#Bob Sakamoto

[liliana-von-k]

Bob Mothersbaugh, Yukihiro Takahashi and Ryuichi Sakamoto.

[kenzan-kiwami]

i hope 8 and gaiden have a gpose mode like ishin kiwami

[bob-the-movie-man-film-reviews]

Monster ('12'): Multiple Perspectives on Blowing Your Own Trumpet.

#onemannsmovies #filmreview of “Monster”. Brilliantly twisty perspectives on dramatic events in and around a Japanese school. 4.5/5.

A One Mann’s Movies review of “Monster” (2023) (from the London Film Festival). We head for Japan here, with “Monster”, the latest film by Hirokazu Koreeda, director of “Shoplifters” and “Broker”. It’s taut and twisty tale that requires your extreme concentration. Once again, I saw this at the Film Critic screenings prior to the opening of the London Film Festival. Bob the Movie Man…

[shadowboxerinc]

New Music / January 2023

New Music / January 2023

1.3.23 Good Morning! I’m looking at Pitchfork’s info about new music and album releases. Credit source: Pitchfork From Pitchfork: New albums are getting announced and released constantly. It’s tough to stay on top of it all. So that’s where we come in. Pitchfork is tracking notable new music releases with our guide to upcoming albums. In the coming months, there will be big new releases…

[stuck-writing-sickos]

In Poor Taste [P4]

[Series Link]

(Yandere × F! Reader)

[Warning: misogyny, explicit language, violence, harrassment, bodily harm]

(A/N: i see some of yall find Lukas so offputting 🎯yall not rocking with him? Why❤️What for✨️ is it his personality 💕is he vile and disgusting 🥹? do u hate him💋? Do u wanna beat his ass 🫶? )

You were never crazy about spoiled rich men. They were nothing but troubles.

He didn't expect to see a familiar face in the tight, dim, sweaty corner of Tokyo. He regretted going to this silly punk rock concert in the first place, but he did say this morning that he would go to one so he could talk to you about it. Mostly he was set on going because he wanted to try out something new, something to talk about - his peers wouldn't set foot near this underground coffee. It was unfortunate that he had no genuine interest in the music - it was loud and complicated. Unpredictable. The guitar might sound cool, but there wasn't a groove to which he could chill and bob his head or trip balls on mushroom while making out with a stranger. No trippy backdrops here - just the dim, anxiety-inducing colored stage light.

So he was there at a standing table way back, watching the crowd dance and scream. He found it strange - the hair, the makeup, the eccentric clothes. The only thing he would safely get behind was the fishnet and leather skirts that some girl really rocked. Sometimes, the girls over at the States would wear that to bars or theme nights. He liked that. He didn't like the way he feel here - half aroused, half judgemental. He would rather the tight sportwears on tanned blond surfers or yoga instructors. The ones who earned nods and hums and vile comments from his frat brothers were he to kiss and tell. Being attracted to them made him feel normal. Accepted. Approved. He wouldn't be caught dead eyeing these women.

But his friends weren't here, so he got to look. Never tell, though. Or if he did, he would say "oh, they dressed crazy", or "their eyeliner were scary", or "their piercings freak me out".

Deciding that it was time for another beer, Lukas begrudgingly went to the bar again. He felt anxious and alone, sticking out like a sore thumb. He earned quite some looks from women, but he couldn't be so sure if they liked what they see or if they could tell he was a poser who only came just to say he did it. He couldn't read their expressions, partly since he was drunk, partly because he was now considering the cultural differences, even if only for a morcel. He was made aware of it most pointedly this morning: the couple faux-pas he made with Sakamoto might have been intentional, but the guy's lack of reaction made him question how big of an insult he had put out there.

Sakamoto made him feel defensive, though Lukas decided not to dwell on it. He wasn't one to feel insecure, especially with guys like that - soft faced and soft-spoken. His big round eyes and sickly skin made him look like a woman, too. At least, Lukas would acknowledge that he was tall. But that was his only saving grace.

He wasn't explicitly aware that he was feeling more territorial over you. It wasn't about you anyway, it was by default. Even in the past, he had done these things - putting down other men to get to women. They were his wingmen, he would justify, they weren't supposed to outshine him. When it was his turn to wingman, he definitely let his brothers dog on him for days. It was common and understandable. If anything, Sakamoto should make ways for him. A girl like you wouldn't suit that guy - he was too uptight and serious. What would two high-strung people do together? You should be with someone who know what a good time is. Also, he saw something Sakamoto didn't - a glimpse of your tattoo. Those family-man wouldn't know how to deal with that. How would he take bring that up to his family? They would freak. Even his sister's "31:25" tattoo freaked his parents out, and they were already the most liberal rich family in his neighborhood.

Yeah, Sakamoto should leave you to him.

Settling in on a barstool, he ordered another beer, then repeat himself when the bartender couldn't quite make out what he was trying to say.

Lukas let his eyes scan the people sitting near him. Only a few, he noticed. It wasn't a crazy crowd to begin with.

After this beer, he'd go home.

As the bartender come back with his bottle, Lukas noticed something he didn't expect. From the crowd, you emerged, making your way toward the bar. He blinked, trying to see if he was mistaken.

No... that was definitely you.

All black from head to toes, you treaded silently like a death omen, your sleek heels clicking. Your short sleeved turtle neck and your tight pants started a heat within his chest. Your face wasn't any different, though - just the usual look. No crazy eyeliner, no bold dark lipstick. Seemed like you did not come here to impress the crowd.

You didn't notice him. Hopping onto a stool at the other end with your back facing him, you ordered something.  You knew Japanese, or just enough to get by. A lot of expats got to that point eventually.

Lukas debated on confronting you about your lies - you said you would be at dinner with a friend. Or maybe he could do that tomorrow.

He didn't peg you for such a casual liar.

Lukas hatched another plan: he could observe you, and see how deep your lies could go. Sipping on his beer, he followed your movement. You adjusted in your chair, still with that calm manner you carried yourself. Then, his eyes rested on your skin left bare by the bold backless top. You looked good, but clueless. Would you know the implications of such a shirt? The way your body moved in it... men would think you were asking for troubles. Bad men. Asshole men who didn't know they were pigs. At least he had the decency to admit that he was a pig, but he was an honest pig who respected women. He was a pig who knew to ask once, then if rejected a couple more time just to make sure, then he would leave it alone. Most pigs wouldn't know to even ask.

You sipped on your pink cocktail. That was cute. Your right now style reminded him of those ravebabes he met during spring break, but you were more subtle and quiet. Your movement were less urgent, and your clothes were less exposing. It was a nice feminine touch.

Your moment of rest didn't seem to last long. A man had chosen to sit down right next to you. This man was lanky, dressed in a very unbuttoned black button-down. He started to chatter, first in Japanese, then in English. Another sleazeball trying to test out his games. Lukas wondered when would be appropriate to interfere.

Your body language made it clear you weren't interested, but not afraid. Immediately covering your drink, you tried to turn your body away. The man seemed not to mind. If anything, his speech seemed more excited, his hands moving around like a stupid puppet. Desperate, Lukas thought, that was not a good look.

Deciding your half-finished drink wasn't safe anymore, you laid it on the bar and stepped down, trying to leave. Upon this, the man caught your wrist, forcing you to turn his way. Lukas' stomach twisted - here it was, the moment where he step it and scare off this asshole.

A loud, off-tune note shred through the music. Lukas looked at the stage. The band played on, but it seemed there was a technical issues with the guitarist.

The momentary distraction cost him his chance to intervene. When he turned his eyes back to you, he was hit with a strange scene - in a swift movement you twisted your arms around the man's and grabbed onto his forearm, forcing it down so hard he stumbled. Your face, now turned sideway during the commotion, was eerily calm when you talked. Lukas heard "Sir... I said no."

The man said something in Japanese, something that sounded bitter. Probably a curse word. Lukas jumped off his seat just as the stranger swung with his free arm to slap you across the face. The bartender seemed to have decided that whatever was going on was enough, and she rushed to you. Before she could, you clenched your idle fist and landed an uppercut so hard the harrasser let out a cartoonish "oof", his limp fingers releasing you as he stumbled backward, hitting right against the bouncer who appeared as if from the shadow.

Something in Lukas awakened in that moment. Your stone cold feature and your bruised knuckle left him slack-jawed. He stepped closer, intending to ask if you were okay. Once again, he was interrupted.

"Sir and ma'am, please explain what happened", the burly bouncer commanded. The pathetic guy excitedly tried to speak, but you only crossed your arms and watched. Your eyes was set on the sad attempt at vidication, but you were patient to let him finish his spiel.

"Is it true that you attacked this gentleman unprovoked, ma'am?"

"I apologize for the commotion, sir", your bowed, hands now hanging right atop your knees. Pulling yourself back up, you continued, "this young man seemed to have taken my rejection poorly, and he had slapped me across my face. I understand that my punch was unseemly, but I did that in an attempt to protect myself. He had gotten ahold of my arms and hit me, so I was fearing for the worst."

The bouncer's scowled, but he decided that he had heard it all. His big hand grabbed onto the stranger's wrist, and together they exited out the backdoor.

The fight definitely grabbed some attention. Lukas stood watching you look around, soaking in the side eyes. Taking in a breath, you dusted yourself off and hopped back onto a barstool. The thick, moist, cigarette-dense air fell heavy in Lukas' lungs. He felt his heart drumming, his body hot from an excitement he couldn't surpress. Something about the way you fought hit him like ecstasy.

He wondered if your punch hurts.

Lost in the unprecedented euphoria, he could only gaze at you as some women came up and asked if you were okay. You reassurred them with a familiar smile, one he had seen you wore at work. Your voice was soft again as you thanked the chirpy crowd for their concerns.

Lukas didn't say anything to you that night. He went home and let the image of you and your victorious knuckle bruises lull him to sleep.

___

"Do you need me to find out who he is?"

Yuki wasn't happy when he asked that. The sight of your bandaged hand and the medical patch on your face stirred his stomach with guilt.

"No, of course not", you shook your head, "I'm fine! Really, it was nothing."

Yuki pursed his lips. The lunch he packed himself suddenly tasted like cardboard.

He tried to make it easier by reminding himself that at least Lukas didn't push to have lunch with you today. In fact, the guy had been stoic for the entire morning. Even though you weren't around, Lukas had somehow been working on his computer silently instead of sprawling on his chair like a slacker. Perhaps you had reminded him about his attitudes at work?

If you did, Yuki was impressed that the newbie knew to listen. He didn't think that kid would be the type to do so.

"Sakamoto, please don't worry. I had fun, and your set was great."

He looked down. He knew he wasn't directly to blame, though the guilt never went away- he was well-acquainted with this sort of harrassment. Right in his childhood home he had witnessed worse. What grated him the most was the silence afterward. The way his mother's frail form would hunch, casting a bent shadow on the shoji, her hands cupping her face. He was too young and small to do anything but stand in the hallway and watch as she eventually moved, mute and rigid. He heard the folds of her clothes creasing against one another and the floorboard barely creaking under her feet.

She couldn't have fought back. She was sickly. When he grew into his middle school uniform, Yuki tried to fight on her behalf but his teenage body bounced off his father's sturdy chest. His father was a merciless man, strong like the grey stone wall surrounding their mansion. Yuki remembered the disappointment in the old man's voice as he lamented "my only son is emotional like a woman, and weak like one, too."

"I see...", he said to you, his voice weary. He didn't know what else to say. He didn't want to bring up the fact that when he saw your tug of war, he let his hand slip across the strings, messing up the song. He had planned to jump off the stage, but his lead singer had tugged on his sleeve and eyed the bouncer who was already coming your way. What was there to tell you? He couldn't say that he had almost done something. Either he did something or he did nothing. In this case, he did nothing. Yuki tried to find solace in the fact that you held your own, but he couldn't. You shouldn't have to, not right in front of a friend.

Another wave of bitterness hit him when he remembered Lukas standing there watching, hesitant to interfere, tall and awkward like an useless telephone pole. Yuki wondered if he should bring Lukas up, but he decides against it. He didn't want you to feel worse - a friend and a junior watching you getting hit, that would not brighten anyone's day. He felt sorry for you to have to deal with two cowards.

Well, if he couldn't feel better, the least he could do was to keep you from feeling worse. He had been of no help with his stupid sad face. After all, this should not be about him. Yuki shamefully put his feelings in the corner as he tried to think of something that would cheer your up.

"Hey, would you like to check out a cat cafe this weekend with me?"

Your eyes lit up.

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's right down the street from where I live. I have been meaning to visit, but it would be awkward to go alone."

Yuki already visited. He liked their cakes and tea. Still, he saw no harm in a little white lie to make his invitation seem more natural. He would hate for you to get the idea that he felt obliged to make up for what happened. That would be a transactional spin on what was supposed to be a gesture of friendship.

"That would be so nice! I also was hoping to relax a little lately..."

The knot in his chest unraveled at that.

___

You were intimidated by Lukas' switch-up. Since morning, he was quiet. Upon seeing your bruises, he asked what happened, to which you gave a vague respond about tripping on the sidewalk. No more inappropriate attempts of flirting nor small talks - he appeared to be engrossed in the tasks you handed to him. You found it simultaneously nice and unnerving, so a part of you were glad that you were scheduled to teach until lunch. You were worried that if you were near him for too long, you wouldn't be able to resist asking him what triggered this change.

You thought of asking him to join you and Sakamoto for lunch, remembering the agreement you had made the day prior. Though, by the time you reached the lounge, he was getting ready to leave. "Please don't mind me", he said with an oddly soft smile, "I need to pick up something at the convenient store nearby. I hope you and Mr. Sakamoto have a good meal". His out of character veneered grin hit you like a brick.

By the time afternoon rolled by, Lukas occupied only a corner of your mind. You were mowing through the last days of school, teaching, writing, planning the end of year school festival. When you landed from the whirlwind and came back to the lounge for your last hour, you barely noticed the junior colleague who was still hunched over his laptop. Brushing past him, you got settled. Your tense body completely dropped its guards as you melted in your chair.

Your gaze met with a bottle of cold green tea in your cubicle. From the thin condensation, you figured it hadn't been around for long.

"Afternoon", Lukas' voice echoed from the other side of your corner, "you seemed tired. It's not much, but I hope you feel a little more refreshed drinking that."

"Mr. Lukas... it's so nice of you. I'm embarrassed to not have anything in return."

He didn't move to look at you.

"Don't mind it! You had a long day."

His tone was cool and distant, a long shot from the flirtatiousness you had to suffer so far.

"Really, thank you, Mr. Lukas. I do like this brand a lot, so this definitely made me feel better."

There was a quick pause before he spoke again: "I'm glad."

He moved at last, turning to you. You missed his gaze as you twisted open the cap and took a sip.

"If you don't mind, I would love your opinion on the powerpoints I made so far."

"Of course", you nodded, rolling your chair his way. He arched back, giving you the space to take a look

Your attention was on the mistakes he had made. You had a flaw: you were a perfectionist. Despite your lack of vocal reaction, you knew you could be critical when you saw someone take over your work incorrectly. It comes with expertise. Still, you had trained yourself to manage the uneasiness and maintain an encouraging attitude - something your close friends called "softening the blow".

You often forget, though, that your face could betray you.

"Okay, you did great so far", you said, neglecting to meet his eyes, "but I want to make some notes here. Would you mind?"

"Not at all."

For someone so surprisingly tough, you lacked an eye for details. You didn't see the look on him as he watched your hardening face and bandaged knuckle as if he was starving.

[the-hottest-band-tournament]

Round Three of The Hottest 80s Band Tournament

Talking Heads 

Defeated opponents: Los Lobos, Bob Marley and the Wailers

Formed in: 1975

Genres: New Wave 

Lineup: David Byrne- lead vocals/guitar

Chris Frantz- drums

Tina Weymouth- bass

Jerry Harrison- keyboard/guitar

Albums from the 80s: 

Remain in Light (1980)

Speaking in Tongues (1983)

Little Creatures (1985)

True Stories (1986)

Naked (1988)

Propaganda:

Yellow Magic Orchestra

Defeated opponents: Skinny Puppy, The Romantics

Formed in: 1978

Genres: Electronic, electro, experimental, new wave, synthpop

Lineup: Haruomi Hosono – bass guitar, synth bass

Ryuichi Sakamoto – keyboards, vocoder, drum machine

Yukihiro Takahashi – drums, electronic drums, vocals

Albums from the 80s:

Public Pressure (1980)

×∞ Multiplies (1980) (a.k.a. Zoshoku)

BGM (981)

Technodelic (1981)

YMO Best Selection (1982)

Naughty Boys (1983)

Naughty Boys Instrumental (1983)

Service (1983)

After Service (1984)

Sealed (1984)

Y.M.O. History (1987)

Propaganda: 

[goodluckclove]

These asks are fun!

Dear Scott, do you like improvisation or playing composed pieces better? And what is your favourite piece / Style?

(my guesses would be improvisation and woodland fairy music - I couldnt think of a more random ask but if an idea comes i'll send it!)

At some point my mom tried to teach me how to read music and I found it annoying and frustrating and distracting and generally unpleasant. She tried to say that reading sheet music would help me build a foundation, something something something - I was very young and my attention span was not great back then.

I ended up doing what I consider to be the far easier and more reasonable thing, which was to play every note of my family's piano one at a time, over and over again, and memorize them to their corresponding note. I did this for about two hours a day, every day, for maybe a year when I was five-ish. After that I was pretty good at learning pretty much any composition by ear as long as I could hear it on a loop for an hour or two. Mom brags that I have perfect pitch and I don't think she's wrong but I do think that's a weird thing to brag about to people.

Liszt is fine but really only interesting for one hand at a time. Something like Ryuichi Sakamoto scratches the itch but it doesn't really allow you to be as wiggly while you play as I end up being.

Ragtime is best across the board. Pretty much everyone I say that to gives me a look because the music I play with my old band is much more rock/cabaret adjacent, but that's because I compose based on lyrics and I'm a guy with strong emotions. If I'm just playing the piano for three or five hours straight, it's absolutely ragtime.

No one gives it the same credit as the complexity of classical or jazz because it's a form of complexity that's born out of a love for playing music.

Yeah, complex polyrhythmic compositions are cool. Literally everyone knows that and the only reason why they all aren't also delving into the creative milleau of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard is because of either scheduling conflicts or a lack of access to quality instruments.

The ego of some of these people is infuriating. Oh, you're a master of alternating octave triads? Can you make music that people enjoy? Can you play piano to create a fun experience as opposed to get a bunch of strangers to fawn at how cool and talented you are?

Can people dance to the music you play? Can they even bob their head?

You can bring virtually any song on piano into the ragtime genre if you play the melody through octaves, add syncopation, and throw in a bunch of notes from the chord to fill space. It automatically makes every song better and anyone who disagrees is at best wrong and at worst very boring.

[nochangeintheplan]

Drawing challenge for myself to complete the list of characters here in a month:

List is all Yakuza 0-4 + Ishin on Mudae Bot, I'm pinning it here just so i can keep track of who I've done.

Bacchus

Bob Utsunomiya

Daisaku Kuze

Habu

Hiroki Awano

Hiroya Egashira

Homare Nishitani

Jun Oda

Keiji Shibusawa

Makoto Makimura

Miracle Johnson

Nugget

Pocket Circuit Fighter

Tetsu Tachibana

Tsukasa Sagawa

Wen Hai Lee

Yuki

Akira Nishikiyama

Futoshi Shimano

Gary Buster Holmes

Goro Majima

Haruka Sawamura

Hiroshi Hayashi

Jo Amon

Kazuki (Yakuza)

Kazuma Kiryu

Kyohei Jingu

Makoto Date

Masaru Sera

Osamu Kashiwagi

Reina

Shinji Tanaka

Shintaro Kazama

Sohei Dojima

Sotaro Komaki

The Florist of Sai

Yayoi Dojima

Yumi Sawamura

Yuya

Daigo Dojima

Jiro Kawara

Karou Sayama

Koyuki

Nishida

Ryuji Goda

Andre Richardson

Goh Hamazaki

Rikiya Shimabukuro

Taichi

Yoshitaka Mine

Hana

Hiroaki Arai

Masayoshi Tanimura

Nair

Seishiro Munakata

Shun Akiyama

Taiga Saejima

Takeshi Kido

Haruka (Ishin)

Hijikata Toshizo

Kondo Isami

Oryo

Okita Souji

Saigo Kichinosuke

Sakamoto Ryoma

Takechi Hanpeita

i had to break it up because there was a limit on blocks on tumblr

[best-fictional-cat]

When I said they were coming soon I meant soon!

Again, some useful links:

This very useful table which I saw was being updated as the competition progressed and now has detailed results of both round 1 and 2!

The general cat masterpost

Round 1 winners

Poll masterpost for round 2

Round 2 winners

And now...

Round 3 match-ups!

(they will be updated with poll links when there are polls)

Group 1

Miyuki (Avatar the Last Airbender) vs Catbus (My Neighbor Totoro)

Amp / Anp / Anpu (The Disastrous Life of Saiki K) vs Kitty Softpaws (Puss in Boots)

Chi Yamada (Chi's sweet home) vs Tabby Slime (Slime Rancher)

Cinderpelt (Warrior cats) vs Scourge (Warrior cats)

Group 2

Mae Borowski (Night in the Woods) vs Shoe + Wagahai (Ace Attorney)

Niko (Oneshot) vs Squirrelflight (Warrior cats)

Hong + On (Trash of the Count's Family) vs Jaspers (Homestuck)

Thomas Kincade Brannigan (Doctor Who) vs Baron Humbert von Gikkingen (The Cat Returns)

Group 3

Greebo (Discworld) vs Simba (The Lion King)

Findus (Pettson and Findus) vs Cheshire Cat (Alice in Wonderland)

Felix the cat (Paramount) vs Ghost (The Owl House)

Rosie (Animal Crossing) vs Hiili (Fox Fires)

Group 4

Hobbes (Calvin and Hobbes) vs Jonesy (Alien)

Vodka Mutini / Dr.Meowgon Spangler (Homestuck) vs Puppycat (Bee and Puppycat)

Lion (Steven Universe) vs Spot (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

Midnight (Castle in the Air, Diana Wynne Jones) vs Sakamoto (Nichijou)

Group 5

Fluffal Cat (Yu-Gi-Oh!) vs Salem Saberhagen (Sabrina the Teenage Witch)

Nyanky (Taiko no Tatsujin) vs Amanojaku (Ghost Stories)

Khoshekh (Welcome to Night Vale) vs Catra (She-Ra)

Juan The Small Magical Latino Cat (Monster Prom) vs Bungle the glass cat (Oz)

Group 6

Finley / Jelly Donut (Hustle Cat) vs Nameless evil white cat (James Bond)

Thomas O'Malley + Aristocats (Aristocats) vs Jellie (Double Life SMP)

Tigress (Kung Fu Panda) vs Haru (My Roommate is a Cat)

Pusheen (Pusheen) vs Kuroneko-sama (Trigun)

Group 7

Skitty (Pokémon) vs Bob (Animal Crossing)

Garfield the Deals Warlock (The Adventure Zone) vs Jiji (Kiki's Delivery Service)

The Black Cat (The Black Cat, E.A.Poe) vs Tom (Tom and Jerry)

Lil' Judd (Splatoon) vs Bagheera (The Jungle Book)

Group 8

Plagg (Miraculous) vs Meowth (Pokémon)

Leafpool (Warrior cats) vs Maurice (Discworld)

Xiaohei (The Legend of Hei) vs Puss in Boots (Puss in Boots)

Schrödinger's cat (you know the one) vs Pasty (Neko Atsume)

The polls will be out as soon as they're ready, I'll update you on the exact time when I have it!

Edit: Saturday, March 25th, 6pm GMT

[awesomelybadjmusicvideos]

Your Awesomely Bad Crew is all recovering from our wild and fun time at Animazement this weekend. But before we turn in for the night, here's the playlist for Friday afternoon's Awesomely Bad main show. Stay tuned for the After Dark playlist to get shared soon.

"Norma Jean" - BARBEEBOYS "SAPP TIME" - Bob Sapp "POP SONG" - Kenshi Yonezu "Bokura no Sekai ni Dance wo" - Prof. SAKAMOTO x LeftyMonsterP feat. GUMI "Bousou Rock" - Sex Machineguns "The Mi-Ha" - Chisato Moritaka [Badulator] "Rock The Planet" -Daigo Stardust "Saraba Jinrui" - Mowmow Lulu Gyaban "C-Chou Venus" - Bed In "Jet Generation" - Guitar Wolf "Green Eyed Monster" - Lindberg "Nagori Uta" - Yukino Ichikawa [Badulator] "Don't Feel, Think!" - Kishidan "Bach no Senritsu wo Yoru ni Kiita Seidesu" - Sakanaction "Yatta!" - Happatai "Tsumitobatsu" - climbgrow "Hold Me" - BaBe [Badulator] "Pompara Pekoluna Papiyotta" - Go Go Nana Ni San Ni Rei "Preview of Me" - Tatsuya Kitani "Taisou" - Yellow Magic Orchestra "Poipoi" - Zainichi Funk "One Day" - Shintaro Sakamoto [Badulator] "Vacuuuuuum!!" - Sendai Kamotsu "Be My Baby" - Complex "Tarako Tarako Tarako" - Kigurumi "Ai no Memory" - Shigeru Matsuzaki "1999 Secret Object" - Sekima-II [Badulator] "The End of Shite" - Yuki "GALO Sengen" - Policeman "Spiderman" - DJ Ozma "Fish Fight!" - Yaen

[sergeifyodorov]

is valieva actually terrible at skating? i'm a fake figure skating fan and only really pay attention during olympics seasons... i remember the doping scandal and her disappointing free skate but that's all i know...

ok i'm not some kind of Technical Expert and this is a question much better suited for @tofumilanesa than me (sorry for the tag!) but... yeah. and it's on purpose too

before we talk about Skating though we have to talk about Silly Little ISU Politics, which is always a dreadful chore and just a real slog. the ISU (international skating union)(figure skating governing/judging body) is the one that determines the rules for how fs is judged over the years. in essence there's 2 parts of a figure skater's score: the TES (technical score) and the PCS (program component score). the TES measures the value/quality of each individual element (jumps etc) and the PCS measures "skating skills, performance and composition, and transitions." see how little skating skills is part of that? less than half of half of the whole score.

if you've also noticed how little of this is objective, correct! shmoozing to the ISU can get you... generous judgments on your more borderline calls -- bad technique can get glossed over way more easily. especially by larger federations, and especially, in ladies' singles, by The big federation (Rusfed.)

All that to say is that the Russian girls are being judged. pretty kindly. So if you're coaching them, you don't really have to do things like "ensure they're good enough skaters not to get their asses torn to shreds by the PCS panel" and you can focus more on getting that fourth rotation out of that underfed teenager.

so all these girls (and it's not just Valieva -- Shcherbakova, Trusova, Kostornaya to some extent, and the newer generation of Petrosian and Usacheva and Tikhonova and the like, as well as the older girls like Medvedeva and Zagitova) come out of the same camp (all trained by Eteri Tutberidze, who you can immediately recognize at the edge of every rink by her bleach blond it's-gonna-be-may hair and sour expression) and they learn how to spin in the air and that's it. bad initial technique is not trained out of them, because dedicating the time to learning how to jump more safely (ex. EVERYONE has a flutz. except trusova but it's not like her tech is great either) is time you are taking away from getting that stable quad. this training is intensive enough that there's a phrase -- the "Eteri expiration date" where these girls retire at 17 sharp, from injury or anorexia or both.

(this is not necessarily an all-of-Russia problem -- Elizaveta Tuktamysheva is 25 and still going. That being said, no Russians who are competitive on the world stage besides her come out of anywhere except Eteri's camp, so it might as well be.)

anyway, back to skating technique and kamila: figure skating doesn't place nearly as much an emphasis on forward speed as hockey does, but it places a lot More emphasis on efficiency, depth of edges, and smoothness.

probably the best example of this is crossovers -- if you watch a program like, say, valieva's bolero (she skates it clean at GP Rostelecom), whenever she does crossovers, she's doing three or four and putting her whole back into it. You can watch her shoulders bob up and down as she's stroking -- meanwhile, watch bronze medalist Kaori Sakamoto go, and she needs barely two and all her power is coming from her legs.

actually, sakamoto vs valieva is a pretty easy comparison re skating skills: when sakamoto skates, she leans very hard into her inside or outside edges, while valieva doesn't really do that at all. sakamoto's crossovers are a lot more powerful, and she has a much easier and more fluid transition from forward to backwards skating. she's also a lot faster -- and i know we said there's less emphasis on that, but speed with little effort is a really good measure of technical ability, and valieva is basically crawling compared to sakamoto (for an even better example of effortless speed, go watch old yuna kim programs!)

but valieva is 6 years younger, didn't medal, and will have quads for the next year or two before she retires from hip or back injury, while kaori might even show up at the next olympic cycle, so who's to say who's winning that game

[aneptuniana]

FLEMING [spotify] - 2h 0min

"quiet village" - les baxter // "the nile" - sun ra // "old devil moon" - chet baker // "off shore" - martin denny // "i concentrate on you" - fred astaire // "blue lester" - lester young // "stardust" - hoagy carmichael // "nature boy" - robert maxwell // "wondrous place" - billy fury // "diamonds" - the ventures // "action line" - dorothy ashby // "comin' home baby" - mel tormé // "love potion #9" - herb alpert & the tijuana brass // "a taste of honey" - lenny welch // "the look of love" - sergio mendes & brasil '66 // "mojave" - antonio carlos jobim // "my kind of town - frank sinatra // "pink champagne" - georgie fame & the blue flames // "women of the world" - jimmy smith // "harlem shuffle" - bob & earl // "i come from jamaica" - clifford brown // "the russians are coming" - val bennet // "traveling man" (version I) - the techniques // "la madrague" - brigitte bardot // "jet set" - david pike // "saint-tropez blues" - marie laforêt // "summertime" - the zombies // "that's life" - james brown // "i put a spell on you" - alan price // "primitive london 2" - basil kirchin // "graham greene" - john cale // "sukiyaki" - kyu sakamoto // "footprints on the moon" - johnny harris // "time doesn't matter anymore" - margie day // "solaris" - lalo schifrin // "daydream" - wallace collection // "cry baby cry" - ramsey lewis // "time beat" - ray cathode

[gapless playback on - crossfade 12s]

[senor-plume]

A Lao Tzu Cork

after 30 minutes of blank white screen I click out

cant write tonight

so I shut off the Kyu Sakamoto tunes

pour the beer down the drain and park my ass on the couch with a book and a glass of water

smoking as the television glows muted like a alien candle

I stretch out in boxers under cheap blanket

keeping the sweater on I find the book mark and open

and apply my eyes to the words

I read alone on the couch

Lao Tzu

The Complete Works of…

I read with the taste of beer still in my mouth

and taken away by the raging white rapids

laying calm

letting the water have its way with me

I bob up and down

I float

simply float

letting it happen to me

calmly

calmly

I cant write tonight

[ponyregrets]

Spotify Wrapped 5, 7, 11, and 35!

5: プラチナ (Platinum) by Sakamoto Maaya

7: Changes by Langhorne Slim

11: Mississippi by Bob Dylan

35: Civil Twilight by the Weakerthans

[arlequinelunaire]

Danganronpa Showa: Prologue Part 2

<<Prev AO3

At least I got to see that Genpachi, that eagle, and I weren't the only ones around. Standing here inspecting the cavern were four others our age, the one who first approached us being a prim and proper boy with stark white hair beneath a cap, remarkably bushy brows, and wearing a black Nehru jacket with gold epaulettes. 

"Greetings, it's good to see the rest of us gathering," he smiled and gave a sharp bow, "I am Ishimaru Toranosuke, and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintances. I have been called a great many things, a political genius, an effortless leader, but at Hope's Peak I am enrolled as the Ultimate Manager. My dream is no less to become Prime Minister of our fair Japan, so all of us may embark on the road to recovery".

"I smell narc," Genpachi muttered under his breath to me.

"T-that's Sakamoto Genpachi, Ultimate Jazzman. And I'm- I'm Enoshima Tsubasa, I'm the, well, Ultimate Pilot," I said, before I sighed, "Guess that's not much of a talent though, given we're all trapped underground like this".

"Relax, bub. There's no way anyone can keep me, the Ultimate Jailbreaker, down here, so you'll be up and flying in no time," smirked the next student, a man so hulking I could've mistaken him for a teacher. Stubble forming on his chin, the rest of his face was hidden by a black balaclava and beanie, though his smile showed braces that looked like barbed wire. The balaclava combined with his striped shirt made think of a raccoon. He had several keychains around his belt, a set of knives and spoons clutched between his fingers on his right hand, and a... cookbook in his left. I saw there was even still a ball-and-chain attached to his leg, which he was a bit too playfully swinging around.

"Alcatraz, Cowra, Hachijo, Hashima, no chains can contain me. Oh yeah, you can call me Katsu Yudai".

"I assure you, no such breakout will be necessary," Toranosuke spoke up, shooting a glare up at Katsu, "Hope's Peak Academy had to be relocated underground for safety during the war. Spreading wild accusations of imprisonment will only cause panic among our student population.

Anyway, to return to our initial subject," the Manager coughed for emphasis and turned back to look at me, "So, you say you are from the Enoshimas? Ah yes, a well-respected military family with a storied background, delightful to have you here. As for our 'Ultimate Jazzman' though," Toranosuke furrowed his brow, before he shrugged and said, "Well, if it's what Hope's Peak has permitted..."

"Wise man once said 'Nothing is true. Everything is permitted'," came Genpachi's response, which Toranosuke just brushed off.

I tried to be more courteous. "T-thank you for your welcome, Ishimaru. Um, unusual a welcome as this is, it's really an honour for me to be here," I said, bowing in return.

"Likewise," said a girl with a wavy pink bob, a darker shade than mine, who was wearing headphones, not a sight I saw often other than on officers. She had on a beige jacket over a ruffled blouse with a rose pinned on it, and an also beige ankle-length skirt patterned with tiny white dots. "My, I don't intend to be presumptuous, but... I assume you'd be familiar with me. Most of Japan is after all, at least with my voice," she then asked.

I was left scrambling to think of where I could possibly know this girl from, until I remembered that broadcast I'd heard last night (at least, I guessed it was last night).

"Oh, I know, you're the Ultimate Radio Broadcaster! I-I think I listen to your radio show, you were talking about Hope's Peak and how you'd be there, a-and you also mentioned Ishimaru," I staggered back as I said, unable to believe I was meeting a national radio presenter.

"What's the big deal? I've got better tunes than her on rotation 24/7," Genpachi had to remark.

She politely laughed, hand up to her mouth. She then said, choosing to focus on me, "Why thank you, I'm always grateful to meet a fan. I can understand why you took a while to recognise my voice, even someone like can forget how people sound different on air than in person. Well, as we're all going to be schoolmates, um, I believe you are entitled to my proper name. Please, call me Benibara Momoka".

Wait, oh no, as Benibara was the Ultimate Broadcaster, then was there a chance of-? I'd have to ask that Voice, that 'Ultimate Mission Control', about her in private... if they'd even give an answer.

As I was still uncomfortable with the thought of brining the Voice up in public, I tried to breach the topic a little by saying, "Wow, they can sure do some amazing things with radio these days, huh? Like, even send waves straight into a person's head, um, I'd imagine anyway".

Benibara had to tilt her head at me, but she then said, "Ah, I see you've been tuning into our Science Fiction broadcast". Well, that got me nowhere.

That left one person here, a girl with round, rimless glasses framed by bronze-blonde hair ending in curls, wearing a dark blue dress with a white cravat over a lime green labcoat. Multiple test-tubes were stuffed into her pocket protector, a scribble-covered notepad poked out of her burgundy purse and had on a wristwatch fitted with far more counters than just the time.

"Guten tag," she said, bowing and smiling, before she twitched and stepped back a little. "Um, guess it is no surprise I am from Germany, ah ha. Um, if I may make a request?" she then asked.

"Sure, ask away," I said, trying to break the ice.

She sighed out. "It does feel a little spoilt of me, given how open everyone here has been with their talents. But, well, I would prefer to keep my Talent a secret, confidential as per request, for now. Do not worry, it is indeed listed on the Academy records, I shall happily reveal it in due time, once we're all.... comfortable," she fidgeted.

Toranosuke had to fold his arms and remark "Secrets are not ideal for group cohesion, but... I do suppose there is nothing in Hope's Peak Rules about obfuscating one's Talent, at least to other students. By all means then, if you must".

"Oh, thank you thank you, that helps me a lot," she perked up right away, before she gulped and said, "Eh, okay, I will of course give you my name. Hildegard Schulz, pleasure to meet you."

Looking around the underground, I could see that the second floors and higher of both Hope's Peak buildings were cut off by the cavern roof. I figured this left any passage upwards either within the buildings themselves, had their upper floors not become encased in stone, or through one of the many tunnels that at present had been blocked off by cooled magma. Speaking of magma, the strong sulfuric smell and ashen taste within this cave made me flinch as I tried heading forwards in it, though looking around it seemed like Momoka and I were the only ones having trouble, as the rest proceeded onto the North Building. Momoka then turned and looked and me a little funny. She said, "Huh, it's strange. I've mostly spent my time cooped up in radio stations, but you said you were a pilot, right?" before she then stepped back, "Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude, ah, i-if I came off that way". "You mean used to like the ashes and smoke of the warfield, right?" I said back to her, and also tried to tell her, "Hey look, I don't think you were imposing at all. But yeah, I was only really in the air force around the end of the War, so I only saw so many battles. I mean, I'm here as a Pilot, not like the Ultimate Dogfighter". Momoka however then added, "Then again, with all the bombings, I guess most of Japan has gotten used to ash and sulfur, more so than any volcano could make us". I bit my lip as she brought that up. "Yeah, my bad, I shouldn't have forgotten that" I mumbled. "Ahem, time is a wasting," Toranosuke then said as he walked back up to us. He then grabbed my arm to drag me further along, though granted I wasn't exactly moving at that fast a pace, while Momoka stumbled as she raced to keep up.