Update

Super-late live report of Anipara Extreme Live below!!!

My apartment building is supposed to get free internet next month so hopefully regular updates will resume soon!!!

ENSON comes out June 11! Payday is June 12! Guess where the first 3000 yen of my paycheck is going!

Seriously, have you seen this?

But I can`t go to the campaign in Osaka because of, you know, work. :( Oh well.

Special: Anipara Ongakukan Extreme Live 2008 Live Report!!!!

This is not a translation, I really went!

So back on May 6, I made an excursion to Tokyo to see Anipara Extreme Live 2008. Sorry I didn`t write this report sooner.

So first I was hanging around outside of the arena hours before the show started (don`t ask), and suddenly around noon Yoshiki Fukuyama drove past me in a black car and bowed to us! I hardly registered what I saw until he was past. Then a few minutes later Masaaki Endoh drove past in a white car! I and some other people there ran around to the loading dock and Endoh and Hironobu Kageyama both got out of the car! I took a couple of pictures but they look like crap and you can see the license plate number so I probably won`t post them. Kageyama posed for me (peace signs) but I missed it. Kageyama said "Atsui!" and some guy said "Hare otoko!" Then they went in but Endoh kept turning around and waving (at me?? Maybe they were surprised to see a gaijin...or annoyed that I was taking pictures...).

A couple minutes later, a green taxi pulled up and Masami Okui got out of it, wearing a mask. A few minutes after that, Hiroshi Kitadani came walking down from the other direction in a yellow Denny`s t-shirt. So, I got to see all of the members of the JAM Project arrive! Yay!

About an hour later, I saw Takayuki Miyauchi get out of another taxi, but I don`t know many of his songs so it wasn`t such a big deal to me.

Let`s fast-forward to the concert starting because the rest of my trip to Tokyo was a complete nightmare.

I thought I had lousy "seats" (it was all-standing) but when the members came out onto the stage, I was close enough to see the sweat running down their faces (I was just behind the bar separating us from the lucky people who were right up against the stage). The weird thing, for me, was the amount of space between people. There was no crowd rush, everyone had their bags on the ground, and I was able to pull my notebook and pen in and out of my pockets (that`s right, I took notes!).

The thing started out with a video filmed in the Anipara Ongakukan studio about some new gang of anison singers called "Anison Future Syndicate" who challenged the Anipara All Stars and how there was a traitor in their midst or something like that. There was some story through the whole concert, and I didn`t understand a lot of it. I`m sorry! I`ll study harder for next time!
So of course Kageyama, Endoh, Tomoe Ohmi, and Psychic Lover (Anipara All Stars) ran out on stage and sang "Go! Go! Paradise!" And of course they did the dance (watch one of the live videos of it on YouTube). I love how they always crack up when they hold the microphone for each other. <3

I was trying the whole concert to keep up with the shouting/hand motions/clapping patterns that the rest of the audience seemed to know. There was the "clap clap hey," the "moving your hand like a director at the slowish parts," the "jump at the last drum blast at the end of a song"....it was kind of complicated.

Then each of the members sang a solo song. Kageyama sang "Super Survivor," and if memory serves, he spent a good portion of the song on his knees (which meant I couldn`t see him `cause I`m short).

Then Endoh came out and sang the theme song to "Aquarion," which I didn`t know at the time but have since fallen in love with and I can`t wait for ENSON. At one point he gave the audience kind of a disappointed look and started doing some crazy vocal gymnastics--I guess we weren`t being loud enough yet.

Then Psychic Lover performed "Number One Battle Brawlers." I`d never heard that song either but I tried real hard to sing along to the chorus. There`s something incredible about singing with hundreds of people, especially when it was just us chanting and Yoffy harmonizing over us. It was actually kind of creepy because there was maybe 500(???) or so of us going "We are number one battle brawlers!" and it looked kind of military. They probably could`ve made us rob a bank at that moment.

Finally Tomoe Ohmi came out and sang a really girly song--apparently the song from "Araiguma Rascal."

Then everyone ran out on stage, and there was one more--Hiroshi Kitadani! And basically everyone was like, "What are you doing here?" Then there was some evil laughter and a man dressed in black with a white featureless mask came onstage. I think he was supposed to be the leader of Anison Future Syndicate or something. There was a bunch of talking I didn`t get. He challenged them to a battle and Endoh acted like he was going to fight the masked guy, but he was like "No, not that kind of battle!" When the masked man took off his mask, he was some guy I`d never seen before. He had the kanji for "evil" written on his face. He was in Endoh`s diary, apparently his name is Takeshi Washizaki and he`s from a group called Paoro. For some reason K-ness the wrestler and two other Dragon Gate wrestlers showed up on stage. Two of them grabbed Endoh and dragged him off stage, and the third one threw Dani over his shoulder and carried him off, and everyone cleared the stage except for Washizaki (he was the MC).
He introduced the first members of the Syndicate, and a short video played introducing them: NanaKana! They came out and sang a song that`s apparently called "NanaKana wa Sekai wo Sukuu!" I love j-pop but they were kind of annoying.

Then Tomoe Ohmi came out and so did Washizaki, and they discussed the terms of the battle. Ohmi was like "Let`s do a singing battle!" and they were like "Um, no." Then Ohmi said, "Alright, let`s battle with your weak point: dancing!" And they were like, "Isn`t that YOUR weak point?" But they sang and danced to "Hoppe ni ChuChu." Ohmi did kind of suck at dancing. :)

Then NanaKana acted like villains in an anime who just lost (ran off going "We`ll be back!"), the stage cleared, and another video played, introducing...

Masami Okui! Who sang "Insanity"!

Then Ohmi came out and challenged her to a battle as well: a sexiness battle! They sang "Cutie Honey" together, both tarting it up. At the end, Okui said "You did a good job, but I could see that you were struggling." Ohmi was like, "Yeah, this isn`t really my thing," and Okui said, "Come on, I`ll teach you" and they walked off together.

Then Washizaki came out with Ucchii (Endoh`s friend, I don`t know his real name), who also had "evil" on his face, and with Washizaki on acoustic guitar and Ucchii on percussion, they sang "Gachapon." It was really awesome--and funny! Washizaki would make faces or Ucchii would make weird noises with the percussion and there were long, awkward pauses and stuff like that. Washizaki kind of reminds me of the goth singer Voltaire, if you know who that is.

Then the All Stars plus Dani came out--Ohmi was "sexied up" (her hair was different). This was the acoustic corner. They were saying something about a "Miyazaki Special"...I don`t know who`s from Miyazaki. Anyway, they started playing and Dani was like "WAIT WAIT WAIT" and made them start over and they all yelled at him. Finally, they played "Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta Nara."

After that, they played another slow song called "Kimi wo Nosete." Afterwards, they were like, "The real thing was the best it`s been so far! Rehearsal sucked!" and they all walked off stage chattering, like "Good job! We did it! We were great!" Then their sound faded out.

Then another video played introducing the next member of the Syndicate: Dani! He ran out and sang "Divine Love," which was AWESOME (and the first song I could sing along too since "Go! Go! Paradise!"). After the slow acoustic section, everyone`s energy went way, way up. After it was done, Dani was all fired up and started screaming about how great he was, rolling his r`s ("Orrrrrrrrrre wa..."). Yoffy ran onstage going "Dani-san!" and slapped him to the ground. Dani stood up and was like "Sorry," but then started again, so Yoffy slapped him again. This happened a couple of times. Then they had their battle: "Precious Time, Glory Days" and "Endless Dream." Dani ran off going "I lost!" and Washizaki came out and talked some more.
A video played introducing the next member: Mikuni Shimokawa. It talked about how she`s the member of Anipara who knows the most of the other members` secrets.

I don`t even know what song she sang. It was really boring after the Dani/Yoffy fire. Sorry, Shimokawa fans.

Then Yoffy came out and they said they were going to sing a song with harmony like a warm breeze called "Minami Kaze." Also boring.

Another video introduced the next guest: Yoshiki Fukuyama! He appeared on stage in a puff of smoke with his guitar and sang "Wakugai!"

Then (FINALLY) Endoh came out and he was like "We`re going to break this concert hall down! We`re going to destroy it! But be careful!" They sang "King Gainer Over!!" together.

Apparently you`re supposed to "do the monkey" while chanting along to that song. I did it but I felt kind of stupid (>_<).

Afterwards, Fukuyama was trying to get Endoh to betray the All Stars. Endoh resisted at first but Fukuyama said, "What are the fine things in life? Tobacco...alcohol...women...Hironobu Kageyama`s job." They walked off together with Endoh considering it.

Finally, the last guest was introduced: Takayuki Miyauchi. He sang "Kamen Rider--Black RX."
Then he and Yoffy sang "Tokei Winspector" together. That`s the only Miyauchi song I know because I saw it on an Anipara Ongakukan video on YouTube, but apparently I don`t know it well enough because I thought that water was "BLUE," not "GREEN."

After that, Yoffy left and Kageyama took over, and Kageyama and Miyauchi sang "Tokei Exceedraft" together.

At the end of that, Kageyama said "Now it`s time for the final rivals...when we sing together, we look like friends but we`re really battling...JAM Project!"

Yayyyy! JAM Project!!! (Sans Rica, of course.) They had all changed their clothes, and Endoh had written "JAM" on his face with something blue and sparkly.

They sang "Rocks"! Yay! The robot voices became a call and response between Kageyama and us: "Super robo! SUPER ROBO!"

Then they sang "Dragon Storm 2007" and of course the three wrestlers joined them onstage for that and kind of sang along.

Finally, they were like "Time for old-school JAM Project!" and I think the crowd thought that Rica was coming back, but she didn`t. But they did sing "Soultaker," which was admittedly kind of weird without Rica.

That was the end....

...yeah right.

A man in front of me with a really bright glowstick took charge of getting us to chant: "ENCORE! ENCORE!" After a few minutes of that, the Anipara Super Band ran on stage!

Anipara Super Band: Endoh on bass, Yoffy and Ohmi on guitar, Joe on keyboard, Kageyama on drums.

They all had deconstructed t-shirts with their names on the back. Joe`s said "John." They said that Endoh made all of the shirts.

First they played the intro to "Smoke on the Water"--no singing but pretty cool! Then they introduced the members and everyone played a little solo. Everyone laughed at Ohmi because she kind of sucked. Oh, Ohmi.

Kageyama tried to make us do a call-and-response with the drums but Endoh stopped him and said "That`s not a drum solo!" So Kageyama did a real drum solo, complete with throwing the sticks up in the air and catching them. I think Endoh was the leader of the Anipara Super Band...as he should be!

Then they sang "Ginga Tetsudou 999," which I totally didn`t know was an anime song because a band called Exile has a cover of it out right now and it`s pretty popular. They all took turns singing, while they were playing their instruments--even Joe sang.

Finally, they played the old Lazy song, "Akazukinchan Goyouji"! Kageyama sang the lead vocals for that one, while he was playing the drums. (Isn`t that difficult?)

Then that was the end.

Not.

As soon as they were off the stage, the next chant started: "ONE MORE TIME! ONE MORE TIME!"

Kageyama, Endoh, Psychic Lover, and Shimokawa came back out on stage and sang "Ticket to the Paradise" (again, with the dance). Right before Kageyama`s big solo, the music stopped, and Kageyama yelled, "Here`s tonight`s last challenge: surprise dance show!" And some random dancer guy came out and he, Endoh, and Kageyama break danced! Endoh did some handstands! I want Endoh to dance more often <3 <3 <3

Then they went back to "Ticket to the Paradise," Kageyama did his solo, and they finished the song.

Finally, EVERYBODY came out on stage (including the wrestlers and Washizaki and Ucchi, who had crossed out the "evil" and written "love" on their faces, and who apologized for being evil) and it was time for the real last song.

You know!

"Bokura wa Uchuu wo..."

Wait, no、Kageyama made a mistake. Of course they made a big deal out of it and Kitadani fell flat on his face and everything, and then they started over.

"Uchuu wa Bokura wo..."

"MATTEIRU!!!" <--the audience

I love that song! We all did the "I love you, I need you..." thing with the gestures, and even though my trip to Tokyo completely sucked, I felt completely at peace with the universe for five minutes. At the climax, there were a couple of explosions, and tons of sparkly silver streamers fired from two cannons. We stuck our hands up and caught them. I still have mine.

Finally, it ended. Everybody left the stage single file and we yelled their names and whatever, and then the lights came back on. The loud guy who led the first encore chant screamed "Was it hot?" and we did a three-cheers kind of thing.

I don`t even watch anime, but this music is incredible. This message seriously needs to be spread. And I will be at the next concert that is not in Tokyo.

SETLIST:
1. Go! Go! Paradise! - Anipara All Stars
2. Super Survivor - Hironobu Kageyama
3. Soukei no Aquarion - Masaaki Endoh
4. Number One Battle Brawlers - Psychic Lover
5. Araiguma Rascal - Tomoe Ohmi
6. NanaKana wa Sekai wo Sukuu! - NanaKana
7. Hoppe ni ChuChu - NanaKana and Tomoe Ohmi
8. Insanity - Masami Okui
9. Cutie Honey - Masami Okui and Tomoe Ohmi
10. Gachapon (acoustic) - Takeshi Washizaki and Ucchii
11. Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta Nara (acoustic) - Anipara All Stars and Hiroshi Kitadani
12. Kimi wo Nosete (acoustic) - Anipara All Stars and Hiroshi Kitadani
13. Divine Love - Hiroshi Kitadani
14. Precious Time, Glory Days - Hiroshi Kitadani and Psychic Lover
15. Endless Dream - Hiroshi Kitadani and Psychic Lover
16. ????? - Mikuni Shimokawa
17. Minami Kaze - Mikuni Shimokawa and Psychic Lover
18. Wakugai! - Yoshiki Fukuyama
19. King Gainer Over!! - Yoshiki Fukuyama and Masaaki Endoh
20. Kamen Rider--Black RX - Takayuki Miyauchi
21. Tokei Winspector - Takayuki Miyauchi and Psychic Lover
22. Tokei Exceedraft - Takayuki Miyauchi and Hironobu Kageyama
23. Rocks - JAM Project
24. Dragon Storm 2007 - JAM Project
25. Soultaker - JAM Project

EN1
26. Smoke on the Water (instrumental) - Anipara Super Band
27. Ginga Tetsudou 999 - Anipara Super Band
28. Akazukinchan Goyouji - Anipara Super Band

EN2
29. Ticket to the Paradise - old Anipara All Stars
30. Uchuu wa Bokura wo Matteiru - everybody

PS Thank you to the people on mixi who posted the setlist so I could find out the names of songs, even though your setlist was all out of order.

PPS You can translate this live report or whatever and put it on your website, but, credit please!

I'm still alive!

I don't wanna let this site die--but I don't have internet!

I just applied for it though, so I will have it at some point!

I rented 30years3ounce and typed out all of the Japanese lyrics onto my laptop, and I'll get on translating those!

I'm still working on doing M.e. too!

As soon as I have steady internet I'll resume the diary translations!

Also, in May, I think I'm going to a JAM Project fan karaoke gathering, so I'll let you know how that goes!

Oh yeah, did you hear that Rica Matsumoto is taking a break from JAM Project?

I'll be back in business soon! Thank you for reading!

I'm in Japan

Hi, I made it.

Please see not-enough-yen for details if you're interested.

Updates to this site will resume when I get internet in my apartment.

Hironobu Kageyama Diary Update - 1/9/2008, 1/10/2008

1/9
19:39
Gyuunyan! (o^o^o)

[pic]

For the first time in a long time, Endoh, Dany, and I appeared on Sakura's Marshmallow Time! I haven't seen Sakura since the summer. Since she retired from producing, I've had fewer chances to see her, but she seems well! (o^o^o) Back in the day, I had a ton of intense experiences for a short time thanks to Sakura! Working with Sakura, I learned the kind of multifaceted skills that I have today!

Sakura, I'm always praying for your success! Fly, Sakura! (o^o^o)

1/9
20:14
First set of goods!

[pic]

After the radio show, we reconvened for the JAM band rehearsal! (o^o^o)

The young people are working hard! Plus, the first set of good came in: a giant towel! Perfect! Cool! ＼(‾o‾)／

1/10
9：26
Now that you mention it

A while ago, on TV, I saw an interview with Joe Odagiri-san about his getting married. He said that he didn't know anyone who shared his birthday except for Kim Jong Il...

When he said that I started thinking, so yesterday in the studio I searched for "famous people born on February 18" on Matsuu's Mac. I found Yoko Ono and Robert Baggio. Personally, I was happy that I also found the Fuji TV announcer, Aya Takashima. (^^ゞ

And, while I was searching, Hironobu Kageyama came up. That made me the happiest. I'm small potatoes. ヽ(￣▼￣*)ノ

[pic]

Well, this picture is from before JAM Project rehearsal. We want to try to become a unit as big as the Rainbow Bridge.

And then, my assignment today is...first, to make a demo of the JAM Project live acoustic corner. I have to deliver it to everybody so I need to hurry.

After that, in order to put away furniture, I have to get my Chinese tea-related items into one group.

[pic]

I have to put this stuff away neatly.

Ugh...but it'll keep getting bigger and bigger...I'll end up buying tea and teapots online, and end up buying more and more...look at me. (LOL)

Well, it's alright! Because it's fun. ヽ(￣▼￣*)ノ

1/10
17:20
Starting now...

I'm going to a JAM staff meeting. This time, we want to increase the area around the stage from what it was last year, so it's troublesome.

So, today, I drank a kind of Chinese red tea called Keemun tea for the first time.

[pic]

This is delicious. （＾▽＾）V Naturally, it's because it's one of the world's "Three Main Red Teas."

If people who don't like Puerh tea and other Chinese teas started here, maybe they'd calm down. （＾▽＾）V

It tastes like usual red tea, and since the taste is sufficient, you don't need sugar or anything. Yes, this is good.

But, if I keep getting Chinese red tea like this, next thing you know I'll be wanted a porcelain teapot. (LOL)

1/10
20:37
Hey hey hey...

[pic]

I'm in the middle of an extremely serious meeting! I think if I joke around, someone will hit me... Σ(￣□￣;)

I'm hungry... (LOL)

JAM Project Japan Flight 2008 Live Report - Saitama and Nagoya

JAM Project JAPAN FLIGHT 2008 No Border Toda Performance

I went to the first day of the JAM Project's tour. It was at the Toda Cultural Center in Saitama. It started at 5:00 and ended at 8:00. In all, the live was exactly three hours long, but the time passed extremely quickly. I was like, "It's already been three hours?" Time really does fly when you're having fun. It was amazing. Below are the setlist and my thoughts. It's full of spoilers, so if you're planning on attending, be careful!

I went to the long-awaited first day of the tour. It started with "No Border," and kept going until the end. It seems like there was no place on the setlist for them to rest. It was so much fun. The performance was at the Toda Cultural Center. It was the first time I'd been there, but it was easy to see in that place. There was only seating on the first floor and there weren't many seats near the front, but there were a good number of bumps in the floor, and there was nothing obstructing the view. It wasn't even that big. Even the people in the back could see the members' expressions clearly. The space between the seats in the front was pretty big so it was easy to jump around, so that was good too. It was a great place. Above the stage there was a big monitor that played videos along with the music. The videos fit the music well, and I was kind of worried about whether I should look at the members or at the monitor. Before the first song, "No Border," a video that expressed the meaning of that song played, and made me think about things right at the beginning of the live.

"No Border" was performed with a dance. Hikarudo was there right from the start, and the seven of them danced. I tried to copy along, but of course I couldn't remember it all. If I practice at every live, maybe I'll be able to dance it by the Tokyo performance. Anyway, I'll practice. Hikarudo came in at the beginning, and I think he was there until about "Dead or Alive." I forget when he came back out, but he was at least there for "Hero." From there until the end he was on. His talk was more interesting than it was last year, I was surprised. I laughed when he said that it took him three months by boat to get here.

That day was the first time that I heard the full version of "Shuraki." I saw the short version in a PV but I'd never heard the full version before, so can I really say that this was the first time I'd heard it? Whatever, I was just happy to hear a new song. I have to find out when the CD will be released, but they said all of that on stage. When was it again? "Divine Love" was Hiroshi Kitadani's solo song. I never thought that they would perform it. The girl in the seat next to me was apparently a Dany fan, and she got really excited. She had the requisite headband on and was a really upbeat person. If it were me, I wouldn't have made such a big deal. Saying that, when I heard that song on the CD, I didn't think it was that great, but hearing it live, it was incredible. He wasn't half as energetic on the CD. Dany's solos are great.

Considering the whole show, it didn't seem like there was that much MCing, but once they started talking, it was full of energy. Rica Matsumoto joked around as usual, making fun of Lantis because "Motteke!" was on the Oricon charts. Also, at the last part of the show, when the members were addressing the audience, Yoshiki Fukuyama was wandering around and playing while other people were talking. It was too funny. Fukuyama-san usually doesn't dance, but he seemed like he was having fun while he was dancing to "No Border," and he kept dancing around. On the other hand, while he was talking seriously, he wound up laughing. Masami Okui backed him up. Nice Makkun.

About Yoshiki Fukuyama. This year's acoustic corner was very grown-up. It's kind of a shame. Last year's meandering call-and-response with the audience drew us in, but there was none of that chaos this year, so I felt a little lonely. I couldn't really hear the "Kurenai no Kiba" acoustic performance, but I was happy with the singing as a whole. Before the encore, the last song was "Hero." I really love that song. I like it so much that I don't know how many times I've listened to it on repeat. Before beginning the song, Hironobu Kageyama talked a little about his thoughts on that song, and between that and the song, I got extra teary-eyed.

After a 2-song encore that pushed the limits of their physical strength, these guys did a double encore. Naturally, it was "Skill"! This year, too, Dany's leading of "Skill" was strong. However, the energy last year was no match for this. It was incredible. He still walked around and fired us up...but this year he did things like hit the floor with his towel. It was a force that can't be put into words. He was talking, but I couldn't hear what he said. Still, I could tell that he was fired up...it was like he was half angry.

Then, while Dany was firing us up, behind him, Yoshiki Fukuyama was playing around. He was running around in the back and playing. Besides that, he attacked Hikarudo and Hironobu Kageyama...he was very free. I couldn't take my eyes off of the entire stage. But I couldn't see much because I was jumping around...

...in conclusion, from the beginning to the end, it was a completely enjoyable live. It was just what I'd been waiting for. Thank you so much for performing. The audience's energy was good too, so it was a wonderful live. Everybody who came, thank you!

Setlist

1. No Border
2. Rocks
~MC
3. Stormbringer
4. Genkai Battle
5. Dead or Alive
~MC
6. Shuraki
7. Garo ~Savior in the Dark
8. Asu e no Houkou
9. Divine Love
10. Salvage
11. Rising Force
~MC
12. Kurenai no Kiba (acoustic)
13. Garimpeiro (acoustic)
~MC
14. Dragon Storm 2007
15. Battle Communication!!
~MC
16. Portal
17. Break Out
18. Victory
19. Soultaker
20. Hero
~Encore
21. EN1. Hagane no Messiah
22. EN2. Gong
~Double Encore
23. EN3. Skill

JAM Project JAPAN FLIGHT 2008 No Border Nagoya Performance

I went to the second performance of the JAM Project's tour. The place was Zepp Nagoya. It started a little after the scheduled 6:00, and it end a little before 9:00. This show was standing room only, so everyone was really excited. It was fun! Below are my thoughts and the setlist. Spoiler alert.

It was a lot of fun. Since the place was Zepp Nagoya, naturally it was packed and standing room only. The order numbers were pretty good, so you could see from about the 4th or 5th center row. The members were so close! Makkun etc. were right in front of my eyes, and it was incredible.

The Toda performance last week was hot, but today was pretty hot too. I love standing room only. I jumped and yelled almost the whole time, so much that not only my feet and arms and throat, but even the muscles in my jaw hurt. Content-wise it wasn't that different from Toda, and the songs in the setlist didn't change at all. Only the order of the songs in the encores changed a little bit. But, it was an all-standing show. The feeling was completely different.

I don't know whether that was the reason, but Hironobu Kageyama being moved to tears while he was introducing "Hero" made an unforgettable impression on me. Makkun cried a little in the middle. I love "Hero," so I was kind of happy. During the chorus, maybe Rika-san cried a little too. But maybe it was just my imagination.

However, the leading during "Skill" was long. I think it was longer than Toda's. Hiroshi Kitadani's rage heated up, and he threw the towel around. Masami Okui laughed loudly when she saw that. Yoshiki Fukuyama ran around. Masaaki Endoh worked with Kitadani...it was as free as usual. The people I was jumping with looked like they were going to die. But, without this it doesn't feel like the live's over. It was great jumping around with everyone.

In conclusion, it was a really fun day. Everyone who came, thank you!

Setlist

1. No Border
2. Rocks
~MC
3. Stormbringer
4. Genkai Battle
5. Dead or Alive
~MC
6. Shuraki
7. Garo ~Savior in the Dark
8. Asu e no Houkou
9. Divine Love
10. Salvage
11. Rising Force
~MC
12. Kurenai no Kiba (acoustic)
13. Garimpeiro (acoustic)
~MC
14. Dragon Storm 2007
15. Battle Communication!!
~MC
16. Portal
17. Break Out
18. Victory
19. Soultaker
20. Hero
~Encore
21. EN1. Gong
22. EN2. Hagane no Messiah
~Double Encore
23. EN3. Skill

Thanks to Flavio!

I'm going to Japan

I know that nobody comes to this blog to read about my life, but I figured that since I was making all of these updates (my laptop just came back from repairs and I feel the need to catch up), I might as well post this.

I'm leaving for Japan on February 29 to teach for one of the big English conversation schools. I'll be in Osaka again (yay!).

So what's this have to do with you? I won't have internet access when I first get there, and of course I'll be busy, so this blog may be delayed again.

However, after that, I hope that it will improve as my Japanese ability does (god, I hope it does).

I also reserved space for a Japan blog: http://not-enough-yen.blogspot.com There's nothing there yet, but I'll try to post some interesting things when I get over there.

Thank you for reading!

In the Chaos - JAM Project (featuring Masami Okui)

Lyrics: Masami Okui
Composition: Yohgo Kohno
Arrangement: Yohgo Kohno

We're being guided towards something
Are we living in an illusion?

Everyone who is picked on every day and can't stop is,
As if they rely on it, crying out for love, wandering
Forever. The armor that locks up my heart,
Before I know it, creates a different me

A beautiful fully-bloomed flower is strongly fragile
The hidden thorn is already broken, nothing can be done...
We're caught in the chaos

Everyone who can't stop their sadness and hatred
Sleep wrapped in shadow, and cry out for the "peace" inside the mirror
Break out now, from the few places where light shined
When it released a locked-up heart

The "real me" that I met holds out a hand
Like light and darkness blending together, we become one
Like an illusion in the chaos

They forgot what's important somewhere
And aimlessly kept searching, drifters
Even if they're burdened with a too-heavy crime,
They go on without noticing

Forever, people have to survive by any means
Until the day I find the answer
I'm going, even though light shined only from a few places
It's guiding the locked-up hearts

The "real me" that I met holds out a hand
So it can be absorbed by light and darkness
I wanted to become a beautiful fully-bloomed flower
With hidden thorns, that's right, even if I hurt somebody
We're illusions in the chaos

Japanese lyrics source: Ghaleo's Blog

Hironobu Kageyama's Apology for the "Shinkansen Incident"

2/13

Regret.

Today I received a message from Lantis. It seems that passengers who were in the same car as us on the bullet train on the way back from Nagoya left extremely angry comments on blogs saying that we were very loud and a huge nuisance.

It's embarrassing, but this is the whole truth.

Just like it's been written on blogs, inside the car we had an afterparty, and we drank and got loud.

Now that I think about it, we must certainly have been a very annoying group to the other passengers in the car.

Is this how upstanding adults behave?! That kind of scum shouldn't talk about morals as if they were important!

Just like they said, we were thoughtless.

We were relieved that the live was a success, and on top of that we had been drinking, and we got carried away.

We were immature people. And that's over with.

To the people in the car with us that day, we are truly sorry that we ruined your precious downtime.

We regret it. We're really sorry.

From now on, since this lesson has been pointed out to us, we have learned from it and we won't do such a stupid thing again.

-Leader Kageyama

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Honestly, I am really surprised at this. I'm surprised that so many people on the train went out of their way to complain and become angry at the JAM Project (even hardcore fans); I'm surprised that they went ahead and issued an apology; I'm surprised that this is news in Japan.

Of course, the reason I'm surprised is entirely cultural. Can you imagine this kind of thing happening in America? Can you imagine, say, a rapper being called out just for being "loud"? Beyond that, can you imagine that rapper issuing an apology? (Now that would be news!)

I don't know whether I should say "Ohhh, Japan" or "Ohhh, America."

What do you think about this?

Masaaki Endoh Diary Update - 1/18/2008, 1/19/2008, 1/20/2008, 1/21/2008, 1/22/2008, 1/23/2008, 1/24/2008

1/18
Chat

I'm a touch-typing

[pic]

whiz...

I wish. (>_<)

Today after the meetings and things were over, I participated in a chat meeting with my fan club in my office.

This was the second time.

About ten people chatted but

if I could type faster I could talk more with everyone...sorry. (^_^;)

I'll try to learn to type faster for next time.

My typing technique (?) involves using the index fingers of both hands, looking at the keyboard, choosing keys as if they were bad guys, and hitting them really hard.

"Pow pow pow pow pow!"

It's "Fist of the North Star"'s Kenshirou's style. (LOL)

But actually, since I don't look at the keyboard,

"atatatatatatatatatatatata--ltu!!"

I end up doing things like typing in English characters. (T.T)

I'll do it again..."hidebu"! 1

In this way, I'll search for my own style and become a touch typing master.

Remember it!

Goodnight.

1 Hidebu

1/19
Picture

I casually looked up at the sky and

[pic]

immediately saw an airplane cloud trail drawn in the sky.

It's like a doodle in the sky.

I have a memory of writing a paper in elementary school that said "I want to try drawing in the big blue sky."

I was so free of heart. (^_-)

I haven't drawn any pictures lately.

I'm not good at drawing, but I like it.

When I was little, I would always draw pictures on the backs of papers and stuff when I was bored.

I still remember how happy I was when I received a gold star on my drawings in art class in elementary school.

Next time I'm free, maybe I should try drawing again.

Come to think of it, I don't really have any hobbies now besides music.

It's kind of lonely... (T.T)

That's why on my current profile it says that my hobby is "nightlife." (LOL)

Goodnight.

1/20
Jack and the Beanstalk, continued continued continued continued continued

Making an appearance after a long time

[pic]

"message bean"

He's still growing healthily. (^_^)v

Since it's gotten cold, he's growing more slowly though.

But he's certainly growing.

He's already conquered close to 1/3 of my window.

Tonight it looks like snow is going to fall outside of this window.

But I trust him.

But thanks to him, my blinds are always up. (>_<)

It's okay, it's okay...

When I look at how he's growing, I feel energized.

I said it's okay, I said it's okay...

We're riding out this harsh winter together strongly and healthily, and we're on our way to the warm spring!

Right, pal? (LOL)

Don't lose to this winter cold!!

Goodnight. (^^ゞ

1/21
Forecast or guess

It didn't

[pic]

snow.

On "Weather Forecast" it said that snow was going to fall, so I was kind of excited.

It's kind of disappointing.

Because it was called a "forecast," I believed in it.

They might as well call it "Weather Guess."

Can't we all agree to that?

No, I guess not... (^_^;)：

Today was JAM rehearsal.

I made a little more progress.

I have to work harder and harder!

Goodnight.

1/22
Anipara Ongakukan

Meow!

[pic]

Tomoe-kitty (^.^)b

Today was Anipara Ongakukan recording.

I celebrated the new year with Anipara All Stars and the staff.

Let's work hard this year, too! I'm counting on you!

Goodnight.

1/23
Sales release day

It

[pic]

snowed!

I'm pretty happy. (^_^)v

But

why did it have to fall on this day...

I went to my office first thing in the morning.

When I woke up, I planned to ride my bicycle to the office, so when I went outside, I was surprised!

Hey, I had a plan...

Hikarudo was saying that he wanted to see snow, so he must be happy...

[pic]

Hikarudo bought another book?? You otaku gaijin! (LOL)

Of course, I didn't ride my bike today. (^o^;

Today, JAM Project's first original single, "No Border," was released.

[pic]

Please buy it!

Everyone, don't catch cold! ＼(^o^)／

Goodnight.

1/24
No bathing

Da dum da dum dum dum!

[pic]

Take a bath!

So

I always wind up having to take a shower in my tub at home.

Today for some reason I wanted to take a hot bath for free in the middle of the night, so I heated up some water and got in.

Mmm...it felt good.

I got warm all over.

Baths are nice.

But my bathtub is small and narrow.

Hmm...since my shoulders were cold, I put my shoulders in.

When I did that, my knees came out.

When I put my knees in, my shoulders came out.

What kind of exercise is this??? (>_<)

I tried rolling my big body into a little ball and getting in so only my face stuck out.

Success!

Yeah!

....

Like Esper Itoh 1 (LOL)

Mm...I want a big bathtub.

And I want to go to a public bathhouse.

Goodnight.

1 A Japanese comedian