Kaye

Yozakura Quartet is almost over (well, another few weeks, but yes) I AM SO SAD THOUGH I DON'T REALLY HAVE A CLUE WHY I LOVE THE SERIES SO MUCH. THAT AND I NEED MORE AKINA. For some reason I can't explain. Also, Soukyuu no Fafner getting another season might not be as weird as I first assumed it was because after watching the latest installment (a movie) I UNDERSTAND EVEN LESS OF THE WHOLE DAMN THING. Japan and its depressing as hell, weird and messed up, filled with emo kids, mecha series. That said: WHERE'S KYOUKAI NO KANATA'S PLOT GOING? edit: Apparently I am in need of a new Gundam series that isn't as childish looking as AGE so I ended up rewatching SEED. Not a good idea. I HATE FLAY SO MUCH. SHE'S THE MOST ANNOYING ANIME CHARACTER I HAVE EVER SEEN IN ANY ANIME I HAVE EVER WATCHED.

Had one of my favorite Korean kids go "Hi. Do you speak Korean?" at me, only for him to end up confused and end it with him telling me what his group name was in English. Omg, they were adorable.

Depends how heavy or soft you want to go but NOISEMAKER, ONE OK ROCK, Coldrain, Crossfaith, MY FIRST STORY, ANOTHER STORY, AIR SWELL, BOOM BOOM SATELLITES, OLDCODEX,.. --- Just noticed it's been little over a month since we wrote down that list of things to do together. Still makes me kind of sad knowing that we haven't met since. It confuses the hell out of me.

Sounds good!

Messed up on my exam's last part and I'm scared that I won't have enough in total to be able to start the next semester. I really won't know what to do if I won't be able to... Too much here that makes me want to stay.

I recently finished Hyouka and Soukyuu no Fafner (still a depressing series but it's good) and currently checking out a few newer ones. Kakumeiki Valvrave is the first one. I wanted to try and watch the one airing now but seeing as it follows onto the first season, guess I'll have to finish that one first. Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta is currently airing. I'm a fan of the manga and have watched the ova and previous series too. Couldn't keep from starting this one. Kyoukai no Kanata. I'm amused by this one. Nice animation. Good voice actors. And it seems to have an interesting storyline too. Only checked it out because it was from the same studio as Hyouka and I really liked its design. I'm trying to finish Zetsuen no Tempest too but it's going a bit slow considering I can't seem to get into a lot of series at the same time anymore. Got so much left to finish!

Two of Nell's CDs! Couldn't keep myself from buying them.

Well, my bad. But yeah, like I said before, I don't think you're wrong. I guess this is nothing more than a personal preference then? It feels like you'd be complaining less about the whole style if it were something you actually liked listening to? To be fair though, I'd like Giru to push it some more too. Get themselves to an edge of a genre and somehow reinventing it a bit, rather than drowning amidst the whole pool of bands and seemingly not knowing where to go or look first. For a band that's been around 10 years, it feels like they've definitely lost their way sometime in the past years. Whether or not it was forced upon them, or not, we have no clue. It's obvious Giru has always been influenced by American bands because they love a lot of them, but it's not because they are that it is a bad thing. They might be one of many in the world, but they're definitely not one of many in Japan/Asia. Which is, I'm sure, still their main goal. For foreign fans like us, it's a totally different issue. So if they're adapting things from the Western rock world, I'd only think it's normal. They haven't been VK for years, and they won't ever be again. Also, the US is one country with many states. But it's still unified. Europe isn't a country, but a continent. Each country has its own habits, its own cultures. There's no unity. We go in against each other too much to bother fighting with things halfway around the world. We couldn't ever be "an America." In many ways. The whole Skrillex thing still makes me laugh. It's indeed ended up somewhere in-between the electro and core scenes, but I don't think that's the only reason why it's been used so much in rock lately. I still believe in the "bands just want to mix genres as they feel like it."

Point taken and completely understood from an American point of view. I, myself, am European and I can assure you that nothing of these things is "standard" or "everywhere" as people make it seem to be. If you're not at least close to people either liking or playing such music, you won't see any of it. It's not infecting anything in Europe, basically because you'll only see it when you search for it. So for me it's not as much overdone as it is for you. In Japan as well, there aren't many that do it right, or don't look totally ridiculous trying to get themselves into "the scene" as a band. Hell, the place I am now hasn't ever even heard of any of these bands and each time I mention anyone my favorite ones, they look at me like I'm from another planet. (There's enough rock here, just hardly anything of this type of music) It's not because it's incredibly popular at one side of the world that it is just the same on the other side. I can't come up with any other Japanese bands doing what they're doing, and doing it as well (even though it might sound and look different to us, western people) It's not that I don't agree to a certain degree with what you're saying. I'm just sick and tired of it being the issue all the time. "SATOSHI MADE THEM SOFT" "RYO DECIDES THEIR DIRECTION" "THEY'RE LP FANBOYS" Whatever... really... So yes, after all these years I'd still take Girugamesh trying whatever they feel like trying, over them sounding the same every album. For all I care they'd turn into another Another Story, My First Story, Coldrain or even Crossfaith. As long as they do it right, I could hardly be bothered. But who knows, maybe I'm just too patient, and my music taste too big of a mess to get stuck with one type of thing.

Not counting local University band, I guess my latest one would be Kim Sarang's gig back in September. ONE OK ROCK coming up this Sunday

Not sure if you were being sarcastic there, but I'm fairly sure that any kind of core genre is still considered part of the underground rock scene in most countries in the world. And I've never done an interview with a band from any of those genres, who tried to tell me otherwise. But yeah, I know what you mean. It just seems to me a lot of people (not saying you're one of them) are just still complaining about Girugamesh "NOT BEING DARK VK ANYMORE." I've loved them since 13's reborn, but nothing what they've done after has fit them so well as MUSIC. They can be catchy or poppy or whatever random genres they want to mix together, and I couldn't care less. People should learn to move on. I can't be the only person who's liked all of their recent title tracks though, now am I? Zecchou Bang was fun, even though the most random thing ever, and Zantetsuken was great. Incomplete is kind of what I expected them to come up with now, and Drain fits with that. Though even though I love that small break down part, I have many issues with it. Why is it so short? Why is it so simple? Why why why?

I love Girugamesh but GO needs to be buried and forgotten.

I'd be the first one to admit that all they've done in the past years is somewhat linked, but I remember when I saw them live during their Crazy Crazy Crazy tour and MUSIC just sounds the best live. I'm glad there's a bit more of that again. GO is the most boring album ever though. Everything on that release was so clean and overproduced that waiting for any kind of edge or "rawness" was pretty much a waste of time. So if anything, MONSTER will be a huge step up from that. It's been showing in the bands they hang out with and the line-ups they get thrown in though. Girugamesh likes being part of the underground rock scene more than any type of VK. Wish they'd somehow go a bit more post-hardcore, but I'm already glad Satoshi's voice sounds better in these recordings.

Can't wait. I really loved their singles. It feels like it's been ages since they've released something. Probably because they only have 4 songs out officially.

My life is a drama series. That's all.

Laughing at screamo as a genre but I know enough people still doing so. Aside from that, I think most of my favorite bands kind of fall under this umbrella? Japanese or not, every kind of "core" band fits here. It's become so difficult to find really interesting and good ones though. Or maybe I'm just too picky in my choices.

I haven't checked them in the past years but I remember really liking their first two albums. Had the opportunity to interview them too when they went on a tour through the country. Great and fun guys. Thanks for reminding me they had an album coming out! I'll have a quick listen soon.

New MV!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPfy7C0ENy4

So, finally tests are done and life decides to throw a bucket of various emotions over me for me to drown in.

I'll probably only be able to play this by the time I'm 28 or something but I really couldn't care less. I don't think I'll ever be able to explain how attached I am to the KH series. (alongside my wait for Versus which will finally be released)

Masato and Hazuki in one song? If that doesn't sound interesting I don't know what does. + Taka on a PTP song makes me wonder how heavy it will be. Can't wait for this release.

The live was really good. Totally hyped for that album. Antlion Pit was great!

I don't really understand why you don't get what people have been saying. It's not that everyone doesn't want there to be Korean releases. It's that it shouldn't be the focus, and if you're going to make half of the thing "kpop" it will be. Besides, isn't this for the owners to decide anyway?

You look familiar for some reason, but I wouldn't even know where I would have seen you before. Anyway, welcome! That's one nice list of bands too. I'll admit, I haven't listened to some in a while, but I used to listen to almost all of them. I guess the only one I'm still really sticking to is Dir en grey?