~ UPdates ~

Posted new DarTy poem! “dream” | 14Oct09

Added Ranma 1/2 (anime) to Film page |01Jul09

NEW Banner! “b/c if u don’t…” | 06Oct09

Updated Games page | 15Sep09

*** New Blog Open! – Alaska ni Imasu! | 20Aug09

Added my Amazon Wish List – Now ev’one knows what to get me! ;) | 30Jul09

*sticky* Please READ

BLOG IMAGES:
Just to let everyone know…
* Click on images in this blog to view them full size in another tab! *
thank you. ^_^

COMMENTS and QUESTIONS:
Please visit the “UnderConstruction” page above to leave me any comments about the blog or to ask me any questions about anything! :o

facebook killed the blogging star?

Well, maybe not ev’one’s blog but… the more time I spend on facebook, the less time I’m here. Also, why would my friends bother coming here when they can just click click on fb? It’s lazy I tell ya! Good ol’ fashion blogging is still important to me! Read it or not. -_-

MusicMatch09

Okay! Test your knowledge of Jpop by taking my new MusicMatch quiz!

It’s simple. Just pick the song that DOESN’T belong to the artist. See? Easy!

Click the “Take Quiz” button below to take my challenge!

Your scores will be listed in the box below. :o

Enjoy! ^_^

Artist Spotlight Log 8 – HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR

^ click to view larger pictures

HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR is a Rock / Pop Rock band out of Okinawa, Japan. Though it’s been a difficult journey, the band is strong and has continued to make consistent releases under the Sony Music label.

Also known as “Haikara”, “HandMC”, “H&MC”, or “HMC”, they are:
HALCA – Female Vocalist
Yuusuke – Male Vocalist
SASSY – Drums
MEG – Guitar
Kazuto – Guitar
mACKAz – Bass

In the beginning, the five men formed a band under the name ANTI NOBUNAGA, and worked hard to gain recognition in the Okinawan area. They participated in the 2003 summer music festival in Okinawa, and played to a sold out crowd. After being scouted by a Sony rep, the band recorded their only two original songs before becoming H&MC- “meaning” and “hate you!”. They then released an indie single “OVER” which topped the indie Oricon charts for a whole month!

Around that same time, Sony was also interested in a young female vocalist- Maakii. After watching them perform, the band convinced her to join. At last, HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR was born. The band was moved to SME Records- a major Sony label. Their first single, “PRIDE” was tied-in with popular anime Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny which bolstered sales to a surprising 223,208. None of their future singles have been able to top this benchmark.

Though they are a unique and hard-working band, unfortunately, sales over the years have been declining. The band has yet to release a single or album that takes #1 on the Oricon. Their singles “PRIDE” and “Ichirin no Hana” both peaked at #2 and their first two albums reached the top 10.

On July 1, 2008, it was announced that Maakii had married Dreams Come True singer Masato Nakamura on June 22, 2008 and would be leaving the band by the end of 2008. The band would release “Remember” as their final single with Maakii, and begin searching for a new vocalist in early 2009.

On Jan. 1st, 2009, H&MC was assigned to Spice Records- which is an Okinawan based indie studio under Sony that has maintained rights to the band over the years. Luckily, this means they can sing ANY of their old songs with the new vocalist!

After running auditions for a month, the band had found their new vocalist- HALCA. She is the youngest member in the band. In July, they released a digital single “XYZ” to promote the upcoming album, swamp man, which will be released September 2nd! (credit:Wikipedia)

It was the Winter of 2005 when a friend of mine sent me a link to the PV of “Ichirin no Hana”. I became addicted to the song and downloaded their first album “GooVER”; it was great. HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR was the first Rock band outta Japan that I really got into. I feel their rhythm deep in my soul. ^_^ As with YUI, I began collecting (buying) their singles and albums (my collection is near completion!).

Though the band’s style has made numerous changes over the years, the music has still remained important to me. With the departure of Maakii, and the arrival and HALCA, I can only hope for the best. I must say I’m excited. What will become of them now? Will the new H&MC out sale the old? Time will reveal the truth.

A l b u m s

• [2005.09.14] G∞VER
• [06.04.05] Gou on Progressive
• [07.02.21] SAN
• [07.12.26] 10 Color Singles (singles collection album)
• [08.03.19] ROCK PIT
• [08.11.26] BEEEEEEST (fan-picked best of album)
  -Maki leaves. Band reforms with HALCA-
• [09.09.02] swamp man
  

S i n g l e s

• [2005.01.26] PRIDE
• [05] PRIDE Remix
• [05] OVER
• [05] RUN☆RUN☆RUN
• [05] Days
• [05] STYLE ~get glory in this hand~
• [06] Ichirin no Hana
• [06] DIVE into YOURSELF
• [06] Enrai ~Tooku ni Aru Akari~
• [07] Todoritsuku Basho / Okizarisu
• [07] Dreams
• [07] Amazing
• [08] FLASHBACK / Komorebi no Uta
• [08] HOT LIMIT
• [08] Remember
  -Maki leaves. Band reforms with HALCA-
• [09] XYZ (digital single)
  

Watch PV’s!
Here’s a small sample of PV’s. Just a few of my favs.

• good bye (from swamp man!)
• Remember
• Amazing
• Enrai ~Tooku ni Aru Akari~
• DIVE into YOURSELF
• Ichirin no Hana
• PRIDE

Visit the new H&MC official site Japan HERE
Check out this old fansite for some lyrics and translations (INSOMNIA) HERE
Read more on Wikipedia HERE

does that make me a fan?

As far as the whole anime/manga in America thing goes- I’m not really all that big into it. I mean, I’m FAR from being some crayz otaku or something…

But I like to think of myself as very open-minded (and somewhat crayz). I listen to foreign music, play foreign video games, watch foreign films, and eat foreign foods… I’ve always just felt that was my freedom as an America to do so- to indulge my sense in whatever the world has to offer. I can it “following one’s heart”, and you can’t go wrong doing that.

My anime history is very short, so this won’t take long. ^_^

As with many young Americans (and I’m willing to bet on this), my first exposure to anime was thanks to no other than Cartoon Network’s Toonami. I watched such anime/cartoons as: ThunderCats, Voltron, The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, Sailor Moon, Super Friends, Tenchi Muyo, Batman, Superman, and even Dragon Ball, and Dragon Ball Z. These were all good/great shows, but none of them really stuck for me.

Based of of this list, you can see my view of anime was a bit scattered. Ironically, it wasn’t til around this time (I would’ve been hmm… 12 or 13 and living in Piqua, OH…) that I realized Japan actually existed. lol. No, no, it’s not that I DIDN’T know it was THERE (I mean, I read about it while studying World War II…), it’s just that this was around the time I became interesting in who Japan was, not just where it was. (Though, I’m sure watching Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball can only teach you so much…)

Later, Cartoon Network began running a nightly block called “Adult Swim”. The first anime aired was none other than the amazing Cowboy Bebop. This one show would change how I viewed anime forever. I would stay up late (it aired at or after midnight) just to watch! Bebop had such style, a random and fun plot, and lovable comical characters. What was not to love?! I loved that series so much that it became the first I ever bought on DVD, and the first series I ever completely watched from the first episode to the last. I ever had the movie on DVD, and a CD soundtrack at one point!

Adult Swim also introduced me to Inu Yasha, which taught me something new: not all anime series ended with a simple 26 eps. Oh no, since some anime are adaptations of long-running manga series, they themselves become long-running. And besides, the Japanese love these shows so much that they never want them to end! Thankfully, Inu Yasha stays truer to it’s manga sorce, and isn’t so damn full of filler crap story arcs like some other anime are… *cough*BLEACH*cough*

Then 2003 came; what a big year! This year I graduated high school, joined the Army, and left Piqua forever behind. Of course, you can only imagine how this disrupted my TV viewing habits! Well, video games did that I lot too during adolescence…

During my AIT (job training) in Texas in late 2003 and early 2004, I read my first and only manga: Chobits. The series was six black-ink-on-white-paper books long with each reading in traditional Japanese manga style- back-to-front. I enjoyed them immensely!

I know found myself in the Republic of Korea. Of all places! This was when I began collecting DVD’s. Bebop was first on this list (you know!), followed by some recommendations such as: TRIGUN. I also remembered to pick up Chobits on DVD and began collecting Inu Yasha.

After that I collected the powerful Fullmetal Alchemist. Having seen such amazing anime, it’s safe to say my interest in strengthened.

So when I moved up here with Dara, she mentioned an anime she had on DVD called Ranma 1/2. At first I was hesitant to watch it b/c it looked girly and old. However, Dara assured me it was really good and that she loved it a bunch, so I tried it out… OMG. Not only is this anime incredibly funny, it’s full of crazy characters and sexual jokes. hahaha!

Sadly, she only has the first season (which I mistakenly thought was the WHOLE series…), so I went online to check on how long the show was… 8O SEVEN SEASONS?! *FOC* That makes it just as long as Inu Yasha! wow… but you know what? It’s so damn good it’s worth collecting anyways!

I also learned that Ranma 1/2 stemmed from the creative mind of Rumiko Takahashi. Unlike Cowboy Bebop, which was direct to anime and directed by the talented Shinichirō Watanabe, Takahashi-san is a manga author who’s works has transitioned successfully to anime more than once. And guess what else she did? Inu frappin’ Yasha!! That’s when it all came full circle for me. If I was in love with two works from that same creator… then, does that make me a fan? Well, I suppose it does. And I suppose I’m a fan of Shinichirō Watanabe too considering Bebop was life changing and now I can’t hardly wait to get my hands on his newest series- Samurai Champloo!

That was quite long-winded, which has always been a talent of mine. haha! :P However, I do fell better having written (rather typed) all this. ^_^

So what does the future of anime hold for me? Well, I need to finish 4 seasons of Inu Yasha and 6 seasons of Ranma 1/2 for starters. Then I have to get my hands on Samurai Champloo and the new Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood saga. While I’m at it, I should get a copy of Love Hina, and then get a hold of Naruto. Also, good friends once recommended: Tsubasa Chronicles, Lucky Star, Gaogaiga, so maybe I’ll look into those someday.

I also rewatch Bebop, and TRIGUN on the yearly. ^_^

LOVE & PEACE!!!