January 2, 2010 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: The End | Comments (6)
For reasons I don’t want to go into right now – nothing disastrous, more of a re-assessment of priorities and time available – I’m ending this experiment for the foreseeable future. Which, knowing me, means I’m shutting the site down for good. Thank you for reading, and maybe I’ll see you all again in the future!
P.S. – I’ll be putting the rankers back up on American Wota when I get the chance.
January 2, 2010 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Kuroki Meisa | Comments (0)
Wallpaper: Meisa Kuroki’s “Attitude” « Karakui – Okinawan Pop Culture.
You can always count on Karakui to point the way to great Okinawan-related wallpaper.
January 2, 2010 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Hello! Project, Minimoni, Morning Musume, Takahashi Ai | Comments (0)
An Short Interlude « Tsuyoki de Yukoze!.
Murr explains how Takahashi Ai received that particular nickname. For those who don’t know, Ishibashi also bestowed the greatest ever H!P nickname to Iida Kaori.
January 2, 2010 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Koike Yui | Comments (0)
Yui Koike ~ Sabra.net [2009.12.25] | Jappydolls.
She’s got a wonderful smile and looks great in a bikini. What more could you ask for?
January 2, 2010 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: AKB48, Hello! Project | Comments (0)
The One Place Where H!P Still Outsells AKB « Delicious Cake Project!.
I won’t spoil the reveal, but will say that this is an interesting angle to take on idols and how they manifest throughout the culture.
January 1, 2010 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: iSanshin, sanshin | Comments (0)
App Review: iSanshin (i三線) for iPhone & iPod touch « Karakui – Okinawan Pop Culture.
App Review: Sanshin (三線) for iPhone and iPod touch « Karakui – Okinawan Pop Culture.
These are thorough and knowledgeable reviews from Richie of two apps that lets you play the sanshin on your iPod Touch or iPhone. So if you ever wanted to accompany Berryz Kobo to “Piriri to Yukou”, here’s your chance!
January 1, 2010 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Johnny's Entertainment | Comments (0)
KAT-TUN 2 Me » Top 100 Johnny’s Songs: Part 6.
When Celestia mentions “the gayest Arashi PV”, I knew exactly which one she meant. It’s the only Arashi video I ever bother to watch, actually. Gotta love the rainbows!
January 1, 2010 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Chemical Pictures | Comments (0)
Rock Japan Elec-tric.
Rock Japan Elec-tric.
I’m sharing these posts mostly because that bowl of noodles and tempura shrimp make me REAL hungry.
January 1, 2010 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Amuro Namie, avex trax, Gundam | Comments (0)
NAMIE NEWS NETWORK © 2007-2009: Namie in ‘GUNDAM ACE’ magazine.
Namie is an anagram for anime – so you know, it was meant to be.
January 1, 2010 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Girly Berry | Comments (0)
The Three Metalheads » Blog Archive » One for the K-pop fans – Girly Berry.
Henkka introduces us to a Thai girl group quartet, focusing on their music but also providing some great eyecandy along the way.
January 1, 2010 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: AKB48 | Comments (0)
Sweet Japan: AKB48 at Japan Record Awards.
Sweet Japan: AKB48 NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen RIVER SUPRISE 2009-12-31.
The dominant girl group of the year perform at a couple of popular shows. This DOES feel a bit like a passing of the guard, doesn’t it?
January 1, 2010 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: JYP, Wonder Girls | Comments (0)
The WonderGirls to carry out their promotions in China alongside with that in the States « K Bites.
I have to admire their bid to become world stars, but maybe they should focus on one hemisphere at a time?
January 1, 2010 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Year In Review | Comments (0)
~ALL MY BEST~ well… most of it. ;D Part 1! « Radiant Dawn.
Ethan starts his own review of the past year, considering the best and worst A-sides. Again, though: why number it if it’s meant to be in no particular order?
January 1, 2010 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Year In Review | Comments (0)
2009 In Review ~All the Singles…Put Your Hands Up?~ « Beyond the Sea ~ The Style. Edition.
Lex goes over his Top Ten, and for the Worst he even throws in some macros to add insult to injury. Gotta love that!
January 1, 2010 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Hello! Project | Comments (0)
2009 rankings – Top 5 songs to torture old ladies with « Nyu chan desu!!!.
First deflowering virgins, now torturing old ladies. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Also, the shout-out to Tom Swift amused me.
January 1, 2010 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Coma-chi | Comments (0)
Yonasu employs many superlatives for this female rapper, and I have to admit that the last clip in the post – “perfect angel” – is really good. Definitely worth following up on.
January 1, 2010 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Ishikawa Rika | Comments (0)
Your Opinion Doesn’t Count..It’s all pop culture to us: Hump Day Eye Candy Extravaganza.
You really can’t go wrong with Rika’s posterior. Also, Happy New Year!
December 31, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Steve Appleton | Comments (0)
Elec shares some clips of Steve Appleton’s show where he played bass. The last two are particularly interesting.
December 31, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: DMC, Girls Generation, Super Junior, TaeYeon | Comments (0)
Congratulations to both – but what’s up with ShinDong’s hair? It reminds me of the early Beatles – or the public obscenity penis hairdo from DMC.
December 31, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Amuro Namie, avex trax | Comments (0)
NAMIE NEWS NETWORK © 2007-2009: Namie candid photos (Dec 2009).
The first picture is especially adorable. It’s like she’s ready to be in a Dickens novel or something.
December 31, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: avex trax, Hamasaki Ayumi | Comments (1)
Pink Wota » [News] Countdown Live 09-10 ~Future Classics~ Kneejerk Reactions.
Vee finds a great deal to like from the initial reports on Hamasaki Ayumi’s latest tour. The T-shirt is indeed pretty nifty!
And I like the part about the spoon.
December 31, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Berryz Kobo, Hello! Project | Comments (0)
Year end ranking : Girls @ Berryz Kobo International.
Year end ranking : Songs @ Berryz Kobo International.
Interestingly enough, my three choices for the top poll were also at the top of the overall results…
December 31, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Big Bang, EXILE | Comments (0)
51st Japan Record Awards: EXILE, BIG BANG – Tokyograph.
This is the second year that Exile took the grand prize, while Big Bang became the first Korean group to win Best New Artist. Congratulations to both!
December 31, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Johnny's Entertainment, Kanjani8 | Comments (0)
Charts: Kanjani8 takes top three – Tokyograph.
A very impressive feat, but now I’m guessing some others – Koda Kumi, maybe? or another JE act? – will try to top it with four singles.
December 31, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: SM, Super Junior | Comments (1)
HanKyung’s Contract Termination Trial Begins Jan 8 « K Bites.
Holy crap, that was fast – and his lawyers are maneuvering against possible delaying tactics from SM. What this means for Super Junior – especially the others allegedly filing suit – still remains to be seen, of course. But I’m thinking SM will be doing some major PR damage control in the coming days and weeks.
December 31, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Amuro Namie, avex trax | Comments (0)
NAMIE NEWS NETWORK © 2007-2009: ‘with’ February 2010.
Always good to remember the Queen of Hip Pop has her soft side, as well…
December 31, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: F.CUZ | Comments (0)
F.cuz gives 1st tease with ‘Jiggy’ « K Bites.
Seriously, this is all turning into a strange single-entendre joke.
December 31, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Ichii Sayaka | Comments (0)
Sayaka Ichii ~ Next Stage | Jappydolls.
Sayaka is looking great! Now how about some Ayappe eyecandy? I know she’s still hawt, too.
December 31, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: file management | Comments (0)
jrocknyc: with some sweet oblivious antidote cleanse the stuff’d bosom of that perilous stuff.
Go is trying to figure out the best way to separate musical wheat from chaff, and is seeking advice. The comments section is even more interesting than usual, as a result.
December 30, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Hikaru Genji, Johnny's Entertainment | Comments (0)
Hikaru Genji’s Akasaka caught for drugs again – Tokyograph.
Apparently, it takes an old school boy band idol to show all these Jpop and Kpop upstarts how to really get into trouble.
December 30, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Hello! Project | Comments (1)
Time to rank! – Top 5 songs to deflower H!P virgins with « Nyu chan desu!!!.
So I picture Maeda Yuuka with Metallica’s “One” playing softly in the background and then we turn it up and break out the trapeze and…
What? Ladybird is talking about how to get people not into H!P to like their music? Never mind, then.
And I’d think “Rottara Rottara” would be a natural for this list.
December 30, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Decade In Review | Comments (0)
jrocknyc: The Best Albums of the Decade Part 9: 2009.
Go ends the decade in review with a huge four-way stand-off. That was a pretty good review series, wasn’t it? I found it the best so far this year.
December 30, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Hello! Project, Morning Musume | Comments (0)
Pocket Morning Weekly Q&A (week of 12/27/2009) – Hello!Online.
Pervy Morning Weekly Q&A « Morningtime.
Morningtime does a nice job of further interpreting the answers the girls gave. And yeah, they really shouldn’t ask that question if they don’t want certain images dancing in the minds of wota.
December 30, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: AKB48, Hello! Project | Comments (0)
Top Selling Singles of 2009 « Totally Hello! Project.
So AKB has sold more copies of fewer singles than all of H!P combined? The times, they have a-changed!
December 30, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Hello! Project, S/mileage | Comments (0)
S/mileage – “Suki-chan” PV Preview Released « Hello!SayuNii.
An all-Yuuka all-bikini version of the PV is apparently being held back at the moment, but I KNOW they’ve got one planned. Right?
December 30, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Amuro Namie, avex trax | Comments (0)
NAMIE NEWS NETWORK © 2007-2009: “PAST < FUTURE” Week 2 Sales.
A huge drop, but she’s within a week or two (fingers crossed) of the half-million mark.
December 30, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Funky Monkey Babys | Comments (0)
Funky Monkey Babys announce best album – Tokyograph.
This seems to’ve been a good year for the group, so this Best Of is a nice capper.
December 30, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Crystal Kay, Hidarime Tantei EYE, Yamada Ryosuke | Comments (0)
Crystal Kay to make drama debut – Tokyograph.
I’ve never been jealous of Crystal Kay before, but working so closely with Yamada Ryosuke? Ohh, be still my heart!
December 30, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: SM, Super Junior | Comments (0)
SM to face hefty compensation if Hankyung were to miss Hunan TV’s New Year Eve Concert « K Bites.
More serious repercussions in the SM contracts war. It’s ironic, given that the big worry were DBSK performances.
December 30, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: 2PM, JYP | Comments (0)
2PM TaecYeon on ‘couple’ performance with YoonA, “It is just for business” « K Bites.
It’s just business? A love song is just business? You whore! How much for a freakin’ half-and-half, then, TaecYon? And does your pimp JaeBom get a cut, all the way in Seattle?
December 30, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: AKB48, Miyazawa Sae | Comments (0)
SaeYaka, Team K and AKB48 Paradise: 39 reasons to buy Sae’s photobook.
It’s Sae eyecandy – lots of it. You don’t need any more reason than that.
December 29, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Big Bang | Comments (0)
Big Bang ‘2010 Big Show’ tickets sold out in just 5min in 1st window sales « K Bites.
The five minutes is astounding, but they could have easily sold twelve times as many tickets – even more impressive!
December 29, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Hamasaki Ayumi | Comments (0)
Pink Wota » [Review] Redemption.
Vee does a detailed track-by-track review of this single, finding it Ayu’s strongest in the past two years.
December 29, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Nakamura Miu, Yamamoto Azusa | Comments (0)
Young Champion No.24 [2009] | Jappydolls.
This one features Yamamoto Azusa and Nakamura Miu… Hey, I thought Nakamura retired a while back! Why won’t she finally give it a rest?
December 29, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Hello! Project, Year In Review | Comments (0)
2009 Year End Hello! Project Rankings « Conflict Productions.
Siggy writes, “Before I start, I apologize if I offend anyone due to my opinions.” But he’s doing H!P rankings. If there’s anything that can be fighting words in wota world, it’s saying your favorite idol is better than someone else’s favorite idol!
And wait! His blog is called Conflict Productions and he doesn’t want to piss people off? Something’s fishy here…
December 29, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Confucius, Rain | Comments (0)
Chinese netizens object to Rain’s appointment as Goodwill ambassador of SanDong province « K Bites.
Sounds like a Zen riddle, eh? But actually, Rain was chosen as the Goodwill ambassador for Confucius’ hometown and some Chinese folks are upset that a Korean – even Korea’s current pop god – was chosen. Maybe Rain should say something profoundly wise and in doing so prove his worth as a representative of Confucius.
Now, let’s all hold our breath and wait for it to happen…
December 29, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Decade In Review | Comments (0)
jrocknyc: The Best Albums of the Decade Part 8: 2008.
I appreciate taking a little time out to jab at Chinese Democracy.
December 29, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: gravure | Comments (0)
Young Magazine No.01 [2010] | Jappydolls.
Yes, there IS a shot where models are weighing each breast on a scale.
No, I don’t know what the price per kilo is.
December 29, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Girls Generation, SM, TaeYeon | Comments (0)
SNSD TaeYeon gets a new nickname “ByunTaeYeon”? « K Bites.
… Hey, she can ram a stick up my ass any time she wants.
And I know I’m not the only one thinking that.
December 29, 2009 | Ray Mescallado | Tags: Beat Crusaders, Blue Hearts, Melon Kinenbi, Puffy, Yaida Hitomi | Comments (0)
The Blue Hearts to simultaneously release best album, tribute album – Tokyograph.
Most of us know them for “Linda Linda Linda”, but that’s more than enough to love the band as far as I’m concerned. The tribute album includes tracks by Yaida Hitomi, Puffy, Beat Crusaders, and Melon Kinenbi! Boss Saito and company are sure keeping busy post-H!P.
November 2, 2009 | Vee | Comments (2)
Ayumi didn’t need our sympathy in 2003, and she never has. The body of her work, even down to the most saccharine love song, paints a picture of melancholy independence, a world in which even the happiness is underscored by struggle. But isn’t that life? “A Song for XX” is the ultimate, singular example of Ayumi’s strengths as a performer and as a wordsmith. It is a bit of self-indulgent confession, accusation, and resignation that envelops you, accepts you, grows in and around you.
Vee takes an in-depth look at an “A Song for XX” and how it epitomizes the virtues of Ayu’s musical career.
October 26, 2009 | Anna | Comments (5)
Taking in her world with a frown, anxiety and confusion sweeping her features, she still pursues escape from fame, but only into a kind of fantastical, otherworldly realm, the only kind a woman like Hamasaki can live in after experiencing the type of fame she has endured. Performing freely to the open plains without a soul to hear, she preserves the music that has become her passion, but disconnects from all those pesky people who make it so hard to enjoy. For Hamasaki, there was no longer the possibility of the real world as we know it.
Anna takes an in-depth look at Hamasaki Ayumi’s music videos and how they reflect her evolving relationship to fame over the years.
September 22, 2009 | Ray Mescallado, murr, wendy and Vee | Comments (3)
The news of Kusumi Koharu’s graduation from Morning Musume raised quite a stir in our corner of the J-blogosphere, as coverage here and at Intl Wota can attest. Always open to experiment, I decided to run an ad hoc roundtable to discuss what happened to Koha and what it means for Hello! Project’s future. DH’s regular contributor Vee was of course ready to join in; bloggers / wotachatters Murr and Wendy also threw their hats in the ring. (Unfortunately, illness kept Wendy from doing the last round of questions.)
The roundtable started Sunday night and a major new development – Tsunku making explicit that he ordered Koha’s graduation – occurred while e-mails were flying.
Look for more Feature Articles.
