Personal Post- Spreadin love?

Since there's a whole month before White day I thought it would be a good idea to spread some love with some of my favorite lovey dovey dramas and movies.  Though I'm not the type to like the whole romance genre these few that I will share with you are definitely interesting and funny, if they weren't I wouldn't share them now would I? That in mind just giving people a heads up.

またな！
Matane!

Personal Post! It's Christmas!!

Yes, its finally here Christmas time.  The cold is settling into your bones but the hot chocolate or the warm fireplace are making you hot.  For this time of year of course presents come on this day brought to us by Santa Clause or our loved ones and the feelings of niceness are floating all around.  So nice, of course this is no different in japan, though Christmas is more of a couple holiday than anything else with everyone on dates with their respective other or spending time together with their friends which is not much different  from the way some spend Christmas anywhere else.   Though in japan a sponge cake on Christmas eve is a must to celebrate the season of giving.

Anyway what ever way you celebrate this time of year whether you pick to do it with your family or with your friends I wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and of course a Happy New Year which is close to coming our way.  I hope that all the Christmas wishes that you long for come true!

MATANE!!!
またね！！！

めりーくりすます
Merry Christmas! 

Personal Post! Thoughts on music.

If you feel like its two much reading second and third paragraph can be skipped happily.

When it comes to music like many other thing in the world with lots of variety there are thousands of choices in which you can listen to, many types of genres and sub-genres that you might like or hate.  Personally I like all types of music I don't discriminate because of language or genre.  If its good I'll listen to it, this being true my music library is full of rock, pop, oldies, 50's, 60's, 80's, 90's, ballads, kpop, jrock, classical, techno, electronic you name it I probably have it.  Putting my mp3 on shuffle will confuse you constantly because nothing ever comes out in the same language or mood, one second you could be head banging the next you could be crying because of a sad ballad.  

Now because I don't have only one genre I listen to I get criticized constantly because of the music that I like especially when its in another language,  I don't know why, but something about kpop and jrock that puts closed minded people off.  They don't understand how I can listen to something when I don't understand what they're saying, well music is about transmitting emotions if I can feel the emotion that is being put out I will listen to it more.  With jrock although few I have bands which I absolutely love like The Gazette, LM.C, and Scandal, which are my favorite bands in their respective orders,  but its extremely difficult to keep track of them because for some reason japan isn't that big on releasing things on the internet in they're completeness a 3 minute song will only be played up to the 1 and a half minute mark.  This is one of the things I personally hate because if you like it you'll never listen to it completely.  With these 3 though I can listen to the songs and watch the videos in their completeness which is nice.  With kpop things are easy to access if you like a group or person you can probably find everything they have ever done on youtube, (plus Korean variety shows are hilarious!) which is great because good kpop groups make Japanese songs and albums too, which is the way I cheat at life and pretend like I have more jpop in my music library.

 Anyway I got off topic there just in case no one noticed, The Gazette, LM.C and Scandal are my favorite bands when it comes to music in another language vocals are key to me liking it, since I can't judge them on lyrics, even though there are times you can tell that there's absolutely no message to the song,  I listen to the vocals because with the right voice you can transmit the emotion necessary for the song and even when the listener doesn't speak your language.   In kpop with vocals that are beautiful there's many groups but my favorite is JYJ as a group together they have come out with many nice songs but when they work individually you can really tell how talented and unique their voices are.   Many close minded people will never listen to music outside their genres or language but those who are fortunate will learn much about music from expanding their horizon.    If you don't know The Gazette I suggest you listen to Guren the vocals are especially pretty in that song, though its more ballady than the rest of their songs you'll be sure to like it.  

Since school has started my sanctuary away from it all revolves around music.  Music is everywhere and its all beautiful so to not listen to something simply because it doesn't relate to you time period or group of friends confuses me.  I urge everyone to listen to everything and judge for themselves whether they like it or not.  With that I'll see you guise later!

またね！


oh wait! Do you guise have some type of music or band that no one you know likes?  Which is it? Share with me a story!!

Personal Post! Life sucks, School Starts

Can this be true? Why can't it be a lie!? Two months gone in the blink of an eye.  School starts in a week and I'm not ready to go back.  There's so much to do, so many places to see, so many things to unlearn!  But alas it will come inevitably and I can do nothing to stop it.  There were many things that I wanted to blog about but I won't get to touch till I get some free time again as I don't want to write them completely awfully, as compared to the ones before of course. Ill try my best but knowing myself as I do, there will probably be many empty weeks ahead in this blog.  That annoys me but there's not much I can do. 

Since summer is ending I would like to wish all my fellow students a great and successful school year, I know that some of us don't much enjoy school but we must find a happiness in what we have, whether it be friends, books, teachers, or homework find the thing that makes you want to get up in the morning to go and do your best.  I myself only like the many books that my library has to offer so I look forward to free time in-between classes rather than class.  So find that thing that gives you joy in that school of yours.  And to those who might not be students anymore, I wish you best in work and/or other things for the rest of this year.  We can last till Christmas! I promise!

Mina, Matane!
みな　またね！

Personal Post- Shinto religion

Since the beginning of this month I've become quite re-interested with the Japanese Religion called Shinto which if you didn't know originated in Japan.  I've been doing a lot of research on it and have learned so much.   I want to share what I learned but before I go into a deep explanation on what the Shinto religion is and how it works I have to give out vocabulary and explain a bit about its structure both physically and spiritually.   Since religion can be a complicated thing to explain and the Shinto religion is already complicated in itself I don't want to go deep into it without touching on some subjects first. I would like to explain the concept of Kami and what Shrines are in the Shinto religion, as well as some of the myths and stories that talk about the beginning of Japan in the religion itself. There is much to talk about and touch when it come to Shinto religion since it sets the foundation for Japanese history and it affects the culture quite deeply.  I'll try to spread a lil knowledge on it but if your interested in it don't stop here there are many places where you can learn a little on the Shinto religion, drink from all the water of learning as it would be and research it as I did, religion is complicated and what I understood from this religion could be something completely different from what you understood as it is left for personal interpretation. What doesn't change is that the Shinto religion is deeply rooted into Japans everyday life and its something that is good to know to understand the culture. Before anything I would like to explain Shrine structure since its understandable then I will go from there and explain more as we go along.   Since I'm explaining Shrine structure there will be two mini post talking about the parts of the shrine that I will be explaining and it will go on like this every time I come up with another part of Shinto shrines to explains and that day will also have two mini post unless it needs more elaboration.  This will probably go on happening until I have explained the Shinto religion and all the things that come with it.  With that I'll take my leave, today's actual posts will be up in a little while I just wanted to explain this before we went into it. 

Matane
またね

Personal Post - Monday Special

Because of missing my post streak on Saturday last week I've decided that I will make a Monday Special for two weeks!  Excuse the corniness of calling this the Monday Special as it seems I'm going to feed you some sort of mystery meat, but considering that the reason I'm doing this has Monday in the name and it is special since I don't do it usually I decided the best name would be the Monday Special.  So what will I be doing for this Monday Special? Well, the usual but..... on Mondays..... *cough* Please pretend I'm doing something extravagant and protect my small ego. Yea, so I watched a drama called Bloody Monday. (MONDAY see it has a reason!)  And I have a lot of pent up emotions concerning it because I have nobody to talk about it with and I've tried but its gotten so bad that as soon as I start talking everyone want me to stop talking. (See my problem?)  So because of this I need to let it all out and I think making a Bloody Monday post might just help me out.  I'm so sorry that I ended up dumping it here but...oh well so it will stay. 


It was this one! The magic dies a little when
you read it was made in china haha

On another totally unrelated note a friend for my birthday gave me a Totoro figurine isn't that just amazingly thoughtful of them?  Well I guess you wouldn't know but in my life I've never met a friend who's given me a birthday present especially one that was thoughtful, its definitely something that I want to remember and treasure.

Kimochiii!
きもちいい!

Personal Post - No post post?

I've been hit with a type of post college blues where I took finals and still am waiting for my grade and this has me so distracted I've sat here for a while trying to figure out what this weeks post would be about.  Sadly I've been struck with absolutely nothing but I can't just post nothing because I've been on a role where every Saturday I'm able to give something new.  I'm a bit off balance but that's okay if I don't post something pertaining to japan or its culture today I'll do it during the week right?  So what have I've been doing this week none stop, believe it or not I watched Japanese drama all day every day since Monday, it all started with 'Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge' which I watched to cheer myself up because like, Sunako, I like dark things and the whole scenario in the drama makes me laugh a lot plus the character that was added that wasn't in the manga, Takeru, is just so adorable that just watching him makes me smile from the cuteness!  It's one of my favorite dramas and I like the manga even though I can barely remember it now since its been soooo awfully long since I've read it.  But for sure I like Sunako in the manga better she's always a chibi and that my friend is freaking great to me, plus she's much more hateful toward Kyohei which make more funny moments.  Without realizing it I kinda got a post idea for the week maybe I should make it about this drama? hmmmm or one of the many dramas I've watched so far.  Well the point is, if there ever was one, is that I really like the drama and the manga, and that although it won't be today I'll have a serious post soon.   So do you like the drama, manga or anime too? Or is there another one that you like more?

またね　Matane

P.S. Please someone anyone comment! It feels lonely to talk to yourself over the internet haha

Personal Post- Kana written on the computer!?

Well, I don't actually know if anyone noticed but in my last post I used hiragana to explain the use of the characters.  Doing this on my computer is totally new to me because I thought that to use Kana character on a computer you would need a new keyboard but I was actually wrong your computer already come equipped with it! How awesome is that? So of course I've been testing it out all this time because its actually easier to study Kana when your typing it in using the Romanji you probably already know, you're able to recognize characters easier if you can yourself make them appear.  So if you're already studying Kana I urge you to become familiar with your computer.  Typing in Japanese can be as simple as changing a few configurations in your control panel and if your afraid of messing something up by using your control panel, google a step by step or get someone who is better with computers to do it for you.  Now I'm not exactly sure if this works on every type of computer since I can only vouch for Windows computers since its the kind I use, if you use Apple you might want to check that out.  As for me I can read hiragana and some katakana but Kanji has me completely lost at times!  So as I continue to study I will make new post about Kana to help those who are as I am lost in a world of language.

またね！ Matane!  See you again!
Hiragana-Romanji-English

Two post in one day?! I'm on a roll baby!

Personal Post- Ai Yazawa COMEBACK?!

*country accent* Oh my lordy lord, I cannot express how exited this news makes me! *back to normal* Apparently my favorite mangaka on earth has gotten out of the hospital and has maybe, probably started drawing again! I was happy enough to find out that she had left the hospital a few years ago because this meant she made a recovery! Even if this woman were to never draw again I would still love her and her work! I would be slightly disappointed yes but that is totally and COMPLETELY beside the point! She's probably drawing again! Oh my gosh! Sorry if you have no idea what I'm talking about I don't have any friends that read manga and I needed to let all these emotions out of my system.

Now let me give you a lil' background so I don't lose you completely if you don't know who she is. The wonderful Ai Yazawa is the person that made NANA, Paradise Kiss, Tenshi Nanka Ja Nai "I'm not an angel", and Gokinjo Monogatari "Neighborhood Story". These four are her most famous but my favorite of them all is NANA which is why the URL for this blog is nanagadaisuki which mean I love nana and I know after learning numbers you probably thought it meant I love seven, I know I shoulda added some sort of honorific like san or chan after her name to make that clear buuuuuuut I didn't soooo yea....Anyway! I'm kinda super exited and happy and a few months late with the news (suuper laate!) but better late than never right! I really hope NANA picks up where it left off. Oh yea, another thing NANA is unfinished because Ai Yazawa was put in the hospital while drawing it and needed to make a recovery, ah but maybe it might not be picked up I don't mind, she recovered so maybe on day! So nice, so nice! So how did I find out this wonderful news?! I was rereading NANA and re watching the anime because I was gonna make a post and wanted to have it all fresh and wondrous in my memory, and suddenly, like great things do, it hit me that I should check and see if there was some new news on the mangaka or manga at all. And there it was from 3 months ago! There was an addition to NANA called Junko's tale, about one of the supporting characters so its a side story but although I haven't read it I will soon enough once I find it hehe. But yes, I'm super happy. =^w^=

 I feel like this post needed to be written in capital letter now that I reread it to show off the excitement I feel.....oh well, to happy to care! I will be making a full post on NANA the manga and the anime all at once in a few days :DD so till then!

MAAAATAAANE!

Beginning a blog!

Well let's see, let's see what to say? I'm a college student who is very intrigued by the Japanese culture and although it's been years since I've started my journey down this path I feel like I should document it to remember.   Like any young student I do not know all there is to know about Japan as I am not of that culture but I hope to soon learn enough to be able to visit and roam Japan all by my lonesome or with people I meet there.  My interest in Japan started at a very young age as my best friend in middle school was, drumroll please, yes! you guessed it Japanese!  She had to move back home but not before we promised that we would see each other again and of course this spun me into a spiral of trying to learn things I before didn't know. 
After years of being stuck in the manga and anime world I decided that I should take things a bit more seriously and get down to the thing I've been avoiding for 8 years, learning Japanese! Now you might think that after eight years of watching anime I would be speaking fluently at this I answer HA! yes I can pick up a few words and phrases I can do all the basics like introducing myself, saying what time it is and I even know how to count but I don't think that just these things make you fluent speaker of any language, especially not one as complex as Japanese, not to mention that some anime do not speak like the everyday Japanese person and like any person in a foreign land I do not want to be that weirdo that talks funny especially when you stick out like sore thumb.  So! in this blog I hope to not only document my own learning but to help those who come across my blog learn from me and to be corrected by those who know more than me so I can share that with the world.  Now as my learning proses will be slow since I am of course a college student and I will be bombarded with test every once and a while I will also, maybe, be putting up reviews on manga, movies, and anime that I have found interesting over that years and that have stuck with me through the passage of time. With that being said....
~Matane (see you later)