bluelovesorange | my crush on Yujin Kitagawa has just expanded two-fold

So, after tomorrow, I will officially be gainfully unemployed (but I'm not panicking.) I will take in the new year and try to relax and get certain things taken care of before I go job hunting. Time enough to obsess about frivolous things in the here and now, though!

So - Yujin Kitagawa, aka "Cute Guy" aka Junya Nagasaki in the Japanese drama I just finished watching, Innocent Love (Once upon a time in Yokohama, or Japanese Cinderella: now with even more trials and tribulations!) has managed to squeak into my crowded list of crushes at the end of the year. As an actor, he has a long way to go, and should definitely not leave his day job, which is the lead singer of a very popular folk duo, Yuzu. I mean, he's about as on par with some of the weaker Johnnies/idols, and he does what he needs to do in his role: which is to be as freaking adorable as humanly possible without actually turning into a Muppet.

Anyway, so back to my crush on Cute Guy ~ besides being a pretty good musician/entertainer, he also wrote a children's book. And like all proper children's literature, it is horrifyingly depressing, with the cutest, prismacolor soaked illustrations ever, courtesy of the fabulous Takashi Murakami (who I drove all the way to L.A. in a freak storm for to see his exhibit.), who is also a Yuzu fan, and has collaborated with them on CD designs and stage designs at their concerts. Freaking rad.

the book summary: Pop musician Yujin Kitagawa is the author of the story which features Keba Keba, a round, colorful and generous character. He gives his color away - the yellow to a baby chicken that has been bullied, his red to the sun, blue to the sky, and so on. As he gives his colors away he becomes thinner and faint, but at the same time happy, eventually ending up as a cloud that watches over everyone from the sky.

conclusion: KEBA KEBA DIES ALONE.

And he loves the Beatles. My inner Beatles dork has just flailed and DIED. I mean, I will like people even if they don't care about/like the Beatles (even though I will secretly think, BLASPHEMER in my head forever when associating with them.), but the Beatles loving is always, always a plus.

And how! I quite like Yuzu's music. Behold my favorite PVs:

Natsuiro ~ this is probably one of their most famous songs. Look at his bowl hair cut and how young and collegiate they are.

and now watch Tegomass cover it

Shish Kebab (yes, that really is the title)

Yujin Kitagawa is 31 years old. Remember that. This reminds me of Blur, for some odd reason......MUST BE THE CROSSDRESSING.

Speaking of crossdressing (and you know I always do), Yujin does it more than once!

THE MAGIC OF KOI NO KAYOUBI. This is a parody of something....I have no idea what, but oh my god, check out Yujin in the full length gown.

Then we mix it up with a little Rock and Roll

THE TIE, THE HAIR. I am having Billie Joe American Idiot flashbacks. Or possibly Joe Strummer. I don't know. I JUST KNOW I LOVE IT.

Yesterday and Tomorrow - this is actually only a CM for the single release. I love this song, however.

So does Haruka Ayase.

I also love this song.

This is their R.E.M. indie video. Or maybe Coldplay video. Wait, they need to be aimlessly walking along a badly lit beach for that one, don't they?

This one is....just seriously bad hair, Cute Guy. However, they are playing Live and in some kind of dueling banjos stance, so thumbs up.

There is CRAZY dancing and streamers, and wow, maybe Yuzu *are* kind of a big deal.

More jamming

I unfortunately can not find the music video where Yujin is simultaneously wearing leather pants and smoking a cigarette, but believe me, I will HUNT it down eventually. Because....HILARZ. They are on a roof top!

in conclusion: I LOVE YOU, CUTE GUY.

(and your band is good too!)