The J-Music Lovers' International Assembly

[Mandilinn]

Mandilinn is the nicest human being I have ever come across on the internet. She is perfect.

 

It's really annoying to see K-pop fans bandwagon the same J-pop acts. Fuck off, you stupid sheep!

 

I want to be Peter Pan so badly. He is everything I yearn for.

 

I'm very flattered by whoever posted  that.  But I'm far from perfect.

 

Still, thank you.

 

 

Yeah I was really surprised too! Usually the only jpop you get on the show is like Perfume, PassPo and Scandal. I was so happy today they had AI, Happiness, Perfume and PassPo, much more Japanese than usual. I'm praying that they get permission for more j-artists, apparently most companies just say no so we're stuck with only a few and just truck loads of Kpop. 

 

That's great! Some companies seem to be letting up on the restrictions a bit when it comes to music videos and other things. I don't think they need to go as far as K-Pop (that would create a bigger piracy problem), but the HD short PVs, English subs on some things, Facebook and Twitters with English messages and video...It's definitely helping. I hope they continue in this direction. \o/

 

Here's Happiness and Flower on Music Fair recently, by the way. (If you haven't seen them perform their songs live yet. You can switch both videos to HD).

 

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x13c239_happiness-sunshine-dream-%E4%B8%80%E5%BA%A6%E3%81%8D%E3%82%8A%E3%81%AE%E5%A4%8F-130817-music-fair_music

 

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x13akhb_flower-%E5%A4%AA%E9%99%BD%E3%81%A8%E5%90%91%E6%97%A5%E8%91%B5-130817-music-fair_music

 

I find that a lot of them limit themselves to groups. I mean, I kinda understand since Kpop is extremely group-dominated, but the solo artists are the best part of Jpop (my own opinion here tee hee).

 

Maybe we should make a soloist version of that "New to J-Pop thread". No groups or bands of any kind. Strictly soloists.

[Mandilinn]

The drama going on in here

 

http://onehallyu.com/index.php?/topic/19709-tts-english-album-next-month/

[Mandilinn]

These are my fav performances by far, other performances Kyoka wasn't so good live, she's improved and I'm happy

 

and maybe you should do a soloist version, Japan does have a lot of great soloists to offer.

 

is that TTS thing real?

 

Yeah, Kyoka has been really shaky with her live vocals. Chiharu and Reina have more experience, so they've sounded better during each of the lives. Everyone sounded good on Music Fair, though.

 

I'll start listing out the more popular K-Pop groups/acts and see what soloists I can match somewhat closely to them. It's gonna be hard, though, because each Japanese soloist is different. 

 

It wasn't an announcement from SM. It was from that fansite Soshified, so it's hard to tell. Everyone is acting like it's real. Either way, I'm not one bit interested. I just think all the drama over a simple album is nuts. ^^;

[Mandilinn]

This year has been really great for J-dramas. I started on Hanzawa Naoki and you'd think a drama about a bank losing money would be really boring, but this entire thing is so tense and crazy that I'm hooked already. And I've only watched one episode.



http://asianwiki.com/Hanzawa_Naoki

Go watch it if you need a new drama to obsess over \o/

 

 

 

Never realized Miyano Mamoru released a song this year
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CK3r7ikBrE

 

Me, either. I kind of forget about him (but I don't mean to ). It sounds okay, but I've heard better from him.

Edited August 26, 2013 by Mandilinn

[Mandilinn]

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSS THIS DRAMA IS AMAZING !!!

 

 

Sakai Masato & Aya Ueto

 

Sakai Masato is amazing as Hanzawa.    If he's not up for any kind of award for this role, he needs to be.

 

I'm only a few episodes in, so I don't want to talk about it until I'm all caught up. >< Have only 5 episodes aired so far?

[Mandilinn]

I have a project for you if you want to do it: http://onehallyu.com/index.php?/topic/19775-utada-hikaru-and-her-father-release-statements-on-her-mothers-death/

 

This is only Hikki's so far. Haven't gotten through her dad's yet. Sorry it's taking me a while. This is hard.

 

 

 

 

On the morning of August 22nd, my mother took her own life.

 

There's been lots of speculation going around, so please let me say a few words on this.

 

For the longest time, she had been suffering from a mental illness. Due to the nature of situation, it was very diffcult to convince her to get treatment. As a family we wanted to do what was best for her in the long run, but it was very stressful.

 

I've watched my mother's illness progress from a time when I was very young. Her symptoms worsened, and she began to distrust people, including members of her own family. The distinction between delusion and reality became blurred, and she lost control of all her behavior and emotions. I felt like I was just flailing about, unable to do anything.

 

While I hope that mother has been released from her years of suffering, her last act was just too heartbreaking, and it fills me with regret.

 

Although she was often misunderstood...she was actually a very shy person in spite of her image, she had a strong sense of justice, she loved to laugh, she had a quick wit, she was very protective of her children, she was a bit of a scatterbrain, and she was the most beautiful person I knew. I have many sad memories, but when my mother comes to mind, I remember her smiling.

 

I am proud to be my mother's daughter. I'm very thankful that I met her.

 

I have recieved so many warm words from countless people, and I'm reminded again that I have a lot of support.

 

Thank you very much.

 

August 26th, 2013

 

Utada Hikaru

 

 

 

[Mandilinn]

People seem to be following poor Hikki as she's returned to Japan, it seems. There's shots of her (and her father? I can't tell) trying to drive away from somewhere, but people have their cameras up against the car window. You can see one guy doing it in the second picture. Why can't these people just leave her alone?

 

http://netaatoz.jp/archives/8029785.html

[Mandilinn]

Jasmine and Yuya's albums are both up at J-mp3~ I'll listen to both later, but I'm not expecting much out of Jasmine's. .__.

[Mandilinn]

They haven't debuted in Japan yet and yet they expect to sell out arenas? That's....a little crazy to me. I have nothing against BAP, but there's no way they can be that popular already.

[Mandilinn]

Damn I like her outfit

 

and Ayu I would expect something extravagant, Utada not so much, no idea about Namie

 

Last I heard, Namie was living in the same apartment building with Sam so their son could have both parents around (she's talked about seeing her son off to school in the morning and cooking for him like a normal mom, so I'd assume that that's still the case). Namie is a simple person, so I don't see her apartment being all that extravagant. Just big enough that her son has his own room, probably.

[Mandilinn]

I forgot Kara had an album out yesterday. I guess I should listen to it once, but their singles have been pretty bad...

 

I'm glad her and Sam are still on good terms, sounds like her son is growing up well, he's like a teenager now O_o

 

and I didn't know about Namie because performance wise she can get pretty fancy but she seems like a really down to earth person.

 

In her Numero interview last year, she said she liked to leave the fancy stuff at work and just be a normal person when she's not on stage or in front of the camera. Her staff confirmed it and said that even for transportation she'll use modest cars and fly places like a regular person.

 

Her next work is like 60s70s80s level, though. This is fancy. O.o New song is called "Ballerina". (It's a fashion/music collab with GUCCI x Vogue Japan. The kickoff event is next week)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42gBb01W57c

 

 

LOL NBA48

Ayu would be extragavant. Damn, I really want that mirror. Namie, she seems like a humble gal but would not hesitate to spend if necessary imo. She probably has a really nice place. I mean, theres Haruto too so maybe she spends a lot on him? Who knows~

OT: i always found it weird-looking when short girls wear really really tall heels. It looks award on them most of the time. Tall girls look hot with really tall heels tho <3

 

I like to think that she spoils Haruto a bit (who wouldn't want to spoil their kids a little if they could?). But who knows?~ He sure was a pretty baby. <3 I wonder what he looks like now...does he look more like Sam or Namie or a little of both? D:

[Mandilinn]

Im pretty sure she spoils him since hes an only child too. I dont know what Haruto looks like, her private life is pretty private these days xD I hardly see gossip about her :/

 

There's a bunch of stuff if you go back to 2010 when she was dating that comedian. People said some pretty nasty and unfair things about Namie as a mother back then. It wasn't pretty. =/

 

Here's one of the articles: http://www.japantoday.com/category/kuchikomi/view/london-boots-tamura-cooking-for-namkie-amuros-son

 

There's more if you go even further back than that, but in recent years she's pretty much stayed out of public eye for Haruto's sake.

 

 

Ahhh I see, sounds like her, and I'm sure Namie probably does spoil him haha, he probably doesn't get to see her much since she's so busy so I would think that she would try to make up for it by getting him something nice every now and then

 

No, there was a newspaper article a few years back that said Namie tries to get off work at a set time (I think it was 6 or 7pm) whenever she can so she can be home with Haruto (which I think is sweet D: ).

[Mandilinn]

These are really the only two decent songs from Kara's new Japanese album. And the second one is a remake. Seems like Kara has given up on trying in Japan, too. =/

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeP7Wzw9CBA

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlJA4M7pwuY

Edited August 29, 2013 by Mandilinn

[Mandilinn]

If everybody randomly started boycotting everything I release, I would give up too

 

Boycotting? I thought people liked Kara.

 

Kara's being outsold by CNBlue and they're both being outsold by a drama soundtrack.

 

02 KARA (FANTASTIC GIRLS) - 20,081 + 7,314 = 27,395

 

...Whelp.   That's not even half of what they sold the first day. And they have three versions of the album. Wonder how SNSD will do with their single in a few weeks.

[Mandilinn]

Can someone give a better translation of this: http://natalie.mu/music/news/98345

Kaela Kimura will be releasing her collaboration cover album "ROCK" under her private label ELA on October 30th. The album will have twelve songs and come in three editions, with each version having different cover art. Limited edition A will come with a clutch bag that Kaela designed herself and Limited Editions A and B will also come with a fold-out poster on the inside of the CD. Participating artists so far include: N'夙å·BOYS, Predawn, Ishino Takkyu, Chara, CSS, and POP ETC.

Edited August 30, 2013 by Mandilinn

[Mandilinn]

You can hear the previews for the four new songs on Kana's best albums at HMV. Just click on the speaker icon next to the song.

 

Mint previews: http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/artist_Kana-Nishino_000000000385194/item_Love-Collection-%E3%80%9Cmint%E3%80%9C-DVD-First-Press-Limited-Edition_5478130/ref/5478128_1

Pink previews: http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/artist_Kana-Nishino_000000000385194/item_Love-Collection-%E3%80%9Cpink%E3%80%9C-DVD-First-Press-Limited-Edition_5478128/ref/5478130_1

 

Not really hating the songs, but will have to wait for the full to judge. I don't know how I feel about them.

 

 

Thank you. I was trying to figure out if she was covering those acts or working with them. I'll tell MoreTokyo so he can make a thread.

No problem. Nice to see that even though she's doing a cover album that she's taking a different route than most do. I'll be interested to see how this turns out.

 

 

Thanks @Mandilinn! Wasn't expecting Kaela Kimura to work alongside Cansei De Ser Sexy (CSS) because they're a brazillian act who seem quite busy after the release of Planta. Kaela Kimura has put together quite an eclectic and exciting group of collaboraters for the release of Rock. It's going to be exciting to hear Kaela Kimura working alongside Chara, N'夙å·BOYS, Predawn, Ishino Takkyu, CSS, and Pop Etc. Rock is shaping up to be an exciting release and is going to breathe a new life into these cover albums that have been released as of late.

I might actually check this out since the acts that she's working with are so different from what everyone else has done.

[Mandilinn]

Full PV for EXILE's No Limit

 

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x13tcij_no-limit_music?from_related=related.page.ext.behavior-only.d526ea0ffb0894a42664bef42ce7e353137784769

[Mandilinn]

finally started watching Series 2 of Doctor Who after catching up on Homeland.

 

Rose looks really turned on by the tenth Doctor 

 

I don't blame her. He's cute  

They're coming back (Rose and the 10th doctor) for the 50th anniversary in November. I can't wait~

 

Its an old skool! Namie binge night tonight~

 

BODY FEEELS EXIT! BODY FEELS EGGSITE!

 

I had one of those the other day.

 

Can you sell a plate~ Can you kiss me tonight~

[Mandilinn]

@Romeo New Mamoru Miyano PV! Sounds a little bit like something Yuya Matsushita would do. I like this a lot better than the one you posted before.

 

http://v.yinyuetai.com/video/752254

 

I don't think I like the costumes, though.

 

her engrish in that song LMAo

 

its so precious

 

It's always precious. She's way too cute for an almost 36-year old <3

[Mandilinn]

she has good genes.

 

genes of youth.

 

 

 

 

OT ques: whats a good amount of hours for a uni student to work? finding a part-time job right now. would 25 hours max be okay?

 

It depends on what you think you can handle. That seems all right to me, but don't wear yourself out by doing too much

 

Ohhh ikw I like this song better...(but I like the costumes) but he is one hot daddy~

 

I guess he has an upcoming album called "PASSAGE", so since I like this song, I'll check it out. He's so cute > w < Seems like a really nice guy, too.

[Mandilinn]

Ahh I see, and an exchange sounds fun, but to where?

 

She is so generic to me, everyone says she's gorgeous but I don't see it

and it's probably because it's the only model they know

 

I don't get it, either. She's pretty, but there are better models. You could always make a thread and ask.

 

What's so special about Kiko Mizuhara that so many Kpop fans love her. I was randomly looking at people's profiles and a good amount of Kpop fans randomly included Kiko Mizuhara on their bias lists. Is there any specific reason for this?

 

Could be because she's part Korean. K-Pop fans seem to have a wierd obsession when J-entertainers that are half or part Korean.

[Mandilinn]

http://onehallyu.com/index.php?/topic/20747-official-namie-amuro-voting-thread-now-accepting-photo-submissions/

 

^ Namie's award thread is open to suggestions (since you all wanted to change it )

[Mandilinn]

For those of you who are really liking E-girls lately, Flower is getting their own song on the new single called "Hatsukoi" ("First Love"), so you have a reason to look forward to it. Can't wait to hear it!

Edited September 2, 2013 by Mandilinn

[Mandilinn]

The four new songs from Kana are up on Baidu. Sweet Dream and LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION! are the best two out of the new songs. Join Us! isn't bad, but it's kind of corny. Happy Happy is generic as it gets. Still, I'll probably be picking the best albums up eventually just because the rest of the songs on there are amazing..

 

Noooooo why is Mickey going to travel with Rose and The Doctor. His char is annoying and needs to go away. When the ep description said they were getting a new crew member i was hoping it was going to be K-9 instead.

 

He's kind of a third wheel =/ But you'll probably get to like him more later on. I can't say anymore than that without spoiling anything.

 

So I just saw these GaGa pictures on Tumblr...

 

 

 

Anyone else getting the same thoughts I am?

 

I don't even listen to Shiina that much and that's immediately who I thought of.

[Mandilinn]

what's your tumblr name guys?

 

 

currently addicted to this song

 

 

 

My tumblr is here. http://manasjournal.tumblr.com

 

I reblog mostly JPop and some video game stuff.

 

So many albums to listen to, but I got no time

 

No books, either? I got a new one I think you'd like (she's a new author, too).