JDorama review: Kisarazu Cat's Eye: The Movie
Arashi - Wish
I have been lacking in the music department lately. I apologize. Hopefully, a little boy band music will make you feel better.
Wish is popularly known as the theme song for the first season of the Hana Yori Dango jdorama. Of course, both Arashi and HYD feature Matsumoto Jun. Not only is the song cute on its own but the video for it is also adorable. It features a little puppet man trying to win the heart of a little puppet girl. I think, thanks to the HYD connection, that this was my first introduction into the world of Arashi. Let the cuteness wash over you!
Music review: Arashi - A*RA*SHI
Artist: Arashi
Members: Ninomiya Kazunari (Nino), Ohno Satoshi (Leader), Matsumoto Jun (MatsuJun), Aiba Masaki, Sakurai Sho
Album: Arashi No.1 Ichigou
Release date: 11/24/01
Video link: Performed on the One Tour
(Surprise additional video! A music video directed by Hideaki Takizawa of Tackey and Tsubasa)
English translation: Pop it yeah! Honesty good! The heaviness from that boo! That's all right! Yet we will shape the world yes we are super boy! We are cool Even if something unpleasant happened, we show it off We'll do what we can, can't we? It's all right to have a dream, right?
You are my soul! Soul! You always are here with me I can't give it away. No one can get in our way. Congregate the wind and wind it all over my body storm storm for dream
Today again, they are saying in TV They are saying how miserable the world has become. I am always looking for looking for a gigantic love and ambition Everyday! Everybody! The world hasn't end yet Why don't we start from here? Let's get on! Let's get on yea!
Step by step instead of bursting, go for it naked Day by day I want stimulation rather than boredom Let's open our huge wings up
You are my soul! Soul! You always are here with me I can't give it away. No one can get in our way. Congregate the wind and wind it all over my body storm storm for dream
Catching the harsh storm with your both hands Be brave, let's fly Aim the heaven and unbeatable cloud Fly away
Step by step instead of bursting, go for it naked Day by day I want stimulation rather than boredom Let's open our huge wings up
You are my soul! Soul! You make me strong Tears are tommorrow's energy Aim the future, let's go for it. Storm storm oh yea!
You are my soul! Soul! You always are here with me I can't give it away. No one can get in our way. Congregate the wind and wind it all over my body storm storm for dream
Today again, they are saying in TV They are saying how miserable the world has become. I am always looking for looking for a gigantic love and ambition Everyday! Everybody! The world hasn't end yet Why don't we start from here? Let's get on! Let's get on yea!
You are my soul! Soul! You always are here with me I can't give it away. No one can get in our way. Congregate the wind and wind it all over my body storm storm for dream About the song: As should be fairly obvious, this was the first single released by Arashi. The word 'arashi' means storm, which is why it sounds a bit weird in the translation. I think the lyrics intended to reference the band and not a weather pattern.
This was the perfect song to use for the debut. It not only highlights Ohno's amazing voice but it also has some really good raps for Sho and the boys can show off a bit of their dancing skills too. It's easy to see why it's still one of their most popular songs.
Jmovie review: Honey & Clover
Title: Honey & Clover
Release date: 7/22/06
Genre: Romance, Slice of Life
Cast: Sakurai Sho, Aoi Yuu, Seki Megumi, Kase Ryo, Iseya Yusuke
Plot: A group of art students try to make sense of life and love.
What is good: The acting isn't terrible.
What is bad: It takes a long time for the movie to get even vaguely intersting.
Letter rating: C-
Overall: I haven't read the manga that this movie is based on but I have seen the anime adaptation, which I thought was mind-numbingly boring. The movie is pretty much the same. There were some minor changes from the anime version. I chalk this up to the fact that the movie is only about 2 hours long while the anime ran for 26 half-hour episodes. Either way, I'm guessing the source material is as boring as the two adaptations. We aren't given any real reason to care about these characters or why we should be pulling for them to be successful in their lives. When the characters begin to get interesting, they all stop talking to each other, tossing us back to not caring anymore. This much be fairly popular in Japan since there will be a drama series starting next year. I can only hope that the drama will give a little more oomph to the characters.
Married Johnnys and Melty Bananas
On Friday, September 28, Inohara Yoshihiko of V6 announced his engagement to actress Seto Asaka. At a V6 concert the very next say, Inohara announced that they couldn't wait to get married and registered their marriage that day. Rumor has it that they had been carrying around a filled-in registration form and once they saw the reaction to the engagement announcement, they decided the time was right. Japanese rock band Melt Banana has announced their US tour. They will be performing just about every day from October 17 through December 8. You can find their schedule on their official website.
Arashi member Sakurai Sho has been chosen as the main announcer for Fuji TV's broadcast of the 2007 Volleyball World Cup. The competition will last from November 2 through December 2.
Music review: Arashi - Yume De Ii Kara
Artist: Arashi (Sakurai Sho solo)
Members: Ninomiya Kazunari (Nino), Ohno Satoshi (Leader), Matsumoto Jun (MatsuJun), Aiba Masaki, Sakurai Sho
Album: One
Release date: 8/3/05
Video link: On YouTube
English translation: (Oh) I see you Everyday in my dreams and I just wanna say It's ok as a dream, right C'mon yeah! S.H.O. What?! Yo, I need you girl! Yeah ha ha Check it out
Right now this relationship is ONE WAY If I wake from this dream it'll be OK (but in order to be okay) I need your love OH Go beyond this door (to be) as one with the one on my mind Anything and everything for you BABY A throbbing (heart)beat, let's make a promise This happiness I feel with you PLEASE BE MY LADY
Is this for real? Yeah, maybe it's just on a whim. It's fine if it's a lie, I'm already out of time Repeating words, even if I recall (them) I can't believe it after all
+ From between the clouds a brilliant light shines on me Little by little, I float up from the ground I spread my arms and fly into the sky as the town becomes smaller Look, I search for your smile, ah- it's all right even if it's a dream
I don't want to say something trite THE WAY I FEEL INSIDE This is not a dream, IT'S REAL Feelings that aren't lies, after L.O. (is) V.E. and you, together, MAKE A story If the light shines then there will be no confusion If time passes then I will mature THIS LOVE SONG IS FOR YOU Again in a daze (because of) you YOU ARE MY SUN AND MOON (on) this earth that we journey on
Were shall we go? Nothing comes to mind, anything is fine as long as I'm with her Please help this me who has fruitless feelings(2), what should I do?
Before being lost, before being tormented I'll show you the happiness i feel for you from my heart Don't forget these precious, precious feelings If I can touch your tears ah- it's all right even if it's a dream
(ad lib)
'It's not a dream,' to me, this is all I can say I've never had experience (of this sort before) moving forward, changing, the meaning of loving someone Am I able to find it?
+ repeat About the song: This is a sweet little love song. It almost sounds like it should be the theme song for some drama but it lacks the 'oomph' that drama theme songs tend to have. Sho is known more for his rapping in Arashi, yet this there is little rapping in this. What rapping exists in the song is very light and love-songish. If I was to compare this to an American release, it feels almost like a Boyz II Men song. However, Boyz II Men always felt like they were aiming for a "mature" audience whereas Arashi feels like they are aiming for teenage girls, which, most likely, they are. Yume De Ii Kara would be a good song for relaxing or snuggling with your significant other.
Music review: Arashi - Right Back To You
Artist: Arashi
Members: Ninomiya Kazunari (Nino), Ohno Satoshi (Leader), Matsumoto Jun (MatsuJun), Aiba Masaki, Sakurai Sho
Album: Iza, Now!
Release date: 7/21/04
Video link: http://www.veoh.com/videos/e131869t4WaDnxG
English translation: At this wall that forbids time to flow back A lightning flashed through my heart Those days I’m used to, they’re still engrossed in my body Un~ frozen An amazing balance that gradually leaves A mask that shows Cannot hide my actions No no no~
Unable to tell anyone A secretive past The both of us in a tight embrace
Coming right back to you (those words are repeating, hiding the scars on the wings) Right back to you If only I were an angel Right back to you (chasing after love, to survive the cold nights) Right back to you Only one person, you, shall I believe in
Drowning badly in this prove of my non-existence Enjoying this easy game of one-man-show Don’t mind it (right about time) In the letter
Unsure of where it landed The key to the memory belonging to us (I will recall)
Coming right back to you (those words are repeating, hiding the scars on the wings) Right back to you If only I were an angel Right back to you (chasing after love, to survive the cold nights) Right back to you Only one person, you, shall I believe in
The four seasons starts to bounce again, baby Freaky, freaky, freaky night, dance baby When we touch, the temperature of our palms rise, mayday From the lightened oceans, thanks baby
Tomorrow night shall still be clutched But understand that we must run when there’s a chance Leading the crowd, unbolt the galaxy I’m coming right back to you
Coming right back to you (those words are repeating, hiding the scars on the wings) Right back to you If only I were an angel Right back to you (chasing after love, to survive the cold nights) Right back to you Only one person, you, shall I believe in Right back to you (chasing after love, to survive the cold nights) Right back to you Only one person, you, shall I believe in About the song: I, like many other fans, found Arashi through MatsuJun's jdorama work. He played Domyouji Tsukasa in Hana Yori Dango, which is one of my favorite shows. The band calls this 'Jun-bait' ^_^ When I first started listening to the group, I looked for videos of them. This was one of the first videos I found and I got hooked instantly. Even now, I don't even bother to read the translation for it. I simply let myself get taken away with the feeling of the song. Though I will admit that I immediately associate the song with the dance they did in the Iza, Now! concert. (This is the video that is linked above.) In my opinion, this is the type of song that really defines Arashi as a group. It's 'pop' enough to keep their fanbase happy, still has their typical rap in the middle and is very danceable. I could listen to it on repeat for hours without getting tired of it.