When I was back in Brisbane, the war was against counterfeit Japanese anime DVDs, CDs and products. In Australia anime/manga is a touchy subject where the boundaries and rules surrounding its legalities are very foggy and ignored by the law-keepers as a pure waste of time. It's especially hard when stores selling official merchandise are almost non-existent except for back-alley comic stores, and the Chinese mafia have their own system running. I figured out somewhere along the way that buying fake things = funding Chinese mafia and keeping the really good quality anime DVDs and merchandise from Australian shores. I was often very jealous of fans in America who seemed to have it all in a language they could understand and at a price that they could afford. They were little wars - small victories were gained (Suckanova) at a cost. I hear issues with B*S still continue but hopefully one day their greed will be squashed.


Now since maturing slightly and finding other interests - mostly in Arashi - I have found new battles to be fought. I'm just glad that the people up top are the ones making the stand this time. JE themselves are doing their best to crush those rip off ticket scalpers who are actually fueling the fire between fan club members and international fans. I won't make comments about fake merchandise, as there's so little of it in existence compared to the real merchandise available that it's hardly worth a mention. However, this, is going too far if you ask me. Screening a copyrighted and licensed DVD in a public forum without proper permissions from the DVD creators/distributors? You could do it for free and it would still be illegal, unless of course you're telling me that the country which has a ban on chewing gum will somehow overlook a law which is recognized and punishable internationally. Oh wait, I think I found an answer.


I just...Argh! This isn't swimming in the gray area or bending the rules - this is snapping the rules in half right out in the open in your birthday suit!

As for comments about "Aw but you live in Japan." Lend me an ear and I'll tell you exactly how you can get here too. If you find that too difficult or too expensive maybe you'll shut your bitching trap next time! Grrr! I'm too sick to deal with "innocent" idiocy right now!

PS. Wasn't talking about you F-list. You follow me because you already understand and wanna hear it as it is. And I love you for it. :)

I'm not a sad person. Not really. Just very moody and very openly emotional over the tiniest things, but oddly uncaring about other things.

There are some matters I need to get off my chest to anyone willing to listen. They might cause you to retort, they might make you sad, they might make you angry, they might make you laugh, they might make you roll your eyes.

( In all honesty, feel free to skip my thoughts... )

I spent 90% of today cleaning my room! It's much nicer now. I still have way too many things and not enough drawers for them all.

Just thought I'd update!

I'm in such a happy mood with such a clean room!

And I loved watching ZERO and ANS tonight! *bounces around happily* Sho-chan!

BTW Arashi is going to do KOUHAKU! OMG I can't believe it! I'm gonna miss them at the Johnny's Countdown (they're probably arrive with TOKIO) but at the same time, just wow! <3 (Aiba and Hikawa Kiyoshi in the same room is a conversation between a Slowpoke and a Psyduck just waiting to happen! Kidding - they're both adorable baka! xD I really want to see it one day! lol)

I'm sorry I didn't get to properly update this. I get away from everything for four days only to have all the shit that gathered on the fan fall kersplat in my face all in one go. But never mind that for now.

Must just be the atmosphere, but I'm so happy! (Though the room was so stuffy I had to open the window a fraction last night despite the freezing cold - a fraction was just enough to make it comfortable.) Nice breakfast, nice company!

We're going out today, hopefully to the Historical Village of Hokkaido, The Sapporo Factory, a good ramen shop (maybe in Ramen Alley!), and karaoke! Then we'll come home tonight and make psychotically bright uchiwa while watching Music Station and My Girl!

FINAL THOUGHTS
Today's Final Thoughts thanks to tenjostyle and mirei_22

Sho-chan has done it again! Or will do in an upcoming episode of Himitsu no Arashi-chan! Remember the maid outfit, the one which Sho himself claimed he looked "Maximum Kawaii" in? Well a rival outfit has appeared. It may not quite outdo the maid outfit but it is damn close. Maid Sho, may I introduce Chinese Dress Sho! (And I thought Sho looked good dressed in male Chinese clothes!)



Sho-chan, how come you're so damn pretty!? It's hard to call him the proper, respectful "Sakurai-san" when he's dressed like that!!! (>/////<;) Just....*dies*... then he goes and sits like this! I know I'm being a Maximum Pervert but LOOK! I can imagine my hand wandering up where it shouldn't be and then getting slapped... *______* Better still Aiba's hand could... That'll make for good fic. *dies again*

PS. Someone make me an icon. Pretty please?

Well, I made it. The hotel is nice! <3 Sapporo itself kind of reminds me of the image of have of countryside America as it comes closer to winter. The trees and bare fields just kind of reminded me of it. Not that I've ever been to America so sorry if I'm offending anyone.

On the trains towards Sapporo I was confused by all the seats facing forwards. I thought surely they must be reserved seats as public seats in Tokyo face the sides of the train. lol

I have two more things to say:

They got him! They arrested the guy who butchered a NOVA teacher over two years ago. He's even had plastic surgery done and looks almost nothing like the original security camera footage from the night she was murdered. I'm so glad he's not at large anymore. My sincerest regards to her family, most especially to Mr. Hawker. I hope they can find some peace at last.


Secondly - a letter.

Dear ANA,

Thank you for the lovely flight. It was far more pleasant and shorter than I expected.

However, I have one complaint.

I chose an aisle seat because I was too frightened to look out the window. I did not appreciate the live video feed from somewhere under the plane, being broadcast on the cabin screens during take off and landing.

*shudders* Still hate flying in planes. I especially hate take off and landing but some reason I've developed this odd habit of falling asleep just as the plane starts to descend. I'm usually then awoken by the wheels on the runway as the plane hits land again.

For some reason I'm fine with helicopters. Must be because they don't go up as high and they don't tilt much on take off and landing.

Okay, gotta go pick up my new Arashi buddy Abby from the airport!

Love it. Thank you, Arashi. The new song is gorgeous. It's also very deserving of its bittersweet music video. One of my favorite Arashi songs in ages!

( My Girl (English Translation) )

After watching my hero, Sho-chan, doing his thing last night despite terrible heights and the cold rain, I decided to do my best today at work despite my head cold. I only lasted half the day then I lost my voice and had to go home. There goes half a day's pay.

But there was something waiting for me when I got back!

( Friends and family, feel free to skip the following Arashi fangirling session. Everyone else, come follow me! )

And in part two, there is even more Arashi awesomeness!

( AU x Arashi site! )

The Arashi SP was beyond awesome. I knew how most of the experiments would turn out before they happened but there was so much more to this 3hr Arashi romp!

I don't want to spoil it for anyone but KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Awesome moments:
- Sho in a red body suit (yes my eyes went directly down - I couldn't help it.)
- Murao-san on helium
- The SWING!
- Arashi live and in 3D!!!!
- Sho-chan making a short black skirt (over tight black pants) look very fashionable on a guy! (I swear only Johnny's can pull that one off!)
- Hatori-san! <3
- The return of something once left behind! <3

It was just too great!

I'm going to fangirl my way into my dreams now! Yaaaay!

I'm currently writing my Arashi x Halloween fic! Yes I know I have to get a move on but there are two things I wanna say first!

1) Arashi Challenge Week is so much fun! I'm totally loving seeing Arashi on random CMs, promoting it next NTV's mascot DA BEAR. The only thing I'm a bit hmm about is the replays. D no Arashi rules! Gyakukaiten, A no Arashi, the origami boat and the abandoned places eps totally deserved to return! That said, I'm really sorry but the only good thing about Air Guitar was seeing Arashi in skimpy clothing....oh....Um, ok then someone explain the Zoo ep! It was a funny ep, but I felt there were eps which deserved more attention. And how come there's no Mayonaka no Arashi?

2) Last HnA was HILARIOUS!!!! Skip over the VIP room - it's only worth watching for the horse moment. The second part, Araoke, was HILARIOUS! Basically HNA borrowed a karaoke room, filled it with cameras, made it free for half an hour, and put up posters saying there was a free drink for every Arashi song which gained 80 points! The moment someone started singing an Arashi song, the REAL Arashi would barge in and start singing too! I couldn't stop laughing! Arashi totally abused the Japanese karaoke booth system! LMAO. Actually they kind of cheated so apparently there will be a comeback of this segment! Yaaaaaaay!

Okay back to fic!

<3

PS: "Shimono-sa~n, Shimono-sa~n!" LMAO

Let me say one thing: I loved The Quiz Show because well Sho-chan was in it and he played a character I really loved to watch. The story was okay, gripping but rather repetitive at times. I loved the style, quiz show inside the drama.

MAOU was just brilliant. It was so well re-done that I could just watch it over and over if only I could afford the DVD box. The acting was fantastic, the story had you clinging to your seat, every twist had you sobbing for the BAD GUY...And I'm not really a big Ohno fan.

Both shows are of a similar genre, cover the same shocking themes (TQS showed someone dying on live TV - now that's just wrong when you put that into context,) have strong lead cast members, were both aired at fairly popular time slots, and have a tragic story that really just makes you wanna kick someone's ass while you're blowing your nose.

However, I was quite surprised to see that more people were apparently watching The Quiz Show.

Maou ratings - TQS ratings

Honestly, Maou was a far better show, so any guesses for why the ratings are so high?

I'll give you a hint. Of all the members of Arashi, Sho was voted the No. 1 member that young kids would want as their papa! (Not to mention that all the kids at school seemed to love my "The Quiz Show!" impersonations!) ;)

I stuck Sho's face on the face of my Sim version of Squall Leonhart and it worked pretty damn well. Well, except that Sho's nose is a tad too big.

AN-Y-WAY!

I want to make full Arashi skins. I need clear face-on shots of the boys with little or no shadow, little or no tilting of the head, and little or no smiling (no teeth).

I also need to figure out which costume I could put them in. I really want to dress them up in their G no Arashi outfits but I think those would be too hard to make. I think something like their Dream-A-live/Time pink pants and t-shirt/tank top, would be the best.

Any suggestions, help, photos, Sakuraiba moments? Pretty please?

In other news: I bought two new kanji dictionaries - books. One for adults, one simplified. It's to help me remember kanji as I physically look them up. One also has the written stroke order. Good, as it took me two hours just to write three pages of script last night because I couldn't get my kanji right.

I can only say one thing.


Arashi, you've got it all wrong.
嵐さん、勘違いでしょうね。

We're the ones who should be saying...
私たちの方から言うべきです。

I'm currently watching ZERO, and there's live news about a certain male actor (contracted to AVEX, one of the biggest musician management companies in Japan) who police are all waiting to arrest. The media is waiting with baited breath for him to come out and be nabbed by police. The actor....Ah news update on screen - they've got him now. Anyway, he is accused of having involvement with illegal drug activities.

What else? Murder....Japan's first Jury session...Apparently Japan's first jury (five of the six members middle-aged women) were apparently shown graphic images of the victim on private screens to help them with judgement...

The past year seems to have been full of bad celebrities.

I guess the point I'm trying to make in my sleepy haze is that if Ohno (and now apparently Nino) were once actually involved in drugs they would have been slammed and now amount of Johnny's protection would have saved them. In fact, Johnny would have most likely disowned them to save the rest of the company.

Johnny's has a history of severely punishing any of its employees who do naughty things. Young ones have been kicked out of brand new bands for underage drinking. Inagaki Goro of SMAP was pulling from public view for an entire year for a hit and run case involving a female police officer. And more recently Kusanagi Tsuyoshi (also of SMAP) was pulled from public eye for around two months for a case of drunken indecent exposure.

I want to believe for the best and I do. I believe in Ohno and Nino that they wouldn't. And I want to believe in the Japanese justice system enough to think, even if they fear Yakuza and won't help young women with stalker cases, that they would stop such drug abuse from happening ASAP, discouraging promising youths (especially Johnny's boys) from such.

As far as I know, there has not been a case of illicit drugs in Johnny's. (I wouldn't be surprised is underaged drinking and smoking happened.) Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I want to believe just enough.

I have heard this over and over again so I'm not targeting anyone in particular. I think there is still a big misconception about "lucky fans living in Japan". To semi-quote my most recent answer to this question:

( When I say 'Lucky', you say... )


I also have an added question. Would you still want to come and live in Japan if you were not a fan of Arashi? I didn't and don't need to be a fan of anything but Japan itself to want to live here. It would be far easier for me to just come home and bum off my poor father than to spend endless hours teaching English to people who don't care only to have 70% of my pay gone on rent, health insurance, and pension (not to mention to food and phone) within the first week of my getting it. I love Japan - that is why I stay. Arashi is an added bonus, and I am very glad they exist. They brighten my day with sparkly rainbows.

P.S. We need a return of the Kitto Daijoubu days. Name one Arashi PV which is better than this one, I dare you.

Recently I bought a magazine as a case study for an upcoming Japanese drama I am writing. The theme of the script is "haunting" so naturally I bought "Jitsuroku! Jurei Eizou 2009" (Real recordings! Cursed films 2009.) The magazine is full of pictures and stories about abandoned and strange places in Japan and it comes with a free DVD. (Yay! - actually berniechan told me not to watch it at night because I'd get scared.)

( Story one on the the DVD: The faked spirit photo. )

I'll admit I wanted to watch the Japan Cup gymnastics because I heard Aiba would be field navigator. I feel he did a pretty good job but he was nowhere near as in depth as Sho's reports. It is Sho's second occupation after all.

While I fast-forwarded the team events from the wee hours of Sunday morning, I was actually very impressed and amazed with the solo competition from the wee hours of this morning. Japan's top girl gymnast is just incredible! The male competition was also amazing, but I actually find the female competition far more entertaining to watch.

That's not the point of this post however. Today there was also a science and sports special featuring Aiba, which ended up being more of a carry-over from the Japan Cup gymnastics. More sport, less science I guess.

AN.Y.WAY!

Near the end of the show Aiba took the floor and actually tried his hand at gymnastics! For someone who didn't do it as a child (unlike Kusanagi Tsuyoshi of SMAP) and for someone who had only been covering real gymnastics for about two days Aiba was both very professional and amazing. He was even dressed and scored as a proper gymnast! He gave it his best and actually had a very bright aura about him which many of the gymnasts lose through deep concentration. The only things Aiba truly lacked were beauty and experience. I think if Aiba actually tried and put some hard practice in, he could actually become very good at it!

Arashi pulling another first for Johnny's. Aiba doing the one thing Sho can't - join the athletes at their own game! If you get a chance to see it and you're an Aiba fan, please do!

I'm gathering up the fans' most favorite live performances from every Arashi concert DVD I can possibly find. From there the suggestions will be turned into a poll where online fans can vote for their favorite. Once the results are in I will make a tribute Top Ten video to share with all. I'll be using several sites to get as many fan opinions as I possibly can and I'll update this post as suggestions are added. If the performance you like is already here, please don't post only to say it again for it is already going to be in the poll.

When you reply, please post your top three fave performances from official Arashi concert DVDs. There are often concert tours which reuse classic songs so please specify which DVD/concert your fave performance of the song is from.

Here is the list in alphabetical order by song title. Please DO NOT CHOOSE SONGS FROM THIS LIST! If you have songs to ADD, comment below! Thank you!

A.RA.SHI (AAA 2006, in Korea)
A.RA.SHI (AAA 2006, in Taiwan)
A.RA.SHI (Time - Kotoba no Chikara 2007)
a Day in Our Life (AAA in DOME)
a Day in Our Life (Iza, Now! 2004 Tour)
Anti Anti (Iza, Now! 2004 Tour)
Arashi no Mae no Shizukesa (Iza, Now! 2004 Tour)
Be with you (Time - Kotoba no Chikara 2007)
Blue (AAA 2006, in Taiwan)
Blue (AAA in Dome)
COOL & SOUL (AAA 2006, in Taiwan)
COOL & SOUL (DOME '07 ver.) (AAA In Dome)
Cry For You (Time - Kotoba no Chikara 2007)
Everybody Zenshin (Time - Kotoba no Chikara 2007)
Eyes with delight (Iza, Now! 2004 Tour, Aiba's angle)
Fight Song (AAA 2006, in Taiwan)
Fight Song (AAA 2008)
Fight Song (Time - Kotoba no Chikara 2007)
Friendship (Time - Kotoba no Chikara 2007, Aiba Masaki solo)
Gori Muchuu (AAA 2008)
Hadashi No Mirai (Time - Kotoba no Chikara 2007)
Happiness (Time - Kotoba no Chikara 2007)
Hello Goodbye (AAA 2008, Aiba Masaki solo)
Himitsu (AAA in DOME, Ninomiya Kazunari solo)
Hip Pop Boogie (AAA 2008, Sakurai Sho solo)
Ichioku no Hoshi (AAA 2008)
Kansha Kangeki Ame Arashi (AAA 2006, in Taiwan)
Kansha Kangeki Ame Arashi (AAA In Dome)
Kaze (Time - Kotoba no Chikara 2007)
Kaze no mukou e (AAA 2008)
Kimi wa Sukoshi mo Warukunai (Iza, Now! 2004 Tour)
La familia (Iza, Now! 2004 Tour, Matsumoto Jun solo)
La Tormenta (AAA in DOME)
La Tormenta (AAA 2008)
La Tormenta (ONE 2005)
La Tormenta Chapter II (How's It Going 2003)
Love Situation (Time - Kotoba no Chikara 2007)
na na na (Time - Kotoba no Chikara 2007)
Nemuranai Karada (Iza, Now! 2004 Tour)
Niji (Time - Kotoba no Chikara 2007, Ninomiya Kazunari solo)
Niji (AAA 2008, Ninomiya Kazunari solo)
Oh Yeah (Time - Kotoba no Chikara 2007)
One Love (AAA 2008)
PIKA*NCHI (AAA 2006, in Taiwan)
PIKA**NCHI Double (Iza, Now! 2004 Tour)
Rain (AAA in DOME)
Re(mark)able (AAA 2008)
Right Back to You (AAA 2006, in Taiwan)
Right Back to You (Iza, Now! 2004 Tour)
Sirius (AAA 2008)
Step and Go (AAA 2008)
Still... (AAA 2008)
Subarashiki Sekai (AAA 2008)
Take Me Far Away (AAA 2008, Ohno Satoshi solo)
Te Agero (How's It Going 2003)
Tell me what you wanna be? (AAA 2008, Matsumoto Jun solo)
Tochuu Gesha (Iza, Now! 2004 Tour)
TOP SECRET (Iza, Now! 2004 Tour, Ohno Satoshi solo)
Touch Me Now (Summer Concert 2003 How's it going, Sakurai Sho solo)
Truth (AAA 2008)
Unti Unti (AAA 2006, in Taiwan, Sakurai Sho solo)
WAVE (Time - Kotoba no Chikara 2007)
We can make it! (Time - Kotoba no Chikara 2007)
Yabai-Yabai-Yabai (Time - Kotoba no Chikara 2007, Matsumoto Jun solo)
Yes? No? (Arashic - Live 2005 One Summer Tour)
Yes? No? (ONE 2005)
Yes? No? (Time - Kotoba no Chikara 2007)
Yokaze (How's It Going 2003)

Which Arashi visual spectacular will make it to number one!? You be the judge!

YAY for:

=) Sparkly scrolling marquee on my homepage - watch out for tidbits that sum up my current mood!
=) Sim City Jurassic Park style - this game should be in my mail box pretty soon. Making the ultimate JP should relieve some stress. Pity I can't feed the dinos people sprites resembling certain people.
=) TURF WARS! - Be a dino and beat up other dinos Mortal Kombat style! The graphics are amazing for a little flash game!
=) Public holiday this Wednesday
=) Kamiyama <3 - That boy is just toooo adorable. Sho-chan just had to play such a kidnapable psycho cutey!

BOO for:

x( Crazy Moon - the music completely drowns out Arashi's gorgeous voices. And if you ask me, it sounds like something a Johnny's Jr. might be funking it up to.
x( Arashi being on Utaban for all of five minutes with little more than one line each. WTF! If they've got nothing for Arashi to do anymore then don't have them on. They're busy people....busy fishing and learning new magic tricks.
x( Lack of artistic talent - I tried drawing MC-Kamiyama back-to-back with his White Room self like that frame from the English Sailor Moon opening with one of those funky bubble walls between them. I give up. No patience and no talent for art.