Cosmic Baton Girl Comet-san, episode 12

(コメットさん) 2001

12-year-old Princess Comet has no interest in her royal duties. She'd much rather play with little stars in the Haromonica Star-World system than fulfill anyone's expectations. On the evening of a ball meant to introduce Comet to the prince of Tamborine Star-World, he runs away, and the only way to know him is from the "twinkle" in his eyes. Now it's been decided that Comet will go to Earth to find him and set things right - but can she make the time between having so many fun adventures?

Meteo-san has the whole country believing that she and "Imashun" are dating, even setting up a concert at her house without his consent - and all because they "happened" to be on the same flight back from his recording session in Los Angeles. When Comet's host mother finds out about it, she begs Comet to get her a ticket, seeing as she knows Meteo. Of course, Meteo wouldn't ever do such a thing, and Rababou insists they go to Imashun directly and ask. When Comet refuses, he goes off on his own and gets kidnapped by Meteo's "agent number six." Meteo decides to try to keep Comet away from the concert using her beloved companion as blackmail, but it very well may blow up in her face, especially when Imashun and Comet meet once again.

Mari Yaguchi in a "Make Japanese Girls Cute" online project

Mari Yaguchi is taking part in a "Cute Creation Team (Kawaii o Tsukuru Dan)" project, which, as she puts in her blog, is meant to "make Japan brighter and more cheerful by making Japanese girls "cute"." From what I can tell they have information on recipes, makeup, and how to capture the "cute" look of the girls featured.

I don't know how long it'll be up so check it out soon here!

My Darling Is A Foreigner: The Movie

From Anime News Network:

Hana Yori Dango's Mao Inoue to star as wife whose "Darling is a Foreigner"

Shooting began in Tokyo on Saturday for the live-action film adaptation of Saori Oguri's 2002 autobiographical Darling wa Gaikokujin (literally, My Darling is a Foreigner) manga. 22-year-old Mao Inoue (Hana Yori Dango [2005], Boku no Hatsukoi o Kimi ni Sasagu) stars as Saori, a Japanese woman who marries a foreign husband named Tony (played by 35-year-old Jonathan Sherr). Commercial director Kazuaki Ue is overseeing the film for an April opening in Japan.

Oguri has already written two sequels (Darling wa Gaikokujin 2, Darling wa Gaikokujin with Baby) as well as a spinoff book (Darling no Atama N Naka) with her real-life journalist husband, Tony László. Digital Manga Publishing once printed a volume in English under the title Is He Turning Japanese? in its How to "Read" Manga series.

Personally, I'd love to see this! Very curious about what message they'll send, or if the husband will speak broken Japanese in a funky accent (which I sadly see a lot) or something.

Old interview with Ai Kago's mom, Aki

Confession scoop:

The mother of Morning Musume member Kago Ai reveals the background reasoning she used when allowing her daughter to live in Hawaii together with that person (age 35).

With her three younger brothers and sister having a different father, and the parents having a quarrel about their divorce, she shoulders the burden of their lives.

A daughter who was hurt by being told about her parents’ divorce. – “She’s just a victim.”

“Going on a trip during her suspension with a man who is 16 years older than her, and smoking once again.” As a result, she was fired from her office. As her fate remains unknown, her mother reveals the hidden truth behind her smile for the first time. This is the true Kago Ai, not the “Kago-chan” everyone is familiar with.

“She said her listening skills are getting a lot better than before. And also, she said happily that she was praised by people around her, like, ‘You have a good ear, because you’ve played music from a young age. You’re progressing quickly.’ She’s also good at cooking. She likes to cook a variety of dishes in her own way. Apparently, she cooks all the time at the house where she’s staying now.” Going on a hot springs trip during her suspension with an older man, and also having her smoking being exposed, the former member of Morning Musume, Kago Ai (age 19) got the shocking pink slip from her office on March 26th. After all that fuss, she hasn’t been heard from again. But her mother says that after a temporary stay in Hawaii, she’s currently living in New York. It’s her birth mother, Aki (age 38) who has been watching Kago Ai with gentle patience, giving pep talks to her at times. She lives in Nara, and raises her oldest son (age 7), second daughter (age 6) and second son (age 2) by herself. She gave birth to Ai when she was 19. She’s 38 years old now. She’s wearing a small white one-piece and leggings, and has nicely curled brown hair. It’s no wonder she was mistaken by some media reporters for Kago’s sister.

She has kept in touch with Kago by phone or e-mail every day since she moved far away from her. She says she’s still doing it. Having a look very similar to her daughter in her eyes, she slowly started talking about her daughter’s debut and dismissal, what they’ve been doing lately, and the problems she’s facing now – the interview lasted 2 hours.

Tearful apology

Kago Ai and her mother Aki’s whole lives were changed by the coverage of her smoking in the Friday magazine which was released in February 2006. As a result, she was given an indefinite suspension.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry…” She made a phone call to Aki and apologized in tears. “I was surprised. I didn’t know she smoked. Because I became a mother at a very young age and caused my parents a lot of trouble, I was always trying to be strict with my children. So it’s like, ‘It can’t happen to my child.’ I’m very sorry for giving so much trouble to the fans, insiders of the company and all the people around her.”

At that time, Aki was worried about the divorce from her husband. Actually, he isn’t Kago’s biological father. Aki got married at 17 and gave birth to Kago at 19. However, she got divorced when Kago was barely 1 year old. She remarried when Kago was in fifth grade, and had three children together with him since then. It was just before Kago joined Morning Musume that she was told about the existence of her real father. She thought that her “father” was the one who had always been with her ever since she could remember.

“Until then, I had never told her those kind of ‘adult’ stories. But I was having trouble with my husband back then, and being slightly in a panic, I found myself talking to her about it. In retrospect, I think she must have gotten hurt by that. She’s just a victim in that way.”

Read the rest HERE!

Check out these handmade cards by my mom!

Etsy Buy Handmade shesuchacard

Key words: scrapbooking, scrapbooks, handmade, etsy, greeting cards

Cosmic Baton Girl Comet-san, episode 11

(コメットさん) 2001

12-year-old Princess Comet has no interest in her royal duties. She'd much rather play with little stars in the Haromonica Star-World system than fulfill anyone's expectations. On the evening of a ball meant to introduce Comet to the prince of Tamborine Star-World, he runs away, and the only way to know him is from the "twinkle" in his eyes. Now it's been decided that Comet will go to Earth to find him and set things right - but can she make the time between having so many fun adventures?

Comet's parents (well, father) are worried about her, so a Star-Person is being sent to earth to check on her. Meanwhile, a love triangle seems to be developing between Comet, Keisuke and "HIM" (as Keisuke calls him, and even if Comet doesn't really realize what's happening). Comet also discovers that the local high school has a baton club, and decides to demonstrate her skills for them; they are of course impressed.

Pokemon "Pokeshipping" Sims 2 Photoshoot

Starring Ash and Misty!











I hope to have more eventually!

Ai Kago sings in Magical Girl anime CD

From Anime News Network:

Not-So-Daily Links of the Day: Former Morning Musume singer Ai Kago (Mini Moni the TV) and Public Enemy producer/guitarist Brian Hardgroove are among the dozen duos performing electronic-music-influenced covers of magical girl anime theme songs on the Kirakira Majocco Cluv album. The other duos include Christopher Just and Tomoe Shinohara (Kodocha), Franck Muller and Erika Asakura, Paolo Scotti and the female idol group AKB48's Miho Miyazaki, DJ Scotch Egg and Nakano Fujoshi Sisters' Chiaki Kyan, Bymski and Yumi Sugimoto, Electrocute and Marin Nishitani, Plastic Operator and Mao Miyaji, Maho Thaidisco and AKB48's Tomomi Kasai (ICE), Sexy-Synthesizer and former Idoling!!! member Mira Takiguchi, Pan Pacific Playa and Sayaka Isoyama (Chouseishin GranSazer), Kazuo Gondayama (a.k.a. Cherryboy Function) and Mina Fukui.

The album's 26 tracks range from the earliest magical girl theme songs like Mahōtsukai Sally to recent hits such as Zettai Karen Children's "Over the Future." In between are songs from Cutie Honey, Urusei Yatsura, Magical Princess Minky Momo, Kiki's Delivery Service, Sailor Moon, Card Captor Sakura, and Zero no Tsukaima. The album will ship on October 7.

In related news, Turn A Gundam and CAPCOM character designer Akira Yasuda has drawn the cover art for the Gundam Rock album by Andrew W.K. The Californian singer is performing English-language covers of theme songs and rock versions of background music from Yoshiyuki Tomino and Sunrise's first Mobile Suit Gundam television series and its movie trilogy remake. Andrew W.K. is also reenacting the opening narration and Garma Zabi's funeral speech by Gihren Zabi (a.k.a. the "Sieg Zeon!" speech) from the anime in English. The album ships in Japan on September 9, 2009.

Muppets at Walt Disney World Outtakes (1990)

Something really cute I found on Youtube!

Maigo no Kemonotachi (The Stray Beasts)

Mermaids are never to wander outside on the day of a storm; if they do, they'll be stolen by demons, who believe consuming mermaid flesh will give them magical powers. Young Myuu and her best friend Chisha don't really believe the story, and so head out one stormy day to recover a lost hair ornament. But suddenly, without warning, they're swept up by a strong wind, and Myuu awakens in a strange land. Could it be the demon world? Where's Chisha? Myuu is soon found by a demon named Jirou, who is on a mermaid hunt. Because Myuu can give herself legs on land, he is tricked into believing she is simply a lost girl. They may find unexpected friendship (and love?) on the mission to find Myuu's home.

There's also a mini story at the end of the book. 16 year old Ruty has been selected to marry the prince of the land, in what she calls a Cinderella-like story. Deciding, without permission, to do some exploring of the country's capital where the prince lives, she comes across a magic show and volunteers to take part in a trick. What she didn't expect was to be turned into an ant-human hybrid, and the culprits responsible taking off before she can make them change her back. What will she do?! Her royal escorts don't recognize her, and how will she be able to marry the prince looking like a monster? Sad and roaming the streets, she comes across a bakery where the owner has also been victimized by the magician (turned into a kitchen utensil). He also has a cute son named Saki, whose dream is to bake for Princess Ruty (and he doesn't know it's her). Can Ruty be changed back? And if so, will she be willing to leave her new friends behind?

This is a very sweet manga, that has a dark undertone to it. I definitely recommend it!

More of gamers playing games...

If you're like me and you find it fun to watch others play video games, check these out.

Dshban

Frankomatic's Obscure Game Theater

Happy Video Game Nerd