Posts
9 months after buying Photoshop Elements 6 from Costco for $50, I got CS4 today for $200 with student discount!! XD
I felt so stupid for not buying it earlier so I could have more fun with it already. The reason I bought it was because I had to work on my Photoshop class final project, and I really didn't want to be in the library for hours to work on it. I downloaded the 30-day trial version of CS4 2 weeks ago, and I found out about the awesome student discount yesterday. My dad said it was fine for me to buy it since I told him it was useful. It's not like I only use PS to make Arashi icons & other graphics, I spend a great deal of time editing family vacation pictures too. My mom was amazed by the stuff I did to edit the pictures, lol. I've been learning to use CS3 this semester and I found out that it is a lot better with more functions than elements. When I first learned CS3, I really thought that I could do most of the same stuff on Elements too. It wasn't until I got to layer masks and found out about coloring that I started wanting to buy CS4 (or CS3 since I thought it'd be cheaper for the older version).
Yup, so up until now, I've been using Elements to make graphics, but now I have CS4 permanently (instead of the trial version, lol) to play around with. ^^
Bye bye, Elements 6! I'll miss using you.
I guess I can always use Elements for editing family photos since CS4 isn't that much better for that job.
It's been so long since I've put anything here in my Vox, so once again, I'm copying and pasting this translation from my LJ. ^^;;
Know all about the stars' favorites!
A Survey of the Talents' Fads!
1. Food you eat at yakiniku restaurant?
Aiba: Kimchi and chanja. [...korean food. chanja pic
]
is a korean seasoned veggie dish.]
]
] 
Jun: I like the kinds with tomato sauce more than those with cream sauce.
Nino: I don't like rich flavors. I like pasta that has natto and okra, which looks good and healthy to the body.
[natto=fermented soybeans. pic
. okra=veggie. pic
] Ohno: Pasta with miso-flavored duck, eggplant, and mushroom.
Sho: Since I like tomato sauce, I always order pescatore. And minestrone too.
[pescatore=seafood spaghetti in red sauce. pic
. minestrone=italian veggie & tomato soup. pic
] 3. Favorite kind of sandwich?
Aiba: Egg sandwich. [pic
] Jun: Hot/totasted sandwich with ham and cheese. [pic
] Nino: I'll eat what's in front of me!
Ohno: Ham sandwich. [pic
] Sho: Crisp lettuce sandwich.
Aiba: Since I like meat, yakiniku don! [pic
] Jun: Ten don. [aka tempura don
] Nino: Oyako don. [chicken and egg over rice. i love oyako don too! ♥ pic
] Ohno: Yakitori don. [or grilled chicken over rice. pic
] Sho: Negitoro don. [onion & fatty tuna over rice. pic
] [お雑煮, ozouni=mochi rice cake in soup, New Year's dish. pic
] Aiba: Shouyudashi for the seasoning, and spinach, radish, and carrots for the ingredients.
[shouyudashi=soy sauce + soup made from fish and seaweed]
Jun: At our house, we have it with shoyudashi seasoning, chicken, green onion, fish-paste cake, and Japanese citron.
Nino: Because I don't really like ouzouni or other New Year's dishes, I don't really know, I guess~
Ohno: We put chicken in it.
Sho: Our mochi is quadrilateral. [interesting :D]
Aiba: Coffee.
Jun: My favorite drink is green tea, I guess.
Nino: The tea that my mom makes.
Ohno: Japanese citron tea. [pic
] Sho: I'm addicited to Japanese citron tea.
Aiba: Hamburger.
Jun: Napolitan.
Nino: Hamburger.
Ohno: The stew that my mom makes. Like curry, we eat it with rice. That's the Ohno family style.
Sho: Omelette rice. [omelette filled with ketchup-seasoned fried rice. pic
] Aiba: Ja ja men.
[Chinese noodle with ground pork and fermented soybean paste, maybe in miso soup for Japanese style (?) pic
] Jun: Shark fin [in soup]. [pic
] Nino: Spring rolls. [pic
] Ohno: Mapo tofu. [Chinese/Sichuan dish with minced meat and tofu in chili/bean sauce. pic
]
] Aiba: Once in a while, I eat hamburgers.
Jun: Hot dog.
Nino: Melon bread. [it doesn't taste like melon. just looks like one. pic
] Ohno: I like the seaweed on twisted donuts.
[not sure if the "nori" he says means "seaweed." it can also mean paste, glue, starch. maybe he's talking about the sugar on the donuts? or maybe the japanese really put seaweed on their donuts...but anyways, lol at his answer. pic
] Sho: French toast. [yum. pic
] Aiba: Oyako don.
Jun: I recommend meal/rice cooked in clay pot. You can eat it without side dishes!
Nino: Fish. I like them grilled more than boiled.
[hmm. ohno probably gives him a lot of fish when he comes back from fishing...i wonder...]
Ohno: Meat and potato stew. [pic
] Sho: Tofu in soup. [pic
] Aiba: Breaststroke.
Jun: Styles other than butterfly.
Nino: Breaststroke.
Ohno: Backstroke.
Sho: Breaststroke.
Aiba: I got 5 for PE all the time! [i'm assuming 5 is the highest score, like A.]
Jun: Math.
Nino: Japanese.
Ohno: I got a 5 on art!
Sho: Japanese.
Aiba: Assistant group.
Jun: Class representative. Because I didn't set any small, trivial rules, I was really popular among my classmates. (laugh)
[i bet his cute, chibi face made him popular at school too. xD]
Nino: I was in the sports group. However, I didn't really do anything. (bitter laugh)
Ohno: Blackboard group. [group that cleans the blackboard in the classroom]
Sho: Class representative. [very sho-like.]
Aiba: Boutaoshi.
[game in which the goal is to topple the opposing team's pole. pic
] Jun: Running.
Nino: Relay.
Ohno: I fell from the top when I was doing group gymnastics/exercise. Because I couldn't do it for the real performance due to injury, I don't have any good memories of it.
Sho: Boutaoshi, I guess. Since I was [physically] small, I was the one who climbed up easily and knocked the pole over.
Aiba: In the past, I went snowboarding a lot. But I fractured a bone in my 1st year of middle school [from snowboarding], so I got scared.
Jun: Ice skating.
Nino: Skiing.
Ohno: Ice skating.
Sho: Skiing.
Aiba: Green.
Jun: I guess I have a lot of white, black, and green western clothes.
Nino: White, which settles my mind.
Ohno: Green. Strangely, I become calm.
Sho: Colorless.
Aiba:
Smiley face. Jun: (-_-) Bimyou [or doubtful...expressionless?].
Nino:
(silk hat). [or magic hat ^^] Ohno:
Complacent smile. Sho:
Glitter/sparkle. [the question doesn't say "favorite." it basically asks the christmas song that comes to mind first.]
Aiba: Jingle Bells.
Jun: Santa Claus is Coming to Town (by Jackson 5).
Nino: Santa Claus is Coming to Town.
Ohno: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Sho: When the Saints Go Marching In.
[i'm not a 100% sure on sho's answer. according to wikipedia.japan, the japanese title that appears in the magazine translates to what i put above.]
Aiba: Eat Chinese cabbage.
[or bok choy
. does it really work? i love bok choy. ♥] Jun: Rinse your mouth. [...never heard of this method until now...]
Nino: If you put yourself in a harsh environment, it seems like your body will become stronger. (bitter laugh) [huh? ok...]
Ohno: Scream/yell. [o__o?]
Sho: Eat kiwi!
[finally something that makes more sense. i eat kiwi to get more vitamin c. ^^]
Aiba: When I go with guy friends and give them some cold glares, we'll go on the roller coaster. (laugh)
Jun: Roller coaster.
Nino: Ferris wheel.
Ohno: Roller coaster.
Sho: Roller coaster.
I haven't posted anything here for a really long time, so I just decided to copy and paste this translation from my LJ.
Hello!
I'm not sure if anyone has translated this yet. I found a Chinese translation
of this article, so I decided to translate it into English. Sorry, I'm not (re)posting any scans. I only know that yuckie-chan has them...And also, since this is a translation of a translation, please forgive any mistakes that I may have made. Plus, I'm sorry for sounding really awkward sometimes, and I tried my best to translate this thoroughly. Just to make sure my translation isn't too far off, I also read the original Japanese text in the scans. When I get stuck with the Japanese, I read the Chinese translation to help me finish translating all this into English. Note that the words in a darker kind of gray in [ ] are my notes/comments/thoughts etc. I'm basically doing this just to improve or keep my Japanese and Chinese language skills.
In this article, Arashi basically talks about their singles Truth and Kaze no Mukou e and their concert tours.
The talk is actually MUCH longer than I expected...=__=
Enjoy the translation~
Starting their Asia Tour at Tokyo's Kokuritsu in September, Arashi has released their 23rd/double A-side single Truth/Kaze no Mukou e! They recorded the theme song for the drama Maou where Riida Ohno Satoshi acted as the lead role for his first time. They also recorded the Olympic theme song for NTV in which Sakurai Sho was the maincaster. These contrasting and appealing songs will really stir up this summer!
Sho: I think trying various things is Arashi's style.
Jun: I hope everyone can understand the messages conveyed in these 2 songs.
Aiba: Through this song, I hope everyone will be more excited/enthusiastic about the Olympics.
Nino: Truth is a very refreshing song for Arashi.
Ohno: I hope these 2 songs will be able to become the memory of summer.
This time is double-A side. When you first heard of Truth and Kaze no Mukou e, what were your impressions?
Aiba: First off is Truth. Its style is really different from Arashi's previously released singles. I think it's our first time singing this kind of song. When I first heard it, I felt a bit scared, feeling more nervous as I listened to it more. This song is the theme song for the drama Maou.
Sho: How was it...? The drama...
Aiba: Drama, right. The drama...
Sho: Of course you're watching it right?
Aiba: Ah, I really want to watch it, but...
Nino: So, if you're saying that you want to watch it, then please do so. (laugh)
Aiba: Ummmm....(laugh) I'm really looking forward to it. I think I want to watch the first 3 episodes all at one go. That's why I recorded them all. (laugh) I want to watch it in high quality. Also, I think the other song Kaze no Mukou e really carries out Arashi's good side.
Sho: What is Arashi's good side?
Aiba: I'm being bullied today ne. (laugh)
[unsure about what ツッコミ means...]
All: Ha ha ha.
Aiba: Arashi's good side...what is it? Maa...because this is a theme song for the Olympics, so I hope that people will be more excited about the Olympics through this song.
Nino: Ooo, you said it pretty well. (laugh)
Aiba: Although we can only participate through the song, but it shows how much hard work we've put in. I think I'll support the athletes by watching TV. It seems like Sakurai-san is going to Beijing. Are you looking forward to it?
Sho: I'm looking forward to it ne.
Aiba: What are you looking forward to the most?
Sho: The opening ceremony ne.
Nino: About the opening ceremony, there are different rumors now. (laugh) Stuff like a UFO flying in the sky.
Aiba: Right, right.
Sho: But you can't believe the rumors! (laugh) By the way, I felt a bit scared too when I first heard Truth.
Nino: Your comment is a repeat!
Sho: Then, let me say it in other words. (laugh) Recently, we sing songs that are more upbeat and pop-like. We haven't sung this kind of song in a while. [as in like the style of Truth] In the Truth PV, we're dancing and singing at the same time; recently, you only get the chance to see that at concerts. Because of that, wouldn't a dancing Arashi be refreshing? I wrote the rap lyrics in Kaze no Mukou e. However, about the lyrics being my own feelings on the Beijing Olympics, I think they're more about my thoughts on the athletes after interviewing them. I wrote those lyrics after I carefully thought about them. [Sho used the word 咀嚼, which literally means "to bite or chew." In this sense, I guess it can mean that he digested the material before writing.] Although I don't get inspiration for rap lyrics quickly every time, but since I interviewed the athletes this time, I could quickly write the lyrics out. I think it'll be good if this song can become support for the participating athletes behind their backs.
After hearing Sakurai-san's rap lyrics, what were everyone's thoughts?
Jun: Is it rap? Honestly, I thought it could be better. (laugh)
All: (laugh)
Nino: Because of that, let's work hard. If you didn't have this kind of criticism, you won't improve. Isn't that right?
Sho: I couldn't write anymore. That's all I could think of. But after hearing the criticism, it'll become my motivation next time.
Jun: Yup, there's still the future. (laugh)
Nino: You better thank Matsumoto-san in advance!
Sho: Thank you very much!
Jun: Iya, I should be the one thanking you. To me, Kaze no Mukou e is a song that we can only sing now. We sang Hero for the Athens Olympics last time. It's glorious to be able to sing Olympic theme songs twice in a roll. 4 years have passed since the Athens Olympics. The athletes representing our country are mostly the same age as us. That's why I hope that this song can connect the athletes and many other people in Japan together. About Truth, if it's listening to an album, perhaps Arashi will try this kind of song very likely. However, for the people who normally just listen to our singles, I think it's really refreshing. Because we're dancing in the PV, the whole visual performance will be enjoyable for the audience as well.
There're 3 editions for this CD this time. What do you think of Smile, the extra song that's only in the regular edition?
Nino: I'll talk about Smile then. (laugh)
Aiba: Please do so/go ahead. (laugh)
[He used "onegaishimasu", and I never really know how to translate this exactly. >__<]
Nino: It has a really summery feel. Isn't this kind of song necessary for summer?
Aiba: It's also good that it goes well as the song for the Tongari Corn CM.
Nino: That's right. It fits well. (laugh)
[He used "tongattemasu"/とんがってますからね, which is like what they say in the CMs. I'm not really sure what it means though...It's mostly just a little catch phrase for the brand, I guess...^^;; Tongari literally means "sharp or pointy."]
Aiba: Yup. A summery song. Thank you very much for your comment~
Nino: (To Ohno) Jaa, general/commander, it's going quite steadily right?
[Nino used the word 大将=general instead of calling Ohno leader/Riida. Lol. He sure likes making up nicknames for Riida. xD]
Aiba: Want to talk about what you're doing recently?
Sho: But this is the monthly magazine Song.
Ohno: Maa, Truth is a song we've never tried before. [as in its style] So, before we finished singing it, I couldn't imagine how all 5 of our voices were going to sound like at the end.
[Riida finally said something...^^]
Sho: After listening to it, it sounds nice, doesn't it?
Ohno: Yeah, it really turned out that way.
Sho: How did it become?
Ohno: Something that sounds nice. (laugh)
[Riida, can't you be a little bit more descriptive? -.-]
All: Ha ha ha.
Ohno: I just feel like Arashi can do anything. Kakkoi/cool as usual.
[I can't agree with you more here, Riida. Arashi can do ANYTHING! xD Totally true with the kakkoi part too.]
Sho: Compared to the normal, I thought we can be better.
Ohno: Maa, that's how we'll be from now on?
Sho: That's harsh. (laugh)
[Lol at Sho who just said he wanted to be better.]
Sho: What do you think of Kaze no Mukou e?
[Aiba just randomly jumps in...and switches the topic again. Lol.]
Ohno: I feel relieved.
Sho: Why?
Ohno: It has an Arashi feel. If it's only Truth, I'm a bit worried about the future path of Arashi. The fans will feel relieved when they hear Kaze no Mukou e, right? Plus, it's a pretty easy song to sing.
Sho: Nino-san, why don't you talk about Truth also?
[Lol at how Sho said "Nino-san" instead of just "Nino" or more formally, "Ninomiya-san." Ok, maybe I'm too weird...]
Nino: My thoughts on Truth are really just the same as everybody else's. A fresh feeling. When we were dancing to it, I thought of how the drama Maou is like. I thought I could kinda imagine it.
Sho: I understand. Although when we recorded it, I still hadn't watched the drama.
Aiba: However, when I read the lyrics and listened to the song, I would start imagining that kind of scene. To think carefully, the happy thing this year is that we've released many CDs.
[I'd say poor fangirls going backrupt is not happy. I'm really happy for all their singles too. :D I'm not lying!]
Sho: This is our 3rd single?
Aiba: That's right. Therefore, instead of using nori-nori to describe, I feel more like age-age. (laugh) This time we released 3 editions. I hope people will be happy to choose the one they like.
[Lol. Aiba-chan talking in ageha terms. Nori-nori/ノリノリ=high spirts/tension. Age-age/アゲアゲ=high tension as well...I guess...]
Truth is a very fresh song to Arashi. Then, what is the "Arashi style" on the music aspect?
Sho: When you listen to it, you feel genki and happy afterwards. That's Arashi's song style. But if that's the case, Truth will have a different feel. Maa, just let us try doing various things. That's Arashi's style.
Aiba: That's right.
All: (clap hands)
Sho: Rather than wanting to try different genres of music, we want to sing songs that convey messages to the people who listen to us.
During the 5 Dome Tour from May to June, you performed your music for 440,000 fans. What are your feelings for this tour?
Aiba: Various things happened this time. It was also our first time doing a 5 dome tour, and we visited some of the domes for our first time. At the beginning, Sakurai-kun was injured too. It was a truly memorable tour ne.
Nino: Right.
Aiba: That's why it felt like we overcame some difficulties together. That kind of sense was really strong.
Jun: I'm very glad that the 5 Dome Tour came true at this timing, which made us feel like we've made one step up. After we did it, it was interesting. I was really happy that so many people gathered at the venue and enjoyed themselvestogether.
Nino: Somehow, I felt really refreshed at each concert.
Ohno: We've always had about 40 shows for each tour, but this time it was only 10 shows. However, the venues were huge and it was our first time, so it was fresh.
Nino: We don't think that finishing the 5 Dome Tour means our goal is accomplished. Because of that, we thought, "how will it be like?" [Unsure. He used どうなんだろう?] Last year, we got to perform at Osaka and Tokyo Domes, so we simply thought about how the other venues would be like. Even though we don't know the future world, it'll be good if we can try doing it.
Sho: Last year, we got to perform at Tokyo Dome and Osaka Dome for the first time. This year, we've stepped up to 5 Domes, and in September, to Kokuritsu. This should be the direction for trying new stages [or different venues]. Although this isn't our goal, so what is it then...?
Nino: Our goal? We don't have one, do we?
Sho: We're going to keep on going without a goal?
Nino: That's right.
Sho: That's hard/painful. Can you endure it?
Nino: I want to say that I'll try and endure it. (laugh)
Sho: Can you overcome it?
Nino: If I have everyone's support!
Sho: Good! Let's try out best!
Aiba: This [conversational] exchange now is totally right. (laugh)
[Aiba uses the word daiseikai or 大正解, which literally means big, correct. He's saying that Nino and Sho's conversation is really good.]
Sho: Right now, we're just saying how this is why we don't have a goal. (laugh) After we're done at Kokuritsu in September, we still have to go to Asia (Taipei, Seoul, Shanghai). I'm looking forward to it ne.
Nino: Another tour ne. The fact that everyone is waiting for this simply makes me happy.
[Nino being a DoS or what? It's kinda a torture for fans to wait...but at least I'm grateful that they have no goal in doing concerts and such. Yay! More concerts please! *hint: outside of Japan and Asia!!* ^_~]
Sho: It's kinda a strange feeling. Foreigners knowing us.
Aiba: In the years when we can't go overseas, there're people who come to Japan to see our concerts. That's why I'm glad that we can do the same for them.
[*prays hard for a world tour*]
While each person is gradually expanding in their own fields, being a member of Arashi, what is the fun of doing music-related things?
Aiba: I really like concerts. From the time I was dancing behind sempais, it's been the longest process/time.
Jun: We normally don't have many chances to meet the people who support us and because of this, concerts are really important. About music, we're not only performing it. From the perspective of the audience, I'm encouraged by the feelings at that particular time and I'll start thinking. I think that's something that we must have.
Nino: There're things that can be enjoyed by 1 person, and there're also those that can be enjoyed by the 5 of us. Recently, I often think about how it's good to find a balance among various things. Now, because Riida is doing a drama, he has a solo activity that he can enjoy. Perhaps this is a balance point.
[Nino thinking of Riida. How thoughtful! Not really sure how Riida's drama can lead to a balance point...I'm just too lazy to do any critical thinking.]
Ohno: Concerts are interesting ne. We really get to meet our fans, an atmosphere that's only at concerts. Being together at the same place makes me feel comfortable. The lyrics of Arashi's songs are straightforward, so when we sing them, we feel like the messages are conveyed directly. Like when there're people crying in front of us, we can see all that clearly at that place [concerts]. I thnk that's great.
Sho: In 1999 when Arashi debuted, we released a CD. The 5 of us isn't a funny/comedy group or a stage performance group. [But they sure are a funny, dorky group to me. xD] Because we released a CD together, everything started from there. When we're working on our respective jobs, I think the happiness of releasing a CD with the 5 of us will grow bigger and bigger.
[Well said, Sho-kun! :D I'm biased...]
What is the selling point of a double-A side single?
Aiba: There's a dance choreography in the Truth PV, so I hope people will enjoy its audio and visual sides. The feel in Kaze no Mukou e's PV is totally different. It seems like we're always running continuously. Even though the truth is that we aren't running. (laugh)
Sho: We aren't running at all.
Aiba: But it has a very lively feel to it. I hope everyone can feel that way too.
Jun: The 2 songs carry completely different messages, so I hope people will enjoy them. It's right to say that the 2 songs have really different styles. To us, they're both very nice. I hope everyone will enjoy listening.
Nino: Like how Aiba-kun said, it's also fun to watch the PVs. As for me with the job of promoting Smile, I think it's a song that you'll smile after you listen to it. If you aren't smiling afterwards, maybe you should suspect/question yourself. Try to change your affected self ne. (laugh)
[Sorry. The last sentence sounds awkward....]
Aiba: No, everyone's definitely going to smile yo.
Nino: If it's everyone, then they'll surely be able to smile.
Sho: With their best smile ne. I think it's interesting how these 2 songs are on 1 single. I somehow feel like this single consists of different feelings. So, chief/director, it's your turn, since it's the theme song to the drama where you have your first lead role.
[After Nino, now Sho is making up more nicknames for Riida. First is 大将general, then is 部長chief, will it be 社長company president next? xD]
Nino: You didn't do this before, so you better promote this time. How do you want people to think of it?
Ohno: This...I can't really say...
All: I see.
Ohno: I hope people will listen to it and feel it themselves. Truth is the theme song of a drama, and Kaze no Mukou e is an Olympic theme song. So, I hope these songs will be memorable for people.
All: Thank you very much~! (laugh)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I just think it's kinda weird how in most parts of this article, only 2~3 of the members are talking, and the others are silent...we all know that Riida is quiet, but this time, Jun doesn't talk much either. The interaction is a bit odd sometimes...maybe it's just me...
Also, I'd say this isn't the most interesting interview of Arashi. Not much really funny interaction....mostly just about their music. Well, after all, this is from the Songs magazine. So, yeah. They were more serious than usual in this talk. It's good to see their deeper thinkings too. I just reread the whole thing and it seemed a lot more interesting than when I was translating it. Lol.
Ummm...sorry for all my random comments in the middle...for like every line...If you're really bothered by them, please tell me so next time, I'll put them all the end or something...
Uhh...there's also a short little translation of a part of an Oricon Style earlier, which I didn't post on any communities. If you're interested in knowing when Arashi give their best smiles, go here.
This morning I sat down at the dining table and had breakfast, and there was the Sing Tao Chinese newspaper in front of me. I usually don't read the newspapers, if I do, I only read headlines and the Entertainment section. When I got to the 2nd to the last page of the Entertainment part, there was this big headline that says something like "Ge Ge Ge no Kitaro trying/having the possibility (sorry, I don't have the newspaper right now and I don't remember the wording exactly) to win over Hanadan." I was like o__0!? They have another Kitaro movie!? I saw the 1st one last year on my flight to Hong Kong, and I remember seeing Mao-chan in it. I thought Eiji Wentz is cute! 
I continued reading the article, and at the bottom, it had a small section talking about the Hanadan campaign with the chartered ANA plane. There was a small picture of Mao-chan, Tonton, and Shun. Matsujun was cut off!!!! Evil Johnny's rule!!! 
I remember one of the first words of the article is Jun's name, so I was pretty happy about that even though there was no picture of Jun, as expected.
I hope Handan F stays at the top of the box office. Nothing can be F4 and Mao-chan!! Handan forever!! 
Yay! I was at home this Friday night again, so I got to catch VS Arashi on Keyhole TV. Whoohoo!! Today was the last day of high school for me too! I'm both happy and sad that high school is over. Next week will be senior picnic, graduation, and grad night party etc. I'm looking forward to this activities. :D
Anyways, back to VS Arashi. This week's episode was kinda boring, I thought. They mostly just showed clips from previous episodes and had Arashi discuss about their past losses and think of a plan for their next episode so they won't lose again.
WARNING: Although this episode doesn't have much, please don't read this post if you'd prefer watching the episode before reading about it. There might be some tiny, little spoilers. I dunno...
First, the person who was blamed for the episode that they lost, not necessarily the most DAME one of the episode: Jun (ep. 2), Sho, Nino, Ohno, Jun, and Sho. These were the ones who made Arashi lost 6 weeks in a row. To put this in simpler words, Arashi only won in ep. 1. They've lost to girls and middle-aged men who don't look athletic at all. In this episode, I think the guests from ep. 7 commented something like 4-or-5 years-old kids can win Arashi too...that'd be really sad.
Here are some screencaps that I took. Even though they lost, I still love their cute expressions. ♥
Arashi praised how good Riida was at the pole-catching game. Aiba blamed Sho on his strategy of stacking thin coins in a "staircase" way to increase the chance of the guests losing. Sorry, I don't really know how to describe Sho's way of stacking the coins. I totally made up my "staircase" description. See the screencap and perhaps you'll understand what I mean.
Arashi talked about how they should invite the guests from the ep. 1 again, and rename VS Arashi as *insert names of guests from ep. 1* VS Arashi. That way, Arashi will win them. At the end, they made a plan on who will play what game in the next episode. I don't remember exactly, but I'll try my best to remember the pairs for each game. Riida and Aiba (cuz of his unique ways of catching the poles) for the pole-catching game. Jun and Sho for the rock-climbing game. Riida as one of them who does the coin-stacking game. I think Nino is one of them who pushes the buttom for the pole-catching game...Aaargh, bad memory. Need to rewatch that part to check myself. >___<
Also, at the end, they made Riida do a little conclusion. He said something like this: the next episode, the weakest guest combo + Arashi's strongest group. Riida messed up saying it the first time cuz he said "combi" instead of "group" for Arashi. That was really cute though. Riida also said if they lost next time, that'd be the last episode of VS Arashi!!!! NOOOOOOO!!! Arashi must not lose next time!!! Gambatte!!
At the very end, they put their hands on top of each others'. Just by looking at the positions of where their hands are extending from their places where they sit, I'm guessing the order goes like this (bottom to top): Aiba, Riida, Sho, Nino, and Jun. I need to rewatch that part to double-check too. ^^;;
Some more random caps. By the way, Jun looks sexy and hot wearing that black top during the discussion. *____*
Why do they keep on losing?? Arashi had a good start until they lost the coin stacking game.
I'm not going to talk much about this episode...just some bad-quality screencaps that I took when I watched it on Keyhole TV.
Sho-kun is the MDA this week!
Ah, I just realized I double-posted one of the caps. Too lazy to fix it...
Riida's hair is black again! Yay! Toma is going to be in the drama too!!
This totally made my day, after I horribly failed my AP Japanese test...TT_TT My sad tears have turned into happy tears. Crying of over joy.
*sigh* Why does Arashi keepin on losing to the guests? I'm sure that they can do much better! 3 losses in a row is "dame" yo!
I'm not going to say much about this episode.
First game:
The guests won by 40 pts, I think. Ohmiya didn't do very well...
Second game:
Jun got 440 pts from catching balls, including all the black ones! Yay for Jun! Finally, he did something good for the Arashi team! The guest wasn't that bad. He got 410 pts, even though he missed 3 black balls in the beginning.
Third game:
This game was pretty quick. All because of Nino! When it was his 2nd turn, the stack fell already! Nino, I thought you have good hand-eye coordination from playing all those video games! How come you didn't do well on either of the games today? Or did you not get enough sleep cuz you played too much of your video games?
Dame Arashi:
Sho didn't participate today. He was really passive. Oh wait, did he choose the 2 pole positions for the guests during the first game? I don't remember...short term memory. Nino already knew that everyone was going to choose him. As expected, all the others pointed at him. I don't think he pointed at anyway. Nino is DAME Arashi for this week!
Screencaps time!
Btw, Jun's smile is the cutest!! <33
I know I'm a little late on this, but I was watching Time con videos. Maybe I'll post about that later. I found HnA quite interesting actually. It's very educational. Perhaps I should persuade my sensei to let the class watch it after the AP exams. I think we're watching Hanadan 1 & 2 too, yay! My Japanese class is just the best class ever! We watch dramas or videos every week. Sensei brought some Johnny's magazines to class a few times, and of couse, we get to fangirl in class! It seems like my sensei actually knows a fair amount of Johnny's stuff. XD
On to Himitsu no Arashi-chan! Just kinda like a summary and tons of screencaps. My understanding in Japanese is quite limited. In other words, I didn't understand everything they said, and I might have interpreted something wrong. I tried my best. I need more practice, by watching Arashi shows, of course! I'll put (?) next to the stuff that I don't really get. Basically, this post is just for me to practice some listening and translating skills. I just decided to take fewer caps after Aiba's report, cuz it got kinda annoying to crop, save, and upload.
Warning: Screencap spam!
Secrets of supermarkets in Japan revealed by Aiba-chan:
- special watch for notifying "technical difficulties" at cashiers (?)
- the bathroom doors are automatically lock employees in if they don't sanitize their hands. The actor employee is singing "Happiness"! Lol.
- national cash register festival/competition. Dude, they even have those...umm...what do you call them...those "dancers with feathers and skimpy clothing." Omg, all those cash registers with their high-pitched voices, big smiles, and enthusiasm.
- memorizing where the bar codes are can speed up the check-out process a lot
- cash register training room, voice practice, putting items in another basket in high speed (10 items within 7 secs!)
- the girl who won the competition and her instructor actually go on the show to demonstrate and teach
- Riida demonstrating how to be a cash register!! <33 This part is just way too cute! Riida has to end each sentence in a "high tone" so the customers can understand more easily. He's actually kinda slow, but that's ok! Aiba-chan reminds Riida to smile more. :DD He says the total cost wrong! Lol. And his fellow members are all pointing at him. XD It takes him 1 min 28 secs, while the girl only takes 26 secs! One of the guests also gets to try, and they say he looks more like the owner of a supermarket! Lol. For some reason, I think Nino would be a good and fast cash register...
- Why? Why? Why is this one guest so mean and not give Aiba-chan any points!? What's the problem with her? >: ( Aiba, and Riida too, did a great job! Aiba only got "twirling wind" or tornado or twister...?
Secrets of pilots revealed by Nino-chan:
- in a pilot's suitcase: manual, map (for airplanes), white gloves, headset, passport, licenses, and sunglasses. To be a pilot, you need at least 5 different licenses. The most popular brand of sunglasses among pilots is "Ray-Ban," and American air force has been using them since 1930!!
- pilots have to pass the alcohol concentration test before flights. They can't drink within 8 hrs before their flights.
- pilots have to go through special body checks every 6 months. If you're fat, you can't be a pilot!
- the rice cooker that airplanes have costs 30,000,000 yen! That's like $300,000!!! The lady who shows her around seems very happy, perhaps a Nino/Arashi fan? Nino is standing at a place where it's physically in Japan, but Japan doesn't own the area.
- Nino tries lying on a first-class seat. He feels kinda embarrassed. It costs $14k/seat to fly to America! The flight attendant lady says, "If it's Nino-sama, then I think you can ride/afford it." XDDD Nino has so much fun at the comfy seat that he forgets his main mission: the cho-expensive rice cooker!
- normal rice cookers have "radiation" stuff like cell phones, computers, etc. On airplanes, those special rice cookers operate without interfering the flight's navigation. (?)
- Nino gets to eat a full first-class meal! The new plates that the airline uses are much lighter too. By doing so, they can save $2 mil worth of gas!! Omg!
- Why do the passengers sit from the left side of the plane first? Not b/c of the luggage moving into the storage space on the right...The reason is b/c Europeans started loading their stuff onto their ships from the left side 2000 yrs ago!! Actually, planes and ships share a lot of common terms: captain, crew, cabin, (air)port. Nino has a weird way of clapping...using one hand to "clap" on his other arm.
- Nino got "Big Storm"!
Secrets of Claim Complaints revealed by Jun: (I found this pretty hard to understand, so I won't talk much about this one, sorry. It's kinda boring too...)
- people who manage claim complaints have a notebook, voice recorder, small telescope (for observing claimer's lifestyle and making guesses about his/her personality)
- a guy talks to a claimer for 1+ hour. I really don't understand what they're talking about.
- those "as seen on TV" companies have female voice actors talking to customers on phones (?)
- Jun got "Big Storm"! (me: Is it that good? cuz I seriously don't understand what the report is about...=_=)
Secrets of Aquarium revealed by Sho: (Yay, my ichi-ban presenting this! I love aquariums~♥ Going to an aquarium is probably my ideal date, lol. )
- Sho shows the audience a whaleshark in an aquarium in Okinawa. I like whalesharks, cuz they're harmless. They're huge! An adult one can be as long as 14m!
- mysterious snoring sounds in aquarium at night!!!!???? o_0!? Creepy...Hehe, it's just a seal! Kawaii na~It's called "chibi-ko". Cute.
- to clean an aquarium's tank, you need to be qualified by the country!? You must know how to dive.
- one aquarium has never cleaned the tank with sharks in it (cuz it's too dangerous, duh). Even shark teeth can be seen at the bottom of the tank. The little creatures in the sand clean up the tank!
- some aquariums open at night. The visitors use flashlights to observe the fish without any of aquarium's lights on. That's pretty cool. I'm kinda interested in going, but it's kinda scary cuz I'm afraid of the dark. >_< And Nino shouts out that he wants a report on that! Sho-kun, if you're going, I'm volunteering to go with you!!
- Sakana-kun (that crazy, hyper guy who went on GRA for 2 episodes, talking about fish and squid) worked part-time at the aquarium that Sho reported on.
- nobody pressed the buttons!!!??? Omg, what's wrong with you people! I'm seriously mad at them. Sho is so surprised. He has such a cute facial expression. Sho says, "Ehh-hhh-hhh...!?" How can anyone fail Keio Boy!!!??? Sho-kun, you did an excellent report! I don't understand my ni-ban, Jun's, report and he got a "big storm," while my beloved ichi-ban got a "small breeze" when he did such a good job!? Unfair...I'll stop whining.
I haven't posted in a while since I've been quite busy with school work. Today, I finally got to see VS Arashi, or just an Arashi show, on Keyhole TV, after like...maybe a month or so. My family usually eats out on Friday night (when VS Arashi is aired in Japan), so I rarely get the chance to watch Arashi on Keyhole, since I don't really like to wake up early in the morning when I go to bed at 2 am.
I thought Arashi is invincible! I was disillusioned...
Just a very very brief summary here. Lol, I'm totally making up names for the games. Sorry, the screencaps are pretty bad/random cuz you know how Keyhole doesn't run smoothly.
Catch-the-Pole Game:
Aiba and Sho lost to the guests. The male guest got 100 pts! I think the girl guest who played this game is pretty. She looks half. Maybe she is half since her name is Mona.
Catch-the-Balls Game:
Nino was good. After all, he should have pretty good hand-eye coordination cuz of all the time he spends on his video games. He scored 300+ pts. The girl guest (the shorter one) was scared of all those flying balls at first. She got a little better and scored 200+ pts, but at the end, she was still dodging the balls. At this point, Arashi was leading.
Stack-the-Disks Game:
Jun and Riida played this game. Arashi got a lil worried since Jun was the most ダメ one last time. This time, Jun lost again! Jun, what's wrong? Why are you the worst in playing these games? Even Sho, the sports loser, can do better!
The 3 guests won and got the prizes.
The Most ダメ Arashi:
Since Jun lost the stack-the-disks game, all his fellow members unexpectedly pointed at him and he got dunked into a pool of white styrofoam blocks. Jun, がんばれ! I want to see you win in the next episode!
Grrrrr! My brother just happened to come in during the ダメ Arashi part. I told him to stay and watch Jun get dropped, and so, I was distracted and forgot to take screencaps!!
Btw, I don't like how they put "The Most DAME Arashi." It's just awkward to mix in "dame" (Japanese) with the other English words (well, I know "Arashi" isn't English, but still...). And also, ごめんね, Sho-kun. I didn't catch a close-up of you during the catch-the-pole game or a solo screencap.
Just some other random close-ups.
And several other random screencaps.
Come on, Arashi, you must win everytime after this loss! I hope they play more new games. The one where Nino was catching the balls was pretty entertaining.
My Groups
-
Arashi Updated: 56 minutes ago
-
maoh tribe Updated: 6 days ago
Neighborhood
Explore friends, family, friends & family, or entire neighborhood.
