.

Will report on how f ast, and how nice HMV is~~ Will YesAsia lose my business? And I do a lot of business, considering I’m broke but I keep on clicking. *tsk tsk*

Ao Akua arrived this afternoon! – Book is the cutest thing ever. LOL’ Tinier than I expected really~~

Juri Ueno - Ao Akua - Cover

Though, I don’t love this PB as much as I love A Piacere, mainly because I was a tad bit disappointed on the photographs. Don’t get me wrong, there are a few great shots, but a lot of snap shots too~~ What I love about this one? I like the concept, and the fact that there’s a companion DVD.

More after the break.

Continue Reading…

OMGOGMOGMGGMOMOGMG. I just died of excitement. *laughs*

I haven’t been to Yu Aoi’s website in a while, and not only did I find a new ‘news item’ but also a new ‘message’ – they were announcing the release of Portugirl!! Yu’s NEW PHOTOBOOK!!!!!

OMG, I’m so frakin’ BROKE. =.=

Yu Aoi x Yoko Takahashi - Portugirl Photobook

And  the PB just went on sale on Saturday… according to the website. March 14th ~ which is NOT TODAY anymore. However, the Amazon.co.jp link I found shows the ‘pre-order’ button, instead of the ‘add to cart’ – not like I’m buying through Amazon *laughs* but just something to point out.  Also~~~ HMV Japan has it listed with another title.

Should I test HMV and not wait for YesAsia to list it? I have $5 off my next YesAsia purchase, but that could expire before the book shows up there~~~

Anyway!!! Best thing ever~~~ Yu’s back with Yoko *laughs* – to quote Yu on Travel Sand. I LOVE Yoko-san’s world. ALSO… when did Yu got time to visit Portugal??? Yo, girl~~ I’m telling you… you should totally visit this side of the world, and I’m not talking about Venezuela or any of the Guyanas xD

Travel Sand Scanlation~

January 8, 2009 — 3 Comments

Well, not exactly a scanlation because I’m not thinking about scanning my book. But I was thinking of translatings… or trying to translate Travel Sand to practice my Japanese. Writing, and all… I’ve been transcribing the first chapter, which includes a Hollywood postcard, the letter, and then a bunch of captions on scattered photos.

Of course, with the help of Google Translate (and its funny translations), Rikaichan and the damn Kanji dictionary. This is helping me with my writing as well, because I can’t read all the kanji, so I write them with handwriting input… though sometimes I get it wrong, it’s quite effective.

I was wondering, if any of you… (I know you’re out there because that Travel Sand post has quite a few views) were interested in me posting that. Leave a message.

Would You…?

December 15, 2008 — Leave a comment

Chuck out +$150 for a PB? LOL

I just got some PB news, which I will talk in a minute. That made me wonder if Aoi Miyazaki had any PBs, so I went to YesAsia to look it up. Amazon.co.jp has it also listed, and at +$115 … will Shipping get u from behind though?

Anyway, just read the Juri Ueno, who is planning to release a trip/photobook-y DVD called AO AKUA (YesAsiaAmazon.co.jp) this coming January, will also be releasing a companion PB with the same name. PB will include photos, illustrations and messages written by Juri, who apparently also worked a bit with the designers and had her say in layout, typesetting, and a lot of work. Makes me giddy that Juri did it. LOL

Also… I found this. LOL

Hate the World Today!

November 24, 2008 — 1 Comment

ARGH! >,<x

So the apartment where me lives is getting new paint, so me is crashing on the other side. They painted the ceiling today, and ARGH!! The paint splattered all over my graphic and photography books… of all the books I had, it had to stain the graphic and photography books. WTF! It splattered all over my Juri Ueno A Piacere, it stained my Yu Aoi Travel Sand and Dandelion… lucky for Yu, those two have plastic cover and they covered the Kaiten TABURU PB… but my Juri PB wasn’t so lucky… neither was my Mario Testino book, or some of my other heavily graphic books.

I thought you’re supposed to cover all stuff with plastic… so how the xxxx do they splattered on THOSE books.

Someone must pay! 8-S Someone’s tainted my PBs…

上野樹里 Ueno Juri

上野樹里 Ueno Juri by KHN ;)

Just testing it out to finally see that my Flickr can post directly to my blog. Damn this Firefox incompatibility! Try IE as much as you hate it… it did work.
A beautiful test post with a photo by Kentaro Shibuya from A Piacere, Juri Ueno’s Photobook. Enjoy.