Cosplays I Want[ed?] to Do

If you found this blog on a basic Google search, you may have noticed this posting on another blog. Don't worry, I'm not plagarizing someone else's works. I took it from my other blog because I thought it fit the theme of this one. So don't fret because I have my permission to post it here~

Today I have been going through the bookmarks on my firefox browser to just lessen some of the clutter on my computer. I do this every year (or two) because after a while I don't need some of the stuff. Or I don't want stuff anymore. The web comics folder on my computer has grown exponentially in the past six months.

So to preserve some of the things that I do want, but conserve space at the same time I'm going to put up links to all the cosplay-related things I've spent time investing in over the past year. Prepare yourselves for links.

Uncommon Skin Toned Characters
Cat-People List
Catgirl Kiki *Something I really want to do if I can lose the weight
 ./Hack Twinblade
Color Q World (Colored Characters in Anime/Manga) * Something everyone should preview, if only for the articles
Tangrowth
Mecha Girls
Noah from FMA

There's actually more stuff on my computer that I want to do, like a Tangrowth gijinka and Diebuster characters. I'm really looking forward to doing the Diebusters one and the catgirl kiki because I think they're really cool. I also want to to Michiko from Michiko to Hatchin because she's so cool! The downside is I have to struggle to make the cosplays myself, but I can't wait to do it. I think that my hair will be long enough too. Well I'll sit and muse on which cosplay I want to make for the upcoming year, and let you all know later.

Thank you for reading.

Little Red Continued: Me

First off, now 3D Latte Art is trending in Japan.

Secondly, the sources for my Little Red Riding Hood Cross-Cultural paper are here now. I think there are a few missing, but I can't find my usb at this moment so I'll post the rest at a later date here.

Works Cited

Anderson, Joseph L. Enter a Samurai: Kawakami Otojiro and Japanese Theatre in the West. Tuscon, Ariz: Wheatmark, 2011. Print.

Bacchilega, Cristina, and Cornelia Niekus Moore. Constructions and Confrontations: Changing Representations of Women and Feminisms, East and West : Selected Essays. Honolulu:            College of Languages, Linguistics and Literature, University of Hawaiʻi and the East-West Center, 1996. Print.

Beckett, Sandra L. Red Riding Hood for All Ages: A Fairy-Tale Icon in Cross-Cultural Contexts. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2008. Print.

Beckett, Sandra L. Recycling Red Riding Hood. New York: Routledge,  2002. Print.

Blonsky, Marshall. On Signs. Baltimore, Md: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1985. Print.

Knight, John. Waiting for Wolves in Japan: an Anthropological Study of People-Wildlife Relations. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2003. Print. 
 Haase, Donald. "Little Red Riding Hood." The Greenwood Encyklopedia of Folktales and Fairy Tales. Vol. 2 G-P. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2008. Print.

Kristof, Nicholas D. "Big Wolves Aren't so Bad in Japan." New York Times [New York] 1 Dec. 1996: n. pag. New York Times. Web.

Kurahashi, Yumiko. Two Tales from Cruel Fairy Tales for Adults. Marvels and Tales. 22.1 (Apr. 2008) pg 1. Word count 5708. From Literary Resource Center.

Lebra, Takie S, and William P. Lebra. Japanese Culture and Behavior: Selected Reading. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. 1986. Print.

Prasol. A. F. Modern Japan Origins of the Mind: Japanese Traditions and Approaches to Contemporary Life.  Singapore: World Scientific, 2010. Internet Resource.

Zipes, Jack. The Trials and Tribulations of Little Red Riding Hood: Versions of the Tale in Sociocultural Context. South Hadley, MA: Bergin & Garvey, 1983. Print.

I  wanted to follow up with the extensive research I've been doing on Little Red Riding Hood in Japan so I posted my sources on my research paper. I think that after I apply to grad school then I will officially post the paper I wrote here, but until then, I will not because I don't want to be dismissed from any schools for being a plagiarist (of myself) or have someone else use it to get into school. So please don't plagiarize my works and efforts. 

Thank you for reading.

Maia Does Japan, Again!: Blog

So my friend Maia is about to head out to Japan in a number of weeks to start her new, amazingly awesome post-graduation life. She has successfully become apart of JET, going abroad to teach English I think. She's going to be in Hiroshima ken and I can't wait to see her pictures. Her old blog of when she was in Japan is This, but now I get to follow her Here. I am so excited for her. I hope I'm able to visit her while she's abroad.

Well I'm bringing her up because partly because she is she going overseas soon, but also because she and I were talking about great opportunities to get back to Japan. I've already done study abroad and I'm trying to figure out what I want to do. I was considering becoming a Fulbright Scholar, but I'm a little wary since I have been in Japan for ten months consecutively and am not sure whether that will hinder or help me in getting back there. We spoke of me maybe becoming a CIR (coordinator for International Relations) through JET or any other program, since there are so many opportunities out there. Maia said that CIRs essentially just help out around offices with English and stuff. One of our old peers from our college is doing that and he's loving it. Of course, we acknowledged that probably nothing in the world could have probably kept him from Japan in the first place and that he is thankfully having a great time there.

Then Maia brought up Interac which starts accepting applications in October/November. She said that it is for teaching English, which isn't really my cup of tea, but always a great opportunity. I will definitely look into this anyways because then I can really weigh out my opportunities. So there will probably be a post in the upcoming future about Interac along with all other programs I can find.

I can't wait to meet up with her once more before she goes back abroad because I know we won't talk as much while she's away. I hope she's able to stay out there more if she wants to too because I'm know she's an exceptional person to have around.

Thanks for Reading!

Human Dolls: Art? & Gyo: Film

So I was perusing Facebook and I stumbled across This. I thought it was really cool that Japan is finally able to utilize technology to clone people's busts to preserve their image. I think that it is a little creepy that they decided to put the 3D technology onto a ball-jointed doll's body. I mean, think of all the other things they could be going with this technology! They could be making more replicable bodies for medical students to examine or mock-plumbing or something for engineers. Practice makes perfect and superior technology helps. It is really rather sad that Japanese women only want to preserve their wedding day image. I know the head is made of ink and plaster, but in a land of extreme weather and geological events, it would seem more savvy not to make something so easily destroyed.

About a month or two ago I was watching Gyo on Facebook with my boyfriend and couldn't help but laugh myself into oblivion. This animated film from 2012 has the worst animation I've ever seen. I'm not talking about the quality of the animation, but the plot itself. The movie is based off of Junji Ito's manga "Gyo," but doesn't follow it at all. Most of the movie is rather slow and drags on for what feels like eternity. Almost nothing is explained and the main character spends a lot of time being knocked over, crying, and running. Meanwhile her friends are also not doing anything off camera the majority of the film. Every time the camera flashes over to the friends, they're screaming and running away from each other most of the time. Since almost nothing is explained, the coolest part of "Gyo is when the giant shark attacks the main character and her friends in the house. A shark. On land. Attacking people. It is hilarious. Poor Junji Ito must be shaking his head at the atrocity that was made from his horrific masterpiece. Unless you really want to be confused and bored to death for a couple of hours, I wouldn't suggest watching the film. The manga is great, so please support Junji Ito by buying it!

I know I haven't been commenting much on a lot of the stuff I have been posting lately, but I'm writing a series of papers for finals week. I know I don't want to be like the past few blogs I've linked you to in the past couple of posts. I just haven't found the time to go more in depth about these really cool and mostly crazy things happening in the land of the rising sun.

Thank you for reading, I'll work harder after Friday on my posts!

News Update: Politics

Recently in the news Mayor of Osaka city, Hashimoto has been in hot water with the international community. This ex-governor turned mayor claims that "comfort women" during world war 2 were necessary because men need comfort and the women taken from various parts of Asia just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Here he states that it was terrible that women were forced into this, but at the same time it was necessary instead of paying Japanese women for prostitution. That's a huge slap in the face to Japan's neighbors because Japan is still acting like everyone else is inferior and still part of the "Japanese Empire" when in reality Japan is getting owned by almost all of its neighbors. Hashimoto had been working on bridging some gaps internationally, if I recall correctly, but it seems he has taken a sharp turn to blend in with all of  the other contemporary politicians he once seemed so adamant about replacing. On top of it all, Hashimoto claims that Japan needs a dictatorship to run more smoothly. Maybe this will help ease Japan out of all of its social problems of people not wanting to marry, have kids, or in some cases work or even leave their house/rooms. If Hashimoto were really intent of having a narrower governmental system he could have implied that Japan go back to its imperialistic state with the Emperor, but instead he wants a dictator. I think that Hashimoto just wants to be a dictator to monopolize everything politically about Japan, as he is currently unable to in his meager position of Mayor of Osaka City.

On another note, Hashimoto Isao has been working diligently on recording visually how many times nuclear missiles are detonated around the world (and where) since 1945. If you want to check it out, it is Here where you can watch in detail what he has actually spent his time researching on. It is really cool and terrifying to see that human beings have done so much damage within teh past 70 years that is has been working on nuclear anything almost.

Well, I can no longer keep my eyes open... so good night! Thank you for reading!

Me Me Me no Kurage: Film

"Jellyfish Eyes" is a new film produced by Murakami Takashi for children about dealing with the hardships of life. I first stumbled upon this brand new film from Here. I really wanted to watch this movie because it is not only animated but supposedly has a substantial plot to help children through the harder phases of life; dealing with grief, social problems, and emotions. The author Murakami Takashi has a lively background with arts, especially traditional Japanese art style. He's infused his creativity into classical art and become a famous artist who works with various mediums. This has helped him to create the successful and inspiring film "Me Me Me no Kurake/Jellyfish Eyes." He claims to be influenced from everything, Power Rangers to subcultures so there will be a lot of various iconographic styles to spot, or so I'm told.

I can't wait to watch this film and try to see what influences came from where in "Me Me Me no Kurake." More so to see which country influence the other on what in terms of the stylistic and artistic approaches.

Gyaru: Fashion

It is still pretty trendy. Gyaru Fashion is not only popular in Japan, but has several subdivisions of this subculture. Despite the fact it isn't a "reputable source," I'm going to quote wiki on "Gyaru subculture is still a large influence in Japan's fashion economy with gyaru brands branching out and becoming more accessible in rural areas. In Tokyo, more often than not, a shopping center at each main train station is dedicated to offering the newest and trendiest items from popular Gal brands. Some brands are also reaching overseas by having their items easily accessible in webshops offering world-wide shipping services. A Gal Circle is a meet up of gals to hang out together" (Wiki Gyaru).

I know it is a dying trend, but the fact that most of the stores in Osaka sold clothes similar to it is pretty impressive. It is a rather long running trend that still hits the news once in a while. I noticed that while it may not be the utmost popular in Japan, it is a growing trend in western countries. There is even an International Gyaru day. I believe it was on October 12th in 2012, and June 25th in 2011. I don't know why doesn't seem to be on a successive day... but I'll try to figure that out later.

The gyaru in Japan don't seem to get clique-y and fight each other and quarrel over "who is doing it right." It is a lifestyle in Japan and most people do it on a daily basis. The makeup, the fashion, the hairstyle are all learned and updated with new trends in the styles. Its just as modern hipsters go through different trends. But international gyaru tend to be clique-y. They make their little communities of friends, as would the Japanese, but then they attack and insult others. There is no "right or wrong way" to do something if you're trying your best and practicing. But in the online international gyaru community there is always bashing and insults. Online gyaru communities fight and attack people's attempts. Instead of boosting their own self esteem by hard work and practice, bashing others over physical appearance, race, and facial features occurs instead.

Online gyaru style competitions never end well either. Even the people hosting the competition end up getting hurt and then the community suffers more. Not to mention that most people haven't adapted the makeup styles to suit their faces. Instead they're imitating the Japanese who often don't have the same facial structures as Europeans or Americans. With all of the hate going around, it is intimidating for people who have figured out how to adjust the makeup and fashion to fit their features to post instructional videos and tutorials online. Individual communities, online or off seem to fare well enough on their own, but when they spot other groups they don't treat them as passersby, instead they attack them and judge them harshly when they're just going about their day as well.

I can't imagine what it would be like to have a following on youtube or on well-known sites like tumblr or facebook where strangers can openly state harsh judgments based off of a picture. I spoke to one of my friends and she said she would help me get more information on Japanese gyaru and international gyaru trends and lifestyles. I'm in no rush for this so I can't wait to see what she has gathered.

Thanks for reading, bye bye.

Kiki's Delivery Service: Film

So recently I've been seeing This floating around on Facebook. A good portion of my friends seem devastated that a live-action version of this is even being considered. I think they fail to see the part that states it is following the original book, not the Ghibli version, so people can't compare as easily. Ghibli originally edited the book for its own means, adding and removing things to make the storyline more "Ghibli." For me personally I was thrilled to hear that a live-action was even being considered. Since the Ghibli version is at least a couple decades old it would be nice to see a new interpretation of it. Especially if it is going to follow the book more.

Kiki's Delivery Service, at least for me, has only been told one way; Ghibli. If the Japanese, Americans, or any other person wants to follow the original story, I say go for it. Worst comes to worst the director makes an unpopular movie and the audience judges too harshly off preconceived notions based on another person's manipulation of the original storyline. But, in this live-action version, I do look forward to the audience reception. I don't know how many people actually read the original book in Japan and I don't know how many people will read it before they will watch the movie. Since I don't think there is a a copy published in English (at least not to my knowledge), I also want to see how other countries, like America, receives the film. I feel that there will be more hardened fans that will stick to Ghibli since they don't know there is a book Hayao Miyazaki was influenced by. If that is the case, I don't think there will be many cosplayers to ensue the film. But! If the film is successful (and by film I mean the translation), I hope there will be many panels and cosplayers in the upcoming years immediately following the film.

Well, I'll do my best to follow up after I have seen the film.
Thank you for reading!