Category: Art

  • Yu Aoi – Kyou, Konogoro.

    Yup. I finally bought Kyou, Konogoro (今日、このごろ。) — roughly translated to Nowadays, Lately. — which I had put off getting for years AND YEARS because… there’s a lot of text. But, damn. I was seriously missing out. There’s not many photos for the book, but there’s TONS of goodies for Yu-chan fans. A LOT of information (movie facts about Yu’s shooting projects, dates, movie suggestions, books she’s given or received, a sorta detailed work around to some of the magazine work she’s done, etc.) — In short, loads of great information for her Wikipedia page. xD

    Having to tell you that my Chinese Mandarin classes are paying off for the Japanese reading. Ha! I’m just gonna have to go through all the text bit by bit. Coz seriously, there’s a lot.

    (more…)

  • The Nubeluz Throwback: Twenty Years Later

    YouTube had been conspiring against me showing me a series of videos of my childhood over the weekend, making me feel older than I should. One of these videos had to do with one of Nubeluz‘ host — aka. a Dalina — her name, Monica Santa Maria.

    Her tragic ending in a bizarre high profile case of suicide wasn’t really registered in my subconscious. Maybe I was too little to understand, but I don’t think I realized she killed herself well into my years. Watching the videos of the case, looking back at those times with my grown mind, all one can really infer is that she had a deep troubled mind… one way or the other, it was going to end up bad. It’s terribly ironic that she never did what she preached — to enjoy life, embrace it… whatever small beautiful things you may get because life was short.

    It’s such a sad thing to see.

    ANYWAY. I remember that Nubeluz was celebrating their 20 years — GOSH! — and I ran into this clip of Almendra Gomelsky and the whole cast of the show back together. EVERYONE came back, however big they became… actress Daniela Sarfati, actress Rossana Fernandez Maldonado, twin hosts Anabel and Antuanet Elias, host Maria Pia Copello, and etc. Phew.

    They sound atrocious, but it was damn fun. I don’t think Peru has ever developed as good a show as Nubeluz ever was. It has nothing to do with nostalgia. I don’t particularly think the show translated well into English, but I think they had a really good deal with the concept and songs.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82p_YH-I5TA

    —

    Part of the Time Machine: Back to the 90′s Blogathon

  • From Hong Kong to the World: Chochukmo – Good Night

    I really REALLY REALLY am loving Chochukmo, and not because I interviewed them. I actually accepted to interview them because I really liked their first album, which you can listen to on Xiami or Bandcamp ;O

    Don’t forget to check out my interview with Mike Orange from the band.

  • Yu Aoi – A Dream by Yoshihiko Ueda – WANIBOOKS

    I know I have been a very bad Yu Aoi fan. First off, I had only a faint idea she was going to release a new photobook via HMV Japan, but since her website didn’t mention a thing, I didn’t think it was such a big deal. In any case, I ran into some of the photographs in my daily runs through Weibo — and voila!

    I thought I should buy it. xD

    (more…)

  • The Girl in the Mirror… was her.

    I have a really special and complicated relationship with Britney Spears. Despite my moving on from fandom in the early millennium, I think… deep in my heart (I know it’s only you, xD) – deep in my heart there’s always going to be a soft spot for Britney. The one side of me that’s always going to get happy when something good happens to her, and the side of me that gets preoccupied when something bad happens.

    I think in terms of ‘true’ Britney fans — you can recognize them by how much they love her ballads. Because Britney is not necessarily famous for her powerful vocals, but her long-time fans love Britney and actually miss her ballads — I actually love I Will Be There with those lyrics of… “when you’re feeling low, baby, let me know… and I will be there.”

    Then there\s Girl in the Mirror — she must’ve sung that song when she was 19 or 20 years old… but there’s an unequivocal innocent… almost too naive character to the song. It’s the kind of inner drama that 15 year old girls used to listen to and have ultimately stopped.

    Despite of the technical qualities of this fan video, it’s a very VERY sad and emotional clip. Especially with its beginning with a very young Britney and showing all those clips. It just… it almost breaks my heart… as if I had forsaken her.

    Time will take us apart, but I will still love you. I promise.

  • Congratulations are in order, Yu-chan?

    I generally don’t talk about celebrities’ personal lives — oh, who am I kidding? I love gossip. I used to spend hours reading gossip blogs until I realized how much time I wasted. LOL

    It started over the course of these few days when Yu Aoi searches spiked — once again — so I went on my customary search when that happens. And voila~

    I don’t think I’ve ever stuck to a specific individual fandom long enough to actually see this kind of thing happen before, so since this is a first of a confirmed relationship from Yu-chan [blog] [1] [screencap], I guess I gotta sorta document it for my future Wiki update [1]. LOL

    Yu-chan is in a relationship with actor Suzuki Kosuke. Omedetou! Throw the confetti!

    Sorry for the really bad graphic. But I didn’t wanna put one picture next tot he other coz then I would mistake it for a collaboration graphic. xD

    After a couple of strongly-rumored-but-ultimately-never-bluntly-confirmed guys, Yu-chan and Suzuki-san have both announced it on their blogs. Nah-huh, can’t get more confirmation than that one. It beats the sneaking around, huh? Good for her.

  • Look Who’s Hot in Marathon-wear!

    I had no idea BiBi would be in London (?) — well, in the UK — to do this (Nike Marathon).

    But my biggest, most shocking, realization was — Bibi’s hair looks different colors from the side (blond auburn hair or highlights) while it’s all dark on the head on front shot. How is that even possible???? It baffles me to figure out the dynamics… because, at first, I thought it might have been two different people. But no, it’s BiBi alright.

    It’s fascinating.

    And she looks like she has super SUPER swag. Especially in the snapshot of her with the sunglasses and her touching of her magical hair. Super chill, waiting, while all those white people at the back don’t look at her ‘coz they’re totally oblivious.

  • Look at you, Chris Lee!

    Li Yuchun, you’re doing a world tour? I suspect you’re not including me… but, oh well. Your promo poster is flawless. I mean, nothing out of the design-ordinary, but you look like pure gloss.

    You know when BiBi had her make-over [1], I was flabbergasted? I don’t think it ever happened between you and me. I’ve been more interested in your film career than music, to be honest. You weren’t bad in Bodyguards and Assassins, and you definitely had your scenes in The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate. xD

  • UMPH, Wagner Moura

    I’ve always found Wagner Moura interesting ever since I saw Carandiru. And I finally saw Tropa de Elite (after watching Tropa de Elite 2 a while back xD)!!! And UMPH.

    I don’t know what it is, but gosh.

  • Korean Goodies from the Vault

    I love saying that now, “From the vault.” xD

    Anyway, I’m sure you guys know this video. It’s a classic one. One from when you first started using YouTube. It’s that hilarious video of the two Korean girls dancing to Yoo Chae-yeong’s Emotion [MV] — this is what years and years of listening to Kpop and watching variety shows does to you. I think even Hyori has danced to this song on Family Outing.

    I can’t remember when I watched the video exactly, but it’s definitely one of the first videos I watched and re-watched laughing out loud with my friend before we began truly listening to Kpop.