I know, I know. It’s too old a news. And I was frantically waiting for this episode on KBS World TV channel of youtube. It actually exceeded my expectations. What a close and exciting match! It was worth the wait. Now it’s 2:30 a.m. here and I’ve a lot of work tomorrow (I mean today morning). Couldn’t wait for the morning though.
The last basketball game. I’ll miss you Changmin and I’ll miss watching basketball on Cool Kiz
An anime marathon after sooo many months! The life is back. Alright, this is my first anime review (as far as I remember). I’ll try my best.
Speed grapher is an anime which shows what power and money can do to humans. This may not be the first anime to touch upon this subject, but it does take things to a little extreme with its plot. Let’s get started.
Plot – This is a story about a war photographer Saiga Tatsumi and a girl named Kagura Tennouzo. Saiga is in search of his perfect photograph and is working for a newspaper in the beginning. He gets a scoop about a secret club run by the biggest Tennouzo group and is able to get entry in there. What he sees there is beyond his belief. All the big names are present there and a lot of illegal activities are going on there including prostitution which they call pleasure. He sees a girl coming down from the roof who is being called Goddess. People come there to gain her blessing and he tries to capture her with his camera. Well, it turns out to be a taboo there and he is taken to the podium where, the goddess blesses him instead of the person who had come for the same. Saiga becomes a guy who can kill with his camera and abducts the Goddess who turns out to be the heir of the Tennouzo group, the only daughter of the family, Kagura Tennouzo. She has ability to give powers to the deepest desires of people’s heart and is the center of the whole mystery. Now Saiga takes upon himself to show Kagura the true freedom and their journey starts.
Deep Meaning – Well, it does show how weak the human heart is before money and power, how human beings don’t give a damn about others just for their profit. And it also tells how the government officials are working behind the backs of the people to fill up their accounts. That is something which most of us are aware of, but it does need a portrayal, from time to time. Revenge is also a subject in the anime, which destroys everything. Action plots are actually more about avenging for oneself or some family member or the whole family itself, which is the main motive from the starting itself or is gained in between. Here the case is the former one. And at the last, it is about the suffering and turmoil which common man has to go through due to selfish acts of those in power. No, there is more, the thing I like the best – How everything – money, pride, ego, selfishness and everything dissolves before death and we, the measly humans become so helpless before it that we are ready to give up everything we do so much slaughter of others’ emotions, pride, their selves and such , just to remain alive for few more moments. And this ends my analysis on the relation of the anime with the truth of life.
OSTs – There aren’t many. One main beginning and one ending. The beats for the beginning song are pretty good and ending is kind of slow. The lyrics are meaningful. Other than that, I remember encountering one different starting song and another ending song in one or two episodes in between. To be honest, I didn’t pay heed to them coz they didn’t kind of “grab my attention”. And there is a tune which plays throughout the anime which is playing in my head even now. So I’m sure I’m gonna download them soon.
Other details – First of all, it’s TV Asahi’s anime. I think it speaks more than anything. And it has got everything – romance, drama, mystery, action, sex (occasionally), science, supernatural phenomenon etc. etc. So it’s kind of full package in that sense. It has got fighting female police officers, big hideous mutants, awesome and somewhat unique abilities, handsome guys and many old geezers. Animation is pretty good, sometimes, the old geezers’ characters become distorted in between drawingwise. Rest is alright.
I think it’s more than enough to summarize my thoughts. If you want any cast, technical or any other info, you can refer to its Wikipedia page here.
Today’s song – I’ll post the OSTs of the same anime here –
This new band, which I just stumbled upon is called DISH//. The guys are just so cute >/////<
And the songs aren’t bad either. These four rock stars have got quite some potential. Another group to fangirl over 🙂
It’s been so long that a Japanese band caught my attention. Gotta check out more >.<
Credits – KBSWorldTV
These one week basketball trainees did a wonderful job. It’s probably the first time, I got this excited while watching a game and had this much laughter reading CG comments from PD-nim together. Good job Cool Kiz!!!
Today, I’ll tell you about this awesome Japanese-Canadian (yes, you heard me right) band called Monkey Majik. The anime fans may already know them as their two songs were featured as openings for Nurarihyon no Mago, a famous action anime. Consisting of four people, two of the band members Maynard and Blaise Plant are Canadians and brothers, and two Takuya Kikuchi (Tax) and Hideki Mori (Dick) are Japanese. For more info on their biographies click here (You could’ve found it anyway). I couldn’t become that sort of fan about them, the one who knows everything about the members of their favorite group. But I simply love their songs. Most amazing thing, the lead vocal is the Canadian and such perfect Japanese. Another reason I respect them so much!
True, I don’t know THAT much about K-pop groups too but there are some groups for me in which I may not be knowing even the names of the members (And sometimes it’s embarrassing indeed. I don’t know how to explain this to someone I’m recommending something to. But I hope you get the idea.), but I just like the songs. The case is same here.
I got introduced to this band while watching the above mentioned anime. It’s really unusual for a series of 26 around episodes to have both the openings by the same group (especially which has only two openings). So I was convinced that they must really have something in them. And I was right. I got so impressed, that I downloaded most of the tracks I could get hold of and out of them, I got addicted to some songs so much (You can find those ten at the end), that they ruled my playlist for almost half a year. I didn’t listen to anything else during those times.
Anyways, back to the topic……. Ah! Seriously…… I really don’t know how to review things like this. One can review one song but to summarize the whole of their career here would be difficult. So how about I post the songs and you try them out and then tell me how do you find them? I’ll post my favorite here (in random order):
1. Sunshine
The second opening of Nura, the rise youkai clan, this song is one of those evergreen songs which I can listen to anywhere and anytime. It always makes me get up from my seat and at least wave my body on the beats (which is very difficult for me generally). Such a peppy song! If only I could find a MV……
2. Fast forward
Again an awesome song. Like it as much as the first one (of course, they are the ones which made me their fans). Nura’s first opening.
3. Picture Perfect
I have a slower version of this song, without the rap but this is not bad too. This one song was, once, my alarm tone, ring tone and any other which you can think of. This song has been made in collaboration with m-flo
4. Change
I need a change…….
Magical blend of traditional and modern instruments. Again the song features Yoshida Brothers. The MV is as good.
5. Forever
Don’t know what it is saying (not that I know above’s too), but it somehow, touches my heart. Try it, may be yours too?
6. Around the world
Funny MV. Couldn’t understand the concept but lyrics are good. Let’s Kung-fu!
7. Sakura
A little different from the usual rock I hear, this song is …………. But I’m seeing it’s MV for the first and it seems hilarious. My perception for slow beautiful song was shattered……
8. Together
Another soothing emotional song. TT_TT
That’s it for today. And the date in the calender changed too, me remaining in the sea of memories associated with these songs I’m hearing after so long.
Anyways, Enjoy!
Yeah, yeah. It’s been two days after I said I would write frequently. And now I’m running away from it by telling this sort of thing? Oh no no. This is the manga review I’ve been planning for long. I had just forgotten about this heart warming manga by Kouichi Kaede. A recent release of it’s chapter revived all the memories.
So this manga follows the story of an orphan high school girl, Shiharu who suddenly gets involved with two cute twins and their guardian, Sei (I hope this is the right name but since the children call the guy by this name I’ll write this only). The twins Aoi and Akane have already lost their mother and their father left them with his younger brother Sei and ran away. Sei, a TV presenter by profession, is a handsome unmarried guy who, initially faces a lot of difficulty maintaining the balance between the new members in his life and his job but ultimately develops necessary love and affection for them to be able to handle his now messed up life. On the other hand, the unfriendly twins find solace in Shiharu’s care for them at the day care centre and Shiharu lands up daily babysitting job for the children. Now she is helping the babies to learn things to stand up in the society and she is growing with them too. Also, she is developing feelings for Sei. From romance point of view, this manga is still in development stage even after 62 chapters but the love element between Sei and Shiharu has been introduced much later (although in such scenarios, it is kind of obvious that they will fall in love with each other in the end).
There are many other involvements including the twins’ grandparents on their mother side who want to take care of them and are quite persisting in this regard even after Sei’s refusal. There is one another guy who likes Shiharu and their neighbor. Everyone is invloved with babies one way or other and they become the reason for their relationships with each other. All in all, it is a good manga and I’m soo looking forward to it’s anime if it is made anytime.
Still not convinced? This will give you A waaayyy big reason to read it –
These swiggly wiggly little twins are soooo freaking adorable. I first read the manga just because I saw them.
Read here – http://www.mangahere.com/manga/love_so_life/
Enjoy!
So today, my day started very bad coz everybody in my friends circle refused to go to Bangkok due to one reason or other. I mean, each and every single one of them backed out! But i dared today – to go alone to Bangkok. And guess what! I got the model of the mobile phone which I wanted to buy and was out of stock till yesterday afternoon. And…….. And I got to see Japan Festa in Bangkok 2013, being held outside Central World Mall. There were a lot of cosplayers and there were a lot of random outlets. There were Japanese food stalls too; but I’m a veg so I couldn’t taste that. 
Some gen pics –
Here are some cosplay pics of the characters I know :
Then I went to KoreaTown situated on Sukhumvit 12. I went there by BTS train (just like metros) and the place was some three stations away from the above place. And to tell you the truth, it was a huge disappointment. After the pleasant surprise of attending an unexpected cosplay event, I was excited what the day was to unfold for me and I was really upset after seeing a deserted place with only Korean food shops and dental clinics and hair salons. What would have I done there? I thought I could buy some books for my Korean learning there. But there wasn’t even one book shop in KoreaTown (at least I didn’t find any). I did find one book shop a little far away but all it had was Korean books for Thai people 😦
The I went back to the event again and had more clicks. This time, since it was around 4:30 in the evening, the weather was pleasant. So I had some more fun. By 5:00 p.m. I had to reach the headquarters to take the company’s van, so I had to leave this awesome and fantastic place, much to my regret. Why did I waste time going to Sukhumvit. If only had I attended this festival properly, I could have a chance to finally try a kimono TT_TT
Some more pics with cosplays I don’t know or don’t seem to recall –
But truly. The people were there from the morning to the evening. Must have been sooo tiring. Hats off to the cosplayers! Getting clicked by so many strangers, posing for each one of them differently……. truly amazing.
With this, I’ll end my post today. I hope you enjoy the pics 🙂
One of the best webtoons I have ever read is “The Friendly Winter”.
A heart touching story by Mr. Lee Jun, it is about a girl who is 19 years old but has a body of and a 17 year old boy who has a mind of that of small children. The basic plot is about how their fateful meeting totally changes their lives.
Han Da Jeong is a 19 year old girl with a rare body growth disorder. Her mother left her and her father; and married someone else. Her father is a worker who finds it difficult to make two ends meet. Then, in her neighbourhood lives a guy of same age as Da Jeong whom she is in love with, but has to pose as 9 year old girl in front of him because of her body. In a mall, she meets a panicked Min Seong who is lost and helps him find his mother. Thus a new friendship forms and they start running into each other often. They feel comfortable and share their own worries and problems with each other. More characters are introduced as the webtoon progresses including Da Jeong’s mother and her beloved oppa’s girlfriend who happens to be her step sister from her mother’s second marriage.
This webtoon not only shows the difficulties in such people’s lives and their immediate family but also others’ attitude towards them. They are misunderstood quite often and have to face consequences for the things they have never done. This one is especially full of emotions and may make you cry too, sometimes. The best part is, you can actually feel their helplessness and are able to fully sympathize with the main characters.
Highly recommended, even if you are just starting with webtoons. Awesome artwork and just 64 and some extra chapters. (Extra chapters are especially fun…… coz of Lee Jun’s avatar and the way he tells you things with just three or four apt expressions in the whole chapter) Here is the link – Mangahere (This won’t be in long strip format)
SCS Scantalations (From original scantalators, though this one doesn’t need scanning, but oh well….. and you can find raw too, if interested. And I haven’t seen how it looks, so can’t comment about format)
Enjoy!
So, recently I have been coming across a lot about the pair Lee Jong Suk and Kim Woo Bin, their old friendship, their “Bromance” and what not, so I decided to watch School 2013 casting both of them and all the previous shows (anime included) which I have watched till now which focus on students’ problems ran through my mind. This time I’m not here to do a review of School 2013 or any of the dramas I’ve tagged here, as a matter of fact. But will just do my usual rambling on the issues these dramas raise. So if you are here to know more about the dramas, I’m warning you, you won’t find any specific information.
First let me list out the dramas and anime I’m going to talk about – School 2013, Dream High, God of Study, Great Teacher Onizuka (also called GTO is j-drama, a movie as well as anime) Gokusen and I My Me Strawberry Eggs. I may have watched more too but right now these are the only names I remember. My first drama related to this genre was GTO, a J-drama in which the teacher is an ex-delinquent. At that time I thought, “Yeah. Alright. They made something good. At least someone thinks about students.” The God of Study totally blew me away. It basically teaches you how to deal with stress and is great for learning techniques in the rote learning environment of South Korea. The way they used to do their study sessions was amazing. It inspired me a lot too. (I kept it for almost one year in my laptop but due to space problems I had to delete it). Dream High shows a different aspect. It basically goes around an art school called Kirin High where they not only focus on studies but is especially for students who want to go out of the way to become artists, more in the field of entertainment. Gokusen has waaay too much similarities with GTO and the plot of School 2013 has been spun around the same theme but includes teachers’ problems also (and the teachers are not former delinquents, at least one of them). I my me is a cute anime with basic story of love between a student and a teacher but it focuses on interclass fightings and stress related to it also.
So basically they talk about the following problems:
There may be more points (add them in comments if you want) but these are the major problems I find. First two points are valid for most of the cases in India as well and I assume in other countries too. About third point I don’t know much because neither I have seen such associations involving such parents in my school, nor my parents are rich to do such things. Though, may be, the so called “rich” parents do such things since society has been divided ike that and powerful people do tend to misuse their powers but I don’t have any recollection of such incidents in my time (my memory is short lived, you see). Again, who has gone to school and not gone through the period in fourth point? We have heard a lot about fact in fifth point but in India, more suicides occur due to other reasons other than related to studies, at least in school.
Now coming to the points, it’s true, we have a lot of competition. Everybody is working hard, so much, that you feel depressed if you are left behind in your friends’ circle (You don’t? Don’t kid me. I know it happens, just takes time to realize). I used to cry over this thing. When I joined my coaching (like prep school) for engineering entrance exams, I couldn’t catch up because there were children from other schools also and they were really talented and hardworking. I, on the other hand, had first time stepped out in the world like this (I never took any extra tuition before my 11th grade). I wasn’t good till the end but I did it in real exams though. So, I used to literally cry over my marks in weekly tests because I didn’t stand anywhere in handful of students, how could I compete against lacs of students sitting for the exam every year? But I kept working and did alright, actually better than some of the people who were sure shot successes in coaching institutes. I’m not trying to brag, this time seriously, just that it all comes to how you perform in real life situation. The major thing I came to realize was that after you have learnt whatever you could and applied to problems, in the end, your patience and ability to concentrate in tense atmospheres come into play. Every one learns the same things and everybody has got the same brain (with exceptions, no offence though). Hardwork does matter and so do a lot of other factors.
Parents will never stop worrying and you can’t do anything about it. True, it’s bad when parents try to impose their opinions. I have seen many cases before my eyes, where parents forced their children to take engineering or medical studies, their kids failed and had to ultimately migrate to other streams. First they should see their child’s mind and will to study. just to keep their head high in society, they shouldn’t make their child suffer. And it’s not like other professions are bad. You can earn more than an engineer by being a good professor in some very common subject too (I’m going to be an engineer soon too, so don’t take it other wise if you already are or are studying engineering). But you know what? Parents act based on what they hear. It’s basically the lack of knowledge. They come across only popular things. So if you try to calmly tell your wishes with good examples, may be they will try to understand. In my case, even I didn’t have any knowledge about things so I blindly followed what others were doing. Now, I think otherwise but I can’t do anything about that. But, perhaps, my parents will be more understanding in my sibling’s case and I’m going to fully support her.
Now, talking about sharing problems, my opinion is, competition does change people. In India, till now, there wasn’t any trend of counselling and all in schools. Nor there are things like homerooms or self study sessions (Exceptions are always there. As a matter of fact, many schools are adopting these things but even so, school hours are not that long). So the relationship between students and teachers is more formal here. All we had were our peers and they too, sometimes cut off themselves from you. Then, you have to live alone. All you can do is either endure and make the emotions your driving force to reach your goal or just cry silently in one corner of your room when you know no one is coming. But if you have someone to talk to, sure do. It will help release a lot of things which can adversely affect you and help you calm down. That person is not necessary to be your teacher, your siblings, parents, cousins (and tell you what, even your pet, a non living sculpture and if you believe, then God too) will do. Just vent it out.
As for suicide, I would just say, it’s cowardice. Running away from problems and throwing away your life for no reason is bad, real bad. I mean, at most what will happen? People will insult you, will call you names and you will be embarrassed. What I feel is, more people commit suicide because of the fear of society’s thinking towards them. They are not who make your life, you are……… Ah! What am I doing preaching here? Anyways, it’s hard for everyone. And this is what these dramas show.
Ahhhh!! My eyes are hurting now after sitting for whole day on my laptop. I think I’ll stop here for today.
Here are the links if you want to try any of the above mentioned series –
Great Teacher onizuka (J-Drama)
Gokusen (J-Drama)
School 2013 (K-Drama)
God of Study (K-Drama)
I My Me Strawberry Egg (Anime)
Great Teacher Onizuka (Anime)
I hear your voice finally finished yesterday with 18 episodes. A successful series indeed!
Oh, you’ll be sooo missed! Right now this song has risen to the top position in my playlist (Actually this is the only song in my playlist right now)……
If you haven’t watched the series already, please, please, give it try. It has got everything – mystery, romance, drama, action and a good plot. Here is the link – http://www.gooddrama.net/korean-drama/i-hear-your-voice
So yesterday, I didn’t have much work at the company, so I took out time to search about internships. What other resource better than wordpress? Alright, I just wanted to see what other’s experiences are and if possible, some opportunities, may be? That’s because, I had been discovering a lot of things here recently (like lucky draws and online free classes). So I thought, may be, may be, I’ll get to see some posts with internship opportunities?
That aside, I did get a lot of posts about people’s recent intern experiences and it was, seriously, fun to read them. A lot of them also told about things like what you can gain, how it helps your resume, and that today’s trend is shifting to hiring interns in the same company from doing job interviews to hire freshers. As I was reading various stories, only one thought was coming to my mind – “what am I doing?” I know I’m doing my training too (which actually can’t be called internship) and I do get a lot of time after and before that. But time is flying so fast. Almost a month has been finished and I haven’t been able to start what I had in my mind.
I have a lot of things I want to learn and do in my life, and I’m sure everybody has. But I keep realizing every now and then, that I’m not doing enough for it. Sure there are circumstances sometimes (in my case most of the times, but that may, as well, be an excuse) but one has to work hard. Every morning, I wake up with the thought, that I have to do something, something substantial so that when I go to bed and analyse my day, I can have that satisfaction, that yes, I achieved something today. But no. All I keep doing is watching K-Dramas whenever I get unrestricted net (i.e. out of the company). Sigh!
Oh! That reminds me, I was watching ‘We Got Married’ Khuntoria Couple. That couple has been the only one till now, which felt real real. I just love their chemistry. I know, it’s a thing of past. To tell you the truth, I have been against this show and even though, I watch it, I still am. I started this show with TeukSo couple. I know I am gonna cry I reach on the end for this couple. Now-a-days, it totally looks acting. But it still is cruel.
You make a pair and have them act as husband-wife for, don’t know, how much time. Isn’t it obvious, people can develop real feeling? Alright, they are professionals. I understand. But what I see is, the idols are, generally, not allowed to date (not that they don’t but still). And suddenly, they (some of them) get opportunity to share their life with another person (don’t tell me they share their life with their fans too, I know that but realize, it’s much more with that person). They do events for each other, even during concerts; preparing food, one house (though it’s only one day per week), going on vacations, meeting each other’s family and friends and even wedding photoshoots. And, after a year or so, they are asked to break up just like that. It’s so heart breaking for people like me, how would it be for them?
For those, who don’t know what “We Got Married” is, it is a South Korean reality show, where they make a guy from entertainment industry marry (not literally) a girl from the industry. They take interviews of idols and then based on their answers, choose the partners. The couple is not told about their partners and the first meeting is to know who that person is. The starting is always heart racing (I mean for the couples for whom I have seen the show). How will they react, what will they do, everything makes, at least, my heart, flutter. Then they start their new life, meeting each other once every week for filming weekly episode. For first few episodes, they get to know each other. Then they get a home for themselves (now they have something called WGM village where the pair gets home right away). There are members’ episodes too in between, if any one of them is in some group. They do activities and complete missions given by WGM team. it’s a lot fun, really. If you start once, you can’t stop, especially if the whole series has been aired. And you know what? The episodes are available with english subs with respective couples only in them. That means, if there are three couples at a time and you are interested in one only, you’ll get the episodes for them separately. The last part is their divorce, where they are just told to dissolve the marriage (which is why I dread starting it whenever I find that someone from my favorite group has been there). That’s all there is, to it.
What? You are saying I’m crazy, ranting for no reason? Oh really? Then tell me, people make such big deal out of actors and actresses who film a drama together, which is generally 4-6 months? And, they have to be a different character. Here, they have to act as themselves (the irony!) and that too, for around a year or more than that (leave the exceptions). From a normal human being’s perspective (I’m not saying I’m normal but yes, I’m talking about me), I find it too painful. If I keep myself in their situation, I don’t think I would be able to bear it. So, people out there, who are working hard to entertain us, please don’t play with their hearts, even if it is for entertainment of some people. Ah! I again come to the point where I say, they are human beings also. No such post of mine goes without this line.
Huff! I’m tired after so much jabbering. So, I’ll take my leave for now and focus on my problem stated above. I’ll try to ‘try hard’ :P.
On the side note, I have been given the name of Japanese here in Thailand too. I just can’t escape the status can I?
Right now, I’m listening to f(x) (you can tell by mention of ‘khuntoria’ above), so, I’ll post this song today –
I love high school teen dramas. May be because what happens there cannot happen in real school life (or may be it can but not here in India……at least did not happen when I was in high school…….don’t know about now)
Ok, so Monstar is about some teenagers, who try to repair the bonds with people around them, severed through time, due to one different situation or other, and find solace, through music and new found friendship (Phew! That was long!). The story basically goes like this – Yoon Seol Chan (Yong Jun Hyung) is part of an idol group Men In Black. Due to some rumors and a big scandal, the president of his company asks him to become an ideal student in his school in three months and then return back to the industry. Now everyday is a new challenge for him amidst his mad fangirls, his old friend, now a rival Jung Sun Woo and a new transfer student Min Se Yi (Ha Yeon Soo). Se Yi has come from New Zealand after having a fight with her mother. Now she is living with her homeroom teacher in her own house. Her father was a singer when alive and she has inherited great voice and guitar skills from him. Sun Woo (Kang Ha Neul) is their class president and plays cello in school orchestra, All in One. He has been classmate with Se Yi before she went to New Zealand. Then there are other four students – a bully, a bullied, a delinquent and a diehard fan of Seol Chan, all of who have had difficult pasts. These seven students have to come together to perform for school due to some circumstances. Will they succeed in their performance regardless of their sad memories with each other and who will Se Yi end up with, that the end will tell.
What I know is that the series has finished halfway through. Six episodes out of twelve have already aired. The first three episodes were good. The story was progressing fast. But now it has kind of come to a standstill. They haven’t even started practicing, when will they form a proper band? Irrespective of what I feel and what I hear (I mean read on the forums), I can’t wait for next episode. That chemistry between Se Yi and Sun Woo, that way in which Sun Woo makes fun of Seol Chan, that jealous face of Seol Chan, those serious jokes of innocent and totally clueless Se Yi which even I take seriously, those girl group dances of the bullied guy, that awesome beat boxing of the bully guy, that one reactionless dialogue of the delinquent girl “Shut Up” and the fanfic that diehard fan writes in her mind, added with petty fights between teachers and the reactions of Seol Chan’s manager and president of his company, all just make you forget every lacking point about the series. The songs they have used, add cherry (or whatever you like on yours) to the cake.
And what do I get to learn from the series? Music has power to heal anything but that is already a world known fact and true for me too!
Here is the link for the drama – http://www.dramacrazy.net/korean-drama/monstar/
And here is the trailer –
The Joys and Worries of an East Asia Lover 