Monday, December 31, 2012

Bye, bye 2012...



2012 was a really exciting year, that now comes to an end. Many things happened, we survived the end of the world, all the year-end festivals were great and now we look forward to 2013. I somehow think this number looks odd :'D Don't know why though. Nevermind.
Today I will celebrate the end of the year with my friends, eat, laugh and watch movies with them and than watch the big fireworks all over the skies *-* Yeayyy.
But now I will talk about the most important things that happened in 2012.

The best book I read:

Definitely Matched by Andie Condie. I got that book for Christmas last year, so it was one of the first books to read at the beginning of the new year. And I still remember how I read it in one evening + night while listening to Akanishi Jins 'Seasons'. *-* The book was just wonderful. It was written so well, I even started to cry (and I don't cry that often while reading books). The second book followed in Febuary 2012, so I read that, too. And I was impressed again. Such a wonderful book. :) Now I'm still waiting for the 3rd book to be released in Germany (it will be released on the 8th January *-*). Already looking forward to that xD






Best movies I watched:

I didn't watch that much new movies this year. But three ones really shined among these (in no particular order):

1. The Hunger Games
I didn't read the book (but I still want to) but I was hooked from the very beginning. The movie is sooo cool. I like how the whole world in the movie is drecribed and the characters are also really good.



2. Skyfall
Just aaaaaawesome. This convinced even my anti-Bond friends that Bond is cool. LOL
From the epic song to all the characters and the thrilling story it was one of the best movies of the year.



3. Wreck-it Ralph
Well, I wrote a review about it but I have to say again that I really recommend watching it, because it is a funny, cute, but also touching movie.




Songs, Idols and moore

Most memorable K-pop songs of the year:
1. This is war – MBLAQ
This one s really important for me. It was one of my longest favourite songs ever, even to that despite, that I listened to it the whole time of the day. The video is also epic (a little bit too dramatic, but it's good). It was a good start for MBLAQ. Scribble and Run were also amazing songs, that I really like to listen to.


2. Blue/ Fantastic Baby – Big Bang
These are two songs, as you can see. Well, after Blue was released I totally, totally loved this new style of Big Bang. The song is just so wonderful. But then they released Fantastic Baby, the opposit of Blue. (I didn't forget Bad Boy, it just didn't stood out to me that much) But this song was really catchy and more like a dance-song. I just say I like both equally.


3. Electric Shock/ Beautiful Stranger - f(x)
OMG such a goood song. I didn't like the 2011 releases of f(x), so this was quite a saviour for my love for them. It's just so awesome. And so is Beautiful Stranger. Okay, it is just a song on their Mini-Album but it is sooo amazing. (And did you know, that Amber let her hair grown a little bit longer? Gayo Daejun.. It looks good o.O)


4. Twinkle/ Baby Steps – TaeTiSeo
Again a single with a song from the Mini-Album. Twinkle was a really good song, that highlighted the (aaaweeesome) individual voices of the 3 members. While it was a rather up beat song, Baby Steps is a more slower song, that just sounds beautiful. *-*


5. Sexy, Free & Single/ A 'Good Day' – Super Junior
SFS was a really good song. Just not as good as SuJus other singles (sorry). But nevertheless it was a cool song, with an awesome dance (Eunhyuuuk). The whole album was really, really good. Especially A 'Good Day'. It is soo beautiful. :3



6. Sherlock - SHINee
Coool song. And the dance is really good (okay it's SHINee, so they can dance really, really good).



7. Tarantellagra – Junsu
A song that was a little bit different, but nevertheless catchy and really cool (Junsu as a women LOL)



8. I love you - 2NE1
This one is slower than many other 2NE1 songs, but shows that they can sing these songs, too.



9. Humanoids – TVXQ
The newest release on my list. I missed them a lot so it's really cool, that they are finally back. And the song is really cool.


10. Touch – Miss A
Last but not least is this song. I love the song soo much. And the sound at the beginning of the song is really cute.



Other special things to mention:
-Gangnam Style by Psy -> because it got soo popular. 1 billion clicks on YouTube.. WOOOOW o.O
- EXO. The teasers annoyed me, but the songs on the mini-album are all great (fave: Two moons).


2012 Japanese Songs that I liked:
'Ren'ai Hunter' by Morning Musume (This really brought me more into J-pop, even though I first watched it a months after its release.. like July?)
'UZA' by AKB48 (Because with this one I started to become an AKB48 fan)
'Kataomoi Finally' by SKE48 (In this one I finally recognized Jurina as the cool one I liked in UZA, LOL [I watched it in October so yeah for me it was AFTER UZA] xP And I want to review it some time... because of the aaaawesome video and of course the dance and the cool song xP)
'Saraba itoshiki kanashimi-tachi yo' by Momoiro Clover Z (I knew them before, but with THIS song I began to care more about them)
'Cha Cha Sing' by Berryz Koubou (I talked about it before. It's so addicting)
'Aitai, Aitai, Aitai na' by C-ute (a cool song that helped me liking them so much more)

Japanese Idols:
- Takahashi Ai: Probably the biggest impact one me (lol). Well, she was the first I could tell apart in  Nanchatte Ren'ai (my first song of MM) so she somehow was the first I wanted to learn more about.



Niigaki Risa: I recognized her second after Ai in MMs videos and then she slowly turned into one of my all-time favourites of the group. Well, sadly she graduated. *sob* I'll miss her funny expressions and her voicee -.-



- Ikuta Erina: One of the first to recognize from these new kids (9th and 10th gen.). She is just so funny and gets better with every single. ;) Aaaand her love for Gaki is soo cute. :3



- Yoshizawa Hitomi: Brought me into old Morning Musume. Yeayy <3 xD Such a cool and funny personality and I really like her tomboy appereance.



- Oshima Yuko: One of the first to notice between the thousands of girls in AKB48 ;) And that means something. She has a funny smile and her personality is great.




- Miyazawa Sae: I didn't actually recognize her that fast. But after seeing more videos of her, she climbed to the top of my AKB ranking (that doesn't really exist). She's just so funny and adorable, the Genking-person of the group. Well, sadly she was transferred to SNH48. *sob* But at least she didn't left the whole group.



- Matsui Jurina: Last but not least another big impact... The girl that looked soo cool in UZA *-*
No but really, after learning more about her she is such a great person, I love her in the music videos, she's such a pimp but at the same time cute and most times defenitely doesn't look (and behave) like she's only 15.







Now a little bit more about Super Junior ;)
I went to my first and only K-pop concert this year and it was Super Juniors Super Show 4. *yeaaaay*
For that, me and my family drove the long way to Paris... sooo cool! (I had soo much luck that it was in my holiday) My mom and me went to the concert, while my dad and my sis walked through the city. My mom actually likes them. xP And after the concert she liked them even more.
I've never met that much Super Junior or even K-pop fans before. That was such a great experience *-*
The concert was really awesome, I enjoyed every minute of it and had to cry at the end. -.- Aaaaaand when they went around the audience, Sungmin walked to the corner where I stood aaaand so close that I could touch him. *-* I could shake his haaaand :D That was soooo cool :3
Only Super Junior with all members (or at least Heechul back) could top that!! Or Big Bang, that would be also cool.^^



SO when I'm already talking about Super Junior, I also have to mention Hangeng.
I started to look at his solo work this year and was really surprised. His songs are SOOO good. o.O
And then, shortly after that he released his 2nd Album with more awesome songs. I absolutely love Clown Mask and all the other songs. *-*



My first Blog
This year was also important, because I opened my first blog. *yeayyy*
I wanted to post about K-pop and other things I like, but soehow I think I posted more about J-pop. :'D But it's another genre I really, really like and love to know more about.
I will continue to post things next year, so stay tuned. Muahahaha
Bye, bye and enjoy your last day of 2012 (I definetely will).
Ronii


Sunday, December 30, 2012

A quick PV check with Koishikute

Today I'm going to review Koda Kumis song ''Koichikute''.
I randomly found out that it existed after it did so well on the charts (and it still does). Koda Kumi is an artist I really, really like. She was one of the first Japanese ones I listened to. But after she went on hiatus I kinda forgot about her. :T But now I'm back, muahahaha.
Okay, so the song is a lovely, sad ballad. That's a big difference to her more usual upbeat songs (with sexy PVs and everything). Well, she did ballads before but it's nice to have one agein.
To talk about the PV I will do some screen shots again. ;)



The song starts with the beautiful piano playing. *-* And the piano is played by no one.... o.O


Then Kumi appears in all her natural beauty (not that natural because she still has some make-up, but it's more natural then in some other videos of her) with a sad expression.


Now she has a more heavy make-up with a little veil on her eyes. And it looks beautiful. *-*


Kumi-chan walks alone in another direction then all the other people.


And she's still sad... (innocent little Kumi)


Return of sexy Kumi. Okay not THAT much, but she doesn't look as innocent as she did before :'D


 Listen all to her beautiful voice.
And see, you don't need to be sexy to make a good PV ;)


DRESS!! WOW xD It looks cool.
And the orchestra in the background. Awesome!


But Kumi cries. Noo don't cry!! <3


And breaks down... Oh noo... :T


But in the end she sees the light *-*

All in all I think the PV is done really good with wonderful shots of her. It shows the sadness of a departure and loss of her. But in the end the light shines for a new beginning. *-*
The PV and the song go really good together.

As the title said, this is only a short review, because I have noo timee.. :T
I have to finish my year-end post. :'D
Bye, bye ;)

Friday, December 28, 2012

Help me, because the dance is just so awesome :3

The DANCE, the DANCE, the DAAAANCE!!! It's sooo good!!
Uhm, sorry. You don't know what I'm talking about?

I'm talking about Morning Musumes new single ''Help me!'' or more specially about the dance.
When I watched it, I wasn't expecting something this fierce and cool. It's so amaazing how they are in synch and how they suddenly pop out and everything. I think the whole street concept looks really good and different to their other songs (I mean especially these rooms like in Ren'ai Hunter or OTT. Okay this one isn't on a real street either BUT it looks different for a change).
Well, about the outfit I'm not sure. At first I thought they were really awfull. (Why add pink to the leoprint????) But now I'm kinda fine with it. I still don't really like it but in the whole video it looks (kinda) good. :'D

I have to get used to that. And why does Zukki always have a pigtail? She looks so much better without one *sigh* But Ayumis new hair colour looks good^^
 
About the dance again, I think it was really cool how Sakura was in the middle in the beginning and everyone looked to her. It gives off a nice start for her. But after that I didn't really see her that much. Okay, she was in the middle whe she sang her lines (her reeaaally awesome lines, I will come to that later) but then nothing. Well, she's still new so I can understand that (I'm looking forward to her solo shots).
What was also odd was the lack of Reina. Okay she was there, had more lines than some other members, 'closed' the video and was the only one with an outstanding hair colour (between these dark haired girl) but she didn't stand out. Or it's just me and I'm concetrating more on the other members..
Like Zukki and Eri-pon (although she looked a little bit bored. Whyyyy??). Or Masaki and Haruka (twin-kids, because I couldn't tell them apart at the beginning). Masaki was at the front so much, that was really cool. And I liked how Haruka suddenly came in the center. Oh, and Riho. In the dance shot she really shined next to Ayumi.
But about her lines... Is it just me or is her voice getting worse? I really liked her voice at the beginning (although I still don't like that she is pushed so much to the front). But now she sounds like a little mouse and is just squeaking the whole song. :T
 
So, when I'm now already speaking about her voice I can talk about the song and the other voices in general. The line distributing is better. You can hear mouse voice and Reinas the most but they don't overshadow the others that much. They also have many shared lines, for example with Sayu (and her 'Ah' is back....). But the others still can't really shine like Reina or Riho in terms of vocals (the two exceptions will come in an instant). Even though their voices got better. I think I just have to wait for the B-sides.
 
But the best two come now.
Sakura, because her voice is really amazing, especially for a new member. I can already see all the new fans coming (hopefully).
Fuku-hime was a little bit better (in my opinion). She had her little speech and her solo was amaazing. I kinda like Sakuras voice more, but Mizuki owned the video and song!
Did I talk about everyone? Nope. And I'm sorry, but I just didn't see Haruna anywhere. It's not that I don't like her but she doesn't caption my eyes. :T To me, she is boring and I don't know why. *sigh* I hope to see more of her in the future (because she was awesome in DIY).
 
As a whole, the song is again with auto-tune and this electro tune. AGAIN.. agaaiiiin. Okay, it sounds good/ better and I hope they will sell many singles BUT can't Tsunku do something else for a change??
For Reinas graduation song I hope for something more bad-ass without auto-tune (like 'Shabondama', because that's her first song with MM). I also think they need a ballad again. They do many of them as B-sides and album songs but come on, when did they release their last ballad single? Shouganai Yume Oibito? Except of being a wonderful piece of music wasn't it their last number one hit?? See?
I just hope they won't continue this electro sound forever. After Reinas graduation they will only be little kids (+Sayumi, but we know how much she loves pink.. and little girls) so what about a catchy cute song with all of them in pink dresses and everyone getting a line?? I can dream. ;)
 
All in all I just hope the actual PV for Help me! won't be such a mees with all these sparkles like the two singles before. (thank you PV preview for not having them. Instead there are other flashing lights because of the traffic on in the 'city' *sigh*) We will see ;)
 
Hm, I wrote more than I wanted and it's a mess but I tried to express my thoughts on this.
Until next time
Ronii~
 
Side note:
 
IF I buy any copy of it (it depends on how the actual PV and B-sides will be) I will take this one:
 

 

New Yoooork *-*




Hey
Me and my family were in New York for a few days over Christmas. It was like a Christmas present *yeayy*, so I didn't get any more presents *ouuuh*. Okay a few sweets and jelwelry but it was fine. I'm satisfied.











New York was really, really cool. We went on top of the Empire State Building.




There we could see the whole city:

We also went on top of 'The top of the Rock' where we could see the city + the Empire State Building (I think that was better, because the ESB looks so cool).



We then went to the Time Square.



And to the Central Park.



And also Brooklyn Bridge and Ground Zero. And we saw the Statue of Liberty:



It was really full and it didn't really feel like Christmas. But there were Christmas trees all over the city, Christmas music was played (or sung on the streets) and we went in the St Patricks Cathedral on Christmas Eve.

It began to snow when we were departing (you see the big snow storm right now in the US? o.O). But nevertheless it was really nice.



I also liked that our hotel had a Japanese TV channel. I could watch Music Station with Momoclo, Mayuyu, YUI and others *-*. I was soo happy.
And in Chinatown I found two shops where I bought something.
In the first shops I bought a CD of Super Junior which contains all their Chinese songs and the 3rd and 5th album.



Then I found a shop with more Japanese CDs. And I bought AKB48s single UZA Type B (I'm really turning into a fan o.O).



Sadly it's the cover I liked the least and also the Team I like the least but it's still good. In my opinion Team A had the best song/ PV (just OMG!!) and K was okay (well, the song wasn't that good but the video was quite cool) but I'm happy with my cover, and the Team B song is better than I thought. It's actually really good, now that I listen to it more... The Undergirls song is also really cute but the video reminds me of GakiKame theater (am I the only one). Okay that's not bad. It's funny to see these girls throwing things. xD And some of them are really good (1 take, wow). Aaaand I've got the cutest video of Gingham Check ever *-* LOL, even though I still don't understand it.
And the best... My photocard:

Jurinaaaa.. OMG! xD


In Koreatown I also bought a new Super Junior calendar for 2013.
It's so cute:

so cute *-*


So, that's it...
I'm still tired from the flight.
Bye, bye and good night~

Sae is baack.. :D 
Okay not really because it's another version of Gingham Check, but I was surprised to see her ;)