K.

My son Michiro's born on 28 Sept 2010, a healthy baby boy <3
Proud mom and dad are doing well despite the lack of sleep, but it's all worth it :)

So, won't be able to be online as often as I'd like, feeding Michiro and changing his nappies are higher priorities nowadays.. also trying to catch up with sleep whenever possible lols

Long time no sketch, but I got itchy fingers upon seeing that Ohchan screencap, it was a huge impact..! XD

PS: often it takes me a few days to reply and catch up due to RL being busy, appreciate your patience :)

BUMP OF CHICKEN long awaited new single YAY!!

BUMP OF CHICKEN's long awaited new single YAY!!
Okay, I would have preferred them releasing a new album, it's been YEARS oi!!
But, any new song(s) will do.. not complaining at all xD
I love my old original fandom, don't have to fight for Limited Editions, and they take their time (REALLY take their time, they take like YEARS XD) to release new songs/albums.. very kind to my wallet and no risk in overexposure :Db
quality > quantities indeed!
http://www.bumpofchicken.com/news.php <33333

PS: happy birthday to hime matsujun :D

20100826 Mannequin 5 my pick

Finally caught up with last night's episode :D

Here's my pick according to my own taste:

1&2 tied between Sho and Ohchan :Db
Sho's colors coordination is great! The glasses+hat combination is quite Jun usual style though :P
Ohchan's really refreshing summer-ish! Reminds me of the song Summer Splash!
If I really had to pick.. um.. Sho > Ohno?
Wait, if going to the sea it would be Ohno > Sho.. gah don't know, they're both great! XD

3. Nino! Colors combo is nice and 清爽 :Db but Ohno's and Sho's better heh.
I enjoyed watching Nino being so worried and afraid of being picked last though heheheh <- me DoS..

4. Jun! Would have been better if his pants were shorter, I think that's why he got picked last.. poor dude lols.
Photos were cute though, esp the one sitting on the inflatable fish :Db

5 and LAST: Aiba! Too top heavy! The scarf seems too hot! Shirt also too much sleeves.. a nice t-shirt would have been much better! Also, pants + leggings in summer? Wouldn't it be too hot? But, still not that bad, it's just that the rest were a bit better, no offense XD

#scenery has grown on me, thank goodness (or that cup of coffee lol)

It must be that cup of very deliciously awesome latte I drank today, today's mood has been good good good!
So I can tolerate some songs a little more lols! Some ain't that bad or even like them now XD

Still, currently songs on repeat are still my initial favorites: 1999*4##111, DON'T STOP, and Summer Splash! <3

Initially can't stand movin'on nor TABOO (I like the bass line and brass part though! just don't like the siren etc lol) etc but now they are okay and I even kind of like them.. I like the pace and all although they are not my fave genre.. and I still MUCH PREFER songs with a happy good nature positive upbeat tune, examples: 1999*4##111, DON'T STOP, and Summer Splash!, and Sora Takaku etc.

I kind of like CIRCUS now, instead of the initial meh feeling lol.
I guess that's an improvement.

I'm never really a big fan of ballad nor melancholy/emo tune either, although when done/sung well they can be quite good (eg: Ohno's solo 静かな夜に).

Btw, *please don't bash!* I think REFRAIN (or for that matter, all the other slow ballad/melancholy/emo tune) would sound much better if it's entirely sung by Ohno only :Db *runs*
Also also!! LET ME DOWN won't be letting me down so much if it's entirely sung by Ohno too XDD *sprinting very fast away from the scene*

GIFT's tune is good, especially at the start, but chorus is a bit over the top and draggy to me. I would prefer it to be more 'raw' and 'unplugged', that would be awesome! Again, my own taste lol.
By the way, the instrument part at the start of GIFT reminds me of those classic 80s HK TVB drama theme songs done by composer 顧家輝 lol. I meant it as a compliment!

I just much prefer happy sunny good nature positive upbeat tune heheh.
Personal taste okay? :D

BTW 1999*4##111 is definitely my favorite Nino's solo EVER! Yes, even surpassing NIJI by a little, that says a lot! :Db

PS: Am I the only one who is NOT interested in breaking the code and finding out the meaning of Nino's solo song title? It's a wonderful song, and that's enough for me... I can just call it "the Nino's code" song or whatever xD

dude, we all have different taste okay?

and I said before, no offense, it's just allergies XD

This is モダーン今夜 (modern konya), one of my favorite bands and one of the styles I love.. explains why I love Nino's happy jazzy tune! :Db
Btw I like 永山マキ (vocal, composer, lyricist) kind of lady.. natural, truly talented, NOT your usual too-much-heavy-makeup-act-cute bimbo chicks we see too much on tv (example: some VIP guests and most of those chicks on mannequin 5 segment) XDD

Btw I LOVE her voice, boyish voice.. since I am also allergic to those act-cute-high-pitch female vocals in general lols. We all just have different taste, no one's right, no one's wrong lols. I'm all for people trying various new genre, just please accept there's still the subjective personal taste thing.. if it's jazz/bossanova/alternative/folks/motown I am all for it! Then again, whatever they wanna do... I support Arashi not because of their music anyway, if it suits me, bonus, if not, they are still baka down to earth Arashi :Db

モダーン今夜 - 名犬ジョディー(Wise dog Jodi)

Happy 27th Birthday, Nino-chan <3

Nino20100617

Happy Birthday Nino chan my special number 1 :DD
I am not good with words, except to wish you a healthy, wealthy, and happy Birthday!! <3

re the sketch, didn't do much except further shading his new curly curly hair.. didn't do a good job even though I was trying to channel Nino's lazy loose but effective style (eg the way he dances lols).. alas, me not Nino chan lols.
Might continue to shade.. might move on to another piece when I feel like it hahah.

Will have nice lunch, coffee and cake this Sunday with two friends who also like Arashi :D

Nino sketches... for the birthday boy <3

Nino20100616b

Nino20100616a

I haven't drawn/painted for more than half a year!!

My drawing/painting materials are all packed in boxes and it's just too hard at this stage to dig them out..
but for Nino-chan.. I digged out my pencils case and sharpener XDD

Anyway, since I don't have a scanner here I took photos of the sketches. will continue to shade tomorrow so I have something Nino-related to do..  (alas I don't have wii game and can't do magic and there's no Ohchan around me to grab XD)..

and if I don't get to access vox or online (been having trouble with connecting to vox all day today!).. at least we get these preview sketches.. and...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NINO-chan! <33333

ps: and yes, I still need to catch up with replies XD

I shouldn't be laughing about this but..

... Nintendo Wii just HAD to feature Matsumoto and Ninomiya together in the Wii driving theme commercials.. XD

/ends random thought.

PS: yes, will catch up with replies later!

So JE now banned all Arashi members from driving for a year..

http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0604/TKY201006040317.html orz orz orz.....
(of course, Ohchan wont be affected by this but it's still orz...)

Dude. The street has no light nor traffic light! Bad design! Japanese cyclists tend to run wild on the street! It could have happened to anyone! Alas, it's a car hitting a cyclist. Alas, it's Arashi's Ninomiya Kazunari's car hitting a cyclist (regardless that it's just a light bruises).. ="=

Police investigation? Don't they have better things to investigate?
News media, don't you have more urgent/important news to cover?
How about covering your new Japanese Prime Minister, his policies, and your nation's direction?
And analyze why you have four prime ministers in four years?

orz orz orz.....

ps: reply earlier posts later! catch up later!

EDIT:
To me, 午後0:30 (or 午後０時半) means past midnight 0:30.. otherwise they would have said 午後12:30 (午後12時半).
Any one really proficient in Japanese or is a native who like to confirm this please? :)

EDIT AGAIN.
okay, 午後０時半 is actually 12:30pm. Thanks for all who confirmed. It's quite confusing! I remember I went oO when I read about some tv program starting time at 25:20 etc lols.