(the) Road to the Deep East

Whenever I listen to LALALA feat. Wakadanna from Kato Miliyah, one question occurs to me.

'What is the man in this song doing??'

Oh, don't take me wrong. I named the male rapper Wakadanna from Shonan no kaze one of the most irritating JPOP star, but I don't mean to be mean to this big fat guy. I mean the person who appears in the lyrics of this song. And this song is the first song from her latest album 'TOKYO STAR', so whenever I listen to this album throughly, this question always agonizes me.

--
In this song, it looks the man (sung and played by Wakadanna) and woman (by Miliyah) are living together. (full Japanese lyrics)

In this lyrics, the woman starts:
昨日も深夜２時　体も疲れ果てて
かまって欲しそう　でも寝させて　文句ひとつ言わない君がもういじらしい
(I got home at 2:00AM again, I got exhausted,
You looks you have something, but leave me alone
You don't complain, it's so lovely.)

She gets home at midnight, and in the next morning, she wakes up earlier than man and goes to work again while he is still sleeping. It always happens to an office worker woman working in this country, especially in Tokyo.

But what is the man doing while she is working so hard?? The man says;

あなたの背中見て　もう出かけるのかと不安気
(skip)
愛してる　一日中　さりげなく時計を見る
まだお昼かって軽く落ちる　くよくよせずに乗り切れるたぶん
生きるって大変なことだからさ　私が慰めてあげなきゃ
帰ってきたら笑顔で迎える　それが唯一のできること
(I got anxious seeing your back, “Do you left home so soon?”
(skip)
I love you.” All day long I see the clock playing it cool.
It's still noon, I'm disappointed a little. But I can do it somehow.
To make living is very hard, so I have to console you.
To welcome you all in smiles when you got home, that's only the thing I can do.)

All the thing he does in this song is waking up around noon, and checking the clock out all day long. And when she gets home at midnight, he has already fell in a sleep. ....As he says, to make living is very hard, and I don't think all he can do is not only just consoling the working girlfriend...

So, first, I thought this song is a song of working woman and helpless her boyfriend. I think this happens to the men and women in the world, and sometimes women- especially, women working in sex industry keep this kind of boyfriend.

However, when we assume this song is about this kind of couple, there appear some awkward points.

Miliyah says,
君がいなくなったらって考えると　涙とまらないよ
首をかしげて不思議そうに私の涙拭いてる
When I imagine the life without you,
my tears won't stop.
You are looking at me putting your head a little to one side, wondering why.
And you wipe my tears off.

Put his head to one side?(首をかしげる？)

Of course, I'm not well informed about human being's gesture in the world, but will the man do it when you have some question when the questionee is so near? When he is alone and have some questions, he may sometimes do, just like I'm doing now. But in this situation the person whom he have something to ask is staying close enough to wipe her tears off. In that kind of situation, we have the better function called 'language'. He can ask her directly, "what's wrong?"


Then, I thought of some hypothesis.

Kotooshu, a Bulgarian sumo wrestler who won the championship last Saturday, started his official blog titled 'ちゃんこ鍋とヨーグルトって意外と合うんです(Chanko-nabe to yogurt tte igaito aundesu)' in Japanse.

http://kotooshu.aspota.jp/

This title can be trasnlated 'Chanko-nabe matches yogurt unexpectedly.' Chanko-nabe is a traditional dish cooked at Sumo gyms. It's a kind of soup like bouillabaisse , and sumo wrestlers eat it everyday. Needless to say, Yogurt is a daily and traditional dish in Bulgaria. I don't think it's good idea to eat them together, but in this title, this Ozeki from Bulgaria may imply that he could assimilate in Japanese culture easily and it was not as hard as many people imagine.

This blog is now becoming popular among Japanese. But that's might not be in the exact same way he had expected. Although its title is written in kanji and hiragana, he posts the entry in all hiragana, and many Japanese think it's 'kawaii.'(cute)

Imagine how he posted the entry. The man over 200cm and 150kg types these hiragana words with biggest palm in front of the smallest palm top. After two-hour struggle, he posted a picture, just saying 'たい２ひき', or 'おさけ'. Certainly, this gap is kawaii.

As many people starts blogging, it looks he spent all his passion on the first day and hadn't posted any since May 26th, but if he can keep it , it's sure he can become a famous blogger in Japanese blogsphere like Nakagawa Shokotan.

It's an interesting phenomenon. In ancient days, in Heian Period, when the capital of Japan was Kyoto, hiragana was the letter mainly used women, hence Japanese men thought the handwriting in hiragana from women is lovely. Now Japanese women became cleverer and read books more than average men, so the traditional usage of hiragana was lost. But when it was used by a foreign wrestler, the function of hiragana reappeared in this 21st century.

Anyway, now, here is a hint of how to become a lovely gaijin in Japan. 'Hiragana makes you lovely.'

Even when you are very good at Japanese and know tons of kanji or Japanese old saying, the usage of your perfect Japanese knowledge will just make you 'sugoi'(great) person, but not friendly person.

When you are working in Japan as an executive of Japanese company, give orders to your men in hiragana. It's sure the too much preaching in Japanese just irritate your subordinates, but simple words in hiragana make them understand that you are thinking about them. For example, when you want to order your man to revise the document he made, just say, 'だめ。やりなおし。(rejected. Revise it.)'.

Of course, it depends on the situation and your personality, but I think this strategy is effective, especially, when you are as fat as sumo wrestler. So, when you feel you are isolated by closed Japanese society, e-mail them in hiragana.

When an ancient woman fell in love with a man 1000 years ago, she sent a letter in hiragana even if she could read and write kanji perfectly. So, this approach is not guilty, but based on Japanese tradition more than modern Japanese's stupid short phone mails.

As a sequel from her 10 year anniversary project, Queen of Japanese R&B, DOUBLE released the album titled 'THE BEST COLLABORATIONS', three months after her best album '10 YEARS BEST WE R&B 1998-2008'. As its title says, in this album, we can look back another 10 year history of this the Queen of Japanese R&B.


(track list)
[CD]
1. Black Diamond/ DOUBLE& Amuro Namie
2. Miss DJ!! / DJ KAORI & DOUBLE
3. Run Away Love feat. Lupe Fiasco
4. We International feat. Ak'Sent
5. Disturbance feat. TOKANA-X
6. My friend L'arperage noir mix with AI
7. Let's Get Together DOUBLE & HIRO from F.O.H
8. Should Have Tried feat. Heartsdales
9. You Got To feat. S-WORD
10. DOUBLE TROUBLE/ TASHA feat. DOUBLE
11. Platinum Date featuring DOUBLE/ZEEBRA
12. Say “I Gotta Believe”/ Del La Soul featuring Double
13. I miss You / GTS feat. DOUBLE
14. Life is Beautiful/ m-flo DOUBLE&/TOKU
15. U – KREVA REMIX featuring KICK THE CAN CREW
16. Shake (ANOTHER SQALL MIX) feat. ZEEEBRA
17. BED(DOUBLES) featuring Mummy-D from RHYMESTER and Kohei from MELLOW YELLOW
18. Nokori bi Mr Drunk Remix feat. Mummy-D, KOHEI JAPAN
[DVD]
1. Black Diamond
2. Say "I Gotta believe!"
3. I Miss You

As you can see from this track list, first, we are surprised how a lot of artists collaborated with DOUBLE. Not only Japanese ones, there are some guests from oversea, like AK'Sent or Del La Soul.

And to celebrate her 10th anniversary, another Japanese R&B Queen, Amuro finally co-stared with DOUBLE, in Black Diamond. (official preview from youtube)


When I heard of this news months back, I couldn't believe. Both Amuro and Double has 10 years career, but DOUBLE is a genuine R&B artists who started from R&B from indy era, while Amuro started from idol pop and transferred to R&B. So, I'd thought they are hating each other. But actually, it looks they were respecting each other, and organized the strongest tag team for this album.

(Spoiler Warning)

I bought two new singles released today, but my motivation to buy them paying around 1000 yens for each one was a kind of low, low , low. I didn't like both of the titled songs from these two female artists, and I just bought thinking 'its coupling may be rather than the a-side.' Then, how were they actually like?

Anna, 'Lucky Tune'

(Track list)
1. Lucky Tune
2. Hoshino Kakera
3. Lucky Tune(Instrumental)
4. Hoshino Kakera(Instrumental)

This is the first solo single from the vocalist from Bon-Bon Blanco, Santos Anna.

To give the conclusion first, the a-side, 'Lucky Tune' was rather than I'd expected from the preview aired as the ending of an anime show, To-love-ru.

I still don't like the too childish intro of this song, and noisy distorted guitar which spoils her voice . And as Anna answered in some interviews, she perfectly play the role of anime character in this song, and sings very cutely, like an anime character. I don't like the style, so, first 3 minutes of this song is kinda torture for an ex-Bon-Bon Blanco fan. 'It's not Anna from Bon-Bon Blanco!!'

However, this song changes dynamically from 3:00. It suddenly becomes up-tempo, rap-esque music, just like 'Yura Yura Yureru' or 'Karatto Ikou -adios amigo- from Bon-Bon Blanco. Then, anime singer Anna transforms into the great and kakkoii vocalsit, Santos Anna in this moment. I really liked this part, and it turned over my prejudice on this song, but she just keep this transformation for 12 seconds, and the songs becomes irritating one again.

The flip-side, 'Hoshino kakera', is a very, very standard JPOP idol song, which only our professor Marty Friedman may be interested in and can extract the charm of this song. In other words, It is boring for most of us.

But in this song, this 20 year-old shows us her growth as a vocalist. Especially, I was impressed by her rhyming. It seems she is interested in American hip-hop or R&B and she could learn a lot from them.

So, if I rate this single out of 10 kote, this single is 7.5 kote. The miraculous 12 seconds starts from 3:00 in Lucky Tune is enough to motivate me to repeat this song twice.

Ah, I have to admit another factor which raised my rating. ITS COVER ART IS NICE!!



(Click Read More to read the review of 'Super☆Looper')

I totally agree with Marty Friedman as to that JPOP is interesting, but I have to add, JPOP reviews from Japanese reviewers are always boring.

It is always written by a style called 'impressionistic criticism'. Many reviewers write about music, but in most examples, they are just chatting over the music, not reviewing the music itself. For example, ' I was moved by the song from this group!! When I listened their music, I was a student of Waseda...', or, 'I listened to this music with my boyfriend. It encouraged me, because... I imagine this song writer experienced the love like us.'

These asshole reviewers don't know, they are just talking about themselves, not the music itself. This problem of 'impressionistic criticism' is a common problem in Japanese art industry as a whole. (If you want to read this kind of reviews, please read a magazine called rockin' on JAPAN) And this lack of authority is one of the reason why JPOP is looked down by many Japanese.

But now, this true gaijin man in Tokyo gives a true JPOP review based on his 30 year experience as a rock musician. Amazingly, for Japanese readers, the wrote this book in Japanese, by himself. Of course, I know there is a job called editor, but his colloquial style Japanese is perfect, and it's an enjoyable read.

He starts from his autobiography. It looks he was a typical rock star wannabe, who was influenced by Elvis first and loved KISS later when he was a boy. It is a bit amazing he is a son of a government officer working at NSA (what did he thought when his son starts to work at 'megade(a)th'?') , but he mastered playing guitar by himself and organizes a band with his friend in Washington, D.C.

It was when moved to Hawaii and listend to an enka song from Yashiro Aki that he discovered JPOP first. He was shocked by its sorrowful melody, and thought of using the enka's vocal technic into his guitar play. He explains, 'The vocal melts like syrup and pour into the melody.' He was also introduced Mihara Junko, idol pop singer in 70s, and impressed by its guitar guitar riff which reminded him of progressive rock.

He kept listening JPOP since then, even after he became a member of Megadeth. He was introduced a lot of JPOP whenever he visited Japan. And he was moved by the 'No Holds Barred' style of JPOP world, people can delve into a lot of genres. And This interest on JPOP finally lead him to the origin of JPOP, and made him left from Megadeth. He also thought of moving to another group in Ameica and starts JPOP-esque music, but he thought he should pursuit true JPOP in Japan.

--
It's interesting story. The points which many critics in Japan criticizes, incoherent reference from a lot of genres and unfashionable enka, were the points which intrigued this foreign genuine musician from America.

But He explains why Japanese doesn't listen to JPOP seriously and never think it's great, with quoting Japanese old proverb. 'Japanese listen to JPOP since their childhood, so they have get accustomed to it. But I say , it is 'Toudai moto kurashi' (灯台元暗し,The foot of lighthouse is always dark). Japanese are just overlooking the important thing that lie near at hand.

Then, he starts to review many works from many Japanese artists in his own words. It's insightful review, and we can learn 'which point is great' in JPOP. It is what we can't learn from Japanese reviewers.

For example, regarding 'Life' from Nakajima Mika, he says,
'The pitches from verse and hook are quit different. It is totally irrational change of key in musical theory, and it is mysterious flow of chords. It is often seen in Komuro Tetsuya's works or Hamazaki Ayumi's works. It is like two songs are mixed in one song, and can't be seen in Western music.'

As for 'Beautiful World' from Utada Hikaru, he says:
'The range of melody that people can thought comfortable is very limited. This song is far from that point, but Utada's technic in vocal and song writing makes people think, “It's good melody."

Marty also defend JPOP regarding thress points JPOP haters criticizes.

As for 'pakuri', direct quotation from Western music, he says:
'Petit-pakuri is okay, because it is just the part is similar, and the interpretation of speed and tone is different. So, the mood of the whole song is different.'

As for English pronunciation, he explains quoting 'Tongue te Tongue' from Soul'd Out.(*1)
'The lyrics are interesting. It is very fast, but English lyrics are fishy. They don't make sense as English words, but including Japanese, they are just pursuing the comfortable sounds, strictly.'

He also defend 'avex Divas', female singers from avex whom many cynical people (*2) criticize saying they are popular just thanks to desperate promotion from the agency.

Hamasaki Ayumi is the number one of number ones of number ones. She has every good points of JPOP female singers. The great point is not only sounds, her existence is super A-class. Hamasaki Aymi must be the artist who is supported by A-class staffs like song writers or backing musicians or promoteres. But she has a stong character and make us forget about the existence of such staffs.'

As for Koda Kumi, he compares with other Japanese R&B singers like Misia and Ayaka, and he still chose her as Number 1 Diva of all female singers in Japan. Marty says she is like Bjork + Madonna in Western music. Koda's image is always sensational like Madonna, and her music is always challenging and new like Bjork. He also approves Otsuka Ai's cute voice, which we never seen in Western music.

But what kind of songs he actually loves the most? In the middle of this book, he selects 'JPOP Top 40'. I don't spoil you in details, but some of songs from Top40 amazes us, and we can learn how deep this true gaijin man in Tokyo loves JPOP world. He selects some songs some fashionable JPOP reviewers never listen to, not only Polyrhythm from Perfume. (#14)

#39 Yamamoto Sayaka 'Christmas Koushin Kyoku'
#37 W 'Robo Kiss'
#10 Matsuura Aya 'Momoiro Kataomoi'
#7 Matsuura Aya 'Yeah! Meccha Holiday'
#4 Matsuura Aya 'Nee?'
#3 Sannin Matsuri 'Chu! Natsu Party'

I remember the solo album from Yamamoto Sayaka, a member of DRM(dream) sold just 699 copies in Japan, but Marty listened to this song, and approved it as #39 of JPOP all time. I can't admire him and his JPOP pursuit enough.

And he also selected a lot of songs from Tsunku, but never select any from recent works. I agree with his sense at this point, too.

--
Like this, this book from Marty Friedman is amazingly informative book. Some may say he flatters too much, but it's sure these reviews give you another view to enjoy JPOP, and you can learn a lot from this book.

Especially, it is very good that this book has an index. Many Japanese books don't have this one and we sometimes have to search by myself, wasting tons of minutes, but you don't have to worry when you want to remember what Marty says about the musician you love.


It's written in an easy spoken language, so it won't be difficult to read for foreigners who are interested in Japanese language and JPOP like him.

But after seeing his greatest reviews in Japanese, now I wish Marty will write a book to introduce JPOP in English in the future. It'll be the best guide book of JPOP for foreigners.

--
*1)Some English part in 'Tongue te Tongue' sounds　okay to me, but May be he is mentioning about this part.
Feeeever Beeeeever Now yougot a B-POP Freak on!
Be what! G what! Gotta Kick the pumpkin pop
Feeeever Beeeeever I'm just D-ROCK Digger!
P what! E what! That's my pleasure

*2) I have to admit, but me too. I still think these flatter to avex divas are related to that he is now belonging to avex, though...

As some new sites reported, a scene from a famous Japanese comic, JoJo's bizarre adventure was considered to be insulting the Holy Koran. In this scene, the enemy of this series, DIO, ordered his fellows to kill human beings while he is reading the Holy Koran.

The publisher, Shuei-sha apologized for this situation and stop the circulation of the comics of Part3 of JoJo's bizarre adventure which include this scene.

(detailed article from Japan Prove)
http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=4661

As Shueisha explains, actually, this scene is not included in the original comic. In the original comic, it is just depicted as a book written in Arabic, but the staffs of animation of this series thought it is Koran because he couldn't read Arabic, so they used the image of Koran.

Not only Shueiha, but also Japanese government and the Ministry of Foreign Affair warned the manga industry to understand other religions and pay respects to them on May 23rd.

(article from Nikkan spports.)
http://www.nikkansports.com/general/news/f-gn-tp3-20080523-363622.html

This explanation might be true, or HAS TO BE TRUE, and it's sure manga industry should be careful about religious matters, learning from this accident.

But as a JoJo fan who is reading this series for over 20 years since Part1, I don't think it is strange that this enemy, DIO reads the Holy Koran, even if it was in its original series. And importantly, even if this enemy reads the Holy Koran, I don't think it's insulting the Muslims.

Why? Well, let's begin with his short biography.

*Just in case, of course, I don't have any hostile feeling against the Holy Koran, even after the circulation of the part of the series I loved was stopped. But I just think the idea : 'The scene DIO reads Koran and kills somebody is related to the Koran itself' is not based on the right knowledge of JoJo series, or this enemy, DIO, so I can't help saying something.

It's a bit later coverage, but, Perfume releases new single on July 9th.

(Article from music new site, Natalie.Kind of sweet name to me. )
http://natalie.mu/news/show/id/7255

It will be the second single released in this year. The title and how this song is like is still uncertain. Their album 'Game' has sold 500,000 copies, and got #1 at Oricon weekly charts, and with this single, now they challenge to the #1 of single charts.

And Natalie also brings me an interesting news.

Kreva, a former member of Kick the can crew and one of representative Japanese hip-hop, covered Perfume.
http://natalie.mu/news/show/id/7271

According to this article, He started his national tour from May 21st, and in this concert, he suddenly started 'a song from Perfume', with their choreography.

This article doesn't explain which song Kreva actually copied, but I envy the audience at the venue. It seems this hip-hop guy loves this group, and especially Kashiyuka.

Since I listened the mush-up of capsule+Beastie Boys+Daft Punk, I'm very looking forward to Perfume, or Nakata Yasutaka's music meets hip-hop in the future. It won't happen, but it'll be great if this Perfume fan guy collaborates with Perfume in this new single.

--
It's amazing that they release single in such a short span, anyway. Certainly, Perfume is now becoming a national idol even Kreva loves, and 500,000 fans are waiting for the new work from this group.

But for the people who knew about their past, when they didn't release anything after Perfume complete best for 6months , this consecutive release looks too sudden.

In America or other countries, it is common to release single after the album to sell the album better, but it is not common way in Japan, and this single looks to be just a new song, not the cut from the album.

Why are they in so hurry? And why should become national idol with those desperate promotions?

A Japanese voice actress and singer, Sakakibara Yui , criticized her fans behavior at the concert, and it is now going to raise a huge controversy.

http://blog.goo.ne.jp/yui-nyan_lt/e/fdc1db11a048dc825386f4dd38b43bdf
In this long entry, she declared that she won't permit any wota-geis at her concert, and explains why she doesn't like them.


http://www.sakakibarayui.com/

--
First, she explains how some of her fans, or otakus are not sensible about her policy. She had already told it to fans in a roundabout way before, but some of fans couldn't understand, so she decided to say it directly.

“Some may think it is what the artist should say, but please understand it is the situation I have to say it by myself.”

And she explains the new rule for her concert.

“Now, I'd like to forbid all the deeds what is called wota-gei. Some may say 'I don't trouble anybody and I'm selecting a right place to do wotagei.', but it is causing troubles in the end. And basically, I don't like the deed that you don't look at the stage.”

“As I've been saying for years, just doing some violent move without looking at the stage is nothing but a self-satisfaction. 'To go and become violent' or 'To go and do wota-gei' is not the feeling as 'to enjoy the live concert.'

“Sponsors overlook these behaviors because they live up the concert, but some evil persons take an advantage of this. “

“This troublesome acts are held at concerts from other arrtists. But it is just the difference between they overlook or not. Pure fans are not coming to the concert to see your weird move. “

--
It's just summary, and more translation may alive later, but... but How true words this voice actress and singer says !?

It is exactly the same idea as mine 2 years ago, when I was still a passion for idol music. I still believe wota-gei is not the correct way to enjoy the 'music', no matter how the people in the world love it. It is not the way to enjoy the music, but the way to enjoy a masochistic feeling which ocmes when they do and shout in their hearts: 'I'm otaku, look at me!!'

And I think many idols who were forced to act as idols in the past were having the exact same emotion whenever she saw otakus dancing from the stage , but for commercial reason, they have to endure them and pretend to be delighted, saying, “Ouen site kurete arigatou!!”(Thank you for your supports) in all smiles.

But now, finally, here came the idol who confessed her real intention.

Personally, I tried her 'music' couple of weeks ago coincidently, but I didn't like it, so I don't think I can go to her concert and support her. But I'll support her anti-wotagei activity in my heart. I wish this movement spread to the world and all wota-gei will disapppear from this universe.

Ex-member of legendary heavy metal band, Marty Friedman talked about his love for JPOP. This 45 year-old who sold 10 millions copies in the world as a member of Megadeth is now living in Japan and known as a defender of Japanese pop music. And in the short interview from a local news paper, he talked about the details of his JPOP love.
　
(original article from Fukushima Minyu)
http://www.minyu-net.com/newspack/2008051901000111.html

In this interview, he criticises American hit charts, and explains why he loves Japanese music.
"I may not like any of Top10 from American hit charts, but I like over 8 from Japanese Top10."
"I discovered JPOP in the middle of 1990s, and I liked it very much. Everybody sings the song in karaoke, so it has powerful and comprehensive melody, and it has a modulation like tsunami."

He also answers the favorite songs from recent songs.
1. Polyrhythm (perfume), 2. Kodoku no mukou (Hirahara Ayaka), 3. Smile (Genki Rockts.)

Amazingly, this heavy metal guitarist loves Perfume! But why?

He says has been listening to Perfume since their debut ( *I think he means their major debut in 2004, though) and explamins: “Polyrhythm is pop song in Japan, but in America, only Progressive rock musicians can understand its irrational rhythms.

Not only this interview, In another interview with Japanese musician Chikada Haruo, he is also commenting about Perfume.

"To use effector on voices sound like Joke, but this man (Nakata) has a certain musical background so it won't become jokes. Matured progress of codes, voicing like jazz, and modulation with beautiful melody. It might become like otaku, but it didn't. (after he compared with maid cosplay group's album.) “Perfume is okay,because it's fashionable."

(original article)
http://www.cdjournal.com/main/interview/interview.php?ino=110&page=1

--
Since Perfume became national idol last year, I'd been wondering how this attorney of Jpop looks at Perfume, but here came the answer. And his words must be ultimately true.

JPOP is interesting, but most of Japanese underrate them and think it is humiliating to expose it to the world. Especially Japanese who listen to Western music don't like the music from their own country, and disrespect them calling them 'pakuri'( imitation) of foreign music.

However, they should notice and I say, the pakuri is occurring even in the Western countries. I mean even foreign musicians imitates foreign music. The young imitates the old, that's how the pop music evolves, or how the culture is handed down to the next generation.

At least, now one foreign musician from who succeeded in the country they adore approves the quality of JPOP. Those Japanese JPOP haters should listen to JPOP again and judge them after trying to understand what he says, and what he thinks interesting.

Anyway, it seems Mr Friedman had released a book about JPOP(written in Japanese). Iijan J-pop, Dakara boku ha nihon ni yatte kita.(that's why I came to Japan).

It's an interesting topic. I'd like to buy it when I dropped at a book store later and write its review later.

It is 16 years since Japanese professional soccer league J-League was organized in 1992. As far as I can remember, it is the first usage of alphabet 'J' as a kakkoii acronym of Japan. J-POP, J-Bungaku(literature), J-PHONE, J-BEEF, J-POKE... tons of ' J' was born and disappeared in these 16 years, but it seems now we witnessed another kind of 'J' from the birthplace of 'J'. J-Hooligan.

Last Saturday, at the J-LEAGUE football game between Urawa Reds(Saitama) and Gamba Osaka(Osaka) held at Saitama stadium, Gamba fans provoked Reds fans by throwing water balloons until they hit the kids fans from Urawa. Fans of both glared at each other over the fence and security guards, but when Gamba won the game by 3-2 and Gamba fans were crazed, Urafan's blew their top and locked up Gamba fans in the stadium for over 2 hours. 1,500 Gamba fans were rescued by the Police and escaped from the stadium, and Reds fans let them go after the representative of Gamba fans apologized them for the bad behavior during the game.

Fortunately, there weren't any fans from both team who died during this turmoil, but one 35 year-old Gamba fan who fell from the stand broke his leg and was taken to the hospital.
(article from Japan Times.)
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/sj20080518a1.html
...
Some people from the countries where football is more and fans go mad more than Japan may say, they are just 'fans' , not hooligans. But it's still amazing Japanese people can become such crazy at football game, and behave like that.

The picture taken during the game looks to be the one from other Asian countries, which are very close to Japan, especially, when their national team oppose to Japan national team for the the color of uniforms they wear.


Just as they have been doing for 2000 years or more, it seems Japanese people are still good at copying foreign products and arrange them for internal use.

Look at this picture. They even copy the hand sign of original countries!!



...However, is this the first J-Hooligan and nationalists or conservative people should lament for the degenerated moral of modern Japanese? I don't think so. To tell the truth, it's not the first turmoil caused by sports in this country.

According to Sankei Sports, it turned out an ex-member of Miniska-police has become a 'OL' ('Office Lady', office worker),from last April.

This woman, Nagai Runa, 25 year-old, was a gravure idol who was famous as the 6th gen member of the TV show, 'Miniska-police' Miniska-police was a popular mid-night TV show in which girls in Police-cosplay challanges to many things without caring about upskirts, and it became a boom around 2000.

After she graduated this TV show, in 2002, she entered Rikkyo University, another university in Tokyo which belongs to 10% from the top, and studied English and American literature in Tokyo. In 2006, she graduated and began to study English language at a graduate school in London to become an international actress.

While she is studying in London, she changed career plan, and decided to become a common people, and work as a OL at a common company.
(picture & article from sanspo)
http://www.sanspo.com/geino/top/gt200805/gt2008051811.html

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Strangely, although this is a kind of sad story – one ambitious girl gives up dream and starts to work as a common people – when it comes to 'gravure' world, it sounds like to me a very happy news.

How many gravure idols ended their career in the weirdest way since last year? As far as I introduced in this blog, two girls disappeared suddenly after they were forced to sleep with a producer, while other woman was arrested in Akihabara for obscenity. A girl killed herself after she was forced to become a porn actress, while another one killed her old boy boyfriend with a kitchen knife and tried to stop the blooding with an instant glue.

But now, this 25 year-old became a common people and going to work as a English-speaking Rikkyo graduate. It's not certain what kind of industry she chose, but it's sure it won't be the one like Mcjob. Job searching for excellent university students is becoming easier, so I won't be surprised even if she says she is working at Morgan Stanley or Merrill Lynch. She couldn't become an international actress as she'd been wishing, but it must be the happiest ending which belongs to 3% of all gravure idols from the top.

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Only the matter of concern is, her past career. In the blog entry she posted just before she left the show business, she is worrying about the clips posted at youtube. When she searched on the Web with key word of her name, '永井流奈', while she felt nostalgic about the gravure pictures which she had already forgot, she was shocked by the clips at youtube, because they were the clips taken in the hardest time in her life.

She was searching for the method to delete these clips, but it seems these clips are still available at youtube, and certainly, they are shocking ones. About 10 years ago, people can enjoy this kind of clip freely on TV in Japan, and she was the casualty of this hentai-TV-show boom era.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuqJ7AvL2Us

However, I don't think she will be fired after these clips are discovered by the company she belongs to. It's the era of the Internet, so I don't think the personal department of the company didn't search her name just as she did and hired her without knowing that she was that kind of miniska police. Miniska-career is a kind of Karma she has to be burdened, but I just wish the best in her next career.

Women are always mysterious to men. They always have some secrets we can never know.

The mystery begins at elementary school. One day, while we are still children who love Nintendo products badly, they begin to use some instruments which we are never taught how to use them, and become very nervous once a month without any reasons. Then, they stop playing Nintendo products with us, and begin to talk about the ikemen persons they love, and never look at us anymore.

The mystery continues. The part of their bodies begin to swell, and strangely, we can not overlook the hills suddenly appeared on their chest. Some of us experience the expansion of human body parts then, but apparently, it is not the same place. And the mystery occurred then are concealed under the kawaii pair of clothes they begin to use then.

And they later, when they become more cunning, they begin to camouflage them with some cotton or silicon products, and the mystery becomes deeper and deeper. Those camouflaged mysteries attract us badly, but where is the truth? Only the thing we can do is just guessing, speculating, and making believe, lonesomely, and tiresomely.

But now, one Japanese genius create the wonderful device to undercover the one of secrets of women.

Oppai Maker
http://ohpai.com/

By inputting the name of the girls whom you want to undercover her mystery, you can see the truth usually hidden under the annoying clothes. The color of top, area of the circle around the top, and elasticity(pururun-do) of the body part . In addition, unbelievably, it can calculate how “H”(indecent,or pervert) the person is!!

Some may not believe, but I think this device is very helpful, and credible. Let's look at an example, the best example to talk about this topic. Hosino Aki. Amazingly, through this oppai maker, we can see the truth under her mysterious boobs.

(Just in case, click read more after you confirmed you are legally okay to see some indecent pictures.)