#hikaru utada fan... nice. Nice.

[faunandfloraas]

Interview translation under the cut:

ELLE How was today's photo shoot?

It was very rewarding. I'm happy to have the opportunity to show my new side to everyone and STAY.

ELLE This is your first fan event in Japan, do you have any special feelings?

At this fan event, there was a stage quite early in the set list where we went around the audience on a trolley, and at that time there were really small children and various STAY who had probably come from far away. I felt like going around and asking each and every one of them, ``What made you fall in love with Stray Kids?'' This emotion is felt every time I perform on stage, and it feels new every time. I think it's amazing that people are so interested in it. My heart is always filled with gratitude, and I want to repay that gratitude and give something to them as well.

Do you want to be loved or loved by ELLE STAY?

I want to give love to STAY. The amount of love I always receive is overwhelming.

Do you want to love the members or do you want to be loved by them?

Please pass that question (lol)

ELLE's new song "WHY?" is Stray Kids' first Japanese drama theme song, so please tell us about your favorite Japanese drama or movie.

When it comes to dramas, the most recent one was ``First Love.'' When I watch dramas, I feel tickled, warmed, saddened, and tinged, and this was the first Japanese drama that made me feel that way. I really like the song "First Love" by Hikaru Utada, which was the inspiration for this drama, and I even sang it for STAY on stage. That song was the reason I watched the drama.

ELLE So, were you moved and cried a lot?

No, I'm not crying. I'm not the type of person who sheds tears when I watch dramas (lol).

ELLE Stray Kids will be celebrating their 6th anniversary since their debut in March of this year, and 4th anniversary since their debut in Japan. Please let us know if there is anything you would like to try next.

Since we did the dome tour, I would like to meet more STAY members while running around on a bigger and wider stage. Of course, eat delicious food too. Personally, I like fried chicken from convenience stores.

ELLE Speaking of your activities in Japan, you also participated in the NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen for the first time at the end of last year. What was it like appearing on the show?

I thought the timetable management was excellent. It was strictly guarded and there was a sense of tension. I remember the atmosphere of everyone being very serious. Meanwhile, I also had the opportunity to do a collaboration stage with "Idol," but I was really nervous about that as well (lol).

ELLE This year, you will be performing as a headliner at famous music festivals in America and Europe.

This summer I will be participating as a headliner at three major music festivals, and it's truly an unbelievable feeling. I also want to create my own alter ego and watch the stage as an audience member at a festival. When I was asked to participate, I felt a great sense of responsibility. Since I'm the headliner, I want to do my best.

ELLE It looks like the local audience who came to see Stray Kids' stage performance, which is extremely popular in Europe and America, was very enthusiastic .

It's different from a normal live stage, it's a festival, so the audience has a very active way of enjoying themselves. When we participated once before, the excitement of the audience was really high, and we felt that momentum, so we got excited too wanted do our best! I'm looking forward to it even though I feel pressured to do my best to satisfy everyone.

ELLE ELLE Japon celebrates its 35th anniversary this year. Seungmin, what kind of artist and man do you want to be when you are 35 years old?

I want to be a person with more depth when it comes to music. I also aim to be one of the artists in the world who is working hard and living with the right mindset.

To that end, I want to do my best to manage my throat and deliver my best singing voice, and I will always work hard to do my best even when you can't see it, including being able to show me the wonderful image I took today. I have the spirit of wanting to become someone who can continue to work hard for a long time.

Seungmin for Elle Japan, recoloured.

[risualto]

10 songs, 10 people

So like three months ago @dragonologist-phd tagged me for this...and I'm not organized enough to do a character rn but here's just the first 10 songs on my "everything with lyrics" playlist on my phone.

Also I still don't have Spotify...sorry.

"Pararara" - Kaetsu Natsumi

"My Universe" - Coldplay X BTS (ngl I don't remember adding this to a playlist, ever, but I clearly did at some point...it's nice)

"Nichiyo no Asa (Sunday Morning)" - Utada Hikaru

"The River (Full Band Version)" - Jason Charles Miller

"White Light" - Superfly

"Comic Fan" - Library Bards

"Black Velvet" - Alannah Myles

"Hurricanes" - Rina Sawayama

"Aicha" - Khaled

"Everywhere" - Michelle Branch

I'll be honest, I'm still not sure which of y'all are still around, but...let me try to tag 10 people. @captainofthefallen @queen-scribbles @rannadylin @orime-stories @sayonaramidnight @illbealive-nextyear @tpcignits @starlightcleric @quaxorascal ? and y'know just because it's been forever I'll tag @dragonologist-phd back...and also @nanadanonini.

[themelodicenigma]

What do you think about how kingdom hearts chooses its theme songs? Some soriku fans are talking about passion being about sora and riku's 'love'....

I mean, Sora and Riku's reunion in the game is obviously a central part of this larger theme of reunion, and it acts as a conclusion to Hikari/Simple & Clean thematically. But it's much more simple than that based on what's been told about it's conception and how it was utilized. For example:

---Following the previous game, Utada Hikaru also sang the theme song for this game, "Passion." Nomura: Many fans seem to have the image Kingdom Hearts = Utada Hikaru so I didn't think of changing that at all. This time I wrote a story explanation for her that's longer than the previous game's. We decided to have it played at the last scene, so for me the theme was "Sora and Riku's reunion." I wrote stuff like "An image of a reunion, a happy moment in a way" and "Like a Hikari 2" in there.

Based on the phrasing, the most optimal understanding for the last two sentences is if "Sora and Riku's reunion" is in regards to their reunion with everyone else, i.e. the last scene where the song played which prompted the thought of said reunion. There's a missing context of "with everyone" there not being said, but that's fine really as something just being said. I mean, highest chances are the "image of a happy reunion" that Utada Hikaru received, amongst other specific things unbeknownst to us (they also wanted to convey a lot of different things)—what they got should have also involved the nature of the last scene considering it's where the song plays besides the intro and features the conclusion to Hikari nicely (even without digging into the undertones then of Sora and Kairi specifically there). I don't think there's a single main theme that isn't inspired by or is detached from the last scene of the game within it's conception. -shrug- So it's pretty important as a focus.

Reunion and Friendship are huge themes in KH2—how is it not going to be about THE ultimate and final, full circle reunion in the game. Come on now. XD

However, even with the implied "Sora and Riku's reunion (with everyone else)", their reunion obviously still is a large part of the wider theme within the game's ending here. Sora literally spent the game looking for him, he thought Roxas had killed him (the word for "defeat" in JPN is the same that Sora used to Mickey when talking about defeating Ansem SoD)—so especially because of the latter, their literal reunion at TWTNW was a big, touching moment. Showing Sora and Riku on the beach (their "symbolic" reunion with their talk on the beach) as the traditional last in-game picture (which is also moments before reuniting with everyone else), thus also makes a lot of sense too for capturing this theme. Even Nojima utilized the friendship between Sora and Riku as a theme for the scenario. But overall, the boys finally together again and reuniting with everyone else back where the game began, and ending with Sora and Kairi cementing it in reflection of a conclusion to Hikari—it's pretty perfect.

So yeah. Still, it does have a specific application that goes beyond Sora and Riku, though. It's a bit different than Hikari's conception and Chikai's application, how those two evidently are a direct reflect Sora and Kairi in conception, but these wouldn't be themes unless they represented something wider and thus, and also had wider application too beyond it's origin. The most easiest way to see this is how it's used for other games—this mostly applies to Dearly Beloved (especially this as THE main theme), Hikari, and Passion, but Chikai is just...directly and exclusively about Sora and Kairi at this current point. lol

[aaartemisia]

Josie Rizal and her likes and dislikes (if she was been confirmed and has a huge role and major comeback in Tekken 8):

- she likes to eat healthy food and having a very lethargic diet (even she has an hourglass figure and being physically fit and sexy due to her being a eskrima practitioner)

- she was a fan of Aaliyah and Selena Quintallina and she would sometimes wore like them while attending Halloween parties.

- she was into math, science, essay and history but she’s being a straight-a student herself.

- Josie was also a Zendaya fan.

- Josie has a crybaby personality but Josie was been described by some people she met with as a “her smile, her kindness and her beauty was a ray of sunshine”.

- Josie loves to help with other people and being hospitable.

- Josie would decline the offer if she didn’t want to sing at a karaoke but she sang good.

- HBO’s Euphoria was her favorite tv show.. it is because of Zendaya, duh

- Josie tended to be shy, mysterious, wholesome, sweet but she was sometimes sarcastic.

- josie was a big fan of red lipstick but she prefers wearing orange lipstick.

- she speaks Tagalog; but she knew how to speak bicolano, ilocano, kapampangan hiligayon and cebuano (Josie was bisdak) but she spoke English, Japanese and Spanish too.

- a collector of canvas tote bags, clothes, shoes and keychains (especially books, magazines, makeups and also nail polishes).

- also a switftie herself.

- “in love with his red…”

- josie has a crush on Miguel Rojo and she was into hot Spanish bad boy (but a wholesome from the inside).

- josie loves eating sweet’s especially some Filipino sweet delicacies like halo-halo, mais con yelo, egg pie, buko pie, pastillas, espasol, ginataang mais/ginataang bilu-bilo and also haribo gummy bears, kit-kat, Goya, Hershey’s and some other international sweetened foods.

- Josie would get mad if someone’s trying to get her favorite Haribo Gummy Bears.

- Josie also listens to Utada Hikaru, R&B rap and hip-hop music and metal rock and soft rock music.

- an avid traveler and wanted to learn different kinds of languages and cultures (since she works as a supermodel outside of her country).

- Josie plans to get married at 25 and having two daughters of her own at 34.

- Josie’s Highschool course would be humanities.

- a fan of haikus and poetry.

- she was into gold made jewelries and white Pearls.

- Was born under a Virgo sign.

- She would get insecure and jealous sometimes.

- was good friends with Xiaoyu, Alisa, Asuka, Lili, Kuma and Panda.

- Josie would yell, saying a roasting reply at someone else who’s being racist towards Filipinos (since she hates racist people.)

A white racist karen : “that is why I don’t hire Filipinos.”

Josie Rizal herself : “Oh okay Karen, lemme ruin your entire life perspectives about the Filipinos and why they left their own motherland and worked abroad!”

- was a victim of school bullying since childhood (due to her tall and shy nature she was until her parents convinced her to learn kickboxing so she could defend herself from bullies).

- if she saw a good stuff (ex. a new iphone or a new pair of silettos), she would earn some money and buy it.

- Josie works mutiple jobs wc includes a seamstress, a substitute tutor, a cashier, call center agent and also a domestic helper.

- she would rather come home from work for not being drunk and having a daily dose of happy-happy time with friends but instead; she would go home, having a nice bath, eat some snacks and watch some tv shows from an online streaming app than going for a midnight drinking sess.

- she didn’t like Filipino parents using their kids as their own “retirement fund” but Josie was lucky to have parents who weren’t like that and they supported her.

- Josie would send some money via online bank remittance to her parents that she would rather surprise them with gifts.

- both a cat and dog person herself.

- a weeb herself.

[toshio]

i used to be such a k-pop head but man i got into j-pop and the Vibes just can't be matched, and as a bonus the j-pop fandoms aren't certifiably insane so that's also nice

FORREAL i’ve been a fan of kpop since the big bang/2ne1/wonder girls days (basically since 2009) and it was sooo peaceful back then, the hardcore 15 year olds who stan kpop now are INSANEEE

though i’m more into j-rock because of all those inspirational and empowering anime openings (lol), here are some cool artists i frequent on spotify:

Utada Hikaru, ALI, Aimyon, Perfume, NICO Touches The Walls, Galileo Galilei, Asian Kung-Fu Generation, Ikimonogakari, UVERworld, FLOW, and SID

also, bonus must-listen songs:

1. kavka shishido - ラヴコリーダ (love corrida)

2. frederic - oddloop

3. m-flo - loop in my heart

[oishirecipe]

Hello Andre :) How are u have u listened to any really good new music lately? Lately I have been listening to the songs Internet overdose (by aiobahn), Eye (by slavevvr), no nein disco (by r-906), ghost girl (mikitop) & penguins detour (by takumi hayashida) a ton…4/5 miku songs 😓 Oh on the topic of vocal synths, they released 4 new vocals for synthv and Weow are they amazing they’re so realistic and have such good ranges…I think it was 2 jp 1 chinese 1 English vocal? I could be wrong about the Chinese though….I’ve mostly listened to the Eng voice his name is Kevin. None of them have official designs but I’ve enjoyed seeing fan designs :) Tbh synthv is really outperforming vocaloid lately with these new vbs and solaria…I can’t wait to see where they go w their vocal synths . Okay sorry for the long synthv paragraph here are some images 4 u

^ My cat :) he has been acting very possessed lately like he just stares at nothing for 3 minutes, looks to the other side and then runs around like crazy. Love him regardless

Hi Vincent !!!!! I have not been myself lately but I'm fine , I hope you're doing well . And not much but I did listen to the new Utada Hikaru album it was very nice albeit not something I'd see myself coming back to . The cover just being a picture of her standing in (presumably) her house does make me laugh though lol . Because of it I did end up listening to alot of her discography again and I still love First Love so much ..... Excellent album . Automatic , Movin' on without you , Time Will Tell and Amai Wana ~Paint it, Black have always been my favorite tracks . I've also been *really* into Sakanaction and Yellow Magic Orchestra lately . I will check out the songs you mentioned !!

And LMFAO I love that his name is Kevin . They could've given him any name and they named him Kevin that's lovely . Do you have any links to where I could hear their voices ? I'm interested now .

And LOVE the images . Your cat is so lovely what is his name

[recentanimenews]

FEATURE: 21 Great Anime You Should Absolutely Watch In 2021

    Happy Anime Day! With every season bringing a plethora of new series, there are now countless shows and movies, both new and old, to watch. Whether it's adventure, comedy, romance, or drama you're looking for, here are 21 anime series you should add to your watchlist in 2021.

      1. My Hero Academia Season 5

When it comes to the next chapter of My Hero Academia, 2021 couldn't come fast enough. Season 4 showed audiences just how high the stakes really are and how dangerous the enemies can be. Season 5, which recently premiered in March, will not only deliver high-level action, but we'll also get more time with the great slate of heroes and villains showcased last season.

      2. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train

After hearing the news of Mugen Train dominating the box office, the time has come for North American audiences to experience this highly anticipated film. Mugen Train will be available for digital release this summer and will help fill the void fans of the series have been feeling since the season ended. And we can always revisit Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba in the meantime.  

      3. The Devil Is A Part-Timer

The Devil Is A Part-Timer! offers lots of comedy with all the appeal of your traditional fantasy series, but it takes place in the modern world. Demon Lord Satan gets transported to Tokyo, and while his original goal was to take over his homeland of Ente Isla, Satan finds a better path to world domination ... climbing the ranks at the local MgRonalds! It's fun, it's wacky, and it's one of those series we never thought would get a second season, until now.

      4. Given The Movie

Talk about a bag of mixed emotions. Like the series, you'll feel proud and happy one minute, and then a pile of mush the next. Given The Movie provides a touching viewing experience following these fractured characters as they navigate their personal feelings, as well as expressing their innermost emotions through music.

        5. Hunter X Hunter

2021 marks the 10-year anniversary of Hunter X Hunter. Whether you've never seen this series or you've re-watched it hundreds of times, come celebrate this epic title's milestone!

      6. MEGALOBOX 2: NOMAD

MEGALOBOX brought all the charm of a '90s anime, but with the story of a futuristic society that takes boxing to a whole other level. Gearless Joe made a name for himself in Season 1, and although things have changed and gotten complicated, he's "not dead yet." For Joe, the fire still burns within him, and he seeks to fight once more. 

      7. Osamake: The Romcom Where The Childhood Friend Won't Lose!

Finally, a series where the childhood friend captures the heart of the MC ... I hope? It is a harem after all! Osamake: The Romcom Where The Childhood Friend Won't Lose! has a whole lot of comedy, a whole lot of shenanigans, and a noticeable amount of ... revenge. It looks like an epic competition is about to get underway!

        8. Chihayafuru

If you're experiencing Haikyu!! withdrawals, then Chihayafuru may be the next best sports anime for you! Now don't be fooled. Although Chihayafuru is all about Karuta, a Japanese card game, it still delivers the same level of development and high-stakes settings as other sports anime. This may be one of those series you always saw around but never watched but if there was ever a time to binge, it's now!

      9. Tokyo Revengers

With the manga receiving much praise, probably one of the most anticipated anime adaptations for 2021 is Tokyo Revengers. Motivated by tragedy, Takemichi Hanagaki finds himself in the past, climbing the ranks of the Tokyo Manji Gang in order to change destiny. He may not appear the toughest, but he's determined to get through the intense situations he finds himself in.

      10. To Your Eternity

Knowing this is a story from Yoshitoki Oima, creator of A Silent Voice, To Your Eternity, will surely be an adventure that tugs on your heartstrings. Audiences will witness an intimate journey of life and death revolving around an emotionless orb with no identity but can take the shape of those around it. There will be elements of time, drama, emotion, plus Hikaru Utada performs the theme? ... Sold! Want to know more? Check out the full manga catalog here.

      11. Shaman King

A Shaman King reboot was the best present fans of the original series could've gotten as the title just marked its 20th year since the show premiered back in 2001. Fans will be transported back to their childhood, all the while looking forward to a new story that reflects the manga. The series recently aired in April in Japan, and fans in North America can expect to watch the series sometime later this year. 

        12. Horimiya

  If you've been searching for a romance anime unlike any other, then you should watch Horimiya if you haven't already. This series takes everything you know about anime romance tropes, and delivers a series of fresh new twists, making for a warm and cozy viewing experience.

    13. Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

If in between all the action and comedy you need a good slice of life series about friendship, Anohana is the series for you! The original series aired 10 years ago, but sometimes a trip down memory lane is exactly what you need. Plus a new visual and news of an upcoming project will surely get you pumped to hit play.

      14. The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2

Thinking he'd be the hero in this new fantasy world, Naofumi Iwatani ended up being hated, shunned, and stigmatized at the beginning of The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 1. But as he journeyed on, he developed genuine relationships, gained valuable trust, credibility, and gratitude from others. Season 2, airing in October, is ready to continue with Naofumi's journey and progression.

        15. Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S

Miss Kobayashi Dragon Maid has it all! This series draws you in with its cute appearance, but it surprises you with its mature moments and shocks you with some unexpected sizzle. Plus it has dragons, maids, and sweet raps! Be sure to check out the second season's adventures this July. 

    16. One Piece

  If you haven't already committed to the legendary behemoth One Piece, now may be a good time to start. The anime is set to hit its 1,000th episode this year, and while diving into a series that's so far along can seem intimidating, if you've been spending a lot of time binging TV lately, this series could be your next big marathon.

      17. S8 the Infinity

Take the Tony Hawk Pro Skater video games, and mix them together with vibrant, aesthetically pleasing animation and cool action scenes and you have S8 the Infinity. Sports anime has been really expanding its catalog lately, and this series is an entertaining addition to the genre.

  Image via Hulu

  18. The Wallflower

A little bit of nostalgia is nice to mix into your anime watchlist. If you're a fan of Ouran High School Host Club, then you'll love The Wallflower! It's got some handsome boys, a cute and quirky girl with a fascination for all things dark and scary, and all the ridiculous antics of a harem!

      19. Death Parade

Death Parade has stayed under the radar, but it at least deserves to be on YOUR radar. A story about the afterlife where a bar represents limbo and its bartender decides the fate of the souls in front of him whether they experience reincarnation, or disappear into the void by playing a game. This is a psychological, thought-provoking drama with some mystery, as we don't know the true nature of the people in the bar, or what led them to where they are. Those secrets will eventually be revealed as the game plays on.

    20. Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Like Hunter X Hunter, this year also marks the 10-year anniversary of Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Madoka was and to this day still is a defining series that was a real game-changer for the magical girl genre, showing just how much danger magical girls face. It's a must-watch if you haven't already, so make a contract with yourself to watch or re-watch this series sometime in 2021.  

    21. How To Keep A Mummy

  How To Keep A Mummy is a heartwarming episodic series to watch when you want to have a feel-good time! Friends and classmates spend time together with their mythical creature companions: A precious, tiny mummy who anytime he holds anything will make your heart melt, a somewhat hot-headed but caring oni, a clever dragon, and a fluffy baku. After catching up on everything on your watch list, have fun with this series to round out 2021.  

What anime will you be watching in 2021? Let us know in the comments!

        Veronica Valencia is an anime-loving hot sauce enthusiast! You can follow more of her work as a content creator on Twitter and Instagram.

  Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: Veronica Valencia

[terubakudan]

New lockscreen and homescreen for the chilly winter~❄⛄❄

Art once again belongs to their respective owners, the KuroTsuki piece is of course from the extremely talented 時雨不沢shigurefusawa

Once again, captions are song lyrics! Because aside from pictures, I absolutely adore music.

Left from Utada Hikaru’s Beautiful World: “Beautiful boy, you don’t know yet, just how beautiful you are.” I recently got into Evangelion from a friend’s recommendation, and I can see why everyone calls it a must-watch classic. Am excited for the new 3.0+1.0 movie coming out January next year! Though that’s only for Japan at the moment xD And...I just want Shinji and Kaworu to be happy TT I agree with what some fans said that ‘Beautiful World’ is from Kaworu’s perspective to Shinji, and ‘Sakura Nagashi’ is the other way around.

Right from L’Arc~en~Ciel’s My Heart Draws a Dream: “If I could meet you with that smiling face, that would be great.” L’Arc has so many great songs! And listening to them just gives one a nice, warm feeling. And I felt that that particular line can be both from Kuroo’s perspective to Tsukki and vice versa, since they would only get to see each other every other time due to the distance between Miyagi and Tokyo. I mean I often think of my ships when listening to romantic songs like Anata, Hitomi no Jyuunin, etc.

Well, this got long xD But thank you for reading! I just like to explain the inspiration behind the things I make ^^

[literaryeagle]

For my sixty-eighth Evangelion book review, here is Evangelion Shin Gekijouban: Jo - Entry File 1 (Evangelion New Theatrical Edition: Prelude - Entry File 1), published by Kadokawa Shoten. This 128-page paperback is a guide to the Evangelion: 1.0 movie that contains images, information, and interviews. (By the way, just to avoid confusion, I would like to point out that even though this book has "Entry File 1" as part of its title, an "Entry File 2" was never released!)

This book is not available in English or French - although there are a few tiny bits of English text such as the chapter titles - but there are plenty of pictures. Most of the illustrations are in full color, and there are a few sketches as well. The dust jacket is also removable, revealing a silver cover underneath. Here is the art from one of the book's pages, showing Ritsuko, Misato, Shinji, and Pen Pen (drawn by Shunji Suzuki):

Wow, that page has such pretty blue skies!

Keep reading for the rest of the book review, plus a few more pictures!

The title page uses the art from the movie poster (that famous picture of Shinji and the other kids on a staircase), then there are a few pages of introductory text and screenshots from the movie, and then the Table of Contents.

The first chapter of the book is "Dramatis Personae", which starts with a two-page spread showing the main characters for the movie. The page I showed earlier in this review with Ritsuko, Misato, Shinji, and Pen Pen is one half of that spread. The other half shows Gendo, Kaworu, and Rei. (Considering that part of the movie is about Shinji becoming friends with Toji and Kensuke, I think it's pretty weird that those two boys aren't included. I mean, Kaworu managed to make it into this section, even though he doesn’t appear in the movie until the final scene!) After that, the chapter has a couple of pages showing screenshots of Evangelion Unit-00 and Evangelion Unit-01, and a page with the Nerv logo.

Next is a chapter called "Stage: A", with the subtitle "4th Angel & 5th Angel". This part of the book is devoted to the beginning of the film, with several pages of vibrant screenshots and quotes from the movie, plus some explanatory notes. Although most of the art in this chapter consists of screenshots, there is also a two-page spread of Rei drawn by Shunji Suzuki. Here is a tiny sample of a few screenshots from this part:

After that chapter is a two-page spread for the movie's English title, Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone, and then a section called "Interview With" which has interviews with Megumi Ogata (voice of Shinji), Megumi Hayashibara (voice of Rei), Kotono Mitsuishi (voice of Misato), Shiro Sagisu (composer), and Utada Hikaru (singer of "Beautiful World").

The next chapter is "Stage: B", with the subtitle "Operation Yashima". This part covers most of the rest of the movie, and once again the majority of the pictures are screenshots. However, there are also some cool two-page spreads drawn by Kazuya Tsurumaki, Hidenori Matsubara, and Takeshi Honda. I'll show you the one drawn by Kazuya Tsurumaki, which depicts Kensuke, Toji, Shinji, and Rei at school. Unfortunately, a two-page spread like this is too large to fit into my scanner, so I had to hold the book open with some DVDs and try to take a photo instead. I apologize for how wonky this looks:

Again, sorry for the bad quality of the photo. I assure you that the illustration looks much nicer in person!

Next, there is a short "Opinion" section written by an anime reviewer, a picture of Evangelion Unit-01, a page with the new Seele logo, and then a chapter called "High Light" which has interviews with various staff members to talk about how the movie was made. This chapter starts with a two-page spread of screenshots showing some of Tokyo-3's weapons and moving buildings, followed by an interview with Tatsuya Tanaka about architecture design for the movie. After that is a two-page spread of screenshots of Unit-01, and then an interview with Ikuto Yamashita about mecha design. Even though most of the pictures in this chapter are screenshots from the movie, there are also some other types of art, such as pre-production sketches and storyboards. Oh, and check out this cool illustration from the Yamashita interview:

The rest of the chapter has interviews with Takeshi Honda (about the battle with Ramiel), Takeshi Takakura (about various equipment designs), okama (Central Dogma design), Shoichi Masuo (special effects), and Shinji Higuchi (Operation Yashima). By the way, this book was published in 2007. Sadly, Shoichi Masuo passed away in July of 2017. A book called Evangelion Irasutoshuu 2007-2017 has a hidden tribute to Masuo, which I described back in my sixty-fifth Evangelion book review.

Getting back to Entry File 1, the next chapter is called "Rebuild", and it contains many more interviews and pictures about the making of the movie. The people featured in this chapter are Tomoki Kyoda, Hiroshi Haraguchi, Susumu Fukushi, Hiroshi Katoh, Hidenori Matsubara, Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, Daisuke Onitsuka, Hiroyasu Kobayashi, and Kazuya Tsurumaki. Once again many of the images are screenshots from the movie, however there are also some other types such as sketches, storyboards, CG work, and photos from Studio Khara. Take a look at this lovely sketch of Rei:

Afterwards is a short chapter called "Last Stage" with the subtitle "Kaworu Nagisa", and it has screenshots and dialogue from the movie's final scene, along with a two-page spread of Kaworu drawn by Atsushi Okuda. Here are screenshots from one of this chapter's pages:

The book finishes with a few pages of credits, plus Misato's words from the Next Time Preview at the very end of the movie.

Overall, Evangelion Shin Gekijouban: Jo - Entry File 1 is a nice book for fans of the Evangelion: 1.0 movie, however you probably won't get as much out of it if you can't read Japanese. Besides, if you're looking for screenshots and/or materials about the making of the movie, the Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone Complete Records Collection (which I covered back in my fifty-fourth Evangelion book review) is much more extensive, so you might prefer to get that instead. Or if you don't care about screenshots or "making of" pics and just want the original art from Entry File 1's two-page spreads, you can get Evangelion Irasutoshuu 2007-2017 for those and many other beautiful illustrations, although admittedly they will be smaller in size. (NOTE: The two "Dramatis Personae" pics are older, so they are in another book called Die Sterne Ver.2.0 which I discussed way, way back in my second Evangelion book review!)

If you do want to purchase Evangelion Shin Gekijouban: Jo - Entry File 1, it seems that new copies are currently no longer in stock, so try searching on a website that specializes in used Japanese books (such as Mandarake).

Well, that’s it for my sixty-eighth Evangelion book review. I have plenty more Evangelion books to discuss, so keep checking my blog for new reviews!

[troutpopulation]

Truth Or Dare! 1, 3, 11, 24, 25

1: (truth) Who was your first major celebrity crush? (dare) Put your music player on shuffle and post the first five songs.

It was and still is Pedro Pascal but I wanna put you on some bops anyways so here we go

Tangerine Daydream,  鴻雁, Olox, Ez naz Makurtuko, LUZ DELITO

3: (truth) What are your three favorite things about your appearance? (dare) List all nine of your tumblr crushes, and describe each blog/blogger in one word.

I would lich Rally rather die than acknowledge anyone I admire time to be vain<3

1) I used to hate it but my skin is so so pretty objectively. The dermatitis scars and hypopigmentation spots look like an impressionist painting, or one of those pictures of nebulas. 2) Its hidden under layers of flowy clothes but I have a very nice shape that I like a lot. My legs are long and thin but really curvy and angular, and my waist is still tiny but it tapers out to a broad upper body. 3) I’m a big fan of my hands, they’re very nicely proportioned. Honestly I love my appearance from the shoulders down I just hate how my neck and face look so much lol.

11: (truth) Where did you get each article of clothing you’re wearing right now? (dare) Pick up the closest book to you. Turn to page 39 and copy down line 7.

“...Yet they persisted through a decade of failed pregnancies, and eventually it paid off: Mom was born on January 20, 1961-- the day of John F. Kennedy’s inauguration-- and my aunt Lori came along less than two years later.” [Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance]

24: (truth) If you could only own five material objects (not counting life necessities like food/water/a house/etc) what would they be? (dare) Put your music player on shuffle. Post what the first three songs are, and for each one, tag a blog that the song reminds you of.

Simple and Clean by Hikaru Utada-- @juliejewel24 uvu

The Pan Within by The Waterboys-- @thehereticaldeserthermit <3

Tus Ojos Claros by Rosario Alfonso--  @candythemew LETS GOOOO

25: (truth) What is the last thing you lied about? (dare) Tag three people you want to know better and ask them each three questions about themselves.

“I’ve been sleeping fine I just wanted to take a nap” I have been staying up until like 3 to talk to my friends goodbye

[safitheartist]

Imagine falling back into sexist early 2000's shipping discourse because your ass doesn't want to understand that you were being queer baited and read too much into it.

Please people lets not do this shit again.

Once and for all:

No, Kairi is not some evil witch getting in the way of your ship. She was alway intended to be Sora's love interest.

No Kairi is not getting in the way of your ship in the first place. If she didn't exist the writers wouldn't suddenly decide to make Riku Sora's love interest. Like how the hell do you think that works? "Oh, the hetero love interest is gone, now it's time to take out my gay pride flag and become a ally to the LGBT community because my views on that matter were totally tied to the existence of this one female character."

Kairi is not a person with agency. She is a fictional character. She is not maliciously trying to ruin your fun or what the fuck ever. Everything established about her character (like the fact that she is literally pure of heart, she is literally a princes of light, that is literally the plot!) contridicts that Kairi is such a desisive and manipulative character.

You guys were being queer baited. The new remind DLC simply put emphasis on Sora and Kairi as a romance and you all want to be in denial about it and are searching for ways to still make your ship happen and it's just sad at this point.

Like fuck, if you still want to believe Soriku will be a thing then that's fine, but please stop falling into the same sexist trap people used to fall into in the early fandom days. Stop blaming female characters for things beyond their control. Stop acting like they are actual living beings with malicious intents instead of holding corporations accountable for their exploititive actions!

Just fucking stop and realize that, maybe, just fucking maybe, Nomura never intended for Sora and Riku to have romantic chemistry but he at some point realized he could exploit this very popular fandomship by feeding into it? That maybe square enix and disney are corporations with agendas that would speak against them making a gay couple canon in this game, yet alone the main characters?

That maybe Nomura has a history of lowkey homophobia within his older games (FF7 gym anybody) and how square's only game series with actual lgbt rep is Life is Strange, which is made by their american team and aimed at a western audience, while all their jrpgs tend to treat gay subtext as jokes or fanservice at the very fucking best?

That maybe we have a patern of behaviour here that is well documented?

That Kairi's lack of engagement in the majority of the story falls right in with how square games treat most of their female support cast?

That there is no secret reason why she is written that way?

That it might be, just a tad bit, more realistic that Square and Disney had/have no intentions for Sora and Riku to be in a relationship and are motivated more by profit then making something nice for the lgbt community, especially with their bigger titels?

Then for Kairi, one of their mascot characters, one of the characters they put a major amount of marketing into, the character they literally model after one of their biggest business partners famous and beloved japanese star Utada Hikaru, in every main line game to honor her, is secretly suppose to be revealed as a evil *itch who's sole purpose is to keep Sora and Riku apart for some stupid reason?

Like fucking come on yall. Falling back into this shit is embarassing. This fandom is embarassing for trying to give this game more credit then it deserves and then trying to bend backwards and find loop holes when they are let down again.

You are just setting yourself up for futher disapointment and are going to antagonize Kairi's fans, who have waited years for her to even get any story relevance at all, while at it!

Just fucking stop it already and look around you. You have to start to accept that Kingdom Hearts probably will never give you the representation you want from it.

That sucks, it really fucking does, it's hurtfull and stupid and idealy we would live in a world where there would be no big deal with gay representation in a colaboration between two media giants like Square and Disney.

But reality is: it would be a big deal.

It would be a big deal regarding cultural differences, it would be a big deal regarding the political climate in Japan right now (I know this site loves to pretend other countries then the US don't have those, but I assure you, we do) it would be a big deal marketing whise, it would be a big deal profit whise for them.

Of course there are companies willing to take that chance. Of course there have been many plesant surprises in the past couple of years.

But please be honest to yourself. Do you truly believe Square Enix and Disney are those kind of companies?

Do you truly believe it?

Because I don't.

Yes both of these comapnies have taken babysteps in having more lgbt representation, but at the end of it all, that's really it.

Babysteps.

This post got extremly long, and I'm sorry if at any point while reading this you got upset.

If you still want to hold on to hope for Sora and Riku to end up together instead that's fine, really, but you guys need to stop projecting your disapointment on Kairi. You need to realize that she is not a 'threat' and that her existence is not actually what prevents your ship from being canon.

All you are doing with that is feeding into a sexist trope a lot of fandoms, including this one, have rinsed and repeated over and over again.

[madamedevien]

I have been blessed and tagged by the lovely @lord-diavolo-is-watching and @autisticobeymefan - thank you!

Name: deVien (sorry - if I gave you my actual name y’all have enough information that you could probably actually find me and I don’t wanna dox myself >>; ) Nickname: Some speople have called me Devi here - IRL my friends have been known to call me Kitten or Madame :) Gender: Female Star Sign: Virgo (although a majority of my other planets are in Scorpio!) Current time: 14h30 (only because I had to take OVER TWO FREAKING HOURS to deliberate over the next two questions - it was agonising). (Oh god, the next 2 are the hardest questions for me) Favorite song Artists: I’ve got a few: Rammstein, Britney Spears, Panic! At the Disco, Fall Out Boy, Sambomaster, Michael Buble, Stromae, MAXIMUM THE HORMONE, Maroon 5, Dragonette, Charles Aznavour, My Chemical Romance, VITAS, Rufus Wainwright, Utada (Hikaru), MIKA, Justin Timberlake, Shakira, Jacques Brel, and more...(this doesn’t include anything like musical casts or film soundtracks, so count yourself lucky...) Favorite Song: hhhhhhhhh, okay, if I could only ever listen to one song forever GUN TO HEAD, I’d have to pick ‘Jump in the Line’ by Harry Belafonte. It’s so catchy, y’know? Runner up is another peppy one, ‘Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer’ by Nat King Cole.  Song stuck in your head: Matchistador - Extended by -M- (francophone friends, don’t judge me stp) (ALLER MACHO, MACHO, MACHISTADOR, MACHO, MACHO - J’ADORE!) The last movie you saw?: In cinema? Knives Out.  Last thing I Googled: A million different questions about the new Coral Nintendo Switch Lite >> Other Blogs: Just this one! :) Main Blog: This one, hahahaha! Do you get asks?: Not particularly, in honesty  Reason for your URL: Well, I got super excited when I found out that the bakery is called ‘Madam deVian’s’ because that’s soooooo close to my name...so, I thought it was appropriate for a blog name! Average amount of sleep: Well, normally between 4 and 9...but I can easily sleep 12 if you leave me to it >>’ Lucky Number: 9! I was born on 09/09, weighing 9lb9oz, just before 9h00 and apparently after 9 hours of labour c: Currently wearing: My favourite pj pants and a long sleeved olive top. I’m technically working, so I made sure to throw on a real-person shirt incase a conference call suddenly gets called... Dream Job: Honestly? Too many to choose - but I’d love to be a proper professor of modern language. Could I also be a trophy wife to a well-educated millionaire who genuinely loves me and I genuinely love them and we go gallavanting around the world together? Dream Trips: I’ve been super lucky that I’ve already gotten to do my dream trips!  I’ve travelled through Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo (Japan) and Saint Petersburg with a day trip to Moscow (Russia). I’d like to travel more extensively through both countries though - but I do try to save more for Japan because it was nice to be able to fan over weeby things >> Fav Foods: Ice cream. No contest.  Play any Instruments: Sadly not :c I did try the recorder, flute, piano and violin in school (spoiler alert: I was shit at all of them). Oh, so many of you guys have done this already - so, I’m going to tag @popcherrypop @onemistresstorulethemall and @3rdgymbros because I think you’re the only three that I haven’t seen do it? You’re not at all obliged though! c:  Anyone who would like to but wasn’t tagged, please do it and you can tag me as the person who tagged you if it tickles your fancy - I love learning more about everyone!!!

[dotzines]

Artist Spotlights!

🎤 _creativert_ 🥁 AbelDraws 🎷 Amaari

🎺 andiavang 🎸 Antonia

Interview below the cut!

Introduce yourself

🎤 HI! I'm a geeky, introverted artist who likes to explore many artistic mediums, but really only posts digital art. I kinda like to draw anything and everything, but recently I've been trying to focus more on my OC's! Besides art, I love reading, playing video games (despite the fact that I haven't played many recently) and I like writing stories too. In the future, I plan to create a webcomic story with my OC's. I hope you enjoy my work! Here's where you can find my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_creativert_/

🥁 Hi! I'm Abel. I'm a Design and Mech engineering student, but my passion is art. I love drawing and currently I'm working on my dream project, a comic named FIVE. This takes most of my free time, but besides that I'll be either rping, watching a movie with my friends, reading (usually webcomics) or listening to some tunes while charging my energy up. I preffer digital art over traditional, you can fix mistakes so very easily... I also get more freedom with a program than with the limited tools I own (and it looks way cleaner and nicer when I upload a digital pic than a traditional, but my photography skills are to blame there lmao)If you want to read my comic, it's up on tapas! https://tapas.io/series/FlVE But if you'd rather see some illustrations and doodles you should check my tumblr: https://abel-draws.tumblr.com/ 🎷 Hi! I'm an avid 3-d and 2-d idol fan as well as a bee fanatic!! Drawing/painting is mostly a hobby for me, but in the future, if time ever allows it, I'd like to sell every so often. My default medium is digital using program SAI but sometimes I'll pick up a pencil/watercolors for traditional pieces. If you'd like to take a look at some of my other works/doodles, my art twitter is here @ https://twitter.com/hiwamaari . 🎺 I’m predominantly a digital artist! But I also crochet, sew, and embroider! I’m Andiavang across all platforms! 🎸 Hi, my name is Antonia, I'm an artist who does traditional hand drawn art. I love to draw and listen to music, often in tandem with each other. You can find me on tumblr @chibiranmaruchan

Do you do commissions post? Where can we find the info?

🎤

🥁 https://abel-draws.tumblr.com/post/184015135166/commissions-are-open-i-renewed-my-commissions 🎺 https://andiavang.tumblr.com/post/186764888718/commissions-are-open-all-payment-through-paypal

Do you listen to music (or tv shows/films/anything else) when drawing?

🎤 Yes! I actually create a new playlist every month filled with songs that have recently come out, or new songs I found that I really like! Generally, I'll listen to music when sketching but once I get to the lineart and colors, I'll listen to podcasts. For podcasts, I really like story podcasts and true crime podcasts. A couple of my favorites are Crime Junkies, Myths and Legends, The Bright Sessions and The Edge of Sleep.

🥁 *Yes*. All the time. I don't usually watch shows while drawing because my atention is all focused on the piece at hand, so... I miss most of it x'D so I preffer listening to music by a mile. It also helps me get myself in a nice mood for drawing <3 🎷 I mostly listen to music, generally one song or album of whatever artist I'm vibing to at the time. Constant repeat lately has been Blackbear's Anonymous album and Mesemoas. 6th single, Crossing Threads. Solid 12/10 🎺 I mostly listen to music! Sometimes I listen to a Podcast instead 🎸 I do listen to music while I draw, if I'm on a tight deadline where I need to focus, I listen to the Pokémon mystery dungeon red and blue recuse team OST. If I have plenty of time to draw, then what I listen to depends on what I'm drawing. it may be where I am getting inspiration from or connected to the aesthetic of the drawing or directly connected to it.

What’s your favorite music artist/band? If you could ask your favorite band/music artist one question, what would it be?

🎤 Oohhh, this is pretty hard honestly. I don't really think I can choose a favorite, but no matter who I'd choose, I'd probably ask them who or what encouraged them to keep going along the path they chose.

🥁 Currently it's panic! At the disco, I'm listening to all their songs on loop constantly lmao. They have such great songs, they inspire me a *lot*. I even created a character based on one of their songs, he's the one I'll be drawing for this zine!:DI'd ask them about the meaning behing lots of their songs <3 The interviews at hand do not satisfy my curiosity enough lmao.I also love Halsey (her first album is my fave), Set it off, Maldita Nerea (a Spanish group) and plenty of musicals (Hamilton, Be more chill...) 🎷 I've so many favorite music artists its so hard to choose, but if I had to pick one, the male J-idol group ARASHI. And if I had to ask them a question, I'd ask them if they're happy and enjoying life well. 🎺 My fave band is Placebo! If hav to ask them what their inspiration would be for their early songs 🎸 My favourite artist is Hikaru Utada and I would ask her if she likes her pre-existing songs, some being based on her life, being used for kingdom hearts or if she would prefer to make songs specifically for the game, about the game itself?

Do you play an instrument? If not would you like to play one? Which one?

🎤  I have a guitar, but I'm still learning how to play that, and definitely want to dedicate more time to that in the future. I'm also kind of interested in learning the piano or violin!

🥁 Nope, but I *wish*, I have such admiration for people who do, seriously. Live music is the best. I'd love to learn how to play the piano, the guitar or maybe the ukelele... But I doubt I will, at least for now, my hands are pretty full with college and comic making. 🎷 I wish I could play the piano and any string instrument. Maybe violin or the harp. 🎺 I used to play the drums 🎸 I can play basic piano. I used to play a recorder when I was much younger.

Which song(s) are you going to draw?

🎤 Magic Island by TXT and Audio by Sia, Diplo and Labrinth

🥁 King of the clouds, by panic! At the disco. 🎷 To the Me of Those Days - KOKIA 🎺 Special K by Placebo 🎸 Sanctuary by Hikaru Utada & Slow dancing in the dark by Joji

What do you expect from this zine?

🎤 To see everyone create a work they're proud of based off of a song they like!

🥁 I just really liked the theme, I have all kinds of imagery and videos in my head about several songs I'm obsessed with. It's a nice excuse to draw a pretty, fleshed out illustration and to learn some new songs in the way from the others' pieces<3    🎷 To be introduced to many different genre's of music and to hopefully find a song/genre I didn't expect to like! 🎺 Mostly just to interact with different people and artists! Make same new friends! 🎸 I expect to see a wide range of music presented, of different genres and both lyrical and instrumental. I hope the music resonates with the individual, something they're proud to share with the other participants and the eventual readers. I would like to have a journey through the zine, experiencing different emotions from everyone's art pieces.

Anything else you want to add?

🎤 Everyone has been super nice so far, and I really look forward to seeing everyone's pieces!

🥁 Best of lucks to everyone participating! I can't wait to see everyone's pieces together :D 🎷 Thank you for taking interest in this zine!  All the artists have put in so much love into each of their pieces. It's been a pleasure to see so many different styles, their works-in-progress and I'm equally excited to see everyone's final product. I hope everyone is able to enjoy all the wonderful artworks being created and produced for all the songs being represented here when the zine releases.  ^^

[sneek-m]

5 Quick Thoughts on the Showa Pop Episode of Matsuko No Shiaranai Sekai

For those who don’t know, Matsuko No Shiranai Sekai is a variety show hosted by popular geinojin Matsuko DX where it explores a subculture, scene, a fad or just everyday things through a guest who is a deep obsessive of a particular subject. I don’t really care about this show, but sometimes it touches on a topic I’m interested in, like last Tuesday’s, which covered Showa pop. (Before it touched on anime songs, and that was interesting too.) It was a nice watch, and I decided to jot down some thoughts i had while watching it

It’s depressing to look back at the Bubble era, as roughly described by the show, as a time when  Japan used to be thriving. The two guests were millennials, 28 and 27 (as am I), born the third and fourth year of Heisei, so the Bubble had just burst when they were born, and the country has been trying to recoup since. To bring a slightly more American cultural narrative, they were the first to be faced with an unstable economy. I wonder if they listen to Showa-era pop to feel a promise on life that they can’t quite get today. (Matsuko DX, a Showa-born geinojin, meanwhile, surprisingly refuses to look back with rose-tinted glasses, which is actually relieving.)

It’s also disappointing that the two think their generation lacks a pop anthem that can unite people together. They say Morning Musume’s “Love Machine” is the last pop single with such quality, but I refuse to think so! Utada Hikaru put out more hits thereafter! How about Ayaya’s “Momoiro Kataomoi”? Am I overestimating the power of AKB48’s “Koi No Fortune Cookie”? There’s got to be, like, one rock band who put out a song everyone knows in Japan?

But it is true that there is less of a monoculture than the Showa era or at least it is decentralized with TV growing weaker especially during the past half decade. What do you expect with the introduction of the internet? The show brought up an image of a family spanning three generations all sitting around the TV, watching a countdown show like The Best Ten, therefore creating more familiarity in pop songs across generations. With less music shows on primetime, and really less family time in general, I don’t find it surprising that every member of a generation has grown a different taste in pop, or even within generations for that matter.

I recognized Showa pop had incredible intros, but I never thought deeply as to why they did. It is something to be missed to have such a memorable hook right when you press play, but it’s also telling how sophisticated the structure of pop songs have become in Japan, and the adventurousness of the audience embracing it, once it transitioned into Heisei. We don’t need fancy intros anymore; there are infinitely more things we can do creatively to make and keep an impression to listeners.

It’s a damn shame almost none of the Showa pop songs covered on the show are available on streaming services. I forever have respect to the fan blogs on Tumblr and Twitter spreading love of Showa artists on the internet, and me having to scramble for coverage on the era like this only deepens it.

[housemate]

[Press Conference] Kei Takebuchi as Main Guest Star at 25th Gelar Jepang Universitas Indonesia

Date: Saturday, 3 August 2019 (13:15 ~ 14:00 Jakarta Time)

We had the opportunity to attend her Press Conference. It was held in Indonesian and supported with a Japanese Interpreter, I translated her answer to English for overseas fans in this site. Please check the full Q&A session below. All photo credit: @bagusrezandi_street

Q: Currently, you are focusing on pop music. Do you have plans to try a different genre of music? A: Yes, my genre of music is pop. Even so, I would like to challenge myself to try another genre or collaborate with other musicians if there are some possibilities.

Q: How do you feel when the event’s committee contacted you and invited you to perform in Gelar Jepang as the main guest star? A: Of course, I was really surprised. I couldn’t believe it at all. Even though I am aware that I have fans in Indonesia, I have never imagined that I would be invited to such a big event in Indonesia.

Q: What is your idea and inspiration when you are writing the song “in this blanket”? A: “In this blanket” is mainly based on my feelings when I was a little child. Then, I compared those feeling to my current feelings while doing my solo career when I have to be stronger by myself. So, I wrote the song while remembering myself in the past and contemplating my current self.

Q: What is the difference between your current solo career and previously working as a group? A: Of course I enjoyed a lot of things when being in the group, I can express my will but we have a producer to lead us. The difference when I become a solo singer is I have to take responsibility for everything I do. What kind of music, what kind of direction, activities and so on are on my hands. So, I have to be stronger than before while reflecting on my own ability.

Q: What is your turning point so you decided to become a solo artist and leave your previous group? A: Actually, it is my childhood dream to become a solo singer-songwriter. While being part of the group, I always dream that I can be a solo singer-songwriter someday. I had been singing together with Goosehouse for 8 years. As those 8 years passed, I came to the realization that I couldn’t give up my dream so easily. Then I made my decision.

Q: Since when you learned music and who is your biggest influence in music? A: I love to sing ever since I was born. My first performance in front of the audience was during high school and my biggest musical influence is Utada Hikaru.

Q: Why did you decide to start doing cover music on Youtube? A: Because I like to sing, I want to convey my feeling towards the song I sang, so the listeners could have similar feelings with me. I want to sing the song that I like, and share it with others and enjoy it together.

Q: Your fans are not limited within Japan, but you have lots of fans around the world. How do you feel about it? A: Actually, I still haven’t really felt it yet. This is the first time I went overseas outside Japan as a solo artist. So, even though there are lots of overseas fans commented on social media, I would not understand how many fans are there. That’s why when I see them in front of my eyes like here in Indonesia, I could not believe it at all. Therefore, I would like to go around countries and meet my fans directly to verify.  

Q: What is the definition of “music” for you? A: Everything is a miracle. I love to sing ever since I was a kid and that’s all I have. So, when the listeners want to hear me sing, and the fact I do love singing is a godsend. That’s like a miracle. So, “music” is a tool for me to connect with other people.

Q: Do you have any future plan or another project that you are doing right now? A: Using Indonesia as my starting point, I would like to go to other countries as well. Sing together with each person in each country while making Youtube contents that makes everyone happy. I always read fans’ message and request in the comment, so I hope to be able to continue to make contents that could unify us together.

Q: What kind of things in Indonesia that you see interesting? A: All of the committees are so kind and show me around, but the most interesting part is the “traffic” (laugh), especially, the bike and car. For example, you could find four people riding a bike together. That was interesting. Also, I recorded a video for Youtube yesterday in front of University of Indonesia and everyone helped me a lot. That was a very nice experience.

Q: After you came to Indonesia what kind of difference and similarities between Indonesia and Japan in general? A: There are lots of differences I found (laugh). But the most positive difference I found here was the sign at the convenience store. It was written “Thank you for keep it clean” or “Thank you for not doing blablabla”. However, in Japan, the sign will be written as “Please do not make it dirty” or “Don’t do blablabla”. That way of delivering the message was very nice. Then, a similar point is people. Everyone was so gentle, so I could sense the deep connection with the people.

Q: During your career as a musician, what kind of experience is the happiest? A: Such a difficult question. To be honest, when I leave Goosehouse I was so worried that the fans will also leave me. I was so scared when I am going to announce that I am going solo. Of course, the fans will ask me the reason or scold me. However, after I announced it, the fans all around the world and, of course, many from Indonesian as well, they told me “Ganbare” or “You can do it”. That was the happiest moment in my life.

Q: Do you have any other activities or hobbies besides your music career? A: Absolutely, sleep (laugh). It is whether I am sleeping or play around with my dog. Sorry, it was such a boring thing (laugh).

Q: What is your special preparation for your performance tomorrow? Do you have a ritual? A: I will do image training. Imagining the rehearsal from the beginning till the end within my head. Also, prepare my breathing to sing. Control my respiration flow multiple times, so it will be ready when I sing.

Q: Within your solo career are you going to focus only with originals song or plan to continue doing covers song? Also, may I ask you to sing a little bit now? A: Of course, my main focus will be making my original song. However, since I also know doing cover song is a nice thing to do, I will keep doing it from now on.

Okay, I will a part of my song in acapella. (Kei sang one part of the song) Thank you!

[shade-without-color]

We are not alone (Inspired by Michi by Utada Hikaru)

Note: This is a cute ficlet which I wanted to write since I watched Hiro’s episode and TBH if Kyoru is my first ship, Hiro and Kisa are my babies and I loved them. And when I heard this song I cannot help but think of them. So please enjoy this fic

Even on a road I still don’t know where it leads to I’m sure you’ll be there-Michi by Utada Hikaru

Kisa noticed that Hiro seems to be more bashful than ever. Maybe Tohru’s words on him affected his thinking. He seems to be more open to his feelings to her.

He did not need to wear a mask.

That is him.

Awkward but steady.

The prince who protected her delicate heart.

“Hey….Kisa…”

Kisa blinked slightly “Yes Hiro…” as she looked over the array of plastic parfaits, each looking more appetising than the other. She is torn whenever to take the chocolate and banana or the caramel and strawberry, as her eyes flickered back and forth to the plastic displays.  Both seem delicious in her sight. However, Hiro seems silent, as he quietly clasped her hand, looking at the foggy reflection from the glass display.

He only sees himself as a child trying to understand the confusing world of love. His reflection forced a side that frightened him like a ghost.

Will he be forced to face his own demons?

“…Well, I was thinking…” Hiro faced himself to swallow a hard limo forming his throat. Words do not come easy for Hiro, as he fears that Akito’s gaze would never wane. He must somehow meet halfway to her understanding “I am thinking of the strawberry one, I think it looks enticing…however the chocolate banana looks so tasty ” Hiro took a quick breath “Wait, I was…I wanted to say that I am sorry if I..if I…”

Kisa blinked slightly and smiled quietly “I am happy when I am with you Hiro-chan…” A memory flooded back on a happier time when they used to laugh together silly and would scream together at the fan, watching their voices vibrate into a weird sound. She quietly gripped her hand “You do not need to apologise.”

Yes, there is a wobble in Kisa’s voice at times when she is nervous or unsure, however, Hiro knows that he will be with her in every step. “Well if you find it hard to decide, maybe we can do both, and I will decide the drinks, I am thinking of Melon soda…how about you…”

Kisa looked over the menu and she could not decide. Hiro heaved a sigh slightly as if agitated by her decisions “Well take your time, we do not need to rush after all…” Slowly she breaks into a smile “Thank you Hiro-chan…” Finally, her amber eyes light up to a plastic display of a pale drink.

“I was thinking of Iced Royal Milk Tea. Do you think it will be nice?”

Maybe that is what she wanted, however, he could feel the hesitation in her heart

“Yes…it will be Kisa. You can wait at the table, I will get your drink and the crepes.” Hiro observed Kisa frowning slightly as afraid of her choices “Are you alright Kisa?”

“..Mhmm I am…”

Hiro smiled slightly “Good, let me know if you are alright alone. I will be right back.” He cannot help but withhold his blush. “And whatever you choose, I will always support you.”

Kisa giggled slightly “Thank you Hiro-chan.”

And he knew that both are never alone, as they can walk down that new path.