Archives For Photographs

China, today I’m proud of you~

March 6, 2011 — 1 Comment

Today, while watching Chinese news — yes, I know… hardly unbiased opinion — I saw that China had deployed military airplanes, cargo ferries, and commercial flights in order to mobilize over 35k people out of Libya.

While violence and unrest is rampant, and expats from everywhere in the world are trying to get out, and people outside are “celebrating” freedom of speech, people are left without jobs, and families are left without income. Chinese expats have been uncommunicated with their families since the unrest began, waiting in the airports that have no running water.

Now, they’re back home.

When trying to look for the news to post, googling “China” to check the latest news from there, I only ended up seeing negative items. I ended up with Xinhuanet.com and by looking for “China Libya” I found some tiny articles from the West barely mentioning this.

I thought it’s an important news item to highlight.

In Chinese, English, Sharing, Snapshots
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Why Juri Ueno Cast as 10-Year-Old Gou Doesn’t Matter

February 27, 2011 — 7 Comments

There’s been a recent item talking about Gou’s lowering ratings, and mostly pointing out Juri Ueno’s miscasting or her lacking experience in period dramas.

Of course, I cannot form an opinion on whether Juri’s use of Japanese is appropriate for the era or not, and neither are most of us. However, I do understand why it would turn people off.

I cannot for the life of me, however, understand why would people say they don’t understand Juri Ueno playing a 10-year-old version of Gou, when for the past few Taiga dramas it’s been used. I just began watching Taiga dramas just a few years ago, and I do understand why it would throw people off. It’s weird to you, I get it.

You cannot say Ueno is miscast as a 10-year old when Masaharu Fukuyama played a much MUCH younger version of Ryomaden at the beginning of the show, Satoshi Tsumabuki played a much younger version of his character in Tenchijin, Hideaki Takizawa (Tackey from Tackey & Tsubasa) played pre-teen Yoshitsune when he was 20-something…

and obviously, Aoi Miyazaki (and Eita) played little kids early on Atsuhime, as well as playing them as 40 or 50-ish year-old people.

Also, I want to admit it. I don’t feel passionate enough about Gou. I love Juri, Asami Mizukawa and Rie Miyazawa, I do. But I’m not feeling the story. The three sisters, though they married very important people, feel like simple pawns in the story instead of being the players.

It felt different in Atsuhime.

They made Atsuhime interested in history, learning, and go strategics. She was constantly sent to places, and did things on her own to change her purpose in there. In the show, she was sent to be able to control the Shogun, to disintegrate the Ooku… yet, when she marries into the family, she sets to protect her new family. It’s conflictive.

It was engaging. It was good.

And this is me telling you I like Juri Ueno more than Aoi Miyazaki.

Plus, you don’t need to be a kid to play a kid convincingly.

In Celebrity, English, Japanese, Photographs, Sharing, Television , , , , , , , , ,
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Interesting tweets about Yu

February 21, 2011 — 3 Comments

Since I waste a lot of time on Twitter now, one of my searches is spying on what people say about Yu Aoi… though I should really look for her kanji name instead, no? But that’s me filtering the info.

I think this is the first time I’ve seen tweets that go beyond of “just saw ‘name of movie,’ and Aoi Yu is so cute!” So I thought that I could post from time to time about what people say about Yu-chan xD

ToruShoji is talking about the Yogashiten Daisuki Sweets Best 88 Magazine.

For those of you who don’t know who Hailee Steinfeld is, she’s the actress now nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the upcoming Academy Awards (this coming Sunday) for her work on the Coen brothers’ True Grit.

What do you think? Is thessuh right? Steinfeld is 14.

And finally… toshii9245 says Yu Aoi is a beautiful girl… alongside Megan Fox and Avril (Lavigne?). Now, I wouldn’t put Lavigne and/or Fox in the same league as Yu Aoi … would you?

In Celebrity, English, Fun, Japanese, Screencaps, Sharing, Snapshots , ,
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Yu Aoi – Yogashiten ~ Daisuki Sweets – Best 88 ~

I guess I could translate Daisuki Sweets to Sweets that I Love (the best).

There’s a new special issue by Magazine House that has just been released. My understanding is that it’s got write-ups on Yu’s favorite pastries, and stuff like that. I even read something about her grandma’s banana bread?

Obviously, this is to promote her upcoming film Yogashiten Coin de Rue, which opens on February 11th.

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Posted on January 29, 2011 In Celebrity, English, Japanese, Photoshoots, Screencaps, Sharing , ,
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Wow, That Was Good Casting: Grilled Cheesus

January 10, 2011 — 3 Comments

I really meant to post this sooner.

Remember that Glee episode in which we have a flashback of Kurt as a kid with his dad? That was amazing casting, and just to test my theory, I screencapped some bits and showed them to my mother. Her verdict? She thought it was really Chris Colfer as a kid!

So kudos with the casting on this one:
Eric Dawson, Carol Kritzer & Robert J. Ulrich ~~~

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Yu Aoi x Ayumi Ito for H Magazine

January 9, 2011 — 12 Comments

Please, I finally have found out about this photoshoot. I didn’t really recognized Ayumi Ito on this, since I wasn’t really THAT familiar with her work when I found the pictures, and I was probably too embarrassed to ask anyone about this shoot… because, the photos actually make me feel kind of uncomfortable LOL

And you know I wouldn’t post photos just for posting. I wanted to know, and I finally figured it out.

Whenever I see Yu-chan sharing a photoshoot with a co-star — usually male — it’s weird, like really awkward. I always thought it was a Japanese thing… have no chemistry, or barely touching your co-star. It’s something that worked with Ninomiya in that Tekkon photoshoot, because it’s him… and he’s pretty much sexless to me. LOL

I have no idea if it’s because Ayumi Ito is really REALLY awesome, and that Yu Aoi really gets along with her, but this photoshoot made me re-think my whole “it’s a Japanese thing” theory. Maybe it’s because Yu-chan feels more comfortable doing this stuff with girls — because there’s no sexual tension… or if she doesn’t get along with most her male co-stars. Or maybe it is a cultural thing, and it’s wrong in Japan to see her getting cozy with her male co-star for a shoot~~~

Anyone can explain? Enlighten us~~~

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The BiBi Discography

January 3, 2011 — 11 Comments

I told you BiBi was going to be my first post of 2011! xD

It’s common knowledge I don’t buy singles… or usually “best of” compilations — unless it’s an artist with too many albums that I don’t want to “catch up” on with.

Julz also knows I don’t do mini-albums.

But I do own all of BiBi’s albums ;P I have named myself her biggest fan living the farthest away. LOL Unless BiBi has a fan living in the Patagonia, I’m taking the title, thankyouverymuch.

Bibi’s latest albums are far from perfect. Really respect that she’s trying to expand her style, her vocal range, as well as her image. Though it sometimes feels like her label doesn’t know what to do with her, like they need to change her style (from Time to i.fish.light.mirror) to sell well in Taiwan and Hong Kong – where she probably did sell well after the change.

I sat today listening to her first album (not counting her EP), Who Touched My Violin String?, and it was really quite good. Very strong, except for maybe two skippable songs.

Her second effort, her double album NOW and WOW — UMPH! They’re a killer combo. After over two years of listening and discovering Chinese pop music artists, I have learned to appreciate NOW a lot more. But WOW blew me away right away for its hard to figure out sound.

In NOW, she is a lot more traditional sounding… a few “Chinese” or I guess zhongguo feng songs, nice ballads with tight vocals, great production values, and lyrics. In WOW, she does the opposite. She’s R&B without sounding R&B, she’s a bit Rock without being Rock, she’s Pop without being truly Pop — she’s got funk, soul… her lyrics are whack, and she sounds like no one else.

If Leehom coined Chinked-out style, BiBi was able to pull it off in WOW.

I really believe those two albums have been the highlight of her career, and hope that her new contract with Gold Typhoon lets her — as an artist — experiment with those styles more.

Hopefully, I will be able to get the pinyin for Bibi’s songs. In the meantime, you can check the one that’s already done for the WOW album. If you’re lucky, I will learn Chinese hahaha… tough luck!

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Glorious Food Photography is like Torture xD

Three new places I’m going to be visiting — hopefully with my stomach full, or it will be torture.

Tasteologie~ from my fave peeps of Notcot ;D

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Posted on December 29, 2010 In English, Photographs, Screencaps, Sharing , ,
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The Disgusting Dog Challenge!

December 23, 2010 — 5 Comments

Have been challenged by Joel~

Puppy jam :)

I generally don’t like animals because the smell bothers me, and the licking. I don’t plan to have a photo of a gross dog in here, so cute puppy dog has to do ;P

So let’s start with it, shall we?

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Yu Aoi + Juri Ueno for FRaU Magazine Covers

December 22, 2010 — 2 Comments

Not together, because that would be too much awesomeness for one cover.

And because Juri’s is the latest one — promoting her upcoming Taiga drama… CAN’T WAIT O_O — it goes before the break~

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