[music] Yoko-chan's Japanese Christmas songs playlist

Hello everyone!!
Because it will be Christmas tomorrow, today I want to share my Christmas playlist with you!
For sure I know that not all the songs have Christmas as basic topic, but anyway they arrange a Christmas or winter like feeling. I hope you will have a wonderful Christmas time with this songs!

Merry Christmas everyone!! メリークリスマス！ (^0^)~ ♥

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Yoko-chan's Japanese Christmas songs playlist
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(arranged alphabetically)

Ayumi Hamasaki - Carols
Ayumi Hamasaki - Itsuka no Merry Christmas -Live Version-
Ayumi Hamasaki - Powder Snow
B'z - Itsuka no Merry Christmas
Dirty Old Men - Merry
Dream - Everlasting Snow
EXILE - Last Christmas
Flumpool - Snowy Nights Serenade
Gackt - 12gatsu no Love Song
Gackt - December Love Song
Gackt & Ayumi Hamasaki - Itsuka no Merry Christmas -Live Version-
Gackt & Ayumi Hamasaki - Silent Night -Live Version-
Gackt & Namie Amuro - Itsuka no Merry Christmas -Live Version-
Glay - Winter Again
Hikaru Utada - Can't wait 'til Christmas
Koh Otani - Silent Night
L'Arc~en~Ciel - Hurry X'Mas
Lisa Ono - The Christmas Song
Luna Sea -  Happy Christmas (War is over) -Live Version-
Luna Sea - White Christmas / In my dreams -Live Version-
Mika Nakashima - Amazing Grace
Mika Nakashima - Yuki no Hana
Namie Amuro - White Light
Tackey & Tsubasa - Heartful Voice
Tenchi Muyo - Jingle Bells
Yoko Watanabe - Last Christmas

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HANABI SEKAI moved to BlogSpot

Hello everyone! \(^0^)/
My blog "HANABI SEKAI" now moved to BlogSpot. I think it's easier to design and leave comments here than on LiveJournal. I hope you guys will like the new design and will look here from time to time.

First thing I've got to do now: copy my reviews from LJ to my new place here (^-^)v


Hope you spent a nice 4th Sunday in Advent!
Yoko-chan ♥

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[J-Music] Versailles - Holy Grail (album)

Artist: Versailles
Album title: Holy Grail
Release date: 15th June 2011

I know Versailles since they have started in 2007 and liked their first EP "Lyrical Sympathy" very much. Unfortunately I loosed my interest in them because I was busy with other stuff and started to love a lot of other bands. While looking around in the internet I suddenly saw that they released a new album in June and so I listened to it and really think that it is pretty great!

Versaille's new album "Holy Grail" was released on 15th June 2011. It is starting with the string & choir intro of the song called "MASQUERADE" fading into a kind of up-beat number. More powerful songs are following. Including strong choirs, great guitar and bass playing and simply a great atmosphere.

Surprisingly for me, there are a lot of ballad-like songs at the album. For example "Remember Forever" and "Destiny -The Lovers-" (with strings and piano). But the song I most like is "Love will be born again". It's a very emotional ballad sang totally in English - and it gives you a kind of melanchoilc feeling. It's simply beautiful. And for sure another awesome song is "Faith & Decision" which has a length of over 16 minutes!! First I thought it is only an instrumental piece with awesome guitar playing, but suddenly at nearly the half of the song Kamijo begins singing. Great song!!

All in all I'm totally amazed of this album. I haven't listened to Versailles for a while and I'm really happy that I found back to them and their music!


Tracklist:
01. MASQUERADE
02. Philia
03. Thanatos
04. Flowery
05. Remember Forever
06. Destiny-The Lovers-
07. DRY ICE SCREAM!! [Remove Silence]
08. Threshold
09. Judicial Noir
10. Love will be born again
11. Vampire
12. Faith & Decision
13. The Theme of Holy Grail

The limited edition contains a bonus DVD with a music video, and the deluxe box edition contains a bonus DVD with music videos featuring each members and music video making-of. This edition also comes with a poster and a 100-page booklet.

PV of "Destiny -The Lovers-"

[J-Music] BLUE PLANET JAPAN (band introduction)

This time I want to introduce "BLUE PLANET JAPAN" to you. It is an charity project and band by Japanese Visual Kei musicians for the Great East Japan Earthquake from 11th March 2011.

The project was started by the bands “DaizyStripper”,”A” and "FEST VAINQUEUR”. Since then many members of other visual kei bands have joined to raise money and bring hope to disaster areas. All togehter they made a new song which is called "Hitotsu dake ~we are the one~" (ひとつだけ~We Are The One~). All profits of this song will be donated.

Their first performance was on 25th June 2011 at Shibuya O-West. Here is a video of the live:

Members:
DaizyStripper (whole band), A (whole band), FEST VAINQUEUR (whole band), heidi. (Yoshihiko), Versailles (Teru, Hizaki), amber gris (Temari), Dolly (Mitsu), aicle (Emiru), Kiryu (Mahiro Kurosaki), ex.Wizard (Hiro), DASEIN (Ricky), Lips (Suzuya), and more...

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[J-Music] GLANZ ZEIT (band introduction)

Artist: GLANZ ZEIT
Formed in 2009
Official website: Glanz-Zeit.com

Yesterday I discovered this band by chance because while I’m German I thought the band name is pretty interesting. So I listened to some of their songs on YouTube.com and totally fall in love with them.

GLANZ ZEIT was formed in 2009 with its members Masaki (vocal), Nori.H.Hikaru (guitar), Hiro (guitar), Nari (bass) and Zen (drums, special member) - band leader is bassist Nari. This band is mainly operating outside of Osaka and has a range of interesting and fun songs, a great stage presence and a lot of promise and hopefully a bright future.

While this band is still very unknown I can't find much information about them. Hopefully soon there will be more!

Here is a live from May 5th 2011 which the band uploaded on YouTube.com. I hope you like it (^-^)




Have fun everyone with this new band ♥

[J-Music] Luna Sea - Promise (song)

Artist: Luna Sea
Song title: Promise
Release date: 9th April 2011

 

Luna Sea published their first new song after 10 years as a digital single on 9th April 2011 (download able on Amazon). All proceeds will be donated to disaster relief efforts to help those affected by the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami from 11th March 2011. First the new song was called "Promised Night" but the title was changed to "PROMISE".

According to the kind of sad lyric the song sounds very happy and gives you some hope. Mainly it is an amazing sound and has a very catchy tune - and I most of all like the ending of the song. It's absolutely a great new song for Luna Sea to release after such a long time!


Lyric
(Romaji & Translation taken from Sweetest Coma Forum - I think the translation is good)

Kimi ga hanatsuyo totsuzen no senkou Yakusoku no chi wa idakareta tenkuu Hotobashiru ase no nioi ni yomigaeru kioku Kagayaki dashita nosa Tonight Hibiki aeru ima dokomademo Kimi ni aitakute hayaku Furidashita bakari ni suginai kono ame Mukui bakari o uketeiru you na jidai Aoide ten ni hajizu ima koso hirogeyou tsubasa Mabushi sugiru chikai Tonight Hibiki aeru hi mo bokura nara Kimi ni aitakute hayaku Kimi ni aitakute Yozora o terasetara Ima koso Your Life tokihanate Yoru o kirisaite kimi o ubaitai Tonight Hibiki aeru ima kanata made Kimi ni aitakute hayaku Kimi ni aitakute ima mo ...aitakute...kimi ni

You emitted a sudden flash In the promised land nestled in the sky Memories recalled by the scent of pouring sweat Began to shine tonight We are now completely attuned I want to see you soon In this rain that has only just begun to fall In this era that has only received punishment Looking up we are not ashamed in the presence of heaven The wings we shall spread right now The too-radiant promise tonight If we are now attuned I want to see you soon I want to see you If it will illuminate the night sky Now is the time to set your life free Tearing through the night  I want to sing of you Tonight We are now attuned across the other side I want to see you soon I want to see you even now I miss you

Luna Sea - Teaser for Promise

[J-Movie] The Great Happiness Space - Tales Of An Osaka Love Thief

Name: The Great Happiness Space - Tales Of An Osaka Love Thief
Released: 2006
Directed & produced by: Jake Clennell (UK)

This documentary is about the "Rakkyo Café" which is an host club in Osaka. It's owner is the 22 years old Issei, who is also the number 1 host in the city, and his staff of around twenty boys working in this club. All of this boys are under Issei's training to become the top escorts of Osaka's underground love scene. During their training, they learn how to dress, how to talk, how to walk, and most importantly, how to fake relationships with the girls who become their source of income. The documentary takes you on a journey through the complex and heart-wrenching world of love for sale in the Japanese underground.

I watched this documentary because I toughed it sounds very interesting - and for sure it is! After watching it I was in an odd mood, some kind of strange like if you don't really know how to feel about it. The documentary really helps you to understand this scene more through interviews with the male hosts and their female customers. You can learn why the customers are coming there and what the host thinks about some of them. There are some really sad parts in it which really made me think...

Jack Channel made a really great documentary of this mysterious underground scene, describing the backgrounds very well. Which is still in my ears is the sentence of Issei that the "hosts are selling dreams to their costumers" - a kind of good description for the slogan of his host club.


And while I don't have any preview clip here is another picture - Issei and two of his boys (^-^)

 

More information you can find on the official website: » here «
 

[J-Music] Miyavi - What's my name? (album)

Artist: Miyavi
Album title: What's my name?
Release date: 13th October 2010

While on Saturday it's finally time that I will see Miyavi live again on his world tour "What's my name" it's also time to write a little review of his latest album with the same title.
It's hard to tell what this album is like - typically miyavi, may this is the easiest way to judge it. You can hear his unique guitar skills and his awesome way to sing. On this album there are a lot of catchy tunes, up-beat numbers but also songs with meaningful lyrics.

Let's say something to some of the songs. My favorite song is the most silent song of the album: "Sutekina mirai" which (if I remember it right) was written for his first daughter Lovelie and means "a wonderful future" - and for sure it is a really wonderful ballad. Next very touching song is "Gravity" - this song is simply amazing. It touched me very deeply especially because of the passion you can feel in Miyavi's singing. Some more party-songs are "A-ha" (which totally reminds me of the song "Boom-hah-boom-hah-hah"), "What's my name?" and "Torture", which I'm really looking forward to hear live at the concert. Two other songs I really love and which are really catchy tunes are "I love you, I love you, I love you, and I hate you" and "Super Hero". I'm singing this songs all day long in the last weeks.
All in all, Miyavi's latest album is really great and a must-have for every Miyavi fan ♥

Tracklist:
01 WHAT'S MY NAME ?
02 Torture
03 A-ha
04 Chillin' Chillin' Money Blue$
05 I love you, I love you, I love you, and I hate you.
06 Moon
07 Gravity
08 Universe
09 Unbreakable
10 Shelter
11 Super Hero (album ver.)
12 Sutekina Mirai
13 Futuristic Love
14 Survive (album ver.)

Here is a radio live as sample of the album:

[J-Movie] Tengoku ha mattekureru

Name: Tengoku wa mattekureru | 天国はくれる
English title: Heaven can wait, maybe…
Released: 2007
Main Actors: Yoshihiko Inohara, Aya Okamoto, Shunsuke Kiyokiba, Ayumi Ishida, Ken Ishiguro, Keizo Kanie, Erika Toda

 

Hiroki (Yoshihiko Inohara), Takeshi (Shunsuke Kiyokiba) and Kauro (Aya Okamoto) have been life long friends. As children they talked about their friendship as being a sacred triangle. Now as adults they are still best friends. Hiroki works as a reporter, Kauro works in a fashionable part of the Ginza district and Takeshi works in the fish market. Although Kauro and Hiroki seem to have been in love since their early days Takeshi proposes to Kauro in front of Hiroki. Although Hiroki looks distraught, he can only give his blessings to his best friend’s wishes. Takeshi and Kauro are now set to get married until suddenly a tragedy happens.

I enjoyed watching this movie very much because it’s filled with a lot of love and warmth. The story of a friendship that has to go through a very hard time - always supported by the love of their families. It shows in a very heart-touching way how strong a friendship can be – and it made me cry at the end (q_q)


Trailer:

[J-Movie] Lemon no Koro

Name: Lemon no koro | 檸檬のころ
English title: The Graduates
Released: 2007
Main Actors: Nana Eikura, Mitsuki Tanimura, Naojiro Hayashi, Tasuku Emoto, Hoshi Ishida

 

This is a movie about five normal seniors at a rural high school, and their experiences and emotions in the year leading to graduation. Band conductor Kayoko (Nana Eikura) is a smart and strong-willed girl who plans to attend a Tokyo university after high school. She seems to have her life completely in order, but her changing relationships with baseball players Takumi (Hoshi Ishida) and Tomizo (Tasuku Emoto) throw things into confusion. Meanwhile, aspiring music reviewer Megumi (Mitsuki Tanimura) finds a soulmate in singer Kazuya (Naojiro Hayashi).

A very cute coming-of-age movie. It includes two different stories. First one is about the strong band conductor Kayoko falls in love with a guy but has to think about their future together, because she wants to go to university in Tokyo. I liked the second story a little bit more – it’s about the girl Megumi who wants to write music reviews for magazines, but has no self-confidence. But then she falls in love with the guitarist and singer Kazuya who asks her to write a lyric for his new song. I really liked the song which was played at the school festival at the end of the movie.
All in all, I like the movie. It’s a little bit slow, but it’s also ok this way. If you like high school movies you should watch this one.


Here is the PV of Naojiro Hayashi's song for the movie including some scences. Unfortunately I can't find a trailer (.__.)

[J-Movie] Boys Love (DVD Edition)

Name: Boys Love
Released: 2006-11-24
Main Actors: Yoshikazu Kotani, Takumi Saitou, Hiroya Matsumoto

 

The movie tells the story of Taishin Mamiya (Yoshikazu Kotani), a magazine editor who had to interview the young high school model, Noeru Kisaragi (Takumi Saito). Despite Noeru's bad attitude, an enchanting picture of the ocean Noeru drew leads Mamiya to invite him out for dinner. They connect at the restaurant, but in the bathroom Noeru solicits Mamiya sexually. The next morning, Noeru's office calls the magazine office where Mamiya works and tell them that their editor was rude and he has to come and apologize. When Mamiya goes to Noeru's house to deliver the apology, he sees Noeru with a dirty-looking man in the bedroom. Mamiya is shocked to discover at this moment that his interest in Noeru goes beyond article research - he truly wants to know more about him. Besides this there is also Noeru's classmate Chidori Furumura (Hiroya Matsumoto) who loves him very much and becomes jealous of the upcoming friendship of Noeru und Mamiya.


If I remember right this was the first movie of the boys love genre I ever watched - and I was very impressed. It's a really wonderful movie, heart-touching and unfortunately very sad. I cried very much at the end. Something really great is the point that they always show quotations of famous people about love which are connected to the story. A most have seen movie for all fans of boys love genre!  

 
More about boys love movies? Look here: 
Japanese Boys Love (there will be more soon)

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[J-Movie] Solanin

Name: Solanin | ソラニン
Released: 2010
Main Actors: Aoi Miyazaki, Kengo Kora, Kenta Kiritani, Yoichi Konto, Ayumi Ito, ...

"Solanin" is the story of the girl Meiko (Aoi Miyazaki) working as an office lady in a job she hates. Her boyfriend Naruo (Kengo Kora) has a part-time job as an animator and lives with her in the apartment. He has a rockband together with his college friends, but the band hasn't got out of the "practice" stage.
One day, Meiko decides she has had enough with her office job and quits. When Naruo hears of her decision, he worries about their lack of income and how live should go on. Meiko saved enough money to live for a year without working and hopes to find herself during this time. Also she would like her boyfriend to become serious with his band and supports him. Meiko tries to find happiness, but suddenly some things happen...

I watched this movie a few days ago and while the first hour of watching I thought that it's kind of boring. But I went on watching and suddenly it became really interesting - and I even cried very badly at the end. By now I can say that it's a wonderful movie with a very touching and sad love story. A must-have-seen-movie for all Aoi Miyazaki fans!

Trailer:


I really like the song Meiko is singing at the end - the song also the movie is named after: Solanin.

[J-Music] AJISAI - Pocket Life (album)

Artist: AJISAI
Album title: Pocket Life
Release date: 12th January 2011

At the beginning of 2011 the band AJISAI released their 3rd album called "Pocket Life".
While I'm a big fan of AJISAI for sure I bought the album shortly after releasing. And I have to say that this is a really wonderful CD. When you start listening to this album you are welcomed by a powerful "hallo! hallo!" and a very catchy and happy tune. The most catchy song of this album for sure is the latest single of AJISAI which has been released on 15th December 2010 - "Love lala love". A very touching song you can't get out of your head anymore if you once listened to it.
Certainly there are also a few calm songs, just like "Shikisai", a wonderful song for day-dreaming. All in all this CD has a very possitive sound and it makes you want to sing along. It's the perfect soundtrack for sunny days.

Please listened to this wonderful band which is not well-known right now. But they are really worth to become famous!!


Tracklist:
01 Hallo
02 Kokuhaku
03 Love Lala Love
04 Sekai wo nagure
05 Tokyo
06 Sakamichi Pedal
07 Last Letter
08 Fukanshoukougun
09 Mayonaka no yuuenchi
10 Sounanshingou
11 Install
12 Tada hitori no uta
13 Shikisai 

The limited edition of the album includes a DVD with the promotion videos of the songs "Ai Kotoba", "Sakura Namiki", "Niji", "Nagareboshi", "Senkouhanabi" and "Love Lala Love". 




More info about AJISAI?? Watch out here:
Official Website | Nemuranai Sakana (english fansite) | Buy CD

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[J-Movie] Oretachi ni Asu ha naissu

Name: Oretachi ni Asu ha naissu | Ain't no Future
(in Japanese: 俺たちに明日はないッス)
Released: 2008
Main Actors: Sakura Andou, Tokio Emoto, Yuuya Endou, Ini Kusano, Sora Aoi and more

This movie released in 2008 is about the difficult love/sex-lives of 6 high school students.
The 17 year-old Hiruma is desperate to get laid and takes out his sexual urges on Anpai, a fat boy who has "boobs". Anpai suddenly gets into a relationship with the beautiful Akie which secretly is attracted by sumo wrestlers. Another girl, Chizu, who doesn't have a mother and knows nothing about the female body asks her male classmate Mine to teach her everything about sex. And while Tomono is in a serious relationship with a married teacher, suddenly also Himura gets interested in her.


I found this movie by chance while I was looking around for new movies and thought the DVD cover is interesting. So I finally watched it last night and don't really know what to say. I think this movie is kind of weird in my eyes. Don't know why, but it's not the way I like this movie very much. I mean it's very interesting to see the different stories of the teens... but somehow... don't know. But I started to like Anpai *laugh*
After all I would say it's not a "most-have-seen-movie", but it's ok. And it is not for kids ;D


Watch the trailer here:

[J-Dorama] Sunao ni Narenakute

Name: Sunao ni Narenakute - Hard to say I love you
Aired: April~June 2010 on FujiTV
Main actors: Eita, Juri Ueno, Megumi Seki, Tetsuji Tamayama, Jaejoong Hero

Today I finally finished watching the J-dorama "Sunao ni Narenakute" \(^0^)/

This drama from 2010 is about 5 people who got to know each other with the help of Twitter. This people are: Keisuke "Nakaji" Nakajjma (Eita), a talented photographer who is aiming to become a war photographer like his father; Tsukiko "Haru" Mizuno (Juri Ueno), a young openhearted woman wants to become a high school teacher; her best friend Hikari "Peach" Nishimaru (Megumi Seki) whose boyfriend left her after she found out she is pregnant; Kaoru "Linda" Ichihara, who works at a magazine he is blackmailed into sexual favours by his chief editor; and Seonsu "Doctor" Park, an Korean working at a company that sells medical equipment to disinterested doctors, and at the same time, trying to take care of his younger sister.
The five are meeting at a bar called "Emotion" and finally get close friends in real life - especially connected with love. But a lot of things will happen to each of them...

A wonderful story about love, strength in life, how to find to yourself and following your dreams. I really enjoyed watching the drama and only can recommend it to everyone of you!


I also like the two theme songs. One is "Hard to say I love you" by the band Weaver which is a really catching tune. The other one is "Sunao ni Narenakute by Sayuri Sugawara.