L'Arc-en-Ciel is a Japanese rock quartet that formed in 1991 and debuted in 1993. Throughout their 20+ year history, this Osaka, Japan-based quartet produced a number of songs. The blog post you're about to check out here is a little piece to introduce you to the sounds of these J-rockers.
BEFORE I BEGIN... As a brief note, this is a brand-new post. Some of my past blog posts regarding various Japanese music artists and groups I've blogged about here on "John's Blog Space" may be deleted and replaced with newer versions. I want all of my fans to get to see some of my past posts on this same topic, including old (and VERY old) posts. You'll know which ones are updated posts if I mentioned them as updated versions of original posts. So take note of this if I decide to bring up some of my past posts.
--- L'arc-en-Ciel ---
Let's mee the four guys that make up today's L'arc-en-Ciel before I share any videos or music with you:
• hyde - vocals and guitar • tetsuya - bass, keyboards, backing vocals • ken - guitar, keyboards, tambourine • yukihiro - drums and percussion
Ex-members of L'arc-en-Ciel include these:
• HIRO - guitar • PERO - drums • sakura - drums and percussion
One of the first songs I've heard from L'arc-en-Ciel was "Spirit Dreams Inside" from the movie soundtrack to "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within." I actually like these guys. Very solid group with some great singing. L'Arc-en-Ciel translates from French to "The Rainbow."
--- L'arc en Ciel in Videos ---
Let's hear some of their music. If you can't view any of the videos or want to view them on YouTube, I have included permalinks to each of the featured videos. So have a listen to these songs. Maybe you'll be a fan of L'Arc-en-Ciel too:
• "Spirit Dreams Inside," from the soundtrack of "Final Fantasy: Spirit Within" Here is one of the first songs of L'Arc-en-Ciel that I grown to like. And trust me- this was the best-possible video I could find for this song, so I feel accomplished in sharing THIS with you all:
• "Lies and Truth" The song may be called "Lies and Truth," but L'arc-en-Ciel is the definite truth in this one. Five minutes of awesomeness coming your way. Brace yourself:
Thank you for reading! Because some of my past blog posts on Japanese musicians are poorly viewed (many of which are VERY old), I may delete some of my old posts and bring them back with newer, updated versions. So please take note of this if I do indeed decide to delete older posts on certain Japanese artists and groups and bring them up with new versions. Meanwhile...
Ranma ½ was one of Rumiko Takahashi's finest masterpieces in anime. It is my all-time favorite anime series. It is very funny along with some great fight scenes. Ranma ½ is also a great romantic anime series. This blog post is just a little look at this great series. Maybe after reading this post, you'll become a fan as well.
This blog label features topics or elements related to anime and/or manga. Such posts may include reviews of anime and manga series, shows, movies, characters, or some basic commentary on anime and manga.
--- Ranma ½ at a Glance ---
^ from: www.sweetslyrics.com - Various characters of Ranma ½.
The story of Ranma ½ is basically centered around a high schooler named Ranma Saotome. He and his father, Genma, were out martial arts training in China in an area full of many cursed springs. Falling into any of these springs turns you into whatever drowned into it. The curse takes form when splashed with cold water. When splashed with hot water, you return to your original form. Unfortunately, Ranma and Genma both fell into the springs. Genma turns into a giant panda when splashed with cold water. Ranma, however, becomes a girl when splashed with cold water.
Ranma Saotome is met by the Tendo sisters, as Ranma has to pick one to be his girlfriend- Kasumi, Nabiki, and Akane. Kasumi is the eldest of the Tendo sisters and is very sweet-natured. Nabiki is the sly and sneaky sister always trying to make quick cash. Akane is gentle and sweet... until you get on her bad side or complain about her cooking skills. Ranma eventually chooses Akane Tendo. The two get along quite well... most of the time.
What I love most about the Ranma series are the fights. Most importantly, the battles between Ranma and Ryoga. Ryoga is my favorite character of all. He is a strong fighter, but he's... dumb. Ryoga is known as the "eternally lost boy" for a reason. What can be reached within walking distance takes him hours and weeks. He is an idiot... but, he can fight!
Various Characters.
There are also some other characters of note. I'll name a few of them. • Soun - the Tendo family father. • Ukyo - okonomiyaki chef. She's mistaken for a boy. • Shampoo - Shampoo is a super-cute character. She loves boy-type Ranma and detests girl-type Ranma. Shampoo turns into a cat when splashed with cold water. • Tatewaki Kuno - the "Blue Thunder" of Furinkan High is a rival of boy-type Ranma, but madly in love with girl-type Ranma. • Kodachi - Kodachi is Tatewaki Kuno's sister, and is known as the black rose. She's as big of a nut as as Kuno. • Happosai - a perverted and short old man notorious for stealing womens' panties.
In addition to the various TV episodes of Ranma ½, there have been countless other installments of Ranma that are all equally funny. Some of the other installments include Ryoga learning the Breaking Point technique- a technique where large rocks could be broken with a single point. There was also an episode where Ranma and company had to fight a legendary phoenix that was going haywire around Tokyo. Also unique were various martial arts competitions in unlikely situations, including martial arts figure skating (very funny episode!) and even a martial arts running race. There is NEVER a dull moment watching Ranma ½. It is a fantastic anime series and one of the true classic anime series.
I tried to find a brief video to showcase Ranma ½, but I was unable to find one for you. To see YouTube videos on the Ranma ½ series on your own time, click on the following link to see "Ranma 1/2" YouTube search results.
Play DVDs? Want to get into the Ranma ½ series? Check out these Amazon items and feel free to enjoy the Ranma ½ series:
THIS LINE (left to right): • Ranma 1/2: Season One: The Digital Dojo; TV Anime Season 1 DVD Box Set (2006) • Ranma 1/2, Season 2-Anything Goes Starring Ranma 1 and 2 (2007) • Ranma 1/2: Season Three - Hard Battle (2007) • Ranma 1/2 Season 4 - Outta Control Starring Ranma 1/2 (2007) • Ranma 1/2: Season 5 - Martial Mayhem Starring Ranma (2008)
I can't find any good Ranma videos to show on John's Blog Space. However, I do want to shout out to my tomodachi ("friend" in Japanese) Yuki singing two Ranma ½ songs. The first one was the first I had seen from roconamente, and another was a more recent Ranma cover done by roconamente:
I take my Beauties blog posts to Asia now. The next series of posts regards beautiful ladies from the world's largest continent- Asia. I begin with lovely ladies from Eastern Asia. Initially supposed to be about just Japanese women, I have extended the scope of Asian beauties to include lovely ladies of East Asia and eastern Asian descent. I would like to welcome and salute all people from the aforementioned countries representing this blog post.
WARNING: Some material in this blog post may not be suitable for all audiences. Videos and pictures are being shown at your own discretion.
LATEST UPDATE(S)/REVISION(S)
APR 9 2012 -
--- Asian Beauties ---
When most people think of Asian people and things, many people (understandably) think of Asia along the Pacific Rim and many of the outlying Pacific islands around Asia. In this series of blog posts regarding Asian beauties, I will showcase various Asian women as some of the most beautiful from this featured part of the world. I will be sure to feature many more lovely ladies from this certain sector of the world in more posts.
Once the series is complete, you may link to any of the following through the list below. Here is a look at the Asian Beauties series:
--- ASIAN BEAUTIES SERIES --- • East Asian Beauties • Southeast Asian Beauties • South Asian Beauties • Central Asian Beauties
I may plan on doing Middle Eastern beauties separately. Either that, or I may include another blog post in this Asian beauty series to feature Middle Eastern ladies.
Asian Beauties: East Asia.
Initially to be about just Japanese women, I decided to include various East Asian nations (including Japan). I have to continually provide content to please my readers around the world. I had long planned on doing some other "Beauties" post regarding some other sector of the world. I eventually chose to complete my post on Asian women.
The following are all the countries/territories represented in this blog post: Japan, Korea Republic, [People's Republic of] China, Mongolia, Taiwan, Macau, S.A.R., China; and Hong Kong, S.A.R., China
How This Blog Post Works.
You will see certain ladies from the seven represented nations that make up East Asia. Here are the represented nations in order:
• Japan - ladies from Japan and/or of Japanese descent. • Korea Republic - ladies from South Korea and North Korea, and/or of Korean descent. • China - ladies from China, and/or of Chinese descent. • Mongolia - Mongolese ladies and/or those of Mongolese descent. • Taiwan - Taiwanese ladies and/or those of Taiwanese descent. • Macau, S.A.R., China - those born in the Chinese Special Administrative Region of Macau. • Hong Kong, S.A.R., China - those born in the Chinese Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong.
So let's get started! Some information on featured people were provided by Wikipedia searches. I may only make mention to certain ladies if I can't find pictures, websites, or videos on each featured lady. Don't forget that I may edit this post from time to time to update my material.
By the Way (and Just for Fun)...
I learned a new word coming up with this blog post: "blasian." Blasian is a term meaning someone who is a mix of Black and some variation of Asian. Some Blasian ladies will be featured in this post. I think a more technical term for "Blasian" is "Afro-Asian."
--- East Asian Beauties: Japan ---
Initially, this blog post was supposed to be about just Japanese beauties. Then, I decided to have it be about Japanese, Korean, and Chinese ladies. So I decided to make a post to satisfy many audiences. There are many lovely Japanese ladies to me. Some of the many favorites will be featured here.
Because I wanted this post to be about Japanese ladies only, you're going to see a majority of featured ladies from Japan in this blog post.
Konnichiwa, Nihon (bows down in prayer)! ^_^
Asami Konno.
^ from: japan-zone.com - The sweet-faced Asami Konno.
Formerly of Hello! Project fame, Asami Konno (or Kon-Kon) has a sweet face and lovely hair. The (born: May 7, 1987)-year old is as sweet as sugar along with a sweet smile and a great singing voice. Asami Konno also has played as a football goalie for the Gatas Brilhantes Hello! Project futsal (indoor football/soccer) team. In fact, Asami is a very sporty girl. Watch Kon-Kon in action as a goalie in this video below (she's #12 on the team):
If you want to see more pictures, I have found a Picasa gallery featuring more kawaii pictures of Asami Konno. Take a look if you're interested: Picasa Gallery featuring Asami Konno.
(Born: October 20, 1988)-year old Risa Niigaki was also part of Hello! Project in her past. Like Asami Konno, Risa is also super-cute and has also played for the Gatas Brilhantes Hello! Project futsal team. Let Risa-san sing for you! She sings "Never Forget" solo in this video:
Rio Natsume.
^ from: celebrity.the-best.org - The deliciously sexy former gravure model, Rio Natsume.
Rio Natsume is a sexy buxom who used to be a gravure model. In fact, Rio was the first-ever gravure model whom I became a fan of. She no longer is a model. So with this said, her hot and sexy pictures still resonate with me even to this day. I salute and say hello to Rio Natsume if she is somehow reading this blog post of mine. You're one of the sexiest women in this universe. STILL one of the sexiest even if no longer modeling. Truly a gravure goddess.
^ from: www.yokomatsugane.org - Gravure model Yoko Matsugane and her copious breasts.
Like Rio, Yoko Matsugane is another busty beauty. I learned of this gravure hottie around the time I learned of Rio Natsume. She, too is a deliciously hot Japanese lady.
The sweet-as-sugar Tokyo native Saori Yamamoto is both a model as well as a musician. She plays some alternative rock music aside from her lovely modeling pictures. Here is a video showcasing the super-cute Saori Yamamoto:
Isn't she cute? ;)
Sayaka Isoyama.
Sayaka Isoyama is one seductive Japanese hottie. Luscious curves and a sweet face make her a truly lovely lady. Here is a look at this lady in this video. Just goes to show you how Japanese girls can perfectly balance cute and sexy:
If you want to see how hot Sayaka Isoyama is, here is a YouTube video for you. I decided to post a link to this video since I want to keep my blog post as world-friendly as possible. Be warned... this video, while not considered as objectionable by YouTube, may not be safe for work. So here is the video: "Sayaka Isoyama in Black" on YouTube.
Mayumi.
Mayumi used to be a model and a grid girl. I best know her as being a race queen for Symbolic Motor Car and the STP Taisan team. The combination of a sexy race queen as well as having absolutely beautiful looks makes this cute from Osaka memorable for me. She no longer does modeling. In fact, there was an unfortunate incident when she was hit by a car and had to deal with having lots of pain in her back. I do hope she's well however she's doing right now.
I honestly can't find any pictures or videos on her that I can actually use, but I don't want to forget her because Mayumi is a very beautiful lady. So if you want to see pictures of her (albeit old pictures), I invite you to view these images on IGN's UK site.
^ from: neoseeker.com - Ayumi (or just "Ayu") Hamasaki.
While many would consider her the Britney Spears or the Paulina Rubio of Japan, (born: October 2, 1978)-year old Ayumi Hamasaki is one of the all-time best in the realm of Japanese pop. I've known her in supplying the theme to the PlayStation 1 RPG, "Thousand Arms."
(A possible blog post on her is something I'm not ruling out in the future.)
Aya Matsuura is one of many alums of the supergroup Morning Musume. My all-time favorite song of hers is "Love Namida Iro." This young singer has also been in a variety of commercials and even done some acting. And oh, did I mention she's super cute? :) See for yourself by checking out this classic song. It's "Love Namida Iro" below:
(A possible blog post on her is something I'm not ruling out in the future.)
As part of the duo known as roconamente, Yuki is the kawaii singer who wears creative outfits and expends her creative energy in her music. roconamente is best known for cover songs of anime songs as well as some non-anime songs. The one doing the singing is the super-cute Yuki. I blogged about roconamente in my blog post called "roconamente" here on John's Blog Space. How cute is Yuki? Here is one of her performances on YouTube (you may need to turn down the volume):
^ from: www.cool-chicks.com - Riyo Mori won Miss Universe in 2007 representing Miss Japan.
Riyo Mori won Miss Universe in 2007. She is only the second Miss Universe winner from Japan, the first Miss Japan winner was Akiko Kojima back in 1959 (no relation to Hideo Kojima, at least I think).
Kurara Chibana is a (born March 27, 1982)-year old model. This is a brief video showcasing this beautiful lady:
Chiaki Kuriyama.
^ from: xyface.com - Whether you know her as Chiaki Kuriyama or Gogo Yubari, she's still a Japanese beauty.
As I was putting the finishing touches to this blog post, I wanted to make mention to one lady you may have heard of from "Kill Bill: Volume 1." She swings a mean morning star playing as one of the villains in "Kill Bill: Volume 1." This girl is known as Gogo Yubari in the movie, but away from this movie, she is (born: October 10, 1984)-year old Chiaki Kuriyama- a Japanese girl with some very long hair.
HitomiNeko.
HitomiNeko is the blog of a young deco designer. Hitomi also provides some beauty insight. This is a Taiwanese-American (?) blogger is beautiful in looks as well as in speaking. She personifies cute on so many levels, it's insane. Here is how cute she is with this video as she introduces herself to you:
Keiko Lynn was born in Florida and resides in Brooklyn. This young fashion blogger is 25% Japanese, so this beauty very much qualifies as part of the East Asian beauties. She is also big on beauty in addition to fashion. Another thing dear to Keiko Lynn's heart are animals, which she cares very deeply for. Postlapsaria is her own fashion store. This video introduces you to this beautiful young lady:
"Aki no Yuutsu" is a blog here on Blogspot about a young lady named Akino (or just "Aki") who is Japanese-Thai. In her videos and in some of her blog posts, she expresses her trilingual skills. She speaks English, Japanese, and Thai. Visit her blog to see her vast array of fashion styles!
^ from: myx.tv - Arika Sato is one of the hottest women anywhere in the world. Many know this Japanese-American lady from the "Paris Hilton's My New BFF" reality TV series.
Japanese-American beauty Arika Sato is mostly known as a contestant on MTV's "Paris Hilton: My New BFF" reality TV competition. Her ambition to become a celebrated star in TV and media is an ambition I proudly cheer her on for. This lady is immensely entertaining, immensely beautiful, and immensely hot! To read my old blog post on her, check out "Arika Sato" here on John's Blog Space.
She's the queen of all things Baby Phat. She lives life in the fab lane. And... she happens to be Afro-Asian. Kimora Lee Simmons was born on May 4, 1975 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Her mother is Korean-born Japanese. Here is a sample of Kimora Lee Simmons in this video:
Maria Ozawa (or Miyabi).
With a Japanese mother and a French-Canadian father, Maria Ozawa (with the stage name of Miyabi) is a sexy former adult video model. The (born: January 8, 1986)-year old is one of my own Capricorns. Maria is also a lady who has a pretty nice booty. :D I read on Wikipedia that she is a big gaming fan. Got to love a girl gamer. :) This video is a promotional video of this very sexy woman. It's either this or nothing:
These are some of Japan's beautiful ladies. These are the Japanese ladies as beautiful as the islands and the land they represent. I hope you enjoyed some of the many Japanese natives and Japanese-descent ladies here.
I'm not done yet! I have many other countries and ladies to feature! Read on to see more beautiful ladies profiled (or disregard this line if you are reading the full post).
Love John's Blog Space? If so (and if you haven't yet subscribed or followed), Subscribe and/or Follow!
--- East Asian Beauties: Korea Republic ---
(This section: South Korea and North Korea)
Time to give some beautiful Korean ladies some love here. This section features Korean ladies as well as those of Korean descent.
An nyoung ha seh yo, Korea! ^_^
Park Soo Kyung.
Park Soo Kyung is a Korean hottie with very sensual curves. This delicious beauty was selected as Maxim South Korea in 2006. She is also a Korean grid girl. Did you know Korean girls can be super-hot? If you didn't know that, you'll be a believer once you see this beauty here:
Kim Go-Eun (Byul).
^ from: 2008.yimsiam.com - Byul is a great singer from South Korea.
Kim Go-Eun is better known by her stage name of Byul. I know of Byul best for one of the most beautiful Korean songs I've ever heard. Anyone familiar with Korean drama might have heard of "Full House." This is the Korean drama "Full House," not the popular American comedy "Full House." This may be one of the most beautiful songs you'll hear. Don't believe me? Listen to the theme of "Full House" in this video:
Any long-time reader of "John's Blog Space" may have seen my post on Keira Kang. This young Korean has been through a lot of tumult in her life. She is someone trying to make it in the music realm as well as in the fashion realm. Though her past hasn't been beautiful, Keira is definitely beautiful. Do you want to hear a sample of Keira Kang's singing? Of course you do! Have a listen:
You remember earlier I talked about "Blasian" women? Well, here's one of them. Of Black and Korean descent, Amerie is a singer who is an alum of Georgetown University. She is one of many famous "Blasian" (Black and Asian) women out there. This is the first thing I think of whenever I hear of Amerie. It's the first song to come to mind for me. And really... the ONLY song I know of best from this Black/Korean beauty:
(born: May 31, 1981)-year old Yoon Mi Rae is a very popular Black and Korean hip-hop artist. She also does some rhythm and blues as well. She was born Tasha Reid. As a native Texan, I'm proud to say that Yoon Mi Rae is one of my fellow Texans- born in Portland, Texas (a suburb of Corpus Christi).
I wish I could embed this video to this blog post. But unfortunately, embedding was disabled. I found a great song where this Black-Korean beauty sings beautifully. I think it's something you really need to hear if you love rhythm and blues-type music. So if you want to hear Yoon Mi Rae sing, click on this link: Yoon Mi Rae - Don't Leave Me (this is a VERY good song!).
These are some of Korea's loveliest ladies. Thanks for reading!
--- East Asian Beauties: China ---
(This section: People's Republic of China)
It's rare I get blog hits from China, but I want to showcase some of China's lovely ladies in this post.
Coco Lee is a Chinese pop star who has a long history of singing. She was the very first Chinese artist to perform at the Oscars. She made her American debut in 1999 with "Do You Want My Love?" If you have never heard this song before, here is your first chance to see and hear Coco Lee. Trust me, this is a cool song:
^ "Do You Want My Love?" (1999) from Coco Lee
Zhang Zilin.
Zhang Zilin won Miss World 2007. This beautiful (born: March 22, 1984)-year old from Shijiazhuang, China is one of the loveliest Chinese supermodels in the world. She stands 5'11" (the same height as Taylor Swift and Wendy Williams) and has an extensive sports background. Want to know how she sounds? Have a look and a listen:
Allison (Honorable Mention!)
Allison of "Curvy Girl Chic" more than qualifies as an East Asian beauty. The young blogger is Cantonese-Taiwanese. "Curvy Girl Chic" is a blog devoted to plus size fashion. This Asian beauty will astound you with her incredible sense of style. Visit her blog and see her beauty by going to Curvy Girl Chic.
Alexa Chung (Honorable Mention!).
It's on with Alexa Chung! Though British, (born: November 5, 1983)-year old Alexa Chung has some Chinese blood in her. Her father is of Chinese-British descent. What I respect most from a fashion perspective on Alexa is that she doesn't play by any fashion rules. Her own fashion style is... well, hers. This was the best I could find and embed to introduce you all to Alexa Chung:
(A possible blog post on her is something I'm not ruling out in the future.)
--- East Asian Beauties: Mongolia ---
I have no idea of any Mongolian ladies, so don't expect too much here.
Oyungerel Gankhuyag.
^ from: ookaboo.com - Miss World 2007 and representing Mongolia that year, Oyungerel Gankhuyag.
The winner of Miss Mongolia in 2007 was Oyungerel Gankhuyag. She was born in 1985 and is from Mongolia's capital city of Ulannbattar.
^ from: blingcheese.com, by way of photobucket.com - Faline Song is an import model of Taiwanese descent. Import model Faline Song is a beautiful young model of Taiwanese descent. I best know this sweet petite (she's 5'1") for being not only beautiful, but also very silly. She has a great sense of humor while also making some amazing-looking pictures. Faline Song has recently wanted to focus more on photography than modeling. So if you want to see more of Faline Song, visit Faline Song's Facebook Fan Page on Photography or Faline Song on Model Mayhem.
Lucy Liu.
^ from: hotandnerdy.wordpress.com - Actress Lucy Liu. (Born: December 2, 1968)-year old actress Lucy Liu is Taiwanese-American. Her roots are Chinese since her parents are from (respectively) Shanghai and Beijing. One interesting experience in her acting career was the movie "3 Needles." It was a movie regarding the AIDS problem in China, Africa, and Canada. I also remembered seeing her as villainess O-Ren Ishii, part of the final battle in "Kill Bill: Volume 1."
HitomiNeko.
HitomiNeko is the blog of a young deco designer. Hitomi also provides some beauty insight. This is a Taiwanese-American (?) blogger is beautiful in looks as well as in speaking. She personifies cute on so many levels, it's insane. Here is how cute she is with this video as she introduces herself to you:
One of the loveliest ladies in all of blogging, Kileen is of Taiwanese descent though representing my home state of Texas. She is the creator of "cute and little," a petite fashion blog featuring some exceptional-looking outfits. Her most popular blogging pieces come in her Color Brigade series. The Color Brigade posts feature some of Kileen's most colorful outfits. In addition, other fashionistas showcase their colorful style and get some mentions in the Color Brigade posts. Visit this lovely lady's blog at "cute and little" today!
--- East Asian Beauties: Macau, S.A.R., China ---
Those born in the Chinese Special Administrative Region of Macau are featured here.
Cherry Ng.
^ from: paradiseofbeauty.forum0.biz, by way of imageshack.us - Cherry Ng, the winner of the 2010 Miss Macau pageant.
Miss Macau 2010 Tourism Queen International (TQI) went to Cherry Ng. This sweet-as-sugar cutie from Macau is very beautiful. She introduces herself to you in this video:
Maybe if there are more from Macau, I'll add them as need be.
--- East Asian Beauties: Hong Kong, S.A.R., China ---
Finally, here are women born in Hong Kong or from Hong Kong. Those ladies born in the Chinese Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong will be featured here. Saluting all you Hong Kongers!
Maggie Cheung (or Zhang Manyu(?)).
Hong Kong actress Maggie Cheung is among one of the most celebrated actresses. The (born: September 20, 1964)-year old Hong Kong native was the first Asian to win the "Best Actress Award" at the Cannes Film Festival. She has won countless other awards and accolades including the Hong Kong Film Award (five times), the Taiwan Golden Horse award (5 times), and other awards at other different ceremonies. She was even Miss Hong Kong before. Needless to say, this beauty has a deep passion and dedication for her work. She showcases her passion in movies in this video:
Jill Vidal.
^ from: www.topnews.in - Jill Vidal is a beautiful Hong Konger who had an ugly moment that has fairly silenced her music career.
Jill Vidal was a singer of rhythm and blues and contemporary music in her native Hong Kong. Unfortunately, some legal troubles have halted her singing career. She and her boyfriend, Kelvin Kwan, were both being accused of shoplifting as well as marijuana usage in Tokyo in 2009. Jill Vidal got involved with trafficking heroin in Tokyo in 2009, and she was later imprisoned for two years as well as being suspended for three years. The (born: April 13, 1982)-year old is still a beautiful lady. She is of Chinese, Filipino, and Korean descent.
Sammi Cheung.
Though she didn't win Miss Hong Kong in 2010, Sammi Cheung still represented Hong Kong in the 2010 as Miss Hong Kong World that year. Sammi lost Miss Hong Kong to Toby Chan (who would later be voted as the "Ugliest Miss Hong Kong") that year. Allow Sammi to introduce herself to you:
Miss Kwong (Honorable Mention!)
Miss Kwong may be one of the most stylish teachers in the world. She believes that not every teacher wears horrid, boring outfits to class. This blogger proves this point brilliantly as she introduces you to her vast array of styles. Recently, she has even adopted the usage of lovely fashion sketches to further showcase her array of styles. Let this Hong Kong beauty show you how to teach... in style! Check out Miss Kwong - From Art to Classroom today!
I will further expand upon my "Asian Beauties" Series to include many more lovely ladies from Asia. Also included in this series, I will eventually talk about lovely ladies from Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East. Do any of you loyal readers have any other East Asian lovelies I should make mention to? If so, you're free to contact me online through E-Mail or through social media. Until next time... Thank you for reading!
The Boom Boom Satellites know what it takes to get you moving. This is a Japanese rock group that does an amazing job putting some solid beats and solid drum work to make their songs come alive. You're in for something special if you've never heard the Boom Boom Satellites before. I would best define them as an experimental rock group. In fact, I liken them to another group I vastly respect- Linkin Park. This blog post my first blog post about a rock group since my post on Rival Sons.
--- Boom Boom Satellites ---
These guys are the Boom Boom Satellites: ^ from: www.anusaya.com - The Boom Boom Satellites combine rock and electronic dance music to make some of the most unique music you'll ever hear.
So who are the Boom Boom Satellites? Two guys- Masayuki Nakano (bassist and DJ) and Michiyuki Kawashima (guitarist and singer). They have a great fusion of electronic dance music and rock. Apparently according to nippop.com, BBS formed in 1990. This is one of the most unique groups you will ever hear with their blend of electronica and rock.
This blog post mostly features videos of some of their songs. You're free to have a listen to these songs to really enjoy what these guys bring to the proverbial table.
Rise and Fall.
If you have followed the Gran Turismo series, you may remember this song as it was the song played to the "Vision Gran Turismo" video at E3 one year. This song is from their "Full of Elevating Pleasures" album, which couldn't be more appropriate name for the songs from this album. Have a listen to the drum work and the beats to this song:
Fogbound.
Ridge Racer V had this as one of the many songs in this game. It was the only one by BBS, but this is also for your listening pleasure. As a matter of fact, it was the opening theme to RRV. Here is your chance to listen to this song. So uh... enjoy! :)
Push Eject.
This song is one I can remember from the Gran Turismo 2 "Music at the Speed of Sound" soundtrack. While I'm glad to hear this song on that CD, I was disappointed that one of my favorite GT2 songs, "Sex Type Thing" by the Stone Temple Pilots, was not included. Anyhow, here's more Boom Boom Satellites for your ears:
Piper.
Rather than some really rocking song, this is more like a dance-type song. Or at best, industrial rock. The song starts a bit modestly before the beats really take form. This is really a great song to listen. Trust me:
Shut Up and Explode.
Here is another song I want to show off from the Boom Boom Satellites. It's called "Shut Up and Explode" from "Xam'd: Lost Memories." Let me tell you something. If this song doesn't get you going in some way, something is wrong with you. Get psyched! More BBS on the way:
Kick It Out.
Tell you what... I'd rather hear this song to open Gran Turismo 5 than My Chemical Romance's song (or of course, "Moon Over the Castle"). Forget about walking it out, try KICKING it out! Listen and rock this:
Is that enough Boom Boom Satellites for you?
--- What I Would Tell the Boom Boom Satellites (if they read this) ---
You guys ROCK! Always had great respect for your music. Your diverse style in music resonates with me whenever I think of the Boom Boom Satellites. Keep up the great work!
Would I Want to Meet the Boom Boom Satellites (if given the chance)?
Heck yes! Trouble is, I'd have trouble getting through with so many people wanting to hear their music.
That's it for this post! For more information on the Boom Boom Satellites, visit these links:
The compact circuit north of Tokyo in Ibaraki Prefecture is the Tsukuba Circuit. It has just 1.286 miles of tarmac and has been in existence since 1966 and first raced on in 1970. Its compact depths make it challenging for cars and bikes. The challenge to gain as much speed through such compact space. It has been featured in many video games including the Forza Motorsport series, Gran Turismo Series, Enthusia Professional Racing, D1 Grand Prix, and other games. This race track in Shimotsuma, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan may be the most challenging short race track in the world.
Here is a look at Tsukuba: ^ from: greasyblocks.com, by way of photobucket.com - Tsukuba Circuit and its almost 1.3-mile layout.
With all due respect, Tsukuba Circuit proves that you don't have to be some 12+ mile course to be an ultimate proving ground. Tsukuba is an intense proving ground despite its 1.287-mile length.
All of Tsukuba is really tough. The very first corner is absolutely one you must get right because it can set the tone for the rest of the lap. The two hairpins are both intense. The sharp corner leading to the Dunlop Bridge. is pretty sharp as well. Make sure to keep your racing machine stable after passing the Dunlop Bridge leading to the much sharper second hairpin. The outer portions of the track are high speed. That high speed, however, requires some braking on the very long final corner. Very fast cars can clear this course easily in less than a minute.
The motorcycle variation is a chicane that comes up as you cross under the Dunlop Bridge. That configuration extends the 1.271-mile length to 1.287 miles (2.070 km). This chicane is about as sharp as almost as blind as the chicane after the high-speed backstretch at Fuji Speedway (since its 2005 renovation).
Video Preview.
Here is a video lap around Tsukuba:
If you're a drifting fan, check out this demo from Team Orange at Tsukuba:
Lap Records.
The current record of 51.875 was set by Keiichi Tsuchiya. The drifting god did this racing the ARTA Mugen-Dome NSX around Tsukuba. Tsukuba is very famous for its time attack sessions where many racers try to post the fastest lap around this short race track.
SPECIAL NOTE: If you would like to donate to the American Red Cross to help aid in recovery efforts from the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake, you may visit the American Red Cross' website for more information on how you can donate to the American Red Cross to aid in recovery efforts in Japan and in the Pacific.
An 8.9-magnitude earthquake recently rocked northern Japan triggering a tsunami. The epicenter was reported some 80 east of Sendai, Japan and 231 miles northeast of Tokyo. Most of the worst damage shown on video was from farm land in Sendai (northern Honshu Island; northeastern Japan). I saw some powerful video of the earthquake impacting a building in Tokyo. It was absolutely scary. This earthquake and the impending tsunamis impact not only Japan, but also various other nations along Pacific coastlines as well as Pacific Island nations. I've heard of some four million homes and buildings in Tokyo are out of power. A recent briefing (as of 3:36 AM Central Standard Time; March 11, 2011) by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) noted the earthquake was reported as an 8.8-magnitude earthquake.
Therefore, I've created this blog entry to offer my thoughts and prayers to all of you in hopes that you all are okay. In case of major damage, I hope you will be able to recover from this, even if it takes weeks, months, or even years to recover. My best wishes are with all in Japan as well as in many Pacific Island nations.
--- Video Coverage ---
Here is a look at this horrific situation through video.
Tsunami in Kamaishi.
Here is a video showcasing the horror from this earthquake and the tsunami:
--- Thoughts and Prayers to All Affected ---
Here are individual prayers and hopes to all affected, both in Japan and elsewhere in the Pacific.
A Brief Message From Me to All of my Readers/Visitors in Japan:
My thoughts and prayers go out to all of you affected from the recent 8.9-magnitude earthquake and the impending tsunamis. This is a most unusually powerful earthquake to impact Japan. I hope all of you are okay and are able to recover. I hope you all will are alright.
I sincerely hope you all are alright. I'd hate to even fathom experiencing this earthquake myself in Japan. So I hope all of you are alright. My best prayers and hopes for recovery are with all of you. If lives are lost, I am deeply sad for all of you. If property is damaged, I hope you will be able to recover lost land and property and be able to get life back to normal. This also applies to any tsunami damage that may or may have impacted Japan.
Hope all of you are well. My best wishes are with all of you in Japan.
A Brief Message From Me to All of my Readers/Visitors in Pacific Nations and Pacific Coast Locations:
I hope for the best for all of you. My deepest thoughts and prayers are with all of you. I'm especially hopeful people in the South Pacific will be okay. As much as I've focused blog posts on the South Pacific, there are some Pacific Island nations that don't really have high ground to get to if in case of a tsunami. So I am GREATLY concerned for all of you. I hope you all will be okay regardless. While the impact in Japan is strongest, the tsunami and other impacts can devastate Pacific Island nations and certain Pacific coastline locations. I am even more concerned for Pacific Island nations since some Pacific nations are at or just above sea level- NOT good if high waves and waters come along. So once again- my thoughts and prayers are with all of you in addition to my thoughts and prayers to all impacted in Japan.
As for all along Pacific coastlines, I hope you all are okay and will be okay. Please take care and hope all of you are safe and content. My deepest thoughts and prayers are with all of you in Pacific island nations and along Pacific coastlines.
Thoughts and Prayers from Me to All Affected.
If you are any of my readers from Japan or various North Pacific and South Pacific nations, I want to offer my deepest thoughts and prayers to all of you whom have been impacted from the earthquake or or any impending tsunamis. As much as I would love to go to Japan, that's the one thing I fear about going there- being in an earthquake. The Ring of Fire is a very active deal. I hope all of you readers from Japan or Pacific nations are okay. My thoughts, prayers, and best wishes go out to all of you in hopes that you are alright and that you all are able to recover from this. Recovery may take months or even years, but I hope everything is okay with all of you.
I always honor and respect my international audience to people who visit my blog(s) and my other online works. So therefore, I am always concerned and hopeful my international audience is alright. I am most concerned for my Japanese and Pacific audiences in this situation. So again... my best wishes and deepest prayers are with everyone involved, including friends and family in the affected areas.
I may add more links in the future, especially if there is any way to offer aid and support after the earthquake and the tsunami(s). This is a horrific disaster. I hope everyone will be okay and will be okay.
Thank you for reading. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of you affected from this earthquake. That includes all of you in Japan and all of you in the South Pacific and elsewhere.
Megumi Hayshibara is a true heavyweight of anime. Her resumé is a who's who of various anime series as well as a handful of great songs by her. It almost seems like she's been in everywhere in anime and elsewhere. The (born March 30, 1967)-year old native of Tokyo, Japan just makes you wonder- is there anything in anime or music you HAVEN'T done? This blog post is about anime staple and heavyweight... the one, the only, Megumi Hayashibara.
--- Megumi Hayashibara ---
This was the best I could find to introduce you to Megumi-san:
^ from: www.askactor.com - Megumi Hayashibara basically ruled the '90s (and even the 2000s) in anime and anime music- she was seemingly EVERYWHERE!
Megumi Hayshibara has lent her voice to many songs and media. That even includes her work in the Ranma 1/2 series (which is my all-time favorite anime) among MANY other roles. I have even heard a lot of Megumi's musical work as well. A number of songs compliment some of the many different anime and video game series she's involved in. When away from her many singing and voice acting roles, she's a fully-registered nurse. According to what I read, she was never hired as a nurse for any position. Megumi also used to be a DJ while in nursing school. However, her career didn't last very long as a DJ despite having her own radio show. She's even authored a manga biography called "Megumi-Toons," but the artwork was done by someone else. To all the petite ladies who may be reading this- she's one of yours! Megumi Hayashibara stands all of 5'1"!
Megumi Hayashibara: Voice Overs.
Megumi has taken on many roles. I will name only so many of them because she has taken on so many roles, so here are some of the different roles and characters she has lent voices to:
[Some of] Megumi's many voice roles (sources: Anime News Network, IMDb, and Wikipedia) * Ranma Saotome in "Ranma 1/2"(when Ranma is a girl) * Rei Ayanami of "Neon Genesis Evangelion" * Momoko Sakurayama of "Patlabor: The TV Series" * Musashi/Jessie (of Team Rocket) in the "Pokémon series ("Team Rocket's blasting off again!" *ding* ^_^) * Faye Valentine of Cowboy Bebop (LOVE Cowboy Bebop!) * Haruka Urashima in "Love Hina" * Diddy Kong in the Japanese version of "Donkey Kong Country" (I didn't know that) * Fukumen, Genkai (young) from "YuYu Hakusho" * Lina Inverse from "Slayers" * Hello Kitty in "Hello Kitty Ringo no Mori no Fantasy" * Latias, Gardevoir in "Super Smash Bros. Brawl"
Most of her work in voice-overs has landed her with some of the biggest roles in some of the biggest series. This alone is proof that people have (1) given her a chance, (2) become so well-liked that she took on so many roles, and (3) has really established herself as a heavyweight in the industry.
Megumi Hayashibara: Music.
When she debuted in music in 1990, she made a single called "Pulse." Her first album was released a year later called "Half and Half." The following YouTube videos demonstrate Megumi Hayashibara and her singing:
^ "Give me a Reason" (1996, "Slayers Next")
^ "Sakura Saku" (2000, "Love Hina")
^ "Oversoul" (Opening to Shaman King)
Megumi Hayashibara supplements her voice to this lovely remix of "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" from Neon Genesis Evangelion:
I don't watch as much anime as I would like to. However, Cruel Angel Thesis looks very cool from another video I saw when preparing this blog post. Two of my all-time favorite series in sci-fi robotic fighting are Mobile Suit Gundam and Macross Plus.
This is Hayashibara Megumi rocking out live with "Northern Lights" below:
Again- Megumi Hayashibara has seemingly been everywhere. Her music is as popular as many of her voice over roles.
--- What I Would Tell Megumi Hayashibara (if she read this) ---
Megumi Hayashibara, you have basically defined excellence in music and in your many voiceover roles. All kinds of roles and all kinds of success. You HAVE to be in some sort of Hall of Fame or have some sort of lifetime acheivement award or something for your work. I think even anyone who is even remotely fond of anime has to appreciate your work and all the various roles you've taken throughout your career. You have my full respect for your amazing work throughout your entire career.
Would I Want to Meet Megumi Hayashibara (if given the chance)?
Megumi is Japanese media royalty to me, so absolutely!
Anywhere. Everywhere. There seemed like nothing Megumi Hayashibara couldn't do. I have so much respect for her and all of her work. You know you want more Megumi! :) Here are some more links to help you to learn more about Megumi Hayashibara. Feel free to help yourself here:
The Keisatsukan from Konami is one of the toughest light gun games there is. The most unique aspect of this game released in 2000 and 2001 is that your body is the controller. You can move left and right as well as duck down. You do these things to avoid enemy fire and to get a better chance of hitting the enemy. What is your opposition? The Japanese mafia group known as Gokudo-Kai, THAT'S who. It is known as "Police 911" in the United States and "Shinjuku 24/7" in Europe. The American and European versions are different in storyline from the Japanese version. You start in Tokyo in "The Keisatsukan." In the American and European versions, you start in Los Angeles before going to Tokyo. And obviously, you're an LAPD cop in the Los Angeles missions. Also, this game was made available for PlayStation 2. This blog post is a look at one of the hardest gun-based arcade games besides the Silent Scope series (which was also made by Konami).
Because I've mostly played [the Korean version of] "The Keisatsukan," I will refer to this game exclusively as "The Keisatsukan." That's even though the storyline of The Keisatsukan is a bit different from "Police 911" and "Shinjuku 24/7."
--- The Keisatsukan at a Glance ---
The Keisatsukan was released in 2001 by Konami. The story of this game is that you are part of the Tokyo police force on a mission to take down the Japanese mafia, Gokudo-Kai. Gokudo-Kai has been smuggling weapons into Tokyo from the United States. Among the members of Gokudo-Kai are six major criminals behind the Gokudo-Kai operation. Obviously, your job is to take down all six masterminds along with the rest of Gokudo-Kai. This is a game that takes place both in Tokyo and in Los Angeles. This game would later garner a sequel that took place around Japan (as opposed to just Tokyo (as far as Japanese cities are concerned). A similar system would also spawn the rather lackluster Lethal Enforcers 3.
Unlike in the Lethal Enforcer games where the police just stand around looking cute and acting, you can actually take cover behind your
In "Police 911," and in "Shinjuku Police 24/7" you start off in Los Angeles as opposed to starting in Tokyo. "The Keisatsukan" has you starting in Tokyo as you work your way into the Los Angeles part of the game.
Succeeding in The Keisatsukan.
Winning in this game relies on your ability to take down the enemies while making sure not to take damage or kill any innocents or other policemen. Therefore, you will need to be pretty athletic to play this game. The Keisatsukan is MUCH different from any other light gun game. It's even different from the Time Crisis series because unlike Time Crisis, you don't step on a pedal to move- you better move out of the way on your own. The only parameters is that you must be within the stage area and not wear a cap or hat (it's tough for the game to detect your head if wearing a cap or a hat).
You are graded at the end on a number of factors such as accuracy, fitness, and things like that. Going through sections quickly and efficiently leads to bonuses (some much needed ones too).
Believe me- this game WILL wear you out if you are not fit. I remember playing once and still felt like I had weak legs from moving around so much!
Criteria.
Here are some criteria for you...
--- Winning Criteria --- Here are ways to advance in this game:
* clear sections before time expires * consistently clear sections without getting shot or killing innocents
You must try to clear levels and sections quickly to have the best chance of getting ahead. Consistency pays off with bonuses in time as well as extra lives. So try to be both efficient and consistent. Otherwise, your body and legs will get quite a workout trying.
--- Losing Criteria --- Here are things for you to avoid doing in this game if you want to advance through the game:
* clear sections/levels in time * get shot (you have only a few lives) * kill innocents * kill other officers
Killing innocents or other policemen results in time penalties (along with a dramatic replay of you slaying an innocent or a policeman). So try to limit innocent/police casualties as much as possible. And also, don't take too long trying to complete a level. If you get shot in the game, all of your bonuses are dumped, and you have to start earning bonuses and rankings all over again.
--- Video Preview ---
Here's the best video I could find to demonstrate The Keisatsukan for you. This video demonstrates how important your movements are. You don't stand still- you sidestep and duck to avoid enemy fire.
Though this is video of the European PS2 version, this is still a good video showcasing what this game is all about.
Needless to say, "The Keisatsukan" is a testament to Konami of creating yet another unique experience only Konami can provide. This title plays much differently from any other light gun game. This is a game you must play if you see it in the arcades (or for the PS2 if you can access the home version of this game). Do your best in taking down the Gokudo-Kai!
The duo known as roconamente features a lady named Yuki and a fellow named Masato. Yuki is a super-cute girl who wears some fun outfits while singing covers of anime songs as well as certain other songs. Masato is sort of the man behind the scenes putting the whole deal together. I do enjoy Yuki with her cute singing and fun videos. However, you don't hear or see Masato. I want to try to make mention to both members of roconamente in this blog post. This blog post will just introduce you to the duo known as roconamente.
LATEST UPDATE(S):
FEB 6 2012 - edited some info
--- roconamente ---
Here are the two who make up roconamente:
^ from: ageofmmorpg.ru, by way of youtube.com - Yuki, of roconamente. She's the cutie who sings her heart out and has fun with costumes in her songs.
^ from: lookatgame.com, by way of youtube.com - Masato, of rocanamente. He's the guy who helps out in arranging the music and a lot of the accompanying instrumentals.
roconamente mostly does cover songs of anime songs and even a few other songs. The two formed roconamente in 2008. Yuki is the one singing sweetly and wearing cute costumes to make the videos fun. From her bio on roconamente's home page, Yuki is a graduate of Kyoto University, and she has composed and sang music for roconamente since roconamente was formed. She wears some nice outfits to get into the flow of the music. Masato is the one who provides a lot of the accompanying music and work to make their music. Masato has been involved with guitar music since 1993. His career of playing at clubs and in making CDs goes back to 2000 And in 2008, he lent his work to roconamente. Their music has been featured on Japanese stations such as J-WAVE and NHK. They have even had their music recognized in January 2010 for the Yokohama Music Awards when "Cosmic?Rendez-Vous" was nominated as one of the Monthly Artist entries. I don't know if they won the Monthly Artist honors for January 2010 or not (after using Google Translate to translate Japanese), but they were at least honored for their work.
That's as much as I know on roconamente!
--- roconamente in Videos ---
WARNING: This section contains multiple YouTube videos. Your ability to view this blog and this blog post may be compromised if you have a slow connection. I apologize if you are unable to fully enjoy this blog post because of so many videos.
Here are some video samples of their work. All videos are provided for educational purposes.
This was the first video I saw of roconamente as I received a YouTube friend request from them. This is Yuki singing one of my all-time favorite songs of the Ranma ½ series, "Omoide ga Ippai":
(ADDED: October 25, 2011) This is one of roconamente's original songs, Telepathy:
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More roconamente Videos.
Here are many more videos from roconamente.
^ "Sunset Beach" cover
^ "Tenshi no Engou" cover
Team Edward? Team Jacob? I'm with Team roconamente! :D
This is a great one here, a cover of '80s pop idol, Nami Shimada. Great instrumentals and singing by Yuki:
The creativity continues with these two videos. She has this guitar here...
...and another one in this video. Yuki sings a unique cover of "Surfer Girl" by the Beach Boys here:
Here is a non-singing video of Yuki from last year:
There are two songs from roconamente's official home page that I've been unable to link to in this blog post. So to hear "Sakura" and "Cosmic?Rendez-Vous," visit the music page on roconamente's official website.
--- What I Would Tell roconamente (if they read this) ---
Hi there! Keep up the great work! Thanks so much for the YouTube friend request. I wish you all nothing but the best!
To Yuki...
Keep singing beautifully and keep providing your outstanding energy to songs. You are truly wonderful!
To Masato...
Keep up the great work, man!
Would I Want to Meet Yuki And/Or Masato?
Sure! Yuki seems like such a sweet and respectful person (as well as fun). Masato seems like a very cool guy. Yeah, it would be cool to meet either or both members of roconamente.
