...what are you watching...

There's a live Jack in the Box concert event on now. It featured LMC, Sads, acid android, some other similar groups, and soon VAMPS. Unlike the Miyavi streaming concert, they don't seem to be showing the whole concert, but intersperse it with karaoke groups. VAMP's up next..2 minutes.

ETA: AND FINALLY, Laruku is back with a concert for New Year's and kicking off their 20th Anniversary (geh, member's only).

Kuroshitsuji 8! is about Alois' sad & crazed backstory, and well, it's a tad pitiful that Claude found a tastier soul (in Ciel). He kills the boy off. The maid also gets some action. I like the whole wtf writing; getting close to Code Geass wtf-iness. The fandom seems to like this change in story. Well, since the manga hasn't gotten far, and since the anime has upped the perv-factor, it's not a huge surprise.

Denyuuden 8! is about the revolt started by Flouade in the previous episode. The first troublesome kingdom to fall is Estabul. It's one of the better episodes about politics I've seen in a while in any anime. I thought that this would be a parody of a fantasy/RPG anime from the way it started and the title, but even if it isn't, it's still pretty good. I like that one of the main characters, Sion, has an awareness of his deeds. I'm still wondering what he wants Ryner and Ferris to do. Get all the relics so he holds all the cards?

VAMPS' Revolution PV is one of Hyde's more interesting PVs in recent years. I did have to look up the yelling...I wasn't sure what he was saying.

I like the new album, Beast. It was pre-released on itunes.jp (Can't say the price ~$24 for LQ 160k is all that fair, but whatever). There's a fair amount of engrish which isn't that great. I do like the increase in variety of types of songs compared to the previous album.

Is it me or do the older they get, the more they resemble young, fashionable women? Hyde in VAMPS' Angel Trip and Tetsuya in Roulette. no comment on the song writing...though they seem to exude summer fun. I am still mystified at Arashi's popularity with the powerful tween fanbase. They can't sing, nor dance or write decent music; see Monster.


Piano no Mori anime movie! is about a young piano prodigy who transfers to a school in the country. He hears about a scary piano in the forest, and finds a poor country bumpkin who is the only one who can play the piano. The relationship progresses to where both boys though friends with completely different styles, are competing in the same competition. ~6/10 rating~ the boys learn life lessons from one another; ie. being yourself is A-ok.


Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu jmovie! is based on the shoujo manga about childhood friends that grow up together; both knowing that the one has a mostly incurable disease. Of course, the childhood flashback was adorable. Mao Inoue and Masaki Okada play the eye-candy teen versions, and they do a cute job of portraying the in-love-but-doomed couple. I didn't know this was a spinoff of the twincest manga, not that that manga has anything to do with this movie, and not that I feel like reading either manga. Nothing gained and nothing lost (but time) by watching this movie. ~6/10 rating~ for shoujo angst. The side characters could have been more interesting.

VAMPS's new single, DEVIL SIDE, actually has more english than engrish. And compared to Hyde's early songs that were 100% english, he's finally gotten away from rhyming every other line. I'm going to blame whoever his translator was back then. I wasn't too fond of last year's album, but I think this upcoming summer album should be good. See their tv performance..though it is lip-synced.

Durarara 18! is about Masaomi and Saki, the girl in the hospital. Izaya seems to be amusing himself with the three kids. It's hard to predict what he wants them to do; unnecessarily fight seems to be the direction they are heading.

House of Five Leaves 5! Despite its attempts at creating deep, mysterious characters, this show is losing me.

Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood 57! tension-heightening, blood-gushing episode.

Uraboku 6! Hotsuma and Luka compare swords. Luka draws a huge dragon-like salamander from the sky, while Hotsuma pulls out large cosplay sword from his butt. Good to know whose weapon is bigger. I'm glad Luka called it a 'salamander'...cause yeah, gotta get my final fantasy weapons straight.

VAMP's new PV, Devil Side, is out and well, sounds like typical, club-written, engrishy VAMPS...another year and Laruku will be back together...can't wait.

Took a quick trip to NYC to see the VAMPS. I'm glad to see that the all-American act of grown men having a fist-fight in front of a club has not died. The show was great (awesome view, awesome, energetic music & performance), but I don't think I'll hunt down another one of Hyde's club performances again due to the overall garbled and static-y sound in small clubs. Plus, his VAMPS music while club-worthy, isn't too great. Maybe I'll see to a stadium venue in JP for his band's anniversary.

Also saw the Lion King which I never got around to seeing. Worth every penny. A tad weirded-out by the flamboyant hyena dance.

I should remember to post more often to prevent backlog.

Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 1! The goodbye on the last OAD didn't really mean goodbye. Another season starts! There's not too much to comment on this episode. It is similar to the prior ones. The animation is great. The ending is lovely. The social commentary is amusing. But I wonder if the same type of episode over and over will be able to sustain itself when the characters never change. This episode covers bad luck, the meaning of spring, and journeys to find oneself.

Spice and Wolf S2 1! Another pretty opening for this series; the visuals are actually better than the first. Lawrence and Horo continue to travel and have amusing conversations. I'm glad to see the flashback Lawrence has about Horo's hometown. Maaaybe they'll progress the main plot this season. Horo seems cuter this season. Maybe more moe?

The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi 2009 5/15! Groundhog's Day Take 4! Tha animation quality...blech. Glad to see that the writers are amusing themselves.

Tried to watch more Umineko, but it just isn't working for me.

VAMPS' Evanescent PV - reminds me of a mild version Season's Call without the catchy riffs.
Ken's S PV - Still has a very Laruku sound, but also starting to sound like 80's big hair hard rock. He definitely looks more comfortable on film than he did when he first went solo. I kinda like the song.
Tommy Heavenly6's Leaving You PV and Wait for Me There PV - both new PVs from a very prolific artist. And the February6 version and again. Somewhat fun songs, but eh, rather have one really great song than 4 mediocre ones.

And awesome! Kay Nielson's concepts for The Little Mermaid. (Kay like Fay...a guy)

The VAMPS youtube channel is made of fail. They only have a 17 second clip of their new PV while 10 other users have the full version of 'I Gotta Kick Start Now'. Trouble (a cover of Shampoo's song) is their c/w song. At 40, I think this is his mid-life crisis music. Ok, it's not that bad...both songs are cute enough.

Hyde's new project, VAMPS, which is not exactly new (same guitarist, Kaz, from his Jesus days) has its new PV out. LOVE ADDICT has a addictive beginning, but ends up sounding like Countdown from his last solo album with a helluva lota engrish. Barely made out 'love addict'. Still, I'm amused with his vampire theme continuing from Drink it Down.

Side note: I wish google video would include veoh and nico in its search. I'm guessing business-wise, it's not profitable? It has Tudou...which like veoh and nico, has a ton of licensed videos, so why not veoh or nico?

Another note: I wish morons wouldn't title their video as something, and then upload a video to their personal site where you are supposed to register to see a video. Or title something and then you see that it is the moron singing...or playing the violin. Ugh. Bring back anonymous posting and reviewsss.