2011-12-28, 08:36 | Link #1922 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Half Australia, Half Tokyo, Bits and pieces in US
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We even have mist machines in Disney Land and in front of shopping facilities like LOFT Shibuya. The mist is fine enough to prevent people from being drenched, but it keeps the air cooler and feels cool of your skin. |
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2011-12-31, 02:45 | Link #1923 |
Obey the Darkly Cute ...
Author
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: On the whole, I'd rather be in Kyoto ...
Age: 66
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Has AKB48 always been the size of a platoon? Talk about de-emphasizing the importance of an individual Anyway they won the 2011 Japan Record Award of their "Flying Get-to" song.
(news article includes video) http://newsonjapan.com/html/newsdesk/article/93946.php
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2011-12-31, 03:03 | Link #1924 | |
勇者
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Tesla Leicht Institute
Age: 34
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As for the song its catchy and dance seem well choreographed.
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2011-12-31, 03:07 | Link #1925 |
#1 Akashiya Moka Fan
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Heck, from what I understand AKB48 has multiple squads... I figure at some point I'll watch a video of theirs, but I'm generally not impressed by most idols (then again, my view about most idols is very negative- all glitz and glamor while on stage, but then drama, drama, and more drama, along with probably a horrid personality when off the stage... either that, or I've been paying too much attention to all the American divas )
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2012-01-01, 03:35 | Link #1926 | |
Honyaku no Hime
Fansubber
Join Date: May 2008
Location: In the eastern capital of the islands of the rising suns...
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And yes. AKB 48 are a idol group of 48 girls split into three teams of A, K and B. Apparently last new year's, it was the first time to gather them all together and perform at once on their special TV variety show, but it's insane. The things the girls go through is nothing more than a dog eat dog world at the mercy of the fans and the public. Most are in high school with very little social skills or life experience. The deal with this project is that only the most popular based on fan ratings would get more exposure for TV adverts, singing parts, tv spots and so on, thus their salary would increase, while the majority would fall into the shadows. They're a member of AKB 48, but early nothing more than a part time job, probably for 2times the amount of work. There's a movie about them coming out later this month with the catch line 'With emotional wounds, they (still) look towards their dreams." The movie is meant to show the 'bad' side to what they do as well as show that being an idol is not all roses. I suspect it's to give the otaku freaks some clue as to the hard work they actually do and that they're as 'regular' as most people. But yeah, that's the world they're in. They are nothing more than goods to be used at the marketing whim of their managers. Only the popular few will be able to get other forms of entertainment work from it and make something lucrative, it's kinda sad in a way.
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2012-01-01, 03:41 | Link #1927 |
Honyaku no Hime
Fansubber
Join Date: May 2008
Location: In the eastern capital of the islands of the rising suns...
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Mystique's New Year's Day Adevnture
Feel free to skip this post if words scare you
It’s peculiar… On this New Year’s Day, I’m sure peeps all over the world are wiping their mental slate clean with refreshed resolves and goals for the year. So when Tokyo gets another level 4 quake (about M5.2 or so), with the epicentre being in the sea throwing a M7, you can’t help but wonder what the hell’s going on. Rather the timing is truly cruel, 20mins before the time of 11th March quake itself. But that’s not what left an eerie feeling with me. Naturally when a quake happens, twitter and facebook go mad with posts for about 10 mins, with everyone checking if others are fine and writing their own thoughts. I did the same, simply for truly being freaked out to feel a level that strong where things right before my eyes are shaking left to right, I’m trying to keep my balance and I could hear the earth roar (that’s what freaks me out the most and from that I know it’s a level 4 or higher). So I wrote my piece on twitter and facebook, this time putting the courtesy ‘is everyone else okay?’ (At time of panic, it’s not the Western way of everyone freaking out together, shouting their opinions and stuff, but the Japanese way of no one saying a damn thing about themselves or their emotions, but enquiring after everyone’s health.) The strangest thing begins here: First, the TV was waaaay too slow with the quake alert Twitter already had 2 trends devoted to this quake before the TV broadcasting companies tossed it on the screen. Second, hardly any Japanese person posted a comment on facebook about it. Compared with other quakes (even smaller ones) or the mass typhoon we had last September (when we knew it was coming for days), the online actively was close to zero. NHK had a mini news piece and nothing was mentioned about the quake. The top story was about the terrorist leader of the gas attacks in Tokyo 17 years ago finally turning himself in to the police (true, it’s big news) but the quake was a M7. That is definitely not a cause for ignorance. But that’s what it seems to have happened. Everyone’s ignored it as if, it didn’t happen. As if, to mention it would make others upset on the most happiest and important day of the Japanese calendar, so everyone’s ignoring it.. It truly is freaking me out. When I ran out to the corridor and opened my front door, the neighbour opposite me did so and he was a westerner (married to a Japanese wife) We looked at each other, holding onto the doors while everything was shaking and said at the same time ‘Happy New Year’! And I laughed. Not ha ha laugh, but a “I can’t believe this shit, is this really happening on today of all days. I had truly made peace and left last years event in the past yesterday and now we’re getting this crap!!?’ All rolled into a few seconds of serious laughter from me. I know if a Japanese person had opened that door and looked at me, I couldn’t have said ‘akemashite omoedtou gozaimasu’ (same meaning) The meaning wouldn’t have gotten through at all, or it would have seemed really bad taste form me to them. Sarcasm is lost in this land, tis sad But yeah, along with the way they reacted with the typhoon, how people are acting now truly is a culture lesson but one even if I mentally figure it out, I cannot emotionally accept nor feel comfy with it. I wonder if there is some superstition about ignoring bad things on New Year’s Day so it doesn’t affect the rest of the year, hmm…
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2012-01-01, 03:59 | Link #1929 | |
うるとらぺど
Join Date: Oct 2004
Age: 44
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Apparently, she seems to be better at doing the nasty instead of singing in front of the camera as she quited only after 12 titles. And apprently the income also enticed her younger sister to join in the bandwagon as well. In any case, AKB 48 only enjoyed success in Japan, unlike the other girl group on the other side of the sea :- It's quite a while since we last saw Europeans going gaga over Asian Idols. |
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2012-01-01, 04:10 | Link #1930 | ||
Banned
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Dai Korai Teikoku
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On the other hand, you don't see the same level of success with former members of Japanese girl groups after they leave the group. My feeling has always been that Japanese mega groups tend to mask the relatively low talent on the individual level. |
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2012-01-01, 04:35 | Link #1931 | |
Honyaku no Hime
Fansubber
Join Date: May 2008
Location: In the eastern capital of the islands of the rising suns...
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There is one particluar song which is catch as hell otherwise not too bothered about them but korean groups seem to be doing pretty well. It's always a mess for the mind to see the lyrics of their songs with a mish mash of korean hangul, japanese characters and randoma ass bits of english too, lol.
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2012-01-01, 04:58 | Link #1932 | ||
うるとらぺど
Join Date: Oct 2004
Age: 44
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So, for the likes of Shinee and SNSD, it will be a given for the members to succeed in their solo careers after what they have gone through. Quote:
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2012-01-01, 05:22 | Link #1933 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Land of the rising sun
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Happy New Year everyone, I hope everyone is enjoy the "Rocking" festivities.
What is now called K-Pop is only how the Koreans emulated what Japan had been doing for a long time. (to be accurate the Koreans emulated the Okinawa Pop star method) Girl Idol groups such as Speed, Triangle and other groups that I really can't recall had been in the scene for ages.(What was the group Amuro Namie had been singing before she went solo?) AKB is also the same with Onyanko Club being the original followed by Morning Musume. Male groups you have Hikaru Genji, Shibugaki-tai, Shonen-tai, and whatever else Janizu had been able muster out. In essence they are following Japan 20 years behind. As for the earthquake I believe most were too drunk to notice it or the ones who were not drunk it was too small to consider it a threat, like myself. |
2012-01-01, 05:50 | Link #1934 | |
うるとらぺど
Join Date: Oct 2004
Age: 44
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In that case, I'll like to remind you that it's the natural turn of things in the greater scheme. Trend comes and goes all the time, J-Pop and all it's associated culture was all the rage during the 90s and K-Pop was just picking up where it left off. Who knows if things can maintain the way it is now after another decade or so, but the answer is most likely no. Another trend will definately replace the K-Pop fever in the future. |
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2012-01-01, 06:20 | Link #1935 | ||
Banned
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Dai Korai Teikoku
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But really, when you look at things deeply, there's just too wide a gap between the average talent level between Japanese and Korean groups. J-Pop has always felt very superficial with only the occasional great ones, while with K-Pop (and I only started following it for like 3 years ago) has that genuine touch. Even if the method is the same (which I can't really agree with), the underlying foundation of K-Pop is far more sturdy than the usual J-Pop. |
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2012-01-01, 06:41 | Link #1936 |
✘˵╹◡╹˶✘
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Australia
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I was reading the last few pages, and considering the personal information Sumeragi provided. Is it possible to track down her real identity (giving that she spoke the truth of course)?
In another word, how big and extend the Imperial Japan family is (and how much of that is within public's knowledge)? I was under the impression till now that the Imperial family is just like ordinary East Asian family, where there's only around 20 adults or kids getting together during birthday or party occasions.
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2012-01-01, 07:01 | Link #1937 |
temporary safeguard
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Germany
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Stalking is bad, hmkay.
But the math is interesting. If "8th cousin" means 8th degree, where as first degree would be direct cousin and 2nd would be the child of a cousin and so on, then 8th degree is a crazy large circle of people. It's basicly exponential growth with each step and considering you start with lets say 5 siblings you end up with something like 500k people (of which not all are still alive, but the base is biggest, so yeah...). Even if you assume that some people died without having children, or had less children, married inside the group ect, it is still nothing I would still call a family. Last edited by Dhomochevsky; 2012-01-01 at 07:12. |
2012-01-01, 07:09 | Link #1938 | |
Banned
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Dai Korai Teikoku
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Of course, no family in Japan has as good records as the Koreans, who tend to maintain centuries-old genealogy books. In the case of my second cousin, there are a registered membership of over 120,000 in the clan. Here's what the books look like: And final note: I changed to Korean citizenship. |
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2012-01-01, 07:51 | Link #1939 | |
✘˵╹◡╹˶✘
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Australia
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Another thing. I heard that the Imperial family does not have last name, and have only started to adopt last name when they stepped away from Imperial family. So does it mean if someone don't have last name, it's likely that they are a member of the Sumeragi? Furthermore, Do branch family members have last name? If they do, then wouldn't it be kinda....amusing if the whole family just sit down one day, and decide what they would be known from now on in public?
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2012-01-01, 08:08 | Link #1940 |
temporary safeguard
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Germany
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Usually names are what other people call you, not what you decided for yourself.
In Europe for example, last names were not widely used during the middle ages, but became important when everyone moved towards the cities. At that point they just used what was their most prominent feature at the time. My own lastname is of a certain geographical location, that I managed to track down. For most people it's simply the profession of the family head of the time. For nobles it was almost entirely the land or city they were attached to in the feudal system (firstname of/von/de someplace). I guess it would be the same in this case. |
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culture, discussion, japan, japanese culture |
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