Hiro and his Epoca Nova.

He plays live at Praca Onze in Omotesando from time to time.

The guitarist Yoshihiro Hosoda, a good friend of mine, leading his first live gig with Kazuo Yoshida, Satoshi Sano and guest vocalist TOYONO.

He released his first solo mini album titled “Bossa Azul”. One of his songs 「百名の波」was inspired by the「百名ビーチ」beach in Okinawa.

Here’s a video of him and his mentor, Mikio Watanabe, playing Mais Para La at Praça 11 a while back.

With the exception of the keyboard and mouse, I don’t play any musical instrument. Always in admiration of people who do.

Somehow mine happens to be “Don’t Let Me Down”. It also happens to be one of my power songs. ^^.

It’s no secret. I’m a hikki fan. So I was delighted to find out about her new single and PV (MTV) from fellow blogger Yonasu. From what I’ve read, it seems that she directed the whole video herself! I like it. Reminds me of 光. I like that video too by the way. I don’t know, there’s just something very natural about it. It made cleaning dishes fun. ^^.

Although the name of the song is Goodbye Happiness, it’s not really all that sad. It’s going straight into my playlist.

She’s going on a break after the release of her latest best-of album Utada Hikaru SINGLE COLLECTION VOL.2. I wish her well and hope she gets a good rest and recharge.

You can check out the song and video on her YouTube Channel.

There are references to many of her earlier songs in the video. How many can you spot? I’ll start. For example, the yellow armchair is from Automatic. See any others?

Nothing to do with Japan, but this video is hilarious! Thought I’ll just post it here too.

How many languages can you recognize in the video? ^^.

If you’ve been following my twitter, you’ll find many tweets of me “favoriting” Yutaka Ozaki’s ( 尾崎豊) 15の夜 (literally 15th night, but I think it’s more like “a night when I was 15″).

First heard the song in his 13/71 best hits compilation. Last track in the album and it was of a live recording of 15の夜. I was mesmerized by the song. Right at the end of the song, he said “また会いましょう” – Let’s meet again. I was really touched. He passed away suddenly a few years back on April 25, 1992. Rock star plus “mysterious death”, he became a legend.

I wanted to see this particular live performance, so I started searching YouTube. It’s awesome how you can find almost anything on YouTube. This video is of his last performance on his last tour “Birth”. I wonder if they have the whole concert on DVD or something.

Try singing this at the karaoke. ^^.

落書きの教科書と外ばかり見てる俺
超高層ビルの上の空 届かない夢を見てる
やりばのない気持の扉破りたい
校舎の裏 煙草をふかして見つかれば逃げ場もない
しゃがんでかたまり 背を向けながら
心のひとつも解りあえない大人達をにらむ
そして仲間達は今夜家出の計画をたてる
とにかくもう 学校や家には帰りたくない
自分の存在が何なのかさえ 解らず震えている
15の夜
盗んだバイクで走り出す 行き先も解らぬまま
暗い夜の帳りの中へ
誰にも縛られたくないと 逃げ込んだこの夜に
自由になれた気がした 15の夜

冷たい風 冷えた躰 人恋しくて
夢見てるあの娘の家の横を サヨナラつぶやき走り抜ける
闇の中 ぽつんと光る 自動販売機
100円玉で買えるぬくもり 熱い缶コーヒー握りしめ
恋の結末も解らないけど
あの娘と俺は将来さえ ずっと夢に見てる
大人達は心を捨てろ捨てろと言うが 俺はいやなのさ
退屈な授業が俺達の全てならば
なんてちっぽけで なんて意味のない なんて無力な
15の夜
盗んだバイクで走り出す 行き先も解らぬまま
暗い夜の帳りの中へ
覚えたての煙草をふかし 星空を見つめながら
自由を求め続けた 15の夜

盗んだバイクで走り出す 行き先も解らぬまま
暗い夜の帳りの中へ
誰にも縛られたくないと 逃げ込んだこの夜に
自由になれた気がした 15の夜

Rather than translate, I found one in english.

A little something taken from his “official” website.

HE WAS BORN ON NOVEMBER 29TH IN 1965 AND DIED ON APRIL 25TH IN 1992.
HE HAD LIVED FOR 9645 DAYS. HE LEFT ONLY SIX ALBUMS AND WROTE 61TUNES.
WE CAN GET TWO LIVE-RECORDED ALBUMS AND TWO MORE ALBUMS ON CD AND SEVERAL KIDS OF VIDEOS THAT CONTAINS THE STAGE PERFORMANCES FROM HIS DEBUT TO THE LAST TOUR.
HE HAD WORKED AS AN ARTIST FOR NINE YEARS FROM 18 TO 26.
IT SHOULD BE THE ONLY OBVIOUS FACT THAT HE HAD APPEARED BEFORE US JUST FOR NINE YEARS.

HE STARTED HIS JOURNY TO RELEASE THE FIRST ALBUM, “SEVENTEEN’S MAP” , ON DECEMBER IN 1983. NEXT YEAR HIS SECOND ALBUM,”TROPIC OF GRADUATION” , GOT THE NUMBER ONE HIT ON CHART AND SOON HE BECAME ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR OPINION LEADERS FOR THE TEENAGERS.

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 80′S YOUNG BOYS AND GIRLS WANTED A NEW A NEW HERO. THEY WERE LOOKING FOR THE NEW STAR. BECAUSE THEY WERE LOSING THEIR OWN AIMS AND DROWNED IN THE SEA OF UNREST AGAINST THE WORLD. THEY NEEDED A STRONG HERO WHO WOULD DRAW THEM.

THEN HE APPEARED. HE SANG AS TO HELP HIMSELF BY EXPOSING HIS INNER WORLD AND HIS SHAME , AFFECTION AND ANGUISH.SO THEY THOUGHT THAT HE MUST BE THEIR SPOKES PERSON AND HE BECAME THE GOD OF THE WOUNDED TEENAGERS.

PARTICULARLY HE GOT HIGHLY REGARDED AS A PERFORMER. HIS PERFORMING WAS ALWAYS SPECIAL FROM THE FIRST ONE TO THE LAST CALLED “BIRTH” TOUR.

Did you know he has a memorial plaque in Shibuya? Will bring you there soon.

My teenage years have been resurrected and I’m going through a Ozaki Yutaka phase.

Should I be worried…

I had a sudden urge to listen to his songs, so I went to the local Tsutaya and borrowed his CDs. Borrowed these 2. Three actually, since the other live album had 2 discs.

My first contact with Yutaka Ozaki was when I was making a graduation video for 2 special people. ^^. You know how it is with video, finding the right soundtrack is a quest. Someone was playing his “卒業” (sotsugyou – graduation) on the piano in the cafeteria. That really made my day. Do you believe in Destiny?

So, there I was again, looking for a song. When track 3 of the 13/71 album started playing and I caught the first few lines. I cracked a smile. Say goodbye scrap alley!

I find the lyrics simply awesome.

Sorry, but I’m too lazy to translate. ^^. Perhaps someone else could help?

二人で中古の車に乗り込み　ハイウェイを飛ばすおまえは
明け始めた眩しい朝日に　祝福された
俺がいくつになると　子供はいくつになるだなんて
一度ヘマしたあの時も　同じように話してた
おまえは十九で父親になり　暖かい暮らしをみつけ
明けゆく空　あの日見つめながら
二人で愛の生活を約束した

両手に抱えた生活の中で　おまえの汗は愛に費やされ
暖かい暮らしに小さな祝福をあげた
愛する者達は　俺だけをたよりに寄り添い暮らし
幸せがどれほど大切か感じている
昔はチンピラだったと　笑うおまえ
少し淋しく　うつむいた
昔みたいな事じゃ　もう笑えやしないと
最後におまえは　何度も歌った

Say　Good－bye Scrap Alley
Say　Good－bye 一人ぼっちのアクセル　ON
Say　Good－bye　おんぼろのギター
Say　Good－bye　擦り切れた　Rock’n'Roll
がむしゃらに傷つき求めた　あの日より幸せになってくれ
この胸に愛の暮らしを誓うために
おまえは何度も歌うのか
Say　Good－bye　Scrap Alley

あの頃へたくそな　Rock Band組んで
目立とうとして　ボリュームを上げた
格好つけては　彼女の気を引いていた
割れるぐらいに音が上がると
警察が来て苦情を言われた
暫くは知らないふりで歌っていた
昔の事を思い出し　賛美して
懐かしがるつもりはない
これからおまえの生きざまを思う時
おまえのShoutが　聞こえてくるんだ

Say　Good－bye Scrap Alley
Say　Good－bye 一人ぼっちのアクセル　ON
Say　Good－bye　おんぼろのギター
Say　Good－bye　擦り切れた　Rock’n'Roll
がむしゃらに傷つき求めた　あの日より幸せになってくれ
この胸に愛の暮らしを誓うために
おまえ何度も歌うのか

Say　Good－bye　Scrap Alley

Say　Good－bye　Scrap Alley

You might have seen this, but isn’t it obvious how awesome this coupling really is? Just work the velcro into a decent iPad case and I think it’s perfect. All that’s left after that is the strategic placement of velcro strips around the home. ^^.

Thanks to Jesse Rosten for a great vid.

I attended the premiere of “ダーリンは外国人 – My Darling is a Foreigner” last night. Woo hoo! My first movie premiere in Japan!

I was really looking forward to meeting 井上真央! ^^.

The story -

Illustrator Saori dreams of being a manga artist. Tony is an American who’s come to Japan after becoming enamored with the Japanese language.

Pure chance brings the two together, and romance is in the air. But… it’s not long before Tony’s quirky questions begins to confound Saori. ‘Why do you say “Do this and od that” and not “Do that and do this”?’ Is he like this because he’s a foreigner? Or because he’s a language geek? Will their relationship survive?

This heart-warming love story is a must-see for those whose darling is foreign, for those whose darling isn’t, and for those still seeking a darling of their own.

The story is based on the lives of the author Saori Oguri and her white husband Tony Laszlo.

I have to admit, I didn’t know of the manga until after I found out about the movie. Picked up the manga at the local bookstore and found it to be pretty hilarious.

The movie falls a little short though, not mentioning the Japanese-husband-foreign-wife combination… Still, I see no reason why you and your Japanese husband can’t enjoy the movie. ^^.

Saori is extremely observant. Noticing the little things. Little things that shock me. Most of which, I could also relate to. ^^. Shocked when I heard Mao-chan vocalizing some of the same phrases I hear when we’re arguing in a heated discussion.

I wonder. Do international couples argue the same way too?!

At the end of the movie, the stars finally made their entrance.

From my seat somewhere in the middle, I saw Inoue Mao, Jonathan Sherr, Saori, Tony and the film’s director. There was a short Q and A session and 真央ちゃんは本当にカワイイですね。いつか本人とあいたいです！

I thought Jonathan did a pretty good job as Tony too. They really did look alike together up there on the stage.

Saori (the real one) was saying that the movie got 1 part wrong though. It was him who was after her and not vice versa. ^^.

The original manga is in Japanese, but they have started selling the a version in both English and Japanese. I couldn’t find it online yet, but check your local bookstore.

The movie will open in cinemas Japan-wide on April 10th.

Oh yeah, one more thing – a real treat for the non-Japanese speaking folks.

It was the first Japanese movie I’ve seen in a Japanese cinema with English subtitles!

So kudos to My Darling is a foreigner.

This particular version with English subtitles will only be shown in 2 cinemas nationwide from April 10th till the 16th at Toho Cinemas Roppongi Hills (Tokyo) and Umeda (Osaka).

If your other half doesn’t speak Japanese, it’s a great opportunity to enjoy a Japanese movie in the cinema together.

Here’s a trailer to whet your appetite.

I really enjoyed the movie. I laughed, I nearly shed a tear… yeah, tell me about it. I have become somewhat of a softie. At times, I thought I was looking at us in the mirror. ^^.

度肝抜かれました！

The 4 apostles John, Paul, George and Ringo.