Tracklist:

01 S・A・Y・O・N・A・R・A
02 You’re The Only One （DJ KAORI with JAY’ED）
03 Miss DJ!! （DJ KAORI&DOUBLE）

再UP    *ttp://www.multiupload.com/ENRE6BSXRJ
pw = kmc

In politics there are so many things you will sacrifice; relationships, moral values, honor and dignity, freedom, security, and resources. All for the sake of your political goals and ambition. And when you win an elective position there are people you need to thank too for their support and sacrifices. But when we thank people who helped us we don’t just say it in words, we have to give in to their demands from simple thing as giving a cabinet position to a friend to highly complex multi-billion transaction involving tax payer’s money, etc. 

With this set-up in our political system and governance how can you get rid of corruption? Only people change but the system remains basically corrupt.

Sa pulitika kung may aalis ay mayroon ding magbabalik. Sabi nga nila politics is addition. Kapag nagbawas ka ng kasamahan ay nangangahulugan ang panghihina ng iyong political party. Ngunit ito’y isang reyalidad na sa ating sistema ng pulitika, darating at darating ang panahon na ang iyong mga kaalyado ay lilisanin ang iyong partido para sa kanilang sariling interest. Kaya tuloy nasabi nila, sa pulitika walang permanenteng kaibigan, wala ring permanenteng kaaway, mayroon lang permanenteng interest bawat pulitiko.

Kaya sa pagpili ng iyong makakasama sa pagtakbo-from the national to the local office-kailangan mo ang isang matapat at mapagkakatiwalaang running mate. Ito ang naging problema nina Manny Villar at Gibo Teodoro, matagal din silang naghintay bago nakakuha sila ng kanya-kanyang running mate sa pagka bise-presidente. Kapwa nga nilang inawitan si Loren Legarda ngunit isa lang ang naging mapalad sa kanila, si Manny Villar. Finally nakapili din si Gibo ng running mate, kapwa niya guwapo na si Edu Manzano.

Ngunit sa pagtakbong iyan ni Edu ay may kapalit. Nawala sa kanya ang babaeng kanyang minamahal-si Pinky Webb. Magpapakasal na nga lang ngunit ingaw ng pulitika ang kanilang relasyon. Matagal din ang kanilang pinagsamahan at nakapanghihinayang. Ngunit dahil lamang sa tawag ng pulitika naglaho ang isang matamis na pagmamahalan.

Noong una si Ate Vilma nga ang sinusuyo ng administration party Lakas-Kampi-CMD na maging running mate sana ni Gibo ngunit nabigo ang partido ni Ginang Arroyo. Ayon pala ay may balak ang mag-asawang Governor Vilma Santos at former Senator Ralph Recto na lumipat ng partido. Sa LP sila nangibang-bakod. Welcome naman sila kay Noynoy Aquino at Mar Roxas, at sa mga iba pang matataas na pinuno ng LP. At dahil diyan ay naka-line up na rin si kuya Ralph Recto na tumakbo bilang senador sa partidong Liberal.

Sa kasamaang palad hindi naman ito nagustohan ni former senator Sergio “Serge”  Osmena dahil ayaw niyang makasama sa kampanya si Ralph na itinuturing niyang matapat na alagad ni Ginang Arroyo na siyang naging daan upang maisabatas ang E-Vat. Dahil dito ay nagpasyang iwan na lang ng dating senador ang kanyang partido. At least hindi plastic itong si Serge Osmena, ngunit saan naman kaya siya lilipat? Saan naman kaya siya ipapadpad ng kapalaran sa pulitika?

Hindi rin nagustohan ng mga kaanib ni senador Manny Villar na mga taga Party List (Ka Satur, etc.) ang pagsasanib puwersa ng NP at KBL ni Bongbong Marcos. Kinukuwestion nila ito. Hindi pa malinaw kung anong aksiyon ang kanilang gagawin kapag formal nang nagsanib ang NP at KBL. Sa totoo lang ang KBL ay dati namang NP iyan na siyang partido ng nasirang si Apo Ferdie Marcos.

Ay, pulitika. May umaalis, may lumilipat, may bumabalik, may nagkakahiwalay at may nagkakaalyansa. Ay, sayonara, sa ‘yo na lang siya. Puwedi ba?

During a browse around Borders, I noticed a newly minted edition of John Hersey’s Hiroshima featuring a colour-enhanced photo of the skeletal, eerily beautiful Peace Memorial Dome that survived the bomb. Finding this 2009 edition was a matter of days after Barack Obama accepted the invitation from the Mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to be the first US President to visit the two cities hit by atomic bombs. The date has yet to be fixed, as his recent Asia tour wouldn’t allow sufficient time to do such a historic visit justice.

Back to the book: I found my own copy at a vintage bookshop in Chichester, with the iconic original 1940s Penguin cover (orange bands top and bottom). I was surprised to see a fresh edition on the bookshelves, and a quick check of the publishing dates explained why. The two most recent ed’s were in 2002 – when I emigrated to the UK – and 2004 – the year I was married. I wasn’t likely to be scouring the bookshelves as I normally like to do during those years. This being my first experience with a copy yet to be coffee-stained or have its spine broken, it was like fresh hope for a whole set of new readers from 2009 onwards.

The new edition also resonates well with the US President’s pledges regarding nuclear disarmament. He reiterated this desire in his speech in Tokyo last weekend; the assembled great and good appeared relieved at the mention, though there was the now typical reserve of enthusiasm that meets any promise made by both Obama and PM Hatoyama. Both men are dealing with nations that suffered from too much of the same, for far too long. But I digress…

Hersey’s Hiroshima is a straight up, intensive, quick read that has left its recorded memories in my mind for good. WWII is by far the most difficult subject of my Japan reading, and I can’t even get started on the movies. Well, about 8 years ago I saw Sayonara with Marlon Brando and the Oscar-winning Miyoshi Umeki but it was more gorgeous than genuinely upsetting (daringly so on both counts, considering it was made in 1957).

For a first-person look at modern Hiroshima, you can check out Lioness in Japan’s blog about her October trip to the area. I know it sounds soppy, but you do wonder at the ability of human civilization to flourish and progress so beautifully after something so devastating. Alright, attempted poetic moment over.

Note: the coffee-stains on my Penguin vintage editions are my way of showing love to them…and making them smell good forever

I won’t say that I’ve decided for sure, but I am seriously considering closing the fracas blog for good. If I had to give odds or state the percentage it’s likely to close or stay open, I’d say 85% closed, 15% open. I know, I know… there are all these great posts sitting in ‘draft’ that might never see the light of day. More jokes, more posts about women with three boobs, posts about chocolate and another round of Christmas cartoons to make your season jolly… but they, like so many drug-abusing celebrities, might have to die an early death.

I would have a ‘going out of business’ sale but since WordPress.com has never allowed us to outright sell anything from our blogs I can’t do that either, so… (spoken like a true soup nazi) no deals for you!

I could relentlessly harass visitors for donations… but I doubt that would bring folks in like a ‘going out of business’ sale might, so, it seems this post will have to do until I decide what I’m doing. 

For old time’s sake, I thought I should probably post a sexy bra photo. I know it’s Sunday. God will probably smite me or something, but it’s a risk I’ll just have to take for the benefit of the fraccy viewers.

Now do you understand how much I’ve loved you and risked for you, lo these many months?

Aquí os dejo la recopilación de los openings de este anime (de los más bizarros que he visto últimamente D: )

Espero que… ¿Os guste?

Mais de 62 mil pessoas estiveram no Mineirão para se despedir do lateral-esquerdo Sorín. Meus poucos anos como telespectador o coloca entre os melhores na posição.

Raça argentina, carisma e técnica verde-amarela. Nunca foi desleal. Marcava gols e aos adversários. Cruzamentos que pareciam passes, mágicos, terminavam na rede.

Talvez o único argentino que tenha sido aplaudido ao marcar um gol contra o Brasil. Talvez o único brasileiro não naturalizado, nascido na Argentina.

Sayonara!

Tracklist:

01： SA・YO・NA・RA ～君を忘れないよ～

05： キズナ ～Get a DREAM～(Original Karaoke)

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pw = kmc

Ringo Mogire Beam ! – Ootsuki Kenji and Zetsubou Shoujotachi

Ringo mogire biimu!
Ringo mogire biimu!
Ringo mogire biimu!
yua raifu chenjisu eburishingu!

Apple Picking Beam!
Apple Picking Beam!
Apple Picking Beam!
Your Life Changes Everything!

Kimi ga omou sono mama no koto utau dareka mitsukete mo
Sugu ni koi ni ochite wa dame sa
“Oshigoto de yatteru dake kamo yo”

If you find somebody that just want to sing what you think for
You better not fall in love with her right away.
(Probably she just does it for work.)

Ringo mogire biimu!
Ringo mogire biimu!

Apple Picking Beam!
Apple Picking Beam!

Dakedo omoi tomerarenu nara
Shinji sakebe aikotoba
Tomo ni utae subete kawaru to
Kaware tobe yo tobu no sa

But if you can stop your feelings
Just believe and scream the password,
Sing together and everything will change
Change, fly, JUST FLY!

“kawatta anata o dare ni misetai?”
naigashiro shi ni shitekita yatsu ni!

“Who do you want to show your changed self to?”
The guy who kicked me off!

saa ikou ze
zetsubou no wazuka na “kotchi gawa e”
kitto shangurira da yo
kimi to nara aikotoba “ringo mogire biimu”

Hey, let’s go!
Over the slight side of despair ,come over here!
I swear it’s Shangri-La if I’m with you
The password ,Apple Plucking Beam!

demo doko e itta tote onaji darou ka
“anata wa zutto soko ni todomatteru no?”

But no matter where you’ve been going, won’t it be the same?
“Haven’t you been sitting here the whole time?”

Ringo mogire biimu!
Ringo mogire biimu!
Ringo mogire biimu!
yua raifu chenjisu eburishingu!

Apple Picking Beam!
Apple Picking Beam!
Apple Picking Beam!
Your Life Changes Everything!

kimi no kodoku wakatteru yo na sugoi hanashi ni deatte mo
sugu ni kami to omotcha dame sa
“manyuaru de hameteru dake kamo yo
demo soredemo suki ne? aikotoba o itte”

I know your loneliness,even if we meet in some spectacular way
You better not believe I’m the god
Probably it just entraps you with a manual, doesn’t she?
But you still like it, don’t you? Say the password

datte omoi tomerarenu kara
shinji sakebu aikotoba
tomo ni utau subete kawaru to
kaware tobe yo tobu no sa

‘Cause I cannot stop my feelings
I believe, I shout, the password!
Sing together and everything will change
Change, fly, I’m gonna fly!

“kawatta anata o dare ni misetai?”
akarasama ni mikubitta yatsu
aitsura ni da!

“Do you want to show your new self to anyone?”
To those guys that are obviously looking down on me!

mukougawa e
zetsubou no wazuka na “kotchi gawa e”
kitto paradaisu da yo
bokura nara aikotoba “ringo mogire biimu”

Over there
Over the slight side of despair , Come over here!
I swear it’s paradise, we can do it
Our password Apple Plucking Beam!

demo doko e itta tote onaji darou ka
“anata wa mada sagashite sae nai no yo”
kono zetsubou no yoru wa akeru no darou ka
“anata ni hitotsu oshieteageru wa”

But isn’t it the same wherever I go?
You haven’t even started finding it
Will this despair night end?
I will tell you one thing

eburishin gana bii oorai!
akenu yo wa nai
sore ga ai no oshigoto soshite
“manyuaru na no”

Everything is gonna be alright
The night is long that never finds the day.
That’s the work of love and.
It’s as a manual

sou ikou ze
zetsubou no wazuka na “kotchi gawa e”
kitto shangurira da yo
kimi to nara aikotoba “ringo mogire biimu”

Yeah, let’s go!
Over the slight side of despair ,come over here!
I swear it’s Shangri-La if I’m with you
The password ,Apple Plucking Beam!

mukougawa e
zetsubou no kasuka na “kotchi gawa e”
kitto paradaisu da yo
bokura nara aikotoba “ringo mogire biimu”

Over there
Over the slight side of despair ,Come over here
I swear it’s paradise, we can do it
Our password Apple Plucking Beam!

Eyeshield 21 [Episode 16] Sayonara, Kurita?!

 It is the team’s first training session together. While on the way home, Kurita parted ways and went home alone. He encounters 3 rope bullies ruining the entire shopping malls decoration which was prepare for the festival. However, the bullies left and Kurita was seen in the uniform and fled to avoid trouble.

 The shop owners reported to the school and the police about it. Kurita was afraid that the team will be banned from the tournament and wrecked everyone’s dream to reach Christmas Bowl and resigned from the team. Sena and the team were not able to let Kurita leave the team and search for the main culprits. 

Football clinic explains about Christmas Bowl. It is the All-Japan High School Championship Game where the top teams from eastern and western Japan clashes in one climatic game! 

Eyeshield 21 [Episode 17] The Kid and Iron Horse?! 

Hiruma brought them out on a barbeque field trip but in order to eat meat they have to get the correct catching route. Each time it ended up Cerberus eating it all up. Later the team met with Jo Tetsuma and The Kid of Seibu Wild Gunmans. Tetsuma join their quiz and ended up eating all the meat. 

The whole team and hungry and frustrated and wanted to walk out but Hiruma explain that routes are important. He brought the team to the Spring Tokyo Tournament where Ojo White Knight is competing against Seibu Wild Gunmans in the finals. This is where the team realizes that the routes are important. 

Football clinic explains about routes. Routes are where receiver takes when trying to catch a pass. By following the strategy to the T, you should be able to catch the pass for sure! 

Eyeshield 21 [Episode 18] A Slacker’s Pride?! 

Hiruma found out in America Football Monthly magazine that the America’s Alien will be playing against a team in Japan. Hiruma found out that the draw was fixed and make some changes. At the same time, Taiyo Sphinx team came and Hiruma challenges them for the right to represent Japan against the Aliens. 

The Haha brothers quit the team and headed to the nearby restaurant. The Taiyo Sphinx were there talking about Deimon Devil Bats with a lousy line in #50,#51 and #52 which were the 3 of them. They later got beaten up and decided to rejoin the team. 

Football clinic explains that NFL stands for National Football League, America’s Top Football League which boasts the greatest power and speed in the world! 

Eyeshield 21 [Episode 19] The Lower-class Laughs at its Challengers?! 

It’s match day against the Taiyo Sphinx team at their school where they even build a pyramid to view the opposition’s strategy. Taiyo Sphinx is famous for their Invisible Pyramid Line where no one can breakthrough their line. 

Kurita, Komusubi and the Haha brothers fail to hold the line and conceded a touchdown. Kurita is being torn apart until Hiruma steps in a build their confidence. Kurita and gang held the line and forced the ball out of the opponent. Eyeshield 21 dashed the line and scored a touchdown. 

Football clinic explains about formation. A formation is an alignment to set up players for various strategies for both offense and defense mode. 

Eyeshield 21 [Episode 20] The Sphinx’s Secret Weapon?! 

Everyone in the audience is supporting the Taiyo Sphinx. However, Hiruma wants to prove them wrong by breaking the Invisible Pyramid Line. They are even in the leading 14-13 in the 2nd quarter. 

Taiyo Sphinx felt humiliated and call upon their secret weapon Kamaguruma who acts as a war chariot. Kamaguruma breaks Deimon’s play after play and preventing Montakun from advancing. This is when Montakun felt useless and begins to doubt if football is not for him as well. 

Football clinic explains about what kind of play is sack. Sacking is when you tackle the quarterback to prevent him from passing. It’s a huge deal when you totally squash the opponent’s pass.

Why hello there, Andrew.  Long time no see.  I thought I’d break my year long hiatus with an easy post, the old buy and brag.  This is the package I got in the mail from rightstuf today.  A mixture of my CMX, Del Rey, and Weekly Specials orders.  I might make posts like this in the future to show off my collection or for just another easy post.

Hunter x Hunter vol. 3-  I didn’t expect to enjoy this after dismissing the manga as shonen drek, but I guess it’s true what they say, all Yoshihiro Togashi manga work better as anime.  This will shoot to the top of my “to watch” list as soon as I delete some stuff from my DVR.

Astral Project vol. 4-  The fourth and final volume.  I just ordered this during the CMX manga sale and haven’t received the first three yet so this will be kept in the shrink wrap for now.

Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei vol. 3- I didn’t find the second volume to be as hilarious as the first but I’ll give it another go.

X-Men: Misfits vol. 1- The second to be released in Del Rey’s “Marvel Manga” series (the first was Wolverine: Prodigal Son).  I was excited to read this, but the shojo artwork is turning me off.

CMX Summer 2009 Preview- Yay, something for free!  Rightstuf had a deal that if you purchased $50 worth of CMX manga, you’d get a free sampler.  So I did.  Everything is still on backorder, with a couple pre-orders.

So, that’s it for now.  If you’re interested in a review of any of the above titles, leave a request in the comments!

Rock On \m/

MZA.

Hi there,

This will be my last post for the year, right until December, I supposed.

Reason:
1. I want to concentrate on my studies.

I have been wasting my time like water and I could not further procrastinate as I really hate myself for being like that.
In order that I could love myself more, I need to give up on my past times, that is giving up blogging, and facebook(addiction).

However, I won’t be as bored as a robot! I will still hang out with friends and go shopping, or even go exercise(I hope!)
MSN is always open and you can always email me if you need to look for me(as if I’m so important, for now!) haha!!

ok!

Have a nice day and thanks for dropping by!
Cya!

God bless !!! =)

Yes, you read right. I hate mouth ulcers. They hurt so God Damn!! much.. Anyway, been having this one for the past 3 days or so.. Been gargling salt water. Of course it stings!! Duuuh!! But, I really wanted to get rid of it. It’s as stuborn as me sadly so it’s still laughing at me. Damn You!! Anyway, I went to the pharmacy during lunch to look for Kenalog but guess what, they have discontinued it and the nice sweet pharmacist introduced me to Kanolone.. Damn!! I just applied some not too long ago and the pain is gone. Thank God and the brilliant Scientist/Doctors/Pharmacist and Science people behind this magic wonders. Anyway, I hope it works and Sayonara to Miss Mouth Ulcer!! ASAP.. Go away. You’ve been making me suffer and I can’t eat all the yummy food because of you.. Go away!! =P

- whit3puppy

Kodansha launched a website announcing the two-episode Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei Bangaichi OAD series.

Quoted from Anime Nation:

The first Original Anime DVD will be bundled with limited edition copies of the 19th volume of Koji Kumeta’s Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei manga, scheduled for Japanese release on November 17.

This week’s Japanese release of Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei manga volume 18 is available in a limited edition that includes a DVD featuring a collection of Zetsubou Sensei anime opening and ending animation sequences and a preview of the upcoming OAD.

Source: Moon Phase

Akhirnya, Aiko telat juga…

Okurette desu~ *waratte*

bermula ketika Aiko bangun tidur. Begitu melihat jam yang menunjukkan 06.18 pagi… Bukannya langsung bergegas mandi, Aiko malah bengong dan mendengarkan lagu Sayonara yang baru semalam di downloadnya.
Aiko: Ha? Udah jam 6 lewat?? Aduh, gue telat… Gimana nii? Apa gue ijin aja? Tapi, ama sapa?

Aiko pun akhirnya ijin untuk tidak masuk pada temannya.

Namun, setelah ‘curhat’ dengan sang senpai (baca: Oni) yang malah menghajarnya krn berniat tidak masuk, akhirnya, Aiko pun masuk sekolah dengan persiapan ala kadarnya.

Mau tak mau, menuju sekolah itu harus pake motor, yang tak lain dan tak bukan hanya dikendarai oleh Chichi-ue, maka… Dengan berat hati, Aiko pun membangunkan Ayahnya yang masih asyik tertidur.

Bisa ditebak kalo chichi-ue marah-marah kuadrat dengan mata merah.

Dengan misuh-misuh, Chichi-ue pun mengantarkan anak kurang ajarnya ini ke sekolah.

Yokatta deshita. Yosh! Belum telat!!

Emang dasar, Koko bedon… =__=a telat, nyusahin orang laen…

O-Wa-Ri

READ MORE ON:

http://adventorder.blogspot.com/2009/08/sayonara-zetsubou-sensei.html

Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei

Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei revolves around a very pessimistic high school teacher named Nozomu Itoshiki who, at the very beginning of the series, tries to hang himself on a sakura tree. Despite this effort of self-destruction, he is saved by an extremely optimistic girl known only as Kafuka Fuura (though in her effort to save his life, she almost kills him). She explains to him that it is simply unimaginable that he would hang himself on such a nice day, especially in front of such beautiful trees. She decides to nickname Nozomu “Pink Supervisor” (桃色係長, Momoiro Kakarichō^?), and offers to pay him fifty yen to call him by that nickname. After having enough of the strange girl, Nozomu bolts to the school and starts his homeroom class, but the attempt to escape was in vain as he finds that the girl is one of his students. Not only that, but Kafuka is just the tip of the iceberg: each and every student in his class represents a new personality quirk or bizarre obsession, posing challenges that the suicidally-inclined teacher must overcome in spite of himself.

CHARACTERS

Nozomu Itoshiki (糸色 望, Itoshiki Nozomu^?)

Voiced by: Hiroshi Kamiya

The main character, a high school teacher and the youngest son of the Itoshiki family. He always wears a hakama and kimono abroad, preferring flippant casual western clothing in his hometown. When his name is written horizontally it resembles zetsubō (絶望^?, “despair”), befitting his extremely negative, paranoid and pessimistic attitude.

Female students

Kafuka Fuura (風浦 可符香, Fuura Kafuka^?)

Voiced by: Ai Nonaka

A somewhat strange and exceedingly optimistic student who always sees everything in the single most positive light possible: the polar opposite of Nozomu, who sees only the dark side of things and is constantly in despair. She often has bizarre, childishly optimistic explanations for grim situations, calling suicide by hanging “becoming taller” and the act of stalking “deep love.” She enjoys giving whimsical nicknames to people (much to their annoyance), and has a strange obsession with aliens. Once she turned in a briefcase full of money to the police. Her cheerfulness apparently conceals a traumatic past.

Chiri Kitsu (木津 千里, Kitsu Chiri^?)

Voiced by: Marina Inoue

A student who demands all things in her life to be precise, equal and conforming. This is most notable in her hair style, which was originally curly and is parted in the center. She often tries to set things straight and is usually extremely cruel and violent in her ways. She is also very knowledgeable in areas that revolve around violent international historical events. She hid numerous razors and knives within her bra, but her favorite weapon of choice is a spade and the kanji of her first name can be joined together to form the first character of “to bury” (埋める, umeru^?). Despite being the most combative against Nozomu and his antics as well as usually being the most level headed of the class, she often demands him to marry her after they accidentally took a nap together in the same bed.

Abiru Kobushi (小節 あびる, Kobushi Abiru^?)

Voiced by: Yuko Goto

A girl who is always heavily bandaged, and assumed by most people to be the victim of domestic violence. She has a fetish for pulling animal tails, and her injuries are actually caused by irate animals reacting to having their tails pulled by her. She works at the local zoo to indulge her obsession, and keeps an extensive collection of mounted animal tails at her home.

Kiri Komori (小森 霧, Komori Kiri^?)

Voiced by: Asuka Tanii

A beautiful, fair-skinned girl whose looks are hidden behind her long hair and the blanket she wears most of the time. She is a hikikomori (possibly agoraphobic), but Kafuka believes her to be a zashiki-warashi. Nozomu and Kafuka unintentionally frighten her out of her home during an attempt to persuade her to resume attending her classes, and she now takes up permanent residence in school.

Matoi Tsunetsuki (常月 まとい, Tsunetsuki Matoi^?)

Voiced by: Asami Sanada

A girl with short, straight-fringed hair who stalks whoever she falls in love with. She is also known for changing her manner of dress to partner those of her current love interest. She falls in love with Nozomu after misinterpreting one of his statements as a confession of love.

Nami Hitō (日塔 奈美, Hitō Nami^?)

Voiced by: Ryoko Shintani

A girl whose only trait is that she is completely ordinary (relative to her classmates); however, she takes offense at being called “normal,” which she considers boring and undesirable. Her name derives from the Japanese term hitonami (人並み^?), meaning “run-of-the-mill”.

Harumi Fujiyoshi (藤吉 晴美, Fujiyoshi Harumi^?)

Voiced by: Miyu Matsuki

A fan of yaoi and cat ears, and the classroom’s resident illustrator. She has an innate coupling instinct, imagining slash pairings between all sorts of (male) characters, her favorite couple being Pine × Napple; she has also imagined pairings between Nozomu and his friend with rather explicit content.

Tarō Maria Sekiutsu (関内・マリア・太郎, Sekiutsu Maria Tarō^?)

Voiced by: Miyuki Sawashiro

An illegal immigrant of unknown nationality. She is nicknamed “Mataro” by Kafuka, although she refers to herself (as do most others) as simply “Maria”. She purchased the birth certificate of a male student and is attending school under his name. She is fascinated by “Japan’s abundance” and hoards food and refuse she finds on the ground or in garbage cans.

Meru Otonashi (音無 芽留, Otonashi Meru^?)

A very shy girl who does not talk and only communicates via text messaging on her cell phone; she is notably and viciously abusive in her e-mails. Her family name, Otonashi, means “soundless”, and her given name derives from the loan word “mail” (メール, mēru^?). Her e-mail address is “hazukashigariyasan” (恥ずかしがり屋さん^?), which means “full of shyness”.

Kaere Kimura (木村 カエレ, Kimura Kaere^?)

Voiced by: Yu Kobayashi

A returnee to Japan suffering from dissociative identity disorder. One is an ultimately Japanese woman named Kaede, a very gentle personality well-versed in Japanese culture. The other is a foreigner named Kaere who is disgusted by Japanese culture and touts the bizarre ways of the country she is supposedly from, though what country is never explained.

Often words or expressions from one language become part of another language. And sometimes the meaning of the word gets changed.

In Japan, alot of words of foreign origin are used in the Japanese language. Many are used quite differently in Japanese than they are in their country of origin.
For example, パン (pan) is Japanese for bread. It came from the Portuguese word “pão“, which means “bread”. And 「カステラ」 (Kasutera) is the Japanese word for a type of cake that was introduced from Portugal called “Castella“.

There are many others. From English, Japan uses words like 「アイスクリーム」 (ice cream) and バスケットボール (basketball)*.
*(Foreign sports usually keep their original name in Japanese. An exception is 「野球」 (“Yakyuu“) for “baseball”. (lit. “field globe (ball)), which isn’t called by it’s English name because it was introduced to Japan during WW2 when America was considered an enemy.)

Some words are shortened. Such as テレビ (Terebi) for “television”. And some words have morphed into something unrecognizable to English-speakers, such as 「スキンシップ」 (skinship) for “bonding”.

But it works the other way too.
America (and other countries as well, I’m sure) have adopted Japanese words into the English language. Some have retained their original meaning. But others are used with totally different meanings than the “real” Japanese meaning.
And many “Japanese words” in English are pronounced so differently that a Japanese person wouldn’t recognize it.
For example,
★ 「アニメ」 (anime: Japanese animation)
★ 「マンガ」 (manga: Japanese comics)
★ 「オタク」 (otaku: is used as “fanatic” overseas, but “a Trekkie” is closer to the Japanese meaning)
★ 「カラオケ」 (karaoke)
★ 「さようなら」 (sayonara: farewell (not used in Japan in cases when you’ll be seeing the person again before long))
★ 「台風」 (taifuu: in English, the pronunciation morphed to “typhoon”)
★ 「きもの」 (kimono)
★ 「寿司」 (sushi: isn’t “raw fish” (that’s sashimi). Sushi is vinegared-rice with a topping (such as sashimi))
★ 「(お)酒」 ((O)-saké)
★ 「すき焼き」 (sukiyaki)
★ 「相撲」 (sumo: Japan’s national sport)
★ 「芸者」 (Geisha: aren’t prostitutes)
★ 「歌舞伎」 (Kabuki)

A promo poster for a Kabuki show

I’m sure there are more. This is all that I could think of off the top of my head.
Do you know some other instances of Japanese words being popularly used in English (or another language)?

It’s one day left for the upcoming thesis defense and I’m still watching anime, writing blog, and other stuff. I hope when the day comes I don’t get a cold feet. Anyway, the thesis defense simulation will be held today so I better prepare myself for some questions that might get launched in the simulation. Wish me luck, guys. And here is your wallpaper of the week.

Bittersweet nights.

I stayed in bed most of today finishing up the Kyoto Journal article and giving my cold/flu/leprosy a rest. Then, right before I went to the taiko event, I decided to start making piles of things to pack and send home. So, now there are lots of piles of junk on my bed that I don’t want to move because I’m tired. Good plan.

That paragraph was just wasting time because I don’t want to write about how sad I am that I said sayonara to Daphne-chan tonight. I love that girl. She is, in fact, someone I would befriend no matter where or under what circumstances we met. I don’t know how I manage to find the kindest, most giving friends wherever I go, but I am for sure more blessed than I deserve. She motivates me to go to Canada. I’m pretty sure she’s the best thing there.

Not only am I sad I won’t get to see her and talk to her everyday for a long time, but it’s also the end of saying goodbye to the people here I love. Besides the Japanese people who live here. This is really the end of this experience and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t really four months. It flew by. Daphne and I tried to talk about it in a little bar at my station, but we kept getting interrupted. First, by a guy wearing what seemed to be the Japanese pimp outfit and then two guys who ran in from the rain. I’m pretty sure they were hitting on us. But, that’s what you get when you speak English in a small bar in a residential area in Japan.

We did manage to reminisce and plan our next meeting and possibly what we’re going to do after we part ways. Daphne confessed her undying love for me. I let her kiss my cheek. It was a good night. No, but really, I love that girl. I hope you get to meet her someday because you’ll love her too.

I’m making plans for Tokyo, though, and I’m getting more and more excited. My Japanese friend who lived across the hall from me freshman year offered for me to stay at her house a couple nights, so I’ll be eternally grateful for that. We might catch some kabuki, eat some fish, do the Tokyo thing. It’ll be a good end, I think.

Oh, and tonight was my last taiko performance. It went well. They gave me a headband. They also gave me a CD with all the pictures from practices and performance on it. I’ll put them up on Flickr soon. My host father and grandmother came. Then we ate KFC after. Oh, Japan.

What made my day, though, is that I asked my host father where I could buy a big box to send home omiyage and textbooks tomorrow. When I got home from saying sayonara to my beloved, there was a new box in my room waiting.