OMG..my first impressions...well...

Since I only understood probably every 10th word my impressions are from the visual.

TOMA

• he ran A LOT
• he either loves black shirts, blue jeans and olive colored jackets and has a closet full of them or he really stinks cuz he wears the same thing all the time ^_^
• he was very hyper and acted his butt off

OHNO

• he didn't say much. which really is harder than having a million lines. he had to get his thoughts across with his facial expressions and body language.
• he looks hot in a suit
• too much eyeliner..damn make up people need to watch it
• at first I thought he was too wooden but by the end I realized his character is a  very precise in his movements. no emotion is wasted or expended..that saved for his brother...it's like a sleeping volcano.
• i don't want to give anything away but in the church when he looked at the girl..yeah..did he seem totally evil and creepy or was it just me?
• oh and we've all seen nino throw ohno against the wall..but when you see it in the show..it has more impact. Coolness.
• SHOWER....OMG...my eyes started to water watching it..nosebleed..^_^

This is going to be a great series..and i'm not just saying that..I really mean it! Now I have to wait for subs..that will give me a whole different impression I'm sure!

Almost time! It's 8:08 a.m . in Japan as I write this, so 14 hours until Maou episode 1!!

I'm so excited. I..and well hell..most of us have wanted Riida to do a jdorama for a long time now. I keep seeing the CM and what not and I think.."can he pull it off?"

I think so.

I have tomorrow off work. It's 4th of July holiday. But i'll be getting up early to see Maou! As I'm sure a lot of us will!

Ah..Ohno...Ah..Toma..I'm in fangirl heaven!!

Considering the box office success of the "Hana Yori Dango Final" movie and the popularity of boy band Arashi, it isn't surprising that "One Love" topped the singles chart this past week with 314,000 in sales. It easily outperformed Shuchishin's second single "Nakanaide," which also did very well at 212,000 copies.

Porno Graffiti came in at #3, followed by Yuzu and seiyu Megumi Nakajima (under the name of Ranka Lee, her character in "Macross Frontier"). DREAMS COME TRUE entered the charts at #6, while Chatmonchy achieved #8 and misono made the cut at #10.

Meanwhile, the albums chart saw some big sellers over the week, with GReeeeN taking top honors as their sophomore album "A, Domo. Ohisashiburi Desu." sold 377,000 copies. Not too far behind was Ayaka's own second album, "Sing to the Sky," selling 315,000. Ketsumeishi also found success with 262,000 copies sold of "Ketsu no Police 6."

"COVERS," the first album released by the newest enka sensation Jero, ranked #5 with a more modest 42,000 in sales. This ties him for the highest chart position by an enka group's debut album, as Kanjani8 is considered part of the enka genre.

TOKYOGRAPH.COM

Ok..so remember Shukudai and the episodes with the cornstarch? Yeah..like we could ever forget them running like madmen in that mess. Hilarious.

Anyway..watch this and then come back here:

Ellen

Edit pt. 2:
I couldn't resist doing this after reading comments. I thought I'd expand on "What if?"

Scenario #1:

10 p.m .Japan Time:
Arashi finishing up after a busy day recording Vs. Arashi.
Jun, Aiba and Sho have decided to get something to eat together. Ohno is leaving to film his new drama, Maou. Nino has been feeling a little under the weather and decides to go home.

As they say their goodbyes and seperate, Aiba notices Jun is missing. No one starts to worry until Jun doesn't answer his phone and can't be found in the studio.

Aiba: Kidnapped?
Sho: Don't say stupid things. He's here somewhere.

Ohno and Nino start to help the others look. Jun is never late nor does he just disappear without telling someone.

Exterior - Downtown Tokyo:

The 4 members of Arashi spot a young couple standing near the entrance to the parking garage.

Aiba: I think it's him.
Nino: Picking up on girls in front of everyone? Nah--can't be--Sho-kun--get a closer look.
Sho: Why Me?! Aiba--you go.

The couple are partially hidden by a tree and shadows make it difficult for Aiba to get a good look. He bends over, croutches low and tip toes down the sidewalk.

Nino: What is he doing? He thinks he's being careful? Everyone can see him!
Sho: He thinks he's Detective Conan.
Ohno: Ninja!

Aiba dodges behind a concrete traffic barrier and looking back; grins at the others and giggles outloud.

Nino: Ninja's don't giggle.

Aiba suddenly darts back to where the other 3 are waiting.

Aiba: It's him but it's weird.
Ohno: Weird?

Aiba nods and explains that he looks remarkably like he's filming Hanadan. The girl looks a lot like Mao Inoue too. No one sees any cameras though.
Seeing no reason not to, they approach the couple.

Tsukushi: You assume just because you call me and demand I come that I will!
Domyouji: Why wouldn't you come when I call?!
Aiba: Hey, MatsuJun! Aren't we eating?
Sho: You're filming?
Nino: You scared us. We didn't know where you went.
Ohno: Eh...how did you curl your hair so quickly?
Domyouji: (stepping away at the sudden outburst) Who are you? Whose MatsuJun?Go away!
Tsukushi: (hiding a smile at the hair comment) Domyouji, they seem to think they know you.
Nino: Eh? Domyouji?
Domyouji:Yes.
Aiba: Hey..MatsuJun..have you hit your head?
Sho:(pointing at Tsukushi) Inoue-san?
Tsukushi: (points at herself and shakes her head)Tsukushi Makino..ee..I think you have us confused with someone else.
Nino: No, no, no..stop joking already...is this being filmed for Gakkou e Ikou? (Nino looks around for cameras)
Ohno: (also looking for cameras)
Domyouji:(grabbing Aiba by the front of his shirt) I don't know or care who you guys are but you better leave--Now!
Tsukushi:(trying to pull Domyouji off Aiba): Domyouji..stop..Domyouji---"
Ohno: Let's go..let's go.

Sho grabs Aiba and they walk the opposite way of the couple.

Sho: I don't know what's going on but it didn't feel like MatsuJun.

They walk a couple of feet before hearing a familiar voice coming from a car to their right.

Jun: Oi! Where have you guys been? I've been waiting for half an hour!

Everyone stops to see Jun standing at the drivers side of his car. In unison they turn to look the few feet behind them and the backs of the retreating couple.

Ohno: (eyes wide) Jun-kun? (he points at Jun) Jun-kun? (he points at Domyouji)

Jun: Eh? (rolling his eyes) did Aiba forget to tell you I told him I was driving us..that I was waiting in the parking garage?

Everyone looks at Aiba who smiles sheepishly.

Aiba: Sorry.

Nino and Ohno are left standing on the sidewalk, watching Jun's car pull way with Aiba and Sho.

Ohno: Does this mean..Domyouji..Tsukushi..are real?
Nino: Don't think about it. It will make your brain bleed.
O~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Okay scenario #2 coming later. Just had to get that out of my system.

Edit: Reading MyMelody's comment made me think...I can picture 2 scenarios with Arashi playing themselves.

1. 4 members of Arashi see Domyouji and Makino---they can't get over how Domyouji looks so much like Jun! ha ha.
2. 5 Members of Arashi meet Makino who totally thinks Jun is Domyouji and proceeds to get really confused and upset that he won't acknowledge her. Jun meanwhile is really freaked by this "fangirl" who insists on calling him Domyouji. The rest of Arashi are amused.

A special press conference for the "Hana Yori Dango Final" movie was held at the Nippon Budokan on Monday. With anticipation running high for the film's opening this coming Saturday, it was announced that TBS is going to air a one-hour special on Friday night at 10:00pm.

The special will include a mini-episode that takes place just before the storyline of the movie. It was quickly filmed on Monday morning before the press conference. The show will also be partly broadcast live, with Arashi performing a theme song medley. Members of the group will even make an appearance as themselves in the mini-drama.

"Hana Yori Dango" has had two successful seasons as a drama series, and this movie will finally bring the story to a close.

Carlin

I had to put this up on here because George Carlin was one of the first comedians I saw on tv who actually made me think, as well as laugh.

Here are some of his most popular quotes. He was certainly not one to shy away from touchy subjects either:

1. When cheese gets it's picture taken, what does it say?
   
   
2. When someone asks you, A penny for your thoughts, and you put your two cents in, what happens to the other penny?
   
   
3. If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted?
   
   
4. When someone is impatient and says, "I haven't got all day," I always wonder, How can that be? How can you not have all day?
   
   
5. I thought about how mothers feed their babies with tiny little spoons and forks so I wondered, what do Chinese mothers use? Toothpicks?
   
   
6. If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?
   
   
7. Is a vegetarian permitted to eat animal crackers?
   
   
8. What if there were no hypothetical questions?
   
   
9. Frisbeetarianism is the belief that when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck.
   
   
10. Some national parks have long waiting lists for camping reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is wrong.
    
    
11. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.
    
    
12. Before they invented drawing boards, what did they go back to?
    
    
13. Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.
    
    
14. Why do croutons come in airtight packages? It's just stale bread to begin with.
    
    
15. I have as much authority as the Pope, I just don't have as many people who believe it.
    
    
16. May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house.
    
    
17. Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
    
    
18. If the #2 pencil is the most popular, why is it still #2?
    
    
19. I think it would be interesting if old people got anti-Alzheimer's disease where they slowly began to recover other people's lost memories.
    
    
20. Electricity is really just organized lightning.
    
    
21. Women like silent men, they think they're listening.
    
    
22. "I am" is reportedly the shortest sentence in the English language. Could it be that "I do" is the longest sentence?
    
    
23. Men are from Earth, women are from Earth. Deal with it.
    
    
24. If all the world is a stage, where is the audience sitting?
    
    
25. Well, if crime fighters fight crime and fire fighters fight fire, what do freedom fighters fight? They never mention that part to us, do they?
    
    
26. Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy.
    
    
27. I recently went to a new doctor and noticed he was located in something called the Professional Building. I felt better right away.
    
    
28. Why is the man (or woman) who invests all your money called a broker?
    
    
29. I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death.
    
    
30. There's no present. There's only the immediate future and the recent past.
    
    
31. At a formal dinner party, the person nearest death should always be seated closest to the bathroom.
    
    
32. As a matter of principle, I never attend the first annual anything.
    
    
33. The very existence of flame-throwers proves that some time, somewhere, someone said to themselves, You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I'm just not close enough to get the job done.
    
    
34. Death is caused by swallowing small amounts of saliva over a long period of time.
    
    
35. Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
    
    
36. I think it's the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately.
    
    
37. The only good thing ever to come out of religion was the music.
    
    
38. Religion convinced the world that there's an invisible man in the sky who watches everything you do. And there's 10 things he doesn't want you to do or else you'll go to a burning place with a lake of fire until the end of eternity. But he loves you! ...And he needs money! He's all powerful, but he can't handle money!
    
    
39. This is a lttle prayer dedicated to the separation of church and state. I guess if they are going to force those kids to pray in schools they might as well have a nice prayer like this: Our Father who art in heaven, and to the republic for which it stands, thy kingdom come, one nation indivisible as in heaven, give us this day as we forgive those who so proudly we hail. Crown thy good into temptation but deliver us from the twilight's last gleaming. Amen and Awomen.

Okay..whose next..geez..

Phillipines was hit by a terrible typhoon. I'm hoping all my fellow arashian filipinos are ok. One in particular, Nice, has me extremely worried for her.

She was in Quezon City and I heard it had flooding and downed power lines.

Please be ok. At this point it is hard to get reliable information.

WARNING:

Japanese Rights Organizations are coming together to stop Fansubbers. This targets fans who sub Japanese tv shows, movies, manga,etc..and then release them to the internet. They will begin by closing accounts, sending warning letters, filing lawsuits and having violators investigated and arrested.

Does this apply to all countries outside of Japan? Yes. Those inside Japan releasing English, Spanish, etc. subs of Japanese materials will undoubtedly be targeted first since they will be the easiest to find.

PLEASE BE CAREFUL!!!!

I love my fan subbers. You guys are the best of the best in my eyes but sadly people with too much money and not enough time on their hands are taking it to the extreme and sooner or later...fansubbing will be near impossible to pull off without getting caught.

But I also know that we are ingenious little creatures and if we want it bad enough..we will figure out a way to get around this. We have in the past when attempts have been made by Japan and Korea.

Just be careful guys.

Simple solutions is for Japanese Rights  Organizations to release Japanese programming to people outside their country. Hey..better yet..why don't they hire you fansubbers to work for them!

According to Josei Jisshin's reporters, the individual members of Arashi "really do get along well with each other." While the magazine was having its gravia shoot, they would play games where they will have to practice writing the Kanji words and the person who doesn't get it right will be punished.

It was also noted that Matsumoto Jun would stay back alone in the studio to check the photos, and has a very professional attitude towards his work. Entame also observed that they have a natural chemistry and closeness while hosting their variety show, '24-hour Te-re-bi' [24-hour TV].

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
So tell us something we don't already know, ne?? ^_^

If you've ever seen a movie in the 80's, 90's and Today that features some sort of FX monster, alien, special make-up or whatever it maybe, then you probably witnessed Stan Winston's work.

Just to give you an idea of what I mean, here is just a small list of the films he worked on:

Terminator
Aliens
Batman Returns
Iron Man
Roots
Edward Scissorhands
Constantine
Jurassic Park

He had cancer and passed away on Sunday at the age of 62.

Stanwinston