To make up for missing last week’s post, I included two weeks of recs… not that there are that many, despite the high amount of releases. March is going to be a BIG month in terms of release volume, but we’ll see how far on the awesome scale it got. February was pretty good. I think March will be better though! Anyway, click below to read:

Read the rest of this entry »

One of Yuu Watase’s (Fushigi Yuugi, Arashi no Ceres) works is now on the way to being adapted for a live action series. Zettai Kareshi, also known as Absolute Boyfriend, is a six volume manga series originally published in Shoujo Comic magazine. It is one of Watase-sensei’s more popular works, having sold more than a million copies in Japan alone.

The live action adaptation of the manga is planned to air in Fuji TV starting April 08, 2008. Playing the lead female, Izawa Riiko, is actress Aibu Saki (instead of a high school student, the character is adjusted to an office lady). Playing the love robot Tenjou Night is actor Mokomichi Hayami (Densha Otoko, Gokusen) while playing the third of the love triangle, Asamoto Soushi, is actor Mizushima Hiro (HanaKimi, Kamen Rider Kabuto).

Reference:

Anime News Network

Apologies for the lateness of this. Not only are midterms approaching, I’ve.. uh.. been ignoring the Japanese music world to continuously refresh various communities about Tokio Hotel’s American debut. ;p So here are the two albums I paid attention to from this week:

Ikimonogakari - Life Album
Info: Official // wiki.theppn
Support: YesAsia US // YesAsia Global

01. Good Morning 02. Akaneiro no Yakusoku 03. Natsuzora Graffiti 04. Seishun Line 05. @miso soup 06. Soprano 07. Hana wa Sakura Kimi wa Utsukushi 08. Chikoku Shichau yo 09. okoro Hitotsu Arugamama 10. Nisemono 11. Tokyo Saru Monogatari 12. Tsuki to Atashi to Reizouku 13. Akaneiro no Yakusoku -acoustic version-

Ikimonogakari are a really fun band, but I can’t always stand a lot of their music in one sitting. I remember listening to around 7 of their songs on one CD, mostly from their singles, and going “please make it stop!” by the end of it. However, Hana wa Sakura Kimi wa Utsukushi has been one of my favorite songs from 2008 so far, so I was definitely hoping for a lot from this album, and really, they didn’t disappoint. Although I’m not huge on songs like @miso soup, most of the songs and especially the previous singles are really solid, and I genuinely enjoyed the album.

Tainaka Sachi - Love is…
Info: Official // wiki.theppn
Support: YesAsia US // YesAsia Global

01. Visit of love 02. Delight 03. Lipstick 04. Sayonara 05. Dakishimete 06. Ichibanboshi 07. HOME 08. My Darling 09. Nukegara 10. Sakura Mau 11. Itoshii Hito he 12. Michi

Very nice album, overall. I wasn’t a huge fan of Ichibanboshi or Lipstick when they came out, but Visit of love and especially Itoshii hito he are awesome. She can be a bit hit and miss, but overall I’m really happy with the album.

So there you have it; only two this week. Next week we’re getting some high-profile releases, which I’m really looking forward to!

I decided to post something different today …

BoA - The Face [album]

Info and image: Wikipedia
Support: Yesasia

01. AGGRESSIVE
02. Sweet Impact
03. My way,Your way (feat.WISE)
04. be with you.
05. Lose Your Mind (feat.Yutaka Furukawa)
06. Girl in the Mirror
07. Happy Birthday
08. Diamond Heart
09. LOVE LETTER
10. BRAVE
11. ギャップにやられた！
12. Style
13. Smile again
14. Beautiful Flowers
15. Best Friend

Korean singer BoA is back with her sixth Japanese album “The Face“- it was released on February 27th, including her already famous singles Sweet Impact, Love Letter and Lose your mind. In my opinion, “The Face” is one of BoA’s best albums. The songs are absolutely awesome, especially Sweet Impact and AGGRESSIVE which show her slightly new and matured side. One of the songs (My Way, Your Way) features WISE from the Teriyaki Boyz and makes it even more gorgeous than it already is. Highly recommended!

Presenting the one and only Capsule Inn Akihabara. Capsule Inns could be thought of as low-end hotels. Typically, capsule inns are comprised of a public lounge and the capsule area (pic above). The public lounge space features complete amenities like the bath and dining areas. The capsules themselves are made of reinforced plastic and are designed after airplane’s cockpit areas. They’re full loaded with TVs, alarm clocks, and even adjustable lighting. Best of all, one capsule at capsule inns typically cost only around JPY4,000 per night.  Truthfully though, I must say, the pic above makes it look like a morgue more than a hotel. But then, it might all change when I see the inn in person. Anyone want to sponsor me a trip to Akiba?

It’s a bit late, since it was shown September last year, but I think too few people mention it and it should be known :). Last September 2007, the show Daitan Map aired a special about the top 50 most popular anime character voices from the very first anime to the recent. I think it is special in a way because it not only showcased the wonderful seiyuu who were behind the entertaining voices but it also gave previews of old anime that were forgotten and needed to be remembered by the present generation (Come on, don’t tell me you don’t remember any of those anime mentioned :P).

You can watch the clip (quite long) in Veoh or Crunchyroll (needs registration). Just search the terms in the title of this article and you should get there. In the meantime, here are the list mentioned in the clip (names romanized by me). The numbering is from 50 to 1 :). Please click the names if you want to know more about the seiyuu (e.g. other roles).

Read the rest of this entry »

Did you know that for a boomerang to do a 360 and return right back to its throwing spot, you need to be in ZERO gravity? And nobody has ever tried it yet. So now, Takao Doi, a 53-year-old Japanese astronaut is set to make history by being the first man in space to throw a boomerang. Doi is traveling to the International Space Station in March to be in charge of the construction of a Japanese scientific testing room. What better way to unwind a bit in space other than throwing boomerangs, right? Doi is doing the boomerang test when Yasuhiro Togai, a boomerang throwing champ from Osaka, requested him to do so. In fact, Doi has taken boomerang throwing lessons from said champ in preparation for the event. Good luck, Doi-san!

via

You’d think using Hello Kitty and rifle in one sentence would be an oxymoron. But nope, it’s not. Just take a look at this Hello Kitty rifle. And yes, folks. That’s 100% real rifle. It would be such a joy to have had Arnold Schwarzenegger gun down his enemies in Terminator using this. It would have been so “girly man.”

via

Ever wonder how it is to learn English for aerobics-gear clad women? Wonder no more. The Zuiikin Girls are here to save the day. The following are videos of some English lessons I’m sure you’ll enjoy.

He gives his sincere regards.

Video 3

English phrases taught:

I was robbed by two men!

Spare me my life.

Thanks PMT. You rock.

Koda Kumi, wearing black and looking haggard, appeared in front of Japanese TV audiences last Thursday in Fuji TV news program to apologize for something she said on air.”I think the way I spoke was really not good … I’m sorry,” Kuu reportedly says.

What exactly did she say, you ask? Well, the Japanese diva apparently commented on women’s amniotic fluid (the fluid which supports the development of the fetus inside the uterus), saying that it becomes “rotten” once a woman turns 35…uhu.

That’s so not hot, Kuu. In a few years’ time, you’ll be turning 35, and based on YOUR logic, YOUR amniotic fluid would rot. Just goes to show that someone needs to watch more of Discovery channel.

via