Kana (香奈, born January 26, 1982 in Tokyo) is a Japanese pop and rock singer. She is also a toy designer, illustrator, and a fashion designer. She began her career as a model for the Gothic & Lolita Bible magazine, and still appears in the magazine regularly. In 1996, she ventured into music by singing for an electronica band called Starblues. However, Kana was quickly replaced, due to disagreements between the band members. She went back to music in 2000 by releasing her maxi single, "Hebi-Ichigo". Although her vocal work is often criticized for its harsh, screechy tone, her songs were well-received and more singles such as "Chimame" and "Kuuchuu Buranko" followed. Kana eventually released her first full-fledged album, Doubutsu-teki Ningen in 2001, followed by Kikai-teki Ningen in 2002, Ningen-teki Ningen in 2003, and Spade, in 2005 on her own label, Ichigo-SHA. After over a year, Kana went on a European tour to France, Sweden, Finland, and Germany from 2006-mid 2007. Kana informed fans in her blog of a new album, eventually released in July titled Tsuki no Usagi under a new alias, MOON-香奈-kana-. Kana went on yet another European tour starting late 2007; "Bunny Tour".
originally posted: February 21, 2008
Below 18 years old are not allowed to LOVE. The drama revolves around 4 high school boys that found themselves as the last virgins in the school. Asai Shouhei nicknamed Shou-chan (played by Kazunari Ninomiya of Arashi) lives with his family that runs a drugstore. He has a crush on his temporary teacher Isuzu Mochizuki (played by Yumiko Shaku) and wishes that she should be his first. Iwasaki Kengo nicknamed Kenken (played by Tomohisa Yamashita of NEWS) is a train freak, he lives with his single mom that runs a love hotel. They usually hang out there to listen to paying customers (basically kinda of peeping). Among the four friends, he is the only one who has a girlfriend named Fujisawa Sonoko. Udagawa Hayato nicknamed Udayan (played by Hiroki Narimiya) is a band member. He is probably the most obsessed in peeping under girl’s skirt. Due to lack of self confidence, the Amazons pick of him the most. Enami Kouji nicknamed Kou-kun (played by Oguri Shun ^_^) is the soccer ace player. Although there are girls that ask him out he is still have no girlfriend. He has a weird habit when talking to girls and starts to mumble that ends up in turning any offer from them. They were dubbed as DB4 or Doutei Boys 4 (Doutei means Virgin) by the Amazons and a famous love celeb named Naoya Kume (played by Takashi Tsukamoto). Now they struggle to graduate from it but their life changes when his childhood friend, Oowada Chie (played by Suzuki Anne) came to visit them for unknown reason.
I really don’t know exactly how I think of this drama. There are so many issues that were tackled, there’s pre-marital sex, the issue of on sex education and the pressure among your peers. Honestly, I haven’t gone through that thing they are trying to lose and I’m proud of it and I’m glad that I’m not in their position cause I’ll probable have gone crazy.
As for the issued tackled I have my opinions on it and it would take me years to write it, especially that I’m a clutter head. This is probably the one drama that everybody should watch. It’s a way of lightly tackling these issues that some people would ignore and consider taboo. And its funny too so watch it, ne?
originally posted: February 12, 2008
Leah Dizon (リア・ディゾン, Ria Dizon, born Leah Donna Dizon on September 24, 1986) is a model, singer, actress, and TV personality in Japan, born in Las Vegas, Nevada, US. Her ethnicities include Chinese, Filipino and French.
Early life
Leah Dizon was born in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her parents were casino dealers. Her father was a business man in one of the largest cities in California. She has two older brothers, an older sister, and two younger brothers. She says she grew up listening to Rock and R&B music. She took dance lessons and was in her high school theater. Dizon dreamed of pursuing a career as a singer.
Career
After graduating from high school, Dizon decided to pose for the cover features of various import car magazines. This gained her much attention and a fanbase overseas, predominantly in Asia. One year after her pictures were posted up on the internet, she already had 2,000,000 hits from search engines. Following the advice of her fans, Dizon sent a demo tape with model photographs of herself to a talent agency in Japan and in April of 2006, after being accepted, she immediately moved to Tokyo. In October 2006, she released her first photobook titled Petite Amie (Little Girlfriend in French), which was ranked as the third best selling photobook of that year.
On February 14, 2007, she released her first CD single and DVD package, Softly under the record label Victor Entertainment(VIZL-216), which peaked at number #7 in the Oricon Weekly Chart. At the same time, she also released her second photobook titled Hello! Leah.
On May 30, 2007, Dizon released her second single Koi Shiyō (恋しよう♪, Koi Shiyō;), which also peaked at #7 on the Oricon Weekly Chart. The title track is described as a 'grooving, up-tempo dance song' and the single features 2 B-sides: Could you be that one? and Aishiteru～ Love Story (アイシテル～ Love Story, Aishiteru～ Love Story?). The title track, Koi Shiyō is being used in a Lotte TV ad while Could you be that one? is being used in a PlayStation 3 Ninja Gaiden Sigma TV ad, with Dizon starring in both commercials.
Her third single entitled L・O・V・E U was released on August 8, 2007.
Leah released her debut album "Destiny Line" on September 12, 2007. The CD+DVD Edition contains 14 tracks, 10 of which were penned by Leah herself the single PVs as well as a special album PV "Again and Again". The CD Only Edition contains the digitally released remix of Koi Shiyō, called Koi Shiyō♪ (yasutaka nakata-capsule mix).
Leah Dizon's third photobook titled Heaven, was released October 5, 2007. It includes a DVD.
originally posted: February 7, 2008
The Story:
The story revolves around Cornet’s adventure, who can talk to puppets and owns a magical horn that could grant wishes that she inherited from her mother. Her best friend is a puppet named Kururu who has a soul and heart of a person. She has a big crush on the next king of Marl Kingdom, Prince Ferdinand Marl. She joined and won a contest and was able to dance with the prince but the night ended with the prince being kidnapped. The witch, Queen Marjoly, took the prince and screwed up the spell that turns the prince into a stone.
The Game Play:
Players can choose the game difficulty that would determine the length of the game (I suggest that you just start playing the hard mode). Unlike any other RPGs you can save anytime except during battles. Battles are fought in tactical style. Cornet is the main fighter in the battles and three more puppets or monsters can be used. Normal battles are pretty easy to defeat and usually doesn’t last for a minute. Boss battles on the other hand requires a bit more tactics but still pretty easy. Monsters occasionally join after a normal battle.
The Graphics:
The Graphics are in 2D and the characters are pretty cute especially the illustrations that you could collect during the game. The map design is annoying though, the design is the same everywhere. There are three main map design and the only different thing is the color used.
The Ending:
It’s pretty predictable. What can you expect from a title like this?
My Verdict:
As the title says “a musical adventure”, the songs are quite good but some of them are very simple. One of my favorites “Evil Queen”, Marjoly’s theme song, I like the personality of the song and I find myself singing it sometimes. ^_^
For a hardcore RPG player this could be considered as a child’s or a girl’s game. The controls are pretty easy. One thing I find hard on this game is the mazes because they look all the same and I got lost quite a few times. But with a little imagination you can pass through swiftly.
Another annoying thing I encounter through out the game is some treasure chest that doesn’t have anything on it and you’ll only get a simple song that says “ATLUS U.S.A.!” yeah Atlus is the game publisher.
originally posted: January 31, 2008
"I wonder how long it's been since my brother and I started to see things other people can't see."
Story:
Miku decided to look for her brother, Mafuyu, who has been missing for two weeks. She went to the Himura Family Mansion the last place where her brother went to. Miku and Mafuyu has strong sixth sense, enabling them to see ghosts that lurks within the mansion.
Gameplay:
The main weapon is a camera that could capture a ghost thus sealing them in the film. By capturing these ghosts you can choose what abilities your camera could possess.
The Ending:
After getting rid of the malice that was attached to Kirie, she hang herself in front of the hell gate (her facing back the gate) after being reminded by her younger self of her duty. Every time the gate tries to open she would get hit. [me: poor girl, so sad]
Controversy over the truth:
The game is supposedly based on true stories and legends surrounding the Himura Mansion. The mansion is believed to be gruesome death site of a family and some other associates a few decades ago. According to the series producer, Makoto Shiba, the game is based on ghost stories and urban legends and not the Himura family murder which brings to the question of the factuality of being based on a true story. His inspiration for the game’s haunted mansion is based on a mansion in an area outside Tokyo. It believed to be haunted and there were people grisly murdered and found within the mansion. It also have underground passageways that nobody know what purpose it serves. Spirits have been sighted in the mansion even on board daylight.
originally posted: November 11, 2007
As the the title says, it's my favorites on theOtaku today!
