Mizuki Nana performed Trickster on Music Fighter last night - the good people over at seiyuu3 posted it on youtube, but you’ll probably want to grab the HQ capture (TS format) of it by hikkichan over @ Jpopsuki if you have an account there - you can see Nana in full glory, warts and all. Mmm, only a 2 1/2 minute long performance but I think Nana did pretty well there. The ‘backing track’ drowned her out a bit at times, there were a few rushed notes and she sounded flat on some of the lower parts (actually, the entire vocal sounds lower than it does on record) but I guess that’s just nitpicking. A capella bit was good!

Oh, and Trickster overtook Hirano Aya’s NAMIDAx3 in the charts yesterday (and is still above it today at No.14 vs No.20) No offence, but NAMIDAx3 is a bloody awful song.

Mmmm. Seems a bit long since I last featured Yu-tan around here.

As usual, she’s making an utter fool of herself… the yelp around the 26 second mark sounded rather painful.

Full video, with Yu talking crap about wearing school swimsuits on Nico Nico Douga.

God. I can’t believe I’m doing this.

But since townberry suggested it as further punishment for not believing in Nana enough, I shall heap misery upon myself.

Do you know how many times I had to stab my hand to force myself to type those lines?

[inner monologue: I AM A MASOCHIST.]

But seriously, I don’t really hate Hirano to the ends of the earth.

She is on my list of Top 100000000000 favourite things, right after broken legs, kimchi & durian-flavoured juice and pink-and-yellow-polka-dotted knee high socks.

I still like Suzumiya Haruhi and Bouken Desho Desho y’know.

And Hirano’s Doushite song from Himawari is damn good.

And Mei from Manabi Straight! is awesomeness.

A 21st birthday is a very special thing, people should make sure they celebrate it properly and all. Mine was spent watching episode 7 of My-Otome whilst eating a pizza and drinking hot cocoa, with a duvet wrapped around me.

Back to work now…

TO: All Members
FROM: Hirakawa Aya, President of Mizuki Nana-sama Cheerleading Squad
DATE: 6th October 2008
SUBJECT: Notice of Disciplinary Action

It has come to our attention that j1m0ne, erstwhile leader of the female sub-division of the Mizuki Nana-sama Cheerleading Squad, has been found guilty of non-promoting of, and deliberately pessimistic outlook on Mizuki Nana-sama’s most recent masterpiece & soon-to-be national heritage, the Trickster single. We have now learnt that despite j1m0ne’s best attempts to undermine Mizuki Nana-sama’s assault on the Oricon charts by fervently pimping Hikawa Kiyoshi, KOH+ and Aqua Timez as potential winners over Mizuki Nana-sama, the move has backfired as it prompted angry hordes of Mizuki Nana fans to purchase five copies of Trickster each. Despite that, the authorities have decided that action is necessary.

This memo is to inform all members of j1m0ne’s multiple punishments for the crime stated in Chapter 717, Section 117B (noted as “lack of faith”), agreed upon by the Mizuki Nana Cheerleading Squad Disciplinary Committee headed by Hirakawa Aya. This will consist of:
a) a copy of War and Peace with extra large font, to be inserted in j1m0ne’s mouth (a punishment otherwise referred to as “eating of words”)
b) seven slaps across the face with a dirty, smelly trout
c) a mandatory purchase of 777 copies of Trickster
d) a forced 48-hour tape loop of NEWS’ Happy Birthday to be blared into j1m0ne’s ears via headphones that have been safely secured on using epoxy glue
e) a stripping off of all titles held previously, including the Almighty Leader of the Gaijin Female Mizuki Nana-sama Cheerleading Subdivision J title with immediate effect
f) a temporary 3-month demotion to subsidiary Hirano Aya’s Toilet Cleaning Brigade with immediate effect

After a three month probationary period, j1m0ne’s membership in the Squad will be re-evaluated and if necessary, further action will be taken.

All members are asked to sign their names in the blank spaces provided below to acknowledge that you have read and agreed to the action stated above.

NB: Indeed, Mizuki Nana-sama has sold 57,201 copies of Trickster, her best ever first week chart performance yet! It was indeed sad that she chose to unveil her latest masterpiece to the world in the same week as the wretched NEWS, but rejoice! Our faith as a Cheerleading Squad has made the world sit up and take notice of beloved Mizuki Nana-sama! To celebrate, every member will be presented with a commemorative rubber replica of a trout.

Top 10 chart performance below:
*1　201304　NEWS
*2　*57201　水樹奈々 (Mizuki Nana)
*3　*54005　EXILE
*4　*51063　氷川きよし (Hikawa Kiyoshi)
*5　*43217　KOH+
*6 *27,428 絢香×コブクロ (Ayaka x Kobukuro)
*7 *21,878 BAReeeeeeeeeeN
*8 *18,286 Aqua Timez
*9 *18,180 アンジェラ・アキ (Angela Aki)
10 *16,009 ASKA

What a close battle it was! Give yourself a pat on the back, Nana fans.

Reflecting on Saito Chiwa’s recent ‘image change’, I’ve been wondering since when I started bothering about seiyuu looks, their image etc.

A cleaning lady?

Nowadays all seiyuu have to regularly attend live events and appear on anime TV shows & DVD specials so there’s no way they can avoid not showing their faces. So they better stop munching on those Pockies if they don’t wanna be stuck with all the fat jibes. Or lose a role because their face is ‘too fat’.

I think you pretty much know where this is leading - a visual before/after study seeking to explore the wonders of concealer, foundation and eye-shadow. Let’s get cracking.

Chihara Minori

Everyone goes KYAAA!! about Minorin now, but it wasn’t always that way. Back when I was still in HATE MINORIN MODE I used to think of her as looking like the gingerbread man, or a bit like Momoi Halko (no offence intended, Momoi fans) - I think it was the short hairstyle and round cheeks that doomed her.

It was only after Haruhi got her a whole lot more attention that Minorin started pouring the tightening cream on her face I think. I mentioned this on staappy’s blog a while ago xD

Inoue Marina

I didn’t give Marina a second look until when she was in Yakitate! Japan when she’d lost all that puppy fat.

But now I’m sort of alarmed to see how thin she is these days. Like a stick insect.

Koshimizu Ami

A good example of how gawky teenager can turn into pretty young lady…

…but she still resembles a horse. 馬顔だ！

Mizuki Nana

A trip to the dentist was in order to achieve a symmetrical smile. Who knows if Colgate may come a-calling?

But Nana never got her crooked front tooth fixed. Maybe it’s one of her charm points?

Kitamura Eri

Flat pancake face, big nose.

Make-up can make otaku look pretty. Gotta perfect the moody pout too.

Horie Yui

Hocchan hasn’t really changed that much over the years.

In fact, I think she looks much better now that she’s older. Oh hang on, I forgot that she’s always 17. Always. And forever. No wonder she looks like my kid sister.

Tamura Yukari

Er, I try to pay as little attention to how Yukarin looks as possible. She just don’t appeal to me.

At least she’s gotten better at camouflaging those jug handles ears.

Fukuyama Jun

The guy’s a chameleon, basically. I’ve never seen him with the same look twice -_- I used to think Fukuyama looked like a loveable geek when I first heard him in Angelic Layer (like this) but now I think he’s just a vainpot who spends too much time standing in front of the mirror fixing his hair.

Sakamoto Maaya

Maaya always looked like a cross between Utada Hikaru & Kuraki Mai to me.

…does she actually look rounder these days or what? Doesn’t matter, Maaya definitely ages well. Like fine wine.

Kugimiya Rie

Not much difference between Rie 5-6 years ago and Rie now - still stick thin as ever.

Hairstyles are much better these days though. She needs to smile more!! Show off those tiny teeth of hers!

Nakahara Mai

People say Mai has had plastic surgery done.

She’s probably had a face transplant.

Kuwashima Houko

Kuwashima is probably the only person going backwards ^^; Her music career seems to have been put on the backburner so I guess she has no reason to get dolled up for photoshoots so much these days… get back in the kitchen, Houko.

I’ve seen many people compare her Nagi to Koshimizu Ami’s Horo in Spice and Wolf, though Nagi’s speech pattern mostly conjures up memories of Yukana’s bratty Mashiro for me.

Hayate no Gotoku’s Nagi > Kannagi’s Nagi > My-HiME’s Nagi :3

Anyway. Kannagi isn’t really the kind of stuff (harem, moe) I normally watch & I doubt I’ll last the 13 episode run. Will probably just pick it up here & there to catch the easter eggs & silly me-mes that Yamakan might insert.

Kemeko DX! (which is more my kind of thing), Zettai Karen Children & Gundam 00 Season 2 also air on Saturday/Sunday making every weekend a Tomatsu Haruka weekend <3

Very much looking forward to the rest of Tomatsu’s three consecutive month release plan now after hearing the short versions of the songs. motto☆Hade ni ne is basically Bouken Desho Desho Pt. II albeit with a catchier chorus. I’m looking forward to the PV, where she seems to look consistently cute rather than consistently like Moonface as in the naissance PV.

Musuhi no Toki sounds like a Key song. Certainly sounds like it’d fit CLANNAD better than those two drab Lia songs currently being used. GJ Yamakan & Kosaki Satoru on both the OP & ED.

Three versions of motto☆Hade ni ne & Musuhi no Toki is just overkill :< Will be grabbing the ¥1,800 DVD versions - 600 extra yen for an 8-page booklet, PV & TV CMs and widecap sticker A. Insane fans might want to pick up the regular CD edition which has widecap sticker B. Kannagi editions of both singles have 16-page specially illustrated Kannagi booklets and an extra track each - the TV size versions of the songs.

I still don’t think Tomatsu’s singing is anything special but she does seem to have a different voice for every song >.< Like how she has a different face for every photoshoot >.<

Blablablabla bla blabla blabber bla bla bla.

Oh who am I kidding. The only point of this post is as an excuse to POST MORE TOMATSU PICTURES, RAWR.

There, got that out of my system. Move along to the next post now, nothing more to see here.

Aw shucks, Yamakan you naughty boy.

平川綾 - Hirakawa Aya
プレイボ… - Playbo…y?
巨乳大特集 - Big Boobs Special

Bikini seems to be on the right way though. And it’s not blue.

Watch Kannagi!

The moment you’ve all been waiting for for is here! Public voting for the third Seiyuu Awards has been open as of 1st October 2008 and will close 1st January 2009. Secondary judging/inspection (whatever that is) from 5-12 January 2009, final inspection on 19 January and the awards ceremony itself on 7th March.

I think the criteria is the same as it was last year from first glance, so refer to the steps on my guide last year on how to register your vote. Voting page here.

I’ll leave my vote until further end of 2008 when the autumn season has gotten into full swing (why on earth is voting so early anyway :P), but I have a few ideas on who I think will pick up awards based on the pattern of the previous two years (*cough*Macross*cough*Maeno Tomoaki*cough). I hope, but don’t expect there to be a nomination list this time… sigh. Let the sucking up and bootlicking commence!

Last year’s results here.