Kimi wo arishiteru.

20 years ago, I was 12, and just gotten back to HK form England after my first year in boarding school, telling people how amazing it was and how much I enjoyed it.

20 years ago today, two people who became part of my universe, saying and singing songs in language that I don’t understand (I have a better understand now), but I was completely and utterly mesmerised by their voices and their dance moves. One of them is like a prince, the other one – exotic. They were beautiful in the own ways.

They were part of my world before that already, because they were on variety programmes as well as drama (and one of them was my favourite – even now I’m still in love with the whole franchise) they were officially real “celebrities” 20 years ago today.

They are part of my world.
And they will be part of my world for as long as I live.

JUMP!

After the madness of Pokemon Go (which I am still playing of course), there hasn’t been a game that took the world by storm.

But recently, the official Pokemon Company came up with another game that nobody expected.

The Magikarp jump.

Magikarp is one the least favourite Pokemon, because it is found practically anywhere and everywhere, and it has a really low combat power.
Pokemon Go made it even more difficult and dislike by others by needing 400 candies to evolve into Gyarados.

Magikarp Jump, though a really repetitive game, lets you level up really quickly, and just have a laugh – because the battle is to see which Magikarp can jump the highest.

It’s been nearly a year since I started playing Pokemon Go, and I am on level 30 (max is 40) and still trying to find a lot of the first generation Pokemons that I haven’t found.
It’s been just under a week since I started playing Magikarp Jump, and I am on rank 26 (don’t know what’s the max), but I have completed 61% of the game (according to the game).

And there are some really funny hidden gems, and I love it.

Not sure about the whole being killed by Voltorb and also getting taken by Pidgetto though.

And whilst we are talking about JUMP…

The 10th anniversary for Hey! Say! JUMP is finally feel like it’s in force (compare to 20th anniversary of Kinki Kids – their celebration started like… at the beginning of the year).

They have announced their 10th anniversary tour date, they have finally do the survey for the 10th anniversary album, magazines are all finally ‘celebrating’ and doing the ‘looking back’ over the last 10 years.
The older sub-group (BEST) are all working hard this year, with all of them involved in a summer drama and a movie, and obviously finally realised the younger sub-group (SEVEN) are not to be relied on.
Admittedly SEVEN have more potential – 3 out of 4 of them have been the lead actor in both dramas and movies, whereas only one of them has been the lead actor in a movie in BEST.

I also personally think the SEVEN on average is better looking, but I am totally biased.

Hey! Say! JUMP is named after the Heisei Era (Hey! Say! vs. Heisei), and since the Heisei era is coming to an end, there was a joke about their group name.
Is it going to be Hey! SAID! JUMP, or is it going to be Hey! Say! JUMPED?

World problem.
Seriously.
World problem.

P.S. I am still sick.

What song makes you want to sing out loud?

I am sure a lot of people will agree with me on this one: I Want It That Way.

If you didn’t, you probably didn’t grow up during the 90s and 00s.
I can tell you, even in countries that English is not their first language but music can be reached to your ears, they were singing this song.
Japan.
Hong Kong.
Taiwan.
Korea.
Latin America.
And the rest of Europe besides UK.

There was no escaping this song.
It was released on the same day across 37 country, the first song and the first band that ever did that.
After the first album, The Backstreet Boys came back with Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).
It took two years for them to come back, but that’s okay – because they had I Want It That Way.
It was realised in 1999, but it was still winning award in 2013 (Best Boyband Single!).

It was also (apparently) the most sing-able song in the shower.
Many program said that.

I played it when I was in school.
In fact, it was part of my performance piece for my exam.
I got someone to sing it whilst I played.
Back then, it seemed like a good idea.
The girl did have a good voice, but somewhere somehow it went down hill and looking back, there were better people to sing that song, and I asked her because I thought she has the right voice.
She didn’t.
I did okay for my performance exam, because my solo piece got quite high marks and so did my written exam since the duet has the lowest score.

On a random note (still about music though), Domoto Koichi wrote a song called Private Heart back in the days for J-Support (aka K.K.Kity), and the song was included in NEWS’ first album.
I realised Koichi sang it as a B-side in his single Deep In Your Heart and called it Unbreakable.
It’s beautiful.

Name a song from your favourite artist

My favourite artist no doubt is the Backstreet Boys.
There’s no denying it.
And one of the songs that I think it’s underrated massively is As Long As You Love Me.
The album was so good, but it was completely overshadowed by Everybody (Backstreet’s Back), which is a great song.

But I still prefer As Long As You Love me.
Mainly because of the music video.
Because I cannot get over the fact how amazing Nick Carter looked back then (Not that he doesn’t look good now – but his blond curtains? ALWAYS going to be my favourite).
And it’s a cute song.
It was the best era for boybands and pop music, everything sounds pretty and no one is angry with anybody.
There might be a few songs where it’s a messy break up, but they are more angry with themselves rather than blaming it on someone else.

And as for Japanese, it’s Ai no Katamari (愛のかたまり) – KinKi Kids:

This song has been declared as the love song (love child?) of Kinki Kids. It’s a ballad with a dance beat (The routine is a flawless flow).
The song dates back to 2001, and it is still a classic amongst the fans.
Akanishi did it with Ryo at Dream Boy back in the days, and he did it with Kamenashi throughout Shounen Club when they hosted it.
Yamada Ryosuke covered it in his solo single, and though he sings well, and I am sure he sang it multiple times as a junior (it’s a popular song to sing as juniors), but it’s just not the same as the original.
Or maybe I am just biased when it comes to Kinki Kids.

It’s weird, because Backstreet Boys are no longer boys (they are all dads now), and Kinki Kids are no longer kids.
I am no longer a teenager that listen to their songs and think it’s just a beautiful melody and I start to understand more about the lyrics.
Sometimes I do which I am still that innocent though.

What songs define the 90s

90s is when I grow up, and growing up in Hong Kong means that I get to listen to all sorts of weird stuff.
I wasn’t a fan of Chinese music except for what my cousin listen to, because she was my biggest influence until I grow up (out?).

The Chinese band I mentioned before, Beyond played a really big part of me growing up.
The lead singer died when I was eight – I kind of knew what ‘death’ meant at that point.
My mother’s oldest brother died of cancer when I was six. I remember sitting in church and swaying my feet on the benches and thinking I have pretty shoes on, and why did I get to stay up past my bedtime.

But that’s besides the point.
I found someone on YouTube who’s put a bunch of songs together into one video.
My favourite song is at 1:02:46.
The official record company has put a playlist up, but most of the songs are actually from after he passed away, so I am not going to bother putting it on here.

For English music, nothing can beats the Hammer.
MC Hammer and his “can’t touch this“.
Disney music started to pop out of nowhere, and they also started to enter the charts.
Songs like A Whole New World, Beauty and The Beast and Colour of the Wind.
And also Can You Feel The Love Tonight.
Prince of Egypt, which was not a Disney movie but a Dreamwork movie – won the best Original Song (written by Stephen Schwartz – who did Pocahontas and went on and did Wicked the musical) with “When You Believe” (sang by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston).

And whilst we are on Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston…
My All. I have always loved that song. I don’t know why. It’s a really whiny sounding song, but I love the song.

Whitney Houston’s “I’ll always Love You” is a classic.

Random fact: Lots of people in Japan knows this song, but they don’t speak much English. They thought the song was called “Anya” for years because of the Chorus: “ANNNYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA, will always love you”.

Everybody knows the words to Fresh Prince of Bel Air too.
And watch it religiously on TV.
(RIP uncle Phil)

R’n’B vocal groups were also massive.
Groups like BoyzIIMen, All-4-One, who had hits likes “End Of The Road”, “I’ll Make Love To You” and “I Swear” are also a big hit.
I Swear was played so much during the 90s when I was growing up, you couldn’t possibly not know the song – it was EVERYWHERE.
And I mean EVERYWHERE.
All My Life by K-Ci and Jojo.
(I have a story behind this, and I will again, put it under “story for another time” when I have time).

And then, the boybands.
OH THE BOYBANDS.
I never liked any of the English Boybands, and my focus has always been somewhere else.
Step By Step by New Kids on the Block.
Quit Playing Games by the Backstreet Boys.
Everybody Backstreet’s Back by the Backstreet Boys.
I Want It That way by the Backstreet Boys.
98 Degrees and their smooth sound that sits between R’n’B vocal and boybands – I Do Cherish You, a song that back then, was my first choice of my first dance in my wedding (That obviously has changed).
(*NSYNC came later, but they were like the rival of the Backstreet Boys and even though they are really good friends, I still don’t like them as much as I do with the Backstreet Boys).
Another boyband (kind of) that was massive in Asia was Michael Learns To Rock (I think they are Danish? If not, they might be Swedish – somewhere from the Scandinavian countries), and That’s Why You Go Away is another song that was over played.

And who will forget Hanson and their “Mmmbop”?
Savage Garden’s “I want you”, contrasting with “Truly, Madly, Deeply”.

But nothing was over played (and overrated for that matter) as much as “My Heart Will Go On”.
English version, Mandarin Version, Cantonese Version, Japanese Version.
Before “My Heart Will Go On” though, there was “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now”.
Celine Dion was massive, but so was Shania Twain.
From this Moment.
Man I feel like a Woman.
And Gloria Estafani’s Music of my heart (sung with *NSYNC).
Toni Brixton, who once was sane, has an amazing song “How Could An Angel Break My Heart”.
The younger generation was popping up at the end of the 90s too, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson and Mandy Moore.
But Baby One More Time and Genie In A Bottle were the two songs that were everywhere.

And with movie soundtrack, there is also “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” by Aerosmith. The movie was shit (so was Titanic, thinking about it), but the song was great (and I am still not a fan of Ben Affleck).
Another bad movie but good soundtrack, “I Believe I Can Fly” by R Kelly.
Another one: Kiss Me by Six Pence None Richer.

And don’t forget “Don’t Speak” by No Doubt.

Of course, there are songs that I heard cover versions of, and thought was from before the 90s.
Like More Than Words.

90s was the time where I fully engaged myself into Johnny’s Entertainment.
Kinki Kids debuted in 1997, with Garasu no Shounen, a song that I still listen to religiously, knows all the words to (obviously) and knows the dance routine for the chorus.
Two years later they released a song called Flower (and they recently sayid that it’s one the worst songs to sing live, because of the range the song covers… a bit like Dancing Queen by Abba).
Of course, I mentioned Kimi wo omou toki before, and that too, was from the nineties.

I can’t really post the original music videos when it comes to Johnny’s Music because of the very strict copyright law in Japan (I have been lucky with Weekender, Real Face and also Koi wo Shiranai Kimi e – but with Garasu no Shounen and Flower, not so much), but I have a copy of it if anybody wants it.
It’s from the 90s and the quality is bad, and the resolution isn’t that great either.

I also want to mention Ricky Martin “Living La Vida Loca” and Enrique Iglesias’ Bailamos.
Ricky Martin and his hypnotic hip (Hip-notic?) and Enrique Iglesias’ sultry voice.
Cannot get enough of the latter one. Who cares if I don’t understand Spanish?

528Hz

I recently watched a programme (KinKi Kidsのブンブブーン) and that specific episode is about a celebrity wanting to buy comfortable bedding.
I usually watches it depending on who the guest is, but because Domoto Tsuyoshi isn’t well, and Shige (talented, beautiful Shige) covered for him and that’s the only reason I watched it to be honest.
Domoto Koichi (Oji-sama) mentions that he listens to 528 Hz frequency when he goes to sleep, because it give the best quality sleep when you listen to it.

I have had sleeping problems, and when I do get them, I have listened to guided meditation to put myself to sleep but yesterday when I really couldn’t sleep after spending an hour with a guided meditation that I have used before, I started to panic because I don’t do well when I don’t have enough sleep.

So I googled 528Hz and found one that is for 2 hours.

Now.
I am not sure if it worked or not.
I can usually tell when I am about to fall asleep, because my body will feel like it’s floating in mid-air, and sometimes it feels like I am drunk (serious).
According to my sleep analysis (I have one of those health apps on my phone that I put next to my pillow, and it pretty much fries my brain with radiowaves whilst I sleep – good times), I slept really well between half past three and quarter to seven when I wake up. I actually went to bed at half past eleven (after writing my blog) last night and fell asleep straight away, but I woke up at half past two and couldn’t get back to sleep. Then an hour later I was still awake after the guided meditation.
The sleep analysis said I was in deep sleep between half past three and quarter to seven.
I am pretty sure my brain was active during that three hours and fifteen minutes. I remember the feeling of floating, and I thought to myself ‘great – I am going to sleep now’.
And I basically think calm and happy thoughts trying to sleep.
A bit like when Harry Potter needs to cast a patronous for the first time.
I remember thinking ‘shit I am still not asleep’ and ‘shit I am going to wake up soon’.
But apparently my sleep analysis says something different.
And strange enough, even though I have had broken sleep last night, I didn’t wake up feeling like a completely useless pile of shit.
I actually feel like a human, unlike the other times where I lack sleep.
Weird.
I might give it a try again tonight and see how it goes – I might feel like I am not sleeping, but maybe my body is resting enough and it is the start of lucid dreaming?

Hashtag NOT IMPRESSED

It’s an understatement that I love my boys at Johnny’s.
Johnny’s in a massive dark hole.
Then once you’re in the dark hole, there are a lot of little holes that you fall into, and you separate yourself into those little holes and just fall deeper and deeper.

The first time I fell into this black hole is when I watched my first Japanese drama, Kindaichi Shounen No Jikenbo (Kindaichi Case File) with Domoto Tsuyoshi in it. And then it comes the love my life (Asian version, first generation) – Domoto Koichi in Ginrou Kaiki File (File of the Silver Wolf).
I am still very much listening to their songs and singing their songs, watching their dramas and TV shows (recently it’s been Kinki Kids no bun bun bun – absolutely hilarious).

That was the beginning of the end.
Falling head over heels with Johnny’s in a full time job.
Before that of course I have known about the others, like Tokio, SMAP and Shounen tai.
I am well aware of one Mr. Kondo Masahiro, but doesn’t know him well enough (though I actually know a few of his songs without knowing it’s him).

From then on, it was V6 (I used to religiously catch their show and drama and usually binge watch during the holiday whilst I was in boarding school during term times).

Arashi is another one that I fell deeply into the dark hole.
It all started with yet another Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo, but it’s Matsumoto Jun this time round. Whilst Tsuyoshi is very similar looking as Kindaichi from the manga, I thought MatsuJun is a better actor without the sleaziness of Kindaichi (I like him better that way) and he is slightly darker. Arashi has some really good songs, and in the beginning I seriously thinks MastusJun is the love of my life (Asian version, second generation).
And he did Gokusen too of course. He was Gokusen 1, the original bad boy with a massive heart, who cares for his friend and would do anything for them… who is also massively verbally abusive.
In a good way.

After Arashi it was Tackey and Tsubasa.
Tackey. The love of my life, third generation, Asian Version. He has always been beautiful looking, absolutely gorgeous and when he did once, flew down from the top of the stage wearing white, I swear to god I thought he was an angel.
Not kidding.
Tsubasa on the other hand, I thought he was just like a big brother. He’s always funny and he doesn’t try too hard. He follows Tackey’s lead and I thought he’s just so nicest guy. Ever.
And we have the same birthday.

I kinda stopped after Tackey and Tsubasa (for a while) round about the time when News and KanJani 8 debut. There were too many people in the group (9 in News, 8 in JanJani 8 – obviously) and I was having difficulties trying to remember them all, especially so many of the juniors are not really ‘outstanding’. I recognise their faces (from watching Hadaka no Shounen – back then when they actually wear pyjamas and do stupid things) but have no idea what there name is. And also to certain extends I was pretty much sure that Toma would be debuting with Yamapi because they were (and still very much are) the perfect dynamic duo.

And no offence to KanJani 8 – the only people I knew where the few that appeared with Tackey when they were Juniors. And even then I don’t remember their names (much).

Now that there are only four of them in News, it is easier to keep track on. Also I really like Tegomass, because they are so adorable and they are just so so cute and sound so amazing, with their harmony and all.
When it comes to KanJani 8, I learnt their names eventually.

KAT-TUN debut in 2006, and they were the reason I got back into the Johnny’s hole.
Technically I never left, I just draw the line at Tackey and Tsubasa – there were more than enough stuff for me to get on with, whilst finishing my final year in uni.
I followed KAT-TUN before they debut.
When they were in Junior.
When Kamenishi and Akanishi were in Gokusen 2 (how can you not love them – they were the epitome of Bromance in Japan for a very long time) and Kamenashi in Nobuta (with Yuto – my baby Yuto) with Yamapi.
And the damn song “Kizuna” that makes me cry every freaking single time.
And Jin’s song “Care”, which very weirdly, resonance the lyrics for “Kizuna”.
Seriously. Google it.
It’s scary.
KAT-TUN were very much the leader of the Junior gang and I thought (personally) that they would have debuted a lot earlier.
I always have had a crush on Akanishi Jin.
He’s just got that sultry look and he resembles Tackey.
A lot.
Even Tackey himself say so.

(I miss those time when Tackey is PAPA to all the Juniors – he might have prank them over and over again and even Tsubasa joined in, but he was there to take care of them when it’s needed)

Kamenashi was the third generation of Kindaichi, unfortunately he was just too pretty and look too much like a girl to be Kindaichi.
He was good though, I still watched it and I still love it.
Akanishi was the love of my life, Asian version, fourth generation.
This year is the 10th anniversary of KAT-TUN.
And there are only half of them left.
Between News and KAT-TUN (Who did Dream Boy together and also Summary – the original Summary), there used to be 15 of them. Now there are 7.
They have lost more than half of the team.

When I started working, I started to put a lot more focus on Sakurai Sho, who is not just massively talented, he is also very intelligent.
He was the first person to graduate university and also the first person who raps in Johnny’s.
He is also completely useless when it comes to acrobatic moves, which is like a prerequisite for being in Johnny’s.
He is the current love of my life.
Asian version, fifth generation.

It’s weird, I know – going backwards.
But the problem is, the new groups are getting younger and younger.
There are currently 1 person in News that was born in the same year as me, the rest of them all younger.
KanJani 8 is slightly better (only one of them is younger at the moment because Uchi has left), but they have a smaller pool and they tend to stay in Junior for a very long time in Kansai branch of Johnny’s.
Back when KAT-TUN is six people, three of them are younger than me, Akanishi was the same age as me and the other two are older. By nearly nothing (well – a year).

So when Hey! Say! 7 was announced and eventually Hey! Say! Jump debut, I felt like a proud older sister that just want to protect them.
Every single one of them.
Even they are all taller than me.
Even Chinen, who only stands at 159cm.
And watching Takaki Yuya in Gokusen 3, looking stupidly like Akanshi, still makes my heart bleed.

My biggest problem is, I never like NYC, even though two thirds of them is Hey! Say! Seven. Nakayama Yuma just never did it for me. Yamada and Chinen belong to Hey! Say! Jump. Even they say so themselves. I am also completely bypassing Kis-My-Ft2, Sexy Zone and A.B.C-Z because Kis-My-Ft2 does not have any impact on me either, and Tamamori Yuta – I just want to punch his face every time I sees him (think it’s because of that stupidly smug face from Gokusen the movie). Same issue with Nakajima Kenji. Comparing this Nakajima to the other Nakajima (Yuto), Yuto is like an angel and he’s like a normal human being. A very annoying one for that matter. He tries to be sultry and sexy but things like that should come naturally.
Look at Akanishi. Look at Yamada.
And look at the completely useless Takaki Yuya.
He doesn’t even have to try because he was born that way.

(Admittedly the moment he opens his mouth it’s a different story – whilst Dai-chan doesn’t age physically and looks like part of Hey! Say! Seven more than Yuto does, Yuya’s mental age has also stopped age and is roughly the same as Hey! Say! Seven)

And my baby Yamada, the fourth generation of Kindaichi (from Kamenashi onward they have completely lost what Kindaichi actually looks like – on the other hand Yama-chan has a pony-tail that resembles Kindaichi’s) who can act and also bring out the naughty side of Kindaichi without sounding and looking sleazy. He is also the Kindaichi that shows the most emotion.

Johnny’s West.
I know Nakama Junta and Kiriyama Akito from Gokusen 3 (The only Gokusen that didn’t really bring any of the Johnny’s to the top but Miura Haruma, who is another beautiful human being that I adore).
And Kotaki Nozomu, my little Non-chan who is a model in Fine Boys with my baby Yuto (Non-chan and Yuto both stands at nearly 6 foot and that’s REALLY tall for Japanese guys).

Anyways, so back to yesterday night, which is what I was meant to write about of course, but without the background of my love for Johnny’s it’s quite difficult to understand why I was not impressed last night.

Yesterday night is the second chapter of Sakurai Sho no janizu-gun VS Ariyoshi Hiroiki no geinin-gun (Sho Sakurai of Johnny’s Army VS Hiroyuki Ariyoshi performer army).
They called it the Zeus Battle.
There are six different battles and each battle is different (very different).
The first chapter was back last year and though I enjoy it very much last year, I am angry with the result this year.
It doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it.
I really did. I am just not impressed with the scoring system.

Keito joined this time round, making a full team from Hey! Say! Jump.
Kamenashi is still AWOL, and Non-chan couldn’t make it.

The first battle (3 rounds) has 3 members from each team standing on a pole to avoid being knocked over a bar that is attached to a machine that turns. The bar will go up and down so depending on where it will hit you, you either duck of jump over it.
The first round was Sakurai, Takaki and Hamada.
The lost the first round even though they had 3 man standing.
The fact that Sakurai just got sweep off for no reason at all really made me laugh.
The second round was Koyama, Kamiyama and Shigeoka.
They won that round with 3 men standing.
The last round was Yuto, Ueda and Chinen.
They won.
It was a clean one and it was three men standing too.

(I’d like to point out my Baby Yuto did this impressive massive jump and landed beautifully back on the pole and he was PRAISED by everybody – my geeky ikemen talented not-so-little little nugget)

Johnny’s won this battle.

Then the Johnny’s ate a massive Tuna feast.
It was beautiful (Also watching Dai-chan scoffing down sushi is always ALWAYS entertaining).
Second battle was skipping rope.
12 people have to jump at one time and who ever jumps the most wins.
There are 3 rounds.
The Performer team did 46 jumps, 42 jumps and 60 jumps respectively.
They swapped 3 members after the first round.
Johnny’s did 57, 60 and 46 (the last one they swapped out Nakamaru and put in Ueda).

They called that a draw.

Battle 3 is archery.
Now.
This is one of those where I have been worried about when I saw the advert for it.
I saw a clip of Tegoshi and Yuto and I knew Yuto would be fine.
Yuto looks the part and also he has proven himself to master the art of archery twice before.
Once in Yan Yan Jump (when he was like… little) and another time when they did JUMParty in Hokkaido.
When I saw the line up, I knew they were going to lose.
Dai-chan was the first one, who talked his way through the whole thing.
He got 200 points.
Kato, my talented beautiful Kato (Who has written a book a year since 2012) only managed 100 points, but he did say it’s a beautiful sport and it’s only for aristocrats and beautiful looking people (meaning that the performers aren’t great looking compared to Johnny’s – and I totally agree with that).
Then it was Nakama, who got 200.
Yuto stepped in and got 500 points (and looking like a beautiful human being too of course).
Inoo-chan was the penultimate one, and Sakurai actually asked him if he was awake.
He got 300 points (Which is quite shocking to be honest, counting he was absolutely useless in JUMParty and he did look as if he was half asleep).
Tegoshi, being the last one, also got 500.

The performer team did really well, and I give them that – but they only got 100 points more than Johnny’s. And the fact that they were really arrogant at the beginning, I thought they’d have done better.

The fourth battle is wrestling (6 rounds), and this is the one that opened the game last time. Johnny lost really badly last time, counting only Ueda and Yuto won their battle.
This time they have put a time limit on it, so if you don’t beat the other person in 5 minutes, it is count as a draw (last time Takaki’s match went on for way too long and you can tell the poor baby was getting tired).
Of course, this is also the one that people look forward to the most.
I mean, what’s not to like when you can see them half naked and rolling around in sand and all sweaty?
First round was Yuto, who K.O.’ed the other guy so fast you didn’t even have time to watch (like the first time).
Hikaru managed a win but Yamada only managed to draw. Tegoshi managed a win too (his body was all red at the end), Ueda unfortunately only managed a draw and poor Massu is the only one that lost.

The fifth battle is penalty Kick, and I knew this one they would lost too, I just didn’t realise they were going to lost so badly.
Keito missed.
Sakurai missed.
Tegoshi missed.
Shigeoka is the only one that managed a goal.
Nakamaru missed (he had the golden ball too – which is double point).

For the last battle, it’s like tight rope but only it’s on a rounded tube and you have to first go up a slanty bit and get to the cushion in the middle (two tubes wide).
The second part is an extension out (only one tube wide) and then gets yourself onto the spinny bit (one tube wide).
No one made it.
Everybody only made it to the end of the extension part. The moment they tried to get onto the spinny bit, they fall.

They reveal the score at the end.

150 vs. 290.

Here’s the breakdown:
Battle 1
Sakurai: 60
Ariyoshi: 30

Battle 2
Sakurai: 0
Ariyoshi: 0

Battle 3
Sakurai: 0
Ariyoshi: 110

Battle 4
Sakurai: 90
Ariyoshi: 30

Battle 5
Sakurai: 0
Ariyoshi: 120

Battle 6
Sakurai: 0
Ariyoshi: 0

That was when I got really angry.

Battle 1, Johnny’s won 2 games out of the 3, I have no objection on that points.

Battle 2, they only take the highest score out of the three, which I don’t think is fair. Since they both score 60, I think they should have taken the next highest score. If not, take the average of the other two score.

Battle 3, because everything is being marked at 30 points, I don’t understand how they get 110 at archery. That score is forever going to be a mystery to me (like the QI scoring).

Battle 4, the scoring is similar to the first battle and again, I don’t have anything against this scoring.

Battle 5, surely Johnny’s should get 30 points for the one goal that they score? Why aren’t they getting that? Because Ariyoshi’s team made 4 goals and they got 120 points. That’s not right.

Batlle 6, Ditto. No one made it.

There’s something wrong with the scoring system and from what I can see on Twitter, everybody is upset about that, and I am not the only one.
It does look like there will be a chapter 3 though.
So I am definitely looking forward to that (when or if it happens), and hopefully Non-chan and Kamenashi will be joining this time.
And also bring in the rest of Arashi.

Johnny’s team only had 20 people.
Ariyoshi has 24.
How is that fair?

OTP

What really makes me angry is that I never understand why bromance (or even more) in a band has to be covered in the western world.

It’s like… from what I can see on the outside, Europe and USA support equality. The general public supports equality, but deep down they don’t.

Well.
It seems like deep down one country specifically doesn’t like it.
Many time they hide the sexuality of certain people in the public eyes (Lance Bass; Ellen Page), and even though they are out and proud, it apparently ‘ruin’ their status of celebrity.
I mean, look at Matt Bomer and Patrick Neil Harris.
No one seemed to complain about them.
No one seemed to complain about Ellen DeGeneres either.

I am seriously on a rant right now, having seen multiple concerts (live as well as broadcast as well as DVD) this year involving a lot of bromance and I realised how unfair it is, depending on your age and if people learn from their mistakes.

I can really comment on people and bands that I don’t know of, but I can see so many differences already between Japan and England.

Take McBusted.
They are totally up for the bromance game, the OTP.
They have always been a close knitted group.
When Izzy got pregnant, they called it Baby Pudd (Poynter and Judd) for a while, because people have always ‘shipped’ Harry and Dougie together. They are all close friends to the point where they are more like family. And it seemed like they are allowed to do this bromance things because they are married and/or with girlfriends.
It was very obvious that they are all straight.

Take The Vamps, or as I called them, little McFly.
The four of them are always on top of each other, they also have their own ‘ship’ names, Brad falls asleep on top of Tris was the latest photo that was posted on Instagram.
They don’t have a problem on showing affection towards each other and they are all boys.
There’s nothing wrong with that.
They are very close friends, and they are spending stupid amount of time together away from home and they are still young.
All they have is each other.

Take One Direction.
The moment they break America, Harry and Louis stop interacting with each other.
It’s like… they are trying to hide something.
It’s okay for Harry to hang out with Niall or Liam or Zayn.
It’s okay for Louis to hang out with Niall or Liam or Zayn.
But Harry and Louis aren’t allowed to interact with each other.
It’s like… they are too GAY to hang out.
Before they break America, they are best friends. They are close.
It was like, they can’t be hanging out because there are signs of homosexuality and more than friendship between them.
I am sorry. If they are in a relationship, it’s none of our business. We are in the 21st centuary. Most young people are comfortable with homosexuality, and most people are more understanding about equality and love than those who are ‘managing’ the boys.

I am heavily into the pop boyband scene of Japanese music and I am especially fond of a management company called Johnny’s and Associates.
If you look up the people that they manage (all the boybands), they are all pretty looking and cute and talented.
Long story short on how Johnny’s and Associate works… they sign up a bunch of kids (usually round about 10 years old), put them in what they called ‘Johnny’s Junior’. They have to go to school, as well as go to rehearsal and if you’re good enough, you’ll become back dancers to those who are already famous.
Once you get to certain age, you’ll be put into a group and you get to ‘debut’ – become a real (boy)band, with people you grow up with and people you’ve probably been to school with.

Take Kinki Kids.
They are two guys who are not well into their 30s.
They have been friends since they were in their teens.
The whole band was built upon friendship and the fact that they are like family.
And the fans loves how close they are.
Strong bromance game.
Neither of them are married; though there were rumors of some sort of a relationship with some celebrity, nothing was ever confirmed, and they are still as close as ever.

Take Tackey and Tsubasa.
They are just like Kinki Kids, the only different is that they have admitted the fact that at one point they hated each other and there were a few years where they only spent time at work together, and never really spent anymore time outside work.
They talked through that and mentioned it in an interview (in passing), and that they are now best friends again.
They also said that friends some times has arguments and sometimes they drift apart, but if they are real friends they’d drift back together again.
When Tsubasa got really ill last year (Ménière’s disease) during their tour, they never cancelled a show. Tackey stick with it, he did the shows on his own, wearing a t-shirt that has ‘Tsubasa’ on it. He also
Admittedly he had lots of support from the boys at Johnny’s, both the younger generation and the older generation.

Take Yamapi and Toma.
They grew up together.
Toma is a year older than Yamapi.
Many many times they have told the world they are best friends.
They were in a band together for god knows how many years and everybody really thought they’d ‘debut’ together.
Management broke them up because the fans ‘ship’ them since the beginning.
They were seperated and Yamapi became the leader of a new band, with a bunch of people that he didn’t know very well (except for 1).
The fandom broke.
Toma never got what he deserves.
For someone who can sing and dance and also act, he never got to do the singing and dancing. He was never offically ‘debut’ but he is now a master in TV and on stage.
The two of them are still best friends, they are often seen together going out and eating out.
Yamapi was interviewed as part of a TV show that Toma was guest on.
He said ‘I am Toma’s weakness. He has never said “no” to me’.
Toma nodded and said ‘He’s always my best friend. No matter what. He used to follow me like a small child looking up to a big brother; now he’s my equal. I just want to protect him’.
Yamapi became a solo artist after a few years.
His first solo concert (just one show), Toma was his special guest.
Yamapi said ‘because Toma is the best singer and dancer that I’ve ever known and he’s my best friend’.
The two of them sang the first duet that they ever sang with each other.
There dance move were in sync to perfection.
At the end when the song finished, they hugged, and Yamapi melted into Toma. Litrally.
He was in tears. Toma just stroke his head and the camera caught him saying ‘It’s okay’ to Yamapi.

Take KAT-TUN.
They were the first band that were ‘shipped’ from the beginning, before ‘debut’ and even after ‘debut’ people still ‘ship’ them.
Akanishi and Kame.
They are best friends, they are close and they were like the perfect couple when we were in their teens.
Kame was the ugly duckling when he was little, no one liked him much espeically he’s also a stubborn little shit.
Akanishi saw more than that and took Kame under his wings, and would tell the world how amazing Kame was.
Kame grew up and though still a stubborn little shit, he was also amazing at everything, because he was stubborn.
The management company tried to break them apart – rumours of them not getting on, rumours of one of them ditching the other one for another guy in the management company (Yamapi – who is really good friends with Akanishi, and Kame) and then making sure they wouldn’t team up to do anything (Kame and Nakamaru; Kame and Ueda; Akanishi with Ueda…) in shows.
The fandom broke again.
One of them actually got married and now have a daughter that is 3 years old.
She’s the most adorable thing ever.
And they are still friends. They are not a couple.
They just have a strong bromance game that fooled many people.

Take Hey Say Jump.
Management has obviously learnt their lessons (Toma and Yamapi, Akanishi and Kame), and when people start to ‘ship’ Yuto and Yamada, management left it.
In fact, management took an extra step and let them go to photo shoots where they looked more than ‘friends’, and the relationship between them are quite ‘ambiguous’.
Yamada stroke Yuto’s chin at one show.
Yuto kissed Yamada at a show.
The next one Yuto touched Yamada’s junk.
But the fans like that, and the two of them are so adorable together, people didn’t mind that.
And as if one OTP isn’t enough in one band, Chinen was nearly kissed by Yamada, and Dai-chan also nearly kissed Yamada.
Yabu and Hikaru, the two that grew up together since they were 9, are now 25; and best friends.

What I am trying to say is that sexuality shouldn’t be a problem as a celebrity.
What they do in their free time is none of your business.
Who they are into isn’t your business either.
They are still human at the end of the day and I am sorry, there aren’t many fairy tales around.
They aren’t going to fall in love with you and you become the princess.
They are there to be your friends though.

Surprise!

Now that I have a phone with more memory, I have started to put more music back into it and I get to actually listening to more things and not have to rotate things around.
And yesterday I put in a lot of the old Japanese songs by a duo called Kinki Kids (they were what I used to dream about when I was a tweenager).
I have all their albums, and the newest album is called M Album, and there are two parts to it: Memories and Moments.
I decided to pick the M album – Memories, because it looked like just some old favourites from the old albums. A compilation or some sort.
It shocked my system when I was concentrating on some work today when the music came on.
The music was unfamiliar, but the lyrics and the melody was.
They re-recorded 9 old songs.
Their voices have changed, the arrangement has been changed and it was amazing.
People grow up, their voices changed and all I can say they sounded even better than before.
The songs are still the songs that I love and songs that I know like the back of my hand, but they have mature so much (some of the songs are nearly 20 years old) so it was only right to re-record the songs, since they are so well loved.
Listening to the original versions bring chills down my spine.
Because I grew up listening to the songs.
It was beautiful.
I was watching more Japanese TV late night in bed, and realised a very important aspect that I am already doing, but should put more emphasis on it.
Growing old is mandatory, growing up isn’t.
Kinki Kids are nearly forty (well… they are over mid-thirties) and they still behave like they when they were in their early twenties.
In fact, the whole bunch of them still behave like they are still very young.

I went out to dinner with the crowd from work today.
In the name of celebrating my birthday.
A few weeks ago it was Miss. B’s birthday and we went out to the same pub for her birthday, and they decided this morning that I should have the same treatment – and we have decided to go the usual place at the usual time do the usual thing.
Well – I called it usual.
This is the second time.
We always have so much when we have dinner out as a group and we laughed so hard talking movies and we have now decided to go to a Ghost Bus tour for Halloween! It’s going to be so weird and so mad and so much fun.
Can’t wait.
But first – Barcelona!