Love makes us human,
and laughter keeps us sane,
Fear drives us to nothingness,
There and back again,
but hope makes us human,
and laughter keeps us sane.
Bad news:My favourite Korean restaurant closed down a month ago*sob*sniffle*sniffle*. No more 10 ringgit set lunches at Dae Jang Geum...no more toppokgi....worst of all, Yours truly has been reduced to surviving on canned kimchi. [God], this is so unfair......
Indifferent News:
There's this discounted book fair being held by MPH at Sri Petaling's IMU campus, so I went yesterday with Jie Min. (Hmm..nowadays, I seem to pick up all my books at book fairs). Anyway, one of the spoils is shown above....
Book is not read yet, any way the point is...the acknowledgements page (soorry for the bad picture), if you can make out the first line, it says , I quote: " My sincerest thanks to Angela Aki, dear friend and first to read this book...."
Whoa.. Angela Aki? You mean this Angela Aki...
The Famous half Italian/American Japanese singer songwriter Angela Aki? Actually that's not impossible, since the author ( according to the brief cover overleaf biography) "..has worked as a teacher in Japan, where he has lived on and off..."
Good news: We have discovered ( or re-discovered) Clazziquai, house/blues/hip-hop band from South Korea. I first heard them on the series 'My name is Kim Sam Soon'. Their latest album Mucho Punk is the only album (excluding YUI) that I can listen from start to finish and not feel bored.
One male vocalist, one female, and one extremely talented sound engineer/composer dude.
Dear okyaku-sama(guest), We are fine. Genki-desu. Thank you,thank you.
We recently found an interesting Japanese proverb....
悪女の深情け Hiragana : あくじょのふかなさけ
Romaji: Akujyo no fuka nasake
Translated: An ugly woman is more passionate.
Eh...? Iii..Yaiyaiyaiyaiyaiyai...yah!! (Note: this is not Japanese, just a random sound)
What's been happening?
A lot of sadness, but much encouragement. Yes, Ma. Keeping quiet is a form of dignity. I'm slowly understanding this. Silence is not the manifestation of fear....but choosing something more important, peace.
On the other hand, we are kept busy with research and numerous hobbies(guitar/jamming with worship team/reading inconsequential romances from Barbara Cartland/anime/cosplay costume/etc.). As we're typing this.. Go!Go!7188 is playing in one window,while Departures on another.
Kata omoi= unrequited love. Funny.In a totally weird way. stuff to look out for :
00:12 = Criminal (30) 01:58= criminal's mother (32) 00:57= ouch! 01:38= cumulative dragon ball? bracket = age random instruments appearing and disappearing.
I love the manglish,it's so original. Never been done before I think.. manglish+ukelele= lurve.
I'm proud to call her Malaysian. Anyway, her namesake album is out and she's signed to Jack Johnson's Brushfire Records. Malaysia Boleh!! People like her are why I wanna go to a live house so badly...
Finally, the video of Never Say Die is here: (Credit: Jarekmasta @YL) This is the other half of It's All too much/ Never Say Die double 'A' side single due for release on October 7th 2009. Both songs are featured in the upcoming movie 'Kaiji'.
The PV features over 200 extras, all girls. They were split into 2 scenes; football field and live house. Anyway there was a lot of screaming when YUI showed up at the field filming session to thank the extras, even though she wasn't involved.(This is from the 'making of..' vid)
We loves the all female concept. Maybe because I played footie as a teen, so I can relate to the whole 'girl power' mode she's on right now. If you noticed, her band for It's all too much vid and this vid are women too. Her drummer mai mai-san is actually 34 years young...rock on!
Anyway, SONY records seem to be slashing everyone who puts up her PVs on video sharing sites. *sad**sad*
Never Say Die Lyrics
Romaji (by yupeh/Rob)
YAN nacchau keredo ii koto ga anno mo jinsei sou yatte tsudzukenda Baby Never mind Never say die
damashiau koto sore mo aru desho kagami no naka no kimi datte wakatteru hazu ue wo mitetara uchuu made tonda hatenai aozora ashita docchi da?
yan na kya nannai koto yattatte umaku yukanakute ochikonjau toki mo Baby Never mind Never say die
zurui yatsura to ohitoyoshi ja kanau wakenai demo kawarenai kamisama ni sugaritakunatte KOIN nagekonda It's alright
YAN nacchau keredo ii koto ga anno mo jinsei sou yatte tsudzukenda Baby Never mind Never say die
chikaratsukite nemuru toki ki ha makireru keredo
yan na kya nannai koto mata tokidoki mienakunatte tachidomatte kangaenda demo Baby Never mind Never say
YAN nacchau keredo ii koto ga anno mo jinsei sou yatte tsudzukenda Baby Never mind Never say die
Translation(by Uchihamel)
At times we get sick and tired of everything But good things are part of life too That’s how we continue living on Baby Never mind Never say die
Deception occurs sometimes Even your reflection in the mirror probably knows that Looking up, we’re flying right into outer space Where will the boundless blue skies of tomorrow be?
Things which you just got to do Be it accomplishing them or when it's not going smoothly Even when you’re feeling down Baby Never mind Never say die
Overly-kind people are just no match for sneaky ones But nothing can be changed I feel like relying on God Tossing in a coin It’s alright
At times we get sick and tired of everything But good things are part of life too That’s how we continue living on Baby Never mind Never say die
Though exhausting all energy and falling asleep Is a way to take my mind off thoughts for a while
Things which you just got to do And at times you can’t see clearly Stopping in my tracks and thinking But Baby Never mind Never say
At times we get sick and tired of everything But good things are part of life too That’s how we continue living on Baby Never mind Never say die
-End-
This line... "kamisama ni sugaritakunatte" or "..I'm relying on God" makes me wonder if she's a believer.Although, she does constantly refers to God in her songs (Think 'HELP'). Hmm..
Anyway, just for fun...
Tips when Identifying Yui as YUI:
There are like 10 or more Yui-s in Japanese entertainment. How to know which Yui is YUI
1) All other Yuis use their surname.
2) If the girl in the pix/vid is smiling (with teeth), it's probably not YUI (hehe, internal fan joke).
3) If there's a cute, pink frilly dress involved, it's definitely NOT her.
4) If there's dancing in the video, confirm-firm it's not her.
This is Horie Yui by the way. I (very occasionally) listen to her songs.
5) YUI never reveals shoulders or kneecaps above. (There's only 2 photos very early in her career where she bares her shoulders). So...
Sleeveless tops *not her*
Tank top *not her*
short skirt* not her*
hot pants *not her*
fancy hairstyle *not her*. Talk about tutup aurat.
6) Usually a guitar is somewhere near.
7)If the person's striking a kawaii(cute) or sexy pose, you don't even have to ask.(Nope, not her)
8) If the person has vaguely blank or dreamy faraway expression, Yes, it's her.
9) If it's a love song with cheesy lyrics like " your eyes are beautiful, stay with me, let's not break up,etc', chances are it's NOT her.
10) If her head is tilted to the right, there's a 50% possibility.
11) If she wiggles her way out of personal questions like "How does it feel like to kiss Takashi Tsukamoto?" with a nondescript answer like"because I was immersing myself in the character....she was trying her best to live in her limited time" , it's definitely YUI.
12) YUI has a tendency to agree with herself when giving interview answers. ('etcblahblah'..then 'uum' with a nod)
So reality is like this. Rejection, dissappointments, hurt, cheated of my inheritance.
I always believed that if I work hard and do my best in life, all of this won't bother me. But some days,
somedays they do.
Nevertheless, even if I don't talk about it.. I will work hard at living, and do my best. I will continue to believe. I will continue to improve myself.
(SOrNY-san leave this vid alone onegaishimasu*bows*, you've already taken all her other PVs off the tube, ne...ne?) 40 sec preview:
It's All Too Much Romaji Lyrics and Eng Translation- by uchihamel@YL
Kobaruto iro ni kawaru yoru sa Tsumetaku hikaru hoshizora Kotoba nara mou iranai kara Namida ni kakureta shinjitsu wo Tokiakasou to suru yori Konkyo mo nai unarai no hou ga mashi
Akari no naku natta benchi de Miagetara Risou bakari ukabu Nagareboshi deshita
Nee! Oshiete yo Arugamama ikite yukeru nara Ginga ni hirogaru kiseki atsumete Nori koete mitai yo
Datte karadan naka Meguru kanjou ni Shihai sareten da
Kon nan ja dame sa Nee sou desho?
Saikoro furu mitai ni kimete Koukai nante dekinai hodo Tsugi no basho he to susundeitai
Aimai ni tsukurareta ruuru bukku Okubyou na bun dake deokurete Raibaru no senaka mitsuzuketen da Sonna no mo Tsuki akari sekirara Suppadaka no kokoro kara hagureta Nagareboshi deshita
Nee! Oshiete yo Arugamama ikite yukeru hodo Junjou nanka ja nai Arasou koto mo sakerarenai no
Kitto karamawari Kurikaesu kyoukun ni Shihai sareten da
Dou sureba ii no Nee uso desho?
Kuusou bakari kaite Susumenai Aisou yoku mo narenai Naze darou?
… It’s all too much
Nee! Oshiete yo Arugamama ikite yuku tame ni Semaru nandai sae mo Yuumoa ni kaete Waraitobashitai
Datte kaiketsu dekinai Nichijou ni uzumoreru
Dakara shinjite itai yo Kiseki tte aru desho? Nee sou desho?
It’s all too much translation
The night is turning into a shade of cobalt The chilly star studded sky is glimmering There’s no need for words of any sort
Rather than trying to uncover the truth concealed behind tears I’m better off with baseless predictions Sitting on the bench where the lights have already gone out And gazing up It was a shooting star with only idealities surfacing
Nee! Would someone enlighten me If I were to live life as it is simply I would gather all the miracles dispersed throughout the universe And try overcoming them All because these emotions which are pulsing throughout my body Are dictating me This wouldn’t do Am I right?
Being as decisive as cast dice And not ever having regrets I hope to move onward to the next destination The rule book which was created uncertainly Only timidity appeared later I continue watching the backs of my rivals That, As naked as the moonlight Was a shooting star which strayed from a pure heart
Nee! Would someone enlighten me To live life as it is simply Innocence does not suffice You can’t escape from conflicts too Those lessons which I have learnt time after time Are definitely dictating me What should I do It’s a lie isn’t it?
Simply daydreaming Will not get me anywhere It also can’t make me more pleasant I wonder why?
… It’s all too much
Nee! Would someone enlighten me In order to live life as it is simply I want to change even the toughest obstacles facing me into something humorous And then laugh it off Because there is no way to resolve it It is buried within everyday life
That is why I wish to believe Miracles do exist don’t they? Isn't that so?
The tune is still growing on me..I'm not as hot about this melody as I was when I heard [again], but the riff is catchy. The PV is awesome though. It really catches the mood and gist of the song.*short hair,yay!**whazzup with d hoodie again**digging the white outfit**fell in love with the shooting stars*
As usual, her lyrics are deep and multi-layered. I especially like the double meaning behind 'nee, so deshou?' which can mean 'is it not so?' or 'is it really?'that she tags at every chorus end. It's like we believe in miracles yet there's a little part of our brain that doubts.
I'm looking forward to this double A side single . The other song is called Never Say Die.
Trivia-smrivia: Both song titles are related to the Beatles (John Lennon,Ringo Starr, etc.), and Yui-san has been known to name her albums after famous Beatles' songs.
The Beatle's psychedelic version of It's all too much:
Try not to get high from all those sub-surreal artwork......from the yellow submarine.
Anyway, back to YUI's song..It's the theme for the new movie 'Kaiji" starring Tatsuya Fujiwara and Kenichi Matsuyama (both from the Death Note movies) :
'Kaiji' is about a down and out average Japanese guy who is forced to board a gambling ship where he has battle his shipmates for survival in various games. Lose a single game, and it's bye bye world. This double A side single will be released on October 14th.
Minna-minna, Konnichi-hua-hua, here is the continuation of GACC 2009 report, which I was sooooo happy I attended. Day 2 of GACC 09' was filled with more cosplayers than the previous day. This time I came with Sam, my younger brother, whose main aim was to buy more Soul Eater bookmarks ( I bought Maka & Soul on day 1, he wanted to complete the set with the other weapons and Meisters)We arrived just in time for the Grand freeze;
Video credit: CammandoChaos There was a bit of mix up and some cosplayers mistook the 5-minutes-before signal for the actual freeze signal, so we got to see the freeze twice. Fav moment at 3:45 when the cross-player maid gets "molested"hahahahhahahha. (by the way, those are my friends laughing and taking pictures) My bro and i are somewhere in the middle of this video too.
Talking about the crossplayers... At first when I saw from afar I thought..oh okay..more maids, then I got closer and found..
Ehh..? Bishonen in maid costumes...kawaii, kawaii. They're actually characters from Princess Princess. They were really obliging and friendly.. While waiting for the duo and solo cosplay event to start...it was time to *snap*snap* away. Mana cosplayer, which I mentioned before in this post. This time, she's in full make-up and I'm happy for her. Dragon ball-Naruto cross-over? Only at GACC 2009.
Uhu..A Shinigami from bleach, check out his sandals, sugoi. Sam with Naruto the another one.. with Lloyd Asplund of Code Geass, whom we mistook for a Bleach Arrancar...oops!.
Now this is the real Arrancar, Nnoitra Jiruga, Espada no.5
Go to DMC!Go to DMC! with Johannes Krauser II, minus his wig!? This guy was also one of the event MCs. Once the duo and solo cosplay finals started, I was too busy laughing my head off to take any pictures. The MCs had great chemistry and all the participants were spontaneous and sporting.
In the solo cosplay finals, the best skits were inspired by Who's line..where participants acted and the MCs provided sound ...
(Video's from vampiremamoru @ youtube) All spontaneous and unrehearsed...sugoi sugoi.
I had to leave after the last cosplay skit...and I missed the dance event, where the whole hall became a dance floor ..thankfully there's Youtube
What is love-GACC version Parody of the famous Jim Carey SNL head shaking skit..OMG at 00:50 (Vid by ejump@youtube)
Kon-Cosplay-ni-chiwa, Minna-minna-san ogenki desu ka? Kawaii desu ka? I just got back from the awesome-nest Cosplay event ever- GACC 2009 organised by MMU Melaka's EMINA club. Taking place over 2 days from 15th to 16th August , GACC 2009 is one of the largest Cosplay, Anime, Games and Manga events in Malaysia. I'm still high from the excitement...it was fun,fun,fun all the way. Being a native Malaccan really helped because I didn't have to make travel or lodging plans, plus my brother is an MMU student. I'm covering only day 1 in this post because I took a whole lotsa pictures, and I had to sort through them when I came back to KL.
I arrived rather late, and I missed the Grand Freeze event where all the cosplayers froze for exactly 3 minutes at 3pm sharp. vid credit: vampiremamoru @ youtube
I actually came to watch the group cosplay event and had some free time before that, so I visited the Doujin booths and bought some Soul Eater bookmarks and K-on badges as well as anime DVDs...
Gundam DIY competition in progress.
More importantly, snapping cosplayers. These are vocaloids
Unexpectedly, I met my good friend and ex-classmate Sin-Lin there. She's an ex-EMINA member and comes for GACC annually. It was really a bonus to have met her.(Apparently she makes figurines too)
Cho kawaii meido-san
Naruto..his wig is so kakkoi.
Bleach cosplayers... Shinigami-san...nan de posu wa?
Then it was time for group cosplay competition to start..there were four teams: The Code Geass group
Devil May Cry Air Gear
and my favourite..Haruhi Suzumiya no Yuutsu's SOS brigade.
While waiting for the Chibi matsuri to start at 6pm, the comittee entertained us with dances.
I was dancing to Caramelldansen too... uh uh uhwa uhwa
vid credit: vampiremamoru @ youtube Full frontal.ahaiks.
Can somebody please tell me where these two are from?
Hetalia : Axis powers.
..which I haven't watched but want to..Maids maids everywhere, where do they come from?, I don't care..as long as I get Pictures..mwahaha.
There were many events going on at once..PSP and online games, as well as non-virtual gaming.
So many moe figurines...as well as a manga reading room.
Chocobanana anyone? The chibi matsuri was really chibi. Micro-mini chibi..there were only 5 stalls. Guppy fishing, Doko ni goldfishes imasu ka? Ohh..the pudding was really great.
So there's that. My only regret is I couldn't really catch up with Sin-lin since I was rushing to go home. Gomen-ne?
Coming soon: Day 2 report..motto cosplayers..motto fun..motto everything.
My favourite Korean restaurant closed down a month ago*sob*sniffle*sniffle*. No more 10 ringgit set lunches at Dae Jang Geum...no more toppokgi....worst of all,
Yours truly has been reduced to surviving on canned kimchi. [God], this is so unfair......
There's this discounted book fair being held by MPH at Sri Petaling's IMU campus, so I went yesterday with Jie Min. (Hmm..nowadays, I seem to pick up all my books at book fairs). Anyway, one of the spoils is shown above....
Book is not read yet, any way the point is...the acknowledgements page (soorry for the bad picture), if you can make out the first line, it says , I quote:
