Hakoniwa

I've been practicing a little in recent years, but I haven't been studying at all. Though practicing helps, I know I should study some too... >_> As already mentioned above, I also use weblio & rikaichan/kun. I started learning hiragana/katakana in high school (over 10 years ago) but I try to at least practice at times... I still don't know that many kanji though, mainly because I haven't been studying as I should. For character recognition (katakana, hiragana, kanji) and practicing, android's app Obenkyo works pretty well! I also try writing stuff from class in katakana/hiragana for practicing. But you see, if you're at this stage... PRACTICE A LOT. Like, write a lot, really, even if you have to spend 1 week on each row (a-i-u-e-o / ka-ki-ku-ke-ko / sa-shi-su-se-so / etc.). Practicing everyday, even if only five minutes, is very important. I started off with katakana and moved to hiragana when I finished it... but kept practicing it along with hiragana. Apps like Obenkyo help with memorizing and general recognition, but you have to write them in order to really learn them. Same with kanji. For dictionaries, I use android's JED - Japanese-English Dictionary along with japanese-japanese dictionaries online and rikaichan. Plus google when looking for examples, of course. There's also this amazing website I found recently: http://chigai-allguide.com/ It helps you understand the nuances and differences between kanji that read the same way and seemily have the same meaning. It's also for japanese expressions. it's intended for japanese people, but having a somewhat good knowledge of the language helps you around it! You can look for specific words/expressions and find their definitions. Here's an example: http://chigai-allguide.com/怖いと恐いと強い/ Those two are read the same way, they have the same dictionary meaning and yet... they're not the same. This kind of thing helps learners a lot, since you can't easily find and understand it on your own. Recently I've also been using an app to practice, it's called HelloTalk. It's not anything new, but the results were better than expected! It works like some kind of social media, one that you teach one (or more) language(s) and learn one (or more) languages in exchange. I'm teaching English and learning Japanese. You can see a timeline with posts from Japanese speakers who are learning English, be it in Japanese or English, and you can like, comment and... correct them. There's a special tool for that, and believe it or not, that very tool helps A LOT. There are also built-in translators, romanizators, you can even hear how things are supposed to be pronounced. You can also post your own stuff about your local culture and language, or anything you want, and interact with people... those interactions help you talk to people through the chat (they often initiate the conversation, but you can do it, too), that also allows corrections, readings, translations, romaji, etc., plus voice messages. I think even video messages are used, but I haven't done that. Anyway, it's pretty useful... it helps you practice everyday through conversation and you can actually ask for help without it feeling too awkward -- people are there for the same purpose as you afterall, that is learning & teaching. That's why you can also correct them, they are expecting to be corrected, as you also should. The key for using this is not being afraid to make mistakes and ask people to correct you when you're wrong, talking to them in japanese everyday is surprisingly effective... it makes thinking, understanding, reasoning and creating phrases in japanese a lot easier. Also be aware that japanese people will often compliment your Japanese even if it's not very good, it's just this cultural thing... apparently. Also they'll say "Wow, your japanese is so good!!" and think "(...for a foreigner)" lol. I'm someone who has a hard time studying but prefers learning things through action, it makes things a little difficult at times. Still, studying makes it better, so it's good if you can do it too. If I remember something else, I'll post it here! Anyway, let's practice together here too~~~! よろしく！m(_ _)m

Yep! I used acrylic for the stars and silver colored india ink for the "Inktober" and signature/date. I decided not to go on once October was over, but I'll keep doing it outside of Inktober though! Many sketches couldn't be inked and I want to ink them, but I'm happy with what I got this time My last two ones were these: So... that. I still plan on coloring Link though :'D

Album is coming out tomorrow~

Since I'm late, I've been doing at least 3 whenever I find the time... so I did 3 more last night. I didn't get to do all days, but that's okay, it sure was fun! : 3 Yaaaay, Moon Jumper!! This was inspired by Uchuu Kyoudai manga <3 Buster-kun from the pillows! This guy:

I'm in! What's the address though? I've never been there (º - º);

Hmm, I get your point, but why is that a bad thing? A "lame" excuse can also be turned into a reason for drawing daily and it becomes motivation. I can't see how that can be bad in any way. You're right that drawing doesn't require monthly challenges or even requests from others, it's something to do constantly and because you want to. Because you like to draw, because you need to draw, because you know how practicing is important if you want to improve. All that. Monthly challenges such as Inktober are not "nothing" though, they are a way to share the same experiences with a large group of people, during the same period of time, some who may not find their motivation so easily. It's a way to challenge yourself. And while I'd like to believe that loving to draw is enough motivation, life sometimes gets in the way and it can make you stop doing things you once though as important as breathing. I can tell, I've been there. Extra motivation is never a bad thing. It encourages them not to only draw and ink it, but also to share their experiences online - and that changes things a lot imo. In this case, aside from being a way to motivate people to draw, it directs them to something else than pencil sketches or digital art, the latter being something a lot of people are focusing on right now. Inktober is all about the ink itself, so digital art wouldn't work here. Of course people can continue practicing doodles, digital art or not, or whatever else they wish, nothing changes there. It's not a matter of needing the challenge or not, but being part of a global event that involves doing something you love. And that's fun. It's my first time participating in Inktober, but it's not my first time watching people do it, and I only saw good things come from their experience. It's a win-win situation really. That said, each person participates in it for different reasons, but whatever the reasons are, the important thing is to have fun (always).

Yay, one more! ^^ I'm really late and haven't had the time to ink stuff everyday, but it's already helped me a lot, I feel. It's been fun! I'm sure I won't be able to complete all days of october, but I'm okay with that. I've been posting them to my instagram account and I didn't have any time to ink today, again! :< My latest is this one: Day 13 >_> It was a poor attempt of drawing the comedy duo Downtown, and while Matsumoto is recognizable, Hamada definitely isn't lol.

Acho que tá mais barato ir pra Jupiter do que ir no show do Jupiter

I'm reading a book series that got recommended to me 10+ years ago by a friend and I hadn't had the chance of reading it until a few months ago. Now I (finally) have the e-books! It's a trilogy titled "Guardians of Time", by Marianne Curley. It goes like: 1: The Named / 2: The Dark / 3: The Key. I'm currently reading The Key, the third and last book and I'm loving it so far. The book, the whole trilogy, the characters, the storytelling, the writing style... all of it is so good. It's a YA book but a really well-done one at that. <3 @EuthanasiaI wish I could read some Banana Yoshimoto books too! I've heard great things about those. I should try looking for ebooks as well, I'm slowly getting used to reading books on my cellphone without my eyes falling off. If you have any recommendations... : >

IT'S SO FUCKING HOT The hot weather created some sort of writer's block and I'm not happy about this.

I know october is about to end, but I was wondering: Is anyone here doing Inktober? For those who don't know, it's one of those monthly challenges, the name mixes Ink + october. This challenge is all about ink, it helps you improve your inking techniques and overall it just forces you to practice daily. As I only recently got back to drawing -- something I love deeply and don't know how I was able to live without for so long --, it's my first time doing this. I'm taking it very slow and not following any prompts, I'm also very late since I've been busy and the weather is too hot for me to do anything. But I'm trying! I'm still on day 13... :< I'm gonna post a few I liked, but they're not very good. I kept them simple most of the time, since I suck at inking since I decided this would be a sketchy inktober. It has been named "Inketchtober" by me. Bad name, I know. :'D ^ me, trying to reach Inktober's dead line. And failing. :< That's enough, I guess...lol. I still haven't inked today's. D: Anyway, I'll keep practicing and get better! If anyone else is doing it, let's share it here

All I want to say is... The title track is pretty good and all, they may not sound like they used to, BUT WHO CARES ABOUT ANYTHING WHEN THEY'RE RE-RELEASING AZEMICHI DE!!!! That's only... my favorite song of theirs. How can you not love Satou singing "I hate you" with such a soft voice? In such a soft way? HOW CAN YOU NOT?!? I just hope the new version will be good still. : 3

About MUCC's Kuchiki no Tou, didn't they say they're never playing that song live again? The studio version is already very emotional and this... this is just... ugh. ç_ç I get why they'd choose not to play it again... and also, like you said: TATSUROU. THIS. :'( Do As Infinity - Fukai Mori This live of Fukai Mori has a lot of meaning to the band and the fans in general. I remember how I felt the first time I watched this, even though I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. There were a lot of theories around, but in reality she talks about how this song is important to her and to the band and how she felt the first time she listened to the demo tape. And now they're doing that live. That was not long after the band was formed and they felt overwhelmed by all that's been happening. That song was a huge success and it's an emotional song by itself. And then she starts crying and.... ç_ç And... this. MUCC - Akatsuki Yami It helps that I love that song and that it's an emotional song by itself, but the way he sings it there is also overwheming... the lyrics to that song make it even stronger. But even if they lyrics aren't clear to the one who's listening, you can clearly feel he's pouring his emotions into it.

girugamesh through and through. While I used to like D'espa a lot and I loved [Coll:set], they completely lost my respect after I watched a DVD of theirs. I know it may sound like a stupid reason, but I find it a little difficult to listen to their music after that... The way they interacted with the audience and among themselves really put me off. But yeah, especially with the audience, I guess. I still like some songs and all, but I've stopped listening to them since a long time ago. On the other side, I've started liking girugamesh since their 13's reborn release and then their awesome mini-albums like (and especially) Reason of Crying. I somehow feel like girugamesh's members really love music. I also can't help but love Satoshi's voice, his still being one of my favorite male voices in japanese rock overall. I know they haven't kept their quality lately, but that goes for both bands, I guess. I really like them until MUSIC era and, to me, they seemed to be losing "fuel" after that... So I wasn't surprised when they announced their disbandment, it felt like a natural development. I was relieved, even, but also sad. Still, they were one of my favorite bands, so... :< edit: ok and I agree with absolutely everything @sume7said lol

Two weeks ago, the website Electric Bloom Webzine has interviewed eye about SOSO BREAK THE WALL's debut mini-album "AN TO KAI"! [more info] The album was already released though it has to yet come out on iTunes. It's a short but really interesting interview, I learned a lot from this! You can read the original interview post here: http://www.electricbloomwebzine.com/2016/10/soso-break-the-wall-interview.html Q. What’s the story behind the name SOSO BREAK THE WALL? A. There are a lot of meanings behind it. Simply put, it’s about breaking a variety of walls. Until now and from now on, together with everyone, I want to break many walls about people. Q. You’re based in Osaka correct? How does the music scene there compare to that of Tokyo? A. Yes. The way I see it, Tokyo’s [music scene] feels cool while Osaka’s feels passionate. Also, because of the live houses, there’s a scene there. Q. Before starting this solo project you were the lead vocalist in ‘the brown’. What things did you learn from being in that band that you’re bringing across into SOSO BREAK THE WALL? A: Since that time felt like a dream, there were a lot of things I didn’t notice then that I can notice now. I want to keep challenging myself. Q. Your producer Atari.K was also in the brown. When did you two first meet and start writing music together? A. I first met him in 2006. We met through a member selection site. The moment I first listened to his guitar, it gave me goosebumps. Since then, he became a member right away. Q. What’s the concept behind AN TO KAI? A. It’s an album packed with the things I wanted to do right now. Q. Which artists inspired you the most while making the album? A. During the brown’s era, there were a lot of comparisons with The Mars Volta. Of course we were very influenced by them. However, as we continued our activities and met all sorts of Japanese artists, our current sound was formed. Q. Your song Let it die -you and i- is going to be part of the soundtrack for the upcoming PS4 title LET IT DIE. Is it exciting to see your music potentially being heard by such large audience? Are you much of a gamer yourself? A. I’m very excited. During my student days, there was a time I’d stay home a lot and play games. I love grotesque games like LET IT DIE. Q. Anything you’d like to say to our readers? A. I’m looking forward to meeting you all someday! All credits go to: Electric Bloom Webzine *** Now the SOSO BREAK THE WALL name makes a little more sense haha. It's an interesting concept, I'm curious about how it'll turn out on the music itself. I _never_ knew anything about those The Mars Volta comparisons... I never really listened to The Mars Volta so I don't know if it really sounds alike. Does it? Should I try listening to them? >_> Nice interview anyway, so I wanted to share. It's nice that she's aware of overseas fans! I wasn't able to listen to the CD yet since I don't live in Japan and gotta wait until it becomes available on iTunes (what won't take long, according to her), but I'm very excited to listen to it!

I saw that on twitter, but what's that about?? lol

^ maybe your custom font can't read japanese so it goes crazy somehow?... I also use mp3tag and never had any problems with it. Actions are also very useful~

Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso is pure love!! The feels are huge, but they're all worth it. Even though it can be sad at times, it always left me feeling good after each episode. That said, one thing I said over and over when watching Shigatsu weekly was how it felt like a current generation's Honey & Clover, and wow, that's one of the biggest compliments I can think of about an anime. Honey & Clover is one of my favorite anime ever, and Shigatsu naturally became one too. So.... this season, we have another "Honey & Clover", in the sense that a award-winner manga by H&C's author is being adapted into anime! 3-gatsu no Lion (English title: March comes in like a Lion) is its name, and all the H&C's feels on it ARE KILLING ME. Also reminds me a lot of Shigatsu, so it's a win-win situation. 2 episodes are out and it's been amazing so far, definitely AOTS for me.

Double post, but here's an update: there are English subtitles now! Pretty nice, huh? Also, that song got released on iTunes US already: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/id1150314747?app=itunes Full song is even better! <3 (seriously ç_ç)

oh lol actually I just saw her post! Yeah I'm the one Lyric mentioned there too XD Actually I thought you may have seen me tweeting about it, I'm always noisy on twitter when it comes to releases I'm interested in >_> Anyway, I'm very excited for this!! I love the brown and her voice, and though she'd been working with her acoustic unit 瞼-mabuta-, I'm -really- happy she's back to rocking, for her voice sounds amazing with this kind of music too. 2016 is too good to be true isn't it ç_ç

I'm glad someone posted about this!! I was gonna do it but I simply forgot. lol Ah, but eye sang in japanese while in the brown too... though I know most was "engrish". That's something that's always bothered me too, back then. But I believe she's been learning english and her sung AND spoken english are muuuuch better now. Anyway, I'm really happy she's doing this, she's finally back to music and it sounds simply awesome. I'm buying this for sure. Atari from the brown is part of this solo project of hers too! One more thing... one of the songs will be the theme of a PS4 game and that's really nice.