Category: Japanese

  • Movie Streams, VOD, and Worldwide Online Distribution

    I’m still not sold on Netflix- never to this date I’ve ran into a film that I wanted to watch on it. At least in terms of this region, which doesn’t count with as much content as the US or Canada one. Similar issues with iTunes… and Amazon is out of the question.

    I used to subscribe to MUBI for a long while (at least for a bit over a year), but eventually turned off my subscription because I wasn’t watching anything, while things I had added to my watchlist stopped being available, and the selection of their films eventually was reduced to their now curated content. I’m only subscribed to EROSNOW now, and have seen a few couple of films there, but had to turn to other mediums when found links that were region-restricted or surprisingly without subtitles.

    My experience with streaming has been decent- and for as cheap as $5-9 bucks you can watch a lot in a month, and it just makes your life quite easy. Similar flawless experience with my first Vimeo On Demand watch. Thanks Joss Whedon for the heads up, and actually putting the film up there right after its premiere. To top it all off, subtitles in Spanish, German, French, Portuguese and Japanese (plus English CC) were available making it the smoothest watch if you decided to watch it with any bunch of people.

    Paying $5 to stream a new movie can seem like the best way possible to make it look as if you’re going to the cinema. It takes me back to those days where I would watch 2 or 3 new movies a weekend. If studios ever decided to really go off their way to online distribute their new movies almost simultaneously, I’d be willing.

    Here’s In Your Eyes.

    Apparently Vimeo streaming is not as smooth (or at all) if you don’t have a Vimeo account, though. Take it as a good chance to get one, or don’t complain. I really don’t know any other streaming (paying) website that would let you use their content without an account. You need one in iTunes, in Amazon, in Netflix, HBO, et all. So please, people, stop complaining about THAT.

    Spanish (more serious) related note.


  • Casual 2014 Yu

    It’s been a long time, Yu-chan~

    Just ran into this new photo of Yu, still with her shorter hair and looking very relaxed. I wasn’t so into her shortest shorter hair style, but I think this length is perfect if she’s interested in keeping it shorter than what was her usual. I’ve always been jealous of her bare-face gift. She really does look her best with minimum makeup, familiar freckles on sight and all chillaxed.

    I’m not sure about the source of the image, but it could be a shot in the May issue of Soup Magazine. Ever since her website redesign, I’ve lost track of her magazine appearances.

    yu-aoi-2014-magazine


  • I See You There, Mitsuko!

    I might consider writing my thoughts on the movie, but hey! Look at Kou Shibasaki wanting to break through in those frames. For a moment there I thought she might actually kill someone.

    shibasaki-kou-ronin-47-001

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  • Just like a puppy: Rena Nounen

    People were commenting that her eyes sparkle… and they kinda do! And she’s got the cutest dorkiest smile/laugh ever. I dunno if I’m ever going to be able to see her outside her Ama-chan role.

    But how can she be resisted?

    rena-nounen-amachan-towel-001

    Source


  • Yu is a Pirate for the Japanese Academy

    … and Machiko Ono is looking super fly!

    I ran into a set of photos on Weibo of Yu-chan with her eye-patch, and voila! According to Google Translate she had conjunctivitis, though I’ve never seen someone get it on one eye… so maybe it’s a stye.

    yu-aoi-machiko-ono-2013-2014-japanese-academy-awards

    On a Machiko Ono note… when I ‘met’ her via Mother and subsequently saw her on Carnation, I… just didn’t see the appeal. She got that “oh, must be a really good actress” comment from me (not a bad comment to get, I might add), but after seeing her on The Great Divorce, I’ve sorta started seeing her in another light. Like- she really does look extra good in this white dress.

    Also~ Is Yu wearing extensions? I doubt her hair grew this long in such short period of time.


  • Sign Me Up for the Upcoming Shiina Ringo Concert Release

    I was catching up with all my ‘to watch’ queue on YouTube which at some point had been inundated with Shiina Ringo thumbnails. After her split from Tokyo Jihen and the celebration of her debut 15 years ago, she’s releasing this gorgeous (and pricey) concert.

    I was just marveling myself with the palest of pale queens and thought to myself that if I ever get to see her show live, I would probably cry. When Bjork was here for the first and only time, I remember tearing up a bit- the others I would tear up/cry for would be Shiina Ringo, Faye Wong… and BiBi, for sure.

    It’s been ages since I last bought anything on HMV Japan.


  • お父さんへ

    お父さんへ
    元気ですか?
    私は元気ですけどさびしいになった。でも、お父さんのためにエイミが幸せになりたい。約束する。


  • Guillermo del Toro is Hobbled by Mana-chan

    I just imagined Mana-chan (who is not so little any longer) jumping and latching herself onto the huggable Guillermo del Toro. I imagine a world where Del Toro found a tiny muse and made a movie with her. NOW! GIMME ME.

    ashida-mana-guillermo-del-toro


  • Nepia for Tissue Animals

    What’s more awesome than just animation? And origami? How about origami-animation? Japanese tissue manufacturer Nepia has a short commercial/PSA/short showcasing origami animals and some stop-motion.

    Creative director: Jin Sato (佐藤仁)
    Copyrighter: Ochi Kazuyoshi (越智一仁)
    Producer: Takuo Ozawa (小澤卓男), Yasuhiro Kawasaki (川崎泰広)
    Director: Arai Fuyu (新井風愉)
    Production manager: Takasugi Makoto (高杉誠)
    Stop-motion animation: Ohno Motoki (おーのもとき)
    Camera: Chiyoe Sugita (杉田知洋江)
    Camera assistant: Mahiro Shintani (新谷真博)
    Lights: HIGASIX
    Lights assistant: Tomoya Yoshimura (吉村知弥)
    Art: Kiyomi Tokita (鴇田清美), Takanori Saito (斉藤貴教), Shizuka Masaki (正木静香)
    Editor: Maho Inamoto (稲本真帆)
    Music: Mituru Samejima (鮫島充)
    Sound effects: Yoshiaki Tokunaga (徳永義明)


  • Ore Ore – Eri Fuse – Hadoken + Yoga Fire

    I couldn’t resist myself because it’s likely I’ll never see an animated GIF of this golden nugget from Satoshi Miki’s Ore Ore. Especially because there’s not enough Eri Fuse love on the net.

    eri-fuse-ore-ore-hadoken

    Animated GIFs and bonus after the break.
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