we are only made of air and dust

I found the two months worth of pictures that I thought I'd accidentally deleted - they were on my netbook instead of my port. harddrive, and after looking through the pictures - I think it was the memory of what I thought had lost that was more dear to me than the actual pictures. The photographs are all ordinary snapshots - what I ate, my new (well, worn in now) blue chucks, the housewarming/Congratulations! You've survived 4 months and haven't had a total nervous breakdown cake, and mostly always of places and things. I don't take a lot of photographs of people and it's not that I'm a self-hating hermit who wanders out from her cave to send the occasional postcard - well, not always.

It always happens, I have these long rambling travelogues planned out and then when I have free time, I end up eating ice cream and watching youtube videos. When I'm away from the children, and on my free time, my life here in South Korea is not that dissimilar from how I was living in California. Which is....not bad, but not exactly great, I think. I left because I wanted to go on adventures, to change, to learn - and while I've learned that my tolerance for bureaucratic bullshit is remarkably high if there's a language barrier involved, I don't know if I've really changed. I am always my worst critic however, so take this with a grain of salt.

( think smaller )

*note to self, when Moneypenny is functioning again, work on enormous icon batch for AtaDan, incredibly iconable

Hmmm, just as my subject line says. Waiting for Giri Giri to post the softsubs for AtaDan 9: where the eyeflirting and ambiguous glances are exchanged by many! (Like the title of the kdrama parody on MADTV!)

I'm going to be sad when my happy sunshine spring into summer show is over after episode 11. I mean, there's yakuza!Meisa to look forward to, but oh, Ookuras. I heart them so much as a family, and episode nine is full of the reasons why.

Anyway, have some scans from Junon (the clerks at Sanseido are so used to my schizophrenic, random purchases now. My recent haul was Mika Ninagawa's New Half mook - where I marvel at how much neon pink goes in on a MN photoshoot, and how the surgeons do really good work, but there's still some obvious tells, JUNON (I was so embarrassed by this. It's like the equivalent of buying um...Bop and erm, a teeny magazine when you're not a teeny anymore.), Men's Joker, FineBoys, and I was going to buy FRAU for the gorgeous mini insert of Kanjiya Shihori in wedding kimono attire, but decided to pass on it for next time. Seriously, I've always thought she was pretty but those pictures = super maximum gorgeousness.)

feel free to use for translations, graphics and the like. No reposting unless I do it (obviously), and credit calledinvain if you're so inclined.



Both Yusuke and Koji have a pinup poster in this issue, and there's more with Yusuke as well, but they'll be posted later once I get my main computer issues sorted out.

And also, for fans of OTOMEN, as posted earlier - it's been turned into a live action drama, airing this summer on Fuji, a more extended cast list has been posted on Dramawiki, and it's certainly moved up on higher on my list of things to watch. There's a mix of the usual suspects (Fuji loves the Hana Kimi alums, plus it doesn't hurt that most of them have went on to become Big Names) and new people.

I've read scanlations of the first volumes and I know meganbmoore likes it, but I'll be going into the drama manga blind. I think that helps with the experience, because I have no particular attachment to the manga whether it's mild amusement/like (Hana Kimi) or full out disdain (Hana Yori Dango).

( more on the cast of OTOMEN )

for sireensilver and tinyangl, the website for Twin Spica is up! (and ORANGE RANGE IS DOING THE THEME SONG.) And apparently Nanami is going to be in the wee JE vampire drama as well? *facepalms*

Now. Back to writing my 'ship manifesto for AtaDan (and.....wow, a bunch of people have friended me over the last two days because of the screencapsquee.) I'll get to everyone's comments eventually, I'm just in my bubble of OMGAWESOME right now.

I'm having a hell of a time writing a review for Smile, so I will just post about something that makes me happy:

Soft subs for The Littlest Hobo, episode 2 are out along with as always, excellent cultural notes from GiriGiri.

So I'm getting over a mild case of OMGWHYDOIFEELSOAWFULANDCRAMPYIWANTTODIEANDORVOMIT, while watching the mercury climb here in Southern California, but a few fevers and nosebleeds aside, I'm almost back to normal.

Have downloaded the subbed version of Smile, will watch it later - I'm going to watch L: Change the World in a few. fivethreerin, I got the little postcard saying that I need to pick up your package at the post office! Which I will be doing so tomorrow, full of DELIGHT and joy.

Also got a surprise tee-shirt from kitsune714, because the hivemind likes to be dressed in snappy tees at all times, naturally.

( some scans/projects I'm working on )

...of Japanese TV doramas.

I felt rather underwhelmed with most of the winter season (though if you haven't watched Akai Ito, whyever the hell not? It's a cell phone adaptation that doesn't suck, and the main characters are fleshed out and emotionally real, and oh, I need to make a longer post about it without falling into flail.)

But spring season is looking decidedly up my alley. I have narrowed down my choices thus far:

Mr. Brain

Kimura plays the part of Ryusuke Tsukumo, a neuroscience researcher affiliated with a National Police Agency laboratory. Although his skills help solve difficult cases, he has one flaw: he is generally "clueless to the situation" (better known by the slang term "KY," or "kuuki o yomenai"), leading to various comical interactions. In general, each episode will be a different case.

Kimura's assistant will be played by Haruka Ayase, while Hiro Mizushima will take on the role of a young cop. Other characters include the head of the lab (Mao Daichi), another detective (Teruyuki Kagawa), and a couple of researchers (Yuji Tanaka of Bakusho Mondai and Tortoise Matsumoto of Ulfuls).

Sounds like a funny version of Galileo, and...with less math, but I liked Galileo a great deal, so....plus HIRO! and Haruka!

Oh, and that guy from SMAP. *g*

Smile

(and this is how I decided on that)

[21:56] calledinvain: that was japan STABBING YOU IN THE FACE.
[21:56] kitsune714: SPITTING IN MY FACE.
[21:56] kitsune714: and then SCRATCHING OUT MY EYES
[21:57] calledinvain: but you know i'm going to watch the first episode.
[21:57] kitsune714: i know.
[21:57] kitsune714: i watched cat vomit for you.
[21:57] kitsune714; now it's your turn.
[21:57] calledinvain: yes, i was going to say.

That's how our friendship works, people. We watch crap potentially hilariously terrible shows so the other one doesn't have to. Unless the awful is so MESMERIZING, that to not share would just be WRONG. Like that one SP I made her watch because in it, Maki Goto strangles a [has been redacted because the memory of it made me LAUGH SO HARD] with pantyhose! And it makes this whump noise when it falls over?

Yes, yes, look away now. But yes. Evil-sama's drama with Shun as Filipino gang members or what not and muteness and "Let it Be" in all the promo music. Oh, Mother Mary come to me, speaking words of wisdom......

and finally, no surprise,

THE LITTLEST HOBO er, Atashinchi no Danshi!

Fuji remembers what made Maki a total rockstar, and gives her a family comedy, so we can all forget the regret and trauma that was Innocent Love (though, Cute Guy.) Yusuke Yamamoto as a model with gynophobia! (well not really, I just find the term gynophobia hilarious.) Kaname Jun as a genius playboy who has 99 problems but..... That Guy from Nobuta wo Produce (and a host of other really good dramas) being a Yanki hoodlum marshmallow. Guy who played Unfortunate Haruma Miura stand-in in TV Koizora as a recluse with bad 80s fashion!

Requisite chibi hapa actor who is Smarter than everyone!

And Mukai Osamu, who I think looks a bit like this Korean actor that I can't name right now, but anyway, is handsome and a host.

Six adopted brothers who don't like each other, one ex homeless girl who's never had a real family, one sketch marriage, and one REAL SCOTTISH CASTLE.

I CANNOT WAIT. (it airs on Black Day!)

or it certainly seems so.

Clearer screen caps from the teaser

( Fuji sure likes their red ribbons )

Happy Labor day to all my US friends!

I had a really good weekend - indulged in some serious retail therapy (suffice to say, my inner fifteen year old was aided and abetted and indulged), the beginning of birthday presents started trickling in, and oh, the cakes. I bought myself some Beard Papa creampuffs yesterday, in green tea and vanilla, and omgitisdelightful.

I've been a happy resident of greedytown, what can I say.

Anyway, I have manga and books aplenty (and a stack of library books to get through), I'm going to marathon Shibatora at some point (Teppei and Suzuka Ohgo's not really but it's undeniable OTP kind of kills me), finish screencapping things for my spur of the moment Saff Summer TV awards (where it's all the stuff I like, none of the things I don't. Obviously.)

and maybe I will even go see Tropic Thunder. Maybe.

( Perhaps this is why Hiro Mizushima dyed his hair that god awful tangerine color )

SO MANY THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN OCTOBER!

Maki's getsu drama - putting the k into 'j'drama: really, with all the latest information leaking out, it's sounding more and more like a kdrama, but in the best possible way...for now. Bets on Nari's character being either gay, or in sekritlove with a) his best friend, b) his own sister, c) Maki's character (this is decidedly the most conventional of the choices)

PEAAAAACHHHH! Hana Kimi returns with their long awaited SP - Nakatsu's mother visits, Julia visits, the big gay fairy never really left, and Sano and Mizuki and Nakatsu and allllll the mabudachis. Guys, it's my summertimeloveohIthinkImightbeintoodeep now show. Of course I am excited.


A big shout out to all of my friends who are at Dragoncon, also.

Episode 2 of Iljimae was much better than the first and I finally figured out who is who or who's going to be who. I'll leave the capping and squee to dangermousie for the moment, but I am liking it. Like anything, it all depends on what kind of mood you're in - a lot of the recent kdramas I've watched are very into the backstory, and establishing child selves - Spring Waltz is a good example of this, and it just depends on the pacing. I was just thrown by how many children there were and figuring out who was going to be important. It's also a very classic revenge tale with a lot of taking on different identities, so trying to keep track of that - oh, what a tangled web we weave.


Last Friends Episode 8: They come up with new ways to smash my heart into pieces every week. Bravo, show.

Zettai Kareshi Episode 7: ( for pic spoiler )

In case any of the FL are/were interested in watching Maki's other show before Hana Kimi - Seito Shokun! (or as I liked to refer it - children of the corn in the Japanese school system) there are now subs available for the latter episodes 6-10 here. The subs 1-5 by the fansub group are still available at d-addicts as well.

See Yuu Shirota being a geeky, made of Fail PE teacher! Watch Kanata Hongo and Okada Masaki get into fisticuffs! See Maki plot as an evil mastermind (OR IS SHE?) and the OT3! of Juria/Kohei/Kaoru.

Also, I might have just started watching Kamisama Mou Sukoshi Dake on crunchy roll. It's a hot summer day, and I've just turned my brain off for the ultimate shoujo cliche Lifetime PSA cheese event of the year. I mean, the Koreans certainly can bring the melodrama and the WTF car accident crash pile of emotions - but this series is a classic. It totally pings my 'it's so bad it's awesome' meter, and sometimes this is all you need.