Wow even after having heard about all the hype over it…this still turned out to be a story we didn't expect…like…a story we couldn't possibly have expected…
【推しの子】 a.k.a. [Oshi no Ko]~
Written by the same writer who wrote [Kaguya-sama: Love Is War] 赤坂 アカ (Aka Akasaka)…no wonder this series is so highly anticipated & hyped…
& deservingly so…yes especially with the OP theme…which suddenly becomes much more tremendously impactful with so much meaning after watching the curiously extraordinary 1st episode - a 90-min movie-length episode itself no less!
[YOASOBI「アイドル」(Idol) from 『YOASOBI ARENA TOUR 2023 "電光石火"』2023.6.4@さいたまスーパーアリーナ]~
Would sure love to watch this live in Japan too…to experience the local stage presence of YOASOBI & the vocal prowess of Ikura~
& what a song…what an incredible song that sounds so happy for those who don't understand a thing but so terribly sad for those who do~
The bar is set high for everything about a story set in the Entertainment industry…
Seriously can't wait for Season 2…it's so heart-tugging so heart-lugging…can't stop looking into this darkness deeply hidden behind this dazzling light…made up of lies…
Song of the Day: Idol - YOASOBI
```今日きょうも嘘うそをつくの。。。 ```この言葉ことばがいつか本当ほんとうになる日ひを願ねがって。。。 ```それでもまだ。。。 ```君きみと君きみにだけは言いえずにいたけど```
Translation:
```And so…today…I lie again… ```The words I vocalize inside of me… ```I'm wishing that one day they will come true… ```But even so…still I have been unable to tell you…and you alone```
Even the music is levelling up - both the Part 1 & Part 2 OPs are EPIC~
Okay actually it's Animenz's versions that I'm just so truly in love with…
…even before we had even started on S4 or heard the original versions!
[Boku no Sensou (My War) - Attack on Titan: Final Season [Piano] / Shinsei Kamattechan] by Animenz~
[The Rumbling - Attack on Titan Final Season OP [Piano] / SiM] by Animenz~
Like…before I even knew or could even guess what THE RUMBLING really is!
& I don't even think I'll ever get sick of either of these two versions…like ever…
Song of the Day: The Rumbling - SiM
```If I lose it all outside the wall… ```Live to die another day… ```I don't want anything… ```I'm just here to… ```Beware! ```Rumbling…Rumbling…it's coming! ```Rumbling…Rumbling… ```Coming for you!```
Piece of the Day: The Other Side of the Sea - KOHTA YAMAMOTO & Hiroyuki Sawano 澤野弘之
We did not expect it…but this movie turned out to BE the end to the story for good…
[劇場版 ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデン] a.k.a. [Violet Evergarden: The Movie]~
Like when was the last time I've been so overwhelmed with feels of this level?
Sincerely…I mean seriously…everything about this movie is just about perfect…from its story…to its script…to its music…to its animation…to its pace…it's all perfect…
…perfect for the shedding of tears from the beginning to the end of the movie~
Back in Singapore now & our minds are still on [Waitress]…
Well with two days in London…we managed to catch both~
[Wicked] @ Apollo Victoria Theatre~
It's an excellent show…which certainly met all of my already-high expectations~
But this…[Waitress]…has exceeded all of my actually-even-higher expectations!
[Waitress] @ Adelphi Theatre~
My excitement for this show had actually developed from early last year after coming across this video…which has got me yearning to watch the full live show ever since…
…& I never imagined I'd get the opportunity to watch it this year! It's such a blessing!
Seriously…just get a taste of this!
[It Only Takes A Taste - Sara Bareilles and Jason Mraz]~
& while at it…check out the Tony's opening of 2018 as well~ the 72nd Tony Awards last year was hosted by Sara Bareilles & Josh Groban!
[Sara Bareilles Josh Groban Tony Awards Opening]~
Encouragingly inspirational!
The ending's awesome as well!
Makes me so hyped up I'm re-watching the openings for 2012 & 2013 too!
It's been 5 years since the Tony's opening had last got me this hyped up…
Well the bar that Neil Patrick Harris had set in 2013 was just way too high!
Song of the Day: It Only Takes A Taste - Katharine McPhee & David Hunter
```It only takes a taste… ```When it’s something special… ```It only takes a taste… ```When ya know it’s good… ```Sometimes one bite is more than enough… ```To know you want more of the thing you just got a taste of```
With an ED performed by Kalafina & all OSTs also created by Yuki Kajiura…it should somehow already be a very clear hint that we should be expecting a dark series…
& yup sure enough…it's not rainbows & butterflies…at all…
The poetic medley of selected [Madoka] OSTs by Animenz is really beautiful…
[Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica - Soundtrack Medley] by Animenz~
& here's an epic live performance of the epic ending theme [Magia] by Kalafina:
[Magia (quattro)] - Kalafina live @ Arena 2016~
It's really sad that the Kalafina-Kajiura combo has officially ended after 10 years of awesomeness…with Kalafina also having disbanded just earlier this year…
Cheers to Kalafina!
Song of the Day: Magia - Kalafina
```躊躇いを飲み干して 。。。 ```君が望むモノは何？ ```こんな欲深い憧れの行方に。。。 ```儚い明日はあるの？```
Piece of the Day: Sis Puella Magica! - Yuki Kajiura 梶浦 由記
Revisiting this Ghibli classic after many years…so many that I've lost count of…
[千と千尋の神隠し] a.k.a. [Spirited Away]~
Was simply inspired to re-watch this movie after seeing for the first time & being mesmerized by two related videos of performances on youtube earlier this week…
& I'd say watching it this second time has left a deeper impression than the first…
Anyway…am totally blown away by these beautifully awesome performances…
[Studio Ghibli Medley (piano)] by Animenz~
[Joe Hisaishi in Budokan Studio Ghibli 25 Years Concert - Inochi no Namae, & Futatabi]~
The film is gold…the art is gold…the music is gold…the performances are gold…
Song of the Day: いのちの名前 (The Name of Life) - Ayaka Hirahara 平原 綾香
Piece of the Day: すすワタリ (Sootballs) - Joe Hisaishi 久石 譲
Okay so…honey was not involved in any literal manner…but the moon sure was~
As well as the sun~
Watched 2 films on the entertainment-filled SQ flight to our holiday destination…
(& then none on the completely entertainment-free Silkair flight back last night):
[Wonder Woman]~
Wow this film has got some impressive soundtracks!
[兄に愛されすぎて困ってます] a.k.a. [My Brother Loves Me Too Much]~
Hmm no idea how did I even manage to finish watching this…
It has been ONE WHOLE YEAR since my last flight out of the country~
2017 had been a very uneventful year in the travel department for me…
Yeah now that aside…to one of the most-hyped destination locations in the world for couples on honeymoon we went - with me having like…no expectations whatsoever with regards to the trip prior to it (considering that I'm practically not even remotely a sun/sand/sea/beach person to begin with)~ had neither suggested it nor planned for it nor even thought anything much about it on my part as well to say the least? LOL!
But hey on the other hand…mll had in fact spent a long time researching & planning for this trip…choosing the resort/package/add-ons & all…(while I had no idea about the available options about anything…I mean…having done zero research after all)…& I really appreciate that he had chosen an adults-only resort plus its best room…
With the best (sunset) & the most private view of all the rooms in the entire resort~
(Which now that I've been there…I know clearly for sure it's been the best for us~)
Having the ball of sun in front of us~
Or the crescent moon in front of us~
& a balcony perfect for sun-viewing / moon-viewing~
Seems that the years' worth of exposure to quality shoujo material has paid off! LOL!
Or more like…a decade-long's process of effective learning & training & development has proven fruitful…for mll has leveled up again in the art of romantic love! Yay! LOL!
Anyway…having snorkeled 4 times in 3 days…I'm really thankful that we had made the two best (as in…the most practical) investments for this trip in the form of two particular purchases: our own full-faced snorkeling masks & an underwater camera~
Under the sea~
Well as for taking photos above the sea…my phone's still my preferred choice?
On the rocks~
Above the water surface~
5 minutes of Badminton & 15 minutes of Kayaking we tried…
(not that I ran or rowed…but these I'll count as exercise too)~
& that's Maldives - a pretty good place for mutual learning & discovery for couples~
It's precious for us to both believe…that no matter how long two people have been together with each other (doesn't matter at all whether it's been a year or a decade or three or five)…there will surely always be new things to learn & discover about each other…so it's good always to learn & discover new things about each other - be they surprisingly new things that annoy each other or new things to love about each other~
(This shall be considered as months' belated rather than months in advance~)
By the way…this song was on repeat on the TV all throughout our stay at the resort:
The Coral Song~
A melodically pleasing & educational song applicable to & suitable for both adults & children alike…this is genuinely a beautifully well-written & nicely animated work…
& then there was Malé…the capital city of Maldives…where we had spent a day…
Okay can I just say that the best thing about all tourist attractions in Malé is that they all have Pokégyms with weak defenses…which is AWESOME for this reason alone has led us to get really acquainted & familiar with them in a way unmatched by hardly any other? In the shortest time possible with the least amount of intentional effort?
Not kidding! LOL!
Seriously…we had actually made it our mission to level up as many of the gyms as possible during our 1.5 days' stay in the city~ & the result is that every of these locations (to which I own gym badges of) in this city has all left on us deep-enough impressions…& significant-enough memories of each of all these places in this city~
& then with regards to the only gym existent on the island where our resort stood…
Silver's the goal! LOL!
On the way back yesterday…had left a little something in the country of Maldives as well…or more specifically…in the departure hall of the Velana International Airport…
…which was still there like just a while ago…
Didn't manage to make a 24-hr stay in the end…but with 23hr 33min in…I'm content!
One of the best things about this trip is really the 50 pokecoins per day for the taking!
Overlooking my slight tan (not actually from life at the resort but from a day of walking in the city of Malé)…the aching muscles in my thighs (which have kicked in now)…& the degree to which I'm missing Basil pork with rice in its real authentic Thai style…
Here's our celebratory toast overlooking the sea~
To our honeymoon 1.0!
All thanks be to Him whose favour is upon us!
Song of the Day: The Coral Song - A.J. Jenkins
```So please…don't step on me```
Piece of the Day: Action Reaction - Rupert Gregson-Williams
For my greatest desire is to walk close to Him…walk intentionally with Him & walk well for Him~
Song of the Day: Fires of Revival - Heather Clark
Quote of the Day: See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. -Ephesians 5:15-17
Yuzuru Hanyu 羽生結弦 Hanyū Yuzuru, born 7 December 1994) is a Japanese figure skater who competes in the men's singles discipline. He is the 2014 Olympic champion, a two-time World champion (2014, 2017), a four-time Grand Prix Final champion (2013–2016), a three-time Four Continents silver medalist (2011, 2013, 2017), the 2010 World Junior champion, the 2009–10 Junior Grand Prix Final champion, and a four-time Japanese national champion (2012–2015). He has also medaled at three other World Championships, taking bronze in 2012, and silver in 2015 and 2016.
Hanyu has broken world records eleven times, and currently holds the world records for the highest short program, free skating, and combined total scores. He is the first man to have broken the 100-point barrier in the men's short program, the 200-point barrier in the men's free skating, and the 300-point barrier in the combined total score, as well as being the first Asian figure skater competing in men's singles to win the Olympic gold. At the age of nineteen, he was the youngest male skater to win the Olympic title since Dick Button in 1948. At the 2015–2016 Grand Prix Final, he broke the record for the largest victory margin, with 37.48 points. At the 2016 CS Autumn Classic International, Hanyu became the first skater in history to successfully land a quadruple loop in competition. He is the first men's singles skater from Asia to win multiple World Championships. He also became the first skater to complete three quadruple jumps in the second half of a free skating program, at the 2017 World Team Trophy.
Finally! Finally…I've completed the series of this popular title:
[けいおん!] a.k.a. [K-On!]
[けいおん!!] a.k.a. [K-On!!]
[けいおん! 映画] a.k.a. [K-On! The Movie]~
Two seasons + a movie = heartwarming~
Actually it had taken an incredibly long time for me to complete the series…mainly because I was really on the verge of ditching it so many times took really long breaks in between almost every other episode throughout its first season…
Until I happened to come across some video recordings of the actual seiyuus (voice actresses) for the series at it live…& then all of a sudden I had obtained all the motivation that's needed to get past Season 1 & into Season 2 already LOL…
Like seriously…had wanted to get to where all these great songs make their debut!
[K-On! Houkago Tea Time - No Thank You!] Live Concert~
[K ON! Houkago Tea Time - Pure Pure Heart] Live Concert~
Apparently they had picked up the same instruments of their respective characters that they voice…& turned the fictitious band into a real one (at least for a few songs played live) in a 放課後ティータイム (Houkago Tea Time)'s live concert!
Admirable~
Impressive~
Amazing~
Inspiring~
Now now…I'm finding a little motivation to work on the bars for my F&Bs as well!
Piece of the Day: Have Some Tea - Hajime Hyakkoku 百石 元
Wow the same composer of [Fairy Tail] & [Log Horizon] OST who can make exciting action sound captivating can make eerie melancholy sound just as captivating…
[Best of 屍鬼 Shiki OST - Yasuharu Takanashi 高梨 康治]~
It's time to soak up the feels!
Piece of the Day: Eau de Vie - Yasuharu Takanashi 高梨 康治
It's simply amazing how…without prior notice of any kind…unexpected mediums through which similarly subjected messages would make their way into my heart seemed to have fallen from the sky & landed straight in my lap one after another…
Since the beginning of October 2015:
[Every Good Endeavor]~
[Why Your Dreams are Delayed]~
[Discover the Dream for Your Life]~
[Awaken the Dream within Your Heart]~
[Don't Waste Your Life]~
& then September 2016 arrived…
…with something else equally unexpected falling into my possession…
Will just declare upfront that we started watching this series because I was already deeply in love with its 1st season's OP since I had first chanced upon it a while ago~
& so these few days were spent on the two available seasons of:
[Spice And Wolf] a.k.a. [狼と香辛料]
a.k.a. [Ōkami to Kōshinryō]~
However…was totally unprepared to learn the sad news upon googling the song's composer Tomohiko Kira (吉良 知彦)…that he had passed away just last month!
[旅の途中] a.k.a. [Tabi no Tochū] sung by Natsumi Kiyoura 清浦夏実~
Definitely one of the most beautiful songs ever!
Beautifully composed…beautifully performed…
It's nice how the whole story has got this old European-style setting & atmosphere…
It's certainly unconventional & pretty rare for a story of fantasy & romance to have its storyline built so strongly & tightly around economics & trade as well…explaining & illustrating the various business risks & gains that come along with it…
Ahh & the art of flirting at its finest can be so sweet yet so sad at the same time…
Although I'm not sure how…I'm hoping for a sweet & satisfying ending for this story!
& it seems that my heart…would need to go on a journey as well~
Song of the Day: 旅の途中 - Natsumi Kiyoura 清浦夏実
```差し出すその手を。。。 ```つないでいいなら。。。 ```どこまで行こうか。。。 ```君と二人で。。。 ```どこへも行けるよ。。。 ```まだ見ぬ世界の。。。 ```ざわめき 香りを。。。 ```抱きしめに行こう```
Translation:
```If it’s okay for me to hold… ```Your outstretched hand… ```Then where shall we go? ```Together with you… ```We can go anywhere… ```Let’s go embrace… ```The commotion and aroma… ```Of the world still unseen```
Quote of the Day: 商人は計画を立て、予測をし、事実と照らし合わせて商売をする。 -クラフト・ロレンス in [狼と香辛料] S2 E6
Translation: Merchants conduct business by making plans, predicting things, and checking those assumptions against the facts. -Kraft Lawrence in [Spice And Wolf] S2 E6
This was the first video performance by Animenz which I stumbled across (thanks to [Tokyo Ghoul] of course!) that literally made my jaw drop when I saw it for the first time last September (which has now already like… >14.9 million views…no kidding)~
I mean…up till that point in time I had never even really thought that guitar riffs could seriously be "play-able" / "perform-able" on a piano!
Never in my wildest imagination could I have visualized that such a complicated (& I really mean impressively composed!) song like THIS with such a thick texture…swiftly abrupt melodic-changes & whatnot…could be so well-transcribed/arranged (while being true to the original) & so well-executed double-handedly on a piano!
It's one of my all-time favourite songs in anime history to begin with…& this cover absolutely amplifies my love for it!
'Nuff said~
[Jiyuu no Tsubasa] - [Attack On Titan] OP2 (Piano Cover)~
(Duet with Tehishter)~
I sincerely thank Animenz & Teheister (the other pianist/arranger whom I look up to) for completely transforming & revolutionizing the world of piano music & anime music & pop music…at the same time!
Seriously…eargasm has never been more apt a word to be used…
& I'm so immensely glad to be alive!
Quote of the Day: Listening to him play was like discovering an eagle in the wild. It was tumblingly bewitching. She could feel and hear genius she knew it. -Debra Anastasia
Ohh did I mention as well that I had just re-watched the entire 22+1 episodes of [Shigatsu Kimi no Uso] just this week a month ago again?
My feels are uncontrollable & insuppressible!
& I'm sure I'll never get tired of them ever!
For my heart & my soul & my entire being of existence…live to be inspired~
Song of the Day: 光るなら - Goose house
```君だよ 君なんだよ 教えてくれた。。。 ```暗闇も光るなら 星空になる。。。 ```悲しみを笑顔に もう隠さないで。。。 ```煌めくどんな星も 君を照らすから```
Translation:
```It's you…you who taught me… ```If the darkness shines too…then it'll become a night of stars… ```Don't hide your sadness behind a laughing face anymore… ```Because all the twinkling stars will shine on you```
The original singer behind a familiar song (even though I've never actually paid attention to the anime series it opens for) that I had heard playing on TV often in my younger days…has passed away just barely a week ago…
Translation:
```After an endless dream…in this miserable world… ```That's right…maybe not using common sense isn't so bad after all… ```Even with these awkward wings…dyed with images that seem to stay… ```I'm sure we can fly… ```On my love```
The special occasion in the form of a particular day in the calendar year where romantic love is more intentionally celebrated than any other day in the calendar year is approaching soon once again…
So it's probably time for a love song or two?
Here's two from the collaborative project [終わりの惑星の Love Song]…a J-pop music concept album produced by Jun Maeda 麻枝准 featuring vocalist Nagi Yanagi やなぎなぎ introducing atypical original love songs like no other…
Each an atypical original love story of its own…finely illustrated no less:
[無敵の Soldier] a.k.a. [The Invincible Soldier]~
[彼女は見せしめに吊され] a.k.a. [The Executioner's Love]~
Truly beautiful works that are nothing short of impressive! Love them!
The soundtrack is equivalent to the soul of the anime…& Yuki Kajiura (梶浦由記) & her solo project FictionJunction are definitely the strength behind it for [Tsubasa Chronicle]~
So energetic & addictive…it's brilliant!
[Aikoi] Studio by FictionJunction YUUKA~
[Aikoi] Live by FictionJunction YUUKA~
[Dream Scape] Studio by FictionJunction KAORI~
[Dream Scape] Live by FictionJunction KAORI~
The recorded sounds of the live concert are unexpectedly clean & so pleasantly good…
& the vibes from the performances by the group are also great…
I'm really impressed!
Anyway all the other compositions in all of the soundtracks of [Tsubasa Chronicle] by Yuki Kajiura are wonderful as well!
