I'm not a HUGE fan of these guys but I like them enough to find this hilarious.
Thursday, 20 August 2009
Friday, 14 August 2009
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
The graphic novel that is finally showing a 'graphic' side.
Twill be a long series about the rise and rise of a VK band in Tokyo, Japan. The whole idea is explore every aspect of behind the Visual Kei music scene. Which means...fun fun research for me. But it will be worth it because I think its a unique music sub-culture and its definitely worth taking a good look at. Anyways, because I'm aiming to feature 'cameo appearances' for actual real-life VK bands or band members (even if its just a photo or a scene where they say 1 thing) I did need my ENTIRE cast to represent REAL people. Enter the use of Jdrama actors. I've selected for each of the fictional characters a japanese actor/actress to model their looks loosely on - so that when they interact with the characters based closely on real musicians its doesn't look like they are speaking to a cardboard cartoon cut-out. It was also done because visual-kei require the use of make-up and such to change the appearances of the character and I wanted to be able to visibly show the changes - something which is near to impossible on a very cartoony style of drawing.
The 5 starring roles are of course each of the band members (who are backed up by a long list of supporting characters all through).
Names and roles:
Kioshi Naito (KIYOSHI) - vocals, guitar
Hiroyuki Sano (Hiro) - piano, rhythm guitar
Yuichi Inihara - bass
Sho Inihara - lead guitar
Taru Tamazaki - drums
Have a gange at their ref-models:
Takeru Sato (Kioshi), Shun Oguri (Inihara twins), Yusuke Yamamoto (Taru) & Shoon Yamashita (Hiro).
Okay, So I'm not a moron. I am aware (this goes out only to all those who know what the hell I'm talking about) that there is a large age difference between certain members of this...ref-cast.
However I do have my reasons for choosing them.
Takeru Sato has a face thats pretty androgynus which in my mind is kinda like a little reference in itself to how all the guys in VK bands manage to look extremely feminine (Miyavi....). My second reason is that his features - I've notice - are either filmed/photographed to appear very soft and young or very sharp and mature. Since Kioshi is the LEAD in the story, he will require to fill both light comical roles as a character as well as hard-hitting dramatic ones.
Shun Oguri was kind of a biased choice to begin with. He's quite a big name in Japan as far as actors go and has been a favourite of mine since I watched Hana Yori Dango. However, I realized I actually had good reason for using him as he has the ability to act very happy-go-lucky and cheeky and be beleivable and the do that same for a quieter brooding role like Sano Izumi from Hanazakari no Kimitachi e. This works perfectly for the identical twins...who have been so far a pain to illustrate. The only problem I have with using him is that since he (I think) the oldest on this list it means I have to soften the features quite a bit to begin with.
Now I was hesitant about using Yusuke Yamamoto as a reference. Originally I wanted to base Hiro's look off of him simply because he has played very...shall we say "cutesy" roles in a lot of things he's been in. However I remembered the first time I saw him he was in a very moody and angry role and his scowl face (like in the pic above) was so Taru that I almost had a heart attack. No...I'm kidding...What I find really funny about using Yusuke to base Taru's look is that he also has this signature cheeky cute cat smile which I think all his fangirls simple squee over.
Yamashita Shoon is the youngest and therefore the less well-known of all the guys on this list. He has an adorable baby face though and I simply had to base Hiro's look off of him. Hiro being the short cute gay one. I probably use Shoon very lightly as a reference as it tends to collide with my earlier refrenceless drawings of this character who was one of the first to start developing.
* I'll soon post a whole load of character sketches and stuff, you'll see what I mean when I say I only base the characters on these actors. It's not me drawing them as my characters, its me using their faces as a basis of creating a realistic inidvidual look.
The 5 starring roles are of course each of the band members (who are backed up by a long list of supporting characters all through).
Names and roles:
Kioshi Naito (KIYOSHI) - vocals, guitar
Hiroyuki Sano (Hiro) - piano, rhythm guitar
Yuichi Inihara - bass
Sho Inihara - lead guitar
Taru Tamazaki - drums
Have a gange at their ref-models:
Takeru Sato (Kioshi), Shun Oguri (Inihara twins), Yusuke Yamamoto (Taru) & Shoon Yamashita (Hiro).
Okay, So I'm not a moron. I am aware (this goes out only to all those who know what the hell I'm talking about) that there is a large age difference between certain members of this...ref-cast.
However I do have my reasons for choosing them.
Takeru Sato has a face thats pretty androgynus which in my mind is kinda like a little reference in itself to how all the guys in VK bands manage to look extremely feminine (Miyavi....). My second reason is that his features - I've notice - are either filmed/photographed to appear very soft and young or very sharp and mature. Since Kioshi is the LEAD in the story, he will require to fill both light comical roles as a character as well as hard-hitting dramatic ones.
Shun Oguri was kind of a biased choice to begin with. He's quite a big name in Japan as far as actors go and has been a favourite of mine since I watched Hana Yori Dango. However, I realized I actually had good reason for using him as he has the ability to act very happy-go-lucky and cheeky and be beleivable and the do that same for a quieter brooding role like Sano Izumi from Hanazakari no Kimitachi e. This works perfectly for the identical twins...who have been so far a pain to illustrate. The only problem I have with using him is that since he (I think) the oldest on this list it means I have to soften the features quite a bit to begin with.
Now I was hesitant about using Yusuke Yamamoto as a reference. Originally I wanted to base Hiro's look off of him simply because he has played very...shall we say "cutesy" roles in a lot of things he's been in. However I remembered the first time I saw him he was in a very moody and angry role and his scowl face (like in the pic above) was so Taru that I almost had a heart attack. No...I'm kidding...What I find really funny about using Yusuke to base Taru's look is that he also has this signature cheeky cute cat smile which I think all his fangirls simple squee over.
Yamashita Shoon is the youngest and therefore the less well-known of all the guys on this list. He has an adorable baby face though and I simply had to base Hiro's look off of him. Hiro being the short cute gay one. I probably use Shoon very lightly as a reference as it tends to collide with my earlier refrenceless drawings of this character who was one of the first to start developing.
* I'll soon post a whole load of character sketches and stuff, you'll see what I mean when I say I only base the characters on these actors. It's not me drawing them as my characters, its me using their faces as a basis of creating a realistic inidvidual look.
Monday, 10 August 2009
World peace.
It would be like Stepford wouldn't it? No one would be that marshmellowed willingly. I mean if you really think about it the whole concept of world peace is just a joke isn't it? I agree with there being a measure of peace, no wars would also be great and less overall violence. But let's get real, the pain is there so that there is a balance between good and bad in the world. We may not like it, but all pain in nesscessary. It allows others to be compassionate. If everything was good and there was no suffering then the world just wouldn't be our world would it. It would be some alien place where no one learns from mistakes or learns how to truely feel love and compassion towards others.
That said, I bear my sign of peace:
(it does move, just not right now)
That said, I bear my sign of peace:
(it does move, just not right now)
Sunday, 9 August 2009
let's play a game of MAIBFFISRETARDED.
Say no more 44-year-old rock stars. We understand.
So I've been thinking, how do you stay friends with someone for so long and still manage to look like you're both still 10 and your momma brought you to a KISS concert for the first time?
I don't think I've ever been able to keep a relationship going of any kind with anyone. So it remains fascinating to me how you can go from
little chidler-hood.
to this...
pique of their rock stardom....
then to this
...begrudging "I was going to punch him" hug at their "last concert"
then not speak for ten years and reappear like this...
...I really don't know what to say about this one...seriously...
Anyway, ignoring the picture spamming, my whole point was that a relationship that lasts that long is so alien to me. I guess it might be because I've been moved around so much since I was born. i really don't know what its like to have a long lasting bond with anyone. I always have to leave people behind. It kinda sucks, cause then we all just change so many miles apart and usually when I get into contact with them again it's like I don't know them.
Well, actually an old friend from America who I only just started talking to again is pretty much the same....I think she just got awesomer than she was before...that's the only difference. xD
Haha. Well Kudos to Yoshiki and Toshi for being friends for so long. Not everyone has that in their lives. And yes, I know you didn't speak for 10 years but you're totally over it now.
I mean seriously:
...you guys are still in kindergarten aren't you? Concerts are just like recess for you.
x
Korean movies that are a must see.
Hellz yeah.
Now I haven't really been big on Korean music but I do have to admit, when it comes to their feature length films - they know their stuff.
All of these films had me laughing (and crying at the right points) from start to finish. I've found with many Japanese films that I can only watch them one at a time and in a spaced out pattern. However with these films I find the same appeal I found with movies like Juno and Kill Bill (and yes, I'll admit, even The Lion King still) - that I can watch over and over and over and still enjoy them.
200 Pounds of Beauty
starring: Ju Jin-Mo, Kim Ah-Jung Hanna is the famous Korean pop singer. She suffers from having extremely poor self-esteem, as she has been ignored because of her appearance. At last, she makes the decision of a lifetime to have full-body plastic surgery.
(taken from MySoju.com)
A film about how plastic surgery can make your dreams come true (or not) maybe not be a great example for young girls on how to deal with body image issue, but let's be honest - you'd have to be completely thick to think that you can have a 'full body surgery' and come out looking like that. This film is nevertheless great for a laugh and the acting is pretty good. I found the main character had the ability to say things like "I'm so pretty," "I even cry pretty!" and "I sweat pretty!" without being completely distasteful. The actress has an innocent air about her. I likes it. =)
Antique Bakery
starring: Jun Ji Hyun, Kim Jae Wook, Yoo Ah In
(MySoju)
So...if you were straight and popular in high school and brutally reject a gay nerd who confesses to you and then get stuck working with them in a tiny cafe making cakes - what would really happen? Fuck all. But not in this movie. Based quite closely on the Japanese manga, this Korean movie remake was a complete blast to watch. It's the funniest and probably most accurate portrayal of a relationship between two grown men - one gay and one straight - and doesn't shun certain gay stereotypes from the main homosexual character the same way Japanese movies tend to. E.g: the clothes, the visits to gay clubs. It combines a quirky, comical, fantastical and somewhat camp sense of humor with an interesting cutting and narrative style for the more edgy and darker elements of the story, which mainly consist of chasing after kidnappers and murders. I give this movie a thumbs up - a straight "cake pervert," a gay expert cake maker, a ex-boxing campion and a somewhat dim 'body guard' = funfunfun.
The King and The Clown
starring: Gam Woo Seong, Jeong Jin-Yeong, Kang Seong-Yeon, Lee Jun Ki
Two clowns living in the Chosun Dynasty get arrested for staging a play that satirizes the king. They are dragged to the palace and threatened with execution, but are given a chance to save their lives if they can make the king laugh.
(MySoju)
So...you have in the upper left corner your cruel tyranical king, then next to him the talented, witty and reckless clown and below him the king's bitch-hussie-slut consort and then right next to her the she-he boy clown she envies so much for...the entire length of the move. No, I do not kid you, the one in the bottom left box is not a girl. It's a boy. And the nut-job psycho king becomes infatuated with him. The clown performances and lackie-clowns are a huge source of comic relief in this period film which sometimes can be very dark - wrist sliting, daddy issues and assassination attempt...oh YES...let's not forget the part where someone gets their eyes burnt out. Happy times. It makes you laugh at the right moments and tear up at the right moments. Good film. Click link. Watch.
And on a finishing note - yes I know that both of the last two film are very slashly...very le BL. But I think films with some mxm content in them can be very effective as storys of any kind IF done correctly. You can also do it VERY wrong which usually results in my ranting about how crap they are. Sadly I must give an example of Boys Love (japanese film) in which we see the classic Boy A is loved by Boy C but ignores him because he loves Boy B, Boy C gets jealous and attempts to stab Boy B, Boy A sacrifices himself and DIES. Then Boy B just kills himself anyway. It's like a retarded version of Romeo and Juliet. Boy A is stabbed by the TINIEST KNIFE IN EXISTENCE in THE SIDE but still manages to die as a result. Did no one think to take Boy A to the ER? Where they all feeling too angsty and lazy? *sigh*
Now I haven't really been big on Korean music but I do have to admit, when it comes to their feature length films - they know their stuff.
All of these films had me laughing (and crying at the right points) from start to finish. I've found with many Japanese films that I can only watch them one at a time and in a spaced out pattern. However with these films I find the same appeal I found with movies like Juno and Kill Bill (and yes, I'll admit, even The Lion King still) - that I can watch over and over and over and still enjoy them.
200 Pounds of Beauty
starring: Ju Jin-Mo, Kim Ah-Jung Hanna is the famous Korean pop singer. She suffers from having extremely poor self-esteem, as she has been ignored because of her appearance. At last, she makes the decision of a lifetime to have full-body plastic surgery.
(taken from MySoju.com)
A film about how plastic surgery can make your dreams come true (or not) maybe not be a great example for young girls on how to deal with body image issue, but let's be honest - you'd have to be completely thick to think that you can have a 'full body surgery' and come out looking like that. This film is nevertheless great for a laugh and the acting is pretty good. I found the main character had the ability to say things like "I'm so pretty," "I even cry pretty!" and "I sweat pretty!" without being completely distasteful. The actress has an innocent air about her. I likes it. =)
Antique Bakery
starring: Jun Ji Hyun, Kim Jae Wook, Yoo Ah In
(MySoju)
So...if you were straight and popular in high school and brutally reject a gay nerd who confesses to you and then get stuck working with them in a tiny cafe making cakes - what would really happen? Fuck all. But not in this movie. Based quite closely on the Japanese manga, this Korean movie remake was a complete blast to watch. It's the funniest and probably most accurate portrayal of a relationship between two grown men - one gay and one straight - and doesn't shun certain gay stereotypes from the main homosexual character the same way Japanese movies tend to. E.g: the clothes, the visits to gay clubs. It combines a quirky, comical, fantastical and somewhat camp sense of humor with an interesting cutting and narrative style for the more edgy and darker elements of the story, which mainly consist of chasing after kidnappers and murders. I give this movie a thumbs up - a straight "cake pervert," a gay expert cake maker, a ex-boxing campion and a somewhat dim 'body guard' = funfunfun.
The King and The Clown
starring: Gam Woo Seong, Jeong Jin-Yeong, Kang Seong-Yeon, Lee Jun Ki
Two clowns living in the Chosun Dynasty get arrested for staging a play that satirizes the king. They are dragged to the palace and threatened with execution, but are given a chance to save their lives if they can make the king laugh.
(MySoju)
So...you have in the upper left corner your cruel tyranical king, then next to him the talented, witty and reckless clown and below him the king's bitch-hussie-slut consort and then right next to her the she-he boy clown she envies so much for...the entire length of the move. No, I do not kid you, the one in the bottom left box is not a girl. It's a boy. And the nut-job psycho king becomes infatuated with him. The clown performances and lackie-clowns are a huge source of comic relief in this period film which sometimes can be very dark - wrist sliting, daddy issues and assassination attempt...oh YES...let's not forget the part where someone gets their eyes burnt out. Happy times. It makes you laugh at the right moments and tear up at the right moments. Good film. Click link. Watch.
And on a finishing note - yes I know that both of the last two film are very slashly...very le BL. But I think films with some mxm content in them can be very effective as storys of any kind IF done correctly. You can also do it VERY wrong which usually results in my ranting about how crap they are. Sadly I must give an example of Boys Love (japanese film) in which we see the classic Boy A is loved by Boy C but ignores him because he loves Boy B, Boy C gets jealous and attempts to stab Boy B, Boy A sacrifices himself and DIES. Then Boy B just kills himself anyway. It's like a retarded version of Romeo and Juliet. Boy A is stabbed by the TINIEST KNIFE IN EXISTENCE in THE SIDE but still manages to die as a result. Did no one think to take Boy A to the ER? Where they all feeling too angsty and lazy? *sigh*
Saturday, 8 August 2009
one.
If there's one thing I hate about blogging, its that you will at one point get writer's block and then run out of things to blog about. But since this blog is meant to be a pretty private space, I feel no shame in just spamming "whatever" on here.
Now, being a part of the JRock fandom, I've noticed a lot of unnecessary drama that just spews from the pores of...oh let's say...around 88% of JRock fandom "members." I can't help but wonder why some of these people feel the desperate need to run around "virtually" stabbing people in the face over the internet. No one needs to defend a group of people who they don't even know that much from little inacuracies such as not capitalizing the 'e' on the end The GazettE.
I mean so what if the band spell it like that? If a person is asking about what year a song or album is released, just answer the question. It's not rocket science. There really is no need to hold down your 'shift' key until its almost breaking under the pressure of your "virtual yelling."
And how come it is everytime someone gets a divorce (or just doesn't get married), if they are a Jrocker, they are automatically gay for one or more of their bandmates? I really don't understand. I'm like; "Well that's swell...I really want to have the image of two sweaty rockers butt fucking stuck in my head. Thanks pervy lonely person...this stings worse than your pointless 'defensive' flaming..."
Geez...
Now, being a part of the JRock fandom, I've noticed a lot of unnecessary drama that just spews from the pores of...oh let's say...around 88% of JRock fandom "members." I can't help but wonder why some of these people feel the desperate need to run around "virtually" stabbing people in the face over the internet. No one needs to defend a group of people who they don't even know that much from little inacuracies such as not capitalizing the 'e' on the end The GazettE.
I mean so what if the band spell it like that? If a person is asking about what year a song or album is released, just answer the question. It's not rocket science. There really is no need to hold down your 'shift' key until its almost breaking under the pressure of your "virtual yelling."
And how come it is everytime someone gets a divorce (or just doesn't get married), if they are a Jrocker, they are automatically gay for one or more of their bandmates? I really don't understand. I'm like; "Well that's swell...I really want to have the image of two sweaty rockers butt fucking stuck in my head. Thanks pervy lonely person...this stings worse than your pointless 'defensive' flaming..."
Geez...
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